# Pravastatin & Allergy Meds



## Sharon (Mar 30, 2011)

I can use some advice. My doctor gave me a prescription for Pravastatin Sodium Tablets because my cholesterol is sky high. He also feels it's inherited.

Total Cholesterol 346 Range: 100-199
Triglycerides 270 Range: 0-149
HDL Cholesterol 44 Range: >39
VLDL Cholesterol Cal 54 Range: 5-40
LDL Cholesterol 248 Range: 0-99

On the info sheet it says:

*USE OF THIS MEDICINE IN NOT RECOMMENDED if you have a history of liver conditions or abnormal liver function test results. Certain medical conditions, including low blood pressure; severe infection; uncontrolled seizures; or serious metabolic, endocrine, or electrolyte problems may increase your risk for side effects that can result in kidney problems while taking this medicine.*

If I decide to take this what effects will this have while I'm taking Armour Thyroid? I would prefer not to take statins of any kind.
I'll also be finding out today how much he's going to increase the Armour.
Also, can I take any allergy meds (Zyrtec, Allegra, etc.) while taking Armour?
Thanks,
Sharon


----------



## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

Okay.

First of all, it's not likely that you will make those numbers normal with diet and exercise--I have been in the same boat as you, and they need to change by more than half, so you will probably need help from medication. You should still be doing all that you can to lower them that way (and maybe you are) because the side effects with statin medications tend to be the most pronounced at the higher doses.

The idea here would be that if you are going to take statins, you want the lowest dose of the strongest statin to avoid side effects. The muscle and liver side effects are found in most post-marketing studies starting at around 40-60mg of most varieties of statins, so I suggest talking to your doctor about the choice of medication, because you would have to take a larger dose of a weaker medication to get the desired result. The two strongest statins are Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) and Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium). Both can shift your numbers at very low doses (10-20mg) by up to 60%. Neither have a generic yet (Lipitor's is coming out in the fall) so they are not always the first prescribed.

There is a variety of research that shows that statins can alter thyroid status--ie, improve TSH and lower the inflammation associated with autoimmune disease. People with hypothyroidism can have more of a tendency to have the muscle issues associated with statin use. The kidney references I believe are directed at people with diabetes and hypertension, who are more prone to these issues because of their other conditions.

Typically, it takes about 30 days to see what the effect will be of a particular dose. There are temporary side effects for all of them, most of which ease within 1 to 2 weeks of starting the drug. It's not unreasonable to re-do your blood work a month or so after you start the drugs, to see how effective they are, so that you can do a cost vs. benefit on them. Statins only work while you take them, so once you go off of them your numbers go back to where they were.

Notice, I am completely avoiding the debate over taking them period. There's lots of reading on that, you can decide for yourself based on your other risk factors if it makes sense for you to take these drugs.

As for allergy medicines, some work for certain people, others do not. The issue with them is that those that contain a decongestant, especially one that is pseudaphed based, can cause hyper-like symptoms. You will have to try them to see what works for you and how you react to it.


----------



## Sharon (Mar 30, 2011)

lainey said:


> Okay.
> 
> First of all, it's not likely that you will make those numbers normal with diet and exercise--I have been in the same boat as you, and they need to change by more than half, so you will probably need help from medication. You should still be doing all that you can to lower them that way (and maybe you are) because the side effects with statin medications tend to be the most pronounced at the higher doses.
> 
> ...


Lainey,
Thank you for the reply. He's started me on 40mg. Previously I was on Crestor 40 mg but it was giving me problems with the muscles in my legs. I do watch my diet and exercise that's why he thinks it's inherited. I do understand you avoiding the debate over taking them! 
I didn't realize statins could help with thyroid problems. 
Thank you,
Sharon


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Sharon said:


> I can use some advice. My doctor gave me a prescription for Pravastatin Sodium Tablets because my cholesterol is sky high. He also feels it's inherited.
> 
> Total Cholesterol 346 Range: 100-199
> Triglycerides 270 Range: 0-149
> ...


