*Not* taking statins

[jr6035]

No problems with the simvastatin I've been eating for the last 20 years.

Same here. I'm on the lowest dose. Cost nothing, so it's like one of my daily vitamins. And I can eat what I want. I'm 60 and run 100 miles a month.

 

[Dtail]

OP here.... I was just diagnosed with malignant (or "ill-tempered") melanoma, which BTW was successfully excised with no sign of metastasis. You can guess whether or not this makes me more or less likely to worry about my cholesterol.

Great they caught it early enough.
I had surgery for melanoma at age 40 and have had nothing since.

 

[Plantman]

For the past five years my cholesterol levels have been going up. Each time my doctor would ask if I would like to start with taking a statin. I told him no. This year when my cholesterol level got above 260 I finally relented and went on the lowest dose of atorvastatin. My cholesterol level dropped 100 points within 3 months. That's a good thing, right?

 

[Archman]

I started taking large doses of niacin, and four garlic tablets per day. I did not change my eating at all since it was very good to begin with. Within four months my cholesterol dropped fifty points and came in at 190. I cannot say if it was the niacin or garlic, but that is the only change I made.

Do you experience the niacin flush?

 

[harley]

Do you experience the niacin flush?

I used to when I took niacin. But I don't think you get it if you take the slow release version. It wasn't a big deal, just a minute or two of mild discomfort. And it did nicely raise my genetically low HDL levels from <25 (lowest measurable amount) to the mid 40s. I stopped taking after numerous studies showed no improvement in life expectancy despite the increase in HDL. And with my on again off again LCHF/keto diet (currently getting back on again) my HDL has remained in the 40s. Almost like it just needed a kick start.

 

[Chuckanut]

I take a low dose statin and seem to tolerate it well.

In the past year I have run into a number of people who are 70+ years of age who for some reason believe that as they aged, the statin's effect on things like muscle soreness increased over time. Or maybe it was just old age?

Has anybody found that their tolerance to a statin decreased as they aged?

 

[audreyh1]

Another factor to consider is that when they look at people over 60 years of age, high LDL-C correlates with longevity.

 

[Dash man]

I take a low dose stating and seem to tolerate it well.

In the past year I have run into a number of people who are 70+ years of age who for some reason believe that as they aged, the statin's effect on things like muscle soreness increased over time. Or maybe it was just old age?

Has anybody found that their tolerance to a statin decreased as they aged?

I’ve been on 40mg of atorvastatin for a few years, but I had aches and pains long before I started. I’m turning 65 in a couple weeks and haven’t noticed any increase in pain from statins. I’m not sure I’d even notice.

 

[Dtail]

I take 20mg of Prevastatin. Used to have major leg cramps when I took Atorvastatin, but I also play Pickleball 6x weekly.
The drug clearly has brought down my LDL, which was my only higher "bad" number.

 

[truenorth418]

My PCP recently recommended statins for me. My LDL was 111. I told her give me a few months I can bring that number down without drugs.

 

[street]

Another factor to consider is that when they look at people over 60 years of age, high LDL-C correlates with longevity.

That is interesting! My parents had higher end cholesterol and both lived long lives and never died from heart disease.

 

[googily]

As for long-term use, my dad says he started on a statin in his 40s, and he's about to turn 88, and has never reported any problems (though he's had problems with leg cramps for years, ahem, but takes quinine). He did have a very minor heart attack last year, but scads of tests couldn't find any blockages nor any evidence of damage. Sooooo....

 

[googily]

Also, as the poster who perhaps had a TIA last week, I'm growing increasingly skeptical of the cholesterol numbers that were gotten in the ER about five hours after I ate an extremely bad for me lunch. My triglycerides in March were 115 and in the ER they were 206. I'm getting another blood test where I will fast and see what that says.

Also back firmly on low carb and exercise. And aggravated that the ER jumped right to 20 mg of Crestor. Talking to my doctor tomorrow and hoping that at the very least that can be cut back to 10.

(ETA: Should add that scans were all totally clear, even the chest x-ray and the head and neck CT angiogram, which does visualize the neck arteries to check for hardening or blockages. Nada. Will be getting CAC soon, I hope.)

 

[street]

Cholesterol is a very poor indicator of heart disease risk, contrary to what you will hear from a lot of doctors. Lots of studies over the last decade or so bear this out. If you've had a lipid panel done, take a look at your Triglyceride/HDL ratio, for a much better indicator of heart disease risk. If you are below 2.0, you are doing pretty well. If you are closer to 1.0 or even below 1.0, your risk of heart disease is likely to be very low. Other blood tests that are very useful are HbA1C and fasting insulin, since insulin resistance is believed to be the real driver of many chronic diseases, including (in many cases) heart disease.

Also - saturated fat consumption does not cause heart disease, which (again), is contrary to what some doctors will tell you. Again, there are many, many recent studies that bear this out. Eating a diet high in refined carbs and other highly processed foods is much more likely to lead to heart disease (and other chronic diseases) over time.

Foods like beef and eggs are healthy, nutrient-dense foods, that should not increase heart disease risk at all (I eat plenty of both). It is the highly-processed foods you want to avoid, especially things made with refined grains, anything with added sugar, and highly processed seed oils.

