Has anyone taken cholesterol drug, lipitor, to reduce their cholesterol level?

I just found out my latest cholesterol test from my blood test that my cholesterol level is 3.70 millimole/L. My previous cholesterol level was 2.75. Although my family doctor said my level is still low. I am concerned that it has risen above the 3.0 millimole mark.


I want to know from your personal experience from using cholesterol drug. Does it reduce your cholesterol?

Is there any liver damage?

I don't have experience with it. How about going to a dietist? He/she may be able to give you some very good tips and suggestions, besides taking meds..

I just started Vytorin....My level dropped from 263 to 148 in less than 90 days. I did not change my diet or exercise program. I just had it rechecked and it had spiked up to 152.

All medicines have the potential of trashing your liver. The epilepsy meds I take require 6 month complete blood tests and liver function tests. I've been fine on it for 25 years.

Not sure if that helps any.

Hi Picard,

I controlled my moderate to high cholesterol level by diet for a long time as I was low risk (non-smoker, middle age, moderate BMI, normal BP) but after a brief scare where I thought I had a heart attack (turned out to be pinched nerves in my spine), the ECG (?) showed a past "blip" so I went on Lipitor (20mg/day). I have had my cholesterol levels checked a couple of times in the past 2 years since then and my levels are now even better than before.

No side-effects that I have noticed, except for a strange obsession with Personal Survival Kit containers?

Good Luck,

Mike

Lipitor is a "statin" drug; right now the "best" available. Yes, it can cause liver problems, but they're very rare. A more common complication is muscle pains (myopathy). It happened to my grandmother (who is 84). Stopping the med and taking steroids for a few weeks should resolve it.

Oatmeal, excercise, low-fat diet, hi-fiber should help adjust your cholesterol level without drugs. However, it may not be enough.

Don't worry, that's a chronic condition :laugh]

I already on a low cholesterol diet but I want to reduce the cholesterol a bit drastically.

Hi Picard,

Taken Lipitor? Yeah, since the early 90's
My cholesterol was in the high 290's.
Diet, exercise, all the rest got me down to about 260. (bad genes)
One Lipitor a day (10mg) got me to 160, a hundred point drop.
No side effects yet...but a friend at work did have to stop because of some "problems" and was given a non-statin.

I take Lipitor, dropped my cholesterol level like a rock. I have my cholesterol and liver function checked every six months. No side effects to speak of. Taking steriods, on the other hand, scares the crap outta me...

I take a statin every day. I prescribe them almost every day. (no one is immune to genetics). It is worth trying daily oatmeal, a diet rich in phytosterols (http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/cholesterol-low.php) & daily aerobic exercise, BUT, if that doesn't get you to goal, consider a statin. While all drugs can have side-effects, the statins as a class, have a very benign profile, esp. considering how much they lower risk of non-fatal & fatal MI (plus many other potential benefits that aren't official). If you develop muscle (not joint) aches or elevated liver enzymes, usually stopping the statin is sufficient, rarely is specific treatment required. Trying another statin is reasonable after things return to normal. Unfortunately this is trial and error,& may require trying several statins until one is found that you can tolerate

I don't understand the US measurement units for cholesterol. Canada uses millimole unit as measurement scale.

Why is the cholesterol measurement unit appear really high?

The U.S. medical community uses a "total" cholesterol number, and then splits it between "good cholesterol" (high density lipids, or HDL), "bad cholesterol" (low density lipids, or LDL), and some other things like triglyceride count. We are told we should try to get to a total number of under 200 and an HDL number of at least 45.

Cholesterol levels are one of several factors which affect our likelihood of having certain kinds of heart disease. High cholesterol, especially high LDL and low HDL, is associated with arteriosclerosis. High cholesterol can be caused by both diet and heredity. Sometimes reducing fat and cholesterol-laden foods (i.e., egg yolks) isn't enough, because the ol' liver just keeps pumping cholesterol into the bloodstream. Statin drugs and similar treatments essentially tell the liver to knock it off. Unfortunately, this can put a strain on the liver and cause damage, although this is relatively rare. A small but significant minority of people cannot tolerate statin drugs, and experience side effects including muscle pain and weakness and should NOT take Lipitor, etc.

I control my cholesterol with a combination of diet (well, I try, anyway), exercise (yeah, right) and three non-prescription dietary supplements: niacin, pantethine and phytosterols.

Information on all is available in a book entitled The New 8 Week Cholesterol Cure by Robert Kowalski. The book and the products I mentioned above are available from Endurance Products Company.

I've had good results (overall number of 265 brought down to 190) and no side effects. However, and I can't stress this enough, you absolutely need to have your doctor involved in your decision on what approach to take to your cholesterol issues. What works for one can be dangerous to another. High cholesterol has virtually no noticeable symptoms prior to a cardiac event. CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR.

The U.S. use milligram per deciliter I believe: mg/dl

What my doctor recomended was taking two tablespoons of ground flax seed daily. It lowered my cholesterol from 211 to 180 (US measurement) and well into the healthy zone. I mix it with juice and drink it.

Red Yeast Rice Extract (w/C0Q-10/milk-thistle extract), Flax-Seed Oil, liquid mutli-vitamins, steel-cut oatmeal, and exercise.

I take other supplements too, but the CO-Q10 and milk-thistle are complimentary/protective to effects of Red Yeast Rice Extract, which contains lovastatin.

Hello, i am taking lipitor medicine to lowering my cholesterol level as my doctor prescribed me and its a wonderful medicine with no side effects. I am consuming 1 tablet daily and it is very effective my cholesterol level now are controlled. You can try this medicine even it is easily available online on many pharmacies sites.

Welcome to the fire Steve11. How about a quick introductory post?

-Blast

Hi everyone, i am steve and working in an IT industry. And i am here because i had the same cholesterol problem but after consuming medicine my cholesterol level now in control and i am only giving advice to take lipitor to reduce cholesterol as my doctor prescribed me. But firstly you must discuss it with your doctor. You can buy lipitor easily through online pharmacy or any medical store.

Well...I guess that's kind of what Blast meant.

Let's see, your registration email is pharmacy_online@ymail.com

I'm thinking this is just SPAM! Say goodbye Steve11....

Good call....

*sigh* I'm too nice of a guy...
-Blast

Naw, you just cut him some slack ... and he hung himself with it.

Back to the OP: I know two people who took Lipitor, and after a while the side effects made them quite miserable. If you need it to stay alive, you need it; but it seems like the benefits don't come without costs. YMMV.