Please Educate yourself !!!

[shawk]

All,
This post is more of warning than really a question, etc. I feel I need to share the experience so everyone may benefit.

I recently had my blood re-tested from my Chiropractor, he did a 52 point check instead fo just a 1 point(TC count) from my former GP/PCP....

I cannot implore this board enough to become educated and challenge your Doctor!

My GP/PCP received the results of my first blood test taken the last week of July 06.

He immediately used the scare tactic that I was ripe for a heart attack, clogged arteries, etc.

He claimed my LDL was 170, HDL was 30 and TC was 238, my Triglyercides were 300 and I should be dead already...I needed to improve my diet NOW, etc...he really scared me beyond words...and he had no time to explain the side effects, etc...

He immediately and w/o hesistation prescribed my advicor 500/20, Wellbutrin XK 300MG(smoking cessation only) ontop of the 0.5MG of Xanax he gave me for a panic attack months earlier...

There was not blood test to check my liver before hand, there was no mention of taking CoQ10 w/the advicor, he suddenly was very busy...the whole thing lasted no more than 15 minutes on 8/4/06....this after I had waioted on HIM for over 90 minutes....

I took the advicor 500/20 w/the Wellbutrin and had an allergic reaction and adverse side effects. I stopped the advicor after 5 days(5 pills) and the Wellbutrin 3 days after that....

Well my blood work came back from the Chiro and to say I was stunned and now very angry is an understatement.

My Chiro is also very annoyed and very angry as well...

WHY?

My TC came back at 141!! Yes 141!!..............not 238!!

My LDL was 79....not 171
My HDL was 30...no change....
My Triglycerides were 193!! not 300!!!...

My liver enzymes are through the roof, the Chirp believes it is from the 5 days of statins and should improve....

The overall ratio is not good, but nowhere what the medical MD said....I have stopped smoking started a work out routine 5 days a week, and eating better, etc.....and my Chirp has put me on a variety of supplements/vitamins to help improve my overall health and purge the effects of the advicor...I am happy to report many of my side effects and the allergic reaction haave subsided....I still have some brain fog, bu the the Chirp believes this is from the Wellbutrin, which when mixed with a statin casues double trouble...the statin is out of the system, but Wellbutrin has a very long half life, so in about 15 more days I should be free from those effect as well.

I then recalled the good MD even got me the advicor 500/20 free because he had just received samples that day....

When I found this out I called and set up an oppt with the "good" Doctor....they now refuse to see me(no suprise) They said the DR needs to reduce his work load...I have asked for my records and they stated they would be ready to be picked up later this week....I called the lab the DR. uses and received copies of my the recent blood tests....I was stunned to learn it was not as the DR had said...

I fully suspect that my chart was mixed up with someone elses or something even worse.....that this DR is so in bed with the pharamacons he is willing to see something that is simply not there and give out statins like candy!!! afterall I received my first 30 day supply free!!!

I cannot warn or implore the board enough to challenge and check your medical Doctors...In my case I should have never even been placed on statins to begin with....

I take accountability for my eating habits, smoking, lack of physical fitness the last 18 months, which has shown up in my triglyceride and low HDL levels....I however, cannot believe A DR. would simply put me on statins when my blood work says something completely different....

My Chiro referred my to a new GP, who stated she would have had me change the diet, get back into a physical fitness program and stop smoking...and then retested my blood...

I have been able to vent the anger I have towards the Quack that put me on the statins, this board and this post is helping release this anger....

Please folks check and double check, our Doctors are blind, blind, blind or worse....

In my case my DR. went on vaca when my allergic reaction/adverse effects started and his partner saw me and had a very dismissive attitude towards it being from statins and the the wellbutrinXL...I knew something was wrong when I asked him what my TC was and he guessed and then made up a number....

I called the next day and nobody in the DR's. office could "find" my file to tell me what my TC level....

If you are being prescribed statins at all....I would highly suggest seeking a second opinion or seeking out a very good Chiropractor that will try natral remedies before statins....

If you have to pay out of pocket for another blood test and get one that is a multipoint blood screen...it may cost you more in monetary terms, but will save your life if you keep from going on statin drugs!!

Thanks for letting me rant a little bit folks, but please double check, challenge, etc your medical Doctors....

