Are Lescol Side Effects Worth the Risk?

Lescol is the brand name of a cholesterol drug called fluvastatin. Scientifically, it is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, known commonly as a statin. It is prescribed to reduce LDL (bad cholesterol), raise the good kind (HDL) and slow the progression of atherosclerosis.

While all of these things are beneficial, it's important to note that there is the potential for very serious Lescol side effects, and most patients are unaware of these issues until it is too late. That's why you should talk to your doctor about these potential problems and decide if your particular condition warrants you being on a statin drug. After all, there are safer alternatives out there.

What are the side effects of Lescol?

From the very beginning, those in the medical community have been aware of the potential problems these drugs cause. Lipitor, Zocor, Pravachol...they all work the same way and all can cause some serious problems.

According to the official Novartis Pharmaceuticals website (the manufacturers of Lescol and Lescol XL), "Caution should be used when Lescol is administered to patients with liver disease or heavy alcohol ingestion". Lescol side effects can include serious liver problems.

Another very serious Lescol side effect is rhabdomyolysis, a severe muscle breakdown resulting in muscle pain and soreness. "Patients should be advised to report promptly unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness, particularly if accompanied my malaise or fever."

Lescol should be avoided by pregnant and nursing women due to the potential hazards to the fetus and nursing infants.

Lescol side effects could also include sexual dysfunction and sex related problems, gastrointestinal issues, memory loss, anxiety, depression and many other serious conditions.

In February of 2012, the FDA approved some label changes to make patients more aware of the problems that exist. These include new warnings about:

1. Cases of fatal and non-fatal hepatic (liver) failure in patients taking statin drugs.
   
   
2. Increases in fasting serum glucose levels.
   
   
3. Jaundice, cirrhosis, anorexia, vomiting and pancreatitis, among other gastrointestinal issues.
   
   
4. Various new interactions with niacin and several drugs.

A Natural Alternative to Lescol and Other Statins

Fortunately, there are natural alternatives to Lescol and other statin medications. The best part about it is there are no known side effects and some studies have shown these nutrients to outperform statins. So you can lower your cholesterol and avoid Lescol side effects.

Following are natural cholesterol lowering nutrients:

Policosanol – An extract from sugar cane which has been through more trials than most pharmaceutical drugs. It has been proven to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol as well as increase HDL (good) cholesterol.

Guggulipid Extract - An ancient Indian herb that has been shown to lower serum cholesterol as well as lower triglycerides, something that statin drugs don’t do. High triglyceride levels thicken your blood which could lead to blockage, a precursor of heart disease and stroke.

Tumeric Extract - An anti-inflammatory liver protectant that may help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Green Tea Extract - A powerful antioxidant, green tea has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol as well as help fight off disease and cancer.

Chromium Polyniconate - this organic version of chromium can help lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as raise HDL (good) cholesterol. 

Niacin (Vitamin B3) - in high dosages niacin has been shown to help reduce total cholesterol levels.

Should you take all of these herbs, vitamins and minerals separately or together in one comprehensive formula?

We recommend that you take these nutrients together if possible for many reasons:

1. Taking each herb, vitamin and mineral separately could prove very costly since you would have to buy a number of different individual products.
   
   
2. Mixing and matching nutrients on your own could be dangerous to your health.
   
   
3. These nutrients have to be perfectly balanced in order to be effective.

What are the advantages to using natural cholesterol lowering ingredients?

1. When you lower cholesterol naturally rather than take prescription medications you can avoid the many side effects of Lescol, Pravachol, Lipitor and similar drugs.
   
   
2. Natural ingredients can not only lower LDL cholesterol levels, but also increase the good HDL cholesterol which is important for cleaning out LDL in your body. Cholesterol medications do not help with HDL levels.
   
   
3. With natural ingredients you can lower your cholesterol and also improve the health of your heart and other body systems at the same time.

An Ideal Cholesterol Lowering Formula

We have found a comprehensive cholesterol lowering product that we believe is ideal. It contains all of the natural cholesterol lowering herbs and nutrients we mention above in a perfectly balanced formula.

We researched the company that makes this natural formula and have found that they adhere to strict GMP compliance, which are the highest manufacturing standards in the world. This ensures the quality and effectiveness of the ingredients.

Also, they only use standardized herbal extracts, the purest herbal extracts with the highest potency and therapeutic benefits.

It contains a synergistic blend of cholesterol lowering herbs and minerals along with essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients to help lower cholesterol naturally as well as promote general well-being and health.

The product is a special cholesterol lowering formula with ingredients that can lower LDL levels and raise good HDL levels.

This natural product costs a lot less than prescription medications. In hundreds of professional clinical trials the ingredients have outperformed statin drugs in lowering overall cholesterol.

We also found a product that works in conjunction with the cholesterol lowering formula called Total Balance which acts to improve heart health as well as promote general well-being.

Several of our editors as well as our visitors have had success with the cholesterol lowering formula and Total Balance. Some of our editors started taking the formula last year to avoid the possible Pravachol side effects. They have been quite pleased with the results so far, and have not experienced any side effects at all.

**UPDATE**

We have added a new product to our health regimen. It is a pure pure fish oil supplement with essential Omega 3 fatty acids which are great for lowering cholesterol and triglycerides (fats) as well as promoting proper heart function and overall body health.

As with all health supplements, results vary from person to person so be sure to consult your physician or qualified medical professional before taking any natural alternative to avoid Lescol side effects or any other cholesterol lowering medication.

more on our prescription drug side effects page

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