*Not* taking statins

[Freedom56]

These were all the tests that were ordered during my annual physical yesterday by my doctor and my wife who is a OR/Surgical Nurse (retired but still licensed) and always present during my annual doctor visits.

Lipid Panel - Results Okay
Urine - results normal
Vitamin D 25 Hydroxy - results normal (I take 5000 IU supplement daily)
C-Reactive Protein - results normal
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel - results normal
TSH with Reflex FT4, FT3 - results normal (requested by my wife)
VCV - results pending
Stool DNA screening for colon cancer - pending submission of sample
Biobank Genetic Testing - (voluntary study - UCLA-Regeneron) - Results pending

My doctor did not order a PSA test as my levels have been 0.29 or lower for the past 15 years of tests.

The doctor noted that I gained four pounds since my last physical 12 months ago but I'm still at a normal BMI range (now at 23.78).

[mn54]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye Just heard this today at my new dentist with digital x-rays! The tech said the lead apron was technically not required but they used it anyway to make patients more comfortable since that's what they are used to. This dentist is doing my implant and I am switching to him as my primary dentist. Does anyone know if it is true the dose from the latest digital dental x-rays don't require the patient to use the lead apron? This dentist has the latest equipment (including 3D imaging which was awesome for my implant) but it's not all about the tech with him. He is young (and GQ handsome) but very personable and shows great respect for his young techs who are smart as whips.

in MN it is not a requirement to use a lead apron when taking x-rays. However at our school we always use the lead apron with the thyroid collar.
the amount of radiation one is exposed to can vary depending on the equipment being used, whether it is properly calibrated, and the operator using the equipment. this applies to all imaging, not just dental.

[sengsational]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet BTW, Google fails to find a "National Cardiac Institute."

Perhaps if you translated it to Romanian first, that would help.

[Freedom56]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet Statements like this confuse me. Why would pharmaceutical companies push drugs that are cheap and generic? Without insurance, my annual cost to be on a statin (Atorvastatin) is about $24/yr. Now my blood thinner, that's another story. Without insurance, I'd pay over $5k per year for Xarelto. Seems like that's where the push would be....... BTW, Google fails to find a "National Cardiac Institute."

Are you aware that the United States and New Zealand are the only two countries that permit direct-to-consumer-drug-advertising? Have you noticed the ramp up of Hepatitis C testing over the past decade promoted by pharma companies for their $60K 12 pill cure?

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sengsational Perhaps if you translated it to Romanian first, that would help.

I'll get right on that.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freedom56 Are you aware that the United States and New Zealand are the only two countries that permit direct-to-consumer-drug-advertising? Have you noticed the ramp up of Hepatitis C testing over the past decade promoted by pharma companies for their $60K 12 pill cure?

Thanks for helping make my point Freedom56! I agree, seeing a push for a $60k Hep C cure makes sense. But why would they make a big push for $24/year statin drug?

There seems to be pros and cons to taking statins. But saying that they are being pushed because they are so profitable to drug companies isn't passing the common sense test since statins are cheap generics.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sengsational Perhaps if you translated it to Romanian first, that would help.

https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Mem...-of-Cardiology

Well, here's something similar. The Romanian Society of Cardiology. Maybe that's what he meant. Nice site based on just a quick look. Lots to read after doing a search on "statin."

[Freedom56]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet Thanks for helping make my point Freedom56! I agree, seeing a push for a $60k Hep C cure makes sense. But why would they make a big push for $24/year statin drug? There seems to be pros and cons to taking statins. But saying that they are being pushed because they are so profitable to drug companies isn't passing the common sense test since statins are cheap generics.

Statin commercials have ceased since the generic statins came into the market. However, the multi-decade push by the pharma industry had created momentum in the medical community. Doctors have all but given up on treating the root cause of high cholesterol, heart problems, joint problems, and diabetes which all can be traced to obesity and lack of exercise. Instead they are prescribing drugs to treat the side effects of obesity. So when a patient has high cholesterol levels the automatic response is to prescribe statins.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freedom56 Statin commercials have ceased since the generic statins came into the market. However, the multi-decade push by the pharma industry had created momentum in the medical community. Doctors have all but given up on treating the root cause of high cholesterol, heart problems, joint problems, and diabetes which all can be traced to obesity and lack of exercise. Instead they are prescribing drugs to treat the side effects of obesity. So when a patient has high cholesterol levels the automatic response is to prescribe statins.

Why are people, including some comments here, saying that one of the reasons docs are prescribing statins today is because the drug companies are getting rich selling them. I just don't see that......

Also, YOUR doc may have "given up on treating the root cause of high cholesterol, heart problems, joint problems, and diabetes which all can be traced to obesity and lack of exercise," but mine hasn't. You need to take some responsibility, get up out of your chair and find a doc who follows the path you wish to follow. My doc is a DO, is very focused on my overall physical well being and a tenacious pusher of healthy life styles. They're out there. If you don't have one, look in the mirror.

[OldShooter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet ... Why would pharmaceutical companies push drugs that are cheap and generic? ...

Related question: Why are conspiracy theories so popular?

[Buckeye]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye DH (71) had the calcium score scan done Tuesday. Still waiting for the results. He made an appointment for his annual Medicare Wellness Exam (free) and got the script. The scan was $100 at OrlandoHealth. I thought that was a great deal. DH has high LDL, HDL of 60, total cholesterol of 260, normal triglycerides, normal weight, normal glucose, normal BP without meds, has never smoked and has no history of cardio events. He does not want to take a statin. The calcium score seemed to be the way to look under the hood without doing an invasive procedure.

