Statins ....

[travelbug54]

Hi Everyone, not been on here for a while, I had my ablation 11 months ago and today all is well...except, my Dr would like me to go on statins and I didn't think to ask him if I could control my colostral levels through diet. I was wondering if any other members have avoided statins and reduced their colostral through diet, many thanks for reading....Caroline

[rosyG]

mine has come down through diet as am eating healthily for AF- some people have a genetic cause for high cholesterol - some doctors think statins are great for lots of reasons- then there are side effects- jolly difficult for us to knoW- exercise is supposed to help too

[travelbug54 in reply to rosyG]

Hi rosyg many thanks for your reply and great you could reduce your cholesterol with diet....Caroline

[Hidden]

I had success getting my cholestoral down with diet, but I still couldn't get down to the figures the doctors wanted. So I gave into statins, albeit a low'ish dose, and kept the diet going, and now my level is in the 3's. I was in the 7's, got down to the 5's with diet after 2-3 years.

[travelbug54 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Koll, many thanks for your reply, do you still take statins now your cholesterol is a better level? ....Caroline

[Hidden in reply to travelbug54]

Yes, otherwise it would go up. From experience I struggle to get below 5 without the pills. But it's only a low'ish dose so I'm not bothered.

[jennydog]

I couldn't achieve a reduction from 6 ish with diet. I take Pradaxa anticoagulant and read on here about a Canadian study which stated that Simvastatin should be avoided with Pradaxa. Simvastatin is prescribed because it's readily available and cheap.

[travelbug54 in reply to jennydog]

Hi jennydog, many thanks for your reply, do you get side effects from statins? ....Caroline

[jennydog in reply to travelbug54]

travelbug54 no side effects that I recognise. Some time ago I stopped taking them for about a month to see if it made a difference. Nothing changed so I restarted them thinking that I may as well take them - hopefully they are helpful.

[travelbug54 in reply to jennydog]

so pleased you are not getting any side effects jennydog....Caroline

[Tako2009]

Hi. I was able to get my cholesterol down with diet and lifestyle changes. I was getting side effects with statins anyway so very happy when my doctor said I could stop taking them. Personally I would see if your doctor will allow you to try the diet route first and see if it works for you. Something else with statins if you do take them - there are different ones, different strengths etc - so if you do experience any side effects, pester your GP to find one that suits you best.

[travelbug54 in reply to Tako2009]

Hi tako2009, many thanks for your reply, I will keep that in mind about side effects, it always worries me when taking new medication and the side effects it might have, reading from the list in the box is always alarming! ....Caroline

[Tako2009 in reply to travelbug54]

Vanity really but the side effect that really upset me most was my hair coming out in handfuls! Felt like there was more in the brush than on my head some mornings. Hope you have success taking the lifestyle option. Liz

[Izzle]

Hi All

I was advised to reduce my cholesterol as father and both brothers had had heart attacks. By trying to diet and increased exercise I reduced from 6.9 to 6.3 . Because of the family history, Dr's set my target in the 4 and 5 range.

So, I've been taking simvastatin for over a decade together with warfarin for blood thinning. Typically I achieve mid-range for both of these.

Hope that helps you.

Alan

[travelbug54]

Hi Alan, many thanks for your reply, that’s a long time to be on statins but so pleased they work for you, that’s a question I didn’t think to ask my Dr as to how long I would have to take them! ....Caroline

[cassie46]

What is your cholesteral level is it high or just above average. My last test was six months go and it was 5.6. I was with my HF nurse and enquired of her ( my GP wanted me on statins) but her attitude was that it was not to high and there are some medics are not happey with the currents figures. So she suggested no statins but keep an eye on my levels and diet to reduce them. I have seen what statins have done to my DH and do not want any of his symptoms.

Cassie

[travelbug54 in reply to cassie46]

Hi cassie, its always great if one can overcome there health problems by making adjustments to their lifestyle, I am pleased to say have learnt a lot already by all your replies which is such a great help....Caroline

[Hidden]

Don't get me started on this!

3 months ago I received a letter in the post from my GP that following a review they had decided that I was in an at risk category and I should start taking statins immediately. Prescription was enclosed.

I know that my cholesterol is in the low threes , 3.1 on the last test.

On a subsequent visit to the GP they asked how I was getting on with the statin and why I hadn't requested a repeat prescription.

