Reply to Are most people over 50 on some kind of medication?

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[quote=Anonymous]So for the anti-meds poster:

There are things in our life that build up over time:  hardening of the arteries is largely genetic, but can be avoided/reduced with statins and other meds (PCSK9 inhibitors).   In my case, I was more with genetic high cholesterol.  I have known about it since I was 10.  I have been on meds since then....nothing was effective until statins came along 30 years ago.

I have been on the maximum dose of statins from the age of 23 to present (50 years).  My LDL cholesterol dropped from 300 down to about 210 on the first, 200 on the second, and 180 on lipitor.  That is still very high -- more meds were added.

One of them (an OTC supplement, Niacin) worked and doubled my HDL (18 to 36), but had nasty side effects on me -- it damaged my pancreas so I am now diabetic, and also triggered asystolic syncope (meaning my heart would stop for 10-20 seconds under stress).  I no longer take niacin.  And I have a pacemaker.  But, thanks to the Niacin, I have to take medicine for the diabetes.

Today, (as of about 1.5 years ago), we have a new class of PCSK9 inhibitors.  Expensive as hell, but it works. My LDL is down from 180 to 63.

Oh, in the process of living with the low HDL and high LDL for all those years, I developed multiple blockages.   Based on family history, it seems that the Statins delayed that for 10 years -- that mean that, instead of bypass surgery, I got stents.  Stents are holding, but I need to take an anti-clotting drug.

So this accounts for my cholesterol meds, heart meds my diabetes meds.

I also have had cancer, which resulted in the removal of a kidney.  As such, I can not tolerate many of the diabetes drugs:  they largely work by making the kidneys more effective at removing sugar.  So I take insulin for the diabetes.

Finally, if you lived with all of this all your life, you would need an anti depressant too.[/quote]

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