# New Cholesterol 'Guidelines' Promote Increased Statin 'Therapy'



## SeaBreeze (Apr 6, 2014)

New cholesterol 'guidelines' will promote increased use of statins...

Quote:

Controversial revised cholesterol-treatment guidelines loosened the definition of who would qualify for statin drug treatment to prevent heart disease, greatly increasing the number of people who would be eligible for treatment.

Compared with the older guidelines, the new recommendations would increase the number of US adults eligible for statin therapy from 43.2 million to 56 million, with most of the increase occurring among adults without heart disease.

The new guidelines advise doctors to look at certain risk factors in order to determine if a person should be prescribed a statin drug, but the risk factors are misguided, and the new guidelines are at best 20-25 percent accurate, according to experts.

Statin drugs, touted as “preventive medicine” to protect your heart health, can actually have detrimental effects on your heart as well as other serious health risks.

There are far better ways to prevent heart disease than taking statins, including eating right, exercising, and maintaining healthy vitamin D levels.

Full article and video...http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...uidelines.aspx



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## i_am_Lois (Apr 6, 2014)

I can't take statins. I have difficulty walking when I take them & my kidneys start to shut down. My doctor told me I'm allergic to them. So for my cholesterol I take fish oil and Zetia.


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## Ina (Apr 6, 2014)

Lois, Fish oil I got, but what is Zetia?


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## Fern (Apr 6, 2014)

> There are far better ways to prevent heart disease than taking statins,  including eating right, exercising, and maintaining healthy vitamin D  levels.


And when that fails, through it being hereditary, don't take Statins, just take your chances.? Not likely.


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## d0ug (Apr 6, 2014)

Cholesterol is not the cause of any heart disease deaths have not decreased from statins. Your doctor got a message from the FDA in2012 to take people off statins because of the side effects 52% chance of diabetes 100% chance of dementia [Alzheimers] but the kick backs stop them from telling you that.
  There is no genetic caused disease and now that is being proven even Dr Wattson who got the Nobel Prize for discovery of the gene ohm said that all disease is a function of chemistry and not genetic. There is a new science which explains it call epigenetic.
  Cholesterol is what the body uses to save you from bleeding to death. If the arteries get damaged usually from free radicals the body puts on a coating of cholesterol like a band aid to stop the artery from leaking. See the veins have the same amount of cholesterol and are never blocked if you ask the doctor he doesn’t know why.


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## i_am_Lois (Apr 6, 2014)

Ina said:


> Lois, Fish oil I got, but what is Zetia?



This has some facts about Zetia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezetimibe


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## Ina (Apr 6, 2014)

Lois, That sounds scary to me.


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## SeaBreeze (Apr 6, 2014)

A B3 (Niacin) vitamin alternative to Zetia...http://www.naturalnews.com/028473_Zetia_Vitamin_B3.html


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## i_am_Lois (Apr 7, 2014)

Ina said:


> Lois, That sounds scary to me.



Ina, my cholesterol was VERY high. Diet didn't help, it's genetic. At first I lost a lot of weight because I can't take statins. I dieted. I ate like a rabbit. Lots of salads and oatmeal which is supposed to reduce cholesterol. I weighed 104 pounds. Occasionally I'd dip under that weight. I'm 5 foot 4 inches. I was skinny. I continued to keep my weight down for many years. My cholesterol levels never changed. The doctor then told me to eat whatever I wanted. He said my cholesterol was not high because of any food. It's all in my genes. I had a heart attack at the age of 55. It was caused by 2 blockages in my arteries near my heart... the cholesterol. My heart doctor told me that there is only so much modern medicine can do. I must accept that. So I take that one risky little pill and I also take the fish oil. My cholesterol levels are no longer shockingly high, now it is just rather high. So something is working a little. I am no longer on that strict diet. I went off of it a few years ago. I am now 120 pounds. That's what I was through my 20's, 30's and 40's.


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## drifter (Apr 7, 2014)

I took myself off statins about six weeks ago. I was having severe leg and foot cramps. The cramps have mostly stopped and when I do have one it's no longer severe.


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## Ina (Apr 7, 2014)

Drifter, I think that is lonelynorthwind. Or something close.


