Cardiologists symptoms and conditions

I started taking 20mg of Simvastatin on 10/17 due to high cholesterol. Five days later I came home from work feeling very tired and fell asleep. I woke up feeling severe flu like aches and pains in places I didn't know could hurt and then got the chills. I stayed home from work the next day and it's a good thing I did. I awoke with a severe cramp in my upper right thigh. I have always been prone to calf cramps so wasn't too concerned. However I stopped the meds on 10/22. This continued on a daily basis and I went to the dr on 10/27. I had an x-ray done which showed a bulging disc and some uncushioned discs. She put me back on the meds BUT with a COq10 am and pm and cut the pill in half. Do you think she knew it could be from the med? I foolishly restarted and by 11/4 took myself back off, had an MRI and such severe nerve pain in my right leg that I thought I would die. It was a bolt of lightening starting at my upper thigh and coming out the bottom of my foot. It felt like a hot poker running down my leg. The episodes were on a daily basis, would come every two hours, and could last as long as 45 minutes with no relief. I am now going for pain management and had an epidural a week ago which got rid of the nerve pain but I am still numb down my right leg to my right ankle. I have been healthy for years and feel that this was all brought on by Simvastatin. Any idiot can figure out that your nerves are running through your muscles. I am angry to think that this could have caused me permanent damage.

I am 56 years old and I was put on Lisonpril about three months ago.

We had just moved to a different town with a new doctor. The reason I went to the doctors was that I had a bicycle accident where I went over the handle bars (front brakes locked up on me). I was also due for a periodic check up. I was sore from my bike accident (jammed my LH wrist, RH elbow, both shoulders and knees). The doctor had no x-ray machines so he sent me to the urgent care, nothing was broken. My doctor said that I would be sore for awhile and gave me some Vicaden pain medicine.

Due my periodic exam the doctor suggested that I go on Lisopril because I am a diabetic, even though my blood pressure is OK. He said that he actually takes it because of the preventive nature of the drug.

Well, as the weeks went on I continued to have aches and pains in my joints (wrist, elbow, shoulders and shoulders), wch I thought was from my bike accident. I also play seniors softball which is not a very agressive sport. Well I've had a pulled hamstrin and archilles tendon pull during playing. Thought this was normal but these injuries continued to plague me.

At nights sleeping my shoulders & neck would ach. My knees would shoot pains. My ankles constaintly ache, day & night.

A friend of mine told me about taking black cherry juice for joint pains, maybe from gout. After taking this black cherry juice it seemed to help, but still not normal.

Today I stopped at our local taven to have a berr and talk softball with the guys. I broke out in a heavy cold sweat and almost pasted out, lightheaded. I thought I was having a heart attack or something. Being very concerned I told my wife who is an RN. She read the side effects of Lisonpril and it clicked. This web site helped me figure it out also.

I am taking myself off Lisonpril today and expect improvement and my life back. I thought all this was from my accident and getting older. I am excited to see the results, which I feel very positive about.

In 2007 I was diagnosed with HBP and enlarged prostate at the same time. I was working and had medical coverage with my PCP at Nova Southeastern University. The doctors there are very good. They put me on Terazosin for both. I quickly developed severe rash, hives, swollen face, neck, throat, etc and had to go to emergency. They took me off Terazosin and gave me Flomax for the prostate and Lisinopril for the BP. The Flomax works fine-noside effects that I can tell except decreased semen production. I am a 58 year old male. But I quickly developed a cough and the took me off Losinopril right away and put me on Diovan, which worked great with no discernible side effects. Then I lost my job and had to go to the VA for my medical in January of 2009. Because my medical history included my emergency visit for a severe anaphylactic reaction to Terazosin, they allowed me to stay on Flomax. But I had no such record for the cough caused by Lisinopril. So they insisted that Diovan was too expensive and I had to try Lisinopril. Despite my complaining about the previous experience they insisted. I was given a little pink pill which did cause me to develop a minor cough. But being a good soldier, I decided to live with it. Then in August I noticed that my refill no longer had a pink pill but a larger yellow pill. And that was when the problems started. I first felt like food particles were stuck in my throat and nothing could get them out. That feeling would eventually disappear on its own only to later return. I visited the emergency room several times with severe flu like symptoms, including a severe cough. I also discovered a yellow film covering the back of my throat. And my tongue had a thick yellow coating on it that went all the way to the back. In some places this had strands that extended above the back of my tongue for about a half inch. In addition there were bumps on the top of the back of my tongue. This stuff could not be scraped off. The emergency doctors would examine my mouth and throat, tell me nothing was wrong and refuse to take a throat culture. They scheduled an appointment with ear, nose and throat and then canceled it. Eventually they scheduled a CT scan, which showed nothing abnormal. Finally my PCP examined me and said I had a severe allergic reaction to Lisinopril. So a week ago she took me off Lisinopril and put me on Amlodipine. I'm actively researching the side effects of that and will get off if I see anything I don't like. But my goal now is to find natural substances to treat both the enlarged prostate and the HBP. The yellow coating on my throat is beginning to disappear. Still no difference with the yellow coating on my throat. I believe I have seen slight improvement in the cough, but not nearly enough for my liking. I worry whether I will ever be able to get rid of it. I do have more energy now. Any idea how long it will take to get rid of this cough?

