I was dianosed in June 2009 with coronary heart problem, with a cholesterol of 5, in the mean time while waiting for further tests I was given 40mg Statins, along with some other Drugs to take, after three days of taking Statins and these other drugs I had a mini Stroke (TIA) I have been well for over 40 years, and I personally blame the Statins for causing my problem which I cannot prove. I have since found out after the tests, I have mild Angina, and a very slight heart valve leak, I am 71 years old. I refused to take any more Statins, and my health as improved every day since the 12 July 2009 when I had the TIA.

Hi, thank you for this. I am not on statins yet, although my doctor says I am headed in that direction. Any advice?
kind regards, Marion in Canada

I had a heart attack on 8 dec 2009 had stent and put on artovastin and like dave now seem to suffer from extreeme fatigue not muscle pain but a seemingly drug induced will to sleep and dry eyes most of the time. Although my cholesterol level was 5.8mmols and has now decreased to 3.2mmols I wonder if my diet or the drug has had the most significant effect on my cholesterol levels? I have been told I will have to take atorvastin for the rest of my life and I too suspect that this is being pushed by the doctors on behalf of the drug companies! As surely there would be more education on lowering cholesterol levels by diet alone if this were not the case. My blood results concerning my cholesterol should astonish the doctors as they didn't expect any significant change for several months! and considering I have managed to almost half my cholesterol within 6 weeks surely someone should be monitoring me or at least advising me more on how to control my cholesterol levels rather than either letting me lower my levels to dangerously low levels or letting them pendulum from one extreme to the other. At present I am taking 80mg lipitor atorvastin a day surely they should consider reducing this if my cholesterol has reduced so rapidly. I must admit after reading this article I am tempted to reduce the levels myself or even abandon atorvastin altogether and watch my diet more and exercise to control my weight and cholesterol levels. I am pretty sure that my heart attack was caused by massive intakes of sugar almost 1 kilogram per day! and a lot of fried bacon sandwiches, no exercise, smoking 30 fags aday and binge drinking all of which I have now cut out. you would think that I would not need any drugs given that now I exercise and eat a massively reduced fat diet and changed my habits dramatically but I have been prescribed 5 different drugs to take every day they being atorvastatin 80mg, bisoprolol 5mg,Rampril 2.5mg x 2 asprin 75mg and prasugrel10mg
The prasugrel is due to be discontinued after 12 months but the rest apparently I have to take for the rest of my life. Does anyone really think that it is so necessary to consume these massive amounts of unnatural drugs to keep me alive or do you think that this is a regime I should follow meticulously?