by xrn » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:16 pm
[quote="catspajamas"]My new physician put me on gemfibosil to lower my triglycerides....has anyone been on this? and if so, does it react like a statin?...As you know I am one of the "lucky" people that has periferal neurapathy from zocor. I have read contradicting reports on gemfibrosil.....need your opinions please...thanks.[/quote]
Gemfibrosil (Lopid) belongs to the class of drugs called fibrates and there was a fashion to give fibrates in combination with a statin. As far as I know, no doctor ought to be prescribing statins in combination with fibrates but you should be aware that fibrates on their own showed no decrease in the death rates for patients, even where cholesterol numbers were lowered. (not a surprise since low cholesterol is associated with more death than high cholesterol)
Two of the fibrates (Clofibrate and Atromid S) are no longer available because of "non-cardiovascular death" in the patients. Make of that polite phrase whatever you will but in less polite circles; you can say that the drugs were killing the patients.
I have listed the side effects. The double asterisk indicates that the effect was reported without the incidence being given. The drug is used to lower cholesterol. Firstly, nobody NEEDS to have a lower cholesterol level. Secondly, some of the side effects reported for Gemfibrosil without the all important incidence numbers, are very serious.
For example: a low white blood cell count is called Leukemia. Your body will have less ability to fight opportunistic infections if this effect should happen to you. Disturbance of heart ryhthm, depression and muscle pain. The tingling is also significant for you because you already have peripheral neuropathy. Low cholesterol results in a reduction of the substance used to make myelin, which forms a pratective sheath around nerve fibres.
I would smile sweetly at your doctor and refuse, point blank, to take the medication suggested for you. Your new physician appears to be in need of some lessons in basic medical science.
Side Effect Incidence for Lopid (%)
stomach pain..........................9.8
hair loss..................................**
anemia....................................**
joint pain.................................**
blurred vision...........................**
confusion.................................**
constipation.............................1.4
cough......................................**
depression...............................**
diarrhea..................................7.2
dizziness..................................**
drowsiness ...............................**
eye irritation.............................**
fatigue.....................................3.8
stomach upset.........................19.6
headache..................................1.2
arrhythmias...............................0.7
impotence.................................**
muscle pain...............................**
nausea......................................2.5
itching.......................................**
rash..........................................1.7
seizure......................................**
taste disturbance........................**
vomiting....................................2.5
weight loss ................................ **
low white blood cell count............**
abnormal liver tests....................**
tingling......................................**
Jeff