I sure would not take that. If you are on Armour, clearly you have metabolic endocrine problems.

Also, statins cause tendon ruptures and severe tendon and muscle pain.

If you want some advice on how to handle this naturally, let me know. My cholesterol is 190, tryglicerides 43. Very good HDL (can't remember the numbers) and LDL is low too.

But...................it will require effort on your part. How much Armour are you on? What does your TSH, FREE T3 and FREE T4 look like?


----------



## Sharon (Mar 30, 2011)

Andros said:


> I sure would not take that. If you are on Armour, clearly you have metabolic endocrine problems.
> 
> Also, statins cause tendon ruptures and severe tendon and muscle pain.
> 
> ...


Andros,
I would prefer a natural remedy to this. What I'm doing isn't working. I'm really beginning to believe it's inherited. Because I watch my diet and exercise. The more I read about statins the more I don't even want to touch them. What I'm reading is scaring me to death.
So far I'm on 15mg of Armour. That is going to change today because the doctor said he was going to increase it as soon as my blood work is in sometime today. I don't have the new results in yet (as soon as I get them I'll post them) but these are the results from last month:

Thyroxine (T4) Free, Direct, S
T4, Free (Direct) 0.94 ug/dL 0.82-1.77

TSH
TSH 3.610 ug/dL 0.450-4.500
Triliodothyronine, Free, Serum	2.9	pg/mL 2.0-4.4

I was thinking of starting CoQ10 this weekend. It seems CoQ10 can also help people with heart problems. What do you think about taking Vitamin D supplements? 
Thank you,
Sharon


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Sharon said:


> Andros,
> I would prefer a natural remedy to this. What I'm doing isn't working. I'm really beginning to believe it's inherited. Because I watch my diet and exercise. The more I read about statins the more I don't even want to touch them. What I'm reading is scaring me to death.
> So far I'm on 15mg of Armour. That is going to change today because the doctor said he was going to increase it as soon as my blood work is in sometime today. I don't have the new results in yet (as soon as I get them I'll post them) but these are the results from last month:
> 
> ...


Sharon, once you get that FT3 (Triiodothyronine) up to 75% of the range, you will also find the Total cholesterol to come down

Yes to the CoQ10 and no to the Vitamin D (get out in the sun 20 minutes a day .) If you have been on statins, you need the CoQ10 as statins deplete CoQ10.

Read this and decide for yourself.
Vitamin D
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/arf-vdm040809.php

Here is what I do and it is sure-fire. Use nothing but olive oil. We buy ours at Sam's Club for savings. No other fat except for the little bit you might have w/chicken or turkey. No artificial spreads, no cheese but plenty of yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk........................good probiotics and good source of calcium.

Take a minimum of 3 grams (3000 mgs.) of a good quality Omega III. I prefer Carlson's as it is non-burpable, coldwater fish source.

Walk as much as you can. Hubby and I do 8 miles a day in 2 mile increments (26 minutes each increment) on our driveway, believe that or not.

It just so happens that oils do bring down the cholesterol. It's all about the choice of oils. I suppose you could get walnut oil and all that but we keep it simple around our house. The less complicated things are, the higher the success rate.

I just pour olive oil on my salads, on my popcorn......................I love it!

Then tumeric! You must have tumeric. Make your popcorn, pour on the olive oil, sprinkle w/plenty of tumeric and if you like hot, Capsaicin (powdered red hot peppers.)

Eat a small amt. of Walnuts every day. Take cinnamon powder. I put it in my yogurt every morning. Or get the capsules. Research this. You will see.

Get that body working now so you can reap the full benefit of your Armour and get that cholesterol under control. By the way, I am 68.

Do your research. I know you can do this. Once upon a time, my cholesterol was way out of whack too. Do not despair. You can do this.

