Lipitor? For Me? No Way!

Call me a fool if you want, but my doctor has prescribed for me 40mg of Liptor, but I refuse to take it.

I’m not a fan of prescription pill popping to lower my cholesterol, taking pills to remedy a problem I know I can fix on my own.

When I had my heart attack back in 1996, not only was I given exercise and nutritional advice, I was also given a small list of pills to take each day: coated aspirin, Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oils), vitamin B & E, as well as niacin.

I tired of taking five pills daily very quickly. The combination of exercise, eating less than 20 saturated fats per day, and the pills did improve my health – lower my cholesterol, which was pretty high prior to my illness – but I wanted a change. I begged my doctor back then to allow me to control my health without five pills, so he agreed, telling me to stick with the aspirin and taking a multivitamin, but eliminating the others.

It worked. I maintained my lower cholesterol number. Then I switched doctors, got lazy, my cholesterol count zoomed upward, and my new physician prescribed 10mg Lipitor.

For three months, I worked out every day, pushing myself, entitling myself to one cheat day per week, cut my body fat, and took my Lipitor daily. Three months later, I returned to my doctor. That morning, she detailed to me how significantly my cholesterol had lowered. Proud I was.

And then, she said words to me that I’ve etched into my memory, words that, from then on, became my reason for wanting to stay healthy without Lipitor:

“See that. The Lipitor is great, isn’t it?”

I laughed. “Wait a minute,” I said, “I’ve worked my rear (word changedfor the younger readers) off for three months, and I’m sure that Lipitor IS beneficial, but don’t just credit that. Credit the exercise (and smart nutrition).”

She was taken aback a bit, seemed a wee bit embarrassed that she hadn’t credited my good work ethic.

I have nothing against doctors in general or medication, and it really has nothing to do with what this particular doctor did or didn’t say to me. Call me stubborn, but I’m a firm believer that you can control every aspect of your health with proper exercise and nutrition. I also do agree that your body creates its own cholesterol, but I don’t buy that you MUST take a cholesterol controlling drug to lower it.

The one thing more detrimental to me (and anyone, I feel) than not taking a cholesterol drug is being sedentary. A couch potato. Or, in my case, a writing chair potato. Excessive drinking, eating and smoking doesn’t help and should be curbed andor stopped, but to me, if you’ve just decided to sit back and get comfortable without even pushing yourself at least three times a week with exercise and overindulging in junk, that is the root of your problem.

It was mine, and I’m remedying the issue. Exercise, good nutrition, and coated aspirin, multivitamin and an Omega-3 daily.

Sorry, Lipitor. You’re out.

Editor’s note: Always consult your medical professional before starting or stopping any prescribed medications.