Scott

[bunnylady]

About 10 years ago I went to a doctor that advertised in his window that he specialized in weight loss- he never did help me with that aspect of my health but suddenly I was having EKG's run and told I had high BP and told my thyroid was out of whack. I thought wow this doctor is saving me- then he gave me hormone shots instead of pills- they made me bleed constantly- I'd be in waiting rooms or a bank or grocery store and bleed uncontrollably- then I went back for my shot and a nurse asked me how I was doing and I said not good- the blood pressure medicine makes me so dizzy I can't work etc- she said another female doctor worked in the practice and quit because of questionable practices by my doctor Whew! the red flag went up- I looked at the people in his waiting room and thought is he doing this to everyone or just picking on me! I finally read that I am entitled to getting a copy of my test results. It said right on there my thyroid was normal. So I went to specialist for thyroid and he said I was normal and if I stayed on the medicine I'd get sick (no kidding) then I went to my daughter's gynecologist- he said the shots were old fashioned and done away with years ago because they had a high incidence of doing that to women- he gave me prempro and the bleeding stopped- onto the blood pressure- went to see a heart specialist- my BP was borderline so he just put me a dieuretic (sp?) and that solved that problem- however the Cardiologist put me on Liptior 20 mg- my husband refused to pay that much so I didn't go on it for another 18 months- ( had different insurance) I thought my husband was trying to kill me but it was the other way around- should have known- Any type personality can get a medical degree- we have to remember that greed may change a great doctor into an O.J Simpson - the bad doctor had it all- a huge ranch, show horses, barns, employees- I stiffed him on his bill and left a huge flyer in his waiting room where the magazines in the waiting room sit- Should have painted over his signs on the window!

[Darrell]

This reminds me of a friend who had a colonoscopy and was contacted months later and advised that he should consider having another. His doc was showing signs of Alzheimer's and the docs taking over the caseload were discovering that the quality of his doc's work had been dubious at best for quite a while.

[CatMom]

WOW Shawk! Sounds like that QUACK was a real doozie! I WILL ask for a copy of my blood work the next time I go in for my own records and make sure I get one from now on. I just can't believe that QUACK! It is just a good thing you caught on to him before he ended up really ruining your health!

[sos_group_owner]

Scott, You can file a formal complaint against a doctor. Assuming you are in the USA, search for your state's "Board of Medicine". There is usually a section titled something like "Filing a complaint against a licensee". This is an example of Florida's page:
ww.stateofflorida.com/Portal/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=115

You can also see how long the doctor has been practicing, where the doc attended med school, disciplinary action, etc.

And great advice you shared with the forum. We all have to take charge of our own health. I also recommend the following...

Please keep a very detailed "health diary". Create a timeline of when statins were started and stopped (for each drug or rechallenged with the same drug). Write down all your prescription drugs, dose, etc. On the same sheet, keep track of all the supplements you try, including dose and note any benefit (or lack of).

Documentation is a very powerful tool. Track critical events like all the things that transpired with your PCP. Date all entries. It's amazing how, when time passes, that we forget the order of events, although I'm sure your experience is permanently etched in your mind.

Darrell, Your friend's doctor was probably taking a statin drug. My husband was mis-diagnosed with Alzheimer's from 8 yrs of statins. Several bouts of TGA started my search for answers 2 yrs ago. I only made the connection between Lipitor and memory loss when I read "Lipitor - Thief of Memory".

Fran

[shawk]

Fran,

I have already filed a formal complaint against this Dr. with the state medical board. I also filed a complaint against his practice.

The person I spoke to at the state medical board was suprised that I was filing a complaint against a Dr. for perscribing me something supposedly "good" for me.

This is not at all suprising. The pharamacons have brainwashed everyone into thinking high Chloestrol is "BAD"....

I was pleased to hear that Spacedoc has been invited to link this site with another one and that the US Senate is starting hearings on statin drugs...

I also found out through my Chiro that I am one of the folks that needs up to 125 grams of sat fat a day.....As long as I stay on my exercise program, my metabolism seems to expel the most of the sat fats properly...That said we are replacing most of the sat fats with mono/polyunsat fats....and I am replacing certain sat fats with no fats, like milk...I now drink fat free only...

I am guilty of being very lazy and not eating right the last 18 months and I really needed to stop smoking....

I believe stopping smoking will drastically lower my triglycerides and also raise my HDL...Smokers have high Tri's and lower HDL counts than non-smokers...My new GP told me she saw folks that quit smoing jump 10 to 15 points in HDL levels just from stopping smoking....and large lowering of Tri points by stopping smoking...

My Tri count is not really that high she said because the ideal range is 150...she and my Chirp want the tri's below 100...the HDL back up to 60 to 70 and the LDL down frm 79 to 40.

They both believe this will be accomplished through diet , exercise, stopping smoking and certain suppliments....

The new GP said there is no reason whatsoever for me to ever be on statin durgs ever again.....