Join Today & Get 4% Cash Back Then 6, 7...Up to 10% Off Reorders!

November 10, 2008, 7:53 pm
Flag as Inappropriate MissyA  

There has been a lot of talk about whether cholesterol medications are really safe. I have read several publications from doctors of natural medicine that claim they can actually cause more problems than they prevent. Has anyone else heard any of these claims? Are there any doctors or pharmacists out there who might give me their view?

I'm not a doctor or pharmacist but I am going to comment anyway. I don't know about causing more problems but it does concern me that a problem which can almost always be effectively treated without medication is now becoming standard to medicate. Diet and exercise will lower cholesterol in almost everyone but since many are too lazy to do what they need to, these types of medications are being routinely prescribed without an attempt to lower cholesterol naturally.

I totally agree with you cranberry, that something I have noticed too and I think it is wrong because most of these medications have adverse side effects that are not really condsidered when a presciption is written and filled.

All that I have heard recently is drug company claims that even people with low cholesterol can benefit from statins. Great! Now, no matter what your health, we can drug you!

Um, no thanks.

That seems like a sales ploy of any I have heard.

Most people I know on cholesterol meds still have a very active life, but also have a little extra weight, eat healthy but still the issues, so it makes me wonder of the meds are really causing the issue and not helping.

I found it interesting that when my doctor presented the idea of cholesterol medication his words were, "Take care of this or I will put on the medication.' In other words, it is within my power to take care of this myself and the medication is some type of punishment. My doctor is an MD but he does not believe in prescribing medication if his patients can solve the problem by living a healthier lifestyle.

I have an uncle who was never able to take the medicine. He always had trouble with it making his muscles ache and some other things. He had heart disease for quite some time and finally had a fatal heart attack at age 89.

I have trouble taking them too. It causes me to have increased liver enzymes and they tell me this is an indication that if I keep taking them, I could destroy my liver. So I don't take them anymore and I watch my diet religiously. I have lowered my cholesterol level but it still stays a little high.