Hello there everybody, I would really like to talk with somebody who does know about the simvastatin and whether or not it is raising the good cholesterol levels or not. I am having it and I am intending to use it, but I really want to talk with somebody who knows more about it and could answer me this question before I am going to use it and I would kill myself with it. I would gladly read any information about this drug. thank you.
Well, hi. to be honest, I do not think that this drug is raising your HDL (HDL is the good cholesterol). But if you are going to take some fish oil pills then they really can do it and you’ll be glad you did. Besides, you can even get them OTC and that’s very good either. whatever you do, I recommend you to go after some fish oil pills supplements. You’ll be glad you did.
So well, there are some journals and some articles that I have read that were saying that the simvastatin may increase (even though not really significant) the good cholesterol. It has been said that this increase it is achieved by increasing the concentration of the alp lipoprotein which is a component of the HDL (good cholesterol). Besides, those articles were also suggesting that the increase in the HDL by simvastatin it is superior to the one that is being achieved by other statins like for example atorvastatin. I personally have never used them myself and unfortunately I can’t tell you anything from experience, however I have got this information from Lipids and Atherosclerosis Annul written by Allan Gaw, James Shepherd and this source really seems reliable to me. I hope this would be helpful.
I don’t know how the previous member could say anything like that but as much as I know, simvastatin does not raise the good cholesterol and unless the previous user, I can tell you from personal experience since I have used it myself. I have taken it for a couple of years so I do know what I am talking about (especially because I did some research about it, of course). It does have an good effect in lowering the total cholesterol numbers as well as the triglycerides, however, it is not having any effects on the HDL raising it. but there are supplements and/ or other drugs that you can use for raising your HDL.
You can search for it online and you would find it out yourself as there is really a lot of information about this medicine. Just simply type Simvastatin on google and you’re going to be given numerous pages with lots and lots and different information about it. I do know about this drug because there’s my husband who had been prescribed this medicine and he has also been said to take it with tricor. He took them as needed and as prescribed by the doctor and in the end he came down with the Guillian Barre Syndrome (google it if you don’t know what I’m talking about). I done my research about the drug when he got put on it, but when he got diagnosed with that syndrome, that was the point when I started to do really a lot of research and read about those drugs. I then have found out that using those 2 together is very risky, but even if taking them alone cause the muscle problems as well. but especially together. I have taken my husband to the doctor and I made that doctor taken him off from the tricor. I do know very well that those medications can really be life saviors and lots of people can greatly benefit from their use, however I think that it is very important that everything has 2 sides and so they also can be very dangerous and that’s even if you use them exactly as said by your doctor, as it happened to my husband. And there’s one sure thing about the fact that the risks are out weighing the benefits at least for husband. And I do not want to say that this would be for everybody, but again, for my husband the negative effects are not worth the benefits. I really think that we should inform ourselves the best way we can, especially because nowadays we can. there would be nobody who would help you but you. and trust me I do know what I am talking about because none of those doctors that have treated my husband has told him that there is a risk in those 2 medications being taken together, that they might cause him some really big problems if they are taken together. But when I have done the research myself I have seen that people knew about this, it is a fact that everybody knew. Those doctors also knew about it, I am damn sure about it. that is why, I recommend you people to always research a lot about your medications before you would start taking them. maybe you would have a different doctor than mine, but I still recommend you to do so. I am extremely mad at my husband because he has been taking those 2 medications in combination even after knowing that he is having Guillian Barre thinking that it is not from the drugs since the “good doctors” haven’t warned us about this.
Oh yeah, I totally agree with what has been said in the post above, that’s absolutely true. I also know that anytime when another drug that it is lowering lipid is being added to any one of the statins, and that’s even the niacin, then the risk of rhabdomyolysis is increasing a lot and if you don’t know what this means it is a condition that is resulting in the muscle breakdown and this is the reason why the doctors are telling you to immediately report if you’re experiencing any muscle pains and they would make some changes in your treatment plan. Such a combination can be very and very dangerous because it can result, in the end, in kidney failure. That’s a really bad situation that you should avoid.
So, trying to answer the original poster’s questions about the HDL levels and whether are they raised with the help of simvastatin or not… You need to know that the statins are being reported to be able to cause a little bit of elevations in the HDL levels, however it really does seem to not be true across the board by any means. There would be some people who are going to have some small elevations in the HDL levels, however there would be other people that are not going to see them and this might have a lot to do with those factors that are being specific to each person like for example their exercise level, their genetics, their diets and so on and so forth, but ultimately we still don’t know for sure. But it is true what has been said that they can be some really good drugs that are saving lots of people, however they also can be dangerous either because you don’t use them properly or because the factors specific to you. what I am trying to say is that you shouldn’t be using a lipid lowering drug along with a statin and that you should be very wary when being put on any of them (but separately). I wish you good luck and I really hope that you’re going to be all fine.
