Customer Reviews

Lipitor: Thief of Memory, Statin Drugs and the Misguided War on Cholesterol

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A must read for anyone who is even remotely interested in how our sickness care, billed as health care, system works. Dr. Graveline, like many, obviously a very conscientious doctor, was suddenly faced with a number of dilemmas when he experienced transient global amnesia (memory loss) induced by Lipitor (one of the statin cholesterol lowering drugs). Interestingly the manufacturer even proclaims that there is no connection with its use to prevent heart disease or heart attacks yet the use use of this useless drug continuers through slick marketing

This short eminently readable work discusses, among other issues, what Transient Global Amnesia (TGA) is, how the statin drugs work, the myth of the Cholesterol/Modified Low Fat Diet etc. of special interest is the role of cholesterol particularly in the brain. It is shown how statins can transverse the blood brain barrier and interfere with the normal functioning of the brain. This is most important in those who have a dramatic reduction when using statins ..."abrupt, major decreases of serum cholesterol from statin drug therapy should be taken more as a warning than as an indication of success, for cognitive side effects seemed more likely to occur in these cases."...

Mention is made of a ..."recent PROSPER trial published in Lancet, that statin therapy increased the incidence of cancer deaths , completely offsetting the SLIGHT decrease in deaths from cardiovascular disease and further complicating interpretation of reported benefits from statin therapy." Not to mention other significant side effects of liver/kidney damage, muscle pain/injury, Coenzyme 10 (CQ10) depletion essential for heart health and continued deficiency of heart essential Vitamin Bs and other nutrients.

Their is a cogent discussion between correlation of good diet and disease. This alone is worth the price of the book. No one, but no one, has ever had a drug deficiency yet our medical system continues to discourage the use of nutrients in lieu of generally toxic drugs! They never even look at the underlying causes which these drugs sadly mask - much to the detriment of the patient.

Given the benefits of cholesterol lowering borders more on speculation then in fact (mostly from manipulated statics) it is surprising that there is a need to reduce cholesterol at all. Yet both Drs. Graveline and Cohen (in the forward) still seem to feel the need to do so indicates how ingrained the cholesterol lowering mantra has taken hold in the medical community.

Should your doctor suggest statins or for that matter any other cholesterol lowering drug just say "here take this (book) and call me in the morning...."

Dr. Graveline's book is an absolute gem. The information contained in relatively few pages is astounding and will open the eyes of many readers.
In a personal account as a victim of serious side effects of Lipitor Dr. Graveline describes the frightening experience he had when first using the drug. No one believed that his symptoms (total cognitive amnesia) were anything other than some cerebral problems such as a stroke and the ordeal must have been devastating to say the least.
The good doctor, having been an upstanding physician and scientist of mainstream medicine all his professional life was cruelly and unexpectedly turned into a victim, then a rebel.
A skeptic at heart, this Astronaut and physician was left to his own devices to find answers to his dilemma, a dilemma that was threatening to finish his career, his marriage and his life.
Specialists he consulted made hasty decisions, put on their know-it-all facial expressions and expressed heartfelt sympathy to all concerned about the obvious sad situation that saw a brilliant mind being cut down in its prime.
Dr. Graveline describes many other cases of people who suffered similar side effects and he elaborates in sufficient detail on the misguided war on cholesterol. He shows that ample proof exists that cholesterol as the bogeyman behind heart and blood vessel disease is the product of a very faulty hypothesis. He points out the flaws in the original theory by Dr. Ancel Keys in the fifties and cites study after study that does not support the prevailing dogma but, in most cases, clearly shows the opposite.
He enters controversial -and possibly dangerous- territory when he explains some of the reasons why apparently sane and caring physicians keep prescribing these statin drugs when they must know that there is no proven need to lower cholesterol and that the side effects of the medication are serious.
He wonders whether it is all about money, a thought he appears to have difficulty accepting.
Dr. Graveline does not want to fly in a plane piloted by a statin taker. He knows that there is a possibility -no matter how remote- that the pilot will suddenly fall ill and have no memory whatsoever of having had flight training.
This book ought to be a must read for anyone on statins . Anyone taking any medication ought to do so only after being informed about possible side effects. Any doctor, as Dr. Graveline points out, being lax in this regard is practicing under false pretenses.

Here we have a must read for anyone with an over active doctor who likes dispensing "Cholesterol Pills". Dr. Graveline first describes some rare and not so rare side-effects of cholesterol lowering drugs on the mind [memory loss, poor fuzzy thinking]. Then there are some of the more debilitating physical effects of these drugs from the reduction of CoQ10, the vital energy producer and "catalytic converter" of every nerve and muscle cell. Then there is more cancer in older people ..

As statins lower cholesterol, they also lower in lock-step some truly vital body chemicals [CoQ10, squalene and other important products]. Being aware of such side effects may prevent damage that can result.

Graveline then suggests that this may all be worth it IF THERE WOULD BE A BENEFIT in survival from taking statin drugs like Lipitor or Zocor, but there is no such clear benefit. In fact, all statins trials combined may NOT have extended the life of a single woman! [British Medical Journal, Oct. 18 2003:933] Three of the latest massive trials either showed no heart disease benefit [ALLHAT] or no improved survival in anybody [ASCOT, PROSPER, and again ALLHAT].

