Originally posted by tbone42: I will be on Cholesterol meds for one more 6 month period to hopefully finish off my trigs. I cant get off them too soon... they hurt my stomach a bit.
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Just wondering about this? I am on a Statin for my genetically high cholestorol but was under the impression that it was a rest of my life kind of deal.
I am well within healthy BMI range, exercise regularly and eat healthy, nothing worked to lower my levels but the pills.
" ...major risk factor for stroke, aneurysms of the arteries, peripheral arterial disease and is a cause of chronic kidney disease. Severely elevated blood pressure (equal to or greater than a systolic 180 or diastolic of 110—sometimes termed malignant or accelerated hypertension) is referred to as a "hypertensive crisis", as blood pressure at this level confers a high risk of complications."
Just wondering about this? I am on a Statin for my genetically high cholestorol but was under the impression that it was a rest of my life kind of deal.
I am well within healthy BMI range, exercise regularly and eat healthy, nothing worked to lower my levels but the pills.
Yes, you genetically inherited a liver that likes to make cholesterol and doesn't have a shut off mechanism when there is enough. You keep cranking it out to where it is high, and a threat to your health. Eating healthy, exercising regularly, and keeping your weight in a healthy range for you only probably has 5% to do with your cholesterol, and 95% is your genetic expression.
Since your genetics aren't going to change for the rest of your life, you will need to be on a statin for the rest of your life, if you want your cholesterol to be excellent instead of high.
As a visual analogy, I have genetics to stop making hair coloring. If I wanted, I could color my hair back to being brown. Let's say I did that for a couple of years. Hey, my hair has been brown for 2 years now. Maybe I don't need the hair coloring anymore. Uh, dude, your hair is only brown because of the coloring. If you stop coloring it, you will go back to where you were.
That is what would happen to your cholesterol.
Regarding tbone42's comments, he might be able to make enough lifestyle changes to where he doesn't need medicine any more to lower it. He will pretty much know that in another 6 months or so, unless it takes longer than that to accomplish being at an excellent lifestyle. If his numbers are great then, he could go off medicine and see where his cholesterol lands now. It might be good enough after the changes, or it might be that his lifestyle changes only got him part of the way, and he needs life long medicine to get him the rest of the way to excellent.
But yeah, you are already at that point and know what your future holds--lifelong statin.
As long as I can keep my dietary right and start exercising more, I should be able to say goodbye to statins for good. After this 6 month stint, if trigs and good cholesterol get righted, then we will go the next 6 months on diet/lifestyle alone. I'll have to make the final call and that's my choice.
And here's why: The statins have been causing me muscle weakness. Back in November when I was working on the mustang, I had to break the axle nut loose and in the process really messed up my elbow and forearm tendons. I am in occ. therapy twice a week right now getting my grip strength back. Everyone involved in the medical chain seems to think the cause was the statins and muscle weakness. Seriously, before I got a cortisone shot my arm was useless for about a month. I want my arm strength back.
And like I said, they make my stomach hurt.
Thanks for all the encouragement, PFF has been/is a great support group for self improvement of its members.
Originally posted by frontal lobe: Yes, you genetically inherited a liver that likes to make cholesterol and doesn't have a shut off mechanism when there is enough. You keep cranking it out to where it is high, and a threat to your health. Eating healthy, exercising regularly, and keeping your weight in a healthy range for you only probably has 5% to do with your cholesterol, and 95% is your genetic expression.
Since your genetics aren't going to change for the rest of your life, you will need to be on a statin for the rest of your life, if you want your cholesterol to be excellent instead of high.
As a visual analogy, I have genetics to stop making hair coloring. If I wanted, I could color my hair back to being brown. Let's say I did that for a couple of years. Hey, my hair has been brown for 2 years now. Maybe I don't need the hair coloring anymore. Uh, dude, your hair is only brown because of the coloring. If you stop coloring it, you will go back to where you were.
That is what would happen to your cholesterol.
Regarding tbone42's comments, he might be able to make enough lifestyle changes to where he doesn't need medicine any more to lower it. He will pretty much know that in another 6 months or so, unless it takes longer than that to accomplish being at an excellent lifestyle. If his numbers are great then, he could go off medicine and see where his cholesterol lands now. It might be good enough after the changes, or it might be that his lifestyle changes only got him part of the way, and he needs life long medicine to get him the rest of the way to excellent.
