I was on four different statins in one year, each time I experienced severe leg cramps, aching, joint pains, numbness in my hands. Tiredness. I finally said enough!!! No more statins. I exercise, watch my diet and will see what the future labs will show. Tks Docs!!!
When I was 45, my doctor put me on lipitor, 30 minutes after taking the pill my head was ready to explode. It was so bad that I had to lay down until it passed, I never before in my life suffered from headaches, 3 weeks later, I stopped the pill, and no more headaches fast forward 20 years later my NP wanted to put me on cholesterol pill, I said no, she said well by the time you reach seventy you'll have a heart attack, unreal to talk to me like that. I try to eat healthy and go for walks every day with my dogs, I don't drink, smoke, I am on cero meds so far,
I was on them since May 12 2024 I stopped taking 10 days ago and the pain is gone,it was in my arms my joint my feet hands fingers and toes,I told the doctor I wasn't living with chronic pain, now I'm not.
Have been on statins for many years and now in my late 60’s and am getting more muscle aches. I work out regularly. Great topic, love to channel. You guys rock!
After an executive physical at a major medical facility in LA in 2006, my doctor prescribed a statin to lower my cholesterol. Within a week I started to feel muscle pain in my legs. I thought the pain could be from my exercise routine so continued taking the statin for a month. I consciously maintained my exercise routine with no changes, and the pain got worse. I decided to stop taking the statin cold turkey. I also changed my diet to incorporate many of the foods you've recommended in another video. Within about 2 weeks, the pain was completely gone. My annual physicals show my cholesterol is normal and am happily statin free. Really enjoyed this video!
My ex husband was on statins for many years and I am convinced that he became an opioid addict because of the muscular pain from the statin. He later died from an overdose
Love you guys. I’m from UK and was a lay person on a Clinical commissioning group. It meant I got to hear GP’s talk candidly about Statins without anyone watching. To a person they described it as a miracle drug that everyone over 50 should be on. The conversations I over heard were about their experiences and the science as they saw it. Pretty powerful endorsement.
I was taking Zocor for about 15 years and in 2015 began feeling hip pain. It became progressively worse over time and I figured it was arthritis. And recently it got so bad I couldn't walk. They thought it was a pinched nerve, but tests came back negative. I heard about statins muscle side effects and discontinued the Zocor and took CoQ10. Now (2023) I'm seeing significant improvement.
@user-fn4yt3zx1u same experience of muscle pain in the legs, hips, thighs, lower back and shoulders + knee pain. I stopped taking atorvastatin for 4 days, my leg pain decreased also thighs. I hope in time all will be better.
Excellent and, for me, a very timely presentation for me. Yesterday my primary care physician stunned me with a recommendation, based on a recently completed 10 year study, to begin a regimen of cholesterol medication. My cholesterol stats have always been very healthy - high HDL, low LDL, total well below the target of 200 (with triglycerides). Also, my diet and lifestyle are healthy - lots and lots of physical exercise, high fiber/low fat diet. Well, because of my age (78) and gender (male) this new study concludes that these factors now place me in a high risk category for stroke or heart attack. I HATE the idea of going on a medication regimen, particularly when there are potential side effects. This video will help me make an informed decision.
Again, you guys are the best! I have had a couple days where I felt down but after watching this and laughing, I’m feeling better! I was put on a statin a few years ago as a preventative after I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy- just in case. My glucose shot up. I did some research on my own and found out the problem was the statin. Got off of it and been fine ever since. You guys are awesome! Keep the videos coming! ~Kerry
If I took a statin, I was bedbound within 24 hours with a frozen painful back... next day took nothing...fine... day after took statin... again bedbound with painful back pain... never took statins again
Yes. I had immediate weakness in arms as in from lifting weights my whole life to cant hold onto a gallon milk container taking out of the fridge. They say these are very rare side effects but when it does this to people and as you have described, statistics mean nothing
Some people cannot take any statins due to serious side effects (pain). Following an angioplasty, several years after being prescribed statins (Atorvastatin 10 mg) I myself developed something like worsening shoulder impingement syndrome. After consulting doctors ans physiotherapists for a long time without any results at all I decided to quit my statin medication. Some weeks later, the symtoms were gone. Two years later my bloodworks in reasonably good shape. I've changed my diet in a healthy way, leaving most of the sugar and all of the alcohol. I feel pretty healthy and quite comfortable with your statement "you are in charge of your own health". Now a new subscriber for your channel.
My doctor wanted to put me on a statin because my cholesterol was a little high. I told him, "I'll take care of it with Diet & Exercise". I posted this on FaceBook and somebody replied, "What's your objection to statins, I've been on the for 15 years with No Side Effects?" I replied, "That's the problem, I don't want to be on any medication for 15 years with No Chance of Curing the Problem. When I might be able to fix it with Food and Exercise".
Respect the power of genetics. Some people simply make too much. Too much apo-b is absolutely atherogenic, and statins and/or PCSK9 inhibitors help lower their count reliably. It is not productive nor correct to assume that statins are not necessary for some people, particularly if they are exceptionally high risk by default.
I wondered if I was going crazy because I have muscle aches and problems with my memory at times before taking the statin medication. Since I started taking the statin, I've noticed that my muscle aches and memory problems having increased. I am 67, female and have hypothyroidism, diabetes, hypertension, gout, diabetic neuropathy, high cholesterol and arthritis. Listening to you guys has brought my increased discomfort to light. I thought it was just me getting older. Thanks for the insight.
I truly believe long term use of statins contributed to the death of my sister in Canada almost a year ago. She was on a statin for years and never had blood work done. Doctor just kept refilling her prescription. She was having some confusion. We all saw it. She was 70 years old. Finally she and her husband had to get a new doctor. He did do blood work and never contacted her so everyone thought no news is good news. I wish she or her husband had called for her results. Long story but she ended up in ICU with sepsis. Doctors couldn’t get the infection under control. Liver and kidneys weren’t functioning. One doctor told my other sister and I they couldn’t figure out her liver and what was going on. He asked us if she had a liver disease or was a heavy drinker. We told him we didn’t know of a liver disease and she didn’t even drink alcohol except maybe a rare glass of wine. He said again they couldn’t understand her liver not functioning. It was a long traumatic two weeks. They eventually took one leg off to her groin and left a bleed that they didn’t address for 24 hours! All of her organs shut down and we lost her. Doctor said there was no need for an autopsy. So her husband and daughter went along with it. I think that they weren’t thinking. It had all been so traumatic. Her husband did talk to the doctor who had done the bloodwork. We are so angry. The results of bloodwork a month before she died showed her sugar was 15 (twice what it should be) and her liver function was off then and no one called her! I will believe until I die that the long term statin use contributed to her death besides the amputation. Now my doctor wants me to take a statin. Told his office I need to think about that and will try diet first. Sorry this was long but had to share.
Because I have cervical osteoarthritis the Drs. Felt like it was just getting worse. I was in so much pain in my back and neck, constant spasms in neck. I was adjusting my neck all the time. The only relief I got was lying down. I had 7 injections, 10 different meds, many physical therapies, nothing worked! Finally after 2years my arthritis doctor told me to stop my statin. Within 2 weeks I was remarkably better. Still a little sore, but all spasms stopped! It was a miracle!!
I’ve been on Lipitor for yrs. I have fibromyalgia, with terrible neck and back spasms that have gotten so much worse in the past couple yrs. I would love to go off the Lipitor for awhile to see if anything changes. Going to ask my cardiologist. Thanks for this info!
For most of my life, I had no problems with blood pressure or cholesterol. An accident required my Right Knee and Hip replacements decades ago and I had no problems with those. However, I completely ruptured my left Quad Tendon, my blood pressure skyrocketed and for a while my cholesterol was borderline. Four failed Quad operations plus a really bad infection and three months of Infusions later - and my Doctor decided to put me on a Statin. within three days, the pain in my legs was so bad I could not even walk. The doctor "changed" the statin but that did not help - so I stopped taking the statin. While I do have two bum legs, at least I can walk with a cane - and still can take care of myself. I took BP meds for a while but my BP has also returned to normal and My last blood test showed no problem with cholesterol as well. Considering I am 85 (My mom is still alive too) I do alright.
It took me half a year to discover that statins was the cause for 10 different negative side-effects which I had developed over the months. From a clouding brain to an frozen shoulder. Eight side-effects stopped withing a week after stopping. It took me physical therapy and a year to get over my frozen shoulder. Six different statins all immediately showed the same horrors, also "red rice."
I told my GP that my body did not tolerate statins well, so he put me on red rice yeast. I haven't noticed any reduction in my cholesterol but am still getting the aches. I attributed it to my 67 years; I was wrong. Quit the red rice two weeks ago and I'm not hurting anymore.
Love you guys. I’ve been on a cholesterol stain for almost 50yrs. I’ve asked my primary physician if this is necessary and I’m always told you bloodwork comes back good, so the statins are doing there work
I was on a statin drug a few years ago. After taking for a while I found myself often in a state of rage. Eventually I made the connection between my feelings of rage and the statin drug. I stopped taking it and the feelings of rage ended. I think statin drugs can have a profound effect on our brains and should only be used when absolutely necessary to preserve heart health.
Interesting you shared that. With the amount of pain and inability to move I found I was short fused and didn't have the strength to snap but wanted too as I was told to remain on it just a bit longer.. It took 3 months to start to reset and 11 for my heart to stop palpitations. I only took 8 weeks. Doctors need to listen and weigh what's happening to protect the patient and themselves or families. My late father experienced physical rage on them too.
There was a recent large study in England that found NO muscle pain side effects by people using statins. I don't believe you. At best it was something else.
Hi Donald. That seems odd. It would depend on the size of the study as the reported incidence of muscle pain is 1-10%. Thanks for watching and subscribing
First of all, I want to say how much I love you two. I wish you did the nightly news, "Fair and Balanced!" - Now for my particular experience. I am a classic case for needing some sort of statin, family history of fatal heart attacks, super high cholesterol, aortic valve and ascending aorta the best replacements that money can buy - lol. Unfortunately regular statins have caused muscle aches, so was placed on Ezetimibe. After a couple of months I developed a serious brain fog, hard to concentrate, some confusion, and trouble learning new things. I typically never read the caution label on new prescribed drugs, as I want to head off any sort of "nocebo" effect. Long story short, I took a week to wean myself off Ezetimibe and my memory/confusion/concentration issues cleared up. I also had trouble with fatique, but at 71 that rascal seems to be my new normal. Thanks again for your great videos. If I lived close by, I would beat a path to your doors!
Thanks again Docs, always informative. Been on a statin for 12 years and I always try to keep up on the latest info, feeling fine so far. Love your humor!😀
Thanks Doc's! I am trying NOT to go on statins. I just can't justify it yet. I am working on my nutrition, exercise, movement and gathering information- knowledge is key. Appreciate your vlogs.
This was a good discussion. I felt that my doc did not listen to my concerns about taking a statin. She actually got mad at me and told me because of my age it was necessary. I did have high LDL, HDL was great as were triglycerides. I was concerned about being in them forever. She said I would be. She gave me no instructions for when to take them. When I went got my THR, the nurses were surprised I didn't take it at bedtime i have learned that this does depend on the medication. I just found the whole experience to be less than satisfying.
I am a 70 female who has been on simvastatin for 20 years for high cholesterol and strong family history of HA and stroke on both sides. I live a healthy lifestyle including diet, exercise, sleep etc. within the past few years I’ve been diagnosed with OA in lower back and shoulder. Having had a few flares ups I was referred to a PT and given a daily strengthening routine for core and gluts. I started noticing an increase in muscle pain, fatigue and and generalized feeling of weakness, not every day but often enough to notice. It felt different than just exercise induced muscle pain. Consulted with my doctor who advised a two week vacation from statin and bingo, I felt less pain and more energy! I’m going to try a low dose of a different statin to see how that works. I recently read that muscle pain on statins does seem to be more prevalent in older women on the thinner side who exercise which fits the bill.
