Use of Stains in 22 year olds

[LoveRadley]

I was on Lipitor (Atorvastatin from the age of 19 (i am female). I was put on this following a cholesterol test level of 7.2. They then uped the dose to 20mg which made my cholesterol level 4.5. I then felt tired, and had aching joints. I was assured this was nothing to do with the statins and they are a safe drug to use. My health service then decided that Zocor (Simvastatin) was more affective and called me back to change the drug., By this time, I was fed up with generally feeling un well and took my self off Lipitor, But didnt commence the Zocor. After 3 months, my GP contacted me asking to check my cholesterol levels. After 3 months without taking statins, my levels returned to 7.2. The Dr now wants me to take statins and I feel I should be seen by a consultant in Cholesterol to make this decision. There appears to be little evidence of young adults taking statins and the long term affects. I am now 22 years old. Can anyone help me or advise on whether I should take Statins? Thanks :D

[Darrell]

My ratios were similar to yours. I can only tell you that I went off Zocor after weeks of fatigue and muscle problems started to become incapacitating, and I felt much improved in just a few days. Did you improve that fast? Later I tried Zetia and the fatigue and muscle problems started to become incapacitating again in a matter of days, so I stopped that and again significantly improved in just a few days. I really don't care anymore what my cholesterol ratio is -- the meds will put me in my grave faster than the cholesterol will. I'm taking an 81 mg coated aspirin, an Omega-3 complex (fish oil +), and 200 mg of Q10 daily and waiting for the day that statins hit the headlines the way Vioxx did.

[LoveRadley]

Many thanks for the response. I did feel better within days after coming off the Lipitor, but have still not taken simvastatin. The GP now wants me to start Simvastatin, but my argument is that there is little evidence of the long lerm affects of statins, especially when taken from an early age. If I do start statins again, as soon as I want to get pregnant, I will have to stop taking it. This is another reason for not taking statins. I don't have high blood pressure, so do not take asprin and currently have a very healthy lifestyle, so dont take any supplements. I agree with your comment about the meds putting you in grave faster than the cholesterol problem itself!!!

[Cindy54NC]

Love. I personally can see no valid reason for a 22 yr old to be put on statins for a total cholesterol like yours (It would be about 280 here in the states).

I'd say find yourself a new doc....a less agressive doc.

Also: if you are overweight, loose it. If you don't exercise, start. If you eat low fat and high carb, try reversing the two and increasing your protein intake. If you smoke, quit.

Do NOT allow yourself to get pregnant on any statin. I'd even say wait a minimum of several months of stopping before trying!

High cholesterol has never been proven to have any relationship to heart disease. For a 22 yr old with no signs of cardiac disease to be put on a statin? That's ridiculous!!!!!

Cindy

[LoveRadley]

Thankyou for the replies. I am now statin free thanks to the advice of a Consultant who specialises in Cholesterol. I live in England and obviously the medical care is very different to that of the UK's national health service. There is a big drive over here to reduce heart disease etc with the use of stains and reducing cholesterol. Due to this there is pressure on our Drs to produce audit results. As my choloesterol results were not within normal ranges, my GP would have been questioned as to why I would not be taking a stain, so I think its wrong that I may have been taking a statin when there was no need to. I am a health professional myself and can understand why we need to produce evidence to support our practice, but patients should never be made to take a Statin to be inline with government targets.

I have been off the stains now for over 6 months and feeling much better. I am also much more awake and able to go out in the evenings (as 22 yr olds should!). If I had not perservered and asked for specialised advice then I would still be taking statins, no the wiser that I don't ctually need them. The Dr said that my risk of heart attack and stroke in the next 40 years is very low due to my active and healthy lifestyle. I am a normal weight and excerise everyday (swimming, roller blading, tap dancing and more!). I don't smoke and eat a really healthy diet. My advice is that if anyone is taking statins, then get a 2nd opinion and ask for the real facts!

