statins

[Bev69]

Hi,

With all the news about how statins are bad for you, I wanted to pose the following question.

I had PAD in both legs 4years ago, I had an angioplasty to unblock them, it seems that I just have very narrow arteries in the top of my legs, touch wood all is ok now.

But my GP prescribed me statins, at first I was given Atorvastatin, which made me ache, eventually I was given Creator, 5mg so although only a low dose I'm not happy been on them, I told my GP but he just said " no argument, you're on them for life".

My cholesterol wasn't high in the first place, 5.5 ( they'll only test total) it's now decreased to 4 but I also follow a ketogenic diet now so I think this helps, has anyone else had PAD and decided to come off their statins ?

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

The target (total) cholesterol is 5 or under for a totally healthy person, and 4 or under for someone that had suffered a stroke, heart attack or vascular disease. Stopping your statin (Rouvastatin) would take you over 4. The other benefits of statins is that they reduce irritation and stabilise plaque (rarely mentioned by the media).

If yesterday's headlines had been "1 in 2 Benefit from Statins" it would have been talked about less - it is just that negativity makes a better story! Personally I believe statins are often prescribed unnecessarily and if you take this group out "9 in 10" may benefit. BTW I am not connected with the drug industry but do look at these things in a logical and scientific manner.

In the end it is your decision and yours alone, but decide with your head not your heart!

[MK1954 in reply to MichaelJH]

Cholestorol last measured at 2.3 Atorvastatin 70mg fir last four years

[Ramblingross in reply to MichaelJH]

I had a HA in 2011 and was put on statins 80mg....my latest cholesterol reading was 5-4 ...(it's come down from around 7 as l recall)....I'd like to come off them but darent....if you listen to some points like only one in two benefit I'm wandering if I'm the one?.....l must say l am of the opinion that widespread use is making some company's very rich l just hope they aren't just dishing them out for profit in place of decreasing peoples cholesterol.....I'm beginning to wonder..

[Bev69 in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks for your reply MichaelJH, seeing that I take such a low dose it seems sensible to continue, there is so much debate over statins but this usually refers to the elderly, and there is not much info on statins for PAD prevention, that's why I thought I'd ask on here to see if anyone had a similar experience, so I'm grateful for your input.

[Dickydon]

I’d take anything in the media with a pinch of salt. They editorially emphasise things in-order to sell papers/magazines and not all doctors are correct either, but I understand that statins have more benefits than the opposite.

[No_fixed_abode in reply to Dickydon]

Hmmm, statins really did bad things to my head. Also some deplete B12

I really struggle to accept that total cholesterol levels have much to do with anything, it was certainly a dubious conclusion when it was first postulated, and I am not sure it has improved much. The final cruncher for me was discovering that 80% of it is made by the body and it is required by every cell. I also found (I am diabetic) that when I lowered carbs and raised fat and protein my level fell (increased exercise may have been a consideration).

SO for me, no point at all in looking at total, LDL versus HDL may have relevance, but even that seems subject to debate with further sub-classification of LDL types being required.

I am not medical, but I have been reading in and around diabetes since I was first diagnosed.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

I have mentioned two people doing well (physically and mentally) in their nineties who are about forty years post bypass and heart attack. They have both been on statins for a very long time. Suggests they do their job.