Last night I overindulged a little bit ( 6 pack of beer) during the playoffs and when I went to bed I felt like crap and today I fell the same. Ill never do that again. Did I do some damage to myself. I know that indulging like that over a while on Statins will ruin you liver are there any other side effects of this? Also I took my last Lipitor last night. After all I read on the forum and STATINALERT I dont want to take any chances. I will start induction tomorrow and I am looking for some natural alternatives that will keep my CHL down. I take essential oils and all of the Atkins essentials. I also noticed that there is Niacin in I believe Accel. Is this a sufficient amount of Niacin for high CHl? How long does it take for the Statin to clear the body before I up the dose of Niacin. Not supposed to mix the two.

Quit worriing about you CHL; according to the Framongham study, the higher it is, the longer you will live.

www.thincs.org
www.theomnivore.com

Well my grandfather died of Heart Disease so I have to worry. In your opinion if my CHL doesnt matter should I stop taking the Lipitor as well

From what I understand, statins are not "until you clear up", they tell you it is for life. I plan to decline any recommendation for statin drugs if it happens. I just don't believe the unproven benefits are worth the risks. They are however, a profitable business for the pharmacy companies, and they make sure the "official" recomendations to doctors get them regularly prescribed as widely as possible

Your HDL/LDL ratio and triglycerides are a better indicator of heart desease risks than total or LDL cholesterol. Atkins should improve both of those. You might consider adding Omega 3's (fish or flax oils) or eating fatty fish like salmon. I have also researched and have added policosanols. I dropped my LDL 30 points in 6 months on this regimine, and am due for another testing. My blood pressure has also returned to normal.

Good luck to you and continue your search for a natural alternative that is effective for you. If your doctor is unsupportive of your efforts, I would recommend looking for another.

I was on Lipitor when I started low-carbing. I reduced my dosage in half after three months on the diet and quit entirely at six months. I have better blood lipid levels now than I did with the drug. It's amazing how effective the low-carb lifestyle is in controlling the blood chemistry.

[QUOTE=Skyangel]From what I understand, statins are not "until you clear up", they tell you it is for life.

My Total was about 234 and I am due for a checkup. Up until this point I have not really watched what I ate not entirely. I have heard they are for life but also people have come off of them once they are able to control CHL by the LC WOL.

Thats great that you were able to get off of that . Was that under a doctors advice or did you reduce on your own. Hopefully I can reduce my in three months once I begin my LC WOL. I take 10mg now.

I reduced it on my own after getting cholesterol results. I ended up cutting the 10mg pills into two pieces for a 5 mg dose.

brnco

I'm pretty much against statins except in cases of known heart disease where a person can't or won't to eat right and/or be active enough.

Check out some research online. Weston A Price's site, and The Onmivore are good places to start. Heck, just do a search on here and read up on the articles that are posted.

Pretty much all the research that shows any benefit from statins are in men with known cardiac disease and they follow a strict LF diets as well. Research shows that blood levels will go down and if they go low enough plaque will begin to disolve.

OF COURSE their numbers are going to go down! OF COURSE the plaques are going to disolve....if you starve the body of something it needs, and prevent it from manufacturing it too it will get it where it needs it! So it makes sense we would "reprocess" the plaque when we need cholesterol. BUT....that is ALL the studies show....that levels go down and if they go low enough plaque will start to disappear. That does NOT necesarily mean less men wil die. They may not die of heart disease, but the overall mortality is essentially unchanged. As for all women and men without heart disease? There is NO evidence that statins or lowering cholesterol has any benefit.

I was on statins. I went off against MD orders because of continuous nausea and vomiting and severe depression. Once I got off them I realized other things were also related to the meds. I had exercise intolerance, worsening short term memory and periods of amnesia that were all found to improve dramatically and go away eventually...once i got off the statins.

I'm also a nurse and I've seen this so many times. The "wonder" drug...the "miracle" cure. Look at antibiotics! When they first came out doc handed them out for even the hint of an infection. Now we have dozens of antibiotics, but more and more people are dying every year....mostly from drug resistant bacterial infections.

We do adapt....that's what our bodies do. That's how we survived over the years. So what happens if our bodies adapt and become resistant to the statins? We'll have to take higher and higher doses? And who know what will happen then? Don't forget statins haven't been around very long. They are still UNPROVEN over the long term. We don't know what will happen to a man ihis 80's who started taking statins in his 40's! (although personally I think there will be few still alive at 80 if they started statins at 40.)

