From: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org (loud-fans-digest) To: loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Subject: loud-fans-digest V8 #136 Reply-To: loud-fans@smoe.org Sender: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk loud-fans-digest Saturday, August 1 2009 Volume 08 : Number 136 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [loud-fans] cautionary tale [Markwstaples@aol.com] Re: [loud-fans] cautionary tale [Chris Hornbostel ] Re: [loud-fans] cautionary tale [Gil Ray ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:47:36 EDT From: Markwstaples@aol.com Subject: Re: [loud-fans] cautionary tale In a message dated 7/30/2009 7:55:26 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, amilenski31@gmail.com writes: Re: cholesterol, you might try red yeast rice, which can be found in the vitamin aisle. Of course, the best thing to do is remove all trans fats from your diet, cut down (or out) on dairy, remove red meat, eggs, etc... and exercise regularly. I'm really creeped out by the modern attitude that the solution to every health problem is a drug, but don't get me started on the politics of health care reform, From what I read online, the government took red yeast rice off the shelves because of its chemical similarity to a statin drug (the reason given is they cannot regulate the amount of the statin in the rice). I do swim at the Y regularly, but swimming made the my symptoms worse (probably my cholesterol starved muscles!). What I've found is, there's war between the insurers and the docs now--my doc (actually I see a nurse practitioner at a government subsidized health facility, which I believe in and support, because when I didn't have insurance before I got my teaching job, that was what I could afford at my income level on a sliding scale, plus they have an in-house pharmacy with $8 dollar prescriptions for the uninsured--this was before the days of the $4 prescription at Walgreens and CVS--they now provide these prescriptions for the same price, and $8 for the pricey ones not on the $4 list) has to pre-authorize with my insurer's prescription handlers (Medco) every time she writes a prescription for an expensive proton pump inhibitor drug (i.e. Prevacid). She has to contact them and do paperwork, which she's said is a real pain. The insurers don't want to pay the unbelievably high price for these and many other drugs, so they make it difficult for the doctors (and a pain in the butt for you when you go and try and get a prescription filled and you can't because they want a pre-authorization, so you have to go back to the doc and get it). I have the state employee plan of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina, and, this January, they are raising the premiums of employees $25 a month on premiums (1) if you use tobacco, and (2) 25 more dollars if you are overweight. I think healthcare reform can't be too far off--with the insurers not wanting to pay for prescriptions and these extra premium surcharges, the beast seems to be reaching critical mass, about ready to explode like that guy in that Monty Python movie. *uck off, I'm full, - --Mark np Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs UNDER THE COVERS VOL. 2 "Hello It's Me" **************An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222846709x1201493018/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=Jul yExcfooterNO62) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 01:13:14 -0400 From: Chris Hornbostel Subject: Re: [loud-fans] cautionary tale But to further expound: no one here is everyone. My paternal grandfather died of a heart attack when my father was 11 years old. In turn, my father died of a massive infarction when I was 8. I eat salmon four times a week. My job requires me to walk briskly about 8 miles a day, and one of my hobbies is bike riding. I'm not overweight, I do not smoke, I do not drink to excess. My cholesterol would be off the charts without Lipitor. I spent two years on diet trying to lower those levels, to little or no effect (other than I lost 10 pounds and got into great shape). Like the commercial says, sometimes it's all about genetics. My cholesterol levels are lowered significantly now, and the drug is the reason. I've been taking it for 6 years with nary a hiccup of any sort of side effect or other difficulty. On Fri, Jul 31, 2009 at 11:47 AM, wrote: > In a message dated 7/30/2009 7:55:26 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, > amilenski31@gmail.com writes: > > Re: cholesterol, you might try red yeast rice, which can be found in the > vitamin > aisle. > > Of course, the best thing to do is remove all trans fats from your diet, > cut > down (or out) on dairy, remove red meat, eggs, etc... and exercise > regularly. > > I'm really creeped out by the modern attitude that the solution to every > health > problem is a drug, but don't get me started on the politics of health > care reform, > > > > From what I read online, the government took red yeast rice off the shelves > because of its chemical similarity to a statin drug (the reason given is > they cannot regulate the amount of the statin in the rice). I do swim at > the Y regularly, but swimming made the my symptoms worse (probably my > cholesterol starved muscles!). > > What I've found is, there's war between the insurers and the docs now--my > doc (actually I see a nurse practitioner at a government subsidized health > facility, which I believe in and support, because when I didn't have > insurance before I got my teaching job, that was what I could afford at my > income > level on a sliding scale, plus they have an in-house pharmacy with $8 > dollar prescriptions for the uninsured--this was before the days of the $4 > prescription at Walgreens and CVS--they now provide these prescriptions for > the > same price, and $8 for the pricey ones not on the $4 list) has to > pre-authorize with my insurer's prescription handlers (Medco) every time > she writes > a prescription for an expensive proton pump inhibitor drug (i.e. > Prevacid). She has to contact them and do paperwork, which she's said is > a real > pain. The insurers don't want to pay the unbelievably high price for > these > and many other drugs, so they make it difficult for the doctors (and a > pain > in the butt for you when you go and try and get a prescription filled and > you can't because they want a pre-authorization, so you have to go back to > the doc and get it). > > I have the state employee plan of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South > Carolina, and, this January, they are raising the premiums of employees > $25 a > month on premiums (1) if you use tobacco, and (2) 25 more dollars if you > are > overweight. I think healthcare reform can't be too far off--with the > insurers not wanting to pay for prescriptions and these extra premium > surcharges, the beast seems to be reaching critical mass, about ready to > explode > like that guy in that Monty Python movie. > > *uck off, I'm full, > --Mark > > np Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs UNDER THE COVERS VOL. 2 "Hello It's > Me" > **************An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy > Steps! > ( > http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222846709x1201493018/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=Jul > yExcfooterNO62 > ) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:41:31 -0700 (PDT) From: Gil Ray Subject: Re: [loud-fans] cautionary tale - --- On Fri, 7/31/09, Chris Hornbostel wrote: > But to further expound: no one > here is everyone. Agreed. At the moment I have lived one and a half years longer than my dad, who dropped dead with his first heart attack when I was 13. While I certainly don't have the healthiest lifestyle on the planet, my cholesterol levels are very good thanks to Simvastatin. Since I enjoy my brewskies, I do have my doctor keep track of my liver functions through relatively routine blood tests. Not too wise to drink while on these drugs, but I try to keep it moderate. I am familiar with the possible bad side-effects, and Mark - you seem to have fallen under the worst case scenario. I worried about having a reaction like that, but have been fortunate to have not had any of those symptoms. I hope you can find a solution that can help. There can be better living through science, but it can be the slippery slope that you've mentioned. Good luck, Mark! Whoa! Yahoo spellcheck wanted to change Simvastatin to Devastating! Gil ------------------------------ End of loud-fans-digest V8 #136 *******************************