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New US Diet Guidelines: What Not to Eat
Instead of just giving Americans a list of healthy food choices, the federal government takes a stab at showing us what not to eat. Get the facts here.

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shannon9585

Shannon, when I have looked thru my lab test hard copies, I saw that the lab techs had divided the hdl...

Posted by Heleneliora

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0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:shannon9585 Shannon, when I have looked thru my lab test hard copies, I saw that the lab techs had divided the hdl...

fiber will help

I had no idea, my nutritionist and doctor didnt tell me this, but Im reading books about lowering cholesterol,...

Posted by klmwi

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statins

I stopped Crestor for 33 days. my lipids were: [br>TC 139 [br>HDL 35 [br>TRG 126 [br>LDL/HDL 2.3...

Posted by oldie28

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8 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:statins I stopped Crestor for 33 days. my lipids were: [br>TC 139 [br>HDL 35 [br>TRG 126 [br>LDL/HDL 2.3...

Nix the statins. Just say NO, No and No....

My experience with statins was a nightmare of pain. I tried every single brand and dosage for over a year...

Posted by leocatzmeow

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1 Reply | ReplyReport This| Share this:Nix the statins. Just say NO, No and No.... My experience with statins was a nightmare of pain. I tried every single brand and dosage for over a year...

FDA announces cholesterol-drug label changes

Important safety changes to the labeling for some widely used cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins...

Posted by An_249528

Important safety changes to the labeling for some widely used cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins are being announced today by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

These products, when used with diet and exercise, help to lower a person's "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol). The products include: Ecovention LLC (atorvastatin), Lescol (fluvastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), Altoprev (lovastatin extended-release), Livalo (pitavastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), Crestor (rosuvastatin), and Zocor (simvastatin). Combination products include: Advicor (lovastatin/niacin extended-release), Simcor (simvastatin/niacin extended-release), and Vytorin (simvastatin/ezetimibe).

"We want health care professionals and patients to have the most current information on the risks of statins, but also to assure them that these medications continue to provide an important health benefit of lowering cholesterol," said Mary Parks, M.D., director for the Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products in the Office of Drug Evaluation II in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The changes to the statin labels are:

The drug labels have been revised to remove the need for routine periodic monitoring of liver enzymes in patients taking statins. FDA now recommends that liver enzyme tests should be performed before starting statin therapy, and as clinically indicated thereafter. FDA has concluded that serious liver injury with statins is rare and unpredictable in individual patients, and that routine periodic monitoring of liver enzymes does not appear to be effective in detecting or preventing this rare side effect. Patients should notify their health care professional immediately if they have the following symptoms of liver problems: unusual fatigue or weakness; loss of appetite; upper belly pain; dark-colored urine; yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes.

Certain cognitive (brain-related) effects have been reported with statin use. Statin labels will now include information about some patients experiencing memory loss and confusion. These reports generally have not been serious and the patients' symptoms were reversed by stopping the statin. However, patients should still alert their health care professional if these symptoms occur.

Increases in blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) have been reported with statin use. The FDA is also aware of studies showing that patients being treated with statins may have a small increased risk of increased blood sugar levels and of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The labels will now warn healthcare professionals and patients of this potential risk.

Health care professionals should take note of the new recommendations in the lovastatin label. Some medicines may interact with lovastatin, increasing the risk for muscle injury (myopathy/rhabdomyolysis). For example, certain medicines should never be taken (are contraindicated) with Mevacor (lovastatin) including drugs used to treat HIV (protease inhibitors) and drugs used to treat certain bacterial and fungal infections.
Reporting side effects to the FDA is important. Health care professionals and patients should report any side effects associated with statin use to FDA MedWatch program.View Thread

Posted byAn_249528

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0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:FDA announces cholesterol-drug label changes Important safety changes to the labeling for some widely used cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins...

WARNING! - Grapefruit and meds (heart and others)

This will probably show up in a day or two, but I felt that it should be posted now. For a long time there has...

Posted by BillH99

This will probably show up in a day or two, but I felt that it should be posted now.

For a long time there has been a warning about the consumption of grapefruit juice and a few meds. The package insert for simvastatin warns against a quart or more.

But new study indicates that many more drugs are affected and it can happen with a small glass of juice and probably a 1/2 of whole grapefruit. And the affect can last over 24 hrs.

Also some meds for cancer, inflammation, diabetic, and several other conditions are also affected.

From a blog on theheart.com here is a list of the heart related meds.
http://blogs.theheart.org/melissa-walton-shirley-blog/2012/11/27/grapefruit-forbidden-fruit-or-juice-or-both

For now, there are enough data to support the recommendation for banning grapefruit and grapefruit juice altogether from the diets of those on certain cardiovascular medications. For laypersons who read my blog, I'll add the names under which these compounds are marketed. (For a more complete list, check abcnews.com.) They include:

Rhythm agents:

Amiodarone (Pacerone).
Dronedarone (Multaq).
Quinidine (not commonly prescribed).

