Lipitored

[Lipitored]

I recently posted this on the Lipitor forum, and since decided to post it here also.

I'm 70 years old, was on Lipitor 5 and a half years. My cholesterol never was way high but I was put on it after mild heart attack and stent. After three years began to feel tired and muscle pain. ( I am a retired carpenter and was used to aches and pains) Was told by Dr. that I was just getting older. I have always been active with lots of upper body strength and strong talented hands.

I farm, raise cattle, mend fences,ride a mortocycle, hunt the hills of S.E. Ohio. I began to notice that the feed bags were getting heavier, and the deer were harder to lift into the pickup. In the fall of 05 from out of the blue bad pain in right knee (no joint problems ever). Knee appeared puffy, showed Dr. He mentioned possible fluid on it. Went to specialist, diag torn miniscus, operated on every thing okay but still remained a little puffy (still does). Sept.06 both hands went numb over night (stinging, tingling, loss of dexterity) Went to a Chiro, thought pinched nerve, went every 2 weeks for 2 mos. Quit Lipitor after 1st month. Chiro no help just took the money, stayed off Lipitor till June 07.

Went to Dr. for semi annual lipid test , questioned possible lipitor connection to hand nerve pain because of my own research on the computer, and advised to get back on lipitor. Took it for two weeks and hand problem intensified, knee started to act up . Went to neurologist, Diag. after EMG bilateral carpal tunnel, asked which Dr. I wanted to go to for wrist ligament slashing. Told all these Drs. of my Lipitor use. It meant nothing to them. In my part of rural Ohio they all belong to a consortium that I refer to as the Medical Mafia. To my great surprise the family Dr. sent a Registered letter stating he no longer wanted Myself and my wife as patients because our relationship was no longer productive. I guess he expected trouble after my Lipitor ? Rather than persue it he took the cowards way out. (He may not be out yet).

Got new Family Dr. He put me on Zetia. I quit after 10 days, felt terrible, weak, deppressed, Then over night my left knee joint developed severe pain that came and went. I figured it was a miniscus, same puffy appearance. This was in Sept 07. Noticing lack of muscle tone upper body. Dr says getting older and everything has side effects, wrot e prescrip for crestor which i never filled. Nov.07 Dr. put me on Niaspan and after 3 weeks I could barely go up three steps, do the chores, or get up out of a chair, had the chills, and finnally and itch that was unbearable. That was just before Xmas. I quit the Niaspan. The itch and the chills left my knee is 95% improved, I can walk again, my hands seem to be improving a little bit daily.

I am really beginning to feel like myself again. Oh by the the way this new Dr. was Quick to give me a cancer scare do to slightly elevated PSA. A smoke screen to keep my mind off the Lipitor damge. The "practice of medicine" fits the profession like a glove. The Pharma reps. are nothing but pimps and whores who's mothers are proud of what they do.

[vipergg22]

Can't even argue with you there . Just like this weeks study with diabetes . In type 2 diabetics that they tried to really drive down blood sugar they had to stop the study because they found a much higher incidence of people to heart attacks that people they did not do this with . I know this is off topic it certainly makes you wonder whether all this medication of American society has done us any good at all. I see more people sick now than I ever did back in the 60's and 70's.

[marci]

Our local newspaper had a front page article on the new diabetes study and included the following; "The findings are the second major blow to fundamental assumptions about how to protect against heart disease- the nation's leading killer. Another recent major study found that driving blood cholesterol levels as low as possible did not necessarily slow the progression of heart disease.

'This is the second big surprise,' said Steven Nissen, a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist. This suggests that there are things drugs do that we don't really understand. 'We have to really ask the question: How low do you go?'"

So here are my questions: Was he referring to the Enhance trials, or has there been yet another "major study" that has brought to question the benefit of statins? Additionally, if statins don't prevent heart attack or stroke and they don't slow the progression of atherosclerosis, what cureative benefit do they have?

[adec]

In a nutshell, statins act as a weak anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. And there are more safe and far more effective alternatives out there. The problem remains these 'alternatives' aren't patentable, and therefore, aren't as profitable to the pharmaceutical industry.