What do you think of Mom's physician's insistence that she take meds to reduce her cholesterol?

Thanks to you all! I did research prior to posting my question, but wanted some firsthand information rather than relying on a Dr looking at a # and a guideline from the pill pushers. She retested yesterday, waiting for the results.
I've posted questions previously regarding my step-dad, a dementia patient residing in an alz facility. Poor Mom has been on quite an emotional roller coaster ride (with me) arranging for his care (more ER visits than I care to count). She's tougher than I realized. Thanks, again.
Hope everything is going well for all of you (and yours)!

Good research Garden Artist, as always, we can count on you.

Jeanne, what did the hosts of the picnic serve to the families from the lower cholesterol study? Was it low in cholesterol?

1. Expanding the issue of doctors who may routinely prescribe drugs vs. whose who try to find safer methods...

One of my father's PCPs advised taking Fosomax for osteoporosis. Dad did take it until the side effects became too irritating. During the time he took it, his osteoporosis continued to develop.

Despite the alleged "positive" effect of Fosomax, Dad still fell twice and suffered femur fractures both times, after having been on Fosomax.

When we saw a different PCP, he was adamant that Dad "needed to be on something" for osteoporosis. By that time, the osteo horse was already out of the barn.

Now, if you're curious, research the side effects of Fosamax, as well as the class actions suits filed against the manufacturer. One of the side effects is osteonecrosis of the jaw.

And read the last sentence of the third paragraph in this link which states that researchers have discovered Fosmax actually can cause bones to weaken and crumble.

drugwatch.

Read the next 2 paragraphs if you're prepared to become annoyed if not angry at Merck.


2. Big pharma pushers and doctors. Some hospitals, U of M I believe, have taken positions that doctors cannot accept gratuities from pharmas. HOORAY!

I'm glad Dad decided to dump this toxic drug before he had any more fractures.

Gerry, I wouldn't worry much about cholesterol with the numbers you gave. The new standards can be difficult for women to achieve. Their total cholesterol tends to run higher than men's. Back in the day we used to consider total cholesterol over 250 and LDL over 190 as high. I think these are sane numbers, particularly for older patients.

My mother had a total cholesterol of around 200 last year. Her doctor mentioned a statin and I said no to it. Maybe I was wrong, but my mother is 88 with some physical problems and cognitive deficits. Who knows? Maybe the extra cholesterol helped with her brain functioning. 200 did not seem high enough to me to worry about putting her on another medication. She took a statin for years. It was habitual and we decided to discontinue because her numbers looked okay. If her total went above 250 we would consider a statin, since my mother has hypertension. But 200 -- no, not high enough IMO.

My husband was a subject in an international study concerning cholesterol. I don't know how long the study ran, but he was in it for 9 years.

Each time there was a gathering for families (annual picnic and a few other events) they would go over the risk factors for heart attacks:
1) Bad genes. Genetic factors were the #1 cause.
2) Smoking
3) Untreated high blood pressure
I think there was something else
5) high cholesterol

Personally, I think if you smoke and/or aren't willing to treat your high blood pressure, it makes no sense to worry about your cholesterol. If you don't treat the major causes, why bother with the lesser causes?

But assuming your mother doesn't smoke and doesn't have high blood pressure, then the issue of whether she should try to treat the cholesterol problem, and how, is controversial. You have talked to two doctors who have differing opinions. You will probably see those same two opinions repeated over and over on the forum.

Wait for the 30-day re-check. Ask each doctor to explain their recommendation (if you haven't heard it already). Do a little research. But ultimately Mom has to make a choice. I don't think there is an obvious right answer here.

I think that if the drug companies, and insurance companies who got together to change the terminology and the cholesterol levels that indicate how high cholesterol is determined, would get together and change the levels to the truth, less people would be said to have high cholesterol.

Physician, first, do no harm!

What do I think? That doctors would do their patients good if they did their own research on statins and other meds touted by the pharmaceutical industry. I think that if they stopped catering to the drug reps coming to their offices with freebees, and instead used that time to see patients at their appointment time, care would get better. I think that there is hardly any valid clinical evidence for the use of statins for the average elderly patient and just as much opposing research so much so that any thinking person would refuse these drugs just for the side effects alone. I would rather have the physician write in my medical record that I was non-compliant than take the latest fad drugs being super-hyped mostly by HMO protocols to save money rather than treat the patient as an individual.

If I had input into that decision, it would be, "No."

In your research on statins, be sure to also research the class action lawsuits against the manufacturers of them.

My mother was advised to take them, back before we were wise enough to research side effects. She did develop some of the side effects, but we didn't realize they could be related to statins, and so, didn't make the connection.

A few of my friends have taken them and stopped b/c of the side effects.

I'm very opinionated on this issue and would prefer to use natural remedies before taking drugs with such known side effects. I also firmly believe that genetics plays a large part. My father was told by one of his PCPs that his cholesterol levels were better than the doctor's own levels and my father eats anything he wants to, including KFC if he's in the mood.

My Mom's doc recommended no statins for the elderly. Rationale: the possible benefits did not outweigh the potential side effects. I would agree with horselady21.
Be sure and read up on the statin drugs and not just info put out by the drug companies.

Read up on the side effects of Statins, or better yet, read one of the books (Statin nation, etc). As soon as I read those, and read side effects, and the fact that our bodies NEED cholesterol, especially our brains, I immediately stopped my mom's.

I can certainly understand why her doctor wants to get her cholesterol numbers under better control. While some are very against using statins my research shows they can be helpful even in the very old. You really need to watch for side effects and understand the risk factors that might lead to problems in someone her age though. Are you able to try lifestyle changes to reduce her cholesterol? The mayo clinic lists 5... eat heart healthy, exercise, quit smoking,lose weight and limit alcohol. (there is much more detail on the website)