new here!!!! ex-vytorin user

[tgw537]

First of all I would like to thank everyone for their information. I thought
I was going crazy here....
All of these stories sound similar to mine. I started taking the statin meds about two years ago. I first went to see my doc for a physical. I was 28 at the time and I really didn't go much to see the doc on a regular basis. He said everything looked fine but my cholesterol was a little high (216). Two years later I have been on Lovastatin, Lipitor, Provolchol, ect... and I complained of chest, arm, and leg pain. My doctor played feed the fish with all these different meds until he gave me vytorin. I took it and with great results my cholesterol droped to 164. That was not all, I made 5 or 6 trips to the ER thinking I was getting heart attack symptoms, virtigo, west nile, you name it. I had EKGs, a stress test, heart holter, MRI of my head, poulmanologists tests, blood work for my thyroid, the list goes on and on. The funniest thing about all of this...every single test I had done came out negative. No heart problems, nothing wrong with my brain, no breathing, thyroid, nothing!!! So I read a few topics here and low and behold I believe you guys and gals are correct. My doctor also said "You need to get used to the medicine" and "Statins don't cause that" I have not used that Vytorin for three days now and the pains are going away. I cannot take meds that cause more problems than what its worth. I guess we are the 3 out of the 100 people that suffer the side effects...I think those stats should be updated.

[Ray Holder]

At your age, it might be as well to take the folic acid/ vitamin B6 and B12 combination possibly with Betaine (TMG), see other posts. to avoid homocysteine, which is a greater danger than cholesterol. Statins will put years on your age and add a lot of insidious damage to appear later on in life, if you keep taking them.
I believe a lot more than 3% have problems, but they go unrecognised.

Ray

[tgw537]

Thanks for the infomation. The "centrum performance" mutivitamin has B6 6mg, B12 18mcg, and Folic Acid 400 mcg. Are these levels good enough????

[Ray Holder]

Opinions on levels needed vary, and insufficient trials seem to have been done so far. The folic acid figure is well agreed in 3 formulations, B6 and B12 amounts vary widely. Your product seems a bit low on B6 and B12, but only a homocysteine level test would tell you if it was doing its job.
I take Jarrow Formulas product, which has a bit more of them, and also includes TMG, which works in a different way from the other constiituents, but I have not had a test, and just hope that it is doing its job.

The NORVIT trial on this subject seems as if it was designed to fail, others have had good results.

Ray

[skoch]

Hello All,

I, too, am new at this sight. I have exercised consistently for 20 years and have been a slender person. I inherited high cholesterol and have taken Vytorin for the past year and a half. I have noticed aching in my legs, mild stomach pain, gastric distress, some unsteadiness and weight gain which refuses to budge. I have also noticed fatigue as well.

I am now thinking Vytorin is the culprit and as of tonight, have stopped taking it. Has anyone else experienced these symptoms, especially the weight gain which is freaking me out? I refuse to take any more statins. Does anyone have knowledge of other healthy ways to reduce cholesterol? I eat well and excercise already.

Thanks!
Sue in VA