Lovastatin question

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Lovastatin question

Postby nannipatti » Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:42 pm

My 76 year old husband has been on 20mg of Lovastatin for years, within the past 6 months he has been diagnosed with having too high a ferritin level, over 1600 which has been reduced very slowly to the 800"s. the problem is he also has low hemoglobin which reduces the amount of blood he can have withdrawn each week. What is so confusing is that ferritin is high levels of iron and the low hemoglobin is anemia or low iron. My question is could the lovastatin which he is still taking be responsible in any way for these conditions and should he stop taking it.
I stopped taking Vytorin a year ago after a TGA and am worried about his condition and feel he should go off of it, I'm surprised his doctor hasn't suggested it but our primary physician is not too happy with my discontinuing the vytorin so I feel we have to make our own decision in this matter.
Any help in this complicated problem would be appreciated. :?:
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Postby Brian C. » Sat Jan 31, 2009 1:54 am

No study has shown statins to be of any benefit for the over '70s. The Vytorin may or may not be the prime cause of the ferritin problem but, given the mode of its action, substantial impairment of the normal working of his body's cells is inevitable. All statins are disruptive by their very nature.
This causes incapacity, symptoms varying widely from individual to individual in both nature and degree. I.e. they are inevitably toxic.

Brian.
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Postby cjbrooksjc » Sat Jan 31, 2009 12:46 pm

NANNI: First, there are different types of anemia; not just IRON DEFICIENCY anemia. Anemia is a general term referring to a shortage of red blood cells or a reduction in hemoglobin. A specific diagnosis is necessary because each type of anemia has a different cause and therefore, a different treatment.

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Anemia can be categorized into those caused by decreased production of red blood cells and those caused by increased destruction or loss of red blood cells. For example, anemia may be caused by vitamin or mineral deficiencies, or an inability to absorb certain vitamins, inherited abnormalities in the blood, or the failure of the bone marrow to manufacture enough red blood cells, or blood loss.

Iron deficiency anemia is caused by a shortage of the mineral iron, which is necessary to produce hemoglobin. This shortage can be caused by a variety of conditions, among them a drastic blood loss such as from an accident; chronic blood loss, such as from a bleeding ulcer; and a diet low in iron.

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(the above is a cut and paste explanation taken off the internet. I am NOT a doctor.)

That said, Brian is right. Statins are so prolific in their side effect generation, and so viscious in their attack upon the body's ability to produce ATP (the energy fuel of the cells), that, once you've been affected by statins, ANY physical problem can be viewed with an eye toward statin inducement either directly or indirectly.

I hope this is helpful.

Best,

Brooks
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Postby cjbrooksjc » Sun Feb 01, 2009 1:53 pm

NANNI: I had another thought. Since Statins' net result is a reduction in ATP which presents as tiredness, muscle problems, and inability to perform simple physical tasks, perhaps your hubby is not being properly diagnosed? ... Unlikely, but It IS possible for a Dr. to be mistaken - as ALL here have discovered - . Below is a Wikipedia extraction of an ATP explanation so you will know what I'm talking about.

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Adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) is a multifunctional nucleotide, and is most important in cell biology as a coenzyme that is the "molecular unit of currency" of intracellular energy transfer.[1] In this role, ATP transports chemical energy within cells for metabolism. It is produced as an energy source during the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration and consumed by many enzymes and a multitude of cellular processes including biosynthetic reactions, motility and cell division.[2] ATP is made from adenosine diphosphate (ADP) or adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and its use in metabolism converts it back into these precursors. ATP is therefore continuously recycled in organisms, with the human body turning over its own weight in ATP each day.[3]
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The final sentence tells you how important ATP is to your daily life.

Best,

Brooks
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Postby Biologist » Sun Feb 01, 2009 6:53 pm

Last sentence was amazing.

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HEMOCROMOTOSIS AND ANEMIA

Postby nannipatti » Sun Feb 01, 2009 10:44 pm

Wow! you guys have given me much to think about, we see our doctor tomorrow and I have much to discuss with him after seeing your answers.
My husband goes each week to the cancer center to give blood, everyone else is on chemo while my husband has a simple phlobotomy and while this doctor specializes in chemo I'm wondering how specialized he is on my husbands condition.
Thank you so much for your input, I really appreciate it.
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