I hope you will post your new lab results and ranges when you get them. It is a process. Your doc was wise to start you on only 15 mg. Very wise. Recipe for success.


----------



## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

Actually, statins deplete coQ10, and people with thyroid problems tend to be low on that as well. Much of the "aftermarket" literature suggests taking it as a supplement, or starting it for all people who take statins to combat the muscle aches.

Fixing your thyroid levels (lower the TSH a bit to raise the free T3) could work, but.....just like blood pressure, which normalizes in about 50% of patients when they are euthyroid, optimizing your thyroid levels carries about the same success rate re: cholesterol. You can start by increasing the Armour to see if it helps.

Yes, there is a strong genetic component to hypercholesterolemia. The media tends to leave that out, because many people can shift their numbers quite a bit with diet and exercise if that is the cause. However, if the basis is genetic, it's likely that even with excellent control all of the modifiable factors you will see little result--if those are your numbers with good diet and exercise--go ahead and try harder. Try supplements. Not to diminish supplements, but I have done every single one--not a single one could bring my levels to normal. I have taken fish oil (which can raise LDL), red yeast rice, cinnamon, sterols. Because I get blood work every 3 months or so, I was able to try each alone to see if they had an effect. If you are going to go that route, test each one individually to see if they are effective--combinations are not always better. 
Keep your expectations reasonable. Diet and exercise accounts for 7% or so of your cholesterol numbers. Different supplements work for different people, and some not at all. Different statins work differently too, so if you had problems with one, or one was not effective, don't hesitate to try another if you are so motivated, because like everything, they all work slightly differently in different people, and have different side effects.

Statins as primary prevention, ie, used in people without heart disease, have not been well proven to be effective. In people with existing heart disease, they are a key part of treatment because they are very effective for risk management. As a Framingham risk factor, high cholesterol by itself only adds a low amount of risk to a normal person's profile so, if the high cholesterol is your only risk factor for developing heart disease, it is not to your detriment to try other natural methods to lower your cholesterol.


----------



## Sharon (Mar 30, 2011)

Andros said:


> Sharon, once you get that FT3 (Triiodothyronine) up to 75% of the range, you will also find the Total cholesterol to come down
> 
> Yes to the CoQ10 and no to the Vitamin D (get out in the sun 20 minutes a day .) If you have been on statins, you need the CoQ10 as statins deplete CoQ10.
> 
> ...


Andros,
You're young! My mom will be 90 in November. When she can't walk outside she walks in her basement.
These are the new numbers 
Thyroxine (T4) Free, Direct, S
T4, Free (Direct) 0.98 ug/dL 0.82-1.77

TSH
TSH 4.430 ug/dL 0.450-4.500
Both of these numbers went up. The doctor is upping the Armour to 15mg twice a day starting tomorrow.

I already cook with nothing but olive oil. What does tumeric do? Guess it's time to make more yogurt. My husband uses cinnamon on everything. It helps his blood sugar. His cardiologist has him on statins. He's bound and determined to also quit them. 
This is the first year I'm able to walk so I have been moving a little but will do more.
Andros, let me know what you think of the new numbers.
Thank you,
Sharon


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Sharon said:


> Andros,
> You're young! My mom will be 90 in November. When she can't walk outside she walks in her basement.
> These are the new numbers
> Thyroxine (T4) Free, Direct, S
> ...


Hah; I think what your doctor thinks and he is the bomb. You are so lucky to have found this man.

CoQ10 also will help a "lot" with your allergies. I do not have allergies any more. It will take a few months but you will see the difference.

Curcumin, the active constituent of Turmeric has the ability to communicate with the liver cells and stimulate the LDL receptors. The increased presence of these receptors helps in clearing the LDL or bad cholesterol from the system. Curcumin, is a rich source of Vitamin B6 and prevents the oxidation of cholesterol thus protecting the heart from plaques that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Read this; you will be amazed.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/194199-turmeric-cholesterol/

I have tumeric every single day and we put is in a lot of stuff. Soups, veggies.............whatever we are cooking but my fave is that popcorn dealy!

