Cholesterol medication

[Cards21]

I had a heart attack and triple byepass in November 18 and an Aortic valve replaced. My surgeon said my valve had been white with calcium ( I have been on Calcium supplementation for years) . I was told my cholesterol was very good. However this week, Nov 19, consultant says I should be on cholesterol medication because I had a byepass as a precaution to prevent byepass silting up. . I am on Bisoporol which makes me very tired so don’t want something else with awful side effects.

[NorthantsSteve]

Hi Cards21. Why not give them a try? Side effects for statins are over reported (to the extent that placebo groups report the same or only slightly lower side effects than those on statins). And if you are one of the unlucky ones there are different types of statin that can work and any side effects stop quickly if, after medical advice, you decide to stop.

I’ve been on them for 3 years and have no side effects to report from statins. Bisoprolol does tire me - but I can cope with that fine if it stops me from having another heart attack.

Good luck.

[Cards21 in reply to NorthantsSteve]

Thankyou

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Agree with Steve totally. Statins are usually prescribed post bypass or upped if the patients are on them already. The media, including social media, are responsible for a lot of negativity regarding statins. Apparently in one trial the group on the placebo had a higher rate of side effects than those on statins such is the power of the mind. As said there are numerous statins and doses.

[Maisie2014]

Hi Cards21. I have always been opposed to taking statins so much so that I refused to have cholesterol blood tests. I was routinely given blood pressure medication from the age of 50 because of my family history (father died of heart attack at 49). Finally after falling over too much from low blood pressure I was taken off them at the age of 58. Then at 68 I had a heart attack. My cholesterol and troponin levels were low! I was given the usual bag of medication including statins and was glad to take them all to avoid another heart attack. I have a stent. The moral being I take my GPs advice. I found statins make me very ill and I’ve stopped taking them under GP advice. I am probably in the minority. Listen to your own medical experts not us. We’re only speaking from personal experiences. Take care.

[Manhattan1 in reply to Maisie2014]

Maisie.. just out of curiosity.. what was your troponin reading?

[Maisie2014 in reply to Manhattan1]

25

[Cards21 in reply to Maisie2014]

Thank you Maisie2014

[Calliope153]

Like you I was reluctant to go on statins. I had a heart attack (100% blockage). I booked an appointment privately with the cardiologist and he explained to me really fully what the statin did. It;s not just to lower the cholesterol it helps to keep the plaque in your arteries soft. If the plaque hardens and breaks off it will form a blockage and that;s another heart attack. It also reduces irritation in the arteries which may lead to a heart attack. It has a protective function. As a result I have been taking statins daily for nearly two years and have had no side effects. I agree with Northants Steve - every one of us has to make our own decisions but he's spot on when he says you cope with other tablets side effects because it helps prevent another heart attack. I don;t think it is made clear to patients that statins do more than lower cholesterol. If you look at the research papers you will see in the conclusions statin takers overall do better. The big trial at the moment is for an injection to administer cholesterol reducing drugs - if there wasn;t good evidence that statins help I doubt any company would invest massive amounts of money into such a trial if they didn;t think they could persuade medics (the experts with training and knowledge) into prescribing it. But never forget you always have a choice - you can decline treatment and drugs if you don;t want to take them; each one of us has to make up our own mind.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Calliope153]

Thank you for the extra information about the reduction in irritation (often a precursor to plaque formation) and plaque stabilisation. I would normally have mentioned but woke with a migraine and only just getting into gear!

[Cards21 in reply to Calliope153]

Thank you Callipe153

[Hidden]

I was concerned by calcified deposit (found elsewhere) a few years ago.

I stopped using dairy, subsequently.

Re-started, recently. I got sick of "nut milks".

But this post made me wonder. . .

As for the statins, it's the overprescribed to people, who do not particularly need it

as GPs get incentives.

But it can be life-saving if you "need" it.

As for the side effects, "we all suffer from it".

You might not get any side effects if you're lucky.

[Cards21 in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou everyone.