I asked why they had prescribed them as I didn't want to take them. The reply was that it was because of my high cholesterol. I asked them to show me where my cholesterol was high. The response was that they don't have a recent test result. I pointed out to them when I had tests done, most recent was a week prior to my visit. When they actually looked at my records and saw the results it went very quiet. The response was that I would still benefit from being on a statin but it was my choice.

My guess is that there is a nice big back hander being offered for getting patients on statins

[Tricia239 in reply to Hidden]

From what I have heard from reliable sources, you are, sadly, right. Tricia

[travelbug54 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Mike, sorry to hear you had such a disturbing experience Mike and its very unsettling about your last sentence!....Caroline

[Shud]

I got my Cholesterol down just by taking a daily 800 mg of Folic Acid. Doctors tried to push Stantins on me also and with the Folic Acid each day and a warm glass of Lemon Juice, I got mine down tremendously.

Shirley

[travelbug54 in reply to Shud]

That's interesting shud, do you have to take folic acid everyday to keep your cholesterol down?....Caroline

[Shud in reply to travelbug54]

Hi......yes, take the Folic Acid everyday, just like you would a Stantin. My Doctor called me to let me know about my Blood Tests and complimented me on my low cholesterol. He had just put me back on a Statin a couple of months before. I asked him what number it has come down to, and he said 200 "just where we want it....keep it up", he said. I never once took his Stantin to get me down to that number ! And I have "never" been down to 200 ! And all I did, was put some lemon in my tea each morning or just put some lemon in warm water and drink it first thing in the morning and also just before bedtime and also an 800 mg of Folic Acid each day. I am not a vitamin taker. Go on a vitamin kick now and then, but just not faithful in taking what really is good for me......but when my Doctor gets on me (or my Cardiologist) that my Cholesterol is high (300+) and prescribes their Stantins for me, then I "will" start taking the Folic Acid "instead".......it doesn't hurt you, or make you ache like a Statin! Worked for "me" !

[secondtry]

Do loads of research before taking statins. A few notes...diet is only a small part of the level of cholesterol, the body produces what it needs for good reason, some people just have higher than others and lastly high levels do not mean a problem if otherwise on a healthy lifestyle. My policy is don't take a pill unless you have to. As a result of my Lone PAF diagnosis and after being at Cholesterol level 7 for 20+ years I had an MRI on heart arteries and ultrasound on carotid artery recently and all were completely clear!!

[travelbug54 in reply to secondtry]

So pleased you had a great result from your MRI secondtry....Caroline

[Mrchips in reply to secondtry]

Glad to now I'm not the only one who has a high cholesterol of 7 myself ! I live quite healthy ... active keep everything in moderation and yet it's that high ! Doctors say no to me goin on a pill so I'm confused by it all.

[secondtry in reply to Mrchips]

The issue is to concentrate (as you appear to have done) on making sure you have a healthy lifestyle then there will be little in your system for cholesterol to get stuck on and all goes well.

The bad news is that we have all moved so far from a healthy lifestyle and diet that it takes a major attitude shift and some serious food searching to get to what actually is healthy. We have been changing a lot over 5 years and it becomes a constant in your life, which we enjoy but I acknowledge it would be too much for many. Hope all continues well with you.

[Tricia239]

Hi, as well as a healthy diet you could also take plant sterols, in tablet form, (I get mine from Healthspan), also the yoghurt type drinks such as Benecol - both of which claim to reduce cholesterol. I struggle with mine - probably because I love dairy products, and have given in and am currently taking a low dose - I’m relieved to say I haven’t noticed any adverse side effects. Good luck, Tricia

[travelbug54 in reply to Tricia239]

That's great to hear Tricia, it's the side effects that always bothers me when taking medication!....Caroline

[secondtry in reply to Tricia239]

Hi Tricia, I read somewhere that Calcium (from my hi dairy diet) can act as a blocker to Mg absorption that is important for AF. Even with a good dose of Mg supplement in addition to hi quality food I struggle to get my Mg level up (Red Cell tested several times by BioLab London) and so have now started to reduce my dairy intake by 50% - I don't believe in cutting anything out of my food diet completely.

[Tricia239 in reply to secondtry]

Hi, that’s very interesting and I recall reading it somewhere. I try to take magnesium supplements but my body reacts against it which means I spend rather too long in the smallest room in the house!! I will try to reduce the dairy - I now use goats milk and goats yoghurt which I think is more beneficial. Thanks for reminding me. Tricia

[secondtry in reply to Tricia239]

A couple more points, I split my Mg supplement part by mouth and part spray on the body. Secondly, including a few more nuts as a morning snack may reduce your familiarity with the smallest room.

