Statins and arrhythmias??? HELP?

[mimiof3]

OK..had recent total lipid profile done. It came back with total Cholesterol 198, tryg. 157,-hdl-57..ldl ( WAS BAD), BUT DOWN FROM 142 TO 110. Well, I'm already on a BOAT load of meds for these #'s . I take . Are ya ready?? Tricor, Omacor (really pure omega 3 that is by rx only) welchol (625 mgs each and i take 6 a day!) I have lost almost 50 lbs since may, and have been a lil slack on my exercise progrram because of fear of dropping dead on the treadmill with my arrhythmias. My numbers used to be really bad! tryg. have been as high as 360 before and cholesterol 288. My cardiologist nurse just called me back and the doc wants me on crestor . Starting out with 5mg. daily. BOTH of my parents have really high trig. and bad lipid profiles. He thinks a lot of mine has to do with hereditary. I have tried a statin before, PRAVOCHOL (sp) and by the 3rd day i swear I couldn't get off the couch, for every bone in my body felt like it was going to turn to stone. It hurt so bad and I have flu like symptoms. HENCE the change to Welchol, because it works like a statin, but is a BILE something or the other. He said it works through the bowel. WHATEVER! I'm so confused. Now, he wants mo to give the statins another try. I have read that CRESTOR can cause chest pain and pvc's. Have any of you out there had ANY trouble what soever with this statin? Hubby is on 10 mg., and has no problems. Doc wants me tostart out slow and try it...and come in in 6 weeks to check liver. I just cannot believe I have to take such a BOAT LOAD of meds to keep a lipid profile down. Sorry this is so long. I just take so many meds, and so does hubby. We are spending a small fortune every month even with our drug card. Most o fthe drugs I take are non formualre.. WOULD SOMEONE OUT THERE PLEASE..PLEASE TELL ME WHAT CONSTITUTES NON FORMULARY? I know my nonformulary is 50-60 dollars.. just sad, depressed, and throwing about 10 ovc's a minute. I actually have on a 30 day event monitor 9 yes, again) last time was May of 2005. Thanks to all who take the tme to answer if Crestor has worresened any irregualr hb!! Mimi

[mimiof3]

Alright, I KNOW someof you out there have been on Crestor. I REALLY do need some advice. Thanks

[dinney]

Hi!
I have been on lipitor for several years and my dr. decided to change me to another one, can't even remember the name of it but my cholestrial was good with the meds but triglicerides were still high. Well, after 5 days on it, suddenly one day at work my vision was weird, I couldnt' hardly see, heart rate went up (know I was freaking, thinking stroke !)..went to my eye dr. and he asked if I had any medication changes recently and I told him what I was taking and he said "uh huh !" Statins are the hardest medication on your body you can take and it will cause all the sypmtoms you are having, get off it and get back on lipitor if you are tolerating it. Welll, my Dr. was not happy but I did it anyway. Still have the problems with vision, aching muscles and have recently been put on a pill for sinus tachacardia after wearing a monitor for 2 weeks. UGH..so damned depressing and I still feel like crap. Probably not much help but do know what you are going through.

[Lenin]

mimi,
If you had such horrible weakness and pain from pravachol, it is very likely that Crestor will do the same. You can TRY 5 mg. but it might cause you mucho grief. Even at 5 mg., Crestor is a very stong drug.

Your numbers are improving a lot and an LDL of 110 is tolerable as long as you don't have heart disease. Maybe keeping up the weight loss along with your current regimen is good enough.

The Welchol is a bile SEQUESTERENT which binds to bile, which is high in cholesterol, in the intestines and escorts it out the body rather than allowing it to be resorbed into the liver. THis forces the liver to make fresh bile and it pulls cholesterol out of the blood to do it. Net effect is a lowered serum cholesterol.

FORMULARY is the list of drugs that an insurance company will cover or else cover at favorable rates. If you go OUTSIDE the formulary and choose something other drug, you will pay a greater share or even ALL of the cost yourself.

[mimiof3]

DESISIONS!!! I have TRIEd SO hard to get my cholesterol down, and it's so DEFEATING to me that it's still not suitable for my cardiologist. but he realy is the best Austin has and I'm wiling to try it. The one reply I got about losing some vision etc. , well, I USED to suffer from SEVEREE panic disorder...for about 11 yrs. It finally took Luvox ( Fluvoxamine) to CURE them I may add. Don't know if it's in my head or actually helping, but I don't care...it's been 7 yrs. without a full blown panic attack. I am supposed to STAY ON THE WELCHOL also LENNIN!! Does this make sense to you? Really?? I mean.. I asked the nurse, and she said he definitely wants me to stay on everything I listed in above post. I am loaded down with stuff to help cholesterol!! I am wearing a 30 day event monitor as I type this. Been having some runs of PVC's and Pac's. I'm depressed and feel as though I will never be able to exercise again. All other blood work is fine. Live, kidneys, the only thing flaggged was the ldl,a nd cholesterol. I remember the day the doc would have jumped for joy with a cholesterol of 198..from over 300. Now he wants it lower. I did have a CT of my heart. where they put dye in my arm . came back with 20% SOFT plaque in 2 main arteries. I know this is why cardiologist is trying to keep it down. I also know that I fel like a walking time bomb with soft plaque. it is considered UNSTABLE plaque. Doc saysmost of it is reversible. I Will just get on a more stringent diet...as far as fatty foods, and exercise more. Thanks to al who have posted. I'm so down about all this heart stuff.