Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
life-saving book, 7 Oct 2008
After taking statins for several years, my mother-in-law suddenly became very forgetful - repeating the same question four times in less than 15 minutes, forgetting that she had gone shopping or to the doctor that morning, unable to remember how she had arrived there, etc. It was quite frightening for all of us.
I suspected the prescription drug she was taking but repeated internet searches did not indicate that memory loss is a major side effect of statins. Confusion is mentioned, but not even as one of the major side effects. Because I am aware of the toxicity of all drugs, however, I begged her to take a rest from the statins - just for a week, say.
The battle to persuade my parents-in-law that she needed to stop the statins went on for months until, with the help of this book and "The Great Cholesterol Con" by Dr Malcolm Kendrick (don't get the other book by the same name: it's good but boring), they finally agreed that she should stop - just for a few days, mind you - this so-called "medication" (it's clearly just a poison by another name). Within 10 days of coming off simvastatin (aka Zocor), she was noticeably better, but we're still not sure she will recover completely.
I believe these two books helped to save her life - and certainly the quality of her life. Graveline covers statin alternatives and the little-known disadvantages of lowering cholesterol but the book is mainly about the memory-loss effects of statins. It is frightening: the author, a medical scientist, family doctor, and former astronaut, suffered several events of total memory loss, which led him to investigate the horrors of statins.
P.S. I have now mentioned the memory loss aspect to several people I have come across who are taking statins and every one of them has suddenly realised they have been suffering recent memory losses too!
P.P.S. This book has been republished in 2008 with a new name: Statin Drugs Side Effects. And Graveline has since written another excellent book called "The Statin Damage Crisis".
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35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
About time patients are taken seriously., 2 Aug 2004
My husband has been on various statins for many years, and was often switched from one to another to try either for better results or to attempt to avoid side affects. He was put on Lipitor by a hospital consultant in about May/June 2002 and had very bad side affects which included severe confusion, irritability, aggression and a general change in his personality, which was apparent to all. His tongue also became tender and was covered with a yellow coating. (Which lasted for the following two years). He also started having abdominal pains. He stopped his Lipitor and told the consultant so on his next visit explaining why. As is so often the case in the field of medicine, the doctor responded with arrogance and a total lack of concern re the side affects mentioned, saying that if my husband could not follow instructions he needs to think of being treated elsewhere. He came across as being more concerned with his stats than with how a human life was being affected!!! We only found out two years later that statins suppress one's immune system. This was after he had suffered severe debilitating weakness, very high acidity and abdominal pain (for those two years) which turned out to be partly caused by a yeast infection as well as Helicobacter Pylori, which his body had been unable to fight. Even after courses of antibiotics these both continued to different degrees and it is only now after taking himself off statins (Crestor this time!!) again and this time FOREVER, that he is starting to respond to treatment, turn the symmptons around and find the active, motivated person that we lost years ago. Hopefully the damage done can be reversed in full. It is about time that the medical profession in general, repeat in general, remember that we own our own bodies, and that they are just fulfilling a service for which they are paid (and very handsomely, if a consultant) in the same way that the rest of us are doing!!! So it is all the more refreshing to read a book like this, by a doctor, together with all the other info from enlightened doctors which is appearing on the internet. As I originally found this book through trawling the web and went onto www.amazon.com to check it out further, before switching to the UK site to order it, I recommend that you too go there for further enlightening reviews. If you are a statin eater you won't regret doing so.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Lipitor: Thief Of Memory, 9 Sep 2009
A very interesting read and relevant subject matter for anyone with concerns about Statin medication. A bit too medical in some parts for those not working in the profession, but nevertheless a worthwhile purchase.
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