Hi Docs..I get wicked bad muscle cramps from Lipitor ..I drink tonic water which does help..Dr.is going to lower the dosage..Another great video..Welcome back..Missed you both
My doc a long time ago put me on Niacin . He told me it would flush me . I though he meant it would flush my bowels. I ask him how fast it worked and did I needed to stay home close to the bathroom then he started laughing . Then he told me it was my skin that would be flushing . I was young and dumb we both had a good laugh. Thank y'all for what you do for us and the sacrifices both of you went through becoming doctors to help folks like us . You guys are awesome . Y'all have a wonderful weekend !!!!!!!!!!!!
I just recently took b complex with niacin..omg..drove myself to the ER..just to find out I had a niacin flush....my head and neck were on fire..subsided about 2 hours..who knew
Something doctors do not tell you is...when your vitamin D increases your cholesterol decreases. That can be proven with blood work. Every cell in your body requires cholesterol. Your body produces about 80% of your cholesterol. I was on a statin and had horrible side effects! The muscle pain and weakness was the worst. I am sure this comment will not be shared so...oh well.
Interesting experience. When Vit D is low you can't filter cholesterol out, so your small intestine grabs it for energy since nothing else is being absorbed correctly.
Hi Naomi we don’t delete any comments unless they are profane. Yes vitamin D has many roles including cholesterol regulation. That is why we say it is one of the few supplements that everyone should take. We have a couple videos on it. And yes our body does manufacture most of our cholesterol which is why diet can make it hard to lower cholesterol. Thanks for sharing. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I’m a little miffed at my PCP. I asked about side effects n was told something like they r minor. The big one for me was the diabetes impact. Yes I know it’s not guaranteed, it doesn’t seem to occur in as many people. It’s still the thing I’d want to avoid. I guess his plan was to give me more drugs to treat the diabetes after.
I was on statins in 2023 when I also was having terrible muscle pain ,also just before Christmas I started to get terrible kidney pain that left me bedridden for 4 days I tried every thing drinking more water I can't take pain killers as I have chronic kidney disease nothing seemed to help then I thought the only thing left to try I'll stop the statins and with in days the pain had gone ,I told my doctor she said she hadn't heard about it damaging kidney's I thought she was lying as they can damage organs as my friend got liver damage after taking them for years .
Thank you for sharing this information. I hope you will continue to educate us on any new Cholesterol medications or how to treat without medication. I suffered for 3 years with so many health issues. I had seen numerous doctors and had numerous testing. Every doctor I went to asked for a list of my medications. Not one connected the statin drugs to my issues. All I ever heard is your tests came back negative. I was like am I crazy? How is this possible? Then one day a dear friend asked me if I was taking any medication that i needed to take daily. Told her yes Lipitor and High Blood pressure medication. She asked if I have the medical print out about side effects of taking these drugs. I was shocked that every symptom that i had was listed. I stopped taking it and with 2 weeks I was like a new person. Just recently my doctor asked me to try Repatha injections well guess what the pain is back and I am finished with taking any more statins.
Great video! You try so hard to be measured, balanced and yet informative. I recently started taking statins even though my lifestyle is excellent with every day exercise including running , plant based diet, very little junk food, psyllium husk etc etc. My LDL cholesterol remained stubbornly high. Further testing revealed it is genetic and an extra sticky type as well - elevated lipoprotein a. The GP said my risk profile had now changed and I then commenced the statins. I am fortunate to live in a country where the pharmaceutical industry is more regulated too, so there is a greater level of trust with my GP, who is very thorough and is not afraid to refer me to a specialist if needed.
I just discovered you today - thanks, you’re informative without being dry. In 1992, I was prescribed Mevacor and Questran. My LDL dropped almost in half, still way too high but better (FH). In 95 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I was miserable. Fast forward to 2005-ish, even though my bloodwork showed no muscle breakdown we began to wonder if it was statins. Under doc’s guidance I took a med vacation. The fibromyalgia was gone! I’ve tried 6 statins multiple times, because I really want them to work for me, each time I feel it within a week. They work for everyone else I know that’s taking them. In the early years they wouldn’t acknowledge the muscle pain, forgetfulness or the stutter I’d developed as statin related. Now the lipid specialist I see won’t even let me try again.
I believe most of the drugs from big pharma are a scam. About the only med that actually cures something are antibiotics. OTC Ivermectin, Hydroxychloroquine and a couple others are always what I start with.
I used to donate plasma and prior to the donation, a machine would check for fat in your blood. If it showed the fat (ice cream the day before-I was busted), you had to wait 48 hours before donating and were instructed to not consume anything high fat before your return. So, when recent lab work showed a triglyceride level in the high 600's (I had been consuming LOTS of coffee and creamer/cream) and my usually normal cholesterol was a bit high. I stopped the creamer and cream for a week and redid the chem screen. My triglycerides were in the low 200's and my cholesterol was back in the normal range. I discussed the lab results with my doctor and she told me these labs can be brought down fairly quickly with small changes in some people. Do you think it would be a good practice to have patients try the above, before placing them on statins?
Hi Psalm 122. Diet changes would always be preferred to medications but many patients are not like you. They would prefer their creamer and a statin. Thanks for watching and subscribing
@@Katy32344 I stopped taking stations because of report's on them! 2 months later my lab work showed cholesterol @300 ! I developed & angina & shortness of breath then mild heart attack , then quadruple by-pass !
Fat in blood is from sugar intake , not fat intake. I’m keto and my triglycerides are in the 70’s. Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is also caused by ……. Sugar/ simple carbs not fat
Thank you for a very informative talk. I love your presentation style. Easy to follow/understand without being condescending. Sense of humour. Good information but just enough to keep the listener interst
Good topic and conversation. Thanks for sharing. I currently take Atorvastatin 20mg. My doctor and I have cycled through different medications and dosages over the years to address my lipidemia. I am pleased with the job the statin does and do not believe I suffer from any ill side-effects-- my blood tests are within normal ranges and I do not have muscle pains or memory issues...... I enjoy watching your videos and really appreciate that you insert humor and good-hearted ribbing into your discussions. Yes, these are all serious topics, but you make them accessible and interesting.
Thanks Greg. Some people complain about the jokes but we figure there are lots of super serious channels. Glad the statin is working for you. All the best. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I think I have been ok! I want to check., thank you for your video!have a wonderful day to you both Docs. i am going to go to my doctor next week for tests to see if I still need to take them, thanks again!
Nurse for decades here. I was on Crestor for eight months, then developed insane pain in my arms and legs, plus weakness to the point where I couldn't get up from a chair. Just diagnosed with polymyositis, and started Prednisone yesterday. I'm not happy. I wish that I had been handed a list of lifestyle changes, instead of being pushed toward the statin.
Was on statins for a number of years, began having great difficulty emptying my bladder - stopped Statins after consulting with my doc and good cholesterol numbers. Bladder function and related muscles improved significantly.
I am so thankful for statins. People in my family used to die of heart attacks in early 50's. Here I am 78 years old, my older brother and sister still alive thanks to statins!
If statins only reduce the mortality rate of heart attacks and strokes by less than 1% it is probably other factors in your life style that is helping you. These doctors discuss that in another video using an article from JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) on the benefit of statin drugs.
Statins are the most profitable drug sold. I began thinking about the small number of people that would benefit from the drug if the normal cholesterol level was 260. If you were a drug company selling the drug the best way to increase sales would be to lie about the normal cholesterol level stating it was 150. That one lie would change the 1% that really needed the drug to 99% that needed the drug. That one lie would enlist all the doctors to push the drug which they do and which they did to me. A doctor friend of mine religiously took lipitor and I told him my cholesterol was high at 280. He gave me some to try and I had no knowledge of any side effects. I took it for a week and was getting pains in my legs. Not knowing what it was from I decided to stop the lipitor. The pains went away after a few days so about a week later I decided to try the lipitor again and the pains came back. My doctor friend died with Alzheimer's. What if the normal range of cholesterol is 280 and not 150? What if the severe side effects of liver damage and brain issues and diabetes create new opportunities for new drugs to be sold to you when you should never have taken the statins in the first place? I've had doctors push me and scare me into taking statins for 30 years. In the beginning the fear worked and I tried a number of them. And about 28 years ago I said I'm never taking another statin and I'll take my chances. It wasn't until about 3 years ago that I considered the likelihood that they simply lied about what is normal cholesterol. Every 3 years I have an ultrasound of my main arteries to make sure the blood is flowing. Of course there's always fear of a stroke there's fear of the big C and fears of COVID etc. Thank you docs for bringing up the subject because most fear the pharmaceutical industry and their immense power.
Hi Rick. All very good points. We believe most doctors and most pharmaceutical companies want to help people but it doesn’t take many to tweak things in their favor. We have nothing to gain by promoting statins or sharing this info. We simply want people to be informed so they can make a choice. It is a complicated issue and certainly not a one size fits all like most of medicine. Every patient is unique. We took an oath to do no harm. We are trying our best to honor that. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Rick, try watching some of Dr Anthony Chaffee's videos. He's a neurosurgeon and former professional rugby player, and is a big proponent of the Carnivore Diet as are other doctors too including Dr. Shaun Baker and Dr. Ken Berry. He specifically talks about that in some of his videos, how a few doctors were unscrupulous and pushed high cholesterol as the leading cause of heart disease. They actually lied on a few of the studies and they were paid off by the sugar companies. Sugar was really the biggest proponent that the studies showed, not cholesterol. His videos are awesome and there are other doctors in the carnivore world said the same thing. Many people are following the carnivore diet and a variety of autoimmune disorders and things are improving for them. I just started the diet to improve arthritic pain and in 2 days the inflammation went down I have lost 7 lb since August 3rd. I'm starting to feel the best I have in years!!! th-cam.com/video/UbFXqjABIvo/w-d-xo.html
I think this is exaggerated. Many statins are generic now and generics make very little money for the major pharmaceutical companies. If you're taking generic crestor or lipitor, you are taking a drug that has incredibly small margins and is not very profitable anymore. When there were not generics available for these products, they were incredibly profitable though.
Wow you answered my question my doctor has been pushing pushing me to take cholesterol medication I do not take any medications my cholesterol is 233 I didn’t think that was high. I do watch what I eat I do exercise I do not smoke And I’m not overweight.
I appreciate both of you, Doc's and am glad your doing this video and all your video's are informative for us, and I like both of your sense of humor 😊
Yes, muscle cramping was my problem with taking statins. Especially at night while sleeping my leg muscle would cramp up causing my to hop out of bed in a great deal of discomfort. Sometimes it would literally almost bring me to tears. Hamstrings mostly and calves.
@@TalkingWithDocs I get those severe cramps in my calves at night too, but I am on so many meds (12) that I could never point to the one that is causing it. For all I know it could be more than one of them causing them. I have just been putting up (suffering) with them. I do drink a lot of water daily for my CKD. I'm just glad that I am not a horse! 😆 FYI: I take pravastatin.
@@Katy32344I get really really severe muscle cramps too, and I suffer from fatigue and depression .. I’m afraid to take statins ,I’m afraid of getting them worse than I do
You mentioned to discuss with our doctor and cardiologist our decision to stop taking statins. I did and they absolutely disagreed because of my coronary bypass operation, but my cholesterol was better than normal and I stopped the statin medication to avoid the painful side effects I was experiencing. The side effects disappeared almost immediately and never came back. My cholesterol level remains low and if I had continued taking statins, both doctors would have credited this drug for my continued good condition.
Thanks for the information! I started a low dose statin about 3 months ago and noticed I get very thirsty during the night since that. My husband is experiencing the same thing but he has been on them longer.
