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Patients Find Statins Can Have Side Effects

Posting Date: 04/18/2005

Guidelines for cholesterol control have become much more stringent. For millions of Americans, achieving the new targets requires strong medicine.

Over the last decade, prescriptions for statin-type cholesterol-lowering drugs have soared. Such medications are extremely effective at getting the numbers under control and reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

As good as these drugs are, though, some people can?t handle them. We have heard from many readers like this one:

?My husband and I were both put on statins, one on Lipitor and one on Zocor. With time we both experienced serious side effects. My husband had severe memory problems and confusion. Once he could not find a warehouse that he has been going to for years. Another time he got lost coming home from the VA hospital, even though it is a well-known and rather simple route. I thought he must be getting Alzheimer?s disease.

?I also had problems with my memory, often forgetting what I was saying but more often not being able to retrieve ordinary words used in everyday conversation. In addition, I had problems with my balance, bumping into walls and staggering when I walked.

?Both of us had muscle and leg pain. Neither of us associated our memory loss, confusion or loss of balance to statins. We knew that muscle pain could be a side effect, though, so when the pain became intolerable we weaned ourselves off the statins.

?To our surprise and delight, our other symptoms began to diminish. It has taken a full year, but I can finally carry on a conversation without feeling that I?m losing my mind. Neither of us will ever use statins again.

?In talking with people we know, we have heard other stories that sound

similar. I am extremely concerned that serious harm is being done to the health and well being of many people. The health care industry is pushing statins even for people who do not have high cholesterol. I fear that the damage done may make the problems with Vioxx, hormone replacement therapy and fen-phen look small in comparison.?