Family members don't believe its the statins

[bunnylady]

I think they think I'm mental! LOL!

Does anyone else here have a hard time with children and spouses believing what you are telling them is happening. My husband wants me to exercise- my daughter wants me to get an MRI of my head because of my daily migraines- they shake their heads when I decline to go walking at the mall for several hours- its very hurtful but I have to take care of my body

Bunnylady

[Darrell]

The MRI might not be a bad idea, but you've got to make them accept that your "exercise" is coming in small doses followed by long rests for awhile. And that just doing normal stuff around the house is exercise. I work at home and my wife works outside the home, so I'm the one that does much of the housework. Last year it used to take me all day to vacuum the main part of the house because I could only add it to my day by doing about ten minutes at a time every couple of hours. The cat hated it all day and I hated it at night when my leg would ache even worse than usual.

[Esmeralda]

My husband, the pharmacist, believes that my predicament is due to Crestor. Even though my last Crestor dose was May 23, he is surprised that my knee and thigh are still swollen (although the swelling has gone down significantly). Just yesterday he mentioned that he was thinking of getting off his 10mg Lipitor. I hopped up out of my chair (well, maybe not hopped) and started writing down some safe alternatives for him--including the recommendation in Dr. Graveline's book. He is dubious about this, however. He makes medication changes based on double-blind studies versus anecdotal information. However, I think my slow recovery has had an affect on him. Seeing is believing.

[bunnylady]

When my legs shake and I hold onto things to walk their eyes get big- when I sleep all day he's okay and as I am pretty good at night- when I feel good at 1 a.m. I don't want to go to bed

maybe I should do something about the headaches- its getting real old
has anyone tried topamax

my daughter took Vioxx in college and had many problems because of it including surgery so she kinda of believes- but she doesn't thinka 4 month long sore throat is connected to it- I do - you just know, ya know

so does anyone get flack who has had to quit their job???? this must be hurting relationships?

[harley2ride]

Bunnylady,
I do understand where you are at. It took me over a year just to convince the doctors that I was bad, and it is difficult to convince your friends and family. Mostly because it is so damn hard to believe that medicine that is supposed to help you, can turn you into a cripple. I've been trying different things for two years, and still can't find much that does anymore than ease the pain a little. I only have a good day, when I have the time to take it easy and get a lot of rest for 4 days in a row. Without 4 day weekends, I never have a good day. Some days are better than others, but they are far from good days... I just got taken in by the MDA, and they are covering my medical now (but not prescriptions or any of the other supplements I take daily), and that helps some. And this was very hard on my marriage, until my wife researched what I had, and now she is extremely supportive and concerned. I hope things get better for you in time...

[CatMom]

So far my daughter believes what I have told her. It has only been in the last 3 to 4 weeks that I connected all the ailments and pain I have been having on the Lipitor and gotten off of it.

My ailments have improved, the pain that I have suffered in my knees for the last 4 to 5 years seems to be gone and the swelling in my feet seems to have gone down a lot. I don't care if the whole world thinks I am crazy, I am going to warn everybody I know and they can call me crazy if they want to.... but at least I will be able to remember WHO called me crazy!

[sos_group_owner]

Re: Does anyone else here have a hard time with children and spouses believing what you are telling them is happening.

DEFINITELY!
My M-I-L has been thru 3 or 4 statins, then Zetia (similar reaction as statins) and now gemfibrozil. Mom is 81 (very active) and her doctor just won't stop pestering her about her cholesterol (every 6 months - check-up). I have her on a bunch of supplements. Her homocysteine is 5.0 so I told her to only see her doc once a year. Mom has no history of heart disease, only elevated BP. Last visit Mom told the Doc that she thinks she needs her cholesterol... the Dr cringed... LOL

My S-I L went on the Atkin's diet. She loved it, lost all the weight she wanted to and her doctor freaked out because her TC went over 200. Her HDL was 100 and her doctor still put her on Lipitor! I think she is taking Vytorin now. Can't convince her that with an HDL of 100 she doesn't need a statins drug. S-I-L has no personal history of heart disease, only elevated BP (high pressure job). Although her Dad had his one an only HA at age 62.