[Cindy54NC]

[quote="LoveRadley"]Thankyou for the replies. I am now statin free thanks to the advice of a Consultant who specialises in Cholesterol. I live in England and obviously the medical care is very different to that of the UK's national health service. There is a big drive over here to reduce heart disease etc with the use of stains and reducing cholesterol. Due to this there is pressure on our Drs to produce audit results. As my choloesterol results were not within normal ranges, my GP would have been questioned as to why I would not be taking a stain, so I think its wrong that I may have been taking a statin when there was no need to. I am a health professional myself and can understand why we need to produce evidence to support our practice, but patients should never be made to take a Statin to be inline with government targets. [/quote]

Here in the states we have Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). They collect data for all kinds of things. Their current initiatives includes Heart Failure (HF), Myocardial Infarction (AMI), Pneumonia and others. For each one where a med is recomended treatment there is a primary question of if there is a reason why the patient shouldn't take the specific medication-type....like some classes of BP meds, classes of heart meds, etc. BUT for the statin question there is NO primary question of if it's appropriate for the patient. Just was it prescribed!

[quote="LoveRadley"]I have been off the stains now for over 6 months and feeling much better. I am also much more awake and able to go out in the evenings (as 22 yr olds should!). If I had not perservered and asked for specialised advice then I would still be taking statins, no the wiser that I don't ctually need them. The Dr said that my risk of heart attack and stroke in the next 40 years is very low due to my active and healthy lifestyle. I am a normal weight and excerise everyday (swimming, roller blading, tap dancing and more!). I don't smoke and eat a really healthy diet. My advice is that if anyone is taking statins, then get a 2nd opinion and ask for the real facts![/quote]

I'm curious.....did the doc talk to you about birth control? Or say what would happen if/when you got pregnant? If you were still on meds? or if you went off so you could get pregnant?

Thankfully there is no human data on the effects of statins on a developing fetus, but animal results show horrendous defects. In my opinion, no fertile woman should ever be put in statins. NO birth control is 100% effective.

Glad to hear you chose to go off the meds. Have you been reading up on cholesterol, etc? If you are interested, there are lots of great sites out there.

Cindy

[cheesemonkeyboy]

I am a 37 year old male that has inherited high cholesterol. At age 14 my total cholesterol was 440. Took Questran for many years. Started Mevacor and took Mevacor for several years. Switched to Zocor at the suggestion of my doctor and have taken Zocor for probably 10 years straight. I have never had muscle problems, memory problems, bad liver problems (ALT levels have been slightly elevated at times, but nothing really off the chart), or any other side effect as far as I know = much different from many posts here.

I am currently researching and experimenting with my cholesterol problem. I have been off Zocor for 4 months now. Prior to going off Zocor (I have always taken the maximum dosage = 80mg [40mg twice daily]), my total cholesterol was 224. After being off Zocor for 3 months, my total cholesterol was 469. Yes, I typed it correctly = 469!

Just thought I'd post this information for others to muse over...

[margit]

I live in Australia and we have the same problem of wanting to medicate everyone.

I go about once a year (I am 74 female) for a flue vaccine. My doctor asks if he may check my blood pressure. Of course I answer ( we both know) by today’s standard I have a high BP. He asks will you take my prescription, I answer you may prescribe but I wont take it. He knows but has to be able to show that he has checked.
Unfortunately several friends who go for feminine checkups come out with medication for cholesterol and blood pressure. 2 have been extremely ill.


Margit

[sos_group_owner]

Hi Margit & Welcome to the Forum,

The pressure from doctors all around the world is relentless. They are all on this 'kick' to have our BP and cholesterol levels 'all the same' regardless of age. My husband used to take 2 BP meds. Two + years posts statin, he takes 300 mg of CoQ10 daily... his BP is now usually 111 over 78.

Fran

[margit]

Fran

Thank you for the warm welcome.I have a problem with bleeding easly so have been wary of taking CQ10. I will try a low dose and see how I go.

Margit