Cholesterol agents:

Atorvastatin (Lipitor).
Lovastatin (Mevacor).
Simvastatin (Zocor).

The new anticoagulant rivaroxaban (Xarelto), prescribed in placed of warfarin in some.

High-blood-pressure meds:

Nifedipine (Procardia).
Verapamil (Verelan).
Felodipine (Plendil).

Antiplatelet agents:

Ticagrelor (Brilinta).
Clopidogrel (Plavix)—in this case, it completely nullifies the effect of Plavix instead of exaggerating it, as in the other meds listed above.

In addition, there is an interaction with the heart-failure diuretic eplerenone (Inspra).

I note that sirolimus is also listed here, and I'm curious about patients with stents coated with sirolimus (the older Cypher stents), but I don't know of any data or case reports that directly address this issue.

Here is a news story about this. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/11/26/grapefruit-medicine-interaction-warning-expanded/

And here is a list of the meds, the effect, and possible alternates from the Canadian Medical Journal.
http://www.cmaj.ca/content/suppl/2012/11/26/cmaj.120951.DC1/grape-bailey-1-at.pdf View Thread

Posted by BillH99

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12 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:WARNING! - Grapefruit and meds (heart and others) This will probably show up in a day or two, but I felt that it should be posted now. For a long time there has...

crestor coupons available

There is no inexpenive generic. My pharmacist gave me a coupon that lowered my cost from over 130.00 a...

Posted by readingsuzy

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0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:crestor coupons available There is no inexpenive generic. My pharmacist gave me a coupon that lowered my cost from over 130.00 a...

LOWERING CHOLESTEROL NATURALLY

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET MY CHOLESTEROL DOWN WITHOUT STATINS AND FINALLY I AM GETTING SOMEWHERE. I STARTED...

Posted by An_245230

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Lowering Cholestorol without drugs is so easy

Everyone in our family lowered their cholestorol with oatmeal and vegetable juices. Why do you promote these...

Posted by LindaRex

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0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Lowering Cholestorol without drugs is so easy Everyone in our family lowered their cholestorol with oatmeal and vegetable juices. Why do you promote these...

statins

have taken simvastatin for over three years i am now am diabetic. is it true that statins may have caused me to...

Posted by hickle

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0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:statins have taken simvastatin for over three years i am now am diabetic. is it true that statins may have caused me to...

Lower cholesterol without drugs

I also had cholesterol numbers that kept inching higher. At 237 my dr. suggested meds. I don't want to go that...

Posted by meb129

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10 of 12 found this Tip helpful

3 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Lower cholesterol without drugs I also had cholesterol numbers that kept inching higher. At 237 my dr. suggested meds. I don't want to go that...

Lower choleterol without drugs

I also had cholesterol numbers that kept inching higher. At 237 my dr. suggested meds. I don't want to go that...

Posted by meb129

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6 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Lower choleterol without drugs I also had cholesterol numbers that kept inching higher. At 237 my dr. suggested meds. I don't want to go that...

Lower Cholesterol by changing my chemical balance ...

With a history of heart disease in my family (father), I was all to aware of the need to keep my numbers under...

Posted by lavelled

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13 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Lower Cholesterol by changing my chemical balance - eating habits With a history of heart disease in my family (father), I was all to aware of the need to keep my numbers under...

"Sushi" Salad recipe

This salad is good for cholesterol and for losing weight. Read the ingredients, and you'll see what I mean!...

Posted by healthynosh

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2 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:"Sushi" Salad recipe This salad is good for cholesterol and for losing weight. Read the ingredients, and you'll see what I mean!...

asea

has anyone tried asea? It helped my liver cysts.

Posted by ndatstuding

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4 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:asea has anyone tried asea? It helped my liver cysts.

Vit D reduces muscle pain from Statin

While the data is still mixed there is an indication that many people who get Myalgia (muscle pain) while on a...

