Lipitor Neurological Side Effect: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer's

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Lipitor Neurological Side Effect:

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer's 

 

http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2006/10/07/lipitor_neurological_side_effect\

_amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis_alzheimers.htm#

 

 

 

Lipitor and other statin drugs are well known for their degradation of muscle

tissues and the sometimes excruciating pain that comes with this. What is

less well known is that the progression of this muscle wasting side effect may

lead to a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis   , also called Lou

Gehrig's disease or

motor neurone disease, described as a chronic, progressive, almost invariably

fatal neurological disease.

 

 

 

[picture of " Former NASA Scientist Astronaut Duane 'Doc' Graveline " on

website]

 

 

 

 

 

Duane 'Spacedoc' Graveline M.D., author of

Statin Drugs Side Effects: the misguided war on cholesterol [

http://www.spacedoc.net/statin_side_effects.html ]

 

 

 

Statins are the absolute best sellers in the pharmaceutical armamentarium

against " high cholesterol " which in itself is not a disease

http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2003/06/03/forget_cholesterol_its_really_no\

t_relevant.htm  

but has been heavily promoted as an indication of future cardiovascular trouble.

 

 

The use of these drugs is associated with serious side effects, most

prominent is a degeneration of the muscular tissue and debilitating pain that

comes

with it. If you have any doubt whatsoever about this, please read two earlier

articles on this site:

 

Lipitor - The Human Cost

http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2004/01/31/lipitor_the_human_cost.htm

 

and

 

Lipitor: Side Effects And Natural Remedy

 

http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2004/03/18/lipitor_side_effects_and_natural\

_remedy.htm

 

Quite apart from the damning information in the articles themselves, you will

see that literally hundreds of readers have added accounts of their personal

experiences of the side effects of the statin drugs they are taking.

 

This can no longer be put this down to lack of information about the effects

of these drugs. The pharmaceutical producers are hooked on the billions they

are making and are doing everything possible to make the FDA and other

regulatory agencies look the other way. Doctors are largely being kept in the

dark as

well. Perhaps you can help to bring the carnage to an end by copying this

article plus the two earlier ones and making your doctor pay attention. There is

little hope that the FDA or any other regulatory agency will act as long as the

pharma manufacturers say that " everything's ok " . We need a doctors' revolt.

 

But let's take a closer look now at nerve degeneration as a possible statin

side effect. Duane Graveline http://www.spacedoc.net/  , who is a former NASA

scientist and astronaut as well as a medical doctor, has an explanation for the

neurological effects of statins and it's not just theoretical. He has

encountered many cases that suggest this is really happening.

 

Read his report here, including several accounts of ALS patients:

 

- - -

 

 

ALS AND STATINS: EPIDEMIC?

 

Another case just reported to me of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

associated with the use of statin drugs. Only a year ago the numbers of case

reports of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis reported to my repository was a trickle

-

now it is a relative flood. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind that

the numbers of reports I am seeing now are far more than usually expected in a

group the size of my reporting population. One naturally wonders about this

curious relationship with statin drugs and what the possible mechanism of action

might be.

 

Recently a neuroscientist, V. Meske, reported in the European Journal of

Neuroscience a very relevant study

http://www.neurosite.com/pt/re/neuroreport/abstract.00009274-200317010-00009.htm\

;jsessionid=FsJdpnHqRC0vrhZNfpgyN2bvxdj6zpMXnH

9bSSB3cpJdLj2lH2s0!-910938601!-949856144!8091!-1   about the ability of

statin drugs to cause neuronal degeneration. To refresh your memory statin drugs

are designed to inhibit cholesterol synthesis [in the liver] by their effect on

the mevalonate pathway http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMG-CoA_reductase_pathway 

  . It seems that a consequence of the inhibitory effect of statin drugs on

the mevalonate pathway is the induction of abnormal tau protein phosphorylation.

Tau protein phosphorylation goes on to form neurofibrillatory tangles, long

known to be the prime suspect in causing the slowly progressive neuronal

degeneration of Alzheimer’s disease. Sometimes this process is accompanied by

Beta

amyloid deposition but more commonly not. Research scientists are now finding

that this mechanism appears to be true for ALS and many other forms of

neurodegenerative diseases as well. They have even coined a new word for this,

the

taupathies.