I am so happy I found this website, I have been taking Lisinopril for about 5 years now. I have been have dizzy spells or the tunnel effect for about 2 years now. I thought I was going crazy! I can't drive, sit in a meeting, or even sit through church and it's getting worse. I call my mother and just sit and cry thinking something is wrong with me. I'm so glad all of you came here to tell your experiences. I will stop taking this medication RIGHT NOW!!

I have been taking 20mg of Simvastatin every night for about 4 years now and after coming across this site I have decided to stop taking it. I have been feeling particularly unwell for a couple of days, decided to do some research and can't believe what I am reading on this site! For the last year I have suffered terrible pain and loss of movement in my neck shoulders and arms and shooting pains in my legs along with muscle tics. More recently dizzy spells and quite severe tinnitus and headpain and fatigue. I have also found that my muscles tire very quickly when doing the smallest of tasks i.e: changing a duvet cover! The night sweats are particularly bad which I have been putting down to my age but may be to do with the statins. I am praying that these symptoms will reverse once I stop taking them but remain skeptical after reading other peoples comments on here!

itching of scalp, face.

I have been taking 40mg lipitor for over 9 years now.

I have had back issues since an injury to one disc (L4?), and had microdiscectomy in 2001? Took about two years to actually get close to normal.

The last few years, I have had multiple issues with shoulder pain, wrist pain, elbow pain, lower back pain, Upper rump muscle pain , and now both hips are killing me (the shoulder, upper rump muscles and hips are by far the worst). And I am now so weak in my lower back muscles, that it feels like I will (and do) pull out my back.

I have seen NO many doctors I can't even name them all. I have had operations, multiple injections (cortisone) taken pain meds, etc. Nothing has helped and in the last year and a half, I have gotten steadily worse. To the point where I can't really do much of any activity. Sleeping at night is painful. Can't lie on left shoulder, and can't lie on either hip for more than a few minutes. If I fall asleep on my side, the pain wakes me up. When I try to walk, 80% of the time, I end up with a pain in my upper right rump (sacroiliac area), that I MUST sit down to get the intense pain to go away, which it does. But comes right back when I walk again.

I have had x-rays, MRIs etc, and never reveals all that much. Disc issues, yes. NOt much else.

Recently, I have begun to get a nasty clicking (catching) on my left jaw (joint?). Not really painful, but something definitely wrong. My dentist sent me to his Chiro. I went and liked him right away. I had gone to another chiro for years and I believe in them. But this one is the best I have seen.

Anyway, one of the FIRST things he suggested, was that it was POSSIBLE that the Lipitor is causing all of my problems. Put me on COQ10, and doing multiple adjustments and treatments. I will be seeing my regular doctor 5/26, and my chiro wants me to see if he will take me off lipitor and put me on Niaspan instead.

I guess my question is: Can Lipitor be fine with me for so long, and then in such a short period of time, turn me into a compete wreck from the pain and wasting away of my body/muscles? I've told doctors for over a year now that there is SOME connection as to all these issues and pain. One Doctor, of course, gave me the "you are getting old" bull. Yes, I am 56 yrs old. But I understand the process of getting old, vs the complete failing of ones body.

Also, IF it is the Lipitor, can it possible all go away? Or should I expect some damage forever?

