Drying, crepe-like condition of the skin

[cjbrooksjc]

Biologist: Walking starts today; we'll see. BTW _ I've taken DHEA off-and-on for yrs, primarily due to it's touted benefit to mental acuity. I guess it works- my wife says I'm a Smart A**. However, after reading the thread in your last post I'll be more attentive to taking it regularly; though I already feel like a Pez dispenser with all these pills in me - what's one more?...

Regards,

Brooks

[Biologist]

"Biologist: Walking starts today; we'll see."
--Brooks

I'll be rooting for you. A goal of mine a few weeks after quitting Zocor was to start "running" (that's my word for the elliptical machine) by the two month mark. I postponed that date due to new disturbing symptoms appearing (as I have previously posted on). I'm looking forward to a one mile walk right now after this post (as a procrastination technique against work I need to get done today) and will likely "run" this evening (the gym is in walking distance). Several days ago I has getting new heel pain in my left foot, but mysteriously, it's now gone -- fortunately just prior to me having to buy some Dr. Scholls Gel pad shoe inserts. ) Good luck.

"BTW _ I've taken DHEA off-and-on for yrs,
primarily due to it's touted benefit to mental
acuity."
--Brooks

Same here. I was buying 25 mg. capsules and taking them apart to take only 5 mg per day due to a (possibly) overly conservative evaluation of the recommended dosage I had read years before. Based on this info, I was taking "under therapeutic amounts" as it indicates 10 mg.s as a likely minimum dosage. I guess we can never know which is right (if either) and just have to use our best semi-educated judgment; and be prepared to alter our behavior based on "better" information in the future.

"However, after reading the thread in your last post
I'll be more attentive to taking it regularly; though I
already feel like a Pez dispenser with all these pills
in me - what's one more?..."
--Brooks

Well said on the Pez dispenser. I was thinking the same thing.

I sure don't make strong recommendations to others (well, except for my parents to get them the hell off statins) partly since I have a less than stellar record: I use to tout statins. I've been back to two online forums -- one professional / occupational, one scientific -- in recent weeks to update old threads where I discussed their apparent / "obvious" virtue. Bummer.

Biologist

[cjbrooksjc]

Biologist: Kudos on your "running' regimen. As for the old ENET posts, Burns said it well: "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley." Happily, we can recover from most of our misadventures. Statins being one possible acception.

Regards,

Brooks

[cjbrooksjc]

Biologist: Sorry, in my last response I meant 'exception'; not 'acception'. And too, this is one of the things that developed after taking statins: can't remember words, can't locate words (mentally), often missaspelll words. It's one of the maddening things about this drug, but it's actually improving quite a bit for me. I'm off for a brisk constitutional.

Brooks

[adec]

Best thing I ever purchased for my mom was an Accutab pill dispenser, and a 4x a day pill alarm. She hasn't missed a single supplement in months. By the way, ou can find them for very little money on eBay.

[http://www.expotv.com/index.php?option=com_video&VideoId=6685&Itemid=41]

[bucho]

Brooks,

Other than my own experience, your report of problems running is the first I've read. Yes, it's comforting to know somebody else has had a similar experience. I'll bet many others have had this same experience.

I've come to believe that statin side-effects are intensified by an athletic lifestyle. There have been medical articles supporting that theory as well. Our stories (you, me, Biologist) are good examples. Ironic that statins impede us from doing the very activities (exercise) that are most beneficial to cardiac health. Statins end up being a perfect trap, forcing one to rely more and more on the statin (if its benefits are to be believed) as our more natural and effective options are taken away by the statin itself.

Biologist
I'm glad my story was helpful, and appreciate the positive feedback very much. I joined the forum hoping I could "return the favor" that the forum had done me in helping solve my medical crisis. I think this is one of the finest forums on the internet, and a true credit to the internet.

Say, I had the small bumps on the forehead too. Some could be scraped off with a fingernail, others were deep (like a corn, but smaller) in a tight little core. Those are pretty much all gone too now.

I had a similar weight-lifting experience to both of you. I started lifting (to replace running) at about the same time that I started the Zocor. After initial positive progress, I experienced regression as I developed painful muscle injuries. My left tricep felt like a burning coal for 6 months, shoulders constantly got injured, also neck and upper back. I'd have to drop back to tiny weight levels and slowly build back up, then get injured again. Nowadays off the statin, I've finally added good, pliable muscle tissue in all those areas and even bulked up a little beyond anything I ever accomplished in 4 years of Zocor use. I no longer even come close to injuring a muscle in a twice-weekly weightlifting routine! Wonderful!