Read 2015 article complete pdf version by Harumi Okuyama with the title: Statins stimulate atherosclerosis and heart failure: pharmacological mechanisms. Please explain this for the world.
Thank you guys for all you do for us. Was wondering if you could do a video on CHOLESTROL; good/bad numbers and suggestion on how to lower other than drugs.....BTW, I hope you both continue to post on your channel. I have two friends that started their own channel. They now have 850K subscribers! They quit their jobs two years ago, bought (cash) 900,000 house, living the good life!
Wow Michael that is nuts about your friends. We can definitely add a basic review of cholesterol to our list of future videos. We did just release the top foods to eat to help reduce your cholesterol. You should check it out. Thanks for watching and subscribing
By the way. I am so uncomfortable taking meds. I have RA and have taken some on and off over the years. I am now 75 and I am more concerned about side effects than I ever was. So we’re discussing that and every single doctor wants you to take a drug! I would like the natural holistic way but I can’t find anybody to help me with that. So I try to stay off of meds as much as possible!
OK I finished it. My own personal experiences I opted instead of statins to take red rice yeast which my regular doctor put me on and I also do milk thistle extract which so powerful not only as a liver detox of fire but a protectant of your liver. I prefer the Tincher and I actually love the flavor myself. As far as blood sugar I take chromium. Berberine is another really good one just because in the past I have been prediabetic but now I’m not. I definitely try to watch my diet but as far as alcohol I do like wine sometimes Jin. But I am a real believer that if you do anything detrimental you really wanna make sure that you take care of your brain and other aspects of your body to make up for your flaws. So I love to follow Dr. Daniel amen. And your videos are very helpful to the public to help them to make informative decisions. Now how much do I owe you guys and get back to work.. Eat your veggies and kudos to your positive attitude.. 💃💃💃💃❤️💙❤️🥰💝🙏🏼
73 yrs old and overweight, do not smoke nor drink alcohol. Just had 1 TKR and the next due in 2 months. I take 40 mg a day of Atorvastatin. Doc says with it, I have excellent colesterol. I am no expert, I have to rely on her. What questions should I ask? You guys crack me up hehe.
Hi Besame. If your numbers are ok and you have no side effects sounds on. You could always discuss your overall risk of heart attack and stroke. Best of luck. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I was on sinvastatin ten years ago and had horrible side effects. They started with slight muscle cramps. The cramps progressed to major cramping all over my body everyday. Upper arm, fingers,under my rib cage, in my back, my legs,from groan to my toes. I had them everywhere. They would wake me up with excruciating pain. I saw my doctor and he said it was impossible that the statins were causing the cramping and muscle pain. I told him I had researched it and said it was certainly possible. I had no cramping or muscle pain prior to taking the statins. And he still didn’t believe me.. so my only recourse was to stop seeing him. So I went to another doctor and he believed me and told me to stop taking the statins. It took a few weeks for the side effects to stop.
There was a recent large study in England that found NO muscle pain side effects by people using statins. I don't believe you. At best it was something else.
@@donwinston I totally disagree. I don’t care if you don’t believe me. I researched statins and found that bad muscle pain and cramps are associated with statins. I know what I suffered thru. I had no side effects prior to me starting the statins. The side effects started a few days into taking the statins. And they starting going away a couple of weeks after I stopped taking them.
Hi Donald. Muscle pain has been reported in 1-10 percent of patients in countless studies including millions of patients. It is real but many patients will not have any symptoms. It is a very personal issue. And can be very debilitating. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I have to agree that you guys are the best and the advise really helps. I'm in a constant battle with my family doctor regarding statins. My total cholesterol is 7.4 and my over health is perfect plus I'm not taking any medications. Everything else is normal except for my Cholesterol is elevated. My diet is low carb and I don't eat any processed food. I exercise five days a week and my weight/BMI is in the normal range. I asked my doctor for a second opinion so she gave me a referral to see a Cardiologist so just waiting for a consultation with him. If he agrees with my family doctor I will start taking a statin. Thanks again for your informative videos.
To get you to come in more than once a year they put you on a drug that is proven not to extend your life, most probably shortens your life.fight the edge to listen to the medical advice of a pharmaceutical corporation the Doctor has aligned with to get your money.
Thanks, you always have good info. You helped me before and after my TKR last year!👍 I take Rosuvastatin, and at first got the muscle aches in both upper arms, whichh of course then makes you worry about heart disease! Our GP is not great at explaining stuff, but as it’s BC, not a hope in heck of finding another doctor here these days just because you’d prefer someone different. So many people cannot get a GP.😢 We all have to do our own research.
Rosuvastatin was used in the 2008 JUPITER trial. Rosuvastatin or a placebo was administered to 17,802 people. The result was that the benefits of taking this drug were, at best, minimal. I was also given this drug and my side effects were recurring severe legs and hands cramps plus occasional painful electrical discharges from my fingertips. All went away when I stopped taking it.
I was put on Rosuvaistatin anad shortly thereafter began having muscle aches in both upper arms. It was weird. After a few months I told the Dr I couldnt tolerate it anymore so he took me off and I asked could I try to make lifestyle changes and see if that would work. I get bloodwork in 2 weeks and am anxious to see the results. I have cut out sugar, dangerous carbs, and all meat except for fish. I have lost a few pounds and have been walking daily. I decided to go to a cardiologist and talk to him about my cholesterol since my GP didnt have time to talk much abt it. He looked at my numbers and told me to stay off the statin until he could run tests. He did 5 different tests and everything came out excellent. My calcium ct score is 1. However, I still have the muscle aches in both upper arms and i came off the statin 3 months ago. I am so very confused!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Docs! Like the talk, however, not as much info as I'd like. I have some minor calcium deposits, so I'm told I have CAD. My cholesterol is very good, I have T2, successfully manage w diet, no meds. Declined use of Stations cause I've read it's increases your sugar, not for everyone. Will keep listening. Thanks guys!
I got the awful muscle spasms. Stopped taking them when the spasms moved to my arms and decided that was to close to my heart muscle. Instead I now cycle 3 times a week to try and keep my cholesterol under control.
I am extremely allergic to statins. I took a low-dose statin drug for cholesterol and it did permanent damage to my upper legs. It took three months of immuno-suppressant therapy to stop the progression of the damage. This was 25 years ago and I still go to a physical trainer twice a week just to keep my quads strong enough to support my knees.
This is a very timely video thank you. I'm now on my second statin, simvastatin, having had to stop atorvastatin after 4 weeks earlier this year due to terrible heartburn and fatigue. Sadly, after 10 weeks on the new one I have developed dreadful muscle cramps, especially in my feet, legs and hands. Also the heartburn is back, and the tiredness. I'm 59, pretty healthy otherwise, I exercise (golf) at least 3 times a week, but I had a high cholesterol reading and there is a family history of CAD on my dad's side. He has angina but is still doing pretty well at 87! I would have been happy to take them but the cramp pains are constant, to the extent they interfere with my sleep. I am due for some blood tests this week so will mention to nurse but I suspect I might be one of those people that are just intolerant to this type of drug. I think I am going to try and lose a stone (as I'm a bit overweight) and change my diet first before trying a third version. Unfortunately here in UK it is difficult to get meaningful time with a GP at the moment (due to Covid and staff shortages) to have a really good discussion on differing options. I'm aware of the nocebo effect but also appreciated your other video on the relative v absolute risk reduction. Lots to consider.
I'm in the UK so this might help. I took simvastatin for about nine years and started to develop muscle weakness and a whole host of other symptoms including vision impairment. I realised that if I didn't sort this I would be in wheelchair or dead shortly. Its also worth adding that at this time I was 70. I also was told I was pre diabetic and when I checked this out and saw what how bad diabetes is decided to go on a low carbohydrate diet and lost nearly a hundred pounds (6 stone) without trying. 18 months later I ditched all meds as my blood pressure was too low (typically 80/30, ) had the diabetes in remission and whilst the muscle problems weren't going away at least they weren't worsening. The web site I used for research on diabetes was called "beat diabetes" and for other research I read the book "Eat Rich and Live Long", also books by Dr Aseem Malholtra (he indicates that if you take statins you only increase your life span by approximately 3 days on average.) gave a lot of information. I would add that the changes I made were not welcomed by my doctors, whom I thought would be pleased that I had got better. I'm not sure what influence Big Pharma has over doctors in the UK, but its notable in the USA they create large financial incentives to prescribe their drugs. Its a difficult journey. Hope this helps.
My problems with statins was extreme fatigue and a constant headache. Not my regular headache that i would get on rare occasions but the feeling like i had a helmet on that was 3 sizes too small putting pressure on my skull.
Love you both, would trust your diagnoses and prescribing meds. What I don't understand, as a Type 2 diabetic with high numbers, including high cholesterol numbers why my PCP would (in a panic) prescribe a statin if that can aggravate my glucose levels. I have refused statins until now, but he's sending me for a cardiac ECHO as well. I feel like he's a little Dutch boy with his fingers trying to block the 'dam' and its making me verrry nervous.
My side effect was fatigue. It was severe without CoQ-10 supplements, and less severe with CoQ-10, but still unacceptable. I felt after sleeping 9 hours that I hadn’t slept enough. My father had similar side effects, and they debilitated him until he discontinued his statins.
I found your video because my father was diagnosed with Parkinsons years ago… But since he came to live with me and started forgetting his pills which SCARED me… I have noticed he actually can move better, doesn’t have memory issues and NOW that I have seen this video about type 2 diabetes… I’m pretty angry! He was given these pills for cholesterol without even being encouraged to change his diet which at the time, he ate some sort of fast food garbage at least once a day during the work week! Now my father is 81 and for the last 10 years has been struggling with literally the top four symptoms. I’ve tried to speak to three different doctors and their opinions have been he is 81, going off or switching medications is pointless. Not if he could life a happier and more fulfilled life!
1. Muscle cramps / spasms and fatigue 2. Liver damage. 3. Elevated blood sugar. 4. Memory loss & confusion. Why are so many doctors prescribing statins? A lot of people say that doctors get a kick back from the pharmaceutical when they prescribe statins.
My doctor put me on 20mg of atorvastatin due to family history of heart issues. I was fine for about a year and my LDL where low at 2.54 mmol/L. She wanted it lower and increased my dose to 40mg. After taking the 40mg of atorvastatin for approx. 8 months, and my LDL now at 2.14 mmol/L. I started having muscle and joint pain. My legs were very weak with knee pain and I told my wife that I felt like an old man. I have been off the atorvastatin for four weeks now and my muscle and knee pain is almost completely gone. I will now go back on the 40mg of atorvastatin and see what happens. If the muscle and joint pain come back, I will be asking my Doctor for something "non statin" P.S. I didn't know about the side effects until I had been in pain for at least a month.
I am on a statin and seem to be tolerating the high dose. Given the amount of controversy over them I find myself regularly wondering. At this point in time, it seems best to continue given that it’s the best science we have - although it sure seems suspect. My understanding is that the benefit is not necessarily the lowering of LDL but the reduction of inflation that is the benefit. Time will tell. Good description of the nocebo effect :-)
Thanks Dean. We are working hard to try and provide the latest information abkur chonesterol and statins. There was a recent review article in JAMA that we are going to talk about soon. All the best. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Thanks again, Ive been on a statin for 10 years with no issues although I need to bone up on my nocebos now. You guys need to leave that cold snow country and come to southern Arizona. I'm losings my knee doctor next month. You would love it here.