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## Ina (Apr 7, 2014)

I told my Dr.I wanted to come off of the statins. I had been on them for over twenty years.  We agreed I would stop both of the med I was taking for very high cholesterol for two months. She will take blood test then to see how high it goes. IF I feel better I don't think I'll continue them.


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## Fhs3 (May 8, 2014)

This is my first post so hi everybody! There was a recent, fairly large scale, study released, in Sweden I believe. There was 100% no correlation between mortality and statins. If you do a bit of research the chances are you will conclude (I sure did) that statins may be the biggest scam ever hoisted on the medical community by pharma. 

I go to a teaching hospital for my medicine and have asked a number of residents why they prescribe statins. These are the guys who are the next generation of our medical community! I have not once in the 5 years or so of asking the question received anything resembling a decent answer. 

Niacin is a much healthier replacement for statins. Niacin can't be patented because it's a vitamin which is why most folks are blissfully unaware of it. Most of us simply won't hear about non patented solutions. There is a time release Niacin that's prescription but often results in liver damage. 

Sorry to be so long winded, however I get a bit riled on the subject of statins. I'm no Dr. btw, just been studying nutrition etc. for more than 30 years now.


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## SeaBreeze (May 8, 2014)

Hello Fhs3, welcome to the forum!   I would try a natural alternative over statins any day if a doctor wanted to prescribe them.  Niacin is so inexpensive, a half tablet can chase away a headache fast, that much I know.  Don't like the redness and flush, but small price to pay for relief.  Haven't had a headache in many years though, way back when I was still working, lol.


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## Fhs3 (May 8, 2014)

Thanks SeaBreeze, forgot about headaches. You're right, the flush rattles some people but the flush free stuff seems to cause liver damage... I'll take the flush :}


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## SeaBreeze (May 8, 2014)

Yes, I heard also that the flush-free was not good to take.


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## Shirley (May 9, 2014)

This is my first post so hi everybody! There was a recent, fairly large scale, study released, in Sweden I believe. There was 100% no correlation between mortality and statins. If you do a bit of research the chances are you will conclude (I sure did) that statins may be the biggest scam ever hoisted on the medical community by pharma. 

Absolutely.


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## d0ug (May 16, 2014)

For the uninformed doctor included where did this idea of cholesterol start? A study done my Dr. Ansel Keys of 7 countries and showed a correlation between high cholesterol and heart disease but when the other 22 countries where included there was no correlation actually it shows a different result. The study was very slanted and why? At about the same time Proctor and Gamble soap makers were trying to sell a product call Crisco as food. They linked up with Keys and put millions of dollars into the American Heart Association which at that time was very poor to make it the power house it is to-day. 
  As far as good cholesterol and bad cholesterol the only difference is free radical damage to the cholesterol. It is free radical damage that causes damage to the artery walls and the cholesterol is there to repair the damage because the body is intelligent. Why is there the same amount of cholesterol in the veins as in the arteries but only the arteries have the problem if it was the cholesterol both should be equal. Heart disease is a profit maker for the people in the system. We have been listening to this non scene for over 60 years and still the #1 killer is heart disease.  75% of people who have heart attacks have average or lower cholesterol. Studies have shown that people with cholesterol lower than 200 have shorter live expectancy.  This is all to make money peoples lives are not considered.


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## Ina (May 16, 2014)

After 25 years of taking different kinds of cholesterol drugs, I told my Dr. that I wanted to quit taking statins for high cholesterol.  For the last two years my Dr. had put me on two different kinds of meds for cholesterol, twice daily, and actually brought my numbers down to 180.  But I felt awful. 
My Dr. agreed that I could quit for a period of six weeks, and I will be taking blood tests on the May 19th. so my Dr. can reevaluate things. There is a history of very high cholesterol on both sides of my family. Even my 24 year old grandson, (who is tall and thin), was told he has high cholesterol. 
I have begun to feel better, but I fear that number of 180 will have shot back up. 
Can one of you give me a link to a site that explains why I should continue without the statins. I want something that I can print out, so that I can take it to show my Dr.
When I told my Dr. I had been hearing that statins were bad for people, and she ask me where I had gotten this information.  I want to be able to back up my decision to stop the statins.  
My Dr. is in her 30's, but I feel she would listen if I could back up what I'm saying to her.
So friends, I'm asking for your help. But I don't want to take something so large that she won't even try to read it.
I admit that I am afraid of Drs., and I need good paperwork to help me stand up against what she has been taught. She isn't in a private practice, she is part of a clinic for the poor. I pay 40% of cost. :help:


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## Fhs3 (May 16, 2014)

Ina,

I found a very Dr. oriented review of a book about statins. Rather than having to read the whole book, Zoe does an amazing job of reviewing its conclusions. It's pretty thick going if you don't have a background in biochemistry but you should read through it anyway. The conclusions are in very plain English. It will take your Dr. 5 or 10 minutes to read but it's written in Dr. So she should get the message.

http://www.zoeharcombe.com/2013/10/...-cholesterol-and-kill-you-one-cell-at-a-time/


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## Ina (May 16, 2014)

Thanks Fhs3, I Going to print that out now, and I'll have it in hand on Monday.


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## d0ug (May 16, 2014)

Ask your doctor if he read the message sent to him from the FDA telling all doctors to get their clients off statins.
Or the fact that the studies show that cholesterol under 200 shortens your life.
There is no diseased caused by cholesterol.
When your cholesterol reaches 350 have him check your thyroid for a possible problem. 
Eskimos have cholesterol 350 to 500 and are legendary for not having heart problems of course the eat fat and not oils.


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## Ina (May 16, 2014)

DOug, I remember you or someone posting something about that. But I can't remember what thread it was on. I was hope to get a copy of that ruling. The more information I can give her the better. Do you remember which thread that was. Or where I can get a copy of that ruling? Thanks for your patience.


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## d0ug (May 17, 2014)

Here is some information first Dr. Mercola who has not bias 
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/06/fda-warning-on-statins.aspx#!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QUChSlUEH0#t=133
Here is some FDA who are own by the drug companies and for them to say anything is a unbelievable
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm293330.htm
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm293101.htm
I can not find the particular website with the information on the percentages like 52% increase and 100% dementia [Alzheimers]


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## Ina (May 17, 2014)

Thank you Fhs3, and dOug, I printed out the information on the link you provided yesterday, and I'll print the links from today so I can read them as well. This will give me more information to hand to my Dr. on Monday.
After six weeks of being off of the statins I feel a lot better.  I want to continue to feel better. :wave:


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## SeaBreeze (Oct 8, 2014)

The ugly side of statins, some of the side-effects.  If they need to be used, it is recommended to do so only short-term.  http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/th...t-the-research-of-cholesterol-lowering-drugs/


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## QuickSilver (Oct 8, 2014)

SeaBreeze said:


> The ugly side of statins, some of the side-effects. If they need to be used, it is recommended to do so only short-term. http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/th...t-the-research-of-cholesterol-lowering-drugs/



So what is meant by short term?  AND if your body is producing cholesterol on it's own.. Is there a way to tell your liver to just STOP IT??   THis is nonsense.. Some people HAVE to take statins.. which act directly on iotrogenic cholesterol production.. (this is why statins are taken at bedtime, as this is when the liver goes to work on cholesterol production)    Niacin MAY be beneficial for reducing Triglycerides, but that's even disputed now.    There is only so much you can do with diet.. SO... exactly what is it you suggest?


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## WhatInThe (Oct 8, 2014)

Fhs3 said:


> Thanks SeaBreeze, forgot about headaches. You're right, the flush rattles some people but the flush free stuff seems to cause liver damage... I'll take the flush :}



I don't understand the panic of the flush. Too many have such a tiny comfort zone they become their own worst enemy. Had someone take one of my mega B complex vitamins onetime assuming it was a multiple vitamin for starters and they went into such a panic they went to the doctors crying and lecturing me on that's dangerous blah blah blah and all they had to do was wait about 10 minutes and drink water. 

I thought the rush or flush was part of how niacin works with blood pressure any way dilating the blood vessels. If nothing else it should allow for the better transport of nutrients.


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## SeaBreeze (Oct 8, 2014)

I don't mind the flush that much WhatInThe, certainly tolerable if it will get rid of a headache...but there's an itching too that drives me crazy.  But I don't panic, and know it will pass in ten minutes.  Luckily I rarely get headaches. I take a B-50, never had any noticeable reactions to it.


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## WhatInThe (Oct 8, 2014)

SeaBreeze said:


> I don't mind the flush that much WhatInThe, certainly tolerable if it will get rid of a headache...but there's an itching too that drives me crazy.  But I don't panic, and know it will pass in ten minutes.  Luckily I rarely get headaches. I take a B-50, never had any noticeable reactions to it.