 

Statin associated taupathies or tauopathies may well be additional gross

evidence of collateral damage to existing cellular chemistry that our

researchers

were unable to predict when they originally created the statins. All this from

a class of drugs originally designed simply to inhibit the biosynthesis of

cholesterol, which is a vital substance now proven to be irrelevant to the

atherosclerotic process.

 

Very few primary care physicians are familiar with the association of statin

drug use with ALS and most are disinclined to use warnings from websites such

as mine about statin drug side effects, saying they are anecdotal. These “

anecdotes†are the patient’s histories! Doctor Ellsworth Amidon, my Vermont

College of Medicine professor of medicine, used to say, “Heed well the words

of

your patients, my young doctors, they are telling you the diagnosis.â€

 

Most physicians feel that the pharmaceutical industry is on guard for side

effects such as this and if no black box warning is out, the drug is safe. This

is terribly naïve. Nor is FDA’s Medwatch an effective monitor of drug safety.

My personal experience with Medwatch is that it is an adequate repository only

.. As an example, primary care physicians were denied the existence of statin

associated amnesias until Wagstaff et al reported in Pharmacotherapy their 60

cases gleaned from a Medwatch review in 2003. I can only hope that readers of

this paper, especially those having relevant symptoms, will bring this subject

to the attention of their doctors. Print out this paper for them and urge them

to check their own literature.

 

My first case report will demonstrate how carefully guarded the drug industry

is about this relationship. “Hundreds of folders†might be an exaggeration

but, as a specialist in both family practice and preventive medicine, even [the

existence of] ten folders frightens me.

 

Duane Graveline MD MPH

Author, Statin Drugs Side Effects: the misguided war on cholesterol 

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMG-CoA_reductase_pathway ]

www.spacedoc.net 

spacedoc

- - - - -

 

Recent ALS patient case reports

 

 

“My dad died on 6/1/06 at the age of 65 from a six-year battle with ALS.  I

said to my mom a million times that dad got ALS from taking Lipitor.  When he

was taking it he would wake up in the middle of the night from severe muscle

pain and cramping.  When he told his doctor about it, his doctor said, " Hey, I

get aches and pains too, but that's life " , then he doubled my father's dosage. 

My dad finally was diagnosed with the ALS and kept taking the Lipitor because

no one told him of any connection of his aches and pains and the Lipitor.  He

went from stumbling, to falling down, to walking with arm braces, to a

walker, to a wheelchair, to total paralysis except for his hands.  I watched

him die

from a disease that took away every bit of his pride and dignity because he

needed help eating and going to the bathroom to being completely paralyzed and

helpless. He was a proud, strong hard working carpenter and this disease

turned him into a sobbing, completely petrified paralyzed person. My dad worked

for

an " extremely " wealthy man who finally sent him to and paid for him to see

one of the United States top neurologists after he was diagnosed.  After seeing

this doctor for a while I said to him that I thought my dad might have gotten

ALS from taking Lipitor and the doctor said, “You see all of those folders

behind me (there were hundreds)? He said, â€Those are all cases that

pharmaceutical companies have sent me of people who are in law suits because

they think

they got ALS from their cholesterol-lowering medications and they want me to

read

them all over and decide if I think that is the case or not.†He said, “In

your father's case, honestly I'm just not sure.†Well I know Lipitor gave my

dad ALS no matter what anyone says.  It took away my four small children's

grandpa and memories they will never have with him.  I just wish doctors would

inform their patients before they prescribed them a medication of the side

effects

and risks of that medication so the patient could decide if they wanted to

risk it or not.  Maybe if someone told my dad this from the beginning he would

have opted to lower his cholesterol in another way.â€

 

- - -----------------------

 

“Sadly, I did not stop taking the Lipitor in time. After feeling back to

normal for a short time I took a sudden downturn and was diagnosed with ALS last

week. I am losing strength and mobility every day. I would like to join any

lawsuit against Pfizer.â€

 

- - --

 