Cinnamon fights insulin resistance; yes indeed. It keeps the glucose lower. That is why I started taking it years ago but later found out about it's other benefits.

You can do more. Just do one minute more every day. You won't even notice it. Write it down so you keep on schedule. Just one minute! Anyone can do that!

God bless your mom. She kicks some serious butt!

Strong willed, I'll bet?

I also forgot to say that I eat 3 large apples every day, skin and all.

A new study reveals one more important benefit of apples: lowering LDL cholesterol level just by adding 75 grams of this amazing fruit to your daily diet. During the experiments at Florida University, it was found out that this type of "apple diet" can assist people drop their bad cholesterol levels for almost a quarter for the time period of six months. The study involved 160 female volunteers aged between 45 and 65. 80 participants from the group were asked to eat their usual diet and consume 75 grams of dried prunes, and the other half of the group was asked to consume 75 grams of dried apple in addition to their normal daily diet.

http://guide2herbalremedies.com/apples-ldl-cholesterol-lowering/


----------



## Sharon (Mar 30, 2011)

Andros said:


> Hah; I think what your doctor thinks and he is the bomb. You are so lucky to have found this man.
> 
> CoQ10 also will help a "lot" with your allergies. I do not have allergies any more. It will take a few months but you will see the difference.
> 
> ...


Andros,
Thank you for all the help! I'm going to be getting the Coq10 and Omega III tomorrow.
You can bet my mom all 5' of her kicks butt! Strong willed is right on target. I've tried for 30 years to get her to come and live with us but she won't. Her favorite reply, "I'm independent I don't need to live with you or anyone else". My husband will be doing some of this with me. We started with the tumeric tonight. We've been drinking 2 t. of organic apple cider vinegar in 8 oz. of purified water twice a day. My husband swears it has help his sugar levels. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm hoping this increase in Armour is going to help me feel a little more normal.
Sharon


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Sharon said:


> Andros,
> Thank you for all the help! I'm going to be getting the Coq10 and Omega III tomorrow.
> You can bet my mom all 5' of her kicks butt! Strong willed is right on target. I've tried for 30 years to get her to come and live with us but she won't. Her favorite reply, "I'm independent I don't need to live with you or anyone else". My husband will be doing some of this with me. We started with the tumeric tonight. We've been drinking 2 t. of organic apple cider vinegar in 8 oz. of purified water twice a day. My husband swears it has help his sugar levels. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm hoping this increase in Armour is going to help me feel a little more normal.
> Sharon


We do that apple cider thing too!! Unpasturized w/ the mother still in it right? It is a wonderful probiotic also. You go, Sharon.

As your Armour is increased, you will feel normal once again. The goal is euthyroid and this may take a while for as you feel better, you have a tendency to do more. However, you will eventually reach your peak output level and stabilize.

Even though I am passionate about all of this, experiencing your enthusiasm has rekindled even more determination on my part!


----------



## Sharon (Mar 30, 2011)

Andros said:


> We do that apple cider thing too!! Unpasturized w/ the mother still in it right? It is a wonderful probiotic also. You go, Sharon.
> 
> As your Armour is increased, you will feel normal once again. The goal is euthyroid and this may take a while for as you feel better, you have a tendency to do more. However, you will eventually reach your peak output level and stabilize.
> 
> Even though I am passionate about all of this, experiencing your enthusiasm has rekindled even more determination on my part!


Today is the first day of the increase in the Armour. So, in the not too distant future I'm hoping to feel a little better than I do now. The one thing I immediately noticed with the Armour is that I didn't feel like the energy was pouring out of me like it did on the Levothyroxine. 
Yes, the vinegar has the mother. We're also using a lot of garlic. A lot of the old remedies are better than the meds with all the side effects. Did you know they had a tumeric supplement? I saw it today at walmart.


----------