Our 36 year old son had a physical for new medical coverage. They loaded him up with Vytorin, a diuretic and the typical "low fat - low cholesterol" diet. He was so dizzy he couldn't work (Dr forgot to warn him about low potassium levels from diuretics) and his muscles hurt almost immediately. I couldn't convince him at the time to quit Vytorin, but did buy him CoQ10. That helped. Next blood test, his HDL dropped to very low levels. After 2 years, he's stopped going to the Dr, stopped all the drugs and resumed his "not so healthy" diet.

My hubby can't take statins either, so there is definitely a family history of "statin intolerance". Or it might just be that all humans are "statin intolerant"!

Fran

[TXBill]

At first, the people here at work (an extremely health-oriented bunch of folks) were convinced that all i needed was some time on a stationary bike. My mom didn't know what to think but she had a hard time wrapping her mind around how bad i felt and how hard it was for me to walk. My sister has CDIP so she understands about neuropathy. My mother is actually the one that found all of this information about statins on the internet, and slowly she realized just what difficulties i was enduring.

Since I have been getting worse by the week, the people here at work understand as well and they are all concerned. I have a lot of people praying for me (even though they know i'm a non believer) and i must say the love feels good. :

[gardeneyes]

Most of our family is supportive but can't quite believe all the symptoms my husband is experiencing is caused by the statins he took for just 2 months. His 81 year old mother was taking the same thing and at first dismissed his suggestion for her to go off of hers. But, the last time we spoke with her, she has gone off of the lavostatin. She has been having terrible knee problems the last year so I'm hoping she will see an improvement after she is off it a while.

Marilea

[bunnylady]

My knees also hurt horribly- I wonder if the statins damage muscle that hold the knee is place or what exactly is going on that everyone's knees hurt??

[sos_group_owner]

Re: My knees also hurt horribly- I wonder if the statins damage muscle that hold the knee is place or what exactly is going on that everyone's knees hurt??

The knee joint is made up of four bones that are connected by muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Since statins can cause myopathy (neuromuscular disease in which the muscle fibers dysfunction), any muscle in the body can be adversely affected.

Fran

[TXBill]

re: Knees

I've dislocated my left kneecap twice in the past and walking around, especially after a hard day, i feel like my kneecap is gonna move at any time. That pain is very horrible.

[bunnylady]

I feel like my knees were freshly broken- in fact x rays proved I had broken the knee cap in a fall at the mall - my feet and knees hurt so bad I have no balance- I want new knees!!!!

[TXBill]

Had the nerve biopsy Tuesday morning, not as painful as i though at first, but once the numbing med wore off it has been hurting. I can't believe that it takes 3 weeks to get results ugh.

[bunnylady]

Today I had to watch a 3 year old and a 4 month old for 5 hours- my daughter has a cold and came over with them- We are here visiting in Texas in a 40' 5th wheel trailer so it was crammed in here and I didn't feel good- I look okay is the problem- they just don't feel my headaches, fatigue and knee pain- I could barely stay awake after holding the little one thru 3 feedings-

[Darrell]

Bunnylady, my very first sign that something was going wrond was a hyperextension of my knee for no apparent reason. About three weeks later things had deteriorated to the point that I couldn't climb the stairs.

[bunnylady]

Darrell- Were you able to work and drive thru it all?

[Darrell]

No, during the last week before I stopped the Zocor I was so fatigued I thought I was getting some strange variant of the flu. Until starting L-Carnitine 16 months later, I couldn't drive or walk for more than about an hour before an ache would set in, requiring at least a couple of hours or rest to recuperate. I'm self-employed in a business that requires nationwide travel and all day on my feet, so I've basically been unemployable until recently. No disability coverage. We would be bankrupted were it not for my wife's income.

[bunnylady]

That's utterly awful- be sure to join Harley's petition

we need to get the word to the media and I'd love to see your story on t.v.!