Statins /M.E/CFS/Brain injury
Posted , 7 users are following.
I wonder if anyone with medical knowledge can offer any advice. I've just been put on statins for first time. Atorvastatin. I am 66. I have M.E./CFS and brain injury and have spent the last 12 years in bed. I get no exercise. My diet is mainly Mediterranean ; oats, soya milk, lentils, (no fish as it makes me sick)but I do smoke up to 8 cigarettes a day. I have had much stress in my life and now due to child abuse. I take Sertraline anti depressants, and Gabapentin for pain. My ldl is 3.7. hdl is 1.08.
triglycerides are 2.24. cholesterol level is 5.8.
I'd appreciate any advice. Hate the idea of statins see no alternative.
Thank you. Julie
0 likes, 21 replies
loxie julie64767
Posted
Sorry to hear of your varied health issues. Your cholesterol overall is definitely NOT high enough to justify statins, so unless there is another reason other than just cholesterol for taking them - best advice is do not take them. Your other health issues and symptoms will definitely be compromised by statins - they are extremely toxic and cause multiple problems and really should only be taken as a last resort not just 'in case'. Please do much research on statins and their adverse side effects before taking them.
julie64767 loxie
Posted
Hello Loxie thank you for replying. it's reassuring to know that the cholesterol level is not high enough to justify statins. I'll read up more about it. thanks.
elaine62759 julie64767
Posted
Hi Julie
I also have ME/CFS and have high cholesterol. My last total cholesterol was 6.5 but I have decided not to try statins as I know they can have a lot of side effects and I think having ME/CFS is enough for the body to deal with anyway. My doctor didn't push me into taking them and said to try making lifestyle changes first to see if they helped and that they would monitor my levels. I don't think 5.8 seems excessively high for your cholesterol level and am surprised your doctor is suggesting statins at the moment. The things you could do to help yourself with taking them are improving your diet. Check the saturated fat content of what you are eating and try to increase good fats (avocados, nuts and linseeds are all good fats). I recently read something which said your liver produces cholesterol on your body and high levels of stress if can. You could try listening to guided meditations, distract yourself from feeling stressed by doing something enjoyable such as watch a funny TV programme or reading or maybe try counselling if you feel overwhelmed by things. Try not to worry about it too much as you have enough restrictions on your life as it is!
julie64767 elaine62759
Posted
Hello Elaine, thanks for your detailed reply when it must have taken a lot of energy to do. I do eat advocado and nuts. I think a lot of this is to do with stress. I do see a therapist weekly and read a lot. watch a film occassionally. what I don't do is meditate. and think I need too. feel as though I'm getting a perspective by the comments. thanks so much.
elaine62759 julie64767
Posted
Meant to say high stress levels can increase the amount of cholesterol your body produces. Sorry shouldn't send replies when tired!!!
wayne1962 julie64767
Posted
Hi Julie - sorry to read you are suffering. I was on statins - atorvastatin - for 2 years. Multiple problems that took another 4 years to recover from after i tossed that poison away. Research and commiserations with fellow victims has convinced me statins are a rort and are dispensed in line with the business model of pharma companies: to have every man woman and child reliant on at least one of their products. The healthy level of cholesterol was artificially lowered by the med profession in order to prescribe this drug to millions that don't need it. I consider statins a gateway drug to multiple other issues because i experienced it as docs tried to pour more meds down my throat to counteract the multiplying issues they had caused in the first place. Your diet sounds like mine, though i read in your other posts that some recommended foods do not agree with you. I would suggest shrugging the whole issue off. When i see the doc and on occasion acquiesce to their drama about blood tests, they catastrophise and keep trying to push statins on me despite my repeated lectures on how they compromised my system and made me very, very sick. My mantra: No-one gets out alive. Somethings gonna kill us. Until then, I choose quality of life over feeding pharma my money. Best of luck to you whatever you decide.
julie64767 wayne1962
Posted
Hello Wayne
thank you for your reply. the more i hear about statins the less I want to start on them. sorry to hear you had so many problems caused by them. I feel I dont want to take them ,but try on my own reducing the amount of stress. thanks for your input. Julie
susan40017 julie64767
Posted
I totally agree with Loxie. Your cholesterol would be classed as normal if the pharmaceutical industry weren't pretending its high so they can sell statins and make loads of money. Your LDL isup a bit but not a lot. Ifyou raised your HDL your cholesterol ratio would drop.
Your problems are your HDL which is too low and statins would make this worse.
Your triglycerides are too high and statins won't help that at all.
I would definitely not take statins and you should tell yourGP why you dont want them.
What you do need to do :
You need to eat at least 10 eggs per week because egg yolk is full of the good HDL which you need. Your HDL is too low.
Your triglycerides are high which indicates that you're eating too much saturated fats. So you need to use skimmed milk, very little cheese and other dairy products and eat red meat no more than twice a week. Replace those fats with extra virgin olive oil (dont use vegetable oils they contain high omega 6 which is bad) eat lots of oily fish instead of meat (this gives you Omega 3 which is good)
Tell your GP you dont want statins but you will change your diet to a Mediterranean diet to manage your blood lipids. If you're overweight, stop eating bread, rice, pasta, potato and anything with sugar or flour.
Good luck. Im following this diet and I had very high cholesterol. My GP is supportive of me stopping statins and following this diet.
susan40017
Posted
I should have added that, by following this diet, my blood lipids are continuing to improve.
loxie susan40017
Posted
Susan what an excellent post. You are the voice of common sense. Your advice re HDL and triglycerides is very sensible - taking statins which lower both good and bad cholesterol seems against good health advice. The previous comments regarding stress are also very accurate - my diet is good - I dont eat meat, I dont eat processed food or use omega 6 rich oils, I avoid white bread, white flour, sugar etc., my BP is normal and my blood sugar levels are good but my stress levels are off the scale (work, health, money worries, etc etc) and I know full well that reducing my stress (exercise, meditation, mindfulness etc) reduces my adrenal overload and in turn my cholesterol.
julie64767 susan40017
Posted
Susan, thanks for that. There's a lot of common sense being spoken here. I do eat a Mediterranean diet, use a lot of extra virgin olive oil, no meat, can't eat fish because it makes me sick. use soya milk in porridge. avoid white bread, sugar etc, no processed foods. But eating 10 eggs a week, is it safe to do so ? I do feel I need to focus on meditation.relax. there is and has been too much worry, Thanks for your input.
susan40017 julie64767
Posted
Going back in time, they demonised eggs because they're high in cholesterol but they didn't realise that its HDL and not LDL. I now eat at least 10 eggs a week and my HDL has gone up and my LDL has come down. My GP is pleased with my results.
loxie susan40017
Posted
Just found some interesting info on the effect of eating whole eggs - food for thought (pardon the pun). I hope the moderators on this site allow the link to work:
loxie
Posted
obviously not - i'll type the main part and hopefully you can find it online -
www heathline com/nutrition/how-many-eggs-should-you-eat
(put a dot between the first, second and third words)
julie64767 susan40017
Posted
Susan, Ive been out and bought 18 omega 3 eggs this morning. it's a start. also going to try oily fish again. so glad I came on here and talked to you all. thanks.
susan40017 julie64767
Posted
My diet is advocated by a Cardiologist in the book "The Pioppi Diet" which gives all the research findings that support this approach. I have familial hypercholesterolaemia (the genetic variety) and its certainly working for me.
Best wishes)
julie64767 susan40017
Posted
loxie..thanks for the link..I've just read it and feel reassured. it looks a good website.
Susan, thanks for the info. will have a look out for it.
beat wishes to you both