21st Century Druggies By Sue Korman | BG Guest Post

             “Good morning.  What will it be this morning?  Lipitor, Plavix, Nexium, Fosomax….?” 

Ah yes, gone are the days when we sat down to a three-egg cheese omelet, a bagel slathered with creamery butter, a few slices of bacon on the side washed down with a mug or two of caffeinated coffee with cream, the aroma of which lured us from under the covers.

Now we have to watch our cholesterol, bone density and sticky platelets. I’ve had high cholesterol all of my adult life just like my aunt Nettie who lived to ninety-five. For years I successfully avoided drugs to lower it.  New data, however, lead to lower and lower recommended levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL’s), the “bad” cholesterol that clogs arteries causing heart attacks and strokes.

 “Welcome to the club,” said a friend when I announced that I finally caved “I’m not on Zocor any more; my muscles were killing me so they switched me to Crestor.”

My neighbor tried every statin – Pravachal, Mevacor, Vytorin…you name it.

Despite the alleged benefits of cholesterol lowering drugs, many patients report adverse reactions, including muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, burning and tingling in the hands and feet, and memory problems. For some there are more acute side effects such as liver failure and a condition called Rhabdomyolysis, degeneration of muscle tissue which can cause kidney failure and death. As recently as June 2011 new dire warnings were issued on large doses of Simvastatin, the chemical name for Zocor.

Recent studies show that these drugs, which account for more sales than any other prescription item, also have an anti-inflammatory effect; prevent colon cancer, and may improve memory to help us remember to take all the other magic potions that the drug companies push.

This for me is, as Yogi Berra said, “déjà vu all over again.” In the ‘80’s and 90’s Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) worked wonders too. Gone were PMS, crimson faces, and wet clothing; no more tossing and turning all night.  HRT prevented osteoporosis, colon cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease, while keeping women looking and feeling young and healthy. Until suddenly, in July 2002, newspaper headlines, magazine cover stories, and broadcast news programs shouted that the therapy significantly increased the risk of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes. I continue to speculate about the potential consequences of my years of hormone therapy and can’t help but wonder and watch for similar “statin” headlines.

Still, I reluctantly join the estimated one in three people over 40 who take statins. I have added Simvastatin to my daily regimen of Nexium for acid reflux and Boniva to prevent Osteoporosis. I follow these with a one-a-day vitamin, calcium plus vitamin D plus a vitamin D-3 supplement.

Then I dive into a mouth-watering, egg white omelet with soy cheese, a slice of diet whole grain toast barely covered with a thin layer of a chemical butter substitute, grateful that my drugs of choice are preventive, not curative.