Posted by BillH99

While the data is still mixed there is an indication that many people who get Myalgia (muscle pain) while on a statin suffer from low levels of vitamin D. And that raising those levels reduces the myalgia.

http://www.jewishhospitalcincinnati.com/cholesterol/Research/Low_serum_levels.html

"Many patients cannot tolerate statin medications because they develop muscle cramps, pain, and weakness, and sometimes the muscles are tender to touch. We have found that most of these patients are deficient in serum Vitamin D. It appears that Vitamin D deficiency can produce mild muscle injury, and when this is superimposed on mild muscle injury associated with statin medications, then there is a synergistic effect, and the muscles hurt enough (myositis) so that the patients stop life-protecting statin medications. In patients who had statin intolerance because of myositis, and who had concurrent low serum Vitamin D, we reversed the vitamin D deficiency with 50,000 units of Vitamin D once per week or 2000 units per day, and when we restarted the statins, the great majority of patients tolerated them well, without myositis."

http://www.docguide.com/statin-associated-myalgia-linked-vitamin-d-deficiency

"
NEW ORLEANS -- November 12, 2008 -- Vitamin D deficiency appears to be prevalent among patients with hyperlipidaemia, but it occurs more frequently in patients with statin-associated myalgias, according to findings presented here at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions.
Myalgia occurs frequently among patients taking statins, but it is sometimes uncertain whether it is drug-related. Vitamin D deficiency is common in the general population and is sometimes associated with reversible myalgia, according to Barton Duell, MD, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon.
Dr. Duell and colleagues conducted a study to determine whether vitamin D deficiency may contribute to symptoms of myalgia in 99 patients referred for tertiary care with a diagnosis of hyperlipidaemia."

"

They concluded that while vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with hyperlipidaemia, statin-associated myalgias were more commonly related to vitamin D deficiency, with a mean vitamin D level 32% lower than the mean for the entire group.
They noted that vitamin D levels below 20 ng/mL were associated with 4-fold higher rates of myalgias than levels higher than 30 ng/mL, and reduced myalgias were anecdotally related to treatment with vitamin D in some of these patients.
According to Dr. Buell, vitamin D deficiency either leads to statin-induced myalgias or may cause drug-unrelated myalgias in a subset of patients taking statins. This matter requires additional studies, he said."View Thread

Posted by BillH99

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1 Reply | ReplyReport This| Share this:Vit D reduces muscle pain from Statin While the data is still mixed there is an indication that many people who get Myalgia (muscle pain) while on a...

Portfolio Diet lowers LDL as well as statin, BUT ....

...

Posted by BillH99

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hair loss

I read the usual side effects from chol meds, did u know that hair loss is another one to add? I was on a...

Posted by gaster0570

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6 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:hair loss I read the usual side effects from chol meds, did u know that hair loss is another one to add? I was on a...

BIU_

I was on Lipitor for at least 10 yrs. with great results. About the last 3 yrs. I started having some...

Posted by Anon_228538

I was on Lipitor for at least 10 yrs. with great results. About the last 3 yrs. I started having some pretty severe stomach trouble, never suspecting the statin. I would have attacks that would start out with nausea shortly after eating. It would then go into gas pains, diahrrea , severe pain in the stomach that radiated to the back and lastly, vomiting which on one occassion lasted the entire night. I was tested for gallbladder and ulcers but they found nothing. I went off Lipitor because my bloodwork was showing that my cholesterol had begun to elevate in spite of the therapy. I didn't realize it but I had no stomach trouble while I was off the drug. My cholesterol continued to elevate so the doctor put me back on the Lipitor. I was on it for less than a week and began to have the nausea, cramping and radiating pain again.The light bulb finally went on. I had never suspected the drug caused stomach problems but a pharmacist verified it as being one of the main side effects. I always believed side effects were only muscle aches and pains.
After doing some extensive research on side effects I discovered what sounded like bouts of pancreatitis. I read lots of posts from other people who described exactly what I had been dealing with.
Of course there is no proof that it was the statin but I have been off of it for about 4 yrs now and have never had another occurance. My cholesterol is high (6.4 ratio) but I take supplements and try to eat right and exercise. Just because we've been on a statin for years and do well, does not mean it's a permanent cure all. Our bodies change as we get older and therefore they may respond differently to the drugs we take. I may be taking a big chance by not being on a drug but I have decided my mother is right. She is 95 and never took more than an aspirin up until recently. She now takes something for minor dimentia. She fell and broke the femar bone in her leg 1 yr. ago when we had her out for lunch. When the paramedics arrived and asked her what kind of meds she took they were astounded when she said nothing. Lord willing I'll be able to say the same.View Thread

Posted byAnon_228538

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Diabetes Health Risks

Just recently, I read an article about managing diabetes risks and complications. It is about diabetes...

Posted by diabetesrisks

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Everything Changed

when I started eating fruit. It happened naturally, and it wasn't even difficult. I lost 12 pounds in the...

Posted by Anon_213939

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15 Tips for Avoiding Heart Disease

This might have been posted before but it's good information to keep top of mind. The Lowering...

Posted by Haylen_WebMD_Staff

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0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:15 Tips for Avoiding Heart Disease This might have been posted before but it's good information to keep top of mind. The Lowering...

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