wow- glad I found you guys! I'm female, 54, thin, healthy, have ...

Any statins can cause MANY side effects. Drs. and drug co's are doing a SCAM on the anti-cholesterol drugs . . . .big $$ business. In reality, your body/mind needs cholesterol to function properly. Don't let your dr. to con you.

I agree with you that "maybe 250 isn't that bad."

Keep in mind that the panel of influential physicians who have made the recommendations on the new cholesterol guidlines had financial ties to the drug companies that sell these drugs.

Another thing to keep in mind is that according to the Centers for Disease Control, half heart attacks happen to people with low to normal cholesterol levels. Hmmm... Maybe 250 isn't so bad after all.

Bobby

Oh, i forgot, Your female age 54. If you haven't, have your thyroid checked as there is an inverse relationship between thyroid function and lipid levels. As thyroid function slows down, cholesterol goes up. By the time women reach age 65, about 16% have thyroid issues.

Also when women go thru menopause, cholesterol can shoot up. Another testimony how hormonal changes as we age can affect lipid levels.

For the age 70-90 age bracket, those with higher cholesterol tend to live longer and have fewer health problems than those with low cholesterol. Low cholesterol in the elderly has been associated with shorter life spans.

Time to push aside sales and marketing disguised as valid studies and get down to the physiological truth. Meanwhile hold on tight to your wallet. Thats what they really want.

I wish you the very best

Bobby

I`s very sad and disturbing to read all these stories.
I have not taken statins - nor would I.
To see 3 people close to me suffer from side effects was enough.

My advice is to try and form your own opinion when it comes to the "Cholesterol Hypotesis" and statins (goes for other medical issues as well).

Here are some of the side effects that I noticed:

Head ache, pains in legs, feet, arms, hands, numbness, cramps, loss of hair, loss of taste, tinnitus, effect on immune system, impotens, problems with memory and irritation, gout, fatigue and dizzyness.

The list could go on.

Here are some books and www-adresses that opened my eyes:

The Great Cholesterol Con (Anthony Colpo)

Lipitor - thief of memory (Duane Graveline)

The Cholesterol Myths (Uffe Ravnskov)

Malignant Medical Myths (Joel F. Kauffman)

Overdosed America (John Abramson)

The Truth About The Drug Companies (Marcia Angell)

What if medicine disappeared? (Gerald E. Markle and Francis B. McCrea)

Bitter Pills (Stephen Fried - about quinolone antibiotics and his wife)

www.ravnskov.nu

www.spacedoc.net

www.thincs.org

www.askapatient.com + name of statin (all have similar side effects)

www.peoplespharmacy.com + statins, cholesterol etc.

Read stories for many different statins as they tend to have similar side effects - Lipitor, Pravachol etc.

Google "Stopped our statins" an interesting site with lots of information.

Google "Wonder Drug That Stole My Memory"
You will find Christopher Hudsons article in Daily Telegraph (U.K.) and 140 comments.

The best thing you can do for yourself - and people around you - is to inform yourself - and that goes for all diseases/medications.

Let me tell you, my Cholesterol has been between 240-and 260 (remember when 250 was "normal"?) since I was in my early 20's...like 23ish when I first had blood work done. Today, I'm 52 alive and well and guess what...my cholesterol is still in the same range. And...Oh My God...I'm still alive without a drug 30 years later. Holy Cow...am I a miracle or what?
These Dr's are "full of crap"...I'd use the other word if this wasn't a public forum. You cannot believe a word anyone is saying about these meds. My girlfried just died on Oct 13th at 62 because of all the drugs they kept giving her and still NEVER had a positive diagnosis because of the 12 different drugs she accumulated in the last 3 years. Started with one and it just kept on going! Her memory was shot and we can thank Lipitor for that one. So, stay with your 250, it hasn't affected you yet!

bellabear . . . .. another AMEN for you. . . I am victim of Lipitor . . another POISON drug. Unfortunately, I didn't know about the HUGE racket that the drs. and the drug co's are doing. I stopped taking this CRAP in 02-08 and I STILL have side effects. Currently, I am doing expensive deep tissue massage to heal my muscles from the damage that LIPITOR has done. My new chiropractor and massage therapist . .said that they have treated numerous patients that were taking different drugs. . . . I am sorry to hear that you lost your girlfriend. . . VERY SAD.. . . Take care.