[TiepayWrary]

If you answered yes... or know someone who does... read this:

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/c...ill-the-beans/

[tipokotap]

My dad's side of the family has heart disease. Age 59 is the "curse!" Grandpa died at 59 from a heart attack in 1945. My dad had a myocardial infarction (heart attack) at age 59 in 1969 but survived after 2 weeks of intensive care with 1/4 of his heart damaged. My oldest of 2 brothers had angina and treatment at age 59 to avoid a heart attack AND went on Niacin!

Me? I had a heart attack at 59, the same as dad, BUT being 2003 new techniques, drugs, etc. got me back on my feet right away. I have taken many different statin drugs, starting with Lipitor, then a cheap HMO later downgraded me to a generic and my cholesterol skyrocketed! Now I take Crestor.

Now that my cholesterol is only 130, HDL 52, LDL 58, I asked my cardiologist IF I could lower my meds. She said NO. She is CONVINCED that the meds are the reason my blood is where it is at...not losing 20% of my body weight and going from "couch potato" to walking 1-2 miles at a stretch, and choosing stairs at work over the elevator!

I'll give it until February (next appt) when I HOPE to be at goal, and argue my point again. I think she should let me "wean off" the statins, take the niacin and continue my program and come back in 3 months for more blood work to PROVE that the pills are NOT the reason!

Thanks for the article! My brother's experience has me sold on niacin!

Toni

[TiepayWrary]

Toni... at that appointment ask her to show you studies that show two things:

First... that statins actually benefit women and reduce ALL CAUSE mortality. Not just from heart disease.... which, btw, statins haven't been shown to help. They DO reduce your LDL.

Second... Ask her for studies that prove lowering LDL improves heart disease.

I'd also go back to the article I linked and dig deeper into this particular study. Most heart disease research is done on men, for men. We, as women, need to realize this... and question our own treatment to be sure it's appropriate for us. Go to that appt armed with information. Then decide for yourself what treatment you want. If you want to discontinue statin drugs... isn't that YOUR choice?!?

Personally, the biggest gripe I have with all of this is that there's no PROOF that high cholesterol in your blood is what's causing the heart disease. And in reverse... there's no PROOF that lowering your cholesterol lowers your risk of heart disease. The only proof out there is that statins lower LDL. One does not equal the other.

[tipokotap]

Tril - GREAT ADVICE! Thanks! I WILL do that.

My cardiologist is female and I like her, so she will hear me out. I WILL ensure I have control over my own body. I want OFF the 4 pills I take for cholesterol and blood pressure.

Quite sometime back I read about a particular town in Italy where most folks were "distantly related." They had horribly high cholesterol counts but were healthy and lived vibrantly well into the 80's-90's. They did not have heart disease...just high cholesterol! They pretty much ate the "Mediterranean Diet" (much like our maintenance diet), drank red wine and were very physically active. The high cholesterol did NOT make them prone to heart attacks. [I will Google that to see if I can refresh my memory.]

Just like everything else, doctors here all jump on the bandwagon, i.e. "Low-fat is the only healthy program." "Take pills and everything will be fine." "Statins are worth the risk."

Again, thanks!

Toni

[tipokotap]

Found it at: http://www.medicine.org/profiles/blo...ene-discovered.

Twenty-five years ago in the town of Limone Sugata, Italy, a man went to his doctor for a check up. His doctor discovered that he had very high cholesterol levels, but no signs of heart disease. The same was true of his entire family and many people in his town, who were descended from one couple and shared a unique gene. It appeared that no matter what these families ate, no matter how high their cholesterol levels, it never caused heart disease.

It was discovered that this incredible ability was due to a mutated gene. The first study on the gene (named Apo A1-Milano), showed it might protect against heart disease in an unusual way by making an incredibly powerful form of HDL, or good cholesterol, that pulls fat out of the vessels and takes it to the liver to be eliminated from the body.

Working at the Cleveland Clinic and in Los Angeles at the Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Steven Nissen is studying how this gene could provide a cure for heart disease for the rest of us.

Researchers have created a synthetic form of the new gene's powerful HDL that significantly reduces plaque, potentially paving the way for a one-time shot that could cure coronary heart disease.

[TiepayWrary]

Toni... it's okay to think critically, ask questions and expect solid answers. But go armed with knowledge. Here's a link I think you should check out:

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/c...tatins/page/2/

I love the way this guy thinks and writes. Poke around his old blogs. Use the search feature and look at everything he's written about statins.

Tril

[tipokotap]

Indeed. I read the link. Fishy is right! Thanks again!

Toni

[Stengapsept]

I am doubtful about statins. The doc put me on them as my reading was 6.2 (English measuring). Within a month it was 4.9. But, I did not feel any better. In fact, I did feel so good. So, I packed them up. Hope itis not a mistake but don't think so.

Bri