I Don't Want To Take A Statin

[MichaelJH]

Is a far to common comment! Often it is a reaction to mis-information on the internet or someone who knows someone, and at other times from personal experience of side effects. Serious side effects are extremely rare and milder ones often minimised or alleviated by a change of statin (there are five common ones) or dose. Comments like "I am allergic to all statins" do not hold water where only one statin and one dose was ever tried. Yes you can try alternatives like diet and products like Benecol but usually the best that can be achieved is a reduction of 15% - 20% which is not good enough if your cholesterol level is 6.0 or over. And if you have FM with a cholesterol of 8, 9 and above delaying starting statins could have serious consequences. Below is what someone on another forum does because they do not want to even try a statin! Me, I rather take a statin as the long term effects of some of these supplements is unclear. I have tried garlic tablets and CoQ10 in the past, and found they did nothing apart from wasting money!

1. I now take plant sterols with each meal (I do not like statins as Drs often prescribe)

2. I now take Allicin capsules (the active ingredient in garlic) with every meal

3. Almost completely stopped using any butter and now use an olive spread instead

4. I now take psyllium capsules with every meal

5. I now take coenzyme Q10 once a day

6. I have reduced my alcohol intake to almost zero

7. I have increased my daily exercise level to at least 60 minute walking a day

8. I limit my cholesterol intake from food to less than 75mg a day

[Hidden]

I agree, I'm on the basic Atorvastatin @ 80mg and other than now taking it in the evenings { after talking to Dr and Cardiologist } all is good.

Moved from taking it in the morning as I was feeling a little light headed { common } from it { mild }

As for its effect on my cholesterol? without a doubt it has and is doing its job far better than any life change that I have implemented { but which has helped }

As ever

[Maisie2014]

I must admit when I took statins after my HA I had the usual side effects; nightmares, restless legs etc but I didn’t mind as I had good side effects like body temperature cooler which decreased my arthritis pain. It’s a pity I can’t take them as I liked not having arthritis pain and raised body temperature.

[Bobkins99]

i was on statins from 15 years ago as my cholesterol was 7.9 I've Taken 40mg . Simvastatin at for all that time. My cholesterol is now 4.2.2 I've just had mitral valve repair and coronary arteries are totally clear. Just been changed to atrovastatin on the pharmacists recommendation. Never had any side effects

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

I take 5mgs of Rosuvastatin.

No problems at all. My total cholesterol 3.6 mmol/

I have been prescribed a statin to improve the function of my blood vessels.



[Hidden]

Hello

I know I have said this before but years ago I was advised to take Statins and because of a lot of bad press I declined

Went on to have 3 heart attacks and a triple Bypass and I often think had I not been so stupid would that have happened had I taken the statin as I now believe there are a lot more positives to them than the negatives I used to read

I have had a few aches here and there but nothing I cannot live with and they have got better the longer I have taken them

I do appreciate some people can just not tolerate them but for anyone that can I would say take them and don't be a fool like I was !

Hope you are keeping well x

[Heather1957]

Too often there are posts on here from non medical people who post about medication and speak from an apparent place of authority.

We should do our own research and make up our own minds about the risk of taking a specific medication and while I am happy to listen to people about the effects of certain medication I will only take advice from someone qualified to give that advice.

I have been on Statins since 2012 when I was diagnosed with diabetes, I have changed the type of Statins and the dose to fit and now am on a huge 80 mgs of Atorvastatin a day, not that my Cholesterol is too high but as I needed 2 stents fitted last October it was decided to bring it as low as possible. Yes, I feel tired but on the whole I am fine.

Any questions speak to the experts not those who think they are experts, medication and health are to important to leave to lay people.

Just MHO

[ParrotLover22]

Hi Michael. I have taken 40mg Simvastatin for years. Different Strengths sometimes adjusted by the Doctor with no side-effects. Even if I did though, I would still prefer to take them and listen to him. They are given for a very good reason!

[Heythrop51]

I have taken a statin and an ACE inhibitor for the past few years without problem. Combined with weight loss and lifestyle changes my numbers are all now in the normal range when previously they were elevated. An added bonus is that I am no longer pre-diabetic!

That routine sounds a right palava and would spoil mealtimes for me. Has said person achieved normal cholesterol levels with all that MichaelJH

[Heythrop51 in reply to Heythrop51]

Take a mini aspirin (75mg) as well. And before those Lansoprazoleto protect me from all those tablets!

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

No, none apart from a Mediterranean diet (as advised by BHF), no smoking (last smoked in either October or November 1975 at Wisbech Stadium - now a Tesco superstore 🙁), no alcohol (not by choice but doesn't mix with pain medication post amputation) and exercise as much as I can (wheelchair limited),

[Hephzibar]

High cholesterol and then gallbladder sludge discovered, so I went on a low fat diet for five months. Cholesterol checked after those five months and it had very slightly increased!! Diet wasn’t going to do it.

So I am now on Atorvastatin 29mg and within three months my cholesterol has dropped considerably!!

[Heather1957]

Can you post your medical credentials please.

[1290Duke in reply to Heather1957]

None, that is why I take advice from people like the gentleman in the video who is a respected cardiologist.

[Heather1957 in reply to 1290Duke]

You say 'Fact' like you know! The man in the video could be completely fictitious yet you take every word he says as gospel and then share it.

Personally I think what you are doing is dangerous, you are entitled to believe whatever you want but I think that sharing the information and calling it FACT when you have no medical credentials at all is very naive at best.

[1290Duke in reply to Heather1957]

He is well known by many people on this forum. I suggest you watch the video in full and do your own research on him before responding with snipey comments suggesting that he is fictitious. Are you this rude naturally or did you do some sort of training course? I repeat, he is a well known and respected cardiologist who is sharing 'facts' with us.

[Heather1957 in reply to 1290Duke]

Having an opinion that is contrary to yours and being confident enough to post does not make me snippy or rude. I have no intention of watching this video but I am sure if I was at all bothered I could search through the internet and find a video of someone with a different opinion.

Of course pharmaceutical companies are about profit, that doesn't mean that all the drugs they produce are being prescribed wrongly, if I had doubt I would speak to a medical professional.

As you think I am being rude I will end the 'discussion', I love the information on Google and on line but when it comes to my health I prefer to speak to a person to confirm what I have read.

Not Snippy or rude just voicing my opinion which makes me neither.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to 1290Duke]

Not respected by all.

His information about the heart condition I live with is incorrect. I asked him to correct his videos. I supplied research papers and information from the BHF.

I am still waiting for the corrections to be made.

[AlfredV]

Very true. A healthy customer is not a profitable customer.

[Heather1957]

Me neither and I think the same as you in that side effects could be caused for many reasons. I think the first place to start is googling a specific medication and looking at the side effects especially connected to other medications, then speaking to your Pharmacist or GP and looking at options.

I would never make a decision to just stop taking a prescribed medication without speaking to the GP first.

I am not sure how many tablets you are prescribed. I take 12 tablets a day, 8 different ones, I am lucky as the only side effect I suffer with is tiredness which may have nothing to do with the tablets.

I accept the tablets probably keep me alive so will keep taking them.