cholestrol meds

[denise04199]

i took simvastation awhile a cholestrol drug after a bit my legs bothered me all the time my doc took me  off it as it can cause muscle damage..   he wants to try another but im worried about trying it whts anyones advice. also i had very high cholestrol before taking it

[ed34]

Diet works with some people but not all, so please keep your cholesterol levels monitored. Only abround 25-30% of cholesterol is made up from food we eat, the rest is simply made by the Liver. Some people mass produce cholesterol whether they eat any fats or not, a condition known as hypercholesterolemia. Fingers crossed that the diet has the desired effect.

[condoline]

Good for you! I wish I'd had the sense to do the same!

[denise04199]

no i knew not to consume grapefuit juice,   im gonna try diet first before i try another statin

[erijon]

Cath is correct, but you have many options available to you. One thought, did you take anything that may have had a poor interaction with your simvistatin? Grapefruit for example is something that needs to be avoided while taking statins. Grapefruit contains the compound bergamottin, which interacts with certain enzyme systems in the body, such as cytochrome P-450 and P-glycoprotein. These enzyme systems are responsible for breaking down statins, as well as other drugs, into more usable chemicals and transporting them in the body.

When grapefruit juice is consumed at or around the time you take your statin, the components in grapefruit prevent these enzyme systems from breaking down the drug, causing the drug to accumulate in high amounts in the body. This can be very dangerous and can cause a variety of health problems, such as liver damage or a rare condition called rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle and kidney damage).

Just a thought,

Jon

[cath911]

There does seem to be a significant difference in the way different statins affect people. Simvastatin is virtually the 'automatic' version which most doctors automatically prescribe to patients as a starter. Atorvastatin is another common one. Your GP will find one which suits you with regards to side effects but you should stop taking them if you experience discomfort from them and then try another brand. It is important that you eventually find the one suited to you because of your high cholesterol. If you allow your cholesterol to remain high, you put yourself at much greater risk of Heart attack and stroke. Try not to see the medication as a negative thing or a problem, see it as a way to enhance your life.