Dearest Sjogren's Angels,
I've been taking these capsules for what seems like forever. My cardiologists have all 'believed in' them, even tho the latest research shows definitively that they offer no protection against coronary events.
There may be other reasons to take the capsules, however. But I can't find real research that establishes their value for other conditions.
I know that my Angels will have researched and studied this topic and can offer advice and experience.
Hugs, Elaine
PS I'm in the midst of a terrible FLARE and am trying to entertain myself since I simply cannot sleep during the day no matter how hard I try. I did take several Benadryl so am waiting for them to 'kick in'.
Why do FLARES always seems so impossible? They aren't life threatening, but do represent some negative activity of my immune system, and depress me terribly.
E.
Omega-3 will drop your cholesterol better than statin drugs.
Hi Joe,
I have been taking 80mg of Lipitor (generic now) for 17 years. My cholesterol is terrific. Again, lowering cholesterol does not show definitive protection against CAD, which is my serious condition.
I just get very confused........and today I'm pretty foggy, I must admit. And miserable with my Flare.
Thank you so much for answering, Joe. You are one of my favorite Angels. How was your trip, or have you taken it yet?
I can't imagine doing another trip the way I feel today. And I've never done the type you do, tho' it does sound like the best possible way to 'see the USA'.
Hugs, Elaine
ciao carolina, so sorry for your flare and i hope that u can sleep. i know the problem, i cannot sleep even without flare...i think omega are good for eyes, at least this is what i feel. i notice that i have more moisture.
Hi Elaine,
If you're still on Statins, you may want to discuss this recent study with your doctor: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2015.00191/full
As for Fish Oil capsules - I've got some meibomian gland damage (~45% loss one eye, ~35% loss in the other when they were measured last year), and I've found that taking 4000mg fish oil daily (2k morning/2k night) helps the glands to express enough oil to stop my eyes evaporating dry the moment I step out into a breeze, and has eliminated the "burn and tear continuously for 3-4 hours" issues I'd been getting for the previous 3 years. When I first started taking Fish Oil capsules, it had been getting so bad that I was near blind anytime I stepped outside, and starting to research moisture-sealed glasses in desperation. All that settled within a day or so of starting the fish oil - I was so glad that something so simple was so effective, because it'd been getting progressively worse for several months. When I've tried reducing how much fish oil I was taking, I get a lot more discomfort from my eyes drying out too quickly.
Cheers,
Dawnmist.
Dear Dawnmist,
Perhaps the reasonable state of my dry eyes is due to my consumption, daily, of 2400 mg fish oil since 1999.
Thanks for all your information.
I've known for years that there might be a correlation between my Statin usage (since they came on the market) and my profound neuropathy. And also between my constant use of Macrobid for chronic UTI from 2007 until 2012 when I began D-Mannose.
I took the statins almost constantly from the early 1980's, and every day at 80 mg, since my angioplasties and stents in 1999. My neuropathy did not appear at all (I could take long walks, ride a bike, etc) until I began the nitrofurantoin (Macrobid) in 2007.
It as always seemed to me, and my doctors, that if there were damage caused by the statins, it would have begun 10 years earlier.
If it the damage stems from my use of Macrobid, then it is over and done, and it's too late to change the outcome.
That is also true if the damage is from the statins, but I doubt that statins did that damage.
Life is an ongoing trial and error process for me.
Hugs, Elaine
Carolina,
I have a different reason for taking this.
The reason I began the 3-6-9 or flax, fish, borage oils, was for my joint pain. (the stain influence and cholesterol I learned later)....
If I forget to load my weekly pill tainers with the capsules, by the 4th day or so, the pain increases.....and I know I have forgot to load them.
Unless my doctor tells me it is bad for me, I will keep on them. (She knows I take them, she know all the supplements I take.)
