If you read my blog from the onset, you know I refused to take statin drugs to reduce my high cholesterol without at least attempting to lower it myself with supplements and some lifestyle changes. So many people I meet who complain of a variety of aches and pains, memory loss, and nausea and are taking statin drugs but have no idea what the side effects of those drugs are. Do you know? I didn’t so ... before I started swallowing the little pill, I did some research.The side effects were beyond daunting. Being one who does not really handle medication well and who refuses to take one pill to offset the effects of another - one doctor rationalized that a little memory loss was better than a stroke! - I opted to take the natural route with great success.
I should note here that if you are one of those who ... have a family history of high cholesterol or cardiovascular disease, live an inactive (sedentary) lifestyle, have high blood pressure, are older than 55 if you're a man, or older than 65 if you're a woman, are in poor general health or have diabetes, are overweight, smoke, or have narrowing of the arteries in your neck, arms or legs (peripheral artery disease) you MAY need statin drugs. However, if you are a victim of your lifestyle and can make some changes you can avoid statin drugs. What are the side effects? Let’s start with what doctors consider common and less serious side effects muscle and joint aches (most common) ...
The medical profession also consider some muscle problems to be a potentially serious effect. In severe cases, muscle cells can break down and release a protein called myoglobin into the bloodstream, which can damage your kidneys. Certain drugs when taken with statins can increase the risk of rhabdomyolysis - like gemfibrozil, erythromycin, antifungal medications, nefazodone, cyclosporine and niacin. If you take statins and have new muscle aching or tenderness I would encourage you to look at other options. If you’re in a position to make a decision about how to lower your cholesterol, ask yourself some very important questions ...
My early blogs can be found here: ...
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I am ...
... a former blogger for a health site, which means eating healthy aka heart smart
which has become a passion for me. I will start at the beginning when I first
discovered I had high cholesterol. Loading
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