Lipitor and Acid Indigestion

[lars999]

Hello fellow statin victims!!

After I got myself extensively free from the usual adverse suite of side effects of Lipitor, I found I now had a very severe acid indigestion problem, also apparently made much worse by Lipitor. Recently I have finally gotten this life-long problem back to its pre-Lipitor, tractable levels. Following paragraphs describe this experence in some detail.

All my life I have been plagued with excess stomach acid and gas. Antiacids and simethicone allowed me to keep this rather well under control, especially when I could get adequate aerobic excercise. Then I was put on Lipitor with assurances that there were few side effects and what there were were mild and easily reversed -- we all know how big a lie that is.

Severity of my acid indigestion, GERD, whatever you wish to call it, increased greatly once on Lipitor. However, neither I or doctor that prescribed Lipitor associated that with Lipitor. I was in midst of some major, highly stressful life events at that time, so, did not do any due dilligence. Doctor suggested Prilosec, a proton pump inhibitor, which was quite useful initially but, after only months was quite inadequate and I went from taking it once a day to twice,

I then had an upper GI check, which found minor hiatal hernia and evidence of acid damage to esophogous. That doctor prescribed Nexium, which worked really well. I remained on Nexium until about time I finally quit Lipitor. I stopped Nexium and tried Previcid and then Prilosec again -- both were quite inadequate. I also tried not taking any proton pump inhibitor, which resulted in me learning that now my acid indigestion was really severe, much more so than I could recall.

Then Lipitor had dragged me down so badly that I quit it. This quitting and the subsequent events are extensively described on this forum.

Once I had extensively recovered from ravages of Lipitor, I decided to quit Nexium too. Immediately, I got hit with the severe acid indigestion, so severe that neither Prilosec or Previcid provided much relief. Large amounts of antiacids were useful and aerobic excercise helped. I then started weaning myself off Nexium by taking it every 2nd and then 3rd day. After a bit I was able to stay off Nexium for longer and longer before the acid indigestion became severe. Apple cider vineager, touted highly by one poster here, was worse than useless, as any chemist would quickly predict.

Now, over 10 months after quiting Lipitor I find that Previcid and antiacids are quite adequate, at least as long as I get plenty of aerobic exercise from cross country and down hill skiing at 9.000 to 12.000 feet.

Most noticable residual effect of Lipitor is much reduced balance on my right leg, which is the major factor limiting my downhill skiing to green trails and easier intermediate (blue trails). I am also finding that if I do not adequately use my right leg, that I get pervasive itiching that feels as if it is deep in my muscles. Massage and exercise are all that reduces this.

I continue to take CoQ10 as ubiquinol and Acetyl-L-Carnitine and continue to find that they associate with more physical stamina when skiing at altitudes of 10 to 12 thousand feet. Other suppliments I continue to take are omega 3 rich fish oil, B and D vitamins. My only remaining prescription drug is for glaukoma -- it is next on my list to attempt quitting.

I now only visit doctors because I need their signatures so that my insurance will pay the bills. They are no longer persons of trust -- their medical advice gets careful checking before I will follow it. Hope I will always be able to do that.

I am greatly enjoying skiing above timberline again, at 12.000 feet or so. Happily, there has been so much snow this year in the higher mountains that we may be skiing into summer. It has been wonderful that season passes at major ski areas are less than $100 for folks over 70. Some places I can even ski for free, just like the little kiddies!

Lars

[BCGuy]

Hey Lars,

Your still doing great work here buddy.
It's been along time since I've been on, and the beginnings of the problems I was having on Lipitor seem to have been reversed thanks to the great people here, you included Lars.

I told my Ex-doctor yesterday that I stopped taking Lipitor and he was mad, and asked why.
I told him i didn't believe in the Cholestrol myth. That I believed it's a symptom
not the cause of my heart attack.(lipids were normal at the time).
I told him of the suppliments I was taking instead and get this. He said that taking vitamins and minerals have no effect on the human body.
Earlier when he ignored my complaints of pain,spaciness, bowel troubles and achy joints he said no doctor would say that Statins harm people.
I told him yesterday that I was taking COQ10. He said there's no need, so I kind a jumped on him(verbally)
I asked him," are you telling me the Lipitor won't lower the livers ability to produce COQ10, and could then put the heart at risk?"
He said,"Well it will and can" So I said I guess your the first doctor to say thaTt Statins can harm people.
He got mad
Then he said," If you don't take what I tell you and you have another heart attack, then why should we fix you?"
Thats some bedside manners. Anyhow I'm shopping for a new doctor

[lars999]

Hej BCGuy!!

Sounds like youi have had a real "gem" of a fool for a doctor! Good riddance!! I continue to be impressed by how verbally nasty and defensive doctors become when confronted with the nasty aspects of statins!!! So far the SOBs have all been GPs and cardiologists. One could think that their parade got hit with a golden shower!! So far, all other doctors, not associated with prescription of statins, have netural or supportive comments.

Right now I pretty much considser GPs kinda useless for anything more than low-level medical knowledge and ordering blood tests that I have selected, and which I find consistant interpretations for.

Cardiologists at least have access to some useful medical diagnostic methods and equipment -- still, beware of what they deduce from the readings -- happily, I can go toe-to-toe with them about the measurements, at least so long as I have been able to do my homework.

Happily, my insurance allows me to select specialists and follow my own common sense in using information from them. Suits me fine!!

Lars

[uncle2blade]

I'll share a story I'm sure you will enjoy. After open heart surgery to replace a valve in my heart, I developed A-FIB. I was admitted to the Cleveland Clinic for loading of a drug to fix the abnormal beats. Whenever I see new Drs they always ask what meds your on and what your allergic to. Knowing this I always say I'm allergic to statin drugs. Seeing this on my chart the Admitting Physician asked what happens when you take statins. Then I told him my story. Witch by-the-way I have printed out just as you see it on this sight , along with the supplements I take and numerous American medical journal reports I've printed off. After hearing from me and reading the AMA reports I had printed. He said I didn't know this. He asked to copy what I had shared with him. I think the information is out there for the doctors but they just don't have the time to seek it out. They rely on the pharmaceutical sales people for there info.

[lars999]

Humm, with alias "uncle2blade" you sound rather dangerous!! Any relation to Mack the Knife?

I too always list statins as NO-NOs. It really does draw comments and questions and provides a chance to do a bit of informing. I have not gone so far as to always have copies of relevant medical pubs on hand -- but, then, I am not uncle2blade. Congratulations on finding a doctor that wanted to educate himself about statin adverse side effects!! They are way too few and far between.

Lars