Spring
I have been on fish oil for about 15 years. Not sure if its making a difference or not, but I feel ok about taking it. The last couple times I went to the opthamologist, he recommended fish oil, plus a vitamin capsule that is flaxseed oil, black currant oil, and Bilberry Herb Extract.My eyes have been awful lately, even with all the oils and the restasis. Recently, I had muscle pain and found out my creatine kinase levels were elevated, so they told me to stop my Lipitor (on it for about 15 yrs.), so I am hoping that the fish oil helps with my cholesterol levels. I am a bit nervous about being off Lipitor after all these years. Personally, because I have been in a major flare since January, I think its inflammation affecting my muscles, not the Lipitor. It would be nice if they could do some additional testing to try to figure that out. I have all I can do to just get the basics out of doctors. Has anyone else dealt with the muscle enzyme elevation and I would love some input. Hang in there Carolina, we understand what you're going thru.
Lorigacc,
My husband had terrible muscle cramps and pain while on Lipitor. He does not have any autoimmune problem. His muscles were so bad that he was actually "hobbling". This is something that just crept up on him slowly over time, as when he first took the statin, he had no problems.
He's decided that slightly higher cholesterol was better than literally being crippled. Your inflammation may be caused by the statin and exacerbated by the Sjogren's. I think the statins can have terrible side effects that are just glossed over.
My husband is MUCH better without the statin. You wouldn't believe his improvement after stoping the statins. He swears that he will NEVER take them again.
Good luck to you.
Kathy
Thank you Kathy for the info. Did your husband have his enzyme level checked, and if so, what were his numbers? The pains in my legs have stopped, but still having a lot of pain in my chest muscles. I have to have the CPK test again in about a week, and I will see what it shows. I just like knowing what I'm dealing with. Sometimes I think that the doctors don't want to do the extra work to figure things out.
Lorigacc,
I can't remember his CPK exact numbers but they were off the wall!!! And they took a while to come back down again. His muscles were seriously damaged during that time. When he tried to exercise, he damaged them again.
When they came down, they tried to put him on a lower dose of Statin but the exact same issues started to come back again. My husband told his doctor, "No way!"
He's been happier ever since.👌
Now that is just his experience and I am not a doctor. I just know what I actually witnessed! At first we didn't know what was wrong because he had been on the Statins for a long time. The doctor figured it out.
Kathy
Hi Carolina,
Well if it isn't for cardiovascular health, then at least for mental wellbeing! I can tell a stark difference between taking them and not. And how about sounder sleep and keeping skin on my toes looking nice 'n plumb instead of like dried out currents?
My daily cocktail contains 6 of these 1.000 mg golden beauties 😉
Kathy's husband's experience with statins just reminds us that 'our mileage may vary', when it comes to reactions to drugs.
This is why large cohorts are necessary to study drug effectiveness and side effects, and why all the stories of 'what happened to my Aunt Cora' won't tell us a thing about what will happen to us or to other people.
I have had reactions to so many drugs over my life, enough to know that it's pretty much trial and error. Rather like life itself.
Hugs, Elaine
Fish oil can also thin blood..
My ophthalmologist recommended fish oil for my eyes, but I can't take it due to my thrombocytopenia.
I do know that it's important to find balance between Omega 3 and 6s, there is info online and in books.
Sorry you are in a flare. Since you are up and aware, can you use the time to count blessings or reflect on what you do love about your life? I've found those exercises helpful.
They help my mood and my lipids. My fish oil is a mix though with others. I take Maxi Tears. I can't take statins. I saw an article today that fish oil lowered death rates when people have MI's......
Sorry about the flare. They come at the most inconvenient times. I hope it's a short one.
Sorry that you're in a flare, Elaine. That sucks.
There are studies documenting the benefit of fish oil for RA. That's why I take it. In general, having a good omega-3 to o-6 ratio is helpful for inflammation, and most Americans have a bad ratio, so it seems sensible.
Hope you're feeling better soon!
Fish oil might help in rheumatoid arthritis.
http://www.ehealthstar.com/conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis
Most study reviews conclude that in people who already regularly consume oily fish, fish oil probably does not have any additional benefits. Fish oil is just an ingredient in fish after all.