Cholesterol levels

[Huge]

Everything has side effects. All that matters is the rate of incidence.

[polygonum]

I simply pointed out that the side effects can be just as severe.

Of course the rates of incidence are very important. But so too is the range of side effects. If all side effects of a medicine are in the "mild to moderate" range, then reasonably high incidence might be acceptable. When a medicine has the side effect of death, then a very low incidence is demanded.

[Nightjar]

My cholesterol level is 4.0 without medication or any special precautions. Because of my family history, my doctor would like to see it below 3.0, which, apparently, is where there is zero risk of cardiac problems. However, after several years, I started to get pains in my legs. I stopped the statins and the pain went. Started again and they returned. Stopped again and they went. We have tried different statins, but none cured the leg pain problem, so I don't take anything now. I'll take my chances with a level of 4.0.

Colin Bignell

[The Natural Philosopher]

All that matters is what it does to YOU I made me feel 20 years older

[Terry Fields]

A friend of mine suggested going onto Flora margarine, the one with the plant sterols. Blood tests via the doctor said my total cholesterol went down from 7.4 to 5.2 units, after a few weeks.

For anyone interested, there's this cardiovascular calculator:

The biggest cardiovascular risk arises from being male :-(

[Nightjar]

If I took notice of all the contraindications of my different medications, I shouldn't be taking any of them, although I would probably be dead by now if I didn't.

AIUI Atorvastatin requires a lower dose to achieve the same effect as Simvastatin, which reduces the probability of the side effects. The effective dose of Rosuvastatin is lower still. Simvaststin is still the cheapest to prescribe, so is preferred by NICE.

Colin Bignell

[Frank Erskine]

Fish oil type stuff is no good for us vegetarians though... :-)

[Tim+]

The trick is to never allow any doctor to check your cholesterol. No test, no statins. No humongous profits for drug companies for dubious benefits.

Tim

[Jim S]

sterols. Blood tests via the doctor

My doctor recommended this and a low saturated fat diet and it seems to be working 12 months on. No statins.

[Bill Wright]

Not for his purposes.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

My problem with statins was that they upset the ligatures in my gums and caused terrible pain.

Bill

[T i m]

Interesting (being another Statins abuser (20mg)).

On the same subject (cholesterol) there was a thing going about a while back about the (supposed?) side effects of the homogenisation of (cows) milk?

Summat to do with the tiny fat partials being absorbed into the bloodstream and enzymes carried (?) by that fat, eroding the inside of the blood vessels, causing the body to produce cholesterol as past of it's proper repair mechanism?

Said study plotted the incidence of cholesterol hot-spots specifically to countries where people generally drunk homogenised (cows) milk. Goats milk didn't need the same treatment and people didn't suffer from it's consumption (where milk was consumed after weaning in the first place etc).

Pasteurised is ok and the fats in non-homogenised milk is generally passed though and not absorbed etc?

Not my findings, just offering the idea up as there are obviously people who here who may better understand the science and know of it's an urban myth etc.

Cheers, T i m

p.s. Given that homogenising isn't actually needed in any case ... ?

[Owain]

My cholesterol measured by a nurse a couple of weeks ago was acceptable - can't remember what number - so going on my personal experience only, doughnuts are effective.

I always said the jam in them was one of my five-a-day ;-)

Owain

[usenet2012]

In message , The Natural Philosopher writes

Too much information!

[usenet2012]

In message , Frank Erskine writes

The .Higher Nature Omega 3:6:9 Balance Oil' I have in front of me appears to contain no fish-oil just flax, sunflower & olive oils. The capsules however contain gelatine but there may be others which don't contain animal products.

[Tim+]

True, it can't cure an eating disorder. ;-)

Tim

[The Medway Handyman]

On 02/04/2013 23:18, Tim+ wrote: No humongous profits for drug companies for dubious benefits.

Nail, hit, head.

[The Medway Handyman]

[The Medway Handyman]

1.Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us. 2.Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us. 3.Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us. 4.Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us. 5.Germans drink beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

[polygonum]

I agree about lists of side effects in general - I was making the specific point that the possible side effects of atorvastatin are, broadly, similar to those of simvastatin - which seems to contradict the claim I was responding to.

However, I do also agree that they seem broadly dose-related so, as you say, the lower doses of atorvastatin quite possibly mean overall fewer side effects and less serious when they do occur.

BNF prices show bottom (10mg) dose of simvastatin at 81p for 28 tabs, atorvastatun £1.89.