I found out about niacin and headaches by accident. I had taken some niacin about 100mg with some motrin, tylenol and benadryl to get rid of a sinus headache as quick as I could assuming the niacin would help get them in my system faster. I'll be darn the headache was gone after the rush, the nose was a little stuffy but the headache gone.


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## SeaBreeze (Oct 8, 2014)

It is amazingly quick, I used it a couple of times on headaches when I was working.  Funny, I don't recall having a headache at all since I retired.


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## LogicsHere (Oct 9, 2014)

Doug, I think you have your facts wrong with saying statins cause a 100% chance of dementia (Alzheimers).  According to what I've read high doses of statins can cause temporary memory loss with the risk of dementia or alzheimers as the brain does in fact need cholesterol to function. But just because you have been prescribed statins doesn't mean you're automatically doomed to develop alzheimers. That's nonsense.  Before you spread such information around, I think you should research it correctly. I say this because my Dad never took statins and he developed Alzheimer's and I know several others who also never took statins and came down with it also. My mother too, never took statins but developed memory loss as the result of a negative reaction to anaesthesia when she had surgery at the age of 88.  I also know people who do take them and are sharp as a tack. So again please, don't put something in writing that you have not thoroughly researched.


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## LogicsHere (Oct 9, 2014)

There is no disease caused by cholesterol, you are correct.  But cholesterol does harden into plaque which can build to causing total blockages that result in heart attacks . . or artheriosclerosis. (not sure of the exact spelling)  I believe it was previously called hardening of the arteries.  My husband died from this back in 1970.  He was 40 years old. I was 23.


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## Bettyann (Oct 9, 2014)

About 2 years ago, I was Rx'd both high blood pills and cholesterol lowering statins... I took them for a few weeks, then changed to Hawthorn berry capsules (standardized) and CoQ10, and garlic capsules. Within several months, my blood pressure was normal and no more cholesterol... The dr said "hmmmm" but didn't argue with me..  
The few weeks I was on the statins my muscles HURT worse than any fibromyalgia attack I had ever had... I was told that was a very common reaction. 
I will always take alternative remedies if possible. I know the 'belief' in what you take is very important. So whatever works well is good.


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## LogicsHere (Oct 10, 2014)

Many people can't take Niacin because it has a negative reaction to other medications one is taking. It can also be debated as to whether niacin is a "much healthier replacement". The choice to take statins is one you and your doctor have to make.  If you don't want to, then don't.  No one is twisting your arm or forcing the pills down your throat. 

There's also no need to think you are being "scammed" or get "riled up" on the subject.  You have to realize that studies and statistics can be twisted to mean whatever the researchers want them to mean so just because one study condemns them and the other says their the greatest thing since sliced bread, the decision is still up to you.


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## LogicsHere (Oct 10, 2014)

If those items work for you then you are extremely lucky.  They don't work for everyone. As products deemed as "natural" are not regulated by the FDA then their safety is also unknown as they go untested. But again if it works for you then that's a good thing.


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## d0ug (Oct 10, 2014)

I am less frighten of natural vitamins and minerals than I am of the FDA approve drugs that kill injure millions.


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## oakapple (Oct 11, 2014)

It's a difficult choice to make. I was prescribed Simvastatin for 2/3 years and by the end of that time had severe muscle pain and muscle weakness in my lower back. Then it started up in my arm.The GP said ok, stop taking them and see what happens.Within a week, the arm pain had gone, but needed 6 months for the strength to return. The back took over a year.My back pain riuned life for 2 years for me.My GP said that I had come to him already taking Simvastatin [we had moved areas] but that he would not have prescribed it!If ever I need to take a statin in the future it would not be that one, but there are others of course.


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## []Doo[]Der (Oct 11, 2014)

I had a bad time on statins..muscle cramps, pain, foot neuropathy and finally diabetes. Now of course I can't prove a relationship however it's my opinion that statins were responsible at least in part. I'll never go near them again.


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## QuickSilver (Oct 11, 2014)

I had problems with Lipitor... But I have nothing with Pravachol..  and my numbers are terrific..   I'm really glad my doc listened and was willing to try other brands until we found one that worked well and that I could tolerate.


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