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Wed, 1 Dec 2004 22:52:18 EST
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<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

My advice is to stick with meds that have been around awhile and whose side
effects are known.  Lipitor for one and some others are GF and have been used
by many people for years.  None are without some problems but the
percentages/side effects are identified.
A number of years ago my doctor discounted the known drugs and pushed me to
take Baycol.  I was persuaded to listen.  I was sick after the early days and
after a month was unable to leave the house.
I called the company and spoke to the chemist on 3 occasions.  Each time I
was told the drug was absolutely GF.  By the second month and after hearing once
again from the doctor that my system would adjust, I gave it up.  Within a
few months I learned it had been taken off the market.
I do not know if it was, in fact, gluten free.  Perhaps I was just unable to
tolerate it but it was new to the market and no one knew just how people would
react and if there would be "problems" with the drug.  In this case, there
were problems.
I, for one, will stick to drugs that have been in use for 5 years or so.
Consider the problems with Vioxx that have come to light.  We would all like to
believe that the FDA and drug companies have made sure the drugs are well
tested, but it is after some use that things become apparent.  It is tempting to go
with the new and improved, but I would prefer to have something that has been
used and not as likely to have "surprises" attached.
This is just my opinion.
++++++++++++

I'm personally acquainted with 4 people who have taken Lipitor.  Everyone of
then suffered miserable muscle pain as a side effect.  All but one states
that the muscle pain began to diminish after they stopped taking the
medication.  The one who didn't get relief put it this way, "My doctor told
me I'm one of the few people who have had permanent damage from Lipitor."
Lipitor is in a class of drugs known as statins.  All statins have the
potential to damage the muscles.

My husband's GP wanted him to go on Lipotor.  My hubby refused & changed
doctors.  His new doctor is willing to work with him.  He prescribed the
South Beach Diet, exercise 5 days a week, and some natural
medications/supplements (Fish oil, Bio-Lipitrol, red yeast extract).  This
new doctor is giving him 4 months to see if it can improve his blood lipid
profile.  We're hoping these measures work.

I did a Google search for side effects of Lipitor.  I read some pretty
compelling arguments against it.  You might want to do some research on your
own before you start on any medications to lower  cholesterol.
++++++++++

After taking a couple of the statins for over 10 years, I finally
came to realize that they were what caused a lot of my aches and
pains, plus muscle weakness, etc.

Zetia doesn't bother me, as it works in a different way than the
statins (though, unfortunately, in the small intestine!).

Neither Zocor nor Lipitor has any gluten content.
++++++++++

You want to watch colesterol drugs for more than the gluten problem.. I will
send you an article I found.  I refused to take them.  I lowered my
colesterol over a 100 points last year.  I use only olive oil for cooking
and the fat I use.  Sometimes a little bacon grease for seasoning... eat
nuts a few times a week.  Take folic acid, b12, and fish oil (Natural from
puritan pride) I eat no milk products except for special occassions like
holidays.   Actually I am a bit allergic to it and it makes me feel pretty
bad so I don't have such a hard time giving it up... I've learnt to cook
with out it.  Allergic to soy, so I don't use that and the wheat, otherwise
I eat most anything else.  Any meats, poulty, fish that I want. Any
vegetables and fruits.
I also take a non mineral vitamin about 3 times a week, as I have problems
with Iodine, Iron and copper,   so if I need calcium, I just buy the calcium.
+++++++++
I'm not a doctor but my doctor tried to have me change my diet first before
medicine.  I drastically reduced my carb intake.  The only carbs I ate were
fruits and vegetables.  My cholesterol is now 186, down from 215.
++++++++++
Hi

I only know that if you get muscle pain on any statin drug you're
destroying your muscles and must get off it immediately before your kidneys
are destroyed.  I was on Zocor and within 17 days I had lost so much muscle
mass that I was so weakened I could not even make my bed. Because I was
crying at the drop of a hat I finally realised it was drug related and
stopped taking it.  My Dr was freaked out because that much damage was done
in 2 weeks ( my liver enzymes showed changes).  But my cholesterol went
down 100 pts!  So the medicine was a success but the patient  (almost)
died. If you go on it I recommend the LOWEST possible dose.  The idiot I
was seeing put me at 115 lbs on 20 mg which was the same dose my 190 lb
brother was on.
This, even though I had reiterated constantly that I must always be on the
lowest dose.
  They think we're nuts.  Jess  ps I never had muscle pain only weakness
+++++++++
you don't have to do drugs with their side effects.  my nutrionist, who
teaches on the graduate level, told me to take Chinese Red Yeast, called
cholestene and supergarlic.

Take 2 Cholestene in morning and night...when you reach you goal drop to 1
morning and night.  I took it and within 2 months my cholestrol dropped 60
ots,,,even higher than the meds can do

The supergarlic is also good....2 pills are each meal. BUT..it thins the
blood.  don't take it if you have bleeding problems or your blood is thin
enough
+++++++
Contact the manufacturer directly to find out if there is gluten in the med.
Drug side effects may or may not exacerbate symptoms associated with our
disease.  A lot depends on how clean you are and your sensitivity.  Be aware
of side effect symptoms you already have, i. e. muscle pain from the
fibromyalgia, and monitor their increase.  I am still sensitive to some
digestive side effects from meds and try to take those that effect me with
meals - sometimes it helps.  If I haven't had a gluten incident recently,
it's easy for me to recognize those side effects.
++++
Contact the manufacturer directly to find out if there is gluten in the med.
Drug side effects may or may not exacerbate symptoms associated with our
disease.  A lot depends on how clean you are and your sensitivity.  Be aware
of side effect symptoms you already have, i. e. muscle pain from the
fibromyalgia, and monitor their increase.  I am still sensitive to some
digestive side effects from meds and try to take those that effect me with
meals - sometimes it helps.  If I haven't had a gluten incident recently,
it's easy for me to recognize those side effects.

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