But yeah, you are already at that point and know what your future holds--lifelong statin.
I'll have to make the final call and that's my choice.
And here's why: The statins have been causing me muscle weakness.
And like I said, they make my stomach hurt.
Thanks for all the encouragement, PFF has been/is a great support group for self improvement of its members.
You are right. And having side effects like that are part of the assessment in making the final call.
My rough estimate is about 8% of people I start on statins get muscle pain or weakness on the statins. That renders them not worth it for that group, no matter how beneficial.
I don't have hardly any patients that have stomach hurting from them. But that doesn't matter that most people don't get that. You do.
So I think the life changes you have made are fantastic, and am rooting for you that they take you to a place where statins are rendered unnecessary. That would be so awesome.
Anyone taking statins should also be taking over the counter coenzyme Q-10 once a day. Statins dramatically deplete or lower this enzyme from muscle tissues. Taking it will improve that tired feeling you get with statins and some of my relative also report a resuction or elemination in muscle soreness. It comes in several strengths but 100mg dose is good for a normal size individual. I am normally not one that recommends OTC vitamins or herbals, but in this case, I have seen to many good results with coenzyme q-10 to not recommend it. Give it a 3 month trial to see if it helps weakness or tiredness.
Anyone taking statins should also be taking over the counter coenzyme Q-10 once a day. Statins dramatically deplete or lower this enzyme from muscle tissues. Taking it will improve that tired feeling you get with statins and some of my relative also report a resuction or elemination in muscle soreness. It comes in several strengths but 100mg dose is good for a normal size individual. I am normally not one that recommends OTC vitamins or herbals, but in this case, I have seen to many good results with coenzyme q-10 to not recommend it. Give it a 3 month trial to see if it helps weakness or tiredness.
. Can you give me a source of vitamins that do not contain seafood derivatives? I have a HEIGHTENED seafood allergy and it is not worth messing around with anything without complete knowledge of the product. I did discover that the gelcap is made from Tilapia.. which is ok because it is a river fish.
I cannot,however, find what the actual coenzyme Q-10 is made from.
You are right. And having side effects like that are part of the assessment in making the final call.
My rough estimate is about 8% of people I start on statins get muscle pain or weakness on the statins. That renders them not worth it for that group, no matter how beneficial. ...
I believe that some statins are better than others. I was taking one (I don't remember the name) that made my legs ache and feel week. My doctor changed me to Crestor. It seems to be significantly better in that regard. (Another side effect that seems to go along with the sore muscles has to do with kidney function, although my kidney numbers have remained good.) Doc, please correct me if I have mis-spoken.
The downside to Crestor is that it's more expensive than the others, and some insurance may push back, especially if they're in love with generics.
200 lbs as of today. Maybe 201. I am in the last 20.. the "hard pounds" as they are known. I have begun exercising more, and wow, there are muscles in there.
I have been working outside on the car and trying the best I can to avoid sweets. My arm is as weak as ever.. I did phys therapy and it helped temporarily but they released me and the problem came back. When I wear the brace it feels like I can crush steel.. without it it is difficult to crumple paper.
I'm actually getting just about ready to get busy on the health trip. I've almost ate enough cake now.
Gotta' drop a hundred or it'll be the death of me. I don't mind, but I would be embarrassed to let that be the thing that finally got me. I got way stupider ways to go just waiting in the wings.
Besides, I wanna' build me another electric scooter, and weight is the enemy. I wonder how fast I could go if I only weighed 98 pounds...
[This message has been edited by Boondawg (edited 06-16-2014).]
200 lbs as of today. Maybe 201. I am in the last 20.. the "hard pounds" as they are known. I have begun exercising more, and wow, there are muscles in there.
Congratulations on a very hard journey! Feels F'ing great doesn't it.
I am still boomeranging on the weight a bit. Problem is, Fatty likes to eat! Fatty likes TV and Fatty hasn't been training as much.
200 lbs as of today. Maybe 201. I am in the last 20.. the "hard pounds" as they are known. I have begun exercising more, and wow, there are muscles in there.