There are many ways to lower your cholesterol if you choose to try. Niacin, diet control, exercise, drugs that absorb cholesterol in the stomach. Again, I'm of the opinion that we shouldn't worry about our cholesterol numbers....I do hold that higher HDL is better, but feel the LDL composition and triglyceride levels are much more important. CRP is fine if you have no infection, recent trauma or certain chronic problems.....Hemocystine sounds interesting, but I've just started reading up on it.

I believe that normal fluctuations are going to happen, depending on your body's need. Blood vessels are made and maintained with cholesterol....so maybe your numbers go up when you have to repair a part of a blood vessel that is damaged.....or old?

I also believe that if you eat as natural a diet as possible....minimize artificial sweeteners, processed and artificial foods. Eat fresh or frozen (minimally processed) whenever possible. Exercise a reasonable amount daily.

I'm sorry I guess I'm a bit of a skeptic, but I've seen too many "miracle" drugs, fixes, whatever that turned out to be pure hell for many people.

Oh my numbers....At age 48 I had a total chol of 324 with my HDL 38 and tri's "too high to count". LDL is calcuated from the tri's, so I didn't get a number for that. 6 weeks after going on Lipitor my total was 145 with my HDL 28, my tri's 150's, and LD 180's. Doc wanted to up my med, I refused. 3 month later I stopped taking it without her approval and started LC. 6 months after stopping the Lipitor my total was 254 and my HDL was up to 34....don't remember the other numbers, but my triglycerides were under 100. I haven't gone back yet for more tests, but I have an appt next month. I don't really care what the numbers are....but I am curious.

Read up on statins....pro and con. Make up your own mind. Weston A Price's The Onmivore

Bad JUJU. statins alone are crap. my doc prescribed them to me via calling it in to the pharmacy without even talking to me. I told the nice lady at the pharmacy "No, Thankyou. Not for Love ner Money will I take that labrat swill"

picked up my effexor and jammed on down the road. I can't say "don't take this or that" I'm not a doctor and i will get in trouble.

let's just say, my fondness for vodka weighed in my decision to abstain from all BP meds. I don't care. it makes it real easy that way

I took tricor for about 6 months and bagged it without the docs permission.
oh well, that's the way the ball bounces!

what's the big deal with high triglycerides? I think it's all a scam and I have had it with being a labrat.

ALSO: in case you didn't already know........acitaminophen(tylenol) and alcohol are a BAD combo for the ol' liver.

I have read that statins are also not groovy with alcohol, like I said before. it is your choice. also as i said before, we all need to be careful doling out advice that COULD be construed as medical advice. in case some carpetbaggers are lurking around looking for some dupes to throw the net over. practiciing medicine without a permit etc...yada yada.....

statins/booze:not good........exactly HOW bad? I really have no idea.

good luck! and don't take tylenol for a hangover!!!!!!!!

"There are many ways to lower your cholesterol if you choose to try. Niacin, diet control, exercise, drugs that absorb cholesterol in the stomach. Again, I'm of the opinion that we shouldn't worry about our cholesterol numbers....I do hold that higher HDL is better, but feel the LDL composition and triglyceride levels are much more important. CRP is fine if you have no infection, recent trauma or certain chronic problems.....Hemocystine sounds interesting, but I've just started reading up on it."

sorry to keep bugging you about the tri's but I'm curious. can't help myself and all that

are triglycerides really that big of a deal in an otherwise healthy person with textbook BP and all that? (mine is perfect, btw....BP, not tri's)

thanks for any feedback

Bill

Thanks CindySue for all the valuable info. I value everyone opinions thats what this forum is for. Whoever came up with that having to take Statins for life once you start needs to be shot. I guess they just want to scare people into dumping their money into something that will probably kill them later on. I will make sure that I stay away from the LC processed junk while enjoying my LC WOL

Thanks for the info.I read about Niacin. Is the time release or the other type ( I cant remember right now) the most effective. I never really been able to tell what is the big deal with Tri's either but I try not to get into all the medical stuff. Once I am on my way with LC'ing I shouldnt have to worry about it except to laugh at the doctor when my levels are low just by eating right