Stains & Post Nasal Drip

[gedunk]

I was on Lovastatin 20's for about 18 months, the last 4 months of
which I suffered through a productive & persistent cough caused by a post nasal drip.

Ever have a tickle in your upper throat you can't cough out? You cough
cough cough until you gag out the tickle & the thin mucus thread that
caused it? That's me with a post nasal drip. Until lately, I only had that
problem after having a head cold.

I wound up sleeping on the couch for a few months so at least my dear wife could get some sleep. I coughed my way to 2 eye hemmorages in that 4 months, and was really worried that I'd cough myself into a stoke. Fine way to lower cholesterol at age 51!

In any event, the MD switched me to Simvastatin 20, and within 4 days
my post nasal drip and cough was history.

That was 3 months ago (Dec '07), and that durn drip has started to
return. Slowly at first, then it increased alarmingly fast: so fast I stopped
taking the Simvastatin last week, and the problem is now 90% cleared.

I belong to an HMO, and the list of drug they will prescribe is pretty limited. I see the MD on 2/14, and I'm hoping he has a few intellegent alternatives!

[cjbrooksjc]

Gedunk: You must know that we, on this site, consider Statins, any statins, to be detrimental to your health. I went thru nearly two years of the sort of coughing fit you describe - to the point of vomiting. I still have post-nasal drip and a cough after over a year off statins, but not anything like the coughing, gaging, eye-popping fits of the past. I can't tell you how much I wish I had discovered the cause of my problems and addressed the problem so much earlier by discontinuing the Zocor. I was 4 & 1/2 yrs on Zocor - the last yr (at least) on 40 Mg. Go to the Statin or Zocor category and begin the supplement program discussed there. This stuff, I believe, has the ability to kill. With best wishes for a total recovery,

Brooks

[gedunk]

I've been off the Statins for two weeks now, and the Nasal Drip has lessened considerably. I still have to keep myself almost over-hydrated, because if I don't, the coughing will still get harsh. I [i]can[/i] sit though a 90 minute lecture with only one episode now. Previously I had to leave the classroom 2 - 3 times per class so as not to disrupt the professors.

Apparently I was also in the early stages of the muscle atrophy that seems to be a prevalent effect as well. For a while, I lived with the type of muscle ache that occurs in the early stages of having a cold or flu. Those have lessened quite a bit too. But that's for another thread.

[bunnylady]

I was never bothered by this type of thing either but since taking Lipitor I have had a constant sore throat and post nasal drip- I don't cough like the guys but sometimes am able to hack some stringy stuff out- I saw Dr. OZ on Oprah and he recommends a Nettie pot for washing out the sinus's so may try that- looks like a little teapot but for the nose

[gedunk]

My doctor too recommended a saline sinus rinse. It would work for a brief period - rarely more than 90 minutes - and the drip was back. He the prescribed a Ipratropium Bromide nasal spray that is a real sinus dryer. It wasn't too effective either, but the front part of my nasal sinus got dry enough to have a few nose bleeds every week. No matter how hard I'd sniff that stuff back while spraying, it never reached all the way back to dry them out.

I really think the cause of this side effect was (and is) stronger than any band-aid treatment.

I STILL have a modest problem with this.

[cjbrooksjc]

bunnylady: I can confirm personally the 'Nettie Pot" is a terrific help with the sinus part of this thing. It works great!

Brooks

[Brian C.]

I find that if I use my neti pot for more than a couple of days in a row I feel as if I am developing a head cold. It has an irritating effect on my sinuses so now I only use it a couple of times a week.

Relief comes with drinking lots of hot infusions of red, green and chamomile tea throughout the day and swigs of Robitussin - or sometimes rum or cognac - at night.

Brian.

[cjbrooksjc]

Brian: I have never used the nettie pot > 2 days in a row. It does tend to burn my sinuses, but I assumed that to be the curative/cauterizing effect of the warm salt water. I'll keep that (>2days) in the back of my mind (hopefully it will stay there) for future reference.

Regards,

Brooks

[Gayles57]

Brooks:

I use a netti pot every day. I have not experienced any burning sensations except when I use excessive amounts of salt. Are you using plain (non iodised) salt?

Gayle

[cjbrooksjc]

G: I use whatever comes with the pot. My nettie came companioned by a tiny plastic measurer in a small plastic bag of salt that seems to last forever. I'm not complaining; even nose sprays hurt my sinuses.

Regards,

Brooks

[Brian C.]

I'm using locally produced (Maldon) sea salt.

Brian.