Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire The doctor tried to talk me into statins today

He entered my stats into his cell phone and it says I have a 1% chance per year of heart attack or stroke.
I said no to statins.
My wife was sitting there.
She later told me she has used the same AMA program and when you enter "age 68 male" it does not matter what else you enter, it will spit out "1%".

My HDL is high, Tri is low, blood pressure is low, I am slim, and I exercise.

The wife asked for additional tests on my blood, and to schedule a Coronary CT scan.

So I have refused to take statins, but I have to go back for the scan.

I think you did the right thing. I won’t take them either.

I got the same from my doc.

He said I had a 14% chance of a "heart episode" in the next 15 years.

I said "that means an 86% chance I WON'T have one! I'll take those odds!"

He smiled...

I'm hearing they are great at reducing the risk of dementia.

If the AMA weren't controlled by the Govt. I would pay more attention to them. People are individuals, and a "standard" doesn't apply to everyone, but that's how the docs work.

It's funny how so many are against the big database in the sky holding and sharing medical info. Yet, they are happy with posting every doctor's visit, blood test results and PSA numbers on a hunting website.

Yes, the protocol says when your numbers are at a certain point you should be taking statins regardless.

My wife's grandmother was thin as a rail, she had a stroke.

All the praise of bourbon on this forum, and all the condemnation of prescribed drugs?

Do as you see best for yourself.

I’ve seen statins cause serious muscle weakness in people. Personally, they are far down on my list of needed meds. I have a family history of heart attack and stroke. If the exercise that I started 4 months ago doesn’t work to correct blood labs I’d consider other medications but would first take a serious look at supplimentals

I was on statins for maybe 3 years - hated taking them

so I lost weight, started exercising, got my numbers back in line and stopped taking them. All kinds of side effects I didn't want to deal with but was scared into it by my doctor.

Now I'm not going back.

As I said on another thread, the nightmares and leg agony (after double bypass surgery) were dying hell. Seeing Jesus face to face will be fantastic, and metaprolol plus statins made me want it to be NOW.

They really push that crap. Bad ratios don’t cause clogged arteries. Starchy and sugary diets do.

Just a few thoughts...

1. The advice to take a statin is based on statistics that indicate levels of risk. It's true people are individuals and not everyone with a high cholesterol will die of a heart attack or stroke, statistics indicate when there is more of a risk in not being treated than in being treated. If you feel lucky, make your own stuff up.

2. For the guy with a 14% chance of a "heart episode" in the next 15 years who is OK with that, I say you'll rethink that if said episode happens. That is if you're still alive and thinking.

3. If your doctor doesn't recommend standard therapy, guess who will be blamed when you have the big one?

4. I presume your wife has some sort of medical background and is qualified to recommend "additional tests" and a "Coronary CT scan." Carefully consider this. If the CT scan shows coronary artery calcification does that mean you will take a statin? If the CT scan is fine, does than mean you won't have a heart attack? It should be of some consolation to you that since you're 68, the radiation from the CT scan is extremely unlikely to initiate cancer in your lifetime.

5. And finally, did you know that lifestyle modification can prevent and even reverse coronary artery disease? That would mean no smoking and an entirely plant based diet and for those with a severe problem, no fats or oils. Maybe that's too much. Probably easier to have bypass surgery.

By the way, I don't take a statin and wouldn't want to. My doctor recommend I take an aspirin daily and I declined. My risk of having a heart attack is exceedingly small since my total cholesterol is always less than 140 so I don't need a statin. I would have more of a risk of bleeding from the aspirin than my risk of a stroke or heart attack without it. Oh, I must add, I've been a vegetarian for the last 50 years.

cost/benefit check. Sometimes it works out to your favor

Stopped taking my little, itty, bitty, pill.
Cholesterol is at 42, asked why, doc said it's way low, but take it for maintenance.
For some time, I would wake up, and say to the wife, "let the pain begin". My whole body hurt, some days, bad.
When I stopped the pill, the whole body pain stopped.
I'm down 52 pounds from a year and a half ago.
BP is down, no more meds.
Had to get my sugar down for back surgery. I spiked it on a binge.
Came WAY down in 2 months by cutting out all sugar.
Now to stick to this new way of eating and get off the sugar meds.
Hope to live healthier, and longer, but when God wants me, it's my time.

And JEN CARFAGNO on TWC is HOT !

If you can tolerate them, there is a mountain of evidence that they are cardio protective.

I cannot tolerate them. Wish it was different.

You say your HDL is high and LDL low. What is getting your numbers out of whack, triglycerides?
If your total cholesterol is say 215 and your HDLs are 90, I wouldn't worry about it. Of course, I'm not a cardiologist.

A calcium scan might be a real good idea. If that looks good, then carry on with what your doing.

Since you have a baseline you should really get some walnuts and try them.

They work.

A 1/4 cup a day does not cost much and they taste good.

I do not have any walnut trees just pecans but if i could i would have had them here at the house.

They are available at store in the baking isle.

It/s better that statins.

even better in brownies :P

statins again?

hatari, have you tried all of the statins? I took one that basically put me in the bed - walking zombie when I wasn't in bed. We finally settled on Lipitor and it has worked well for me.