The author gives important warnings, but the book goes further in describing what really underlies the decline of artery health [and you're only as young as your arteries].

He debunks the CHOLESTEROL MYTH and presents SIMPLE PREVENTION STRATEGIES with B vitamins that lower the "natural blood toxin" homocysteine. He then proposes to leave the "low fat and cholesterol" high starch and refined junk flour products on the shelf and to eat less refined products, even if they are higher in fat and cholesterol in their natural state [high nutrient products].

Buy this book if you're on a statin [it's cheaper than a week's worth of Lipitor] and then give it to a doctor since they are the ones that either prescribe the drugs, or propose sensible alternatives.

Drugs are NOT the underlying cause of heart disease and there is little evidence they can fix arteries after they are damaged -and long-term harm to the mind, to muscle [weakness], to nerves and from cancer may well await those not paying attention to the side effects. This book may help you prevent such harm.

Unless you have been on Statins and have experienced the negative side effects that they can cause, you won't appreciate this book. I am a college educated, experienced professional, who experienced VERY disturbing side effects while on Statins (memory loss, fatigue, muscle pain, etc.). Don't buy into the "I'm a Doctor, I'm a Scientist, I should know" B.S. from some reviews of this text. Trust your gut and question everything that anyone tells you to put into your body - M.D. or Naturalist. Anyone pushing a hard sell has an agenda - usually monetary.

Statin use is questionably "safe" in my opinion and anyone on them should read this very informative book!

P.S. The Author is an M.D. himself and a former NASA Flight Surgeon. Check out www.spacedoc.net

This is a much enlightening book about the true causes of coronary heart disease, the number one killer in our modern society. I think this is a fact based book, written in an amenable style which uncovers many hidden truths about the misguided war on cholesterol by the traditional medical establishment. In my opinion, it is absolutely convincing: how is it possible that such an ubiquituous substance like cholesterol, that is produced by our liver because it is indispensable for so many biological processes, may be the primary cause of such a destructive disease like atherosclerosis? It's something not very logical, to say the less, that so many millions years of evolution would lead to such biochemical contradictions. I truly believe that our cardiologists would do an inmensely useful service to their patients by focusing their treatments on the true causes of atherosclerosis: the homocysteine elevation on blood serum and the ingestion of oxycholesterol, both factors easily controllable with the proper diet....and no statins at all!!. Emiliano Estrada

Anyone taking a statin drug, but especially women, should read this book. Also read the other two books he refers you to.

Based on this book and the other sources he cites, I have stopped taking any statin.

Some of the material in his references would be difficult to read without statistical training. I have a PhD in a related field, and I teach applied statistics at the PhD level. I found the arguments very convincing. The data is fatally flawed.

I must state catgorically thet Dr. Graveline's book (originally published as "Statin Drugs Side Effects) saved my husband's life.After the insertion of a coronary artery stent,with Lipitor as an adjunct, within six months,my husband had memory loss, personality changes, complained of shortness of breath, equilibrium loss,leg pain (the ONLY complication listed in the drug statistics)weakness and fatigue. WITH DR.Graveline's book, I was able to research other victims, and , ultimately, manage to find the proper medication to relieve most of his symptoms. He is currently undergoing physiotherapy for neuropathy (nerve damage to his legs) Incidentally,I am a retired R.N. SO, for those who pooh pooh Graveline, they know not what they say. The pharmaceuticals have done an excellent brain-wash, to the tune of ten billion dollars a year.

Excellent read. Scary but informative. A medical doctor (and astronaut) explains his experience of taking Lipitor (a 10 billion dollar baby of the pharmaceutical world) and the resultant loss of memory. Put this on your reading list if you or any family member or friend is taking Lipitor or any statin drugs.

After taking statins for several years, my mother-in-law suddenly became very forgetful - repeating the same question four times in less than 15 minutes, forgetting that she had gone shopping or to the doctor that morning, etc. It was quite frightening for all of us.

The battle to persuade my parents-in-law that she needed to stop taking the statins went on for months until, with the help of this book and "The Great Cholesterol Con" by Dr Malcolm Kendrick (don't get the other book by the same name: it's good but boring), they finally agreed that she should stop - just for a few days, mind you - this so-called "medication" (it's clearly just a poison by another name). Within 10 days of coming off simvastatin (aka Zocor), she was noticeably better, but we're still not sure she will recover completely.

I believe these two books helped to save her life - and certainly the quality of her life.

P.S. I have now mentioned the memory loss aspect to several people I have come across who are taking statins and every one of them has suddenly realized they have been suffering recent memory losses too!

P.P.S. Graveline has since published 2 more books on statins, each one covering a different area of damage to body and mind, including DNA.

This is a must read for anybode on statin (anti-cholesterol) drugs such as Lipitor, Crestor or Pravachol.

Dr. Graveline discusses the really nasty side effects of statin drugs - such as acute memory loss, general reduction in learning ability, serious digestive problems etc. By giving examples from his own experiences of side effects and those of others he puts his finger at the heart of the problem - the side effects can be really bad and the "cure" is a reduction of a really important biological substance (cholesterol) that may not be harmful at all.

As a result of this book, discussing many quality-of-life reducing side effects that I also have experienced, and of further research into the area I have totally abandoned Lipitor and other statin drugs.