Thank you for this. I am 70 years old and I have a degenerative neurological disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (type 1a, they think). As a result of the deterioration of my peripheral nerves, and the consequent atrophy of muscle in my hands, feet, and lower legs, I struggle with fatigue. I have an AFO for my right leg and I use a cane for balance, but nevertheless, I exercise regularly and walk a lot (thanks, Roxy dog!). My heart doctor put me on statins (rosuvastatin) last winter. After about a month we chatted by phone and at that time I was not too boithered by side effects. But after about six weeks, I began to struggle with muscle pain and weakness, and debilitating fatigue. I could no longer do my workouts, and I was lying down for naps 2 or 3 times a day, and still felt just awful. I was creeping around the house like a 90 year old, and, frankly, life simply became not worth living. So I stopped the statins. Now, I am back to normal, working out, working in the yard, long walks with the dog, one nap a day. I haven't told my heart doctor (he is in a city 1 1/2 hours away), but my GP made what I thought was a sensible comment, "Sometimes, with these prophylactic medications, you have to weigh quality of life against benefits/side effects." I have always eaten healthy food, but I've made some changes to my diet, and we'll see what effect that has. I watched your post on foods to lower cholesterol, and was happy to find that I eat them all regularly. Go blueberries!!! Your channel is excellent; you are doing a real public service. Thanks!
Hi LostInBeauty. Yes CMT can be very debilitating for sure. So glad stopping the statin helped get you back to being active. We totally agree with your doctor - sometimes you have to look at the entire picture. Ongoing good health to you. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Hii , my mom had same symptoms due to statin , she is now feels to weak and find difficulty in walking, can u pls tell me after how much time its symptoms goes?
Were you diagnosed with CMT after you stopped the statins or did you have the disease prior to starting them. Dr.Duane Graveline was was forced to stay on statins because of his job felt that ALS - a neurological disease that he developed in later life - was caused by the statins that he took in his younger days. He describes his experience in one of his books. Just wondering what happened in your case. Thanks.
You guys are great! You don’t talk down, but you put things in language that is understandable to non-medical folks. My doc recently increased my statin dosage from 10 mg to 80 mg, in an effort to dissolve some of the plaque that an ultrasound showed has developed in my blood vessels near my heart. He says recent studies have shown this increased statin dosage has had some positive effects in doing so. It’s too soon to know if it’s working. But of course he warned me about side effects, but I haven’t experienced any. At age almost 79, I already have the side effects of aging-but nothing new from the high statin dosage. Keep up your great videos. I’ve become a real fan.
Excellent review. I was put in a statin after my stroke, and they have lowered my dose twice; my cholesterol has stayed the same despite the lowered dosage. No side effects that I have noticed. If these will prevent another stroke, they will be worth it.
Following a heart attack, I was prescribed a statin. I had side effects, but I took a high dose for a year. Then I asked for a different statin and reduced the dose. Still some side effects. I then switched to another and now i am good. I have some minor sife effects, but the benefits are worth it. My father lived 22 years after being diagnosed with a heart condition and he followed all of his heart doctor's advice faithfully. I will do the same.
I took Atorvastain for just about 2 years, to make a long story short, because of it, I developed Necrotizing autoimmune myopathy. It was discovered after a muscle biopsy was sent to the University of Arizona. The lab said that my Necrotizing Autoimmune Myopathy was "probably" caused by the Atorvastain. I have been receiving a IVIG infusion now for over 4 years, every other week with no end in sight. For me, Atorvastain almost killed me. Do you think this autoimmune disease should be listed as a possible side effect? Thanks for your video.
Hi Wil. So sorry to hear this but glad you are still with us. It sounds like maybe it should be listed unless it is included in the blanket term rhabdmyolysis. Best of luck going forward and thank you for taking the time to share your story. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I had recently started 5mg of Crestor, the side effects were crazy bad, namely muscular pain including abdominal. I stopped taking them and within 5 days back to feeling normal. I think best way forward is to try manage problem naturally.
When I started on a statin I experienced nausea, a constant feelings of fullness ( like I just ate a Thanksgiving dinner) and fatigue. I took it for 6 weeks in hopes the side effects would resolve but they did not. I stopped taking it and within a week I felt much better. My doc advised me to eat a healthy diet and exercised more. I eat healthy-lots of fresh fruits and veg, fish, low fat, minimal processed foods, seldom have red meat, minimal sugar and alcohol, work out daily, not sure theres much else I can do.
I have been taking Lipitor for over 20 years. When my high cholesterol was first diagnosed, I was prescribed Zocor. I experienced an enormous heaviness in my legs, and I could barely climb the stairs to my apartment, so I was switched to Lipitor. I have been on Lipitor ever since with no side effects that I can detect. I am a female, and I have hypothyroidism. In my family, I have a sister who has cautioned me quite strongly about taking Lipitor or any statin. Thankfully, after 20 years, she has finally stopped commenting about it. We both live very healthy lives. We don't smoke or drink alcohol. We follow a low carb eating plan that has helped me lose 70 lbs. and keep those pounds off for over 4 years. I also jog and practice strength training regularly as does my sister. I have chosen to see my statin use as a part of a healthy life style. If my sister had elevated cholesterol, she would probably make a different choice. Each of us must do what we feel is in the best interests for our health. I would only add that if a friend or family member chooses to use a statin, try to be supportive if you can. If you do not support their choice, try not to be critical. If possible, agree to disagree and let it go.
I’ve been on pravastatin since a heart attack in 2001. My natural cholesterol is 3.1 so I questioned it. However none of my GPs will take me off of it. They all say I need to keep taking it. I do take Q10 and have done so since 2001. However I can relate to the rages and to arthritis/rheumatism type symptoms ….What should I do
I’m thankful that statins are available. I saw a 68 percent decrease in my LDL which was over 200. My risk is genetic. Hoping to avoid the fate of immediate family, live a long life and avoid heart attacks
Within 10 days of starting on Crestor I had SEVERE bilateral cramps in my legs so bad my left leg was bent to my chest unable to straighten it. Ended up with severe DVTs with multiple bilateral PEs. Now on blood thinner for the rest of my life. No sign of cancer
Awesome information! Your method of providing the info is helpful and humorous. As easy to absorb as the cholesterol in my blood that the statin I take needs to clear! You are my "statins" Docs. You provide clean and clear information for me. Minus any side effects. Will keep it all in mind when I go for my blood work!
I had muscle pain when I started on 10 mg. Doctor changed to 5 mg and cholesterol still went down but pain eased. Was on drug for years. My new doc suggested a whole food plant based diet and now I don't take a statin at all. The solution to many diseases.
My cholesterol was 258 three months ago. I was prescribed a statin but i didnt take it. I started taking a supplement instead. Its called Red Yeast Rice. Now my cholesterol is 229. I feel like it will continue to come down. I get to break this news to my doctor next week.
@@sunshine9993 If the goal is to avoid taking a statin, then using Red Yeast Rice should be avoided as well. It contains monacolin K which is the same active ingredient as Lovastatin. At least when taking regulated Lovastatin, you know how much of a dose you're getting and the quality. When taking the same chemical compound via this supplement, it's unregulated so you don't know how much of a dose you're actually taking.
One of the things I've always disliked about statin advocates is that they present the potential protective effects of statins using relative risk while presenting adverse effects using absolute risk. This makes it look like there's this huge protective effect with almost no risk. But they can't have it both ways. If you compile all of the available studies and calculate absolute risk reduction, and take its reciprocal, you end up with something called the number needed to treat (NNT). It is somewhere in the range of 100, and that is an estimate the number of people you would need to treat with a statin in order to prevent ONE heart attack, assuming a population who have never had a previous myocardial infarction. A substantial number of those people will experience adverse effects, ranging from muscle pains to brain fog, etc. The number needed to harm (NNH) is probably lower than the NNT. The decision whether or not to take a statin of course should depend on how high your cholesterol level is, and possibly your family history. But keep in mind, because of where statins work in the metabolic chain, they are going to impact processes they go well beyond cholesterol biosynthesis.
Statins actually saved my life as they were causing me so much pain so fast, I quit all prescribed drugs 20 years ago and never turned back. True story! I lost my 30 years of work for the social security disability I was on for congenital heart disease because I wouldn't do the drug's but it was worth it in telling the pharma owned government agencies to piss off! Thank You statin drugs!
I was on four different statins in one year, each time I experienced severe leg cramps, aching, joint pains, numbness in my hands. Tiredness. I finally said enough!!! No more statins. I exercise, watch my diet and will see what the future labs will show. Tks Docs!!!
I would see how I feel and if you’re doing great, which I think you’ll do 100% better probably off that statin
When I was 45, my doctor put me on lipitor, 30 minutes after taking the pill my head was ready to explode. It was so bad that I had to lay down until it passed, I never before in my life suffered from headaches, 3 weeks later, I stopped the pill, and no more headaches fast forward 20 years later my NP wanted to put me on cholesterol pill, I said no, she said well by the time you reach seventy you'll have a heart attack, unreal to talk to me like that. I try to eat healthy and go for walks every day with my dogs, I don't drink, smoke, I am on cero meds so far,
I was on them since May 12 2024 I stopped taking 10 days ago and the pain is gone,it was in my arms my joint my feet hands fingers and toes,I told the doctor I wasn't living with chronic pain, now I'm not.
Have been on statins for many years and now in my late 60’s and am getting more muscle aches. I work out regularly. Great topic, love to channel. You guys rock!
After an executive physical at a major medical facility in LA in 2006, my doctor prescribed a statin to lower my cholesterol. Within a week I started to feel muscle pain in my legs. I thought the pain could be from my exercise routine so continued taking the statin for a month. I consciously maintained my exercise routine with no changes, and the pain got worse. I decided to stop taking the statin cold turkey. I also changed my diet to incorporate many of the foods you've recommended in another video. Within about 2 weeks, the pain was completely gone. My annual physicals show my cholesterol is normal and am happily statin free. Really enjoyed this video!
That is awesome Michael. Congrats! Thanks for watching and subscribing
My ex husband was on statins for many years and I am convinced that he became an opioid addict because of the muscular pain from the statin. He later died from an overdose
@@dianasmith725 That's very sad...
Love you guys. I’m from UK and was a lay person on a Clinical commissioning group. It meant I got to hear GP’s talk candidly about Statins without anyone watching. To a person they described it as a miracle drug that everyone over 50 should be on. The conversations I over heard were about their experiences and the science as they saw it. Pretty powerful endorsement.
Are you guys willing to unequivocally state that you receive no benefits of any kind from drug companies ?
My dad has just been put on Statins and appreciated watching this video, thank you
I was taking Zocor for about 15 years and in 2015 began feeling hip pain. It became progressively worse over time and I figured it was arthritis. And recently it got so bad I couldn't walk. They thought it was a pinched nerve, but tests came back negative. I heard about statins muscle side effects and discontinued the Zocor and took CoQ10. Now (2023) I'm seeing significant improvement.
SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME, I stopped statin 🎉four weeksgo
@user-fn4yt3zx1u same experience of muscle pain in the legs, hips, thighs, lower back and shoulders + knee pain. I stopped taking atorvastatin for 4 days, my leg pain decreased also thighs. I hope in time all will be better.
One of the side effects is nerve degeneration in some people.
@@WinstonEdgoose I had a nerve conductance test done and it checked out fine, and I just had a total hip replacement and feel 100% better.
Excellent and, for me, a very timely presentation for me. Yesterday my primary care physician stunned me with a recommendation, based on a recently completed 10 year study, to begin a regimen of cholesterol medication. My cholesterol stats have always been very healthy - high HDL, low LDL, total well below the target of 200 (with triglycerides). Also, my diet and lifestyle are healthy - lots and lots of physical exercise, high fiber/low fat diet. Well, because of my age (78) and gender (male) this new study concludes that these factors now place me in a high risk category for stroke or heart attack. I HATE the idea of going on a medication regimen, particularly when there are potential side effects. This video will help me make an informed decision.
Yes laureen it is something to consider. Best of luck. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Tell your doc to pound sand.
Low fat diet is not healthy my friend.