One more thing, the last ortho I went to the other day for a second opinion, wants me to do a EMG, to see if there is muscle damage. I was not planning on doing it, but wonder now, should I? He was not doing it because of lipitor, as he never even talked about that to me. I had shoulder operation and have not had the results I feel I should have had.

i m 43 year old male, i took lipitor for almost 5 years(20mg) then on February 2008 my doctor increase my dose to 40mg and then my nightmare begin, i work in a company, very physic job, in end of June 2008 i start to feel bizarre, difficulty to walk, get up in the morning was very hard, climbing stair was more and more dificult, i didn't know at this time that lipitor doing that, i just work harder to compensate for my weakness, and continue to take lipitor until September 2008, almost 3 month after feeling the first sign, but i was blaming aging and my weight to be the cause of my sudden weakness. end of September i was unable to do my job anymore, my co-worker start to do my job for me..it was very humiliated, then i call my doctor and tell him how i feel, and he order a blood test, he said to me after that i have a CK result near 6000, he never speak of lipitor side effect yet, i was suspecting a disease, like poliosis or something else...on my side i search on internet for answer, then my girlfriend read about side effect of lipitor, reading the side effect, i saw rhabomyolisis, reading the sign, was like reading my life for the last 3 month, i stop lipitor, after 3 days my urine became normal, a lot of stiffness i my neck stop etc..but my leg and arm where almost destroy, i past two magnetic resonance + one Emg, that s was the test that tell me lipitor destroy my muscle very severely, i saw a specialist who told me that is the most severe reaction to statin that she ever see along some colleague, the most important thing to know is that you can take lipitor for many year an it s ok for you, but the change of dosage is very critical and had to be check,ck and liver tested, it s almost 4 month now and i still not return to work, they think i be ok at the end of march 2009. statin is dangerous don t take that, vitamin C do the same effect without the trouble...

Have stopped taking Zocor today after finally accepting that my life has changed since taking this medication....am too weak to open a soda bottle, keep twisting words, memory is shot, Hips, knees and ankles scream whenever I have been sitting for more than 15 minutes....light headed, dizzy and constant headache...want to just curl up in a ball and cover my head for loss of ambition. I am exhausted all of the time.

My hair loss actually started 10 years ago with the advent of menopause. It was less an issue of hair loss but that my hair started to grow in baby fine. With that came a depression. A hormone implant helped. Later, celexa and then lexapro helped particularly with the symptoms of irritable bladder. Other symptoms that started 10 years ago included a slowing pulse rate, lower body temp, lost my eyebrows on the sides, etc. I was bounced between cardiologists and endocrinologists -- blaming a marginally low thyroid. An MD, alternative doctor, blamed mercury which did not abate with two separate rounds of IV chelation. Finally, my heart slowed into the 30s and the exhaustion was extreme. Got a pacemaker which helped but did not cure the exhaustion. Sleep apnea study showed a sleep disorder but no apnea. I am on thyroid meds (125 mg.), mycardis, and .75 patch of estrogen. Wellbutrin 150 mg was added about 6 months ago and that helped tremendously with the tiredness. It was great but I finally noticed that I could see my scalp -- my hair had thinned that much with that low dose. I went to various doctors (including a dermatologist) who never mentioned the connection with any of my meds. They could not tug hair out of my head and suggested a genetic problem (the women in my family have big heads of hair until they die in their 90s). Finally a physician friend in Florida suggested that Wellbutrin might be the problem. I am off of it and tired. Too soon to see if the hair loss is getting better. I just want the loss to stop and to start regrowing my hair. Suggestions? A new doc recommended Provigil for exhaustion but there is some hair loss with that noted on the blogs. I have been taking a b complex, biotin, minerals, a vitamin for hair, zinc, D, MSM -- a handful of supplements. I need something for energy (I am a college professor of graduate students) but will not put my hair at risk. I am lost in all the information about how to stop hair loss and help my hair grow out.