Hey there OP, I am not very sure whether the simvastatin is going to work for you or not or whether it is going to raise your HDL levels, but I am very sure that a way to raise your HDL cholesterol levels it is by consuming saturated fats. They are surely going to do the trick. Like for example the coconut oil it is the best for doing it, along with fat from grass fed animals. They are naturally going to raise your HDL cholesterol levels and this implies no risks. Lowering the LDL cholesterol levels can be achieved if you are going to remove any wheat products from your diet as well as cereals in general. If you’re going to increase your saturated fats and you would abandon the wheat products then be sure that you are going to see results very quickly, in fact, you are going to be pretty surprised and the results that you have got from the diet alone without using any medications. but you need to have a good diet for that. if you want, you could PM me and we could talk more about this. I could help you with your diet. Or you could search more about “cholesterol diets” online. statins can be good, but they are harmful anyway and there is no point in risking of using them when you can risk free get your cholesterol within a good range with a diet. Hope this is going to help and motivate you choose a safer option. good luck.
About the simvastatin… I have been given by prescription simvastatin for a very long time, however later, after I have done a lot of research and investigation I have thought and decided that I do not want to take simvastatin (and any statins at all) anymore. that’s because I have found out that I can do it by dieting, pretty much as the previous poster said. of course I didn’t know what results I would get because I’ve heard people who were really trying hard getting their cholesterol numbers in a good range only by diets but they simply couldn’t, that’s why I think that there are some people who really need medications for that. I didn’t know if I am one of those people or not so I decided that I need to experiment to find out. so I have made a deal with my doctor at the VA. I have told him that I wanted to take a slo niacin and traditional supplements as well, red yeast rice. I have told myself and my doctor that in case this is not going to lower my total and my bad numbers and it is not going to raise my good numbers after trying this method for 3 months then I am going to switch back to the medications. I can say that I am still currently in my experiment period as I am still taking the red yeast rice as well as the slo niacin but 2 years has passed since then. But as you can see, since I am writing this, this experiment did worked for me and this method is a really good one for me and I don’t need to get back on the medications. however, for those who wants to try it as well I have to warn you that not every red yeast rice is going to work, there are only a few that are still made the original way which means that they are still good and workable. The traditional supplement brand it is one that is truly working (search online: traditional supplements and you’ll see what I am talking about). and yeah, something else: no flush niacin is not going to work, trust me it won’t, it is completely useless, or at least for me, but I am pretty sure for everybody else either. that is why I have to tell you that you need to use that type that does cause the flushing. The slo niacin at 500 mg taken 2 times a day is working just perfectly for me so that’s why I recommend you to take it the same way as I do. and also, one more thing is that you should be very and very careful when you are doing this, you really need to have your blocked checked very and very often in the time that you are doing this, when you try this experiment as well, and that’s especially the first time. that’s because for some people (like me) it can work, but it also can be dangerous so better be safe and check your blood pressure quite often. However, if you’re doing it alright and you are lucky enough then it could be working for you without using any statins at all and this is just perfect.
Oh yeah, and there is a really very important: “by the way information” I have to tell you: you should take one aspirin (and regular aspirin of 325 mg) about 30 minutes before you are going to take the niacin, that’s because by doing so you are going to see some relief in the flush, tingling. You could try my method without the aspirin and see how you feel. If you’re absolutely all fine then you might not need it, but if you do have them then take the aspirin and you’ll be fine. I personally I am only chewing one up and I am taking it all at once with the niacin. By doing so I am not even able to tell that I have used anything at all. really hope somebody is going to find this helpful. good luck you all.
So well, my doctor assistant just called me a few minutes back and has told me for the second time already that my cholesterol levels are now too high. So well, due to the fact that I am seeing another doctor now, she really wants me to bring my reading to my new doctor in order to see what he is thinking about this situation. But well, the problem now it is the first test that I have done, my doctor has told me that my numbers could not have been right, too high. So well, I have got them done once again and I am being told this time that they are not normal once again. that is why, she wants me now to bring those readings to my new doc. but I am unable to see my new doctor now and I will be unable for one more month due to the fact that he went in another country with his wife on holidays. And that is why, what I really want to know now it is are they the exact same numbers as they have been before or not? or are they a little bit more better so I do know that I have a month in order to see that doctor. that is why, I did have asked my doctor if she can call me if needed so I know if my readings are the same or they are still really that high again. I ask her to do so due to the fact that in case they are still very and very high right now then my doctor needs to bring up my meds for me prior to see that new doctor I have in a month or so. Otherwise it could be too late, isn’t it? I’m just trying to say that this is a real serious situation. I am seriously thinking right now that I might not have another month in order to see my new doc. I might be paranoid or whatever but I seriously think that this might be already too late for me and I honestly don’t want to risk. gotta say that I am currently on 20 mg of Lipitor but I have been thinking that I might need to be put on 40 mg or so in the mean time I am waiting for the new doc. either way, I am currently waiting to have another call from my doctor at any point this day in order to tell me how are my numbers because if they are a bit better then I would be calmer but if they are the same then I should start doing something about that, I guess. I guess that you people would agree but this is very important for me to know all these things and to be prepared. I would rather be safe than risking. Do you think that this is right or not? thank you very much for taking your time reading as I really need some support right now.
