Memory Loss, how to diagnose, how long to get better?

[Scared by Big Pharm]

My mother-in-law who will be 70 next month has had moderate to severe memory loss. She calls people 2-3 times a day, doesn't remember etc. Gets very confused. She has been tested by a Memory Specialist and all he says is that she has a spot on her brain in the memory area, but it isn't a tumor, etc. So she has "memory loss" and I'll see you in 6 months, oh and here's a prescription for Aricept.
My husband knew she was on Lipitor (Novastatin) and we talked her into going off it. She was actually starting to do better...much more with it when we talked to her.
Well, wonderful memory Dr. tells her she should go back on the Statin as it must be needed if her primary Dr. told her to take it. So less than a month after getting her off the darn Statins, she is back on and low and behond...more confused than ever!!!
Any advise on how to get these Drs. to listen..and at least try to see if going off the drug will help??
How long before most people see any improvement after going off these dangerous drugs??
Can the Statins cause the brain to actually get "damaged", like what showed in her MRI??
Any insight, ideas, suggestions and personal stories/advise would be appreciated. We are beside ourselves knowing that this Memory "Expert" can't even think about getting her to go off and see if she shows any improvement. Why are these Drs. so darn stubborn about admitting this drug could be more bad than good??
I just don't get it...it's got to be greed...money is the only motivation that would make sense...that and twisted pride/ego??
Thanks for your help.

[sos_group_owner]

Hi "Scared by Big Pharm" & Welcome to the Forum,

My husband experienced TGA (transient global amnesia) after his Lipitor was increased from 10mg to 20mg. He was on statins for 8 years, so memory loss can occur with short or long term usage.

Our Neurologist ordered MRI and PET scans of the brain. Both were normal. Neuro-psychological (memory) tests (falsely) indicated my husband had Alzheimer's type dementia. Neuro wanted my husband to start Aricept and resume taking Lipitor... we said NO to both. Neuro basically walked out of the room, saying, "Don't come back unless there is a change."

Neuro-psychologist said, "If my husband gets better, he doesn't have Alzheimer's. Those with Alzheimer's DON'T get better.

We fired our primary care doctor, the Neuro and the Neuro-psychologist. They just don't get it. You need to be 'firm' with your M-I-L's doctor(s), take any supporting documentation to your M-I-L's doctor (stating that statins cause memory loss) and keep very close tabs on all the meds your M-I-L is taking. So many of our seniors are seriously OVER medicated!

You are fortunate that your M-I-L's memory improved after stopping statins (Novastatin - Lipitor). My husband (62) has improved considerably, but still suffers recurring short term memory loss... he stopped Lipitor over 2 years ago.

My M-I-L (82) is continually hounded to lower her cholesterol. She's tried them all and experiences various adverse effects, mostly muscular. I have both her (and her son) taking LOTS of nutritional supplements.

Fran

[Cat Mom2]

The doctors won't even consider that the statins do what they do to us because such a sell job has been done on the stuff. They have not got a clue... Only when some of these doctors that take these drugs start having problems will we win them over and get them to listen. All they know is their offices are full and they can reccomend us for tests to keep their MD friends happy and in business to.

I find all we can do for now is warn everyone we know about the dangers of this stuff and to educate themselves on what this stuff really does to us.... and I have found that you get the "I take it and it IS working! My cholesterol is lower than it has ever been!" and they shut down and will not listen. I have a guy I work with that can hardly walk for the pain in his knees and he has to be told every day what he is supppose to do because he can not remember from day to day... BUT, his cholesterol is lower than every!

[adec]

""Only when some of these doctors that take these drugs start having problems will we win them over and get them to listen.""

Practitioners often take much of what they prescribe. In fact, this is the argument they'll sometimes use. My mom's last doctor would declare statins so safe and effective that he often takes them himself, and prescribes them to family members. He had no knowledge of the link between statins and CoQ10 depletion, or why CoQ10 itself was important. Of course, I had my mom change doctors soon after hearing this.

I later found out about this doctor's father dying from a heart attack while taking statins. I can only imagine the true cause of his father's death, perhaps statin related.