In reading past posts, I noticed that I've reported my recovery variously in the range of 70% to 90% and then back down again at different times. This is exactly how it seems! Most of the terrible problems are now gone at 10 months. But the exertional intolerance (exhaustion the next day) comes and goes in gradually decreasing waves. My jaw tremor is reduced in level but always there "24/7" as they say. The tinnitus is reduced but comes and goes every few hours. Of these residual problems, I'd like to lose the exertional intolerance most.

[cjbrooksjc]

adec: Yes, I know what you are referring to. Got one for my Mom when she was on medication, but with all the stuff I'm taking now I'd be better served with a few lunch pails. The only Rx I take is Armour Thyroid, and I take it as soon as I get up. Today is actually a pretty good day. I stopped the broad spectrum B Vitamin yesterday, due to it having Niacin (I react poorly to it and had forgotten), and that SEEMS to have made a favorable difference (hope I'm not publishing prematurely). Thanks for the suggestion though.

Regards,

Brooks

[Biologist]

Brooks writes:

"Biologist: Sorry, in my last response I meant 'exception';
not 'acception'. And too, this is one of the things that
developed after taking statins: can't remember words,
can't locate words (mentally), often missaspelll words.
It's one of the maddening things about this drug..."
--Brooks

Yes, I agree. In fact, before the drug effects, I might have even noticed your "acception" vs. "exception" error...

bucho, good to get the new update from you.

I agree with you completely on your "athletic lifestyle" comments. Your following comment is excellent:

"...[it] comes and goes in gradually decreasing waves"
--bucho

That is the analogy I have been looking for! Right on the money. Here's another:

"...and that SEEMS to have made a favorable difference
(hope I'm not publishing prematurely)."
--Brooks

That's right on the money too. The fluctuations make premature publishing a constant concern in this business.

Biologist

[cjbrooksjc]

Biologist: I finallly took about a 1.5 mile walk yesterday; actually ran (well, paratrooper shuffled) the last .5. Had severe pain in the small of my back within an hour and it began to radiate down my buttocks and legs. Then (miraculously) it subsided, and the muscles warmed. I sat for an hour or two (hesitant to rise) then got up; a little weak but otherwise alright. I slept well (no cramps) and everything seems ok today. Don't want to 'jinx' the efffect - so that's all I'll say (I feel the Statin Troll stirring somewhere).

One small step for Man...

Regards,

Brooks

[Biologist]

Over all, that sounds encouraging, Brooks.

Of course, I know of that of which you speaketh.

About the Statin Troll.

How do those old words of wisdom go?

"Ask not for whom the Troll tolls..." :)

Biologist

[Ray Holder]

The posts dated about 21st Feb reminded me of my days in my 30s recovering from polio, when my abdominal muscles were weakened. These are mainly Type 1 or endurance muscles, which need fat for energy, and so need L carnitine with which to metabolise that fat. After that point there were few Type 2,or glucose dependant muscle fibres, the Type 1s appeared to regenerate to replace the Type 2s, causing need for more carnitine, which was available in my 30s.

Years later, Q10 having reduced with age, carnitine supplies were unable to keep up with demand, statins came along and made the supply of carnitine worse, and endurance muscles were the ones to suffer. I suspect that that is what was happening to your abdoninal muscles, but without the polio history to make the point of action obvious.

Q10 is needed to keep carnitine production going naturally if at all possible, but L carnitine supplement is the only thing which will prevent muscle wastage, which I feel certain is taking place at that point, severe in my case.

Ray

[bunnylady]

Use EMU oil for the skin stuff- it helped me a lot

I have skin tags on my neck I never had before also

[cjbrooksjc]

bunnylady: Yes, thanks. I have tried the emu oil and it works well as a topical solution. I found out recently that the Mitochondria (one of our primary failures under Statin treatment) monitor and control water content in the cell AND produce urea which must be carried away by fluids. Everywhere I look there seems tro be a pathway back to the *^% Statin poisons.
And, too, the skin tags. I have them around my neck and abdomen; never had them before. I stopped wearing a gold chain my wife got me just in case there was some connection. the tags don't seem to be growing any longer, but they are there still; maye smaller, maybe.

Regards,

Brooks