Lab results after switching from statin to Vit C

[marcf]

I had been taking Lipitor and Niaspan for a couple of years (and made good progress on labs) and last summer I doubled my Lipitor and developed significant muscle problems. Discontinued all of the RX above, found and read the book (Pract. Med without a license) and began the Pauling Therapy. Was doing this very regulary for about 3 months. For about the last 2 months was taking the HeartTechnology at the rate of 1 1/2 jars / mo.

Just got new lab work done and my numbers all went the wrong direction - Triglycerides up, LDL up, HDL, down. (I also gained some weight during this time which may effect numbers as well.)

So wanted to get feedback on this and my expectations... (my doc will want to try new statins when I review the labs with her)
1. Does Vit C / Pauling Therapy need more time? Dosage?
2. Can I expect this to adequately replace my previous drug therapy?

Thanks for the thoughts and feedback.

[Johnwen]

First Niaspan is niacin which is a vitamin but it's time released it has many benifits and would be a good idea to stay on this. Check out your local drug store or wally and look for Slo-Niacin in the vitamin section see if the price is more or less compared to your co-pay. It's the same thing and would be a good idea to stay on it. It's doubled my HDL in the 8years I have been on it.
I take 1000mg right B4 bed.

Need a little more info on your other situation? Hope you don't mind sharing this.
Simple: Are you M or F?
2. What is your age in decades? (example: 45 would be 4, 63 would be 6 etc.)

I've did a lot of research on this subject and there is certain times in peoples life were levels rise and fall and contray to the bs big pharma has polluted our health care system with, it's not whats messing up people hearts but it is a good indicator of a person overall health.

[marcf]

Thanks for the reply.

I am male and 57 (that would be a 5).

I am familiar with Niaspan and took that for years, going up to 2000mg / day before bed. It seemed to work on my HDL As well. After developing muscle problems with Lipitor, my research turned-up that statins, when combined with niacin, have a much higher (like 25x) likelihood of muscle issues. So I stopped both for now. All of this was prompted by carotid artery scan that showed a minor amount of increased thickness. BTW, my last labs were Total Chol = 184, HDL = 38, LDL = 135 and Trig = 79 (Trig actually decreased from 101 6 months ago). Thought this would shed a bit more light on the issue.

[ofonorow]

I read you first post - about the numbers going South, but then you posted:

Thanks for the reply.

I am male and 57 (that would be a 5).

All of this was prompted by carotid artery scan that showed a minor amount of increased thickness. BTW, my last labs were Total Chol = 184, HDL = 38, LDL = 135 and Trig = 79 (Trig actually decreased from 101 6 months ago). Thought this would shed a bit more light on the issue.

So I must now ask, what is the problem?? You are 4 points off from the Ginter predicted ideal total cholesterol of 180 mg/dl. (Likely the statins "artificially" produced different, perhaps lower n umbers.)

Also increased carotid thickness is a welcome sign - means you are making more collagen which is improving (thickening) the health of your carotids arteries.

Are you feeling better, or worse?
Do you or have you had chest pains?
I don't see a problem.

[jozzee]

Always remember, Statins are a scam drug created by the drug companies to see their cholesterol-lowering drugs which have made billions in $$$ for them. We all need our cholesterol, without it we cannot survive. Older people need their cholesterol even more. Besides statins artificially lowering your cholesterol it has a number of serious side effects. It depletes the heart of conenzyme Q10 and causes the heart to go into heart failure. It depletes the brain of cholesterol causing dementia and memory loss. It activates an enzyme that causes muscle pain and muscle damage and remember, even the heart is a muscle. Most doctors trivialize the side effects. Also remember, high cholesterol is only one out of about 200 risk factors "associated with" heart disease but it IS NOT the direct cause of heart disease so don't let your doctor fool you.