Again, you guys are the best! I have had a couple days where I felt down but after watching this and laughing, I’m feeling better! I was put on a statin a few years ago as a preventative after I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy- just in case. My glucose shot up. I did some research on my own and found out the problem was the statin. Got off of it and been fine ever since. You guys are awesome! Keep the videos coming!
~Kerry
Thanks Kerry! So glad we can cheer you up. All the best. Thanks for watching and subscribing
If I took a statin, I was bedbound within 24 hours with a frozen painful back... next day took nothing...fine... day after took statin... again bedbound with painful back pain... never took statins again
Yes. I had immediate weakness in arms as in from lifting weights my whole life to cant hold onto a gallon milk container taking out of the fridge. They say these are very rare side effects but when it does this to people and as you have described, statistics mean nothing
Thanks for the info!
Some people cannot take any statins due to serious side effects (pain). Following an angioplasty, several years after being prescribed statins (Atorvastatin 10 mg) I myself developed something like worsening shoulder impingement syndrome. After consulting doctors ans physiotherapists for a long time without any results at all I decided to quit my statin medication. Some weeks later, the symtoms were gone. Two years later my bloodworks in reasonably good shape. I've changed my diet in a healthy way, leaving most of the sugar and all of the alcohol. I feel pretty healthy and quite comfortable with your statement "you are in charge of your own health". Now a new subscriber for your channel.
Yay!
My doctor wanted to put me on a statin because my cholesterol was a little high. I told him, "I'll take care of it with Diet & Exercise". I posted this on FaceBook and somebody replied, "What's your objection to statins, I've been on the for 15 years with No Side Effects?" I replied, "That's the problem, I don't want to be on any medication for 15 years with No Chance of Curing the Problem. When I might be able to fix it with Food and Exercise".
Nice Philip. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Respect the power of genetics. Some people simply make too much. Too much apo-b is absolutely atherogenic, and statins and/or PCSK9 inhibitors help lower their count reliably. It is not productive nor correct to assume that statins are not necessary for some people, particularly if they are exceptionally high risk by default.
I wondered if I was going crazy because I have muscle aches and problems with my memory at times before taking the statin medication. Since I started taking the statin, I've noticed that my muscle aches and memory problems having increased. I am 67, female and have hypothyroidism, diabetes, hypertension, gout, diabetic neuropathy, high cholesterol and arthritis. Listening to you guys has brought my increased discomfort to light. I thought it was just me getting older. Thanks for the insight.
I truly believe long term use of statins contributed to the death of my sister in Canada almost a year ago. She was on a statin for years and never had blood work done. Doctor just kept refilling her prescription. She was having some confusion. We all saw it. She was 70 years old. Finally she and her husband had to get a new doctor. He did do blood work and never contacted her so everyone thought no news is good news. I wish she or her husband had called for her results. Long story but she ended up in ICU with sepsis. Doctors couldn’t get the infection under control. Liver and kidneys weren’t functioning. One doctor told my other sister and I they couldn’t figure out her liver and what was going on. He asked us if she had a liver disease or was a heavy drinker. We told him we didn’t know of a liver disease and she didn’t even drink alcohol except maybe a rare glass of wine. He said again they couldn’t understand her liver not functioning. It was a long traumatic two weeks. They eventually took one leg off to her groin and left a bleed that they didn’t address for 24 hours! All of her organs shut down and we lost her. Doctor said there was no need for an autopsy. So her husband and daughter went along with it. I think that they weren’t thinking. It had all been so traumatic. Her husband did talk to the doctor who had done the bloodwork. We are so angry. The results of bloodwork a month before she died showed her sugar was 15 (twice what it should be) and her liver function was off then and no one called her! I will believe until I die that the long term statin use contributed to her death besides the amputation. Now my doctor wants me to take a statin. Told his office I need to think about that and will try diet first. Sorry this was long but had to share.
So very sorry to hear about your sister. Truly awful. My deepest sympathy.
💔💔💔
Because I have cervical osteoarthritis the Drs. Felt like it was just getting worse. I was in so much pain in my back and neck, constant spasms in neck. I was adjusting my neck all the time. The only relief I got was lying down. I had 7 injections, 10 different meds, many physical therapies, nothing worked! Finally after 2years my arthritis doctor told me to stop my statin. Within 2 weeks I was remarkably better. Still a little sore, but all spasms stopped! It was a miracle!!
I’ve been on Lipitor for yrs. I have fibromyalgia, with terrible neck and back spasms that have gotten so much worse in the past couple yrs. I would love to go off the Lipitor for awhile to see if anything changes. Going to ask my cardiologist. Thanks for this info!
For most of my life, I had no problems with blood pressure or cholesterol. An accident required my Right Knee and Hip replacements decades ago and I had no problems with those. However, I completely ruptured my left Quad Tendon, my blood pressure skyrocketed and for a while my cholesterol was borderline. Four failed Quad operations plus a really bad infection and three months of Infusions later - and my Doctor decided to put me on a Statin. within three days, the pain in my legs was so bad I could not even walk. The doctor "changed" the statin but that did not help - so I stopped taking the statin. While I do have two bum legs, at least I can walk with a cane - and still can take care of myself. I took BP meds for a while but my BP has also returned to normal and My last blood test showed no problem with cholesterol as well. Considering I am 85 (My mom is still alive too) I do alright.
Excellent information. I just went on a low dose statin in May. I never paid attention to what the side effects were. Thanks for the information.
Keep an eye out Jayne. Most people do ok on them. Thanks for watching and subscribing
It took me half a year to discover that statins was the cause for 10 different negative side-effects which I had developed over the months. From a clouding brain to an frozen shoulder. Eight side-effects stopped withing a week after stopping. It took me physical therapy and a year to get over my frozen shoulder. Six different statins all immediately showed the same horrors, also "red rice."
I told my GP that my body did not tolerate statins well, so he put me on red rice yeast. I haven't noticed any reduction in my cholesterol but am still getting the aches. I attributed it to my 67 years; I was wrong. Quit the red rice two weeks ago and I'm not hurting anymore.
Love you guys. I’ve been on a cholesterol stain for almost 50yrs. I’ve asked my primary physician if this is necessary and I’m always told you bloodwork comes back good, so the statins are doing there work
Maybe it’s YOU doing the work? Do u healthy and get a
Some physical activity?
Thanks for sharing K. Glad you are ok. Thanks for watching and subscribing
@@brassy49er37maybe reduce the statin and see if it is your diet...it might be you doing the work and you wouldn't have to take the drug
I was on a statin drug a few years ago. After taking for a while I found myself often in a state of rage. Eventually I made the connection between my feelings of rage and the statin drug. I stopped taking it and the feelings of rage ended. I think statin drugs can have a profound effect on our brains and should only be used when absolutely necessary to preserve heart health.
Interesting you shared that. With the amount of pain and inability to move I found I was short fused and didn't have the strength to snap but wanted too as I was told to remain on it just a bit longer..
It took 3 months to start to reset and 11 for my heart to stop palpitations. I only took 8 weeks.
Doctors need to listen and weigh what's happening to protect the patient and themselves or families.
My late father experienced physical rage on them too.
There was a recent large study in England that found NO muscle pain side effects by people using statins. I don't believe you. At best it was something else.
Thank you for sharing. Glad you are ok now. Thanks for watching and subscribing
We would agree Pj. Every patient is different. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Hi Donald. That seems odd. It would depend on the size of the study as the reported incidence of muscle pain is 1-10%. Thanks for watching and subscribing
First of all, I want to say how much I love you two. I wish you did the nightly news, "Fair and Balanced!" - Now for my particular experience. I am a classic case for needing some sort of statin, family history of fatal heart attacks, super high cholesterol, aortic valve and ascending aorta the best replacements that money can buy - lol. Unfortunately regular statins have caused muscle aches, so was placed on Ezetimibe. After a couple of months I developed a serious brain fog, hard to concentrate, some confusion, and trouble learning new things. I typically never read the caution label on new prescribed drugs, as I want to head off any sort of "nocebo" effect. Long story short, I took a week to wean myself off Ezetimibe and my memory/confusion/concentration issues cleared up. I also had trouble with fatique, but at 71 that rascal seems to be my new normal. Thanks again for your great videos. If I lived close by, I would beat a path to your doors!
Thanks again Docs, always informative. Been on a statin for 12 years and I always try to keep up on the latest info, feeling fine so far. Love your humor!😀
Nice Gord. Lots of people do very well on statins. Glad to hear you are one of them! Thanks for watching and subscribing
Thanks Doc's! I am trying NOT to go on statins. I just can't justify it yet. I am working on my nutrition, exercise, movement and gathering information- knowledge is key. Appreciate your vlogs.
Nice work BertieRose. Good luck. Thanks for watching and subscribing
This was a good discussion. I felt that my doc did not listen to my concerns about taking a statin. She actually got mad at me and told me because of my age it was necessary. I did have high LDL, HDL was great as were triglycerides. I was concerned about being in them forever. She said I would be. She gave me no instructions for when to take them. When I went got my THR, the nurses were surprised I didn't take it at bedtime i have learned that this does depend on the medication. I just found the whole experience to be less than satisfying.
So in effect your doctor is a bully that is overbearing to the point people are not allowed to express genuine concerns.
I am a 70 female who has been on simvastatin for 20 years for high cholesterol and strong family history of HA and stroke on both sides. I live a healthy lifestyle including diet, exercise, sleep etc. within the past few years I’ve been diagnosed with OA in lower back and shoulder. Having had a few flares ups I was referred to a PT and given a daily strengthening routine for core and gluts. I started noticing an increase in muscle pain, fatigue and and generalized feeling of weakness, not every day but often enough to notice. It felt different than just exercise induced muscle pain. Consulted with my doctor who advised a two week vacation from statin and bingo, I felt less pain and more energy! I’m going to try a low dose of a different statin to see how that works. I recently read that muscle pain on statins does seem to be more prevalent in older women on the thinner side who exercise which fits the bill.
Please do your research on a supplement called Nattokinase. You may not need a statin if you take this.
Hi Docs..I get wicked bad muscle cramps from Lipitor ..I drink tonic water which does help..Dr.is going to lower the dosage..Another great video..Welcome back..Missed you both
Fingers crossed it helps Ginny. Thanks for watching and subscribing
My doc a long time ago put me on Niacin . He told me it would flush me . I though he meant it would flush my bowels. I ask him how fast it worked and did I needed to stay home close to the bathroom then he started laughing . Then he told me it was my skin that would be flushing . I was young and dumb we both had a good laugh. Thank y'all for what you do for us and the sacrifices both of you went through becoming doctors to help folks like us . You guys are awesome . Y'all have a wonderful weekend !!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks so much Kubota. That’s a funny story. Hope you are well. Enjoy the weekend. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Naive
...talk to dentists that work with older patients.
I just recently took b complex with niacin..omg..drove myself to the ER..just to find out I had a niacin flush....my head and neck were on fire..subsided about 2 hours..who knew
@@Birddog4843 you can get nom- flushing niacin
Tried Niacin and the side effect of hot flashes had me taking cold showers in the middle of the night and unable to sleep. Never again.
Thank you doc’s for very informative information , pls continue your amazing work helping people 😊
Something doctors do not tell you is...when your vitamin D increases your cholesterol decreases. That can be proven with blood work. Every cell in your body requires cholesterol. Your body produces about 80% of your cholesterol. I was on a statin and had horrible side effects! The muscle pain and weakness was the worst. I am sure this comment will not be shared so...oh well.
Interesting experience.
When Vit D is low you can't filter cholesterol out, so your small intestine grabs it for energy since nothing else is being absorbed correctly.
I take 2k units of D3 daily along with C and zinc. I do not get to sit out under "Old Sol" as often as I used to so it helps.
