Doc could you please help

[Rose Crawford]

My husband and I have been given this web site. We are shocked to say the least!

My husband's memory has been totally going down hill for the past several years. It became very noticable to some family members last September when we were visiting. They though he must have suffered a stroke. Since then, we have been on a search for answers. He has had MRIs, blood work, a complete neuro workup. The neuro workup was a whole day of testing. The results were shocking. The right side of his brain has little activity.

After reading the things on your website, we are very concerned that it could be his meds. He takes Niaspan, Altopev, Benicar, Diltiazem, Warfain, Amiodarone, Lisinopril to name a few. Could any of these be causing the memory problems?

He went to his coumidian appointment yesterday and asked if he could take 1 tsp. of cod liver oil a day and 3 tbls. of flax seed a day. They told him not to take them because they could cause bleeding. My question is, and I will ask next appointment,...why can't they adjust his coumidian. Oviously, he would be taking less coumidian and I think that would be good.

My husband is unable to work becuase of the problems with his memory. He is 63 years old and is very, very frustrated with what is going on and feels there is no were to go for help.

Please help us.

Thanks so much...

Rose Crawford

[Darrell]

Altopev or Altoprev? Altoprev is extended-release lovastatin!
{http://www.altoprev.com/}

My father took Mevacor (lovastatin) a decade ago until one morning when he was cutting down a big tree in the back yard. He took a break for lunch. After lunch, he looked out the window and said "Look, someone has cut down our tree!" He was honestly shocked by it. He had lost all memory of his whole morning. It was diagnosed as a "TGA" -- transient global amnesia. He stopped the Mevacor and hasn't had another such incident since.

[Darrell]

Doc wrote this some time ago:
http://www.spacedoc.net/board/viewtopic.php?t=20

[sos_group_owner]

Hi Rose & Welcome to the Forum,

Re: My husband's memory has been totally going down hill for the past several years. He takes:

* Niaspan - theraputic niacin, can cause elevated homocysteine, especially if you don't supplement with the B vitamins (specifically folic acid, B6 & B12)

* Altopev - Lovastatin - AE's include myopathy (muscle injury) or Rhabdomyolysis when combined with high dose niacin (Niaspan); causes memory loss, including TGA (transient global amnesia - the inability to form new memory) and a long list of other AE's (adverse effects)

* Benicar - for high blood pressure - post marketing AE's include Rhabdomyolysis

* Diltiazem - calcium channel blocker for high blood pressure - AE's include Rhabdomyolysis, especially when combined with statins

* Warfain - blood thinner

* Amiodarone - antiarrhythmic, used to correct life-threatening heartbeat problems (ventricular arrhythmias)

* Lisinopril - for high blood pressure - AE's include memory impairment, confusion & irritability

Re: request to take 1 tsp. of cod liver oil a day and 3 tbls. of flax seed
Traditional doctors are very uninformed with respects to nutrition and nutritional supplements.

Wow, your husband is on LOTS of meds. When did his doctors start to load him up with all these meds? Three BP meds, 2 for cholesterol and one to control arrhythmias...

I'm surprised he can function at all. Might be a good time to search for a naturopathic physician.

Fran

[Rose Crawford]

Fran:

Thanks for your e-mail. We went to the doctor to talk about my husband's memory loss and the possible link with his drugs. The doctor took him off Altoprev. That was about three weeks ago and so far no improvement.

We don't know what to do. I'm trying to find out if CoQ10 would help, but not even sure how much to start with.

Any suggestions you might have would be helpful and appreciated.

rose

[sos_group_owner]

Hi Rose,

I really think pantethine helps my husband to focus. Cognitive decline can be one of the most diffucult adverse effects to recover from (statins). My husband has good days and bad days (still after 2 years after stopping statins). He has the ability to form memory, but when I throw too many ideas at him at once he seems to have difficulty following me (and my trend of thinking). I refer to this as 'problem solving' although on his own he can solve problems. He also takes 300 mg of CoQ10 daily and other supplements.

I take pantethine also and feel it helps to me focus. I did take red yeast rice for about 6 to 8 months but stopped when I realized RYR is natural, but still a statin and can cause all the same adverse effects as prescription statins.

Fran

[Tham]

I'd suggest that you switch your husband to a
nutrition-oriented or orthomolecular doctor.
Chelation therapy by them would probably help lots too.


I think the best treatment center for his condition
would be here :

[http://www.hriptc.org/]


You can also contact or search the following for such
doctors in your area.

[http://orthomolecular.org/contact/index.shtml]

[http://www.orthomed.org/]

[http://www.acam.org/dr_search/]


An alternative would also be naturopathic doctors :

[http://www.pandamedicine.com/yellowpages.html]