lipitor

[labeng]

You are right on Kathy, it is a double edge sword. I would also like to add that if anyone is taking a statin, to also start taking CoQ10 as a supplement, it can really help with muscle aches and it’s good for the heart. It’s an enzyme that your body produces naturally but taking statins will deplete it. I take 200mg/day. Sam’s Club or Costco is about the cheapest that I have found.

Allan, they did do all of those blood tests while I was in the ER that night but they all came back negative. I never did have a heart attack, there is no way I would have survived one. But it’s my understanding that even angina chest pain can be detected by the level of those enzymes….usually…..

I was pretty much back to normal in 3-4 months, but worked extremely hard to achieve that. I was in the cardiac rehab gym almost everyday. It really paid off though, that and being only 49 at the time made for a quick recovery. At 4 months out it was like it never even happened. I am at 15 months now and still feel great heart wise

I wish I could say the same for my back. Aside for some on and off facet pain over the years, which I managed quite well with occasional rhizotomies, my back has been pretty good….up until last June. I started having some new pain symptoms and have found out that my L4-L5 Prodisc is autofusing, which is causing stenosis. Not sure what I am going to do at this point, just waiting to see.

Regards,
Larry

[mmglobal]

Larry, thanks for posting. Your story hits close to home as I've been watching slightly high cholesterol for several years now. It's not high enough that they are recommending statins, but it's definitely out of normal range. Your story is a great wake-up call for me to take this all a little more seriously.

BTW, you'll find photos of Larry on the GPN pages from the Jan 06 GPN Party and the Sept 04 Zeegers Lunchoen and Party. I'm happy to say that in 2009 he looks even fitter. (A little more salt in the beard, but not as much as me!) You'll also find many other forum regulars and a bunch of oldies. (A few name changes... Utah back is now Annapurna. Feelinfine is no Nomorepain.)

[runner]

Larry,

You are so fortunate to have kept bugging the doctors until you found out what was wrong with you.
People don't realize just because a test says you are healthy, does not mean you are. People can have normal EKGs and other tests. Even stress tests are not definitive.
Luckily, and I say this with all my heart, you were at Hoag. Which for people who don't live in this area, is one of the best hospitals around and probably has the best cardiovascular center.
The symptoms you had, tightness in the chest, a feeling of unwellness, are easily symptoms of a heart being starved of oxygen.
And I know too many athletes, who are in great shape and have great blood pressure and heart rates, and have had arterial blockages.
Sorry you could not be treated with a stent, but glad your recovery from bypass surgery was quick.

runner

[labeng]

You are right about the beard getting gray Mark, the only reason I don’t shave it off is because the hair on my head is bit more sparse these days so I’m looking to keep as much hair as I can.

You are right Runner, Hoag is tied with Loma Linda Medical Center for being #1 in cardiac care. Again I am/was lucky, they are only a few minutes away from me. As I said, I have a family member who works there and she had clued me in on their stats while I was waiting for surgery, it did make it a little more comforting knowing that.

I was persistent and it most definitely paid off. But I will have to tell you, it was tough convincing them, I really was feeling like a hypochondriac towards the end. But if you ever get that feeling, that indescribable feeling of suddenly not being well, you will know for sure that something is truly wrong. You will know that it’s not indigestion or heartburn or anxiety or stress or any of those things….no matter what they all say.

I don’t mean to start a panic with anyone, just an awareness. What happened to me is out of the norm. All the tests that I had prior to surgery are typically very reliable. It’s because of their reliability that I did have such a problem conveying that something was wrong.

Regards,
Larry

[fuzzy]

Larry, I am glad your doctor listened to you and did the revealing test.

I have always been concerned with my Cholesterol which I have been checking for close to 20 years now. In my 30 it started rising and by my late 30s my doctor commented that I am still low risk but borderline as I am slim, fit, non smoke, drink etc. But it kept rising. So finally as I clicked 40 I wend on low dose statins and now perfect numbers. I really hope that it is true and these medication do work beyond their side effect. especially since I have been diagnosed with polyneuropathy. I hope it will not be made worse by the statins!

[fuzzy]

Thanks for sharing your important story, Larry. I am glad your doctor listened to you and did that so important test.

I have always been concerned with my Cholesterol which I have been checking for close to 20 years now. In my 30s it started rising and by my late 30s my doctor commented that I am still low risk but borderline as I am slim, fit, non smoke, drink etc. But it kept rising. So finally as I clicked 40 I went on low dose statins and now perfect numbers. I really hope that it is true and these medications do work beyond their side effects. especially since I have been diagnosed with polyneuropathy. I hope it will not be made worse by the statins!

[mmglobal]

When Larry first told me about his ordeal, my first thought was, "I wonder if he could have had a minimally invasive bypass instead of the big thoracotomy/open surgery?" My accountant had a major bypass surgery without having his chest cracked. It turns out that Larry was with the same group of doctors. Hoag is great... we are lucky to have access to it.

Mark

[Gil Denis]

Hi All
This is a great thread.
Thanks Larry for your story. I stopped taking Lipitor 11 days ago and will be taking natural products to detox my system.My leg pain is getting better and getting stronger over all?
Statin does deplete you of CoQ10 it is a poison. My new Dr said with my numbers he would of never put me on this drug.
We are doing several test this week.
Started me on B12 injections for starters.
Having heart issues takes priority over my back issues
Take care all

Gil

[mmglobal]

Great discussion... thanks all for participating.

I just wanted to link a related thread: http://www.ispine.org/forum/ispine/1...hest-pain.html