“The first neurologist gave Dad about an hour long electrode and needle test

in arms and legs (we were in the room and watched) and provided us a

medical/technical written report several full pages long to take to our second

opinion.  He was pretty sure it was ALS, but emphasized we needed to go to an

ALS-specialized neurologist. Right now we are focused on his health and the

battle

against Lipitor.â€

 

- - --------- - - - - -

 

“My neurologist has done a complete turn in his diagnosis. A few weeks ago he

told me that he didn't think that my speech and swallowing problems were

caused by Lipitor and that he thinks that I DO have ALS! Well, he calls my

problems " atypical " ALS because I have d teriorated slowly. At this point in

time I

have had problems for almost three years. Currently, I can barely speak and my

speech is pretty unintelligible. Further, I have such great difficulty in

swallowing that I can only eat pureed food and I have lost a lot of weight. I am

tired a lot, feeling weak and my breathing has declined somewhat. I have been

off statins for 2 1/2 years and that has not restored my vigor.â€

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

“I am a veterinary pathologist, that does a lot of neuropathology, and

unfortunately, I am the patient with neurologic issues currently. I have been on

Lipitor 40mg qd for 6 years (increased from 20 mg qd 2 years ago). Over the past

2 years, I have noticed increased weakness, extreme fatigue, shortness of

breath, and very significant loss of muscle mass (postural muscles, laryngeal

muscles, legs/arms, etc.).  The loss of muscle mass in the lower legs has led

to

significant edema, which was the main clinical signs that my physicians were

focusing on to try and explain. After some consideration, I became convinced

that I had ALS.  I have also experienced short-term memory loss, have trouble

finding the right word, have trouble dictating my biopsy cases fluidly, and have

significant depression. I have a referral with a neurologist tomorrow for an

initial evaluation.â€

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

I came across your website while doing some research concerning the side

effects of cholesterol medication.  My mom has been taking cholesterol

medication

for 15 years now.  Recently the past couple months she has been showing signs

of ALS.  These symptoms include muscle weakening in the arms, tingling,

twitching, slurred speech, fatigue, neck aches, and an overall mood change. 

She

went to see a couple different doctors and they have taken her off her

medication.  One of the doctors told her that she has ALS. I am not convinced

that she

has ALS.  I still have a strong feeling that this has something to do with her

cholesterol medication.  She has always watched her diet and before all these

major symptoms occurred, she was working out really hard. We are in serious

need for some answers.  I am so worried about my mom.  She is only 48 years

old

and her spirits are so low.â€

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

“I would first like to thank you for all your work.  It never really occurs

to you that one day you may have to face a diagnosis like this until it

happens.  It is incredibly uplifting to have people like yourself offering

information like this to all of us!  However I have a question or request... My

mother

(65yrs old) has been healthy her entire life until recently being diagnosed

with ALS.  In our efforts to put her on more medications I noticed she has been

taking these statin drugs for about a year now (Zocor & Lipitor).  My question

to you... how strong are the relationships between statin drugs and ALS or

side affects similar to ALS?  Are there any doctors out there that truly

understand the relationship and are willing to consult us on what we can do to

help my

mother?  Any names would be incredibly appreciated.â€

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

“Hello, I was on Lipitor for three years; complained of hand and stomach

cramps to my doctor and stayed on the drug; finally went to see a neurologist

who

promptly diagnosed me with ALS and gave me three to nine months to live.  My

sense is that Lipitor affects the myelin sheath -- is this correct?“

 

- - -

 

“I have a scheduled appt. with a neurologist.  I found out my Creatinine

Kinase was 386 on March 31, 2005 and was taken off Lipitor.  I asked for my old

records and found that it was at 237 in February of 2004 and was taking Lipitor

for 14Mo  (20mg per day). With all the research I have done, I feel this was

the cause, however, my doctor said he does not know what is wrong with me. 