Very interesting!! I did your Trig/Hdl ratio test and I'm at 1.70. In 30 plus years of getting blood panel, my range has been from 200 to 240. I watch how much I eat but not what I eat. Either way what ever I do my cholesterol stays in that range. The more careful I am in eating the higher test level I have. If I don't get it through eating my body makes for me, so I eat proper and stay in shape.
I'm not against Statins and I beleive they are a helpful pill and have helped many people.

 

[audreyh1]

Reading Metabolical, Dr. Robert Lustig states unequivocally that statins reduce the type A large and fluffy LDL particles that are no risk at all to CVD (cardiovascular disease) but do nothing at all to reduce the type B LDL small particles which are associated with vascular plaque buildup. So I don’t get it.

A low fat diet does the same - reduces type A LDL particles which aren’t a threat, but do nothing to reduce the small type B ‘dangerous’ LDL particles.

Some cardiologists will tell you that the LDL reduction from statins provides no benefit, but rather that statins help reduce inflammation which provides some benefit.

 

[Bamaman]

My triglycerides were very high in my early 30's, and my wife ran my blood numbers past the pathologist she worked for at a hospital.

He quickly said "he's diabetic." And I was and am diabetic. Other than starving myself, there's really not much I can do to get the triglycerides down to what most people think as normal.

But I decided to go on an insulin pump, and can eat somewhat normal. I remain very stable below 150 most of the time. If I get below 100, I can tell because I'm jumpy/nervous.

100 for one person is not necessarily the same feeling wise for the next person.

I'm now on a CGM--continuous glucose monitor--that will buzz if my blood sugars go high or low. It's the low to be really concerned about, especially in the middle of the night. I sometimes have to push myself to eat a 10:00 snack to make sure I don't bottom out @ 3:00 a.m. And if I physically work really hard, my blood sugar drops 50 points--and can be dangerous. And I also take metformin 2x a day.

 

[Dash man]

Some cardiologists will tell you that the LDL reduction from statins provides no benefit, but rather that statins help reduce inflammation which provides some benefit.

My cholesterol was fine, but I had a Cardiac Calcium score of over 1,000. So my cardiologist put me on atorvastatin to reduce the inflammation. I control triglycerides with fish oil I buy at Costco. Brings it down pretty dramatically.

 

[Dtail]

Also, as the poster who perhaps had a TIA last week, I'm growing increasingly skeptical of the cholesterol numbers that were gotten in the ER about five hours after I ate an extremely bad for me lunch. My triglycerides in March were 115 and in the ER they were 206. I'm getting another blood test where I will fast and see what that says.

Also back firmly on low carb and exercise. And aggravated that the ER jumped right to 20 mg of Crestor. Talking to my doctor tomorrow and hoping that at the very least that can be cut back to 10.

(ETA: Should add that scans were all totally clear, even the chest x-ray and the head and neck CT angiogram, which does visualize the neck arteries to check for hardening or blockages. Nada. Will be getting CAC soon, I hope.)

Supposedly some fatty meals before testing can affect the Triglycerides number.
For me, getting intense exercise 6x weekly has controlled my Triglycerides/BP/A1C levels/ brought up the HD.
The only aspect I can't control is the LDL.
I eat an okay diet; fairly good with home cooked meals but not as much with eating out.
Lost 35 lbs at retirement, then gained back 25 lbs in the last 2 years. Now with the intense exercise, I have 5 more to go to get back to 35 lbs off.

 

[aja8888]

My numbers are in from my annual physical. A1C was 5.1 this year and dropped from 5.2 last year.


CHOLESTEROL 156 <200 (MG/DL)
TRIGLYCERIDES 48 <150 (MG/DL)
HDL CHOLESTEROL 58 >39 (MG/DL)
CALC LDL CHOL 84 <100 (MG/DL)

I only take one prescription (Tamsulosin) for urine flow help.

Age 77 3/4, no special diet. Maybe 10 pounds over my desired weight. Two hip implants from two decades of long distance running.

HEREDITY must be the formula for me!

Lucky, I guess.

 

[audreyh1]

My cholesterol was fine, but I had a Cardiac Calcium score of over 1,000. So my cardiologist put me on atorvastatin to reduce the inflammation. I control triglycerides with fish oil I buy at Costco. Brings it down pretty dramatically.

Does he measure your inflammation? For example, does he look at hs-CRP? (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein)

 

[Dtail]

My numbers are in from my annual physical. A1C was 5.1 this year and dropped from 5.2 last year.


CHOLESTEROL 156 <200 (MG/DL)
TRIGLYCERIDES 48 <150 (MG/DL)
HDL CHOLESTEROL 58 >39 (MG/DL)
CALC LDL CHOL 84 <100 (MG/DL)

I only take one prescription (Tamsulosin) for urine flow help.

Age 77 3/4, no special diet. Maybe 10 pounds over my desired weight. Two hip implants from two decades of long distance running.

HEREDITY must be the formula for me!

Lucky, I guess.

Very good numbers.

 

[audreyh1]

Those are extremely low triglycerides!

 

[aja8888]

Those are extremely low triglycerides!

Audrey1, I assure you, it is all luck. Whatever is going to get me in the end, it most likely won't be heart failure.

 

[audreyh1]

Supposedly some fatty meals before testing can affect the Triglycerides number.

To get an accurate triglycerides number, you have to be fasting. Probably for at least 12 hours.

 

[googily]

To get an accurate triglycerides number, you have to be fasting. Probably for at least 12 hours.

What's really weird is that they have actually stopped having that be the standard. But I will most definitely fast on the retest!