This post was sponsored by Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc. Personal opinions and thoughts are my own.
Long term readers of my blog will remember that my father and I were both diagnosed with diabetes when we were 42. Shortly after his diabetes diagnosis, he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I have been lucky, because I remain heart healthy. I believe partly due to statin medications.
I have been on various forms of statins for the past twenty years. Before being put on a statin, my cholesterol numbers were high and nothing I did, including lose weight, helped. I was very concerned since high cholesterol is linked to heart disease.
Last year, I started having pain in my muscles and my medical team suspected it may be a side effect of my statin. Sure enough, after I stopped the statin, the pain was relieved. It eventually went away, but to my dismay, my cholesterol numbers rose again. The good news is that I am now on a different statin, at a lower dose. The pain hasn’t come back, and my numbers are back in a healthy range. If you are struggling with side effects from taking a statin, it is important to talk to your doctor as there may be other options available to you.
As a result of my experiences, I am proud to support a new educational campaign called Take Cholesterol to Heart to help people understand their treatment options for high cholesterol and motivate them to speak up if they are thinking about stopping their statin. Take Cholesterol to Heart provides great tools and strategies to help people “master the cholesterol conversation” with their doctor. As you may know, there are multiple statin medicines, so it’s important to talk regularly with your doctor about your treatment plan, including a statin, that is right for you.
My experience shows that sometimes just a small change can make a difference.
Regis Philbin, TV legend and heart disease survivor, joined Take Cholesterol to Heart to share his experience having a conversation with his doctor about high cholesterol and finding the right statin for him. Check out his story in this short video:
If you or someone you love takes a statin, please visit TakeCholesteroltoHeart.com for a number of helpful resources, including a doctor/patient discussion guide, a quiz on statins and tips for caregivers
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc. and should not be construed to constitute medical advice. My personal story and opinions are my own. I am not a medical professional and am not qualified to give medical advice. Please talk with your doctor about your individual medical situation.
* Harris Poll conducted ACTION: The Statin Survey (Understanding Patient Adherence and Concerns with Statins, and Medication Discussions with Physicians) online on behalf of Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., within the United States from July 7- August 4, 2017, among 5,014 U.S. adults aged 45 or older, who have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, and have ever used a statin to treat high cholesterol. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Erin Bittner at W2O Group, 212-301-7226.
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