[Tricia239 in reply to secondtry]

That’s a good idea, thanks for the tip. Problem with nuts - I really hate them! I try to take them in other forms, for example I cook with walnut oil.

[Beta44]

I have been happily taking Simvastatin for years. There is evidence to show that it can help with AF as it has an anti inflammatory effect.

Peter

[travelbug54 in reply to Beta44]

Great to hear that Peter, I have learnt a lot about statins from everyone's replies!....Caroline

[Pete_the_Music]

Had severe chest pain and scared the living daylights out of the folk I was with at the time - this was 25 years ago. Angiogram at Harefield showed considerable furring of the arteries but not quite enough to warrant a bypass immediately in view of the recent availability of statins then, and my age (mid-40's at the time). Cholestorol was 9 - tried a very rigid diet and it just got down to 7.3. Doc then put me on statins (which had just come out then) and the cholestorol figure went down to 4ish where it has stayed ever since. No side effects over the 25 years. Coincidentally I happened to know one of the lead developers of statins at that time who told me all about them, and the extra benefits that would likely be found over the next 10 years - this all rolled out as he predicted. Side effects do occur as with all drugs both natural and manufactured. But millions of people are on statins worldwide so there will be a proportionately higher number of people seeing side effects - the literature tells us however that side effects are small compared with most meds as a percentage of those taking the drugs. As a statistician (nothing to do with the pharmaceutical industry!) I should perhaps refrain from drawing any conclusions from a sample of one, but I must add that statins have done me well so far - I have accumulated 2 replacement hips and need regular venesection plus have AF since the early 1990's but still work and remain active. PS My hypocholesteremia is familial - well worth checking if only to warn siblings ...

[travelbug54 in reply to Pete_the_Music]

Great to hear your cholesterol level is staying down Pete....Caroline

[Hidden]

Hi Travelbug. Have a watch of this video from the magnificent Sanjay Gupta, who explains all this much better than we can... youtube.com/watch?v=EIqJhvu...(Not working as expected?)

I tried diet but it made little difference, because I'd avoided dodgy foods for years anyway. Every man in my family has had a heart issue of some kind, so, despite being supercynical about the drug industry I have finally succumbed to a low dose statin, with a plan to review progress after 3 months to see if the progress justifies taking the tablets.

[travelbug54 in reply to Hidden]

Very interesting Minimalist, thanks for posting the video, hope others found it interesting too....Caroline

[heartmatters1]

I have been on statins for quite a few years now, including watching my diet & regular exercise. I've recently been put on maximum dose of 80mg because reading was still 7. Afraid some people (including me) is all down to your genes! I'm not taking any risks as my father had heart disease from his 50's & sadly passed away at 63 (no statins in those days)

Best wishes

[travelbug54 in reply to heartmatters1]

Sounds story sounds very similar to mine heartmatters and yes I agree, with some people it is down to our genes....Caroline

[Shud]

Travelbug.......also had my a Heart Ultrasound and a Carotid Ultrasound a couple of months ago that was ordered by my Cardiologist. I went in for the results just a couple of weeks ago. Last year my Carotid was 90% block but Surgeon wouldn't do Surgery on it last year due to my AF. "This year" my tests showed a 50 to 70% blocked. And I hadn't done anything other than really getting on the warm lemon juice first thing each morning and an 800 mg Folic Acid pill during the day. I'm not saying this will help everyone, I'm just saying it worked for "me". . ...I hate having to take prescription drugs due to all the side effects and read years ago that Folic Acid does lower your cholesterol so take it when the Doctors get on my Back about my high Cholesterol! And I mean 300 +......to get to a 200 reading was astonishing for me to get to......and Folic Acid doesn't have all the side effects, or didnt for me.

[sbmargo]

I've always had high cholesterol, but my HDL is really high, so there's no reason for statins, but my doc put me on a low dose years ago. There is more to them than controlling cholesterol levels, and every doctor I know takes them. My doctor is good at knowing the whole body, and I trust her judgement.

If you don't have the muscle side effect, I'd say don't worry about taking them. Even if you do get that side effect, your doctor can change the statin to one that doesn't give you the side effect.