DH's total cholesterol is actually 239, not 260. Trig. 107

[Buckeye]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye DH's total cholesterol is actually 239, not 260. Trig. 107

Calcium score paperwork came in the mail today. DH's score is 3! A score of 3 in the LAD and nothing else. This is great news!

DH said "See, no reason to bug me about my diet!" I said, "See, all the 'input' about your diet paid off!"

I have attached the report with personal info taken out.

[Archman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archman If you can't take statins, or need to supplement statins, consider taking NEXLETOL (bempedoic acid) or NEXLIZET (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe) manufactured by Esperion Therapeutics. https://www.esperion.com

Quote:

Originally Posted by sengsational They talked about bempedoic acid in the Attia podcast, but I'd never heard of it before. This is a newly approved (2020) drug, no generic available, and it's $350 for 30 (in the US), according to GoodRx. Doesn't appear on "Canadian" drug seller web sites. Not sure how to see the price of it in the EU, Australia, India, etc, but I'm sure it's cheaper. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bempedoic_acid

The NEXLETOL & NEXLIZET Co-Pay Card Program can help your eligible patients pay as little as $10 per fill for up to a 3-month supply of their prescription.* Your patients can assess their eligibility and enroll for a Co-Pay Card online at NexCopay.com. They can also call 1-855-699-8814 (8:00AM-8:00PM ET, Monday-Friday, excluding holidays) for questions or to enroll.

[Chuckanut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet Thanks for helping make my point Freedom56! I agree, seeing a push for a $60k Hep C cure makes sense. But why would they make a big push for $24/year statin drug? There seems to be pros and cons to taking statins. But saying that they are being pushed because they are so profitable to drug companies isn't passing the common sense test since statins are cheap generics.

Having basically healthy people take a drug daily for the rest of their lives sounds like a very nice consistent source of income to me.

[Freedom56]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet Why are people, including some comments here, saying that one of the reasons docs are prescribing statins today is because the drug companies are getting rich selling them. I just don't see that...... Also, YOUR doc may have "given up on treating the root cause of high cholesterol, heart problems, joint problems, and diabetes which all can be traced to obesity and lack of exercise," but mine hasn't. You need to take some responsibility, get up out of your chair and find a doc who follows the path you wish to follow. My doc is a DO, is very focused on my overall physical well being and a tenacious pusher of healthy life styles. They're out there. If you don't have one, look in the mirror.

Drugs where there are generic alternatives are no longer the big money makers. However, the margins are still pretty good even for statins where it costs fractions of a penny for each pill to produce.

As for my doctor, he has consistently been voted by his peers as one of the best doctors in America. He has been on national TV several times for his free medical clinics for the uninsured. I have been seeing him for over 20 years and he is a great doctor for sports medicine. He has kept me on a healthy track for decades. The sad reality is that 85% of men over 24 years old don't see a doctor on a regular basis. Many see a doctor when they have serious health issues. I can confirm this as I worked with many that had this attitude and they became religious about visiting doctors after they recovered from a serious health crisis. I know a few close friends who's first visit to the doctor in over 30 years was in an ambulance after suffering a stroke or heart attack. So what can a doctor do for these people that don't take personal responsibility for their health and avoid doctors?

[hanginthere]

I'm a pharmacist and I've seen too many folks have to discontinue them because of the side effects. Some of the milder one like Pravachol are ok, but most MD's want to put you on Crestor or Lipitor which are far worse for side effects. For milder hypercholesterolemia, there are some natural products that are helpful. Mine is a little high and no I don't do them.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freedom56 As for my doctor, he has consistently been voted by his peers as one of the best doctors in America.

It’s strange that you would belittle him in your earlier post.

[hanginthere]

Statins do seem to have some benefit for post MI patients, but I have a friend who had a heart attack and had to get off of them because of the severe rabdo. Sometimes you have to choose between the MI risk or being able to walk.

[6miths]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freedom56 My mother and my brothers never got chicken pox. My brothers and my mother all tested negative for the VZV. The shingles vaccine is only for those who had chickenpox in the past. In rare cases the the shingles vaccine can cause a rash and even shingles. My rationale is why take a vaccine for something that I never had?

There is a long thread on varicella vaccines but whether you have been exposed to VZV or not, the recommendation is to vaccinate. If one has truly never had it the recommendation is to get the full schedule vaccination asap, especially in high risk populations. Again, if you grew up in the US it is unlikely that you have not been exposed but either way, antibody testing is not recommended. Just because one tests negative for antibodies does not mean that one has not been exposed. Primary VZV can be very serious or fatal at any any age. If one has been exposed then a different formulation of the vaccine is recommended to prevent or reduce the severity of shingles.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/var...lic/index.html

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut Having basically healthy people take a drug daily for the rest of their lives sounds like a very nice consistent source of income to me.

Income to whom? I can’t get my head around the concept that my GP is somehow “on the take” because I’m taking $24/year of Atorvastatin (generic for Lipitor). Perhaps I don’t need it. Perhaps there are negative side-effects I’m unaware of. Or whatever.......... But $$$ to the individual docs being the motivator to prescribe doesn’t seem likely.

Now, the $5k+ of Xarelto I take annually because of AFIB does make me wonder about my cardiologist (and the many thousands of other cardiologists who prescribe blood thinners to lower stroke risk for AFIB patients.)