Hey there you should be calm, you shouldn’t be sweating it like that! everything is going to be alright as high cholesterol is indeed a big problem and I don’t want to say that you shouldn’t be doing anything at all, however high cholesterol it is not likely going to do you in that quickly, however in such case when you are also having some other risk facts either (such as overweight, diabetes, smoking, some heart diseases or anything else in this matter) then I really can totally understand these big concerns you’re getting through. Have the doctors told you which of the numbers was out of range or not? the LDL, the HDL or the Triglycerides? This is very important to know as to know which effects you can expect.
Besides, I can also assume that you have been fasting before they have taken blood for the cholesterol test, however if not, that can throw off your numbers as well so you should know it, IMO.
Anyway, my physician here in the States is always sending me e-mail of the copies of any of the lab results. from as much as I have been talking with you, I have seen that you are from Canada (right?) if so then I don’t know exactly what are the laws in Canada as concerns your health records, but I seriously think that it is not going to be a really big problem if they are going to fax or would email you a copy of the lab results that you’ve had. I think that you should keep those for reference either way, it is very useful to see your history so both you and your doctor could safely decide what course of the treatment it is working the absolutely best for you. I really hope that you are going to be getting your answer as soon as it is possible due to the fact that waiting for such type of stuff really can be very frustrating and paranoid thoughts are getting more and more, so I do understand you. however, you should not panic unless you are having a really good reason of doing so but even then it is not advisable as you should think for a solution and keep your mind clear because it is the only way of doing so. I wish you good luck.
Oh yeah, it is true as I was indeed fasting. They want me to pick up the paper work at their office but I have not yet seen the numbers though and this concerns me. but I really want to thank you very much for you advice and for taking your time and effort writing that and trying to help me. I am indeed a smoker and I am also a little bit over weight so I think that this could pose a problem: I am 230 pounds 5/ 11 which is pretty much. I guess that I am going to call them right now and I am going to see if they could fax it to me at my work right now. but anyway, thank you very much for everything, I really appreciate it! it is only the fact that when a doctor is telling you 2 times that your numbers are pretty high while I am already on 20 mg of Lipitor… In such cases you are surely getting a little bit worried about it all. but I am still pretty sure that my doctor is going to call me by 6. Or I hope so.
Hey there guys, it seems that you forgot about the original poster’s question. Yeah, simvastatin does raise the good cholesterol that are being called lipoprotein… in fact all of the statins do it, however you really need to be very aware of any of the side effects that any statins have, those side effects are really outweighing the benefits a lot of the time, in a lot of cases for a lot of patients and unfortunately, including me as well. I really hope that you are not going to be like me and you won’t be one of those patients in case you do start using it, however I just want to tell you that you need to be careful what you are doing and what you are taking and how you are feeling when taking that. I personally have taken simvastatin for several months and it has irritated my gut so damn much that I have found it really uncomfortable to eat very much at all. it started to become a really big problem for me. besides, it has also started to degenerate my muscles and this is why I have been switched to take Avorstatin. Doctor said that this one shouldn’t be that bad but my doc was wrong as it has been just as bad for my gut. After that, later I have been put on Amaryl and I sure regret that I have ever taken it. this drug slowly but very surely half killed me by now. I was again having the exact same gut issue, the connection has not been noticed by my GP and nor by the diabetes team for nearly 2 years!! during which my weight had dramatically dropped down to 6 stones and I have had contracted Neuropathy (nerve end damage) as well as muscle deterioration. In that moment when I have finally came off from the Amaryl I have finally started to get a better and better. I am currently using the Ezetimibe and thankfully, it has worked fine for me and it does work so well for the last 3 years now. as you can see, I didn’t have had very much luck on it, but I really hope that you will. And that’s why I also want to ask you to be careful if you surely want to take statins and if you surely do want to take some, then be careful which ones you take and be very and very wary of the side effects that you are getting from them. I wish you good luck and I really hope you’ll be fine in the end.