Hi Naomi we don’t delete any comments unless they are profane. Yes vitamin D has many roles including cholesterol regulation. That is why we say it is one of the few supplements that everyone should take. We have a couple videos on it. And yes our body does manufacture most of our cholesterol which is why diet can make it hard to lower cholesterol. Thanks for sharing. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I’m a little miffed at my PCP. I asked about side effects n was told something like they r minor.
The big one for me was the diabetes impact. Yes I know it’s not guaranteed, it doesn’t seem to occur in as many people. It’s still the thing I’d want to avoid. I guess his plan was to give me more drugs to treat the diabetes after.
I was on statins in 2023 when I also was having terrible muscle pain ,also just before Christmas I started to get terrible kidney pain that left me bedridden for 4 days I tried every thing drinking more water I can't take pain killers as I have chronic kidney disease nothing seemed to help then I thought the only thing left to try I'll stop the statins and with in days the pain had gone ,I told my doctor she said she hadn't heard about it damaging kidney's I thought she was lying as they can damage organs as my friend got liver damage after taking them for years .
Thanks!
Very welcome Rebecca. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Thank you for sharing this information. I hope you will continue to educate us on any new Cholesterol medications or how to treat without medication. I suffered for 3 years with so many health issues. I had seen numerous doctors and had numerous testing. Every doctor I went to asked for a list of my medications. Not one connected the statin drugs to my issues. All I ever heard is your tests came back negative. I was like am I crazy? How is this possible? Then one day a dear friend asked me if I was taking any medication that i needed to take daily. Told her yes Lipitor and High Blood pressure medication. She asked if I have the medical print out about side effects of taking these drugs. I was shocked that every symptom that i had was listed. I stopped taking it and with 2 weeks I was like a new person. Just recently my doctor asked me to try Repatha injections well guess what the pain is back and I am finished with taking any more statins.
Hi Virginia. Glad you got it figured out. All the best. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Great video! You try so hard to be measured, balanced and yet informative. I recently started taking statins even though my lifestyle is excellent with every day exercise including running , plant based diet, very little junk food, psyllium husk etc etc. My LDL cholesterol remained stubbornly high. Further testing revealed it is genetic and an extra sticky type as well - elevated lipoprotein a. The GP said my risk profile had now changed and I then commenced the statins.
I am fortunate to live in a country where the pharmaceutical industry is more regulated too, so there is a greater level of trust with my GP, who is very thorough and is not afraid to refer me to a specialist if needed.
I just discovered you today - thanks, you’re informative without being dry.
In 1992, I was prescribed Mevacor and Questran. My LDL dropped almost in half, still way too high but better (FH). In 95 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I was miserable. Fast forward to 2005-ish, even though my bloodwork showed no muscle breakdown we began to wonder if it was statins. Under doc’s guidance I took a med vacation. The fibromyalgia was gone! I’ve tried 6 statins multiple times, because I really want them to work for me, each time I feel it within a week. They work for everyone else I know that’s taking them. In the early years they wouldn’t acknowledge the muscle pain, forgetfulness or the stutter I’d developed as statin related. Now the lipid specialist I see won’t even let me try again.
Hi Collese. Glad you figured it out but too bad you had to suffer doing it. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I believe most of the drugs from big pharma are a scam. About the only med that actually cures something are antibiotics. OTC Ivermectin, Hydroxychloroquine and a couple others are always what I start with.
Very informative! Also, very Smothers' Brothers esque...loved it
I used to donate plasma and prior to the donation, a machine would check for fat in your blood. If it showed the fat (ice cream the day before-I was busted), you had to wait 48 hours before donating and were instructed to not consume anything high fat before your return. So, when recent lab work showed a triglyceride level in the high 600's (I had been consuming LOTS of coffee and creamer/cream) and my usually normal cholesterol was a bit high. I stopped the creamer and cream for a week and redid the chem screen. My triglycerides were in the low 200's and my cholesterol was back in the normal range. I discussed the lab results with my doctor and she told me these labs can be brought down fairly quickly with small changes in some people. Do you think it would be a good practice to have patients try the above, before placing them on statins?
Hi Psalm 122. Diet changes would always be preferred to medications but many patients are not like you. They would prefer their creamer and a statin. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I certainly do!
@@Katy32344 I stopped taking stations because of report's on them! 2 months later my lab work showed cholesterol @300 ! I developed & angina & shortness of breath then mild heart attack , then quadruple by-pass !
Fat in blood is from sugar intake , not fat intake. I’m keto and my triglycerides are in the 70’s. Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is also caused by ……. Sugar/ simple carbs not fat
Thank you for a very informative talk. I love your presentation style. Easy to follow/understand without being condescending. Sense of humour. Good information but just enough to keep the listener interst
We are trying to keep it real leila. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Good topic and conversation. Thanks for sharing. I currently take Atorvastatin 20mg. My doctor and I have cycled through different medications and dosages over the years to address my lipidemia. I am pleased with the job the statin does and do not believe I suffer from any ill side-effects-- my blood tests are within normal ranges and I do not have muscle pains or memory issues...... I enjoy watching your videos and really appreciate that you insert humor and good-hearted ribbing into your discussions. Yes, these are all serious topics, but you make them accessible and interesting.
Thanks Greg. Some people complain about the jokes but we figure there are lots of super serious channels. Glad the statin is working for you. All the best. Thanks for watching and subscribing
not on any meds nor have I ever been but the way you two present things is just charming
Why thank you bb. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I have been on Semivastaten for years! Thanks Docs, I think I will talk to my Doctor about this! Thank you and love your videos!
Yes Darlene. Hope it’s been ok for you. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I think I have been ok! I want to check., thank you for your video!have a wonderful day to you both Docs. i am going to go to my doctor next week for tests to see if I still need to take them, thanks again!
@@TalkingWithDocs The doctor is keeping me on it. I am ok I guess.
Nurse for decades here. I was on Crestor for eight months, then developed insane pain in my arms and legs, plus weakness to the point where I couldn't get up from a chair.
Just diagnosed with polymyositis, and started Prednisone yesterday. I'm not happy.
I wish that I had been handed a list of lifestyle changes, instead of being pushed toward the statin.
👍 I didn’t know about the risk with blood sugars. Thank you- very informative.
Very welcome Lynn. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Was on statins for a number of years, began having great difficulty emptying my bladder - stopped Statins after consulting with my doc and good cholesterol numbers. Bladder function and related muscles improved significantly.
Glad to hear it
I am so thankful for statins. People in my family used to die of heart attacks in early 50's. Here I am 78 years old, my older brother and sister still alive thanks to statins!
What is your body weight?
The elevated blood sugar is a HUGE deal.
If statins only reduce the mortality rate of heart attacks and strokes by less than 1% it is probably other factors in your life style that is helping you. These doctors discuss that in another video using an article from JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) on the benefit of statin drugs.
Really like this programme. I am learning so many beneficial things. Great programme. Thanks.
Glad to hear it Odila. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Statins are the most profitable drug sold. I began thinking about the small number of people that would benefit from the drug if the normal cholesterol level was 260. If you were a drug company selling the drug the best way to increase sales would be to lie about the normal cholesterol level stating it was 150. That one lie would change the 1% that really needed the drug to 99% that needed the drug. That one lie would enlist all the doctors to push the drug which they do and which they did to me. A doctor friend of mine religiously took lipitor and I told him my cholesterol was high at 280. He gave me some to try and I had no knowledge of any side effects. I took it for a week and was getting pains in my legs. Not knowing what it was from I decided to stop the lipitor. The pains went away after a few days so about a week later I decided to try the lipitor again and the pains came back. My doctor friend died with Alzheimer's. What if the normal range of cholesterol is 280 and not 150? What if the severe side effects of liver damage and brain issues and diabetes create new opportunities for new drugs to be sold to you when you should never have taken the statins in the first place? I've had doctors push me and scare me into taking statins for 30 years. In the beginning the fear worked and I tried a number of them. And about 28 years ago I said I'm never taking another statin and I'll take my chances. It wasn't until about 3 years ago that I considered the likelihood that they simply lied about what is normal cholesterol. Every 3 years I have an ultrasound of my main arteries to make sure the blood is flowing. Of course there's always fear of a stroke there's fear of the big C and fears of COVID etc. Thank you docs for bringing up the subject because most fear the pharmaceutical industry and their immense power.
Hi Rick. All very good points. We believe most doctors and most pharmaceutical companies want to help people but it doesn’t take many to tweak things in their favor. We have nothing to gain by promoting statins or sharing this info. We simply want people to be informed so they can make a choice. It is a complicated issue and certainly not a one size fits all like most of medicine. Every patient is unique. We took an oath to do no harm. We are trying our best to honor that. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Rick, try watching some of Dr Anthony Chaffee's videos. He's a neurosurgeon and former professional rugby player, and is a big proponent of the Carnivore Diet as are other doctors too including Dr. Shaun Baker and Dr. Ken Berry. He specifically talks about that in some of his videos, how a few doctors were unscrupulous and pushed high cholesterol as the leading cause of heart disease. They actually lied on a few of the studies and they were paid off by the sugar companies. Sugar was really the biggest proponent that the studies showed, not cholesterol. His videos are awesome and there are other doctors in the carnivore world said the same thing. Many people are following the carnivore diet and a variety of autoimmune disorders and things are improving for them. I just started the diet to improve arthritic pain and in 2 days the inflammation went down I have lost 7 lb since August 3rd. I'm starting to feel the best I have in years!!!
th-cam.com/video/UbFXqjABIvo/w-d-xo.html
Fear drug companies
I think this is exaggerated. Many statins are generic now and generics make very little money for the major pharmaceutical companies. If you're taking generic crestor or lipitor, you are taking a drug that has incredibly small margins and is not very profitable anymore. When there were not generics available for these products, they were incredibly profitable though.
Wow you answered my question my doctor has been pushing pushing me to take cholesterol medication I do not take any medications my cholesterol is 233 I didn’t think that was high. I do watch what I eat I do exercise I do not smoke And I’m not overweight.
I appreciate both of you, Doc's and am glad your doing this video and all your video's are informative for us, and I like both of your sense of humor 😊
Thanks Penny. We try to keep it useful but a little light. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I love you guys!!🤗🤗 Shame you have to deal with mean comments...happens on many channels....
It sure does but for us it’s like water off a duck’s back. We know we are simply trying to spread the word. Thanks for watching and subscribing
@@TalkingWithDocs but of course😊🌹 💧🦆
Yes, muscle cramping was my problem with taking statins. Especially at night while sleeping my leg muscle would cramp up causing my to hop out of bed in a great deal of discomfort. Sometimes it would literally almost bring me to tears. Hamstrings mostly and calves.
Yes William. Some people have it quite bad. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Drinking water, a lot of water, eliminated leg cramps exactly as you described.
@@TalkingWithDocs I get those severe cramps in my calves at night too, but I am on so many meds (12) that I could never point to the one that is causing it. For all I know it could be more than one of them causing them. I have just been putting up (suffering) with them. I do drink a lot of water daily for my CKD. I'm just glad that I am not a horse! 😆 FYI: I take pravastatin.
Yikes. I have this already. I hope my pcp says "you don't need no stinkin' statins!"
@@Katy32344I get really really severe muscle cramps too, and I suffer from fatigue and depression .. I’m afraid to take statins ,I’m afraid of getting them worse than I do
I love you guys. Thanks for the humor and the medical insight is just a bonus. Please keep making videos. 😘
You mentioned to discuss with our doctor and cardiologist our decision to stop taking statins. I did and they absolutely disagreed because of my coronary bypass operation, but my cholesterol was better than normal and I stopped the statin medication to avoid the painful side effects I was experiencing. The side effects disappeared almost immediately and never came back. My cholesterol level remains low and if I had continued taking statins, both doctors would have credited this drug for my continued good condition.
Hi GEB. Bypass is a different story for sure. Glad you are ok. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Can't believe sug things happen out of India also..
