Statins

[Karendeena]

Hello friends, last year my doctor recommended statins (I think they all do at a certain age especially with cardiac issues). My cholesterol on my last blood tests had risen from 4.5 to 5. I reluctantly agreed to try them so I was prescribed Atorvastatin which gave me a lot of pain in my muscles after a couple of weeks. I was then changed to Rosuvastatin which didn't give me the same side effect, however, after a month I started to wonder what was causing me to have nausea and a feeling like a lump in my throat when I went to bed, assuming this is some sort of indigestion. My digestive system seemed to be upset in general although I do get some bowel issues anyway, but this was new. I have stopped taking them now for a few days and the nausea feeling has gone.

Anyone else had this type of effect? What do you think of statins for cholesterol of this level. I had a successful ablation back in March last year

[BobD Volunteer]

I very reluctantly agreed to take rosuvastatin a couple of months ago and felt exactly the same though not the nausea. Mine is more reflux and general stomach unwellness.. Going to discuss with my GP since a CT angiogram suggested serious problems whilst invasive one two years previously showed all good. Also local cardiology want me to start some anti angina meds despite me not having any chest pain or signs of angina. I just complain of SOB!

The good news is my PM check yesterday shows I didn't blow it up when I shocked myself on Wednesday whilst dyno testing an engine and it still has eight and a half years battery life. My six monthly PSA showed undetectable so 14 years bonus so far. Only two weeks to my BIG birthday and if you had told me forty years ago I would get to eighty I would have laughed in your face. Just need another five to use up the money in my pension pot and then I start drawing their money. lol 😂

[Karendeena in reply to BobD]

Lol Bob your sense of humour always cheers me up. You seem to be doing good despite other medical issues. Wow you are 80!! Happy big birthday coming up. Hope you get sorted. I have stopped the statins for now and going to try them again in another week or so. Going away next week so will leave it until after. I am sure that's what's doing it. What's your cholesterol level Bob if you don't mind me asking?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Karendeena]

No idea to be honest maybe somewhere between five and seven? Had my anual review last week and they didn't say anything wrong other than kidney function down a bit which I think is an age thing.

[DawnTX in reply to BobD]

I am glad to see. I’m not the only one that does not like statins and the one that you mentioned I was put on about two months ago and yes, nausea, etc. I didn’t think about it possibly being that. I had been on simvastatin for years and was just tired of all the body pain. I am told that some of them work better for women because statins have something to do with fat and women just naturally have more. A lot of times when I though my food barely gets down and then sits there, and the nausea has become almost routine. Both my GP and my seem to feel that statins are necessary. They don’t seem to push a brand. Although when my recently I was on a different statin from the GP. He did not seem pleased. He seemed to make more of a fuss over that than he did how ill I was feeling. I had asked him previously about statin changing because of the pain and he told me they were all alike then I was told different by the GP. Yes the body pain has eased since changing, but I won a new set of side effects. I am going to be changing to a new EP although my appointment is not until the middle of April to give them a chance for my records, etc. because of my complicated case. He also knows my previous who has moved away. I have a feeling they may want to speak. I want to see what his take on statin is I don’t think I ever mentioned it to the EP that I had and who had done all my work, including my pacemaker. I have never really had blockages that I know of and I am on an anticoagulant. I’m going to I really need statins. Obviously none of us want to take a chance if we’ve been lucky enough to have some of our serious points handled. for writing what you did on here about them food for thought.

[Desanthony in reply to BobD]

lol! Well done you!

[southkorea]

just remember that doctors are paid to put patients statins. Your cholesterol is not that high! Better to try and reduce. your cholesterol than have side effects! l

[Borderterriorist in reply to southkorea]

Your GP gets paid for doing a health check, if you are offered statins but decide not to take them, he/she still gets paid. If your GP does a health check and doesn't offer you statins, he/she still gets paid. The payment is linked to the health check not the prescription for statins, the GP suggests statins, not because he/she will get a payment if you take them but because they believe they may protect you from having a stroke.

[southkorea in reply to Borderterriorist]

Thank you! I did not know that!!

[DawnTX in reply to Borderterriorist]

I agree with you there as I said it’s not like there was a particular brand In fact when I moved to Cardiologist kept me on what I had been on. There was nothing in it for him. I have no doubt when they are putting you on meds. They have a preference for one brand over another, but it may be because it has been successful so they try it first. My other in the beginning of my especially made many to find something that would work for quality of life with few side effects as possible. For the most part, I am still taking everything I took in Florida because it has been working.

[ForensicFairy]

Perhaps review your diet and activity levels for changes. It might be worthwhile dropping a few favourite foods or pushing yourself to be more active instead of taking tablets?

I’m not sure why but I have low cholesterol and always have had. I do eat a lot of health food and I was very active until recently so maybe that’s it. Who knows. I do know that I’d rather eat boiled brussel sprouts every day if I had to than add another drug and its complications. Being on 5 cardiac meds already I don’t want to add yet another!

[DawnTX in reply to ForensicFairy]

I agree about rather adding vegetables rather than another drug unfortunately recently I’ve been reading about several vegetables that I do like that. I am not supposed to be eating, especially if there’s vitamin K because of other meds. Of course they are the veggies I like. Does anyone know about the vitamin K issue? I have really gotten away from meats. I’m surprised they haven’t thrown me out of because I particularly do not care for beef lol Bob do you have any paperwork on the veggies because most of the time I would rather sit with a big plate of those. The same with turmeric, which is in everything and something I had hoped would help with body pain and now again something I have been reading quite a bit of that is bad when you have a fib, etc. if you have any truthfulness to these things, I would appreciate your input.

[secondtry]

The only circumstance I would consider taking statins (my cholesterol level has always been static around 7) would be if I had other comorbidities eg high BP. What I have read here and elsewhere and to generalise is that the cons outweigh the pros.

[Karendeena in reply to secondtry]

I have low BP and I don't think my cholesterol is particularly high at 5 it used to hovver around 4.5 and this is the only time it has been slightly up. I have AF (well a successful ablation for AF) but my GP thinks I need statins. I am going to review it with my EP when I see him in April

[secondtry in reply to Karendeena]

Understandably medics will almost always go with what Big Pharma says as that gives them easy back up and safeguards them from criticism from colleagues as well as a possible patient lawsuit even though the cause of any adverse issue may be in question.

That leaves us with having to ask more questions and take our own decison.

[Lizziedoodle89]

Hi I've just started atorvostatin 20 mg and after 5 days of it feel dreadful - muscle aches and nausea and dizziness, I think can take every other Day,gp said to try it for a while longer but if feel can't cope with the side effects then try lower dose or other type,my cholesterol levels are 30%but no idea what this means, have they' suggested you have lower dose or take alternative days? This seems to be a solution from what I've read , it's difficult as some meds have worse side effects than the thing they're treating but I know it is important to lower cholesterol levels if have af etc , good luck with everything