Health Care

[skeets]

OK I get a letter from my provider, headlined Care Consideration,, ok cool so I read through and it is written as if Im ready to draw my last breath,, You need to see your Doctor and talk to him about this medication STATIN ,,, Now you guys know me and that I dont do much of anything with out looking into it as much as I can. Low and behold I find that it is a name brand drug well several I should say.
The letter says it will reduce my chances of heart disease, lower my bad LDL and raise my good HDL , high BP and diabetes. HOLY SHIT a wonder drug... Except for one thing, my LDL is good my HDL is super, BP stays around 125/75 and my last check up Doc said I will be in the ground 6 months before my heart stops (if I had one I mean, some say I don't).
So it makes me wonder how much money is being kicked back to the Med Ins companies from the Rx companies, or do the Med Ins companies OWN the Rx companies. Whats this world going to be like when the grand babies grow up?

 

[sheepfarmer]

Yeah the relationships are getting cozier by the minute. It used to be unethical for the drug companies to even advertise. Everyone is trying to make or save money.

E.g. There are 4 or 5 general types of osteoporosis meds. Took one and it ruined my joints and arguably my bone surfaces. Taking 2 others but they are not adequately effective. Had 3 broken bones. 2meds left: one, I wouldn't take (don't like side effects, they are irreversible, and if you stop taking it your vertebrae crack.It is an antibody to receptors on osteoclasts, but oh yes same receptors on wt blood cells, so there goes your immune system) The 5th sounds promising, actually builds normal bone, but its expensive. Guess what, insurance won't cover it until osteoporosis worse. Of course all normal bone building depends on weight bearing exercise. Anyone guess at the problem here? Hard to exercise with fractures and crumbling vertebrae. Friend with broken hip taking it, but Eli Lilly is providing his doc with free samples. As noted very cozy, in his case helpful.

 

[sagor]

Statins are one of the greatest bluffs in medical history. The science behind it was flawed in the first place. It is rumored that Pfizer makes 30 BILLION (or is it 3 billion - does not matter...) a year on statins. Why would they ever give up promoting it?
There is a French documentary worth watching:
https://tvo.org/video/documentaries/cholesterol-the-great-bluff
If you cannot get to the Canadian site, just search the title in that link. Watch it twice, and note all the falsehoods behind statins...

Remember, many doctors refuting the documentary are on the pharmaceutical's payroll. Money talks louder than the truth...

Another documentary:
https://topdocumentaryfilms.com/statin-nation-great-cholesterol-cover-up/

 

[CaveCreekRay]

I have been on a low-dose statin for 25 years because of slightly elevated triglycerides.

A couple years ago, I started feeling serious tendon aches after hard work. It was debilitating. I talked to a friend who is a cowboy action shooter. The subject came up with his group of guys around the campfire one night and, though slightly older than me, they all experienced the same thing. One guy spoke up and said he quit the statins and felt great within two weeks. My doctor switched me to Lipitor but, I agree with the online observations and CAS crowd and have just recently quit.

We'll see what my blood panel shows come June at my next physical.

 

[sagor]

I have been on a low-dose statin for 25 years because of slightly elevated triglycerides.

A couple years ago, I started feeling serious tendon aches after hard work. It was debilitating. I talked to a friend who is a cowboy action shooter. The subject came up with his group of guys around the campfire one night and, though slightly older than me, they all experienced the same thing. One guy spoke up and said he quit the statins and felt great within two weeks. My doctor switched me to Lipitor but, I agree with the online observations and CAS crowd and have just recently quit.

We'll see what my blood panel shows come June at my next physical.

Doctor put the wife on statins a couple years ago, she had major muscle aches, tired all the time, etc. Doctor tried another, same effect. When doctor wanted to try a third (injected) statin related drug, we switched doctors. No statins, wife feels fine...

 

[Stmar]

Remember the "Affordable Care Act"? We were told how we would be able to "afford" decent healthcare insurance. Fast forward 8 years and insurance is the only reason my wife is working, a bare bones policy for her is $1200 per month with a high deductible on the open market and only one company covers our area. Her company pays premiums for both of us plus they contribute to our HSA. At year end she gets a statement that breaks down salary, bonuses, and benefits. The health insurance amount was $14,000 for us so you can imagine the burden for the company to insure their employees and dependents. Health care, medications, insurance companies are all out of control IMHO. Need to get the government out of these businesses and let the market dictate.

 

[Charlie5320]

In 2001 I was diagnosed with A fib, and was immediately put on warrifin, and atenol, to thin my blood and slow down the heart. In 2010 I had a heart attack, three stents later, was back to work. Dr. put me on lipitor first, had a reaction to that so he changed to crestor, that was even worse. My cholesterol was only 138, but Dr. said he wanted it in the 80s. He put me on pravastatin, and it has been in the mid 80s now for 7 years or more. So the statins work for me, and they aren't really that expensive. I don't have insurance that covers any of my meds, I pay for them myself. I do have a Walgreens med discount card that I purchase yearly, for I think $25.00.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

I told my wife about this thread...

She reminded me about her recent experience with blood pressure meds. Its a common problem with her family. She was on two different meds and they both made her unable to sleep due to racing heart as well as muscle aches. She walks every day she doesn't go to the gym. She quit the meds and decided to drop a few pounds as its a lot safer.

She has always felt the hidden side effects far outweigh the good in most meds. At her death at 84, her mom was on 8 MAJOR meds including a huge dose of Oxycontin for hip and other pain. My wife swore the Docs had no idea what the interactions between all those drugs were doing to her and has vowed to take only the absolute minimum meds.

Modern medicine is marvelous but, what comes out of that field has a two-edged sword. Never forget the prime paradigm in life: FOLLOW THE MONEY.

 

[sdk1968]

ive tried to stay off meds as much as possible...

not doing any statins, like you guys... i read enough to say not unless there is a proven condition to need them.

vitals are all good & have mostly cleaned up the diet.. thats made the most difference.

 

[Daren Todd]

I was getting scare grams from my prescription drug provider. I happen to be on a statin due to bad genetics Back when I was forced to do mail order prescriptions for my maintenance meds, they would send the scare gram out a couple days after filling my prescription. Filled my prescription then told me I was gonna die, and that I shouldn't be taking this drug This company was also horrible to deal with.

Once they opened up a pharmacy locally, I switched from the mail order to a live person. No more scare grams, other then the mail order side trying to talk me into switching back to them. Apparently they are separate companies under the same name