I thought only such situations happens in India.
Any ways,have a good health sir ❤️
Thanks for the information! I started a low dose statin about 3 months ago and noticed I get very thirsty during the night since that. My husband is experiencing the same thing but he has been on them longer.
Thank you very much. A great presentation. Very informative.
Very welcome Grim. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Read 2015 article complete pdf version by Harumi Okuyama with the title: Statins stimulate atherosclerosis and heart failure: pharmacological mechanisms. Please explain this for the world.
Read it Stan. Very interesting. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Thank you guys for all you do for us. Was wondering if you could do a video on CHOLESTROL; good/bad numbers and suggestion on how to lower other than drugs.....BTW, I hope you both continue to post on your channel. I have two friends that started their own channel. They now have 850K subscribers! They quit their jobs two years ago, bought (cash) 900,000 house, living the good life!
Wow Michael that is nuts about your friends. We can definitely add a basic review of cholesterol to our list of future videos. We did just release the top foods to eat to help reduce your cholesterol. You should check it out. Thanks for watching and subscribing
You guys are worth watching just for the banter. Pretty good for a couple of Orthopods.
Ha Adam. We will take that as a compliment ! 😀. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Awaiting the article review! Sounds interesting. Thanks guys.
Glad you liked it Shirley. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Your videos have helped me be healthier and more aware! Thank you.
Glad we can help Darlene. Thanks for watching and subscribing
By the way. I am so uncomfortable taking meds. I have RA and have taken some on and off over the years. I am now 75 and I am more concerned about side effects than I ever was. So we’re discussing that and every single doctor wants you to take a drug! I would like the natural holistic way but I can’t find anybody to help me with that. So I try to stay off of meds as much as possible!
Hi Joolz. Best advice we can give you is to eat as clean as you can. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Joomla
Good for u don't take this killing drugs
Awesome advice. Really appreciate your channel.
OK I finished it. My own personal experiences I opted instead of statins to take red rice yeast which my regular doctor put me on and I also do milk thistle extract which so powerful not only as a liver detox of fire but a protectant of your liver. I prefer the Tincher and I actually love the flavor myself. As far as blood sugar I take chromium. Berberine is another really good one just because in the past I have been prediabetic but now I’m not.
I definitely try to watch my diet but as far as alcohol I do like wine sometimes Jin.
But I am a real believer that if you do anything detrimental you really wanna make sure that you take care of your brain and other aspects of your body to make up for your flaws.
So I love to follow Dr. Daniel amen. And your videos are very helpful to the public to help them to make informative decisions.
Now how much do I owe you guys and get back to work.. Eat your veggies and kudos to your positive attitude..
💃💃💃💃❤️💙❤️🥰💝🙏🏼
You owe us nothing Jennifer. Just be well. Maybe share the video with someone. Thanks for watching and subscribing
73 yrs old and overweight, do not smoke nor drink alcohol. Just had 1 TKR and the next due in 2 months. I take 40 mg a day of Atorvastatin. Doc says with it, I have excellent colesterol. I am no expert, I have to rely on her. What questions should I ask? You guys crack me up hehe.
Hi Besame. If your numbers are ok and you have no side effects sounds on. You could always discuss your overall risk of heart attack and stroke. Best of luck. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Thank you! Another amazing video. I sure love your humor :) ♥
Thanks so much Lisa. Thanks for watching and subscribing
You two always entertain but teach at the same time!
That’s what we try to do Terry. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I was on sinvastatin ten years ago and had horrible side effects. They started with slight muscle cramps. The cramps progressed to major cramping all over my body everyday. Upper arm, fingers,under my rib cage, in my back, my legs,from groan to my toes. I had them everywhere. They would wake me up with excruciating pain. I saw my doctor and he said it was impossible that the statins were causing the cramping and muscle pain. I told him I had researched it and said it was certainly possible. I had no cramping or muscle pain prior to taking the statins. And he still didn’t believe me.. so my only recourse was to stop seeing him. So I went to another doctor and he believed me and told me to stop taking the statins. It took a few weeks for the side effects to stop.
There was a recent large study in England that found NO muscle pain side effects by people using statins. I don't believe you. At best it was something else.
@@donwinston
I totally disagree. I don’t care if you don’t believe me. I researched statins and found that bad muscle pain and cramps are associated with statins. I know what I suffered thru. I had no side effects prior to me starting the statins. The side effects started a few days into taking the statins. And they starting going away a couple of weeks after I stopped taking them.
Hi Samuel. Glad the cramping is gone. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Hi Donald. Muscle pain has been reported in 1-10 percent of patients in countless studies including millions of patients. It is real but many patients will not have any symptoms. It is a very personal issue. And can be very debilitating. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Agreed Samuel. Everyone is different. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I have to agree that you guys are the best and the advise really helps. I'm in a constant battle with my family doctor regarding statins. My total cholesterol is 7.4 and my over health is perfect plus I'm not taking any medications. Everything else is normal except for my Cholesterol is elevated. My diet is low carb and I don't eat any processed food. I exercise five days a week and my weight/BMI is in the normal range. I asked my doctor for a second opinion so she gave me a referral to see a Cardiologist so just waiting for a consultation with him. If he agrees with my family doctor I will start taking a statin. Thanks again for your informative videos.
To get you to come in more than once a year they put you on a drug that is proven not to extend your life, most probably shortens your life.fight the edge to listen to the medical advice of a pharmaceutical corporation the Doctor has aligned with to get your money.
Thanks, you always have good info.
You helped me before and after my TKR last year!👍
I take Rosuvastatin, and at first got the muscle aches in both upper arms, whichh of course then makes you worry about heart disease!
Our GP is not great at explaining stuff, but as it’s BC, not a hope in heck of finding another doctor here these days just because you’d prefer someone different.
So many people cannot get a GP.😢
We all have to do our own research.
Doing our best to help Shelagh. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Rosuvastatin was used in the 2008 JUPITER trial. Rosuvastatin or a placebo was administered to 17,802 people. The result was that the benefits of taking this drug were, at best, minimal. I was also given this drug and my side effects were recurring severe legs and hands cramps plus occasional painful electrical discharges from my fingertips. All went away when I stopped taking it.
I was put on Rosuvaistatin anad shortly thereafter began having muscle aches in both upper arms. It was weird. After a few months I told the Dr I couldnt tolerate it anymore so he took me off and I asked could I try to make lifestyle changes and see if that would work. I get bloodwork in 2 weeks and am anxious to see the results. I have cut out sugar, dangerous carbs, and all meat except for fish. I have lost a few pounds and have been walking daily. I decided to go to a cardiologist and talk to him about my cholesterol since my GP didnt have time to talk much abt it. He looked at my numbers and told me to stay off the statin until he could run tests. He did 5 different tests and everything came out excellent. My calcium ct score is 1. However, I still have the muscle aches in both upper arms and i came off the statin 3 months ago. I am so very confused!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Docs! Like the talk, however, not as much info as I'd like. I have some minor calcium deposits, so I'm told I have CAD. My cholesterol is very good, I have T2, successfully manage w diet, no meds. Declined use of Stations cause I've read it's increases your sugar, not for everyone. Will keep listening. Thanks guys!
Wishing you good luck during your journey Dona. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I got the awful muscle spasms. Stopped taking them when the spasms moved to my arms and decided that was to close to my heart muscle. Instead I now cycle 3 times a week to try and keep my cholesterol under control.
Good for you Amanda. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I am extremely allergic to statins. I took a low-dose statin drug for cholesterol and it did permanent damage to my upper legs. It took three months of immuno-suppressant therapy to stop the progression of the damage. This was 25 years ago and I still go to a physical trainer twice a week just to keep my quads strong enough to support my knees.
This is a very timely video thank you. I'm now on my second statin, simvastatin, having had to stop atorvastatin after 4 weeks earlier this year due to terrible heartburn and fatigue. Sadly, after 10 weeks on the new one I have developed dreadful muscle cramps, especially in my feet, legs and hands. Also the heartburn is back, and the tiredness. I'm 59, pretty healthy otherwise, I exercise (golf) at least 3 times a week, but I had a high cholesterol reading and there is a family history of CAD on my dad's side. He has angina but is still doing pretty well at 87! I would have been happy to take them but the cramp pains are constant, to the extent they interfere with my sleep. I am due for some blood tests this week so will mention to nurse but I suspect I might be one of those people that are just intolerant to this type of drug. I think I am going to try and lose a stone (as I'm a bit overweight) and change my diet first before trying a third version. Unfortunately here in UK it is difficult to get meaningful time with a GP at the moment (due to Covid and staff shortages) to have a really good discussion on differing options. I'm aware of the nocebo effect but also appreciated your other video on the relative v absolute risk reduction. Lots to consider.
Glad we could help Lynne. Best of luck. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I'm in the UK so this might help. I took simvastatin for about nine years and started to develop muscle weakness and a whole host of other symptoms including vision impairment. I realised that if I didn't sort this I would be in wheelchair or dead shortly. Its also worth adding that at this time I was 70. I also was told I was pre diabetic and when I checked this out and saw what how bad diabetes is decided to go on a low carbohydrate diet and lost nearly a hundred pounds (6 stone) without trying. 18 months later I ditched all meds as my blood pressure was too low (typically 80/30, ) had the diabetes in remission and whilst the muscle problems weren't going away at least they weren't worsening. The web site I used for research on diabetes was called "beat diabetes" and for other research I read the book "Eat Rich and Live Long", also books by Dr Aseem Malholtra (he indicates that if you take statins you only increase your life span by approximately 3 days on average.) gave a lot of information. I would add that the changes I made were not welcomed by my doctors, whom I thought would be pleased that I had got better. I'm not sure what influence Big Pharma has over doctors in the UK, but its notable in the USA they create large financial incentives to prescribe their drugs. Its a difficult journey. Hope this helps.
Thank you For this information. Very informative. & I Appreciate your hard Work!!! 🤗 I applaud All the Healthcare workers 👏
Thanks Judy. Thanks for watching and subscribing
My problems with statins was extreme fatigue and a constant headache. Not my regular headache that i would get on rare occasions but the feeling like i had a helmet on that was 3 sizes too small putting pressure on my skull.
Sorry to hear that
Love you both, would trust your diagnoses and prescribing meds. What I don't understand, as a Type 2 diabetic with high numbers, including high cholesterol numbers why my PCP would (in a panic) prescribe a statin if that can aggravate my glucose levels. I have refused statins until now, but he's sending me for a cardiac ECHO as well. I feel like he's a little Dutch boy with his fingers trying to block the 'dam' and its making me verrry nervous.
My side effect was fatigue. It was severe without CoQ-10 supplements, and less severe with CoQ-10, but still unacceptable. I felt after sleeping 9 hours that I hadn’t slept enough. My father had similar side effects, and they debilitated him until he discontinued his statins.
Sorry to hear that Paul.
I’m really really tired only after a week
I am EXHAUSTED AND HAVE SEVERE ARM PAIN. ive stopped after one month of taking statins.
Hey your cholesterol is low can't function in life but hey your numbers look good! Your still taught by the same medical curriculum tho
Loss of calcium and lead to constant cramping, thanks for sharing
I found your video because my father was diagnosed with Parkinsons years ago… But since he came to live with me and started forgetting his pills which SCARED me… I have noticed he actually can move better, doesn’t have memory issues and NOW that I have seen this video about type 2 diabetes… I’m pretty angry! He was given these pills for cholesterol without even being encouraged to change his diet which at the time, he ate some sort of fast food garbage at least once a day during the work week! Now my father is 81 and for the last 10 years has been struggling with literally the top four symptoms. I’ve tried to speak to three different doctors and their opinions have been he is 81, going off or switching medications is pointless. Not if he could life a happier and more fulfilled life!