Since January 2004, MS was ruled out and but I have lost fine motor skills and

walk unsteady.  Have weakness and loss of muscle in hands.  I fell down the

stairs last week.  Do you think this could be from the statins and is there a

cure?  I work a physical job, need my income and I am only 55 yrs old.  Please

advise... Thank you.â€

 

- - -

 

“My mom has been on cholesterol medication for almost 15 years. She is only

48 years old. The medicine she has been on ranged from all different types of

statin drugs. The last being Zocor and then a switch to Vytorin. She has always

suffered from stomach problems and then the last couple years she has noticed

muscle weakening in her hands and cramping. After vigorously exercising

recently, the problems seemed to get worse. There is not much muscle left in her

hands and she finds that her arms are very weak. Her muscles are easily tired

and after a recent EMG she has noticed twitching throughout her body. She also

seems to have slurring in her speech and difficulty writing. Basically the

doctors are leaning towards ALS. I just have a hard time believing that this is

the answer. Could it be possible that these really are side effects from the

Statin Drugs?? Supposedly her EMG results were not great and the last doctor she

saw seemed to think it was ALS. She has been off the statin drugs for 2 months

now. Her symptoms are not any worse; they have pretty much stayed the same. I

am so worried about her, but refuse to believe that she has a life

threatening disease. I'm just trying to get my mom back.â€

 

- - -

 

“I have a preliminay diagnosis of ALS. I am a 57 year-old male and have been

on Simvistatin (Zocor) for 12+ years at 60mg a day. I am a medically retired

pilot. Last Thanksgiving I thought at first I had had a stroke but over time I

realized that this was no stroke as muscle weakness and movement were getting

worse. A CT scan ruled out stroke so they sent me to a neurologist and he has

made the preliminary diagnosis. I have an MRI, EMG and Nerve velocity test

coming up. I have stopped taking Zocor (gradually) and it seems that symptoms

have leveled off. Maybe wishfull thinking but they are definately not

progressing

at the rate they were. I am not getting any better at this time but not

getting worse as far as I can see.â€

 

- - -

 

“I am a 48 year-old woman. I have been on various statin drugs for 13 years.

I have been on Zocor the most. About 2 years ago, the Dr. put me on Zocor and

Zetia 20/10 mg. After a while, I started getting muscle cramps in my hands,

legs, neck, and abdomen. I complained to the Dr. about it but he said to try and

tolerate it because my numbers were so good. About a year ago, he switched me

to Vytorin. After about a month or two, I noticed that my hands were getting

weak---I had difficulty with buttons and zippers and tying. Upon starting the

Vytorin, I also started a vigorous exercise routine of running 4 miles 3 to 4

times a week and doing a boot camp routine. I then I noticed I had trouble

doing lateral lifts with my right arm. I thought I had a weight lifting injury

and then I thought I had carpal tunnel. Went to see my Dr. who noticed I had

muscle atrophy between my thumb and index finger on my right hand. Thank God I'm

left-handed. He sent me to a neurologist who did all the tests, MRI, EMG,

nerve, etc. After the EMG, I started twitching all over. I couldn't even sleep.

The neuro said I was probably in the early stages of ALS. I have been off

statins for about 4 mos now. I haven't gotten any worse for which I am grateful.

Whenever I overdo physically, I pay for it. On my last visit to the neuro, he

was

surprised at how strong I still am. He still thinks I am in the early stages

of ALS but then added that he wouldn't " bet the farm on it " . This comment gave

me hope.â€

 

Duane Graveline MD MPH

 

 

See also:

 

STATINS MAY CAUSE NERVE DAMAGE

http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/58/9/1333

A Danish study reports that some people who took statin drugs to lower

cholesterol developed a type of nerve damage called polyneuropathy.

Polyneuropathy

is characterized by tingling, numbness and burning pain as well as decreased

sensitivity to temperature or pain. When a person suffers nerve damage, a doctor

is supposed to look for a cause, such as diabetes, lack of vitamin B12, Lyme

disease, kidney disease, thyroid disease or alcohol abuse. People who had

taken statins and developed polyneuropathies were checked for known causes of

nerve damage. Researchers showed that people taking statins were 4 to 14 times

more likely to develop polyneuropathy than those who did not take statins.

Statins include Lescol, Lipitor, Mevacor, and Pravachol. Check with your doctor

about any side effects from your medications. Reference: Neurology May 14,

2002;58:1321-1322, 1333-1337

 

 

--

 

posted by Sepp Hasslberger on

Saturday October 7 2006

 

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