i was prescribed cytomel as an adjunct to noretriptlin 25mcg twice daily/ I do not have any thyroid problems. Both above drugs were prescribed by a psychiatrist. I began to have brief loss of vision followed by extreme weakness and sweating. these symptoms occur I am currently undergoing a series of cardiological tests because my primary physician found an irregular heart beat via ekg. I have always had an irregular heart beat. All my physicians are aware of all the medications I take which includes a blood thinner. Most unfortunately, am having difficulty connecting the time frame to the "side effect" and datae of beginning the cytomel. I realize I can make the connection by calling the pharmacy tomorrow. I also have an eye disorder with no cure and have lost much of my peripheral vision so at first I thought there may that relationship. But I went to the doctor when I realized I was also experiencing the fatigue, shortness of breath and something quite akin to hyperventilation. I will have my 69th birthday this month and thought my body and mind had a close relationship, but I am beginning to think they have become arch enemies,bent on just confusing the hell out of me.The tests with the cardiologists have been on going for almost two months with no results or diagnosis given.that important phase is due August 27. It is a good thing that patience is one of my virtues although brevity is not. Any comments please and thank you

I started Metoprolol 6 months ago while in the ER. I was weak with a virus and every time I got up and did anything, my heart would race and would feel weaker. I have white coat syndrome so while I was in the ER my BP went up to 227/110. They gave me 25 mg of Toprol and a prescription for 12.5 mg a day. I have gained 17 lbs in 6 months, have zero energy, tired all the time, insomnia, and am depressed for the first time in my life,ad I know it has to be from the Metoprolol. I tried to quit it and 3 days later my heart was racing so bad and my blood pressure was real high. I want to try to quit it but am afraid to. Any suggestions on how to quit it?

I'm 40 year old male and I'v been taking ZOCOR for almost 2 years. I am very active ,working out 3-5 times a week both lifting weights and either running or eliptical training. MY cholesterol was a genetic issue and 20mg of ZOCOR at night has lowered it to normal some what normal ranges. I have noticed that my stools in the morning have been irregular. I have noticed more muscle pains in my legs when I lay down at night. I just recently had had my first ECG and now it appears there may be some sort of irregularly. After reading all the postings, it appears that alot I have a lot of the same side affects and just brushed them off. I now have a consult with a cardiologists. Has anyone else had abnormal ECG's after taking ZOCOR ?

richard

I'm a 53 year-old male and do regular Cardio Exercise every week and have for 31 years.
A cardiologist put me on Toprol XL 25 MG on November 22nd. The Doctor prescribed it because I add heart irregularities and palpitations which resulted in me going to the hospital as I didn't know what was happening and never had heart palpitations before in my life. I went to the emergency room and they got me stabilized but brought in cardiologist. My heart returned to normal function in a few hours and was result of taking a decongestant as well as Lisinopril 5 MG. I had just started these drugs and had been on them for three days when the heart palpitation instance happened. The decongestant is ... I had done a two hour hard workout at the gym which I do regularly 3 times per week and then the heart irregularities started on day 3 of taking the two drugs. A cardiologists now has stuck me on this Toprol 25 MG after that day because it helps with irregular heart beat plus my blood pressure was a bit high around 140/90. I immediately started noticing side effects from the Toprol 25 MG but stayed on it plus the Lisinopril 5 MG and 325 MG Aspirin for about 12 days at that dose. I started side effects like tremors, tiredness, constipation, strange dreams, anxiousness, impotence, and struggled to do my workouts etc. I made some lifestyle changes like eliminating caffeine, alcohol, etc and that plus the medicine reduced my blood pressure below 120/80 a bit. I stopped the Lisinopril on December 3rd and my blood pressure is still normal and reduced the Toprol to 12.5 MG at the same time. I did research and the doctor also thinks the irregularity was due to the Decongestant and Lisinopril I had taken for 3 days as both have heart irregularity and palpitations as a side effect. I decided I want to get off the Toprol XL altogether and let my body go back to normal functioning. All my problems were brought once I started taking medicine and the only real problem I have is high blood pressure which I can control now with life style changes and natural supplements. I called the cardiologist's nurse and she said not to do anything until I see the doctor on December 18th. I had already decided to cut the dose in half to 12.5 MG on December 3rd anyway and the side effects got better, but then I had instance the other night after taking a spin class at the gym whereby my heart beat stayed up around 82 bpm for several hours and normally is 59 pbm. I also felt anxious and couldn't get settled to sleep real well. I read on the warning label that your not supposed to work out during the process of reducing the dosage so I guess I will have to stop working out until I'm off this stuff. I have been an exercise person for 31 years doing at least 5 hours of Cardio Exercise per week and then racing bicycles in the summer months doing 10-12 hours of Cardio Exercise. I really want off this drug so I reduced to 6.25 MG today and will stop working out I guess until I'm off. I feel a little shaky and feel sort of like I could faint if I did to much exertion since reducing to 6.25 MG today. I was wondering how long it take to get off this Toprol since I was only on it for 12 days at the 25 MG dosage and should I keep cutting the dosage and go down to 3.12 MG after a few more days and then eventually off after a few days at 3.12 MG? Then how long once I'm off should I wait to return to my rigorous exercise routine?