Sorry to hear this. Another opinion to discuss this definitely worth pursuing.
1. Muscle cramps / spasms and fatigue 2. Liver damage. 3. Elevated blood sugar. 4. Memory loss & confusion. Why are so many doctors prescribing statins? A lot of people say that doctors get a kick back from the pharmaceutical when they prescribe statins.
My doctor put me on 20mg of atorvastatin due to family history of heart issues. I was fine for about a year and my LDL where low at 2.54 mmol/L. She wanted it lower and increased my dose to 40mg. After taking the 40mg of atorvastatin for approx. 8 months, and my LDL now at 2.14 mmol/L. I started having muscle and joint pain. My legs were very weak with knee pain and I told my wife that I felt like an old man. I have been off the atorvastatin for four weeks now and my muscle and knee pain is almost completely gone. I will now go back on the 40mg of atorvastatin and see what happens. If the muscle and joint pain come back, I will be asking my Doctor for something "non statin" P.S. I didn't know about the side effects until I had been in pain for at least a month.
Best of luck Peter!
Just started on a Statin. About a month now. So far no side effects . Also am giving up the drink and getting more exercise. Stand by for results
I am on a statin and seem to be tolerating the high dose. Given the amount of controversy over them I find myself regularly wondering. At this point in time, it seems best to continue given that it’s the best science we have - although it sure seems suspect. My understanding is that the benefit is not necessarily the lowering of LDL but the reduction of inflation that is the benefit. Time will tell. Good description of the nocebo effect :-)
Thanks Dean. We are working hard to try and provide the latest information abkur chonesterol and statins. There was a recent review article in JAMA that we are going to talk about soon. All the best. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Thanks again, Ive been on a statin for 10 years with no issues although I need to bone up on my nocebos now. You guys need to leave that cold snow country and come to southern Arizona. I'm losings my knee doctor next month. You would love it here.
Yes we would Arizona Handy! We love Arizona. Bring on the desert heat. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Thank you for this. I am 70 years old and I have a degenerative neurological disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (type 1a, they think). As a result of the deterioration of my peripheral nerves, and the consequent atrophy of muscle in my hands, feet, and lower legs, I struggle with fatigue. I have an AFO for my right leg and I use a cane for balance, but nevertheless, I exercise regularly and walk a lot (thanks, Roxy dog!). My heart doctor put me on statins (rosuvastatin) last winter. After about a month we chatted by phone and at that time I was not too boithered by side effects. But after about six weeks, I began to struggle with muscle pain and weakness, and debilitating fatigue. I could no longer do my workouts, and I was lying down for naps 2 or 3 times a day, and still felt just awful. I was creeping around the house like a 90 year old, and, frankly, life simply became not worth living. So I stopped the statins. Now, I am back to normal, working out, working in the yard, long walks with the dog, one nap a day. I haven't told my heart doctor (he is in a city 1 1/2 hours away), but my GP made what I thought was a sensible comment, "Sometimes, with these prophylactic medications, you have to weigh quality of life against benefits/side effects." I have always eaten healthy food, but I've made some changes to my diet, and we'll see what effect that has. I watched your post on foods to lower cholesterol, and was happy to find that I eat them all regularly. Go blueberries!!! Your channel is excellent; you are doing a real public service. Thanks!
Hi LostInBeauty. Yes CMT can be very debilitating for sure. So glad stopping the statin helped get you back to being active. We totally agree with your doctor - sometimes you have to look at the entire picture. Ongoing good health to you. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Hii , my mom had same symptoms due to statin , she is now feels to weak and find difficulty in walking, can u pls tell me after how much time its symptoms goes?
@@ashusharma-ux2xp I'm sorry, I don't know. I didn't wait to find out.
Were you diagnosed with CMT after you stopped the statins or did you have the disease prior to starting them. Dr.Duane Graveline was was forced to stay on statins because of his job felt that ALS - a neurological disease that he developed in later life - was caused by the statins that he took in his younger days. He describes his experience in one of his books. Just wondering what happened in your case. Thanks.
@@rohinihyde4766 Oh yes, I was diagnosed with CMT 25 years ago.
Another great video. Can you elaborate on the correlation to type-2 diabetes?
You guys are great! You don’t talk down, but you put things in language that is understandable to non-medical folks.
My doc recently increased my statin dosage from 10 mg to 80 mg, in an effort to dissolve some of the plaque that an ultrasound showed has developed in my blood vessels near my heart. He says recent studies have shown this increased statin dosage has had some positive effects in doing so. It’s too soon to know if it’s working.
But of course he warned me about side effects, but I haven’t experienced any. At age almost 79, I already have the side effects of aging-but nothing new from the high statin dosage.
Keep up your great videos. I’ve become a real fan.
That is so nice Cary thank you. Glad you don’t have any side effects. Fingers crossed they stay away. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Research Serrapeptase
Excellent review. I was put in a statin after my stroke, and they have lowered my dose twice; my cholesterol has stayed the same despite the lowered dosage. No side effects that I have noticed. If these will prevent another stroke, they will be worth it.
Agreed Torger
Following a heart attack, I was prescribed a statin. I had side effects, but I took a high dose for a year. Then I asked for a different statin and reduced the dose. Still some side effects. I then switched to another and now i am good. I have some minor sife effects, but the benefits are worth it. My father lived 22 years after being diagnosed with a heart condition and he followed all of his heart doctor's advice faithfully. I will do the same.
Thank you Dear Doctors 💙I just Love your programs!!
Glad you do Elvish. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I took Atorvastain for just about 2 years, to make a long story short, because of it, I developed Necrotizing autoimmune myopathy. It was discovered after a muscle biopsy was sent to the University of Arizona. The lab said that my Necrotizing Autoimmune Myopathy was "probably" caused by the Atorvastain.
I have been receiving a IVIG infusion now for over 4 years, every other week with no end in sight.
For me, Atorvastain almost killed me.
Do you think this autoimmune disease should be listed as a possible side effect?
Thanks for your video.
Hi Wil. So sorry to hear this but glad you are still with us. It sounds like maybe it should be listed unless it is included in the blanket term rhabdmyolysis. Best of luck going forward and thank you for taking the time to share your story. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Thanks Dr's. Always well presented material. Merry Christmas
Same to you!
I had recently started 5mg of Crestor, the side effects were crazy bad, namely muscular pain including abdominal. I stopped taking them and within 5 days back to feeling normal. I think best way forward is to try manage problem naturally.
When I started on a statin I experienced nausea, a constant feelings of fullness ( like I just ate a Thanksgiving dinner) and fatigue. I took it for 6 weeks in hopes the side effects would resolve but they did not. I stopped taking it and within a week I felt much better. My doc advised me to eat a healthy diet and exercised more. I eat healthy-lots of fresh fruits and veg, fish, low fat, minimal processed foods, seldom have red meat, minimal sugar and alcohol, work out daily, not sure theres much else I can do.
I have been taking Lipitor for over 20 years. When my high cholesterol was first diagnosed, I was prescribed Zocor. I experienced an enormous heaviness in my legs, and I could barely climb the stairs to my apartment, so I was switched to Lipitor. I have been on Lipitor ever since with no side effects that I can detect. I am a female, and I have hypothyroidism. In my family, I have a sister who has cautioned me quite strongly about taking Lipitor or any statin. Thankfully, after 20 years, she has finally stopped commenting about it. We both live very healthy lives. We don't smoke or drink alcohol. We follow a low carb eating plan that has helped me lose 70 lbs. and keep those pounds off for over 4 years. I also jog and practice strength training regularly as does my sister. I have chosen to see my statin use as a part of a healthy life style. If my sister had elevated cholesterol, she would probably make a different choice.
Each of us must do what we feel is in the best interests for our health. I would only add that if a friend or family member chooses to use a statin, try to be supportive if you can. If you do not support their choice, try not to be critical. If possible, agree to disagree and let it go.
Well said Nancy. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Thanks for your info.
I’ve been on pravastatin since a heart attack in 2001. My natural cholesterol is 3.1 so I questioned it. However none of my GPs will take me off of it. They all say I need to keep taking it.
I do take Q10 and have done so since 2001. However I can relate to the rages and to arthritis/rheumatism type symptoms ….What should I do
I literally lolled at the repeat of the last side effect because Dr. Brad didn’t see it coming! Nice job.
Thanks Dave
I’m thankful that statins are available. I saw a 68 percent decrease in my LDL which was over 200. My risk is genetic. Hoping to avoid the fate of immediate family, live a long life and avoid heart attacks
Within 10 days of starting on Crestor I had SEVERE bilateral cramps in my legs so bad my left leg was bent to my chest unable to straighten it. Ended up with severe DVTs with multiple bilateral PEs. Now on blood thinner for the rest of my life. No sign of cancer
The symptoms can be severe
Awesome information! Your method of providing the info is helpful and humorous. As easy to absorb as the cholesterol in my blood that the statin I take needs to clear! You are my "statins" Docs. You provide clean and clear information for me. Minus any side effects. Will keep it all in mind when I go for my blood work!
Connie you are too kind. Doing our best to keep our awesome viewers informed. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I take Statins. Had bad pains in leg muscles. I take coQ 10. No more pain any more. I have been on these two for about 15 years.
Yes we have heard that helps Jane. Thanks for watching and subscribing
I had muscle pain when I started on 10 mg. Doctor changed to 5 mg and cholesterol still went down but pain eased. Was on drug for years. My new doc suggested a whole food plant based diet and now I don't take a statin at all. The solution to many diseases.
I developed Type 2 Diabetes after years of taking a statin.
My cholesterol was 258 three months ago. I was prescribed a statin but i didnt take it. I started taking a supplement instead. Its called Red Yeast Rice. Now my cholesterol is 229. I feel like it will continue to come down. I get to break this news to my doctor next week.
Sounds like a good start. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Unfortunately that’s the same as lovastatin
@@mikecvirgilio a natural form of it? Why it would be bad?
@@sunshine9993 If the goal is to avoid taking a statin, then using Red Yeast Rice should be avoided as well. It contains monacolin K which is the same active ingredient as Lovastatin. At least when taking regulated Lovastatin, you know how much of a dose you're getting and the quality. When taking the same chemical compound via this supplement, it's unregulated so you don't know how much of a dose you're actually taking.
Such a great and important video. Thanks for doing this Docs.
You are so welcome BW. We agree that it’s important. Thanks for watching and subscribing
One of the things I've always disliked about statin advocates is that they present the potential protective effects of statins using relative risk while presenting adverse effects using absolute risk. This makes it look like there's this huge protective effect with almost no risk. But they can't have it both ways. If you compile all of the available studies and calculate absolute risk reduction, and take its reciprocal, you end up with something called the number needed to treat (NNT). It is somewhere in the range of 100, and that is an estimate the number of people you would need to treat with a statin in order to prevent ONE heart attack, assuming a population who have never had a previous myocardial infarction. A substantial number of those people will experience adverse effects, ranging from muscle pains to brain fog, etc. The number needed to harm (NNH) is probably lower than the NNT. The decision whether or not to take a statin of course should depend on how high your cholesterol level is, and possibly your family history. But keep in mind, because of where statins work in the metabolic chain, they are going to impact processes they go well beyond cholesterol biosynthesis.
Absolutely this !!!! Thank you for posting!
Love your show. Relaxed, informative, research based.
Plenty of ideas to take away and act on. ✅
Much appreciated! Trying to give people practical stuff that they can apply to their daily lives
Great as always.
Happy to oblige Robert. Thanks for watching and subscribing
Statins actually saved my life as they were causing me so much pain so fast, I quit all prescribed drugs 20 years ago and never turned back. True story! I lost my 30 years of work for the social security disability I was on for congenital heart disease because I wouldn't do the drug's but it was worth it in telling the pharma owned government agencies to piss off! Thank You statin drugs!
That’s a cool story Todd