downhill bob (@downhillbob)

Sue225: I've been on it for about 3 months without incident. Very convenient and my LDL dropped to 50. (below 70 required because of an event.) Triglycerides were 47. No more walking the line and trying to get it down a few more points. Best wishes. Repatha takes good care of you with convient calls to RN's and scheduled notices for taking the medication.

I stopped Lipitor on July 4th. My belief was that the statin induced the neuropathy. See @john Bishop Sept 20 above.

Thanks John for these very good references. I was ready for for a discussion but apparently my neurologist had tagged my chart as being “allergic” to statins based on the huge change after I quit. Going to try adding Zetia to bring the LDL down the last few numbers.
To bring you up to date on my cycling last Friday I rode 52 mi. something I used to do 3x/wk two years ago. My neuropathy “stocking” feeling has dropped from upper calf down to the ankle. Even the toes have less numbness. I feel like I got my life back and am bitter about my previous cardiologist who wouldn’t even talk about trying something else. This trade off of enjoying life so much more vs shorting my lifespan was well worth it to me being 77.

Hi John, You told your doctor that “statins make neuropathy worse”. I have stopped taking lipitor since July 4th with great results in cycling after about 5 weeks. Rode like 3-7 years ago. Now 9/20 its back to being way behind the group going uphill. Seeing my cardiologist Friday who will say its all normal changes with neuropathy and has nothing to do with the statin. Back to your statement that I still agree with. Did you read that somewhere – where or was it your experience. I need some ammunition.

After 7 bypasses in April ’14 I got back on the bike with friends and worked up to 81 miles by August 6. Nothing like friends and exercise.

Hi Casey, I can only give you some thoughts from my experience to factor into your search. He is very young for heart issues but he wouldn’t be the first. I had a nuclear stress test in Dec. ’13. All is Ok no problems. In Apr ’14 I had 7 bypasses. Those tests are great when they disclose things but as someone else has said they don’t tell everything. What doesn’t show up today may in the future. I would ask for some nitro-glycerin. He would take one only when in pain and see if the pain is improved or no change. Sometimes you have to push the Docs. I was taking nitro to climb hills cycling (one day took 3 separate doses – one after each episode of chest pain. Instructions were no more than 3 then call 911. I thought that I should have a angiogram but the MD wasn’t convinced until I told him I just couldn’t go on like this he had to do something. Was he going to send me home? Probably not sometimes they are just test ing how bad you think it is. They usually use the 1-5 or 1-10 scale. Be honest. I would also add to your note taking, light exercise just walking with a little incline and see if the pain comes back. I am convinced that exercise led me to be my own “doctor”.
I also had a friend who ran the Boston Marathon and every day played tennis. He told the MD after jogging a short ways he would “hit the wall”. They ran tests – nothing wrong – go home. He died of a heart event at home setting at his desk. Mayo will be helpful I hope. Let us know.

As Dr. Albert Schweitzer said,”The role of the physician is to awaken the doctor in each patient” The more we know and understand the better the outcome.

@loumac, If your Dad is having just Bypass surgery than don’t stress even though this is surgery. I had had stents and ~10 years later another problem came up. We planned on more stents but when I woke up the MD said there were too many arteries involved and a bypass was necessary. Asked when I wanted to do it, I said,”right now”. Well it had to be scheduled and I ended up with 7 bypasses. I have watched these surgeries and they can be quite routine and these are highly skilled doctors. And tell your Dad this is no excuse to set around. I cycle M<W<F about 30 miles/day.

Relax and the best for your Dad and Family