On December 5th, I reported that, after stopping the Metoprolol, I was having some minor withdrawal symptoms. As an update, this week has not been good. I've had tightness in the chest, sleeping poorly and some gastric problems. It is now three weeks since the last dose. How long does it take to become symptom free?????

Been off this medication now for 4 months and have realized I don't have the unexplainable anxiety I use to have. This was over odd things like driving, which I have done for years quite happily. Also seem to take life in a more relaxed way all round. One side effect still to go(I hope) is neck pain with headache, though these aren't so frequent now. Weight too has remained stable.

My daughter has been on prednisone since October, 2006 -today is July 25, 2007. She is a 35 years old with asthma and allergies. Originally the pulmonologist thought she had ABPA (Allergic Bronchio Pulmonary Aspergelosis) and put her on 60 mg daily. This year has been a nightmare for her. That original diagnosis apparently was erronous, but she was kept on the high dose for breathing issues, with instructions to lower it as she could. As of today she is on 30 mg. daily. Side effects? So you know she is no "loser", she is a PhD in Biomechanical Engineering, has two patents to her credit, has spoken at numerous medical conferences (for vascular surgeons and cardiologists), and has had countless articles published in medical journals. Now she can't concentrate much less sit still, has not read a book in months (she used to read at least one book every week), she has two research publications that need to be finished but she can't focus on the work, is totally exhausted and needs to rest after only a couple of hours of mild activity, has a face she has described as looking like a mongoloid. Her beautiful, big, blue eyes are slits in her face. Clothes that fit yesterday wouldn't fit today - and those that fit today won't fit tomorrow. She craves food in the middle of the night and said she usually eats 2 bowls of cereal. She has terrible pain in her torso. Her esophagus has become so eroded she is on 6 different meds for that, and as a result cannot eat salads or raw fruits or anything that might irritate the lining of the esophagus. Her body is covered with huge dark bruises. The latest side effect made evident happened this past Saturday night. She fell striking her shins on a carpeted step. Her skin has become so thin that it actually burst open. She said it reminded her of when we'd blanch tomatoes in boiling water to peel them, and how the tomato skin would just burst open. That's how her leg was. That little fall cost a trip to the ER for stitches, tetanus shot, and antibiotics. Her husband is a career military, so since they married 1 1/2 years ago she's lived in 4 states, there's not much history among doctors. She lives now in Kansas and has started seeing specialists through the university there. We just wish she could go to Mayo Clinic for complete evaluation, but unfortunately military insurance doesn't seem to cover the best.

W Female Age:29
i began having high blood pressure just before my second pregnancy 3 1/2 years ago. I have been on Toprol for over 2 years straight to today. I had tried several different medicines that could not control my blood pressure after he was born. Toprol XL 50 mg x 2 daily was the only one that seemed to work, but i do have the side effects. I have had several instances of panic attacks with feeling of dying. By the time i could be seen at the hospital it had already subsided. The doctors have not been able to give any indication as to the reason for these attacks other than it was a panic attack and have prescribed Zanax. I have experienced the heavy left arm with chest pain, the dizziness and nausea along with ringing in the ears. I am now changing cardiologists and will try new medications to rid of the side effects. Again, the medicine has done its purpose, but the side effects are begging to take their toll.

I have been taking 20 mg. Lipitor for so many months now and continuously experiencing sore muscles and my wrist seems to have arthritis. I have told all these symptoms to my cardiologists and just told me it is not from lipitor. Iam a Veterinarian and I am not convinced with his response. The only good thing is that he is monitoring my blood chem and my cholesterol is within normal level. I am taking antioxidants (cod liver oil,Vit C and E,Mg,CoQ10,Chromium) and lots of olives and nuts. I am also taking those expensive drug- acid reflux and BP lowering drugs. I stopped using Lipitor for 7 days now and will go organic.

Hi everyone,
I posted here back in January 2006 when I first suspected Yasmin being the cause of all of my health issues. My worst symptom though not my only one, has been crushing chest pain that becomes worse with a change in movement and is worse the more I move.
I haven't been back to this site since, as I have been trying to find out what is wrong with me and/or find a cure.
I have been off Yasmin since January 10th 2006.
I have been to my gynocologist, an internist, two cardiologists, a pulmonologist, and a gastroenterologist. No one can figure out what is wrong with me. Other symptoms that I had have eased up -namely the anxiety, hair loss, vision disturbances and confused thoughts..
Before taking Yasmin, I was never sick and only went for my annual checkups before this happened. I have 3 children and a busy job..this has been a very long nightmare.

I am not well yet. I still have the chest pain-I am getting used to it when it's just "regular" but if I exert myselt the slightest bit, it is awful and I suffer for weeks afterward. I am tired, my chest hurts.
I have been to the hospital and had a gazillion tests.
My question for anyone out there is this..Has anyone who experienced the chest pain found anything that helps?

I used to maintain a vigorous exercise program before this happened..now I can barely walk or stand for very long before my chest hurts. In additon my legs ache ...I'm not sure if that is from Yasmin or just from no longer being able to exercise.
Please post if you've found an answer. I would be so grateful.
thank you and good luck to everyone who has taken Yasmin. My thoughts are with you.

Lipitor has successfully controlled high cholesterol for about 2 years.
My recent diagnosis with Mitochondrial myopathy at age 54 leading to surgery for ptosis on both eyes was concluded after a year of various tests with cardiologists, neurologists and optical surgeons. There was no apparent cause and just my bad luck. No-one linked Lipitor with the symptoms experienced but I am now convinced that there is a link and intend to stop Lipitor treatment.
I suffer with tendonitis in my thumbs and elbow, have exercise intolerance, extreme tiredness, no libido, muscle aches, heavy head that neck does not support well, very sensitive to bright lights, occasional nosebleeds.
Can all this be merely a coincidence - I think not.
Happy to discuss further.

I've been taking toprol xl for BP since January. They've been playing with the dosages. I've been having tachycardia and have been experiencing shortness of breath. The cardiologists say there's nothing wrong with my heart. I can't sleep at night for anymore than 4 hrs.

Hi again -

I just received this from the FDA in response to my submission...

"One or two well-documented case reports may provide an early signal of unexpected problems and lead to additional evaluation. This may result in FDA regulatory actions that improve the safety of the products used in patient care each day."

If they only need "One or two" case reports, let's give them a few hundred!!! The more red flags that go up, the faster they'll take action. Spend a few minutes at www.fda.org and give them your complaints - PLEASE!!!

I get so frustrated because I spent months following "false leads" because absolutely NOTHING in Yasmin's product literature warned about palpitations, anxiety attacks, etc! If there had been some mention, I could've saved myself months of misery and worry (not to mention trips to cardiologists, gynecologists and the like!) I could've figured out what was going on and done something about it before things got so bad.

Julie

I BEEN ON ZORCO FOR ONE MONTH AND MY SIDE EFFECTS HAVE BEEN TERRIBLE. WEEKNESS ON RHW RIGHT SIDE, BOTH OF MY FEET FELL LIKE PINS AND NEEDLES ARE IN THEM. ALSO I CAN FEEL LIKE A NERVE IS JUMPING IN MY RIGHT FOOT. ALSO MY MOUTH FEELS LIKE WHEN YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO SOMETHING. I WAS ON LIPATOR AND THE EFFECTS WERE ALMOST THE SAME EXCEPT FOR THE MOUTH PART. I HAVE QUIT TAKING ZOCOR AND I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM MY CARDIOLOGISTS. I WAS AFRAID TO QUIT TAKING ZOCOR BECAUSE I HAD OPEN HEART SURGERY IN MARCH OF 2005. BUT MY CHOLESTEROL IS PRETTY NORMAL FOR NOW. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR FEET AND MOUTH.?

cardiologists do not make $$$ from pharm companies for prescribing any drugs, statins included. they REALLY, REALLY believe in the efficacy of this class of drugs--they believe the manipulated statistics published in medical journals proclaiming statins to be better for the population at large than veges. No doc makes $$ from prescribing a medication--it is considered illegal to do so , not to mention highly unethical.