I hope everyone is as well as can be. A little about me. From roughly the age of 18, I could feel something going on in my heart. Eventually I happened to marry someone who’s Mum was a cardiology tech at the Local hospital. I had a really bad run of it one weekend and managed to get a tracing done. My mother in law downloaded it and rang me straight away saying, “how often do you get this?” I said I’d been trying to tell her and others for ages! Within two days I was taken in to hospital for an ablation for diagnosed Ventricular Tachycardia. The ablation failed. I didn’t really realise how serious it was into I subsequently went into premature Labour at 31 weeks and was admitted to CCU and told I wouldn’t be leaving until I had my baby at approx 38 weeks. I had her the next day with a room full of very concerned doctors.
Fast forward to today, I’ve managed the VT pretty well over the years. I’ve developed Ankylosing Spondylitis and more recently, Polymyalgia Rheumatica which has rendered me housebound. I’ve put on a ton of weight. I’m seriously overweight. As such my cholesterol is high. So my question is about statins. I read a book about ten years ago saying that statins are simply a money spinner and that we don’t need them. After all, people still die of heart attacks. So my question is, what are people’s OPINIONS around statins? I’m scared something awful is going to happen and I desperately need to lose weight. Thanks.
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Bramble2000
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I’m sorry to hear about your health journey so far. You have definitely not had the easiest time but I’m glad you found us.
My mum takes Atorvastatin for cholesterol. She takes 40mg and has been on them for about 4-5 months now to reduce her cholesterol. They have been successful in lowering her cholesterol however, she does suffer with muscle cramping in her legs from them. A part from that, they seem to have been fine.
I understand there is some information out there which suggests that statins are perhaps, dangerous or just a money making scheme (I’ve never personally read into it too much) however, there are forum members who are, and are not on statins so I hope their experiences help in perhaps, forming a decision. Any real concerns should be taken up with your GP.
I already have T2 diabetes and am on insulin. I will definitely take any potential statin bashers with a pinch of salt. I’ve had major issues with my weight all my life as a direct result of trauma. I gave up alcohol two years ago and I seem to have developed a sugar addiction in its place 🙄. I simply find losing weight extremely difficult…
If you are uk based the money spinning argument is fairly simple to bust - nhs doctors aren't allowed to financially gain from prescribing certain meds.
Yes people still die of heart attacks despite being on statins - they are just one tool in your arsenal along with other meds and lifestyle changes - but they are not a cure all. They don't prevent every heart attack but they do significantly reduce the risk of one happening.
They do have side effects but there are several out there that can be tried until you find the best fit, and there are alternatives if you are really struggling. The thing is, anything you take comes with the risk of side effects. Coffee for example can increase your chance of palpitations along with other caffeine induced effects, but most people still drink it every day. Alcohol gives hangovers but people still indulge. Excess sugar leads to weight gain but it certainly never stopped me.
It all comes down to your personal risk/benefits assessment and what you're willing to put up with to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Regrettably I am not sure I agree about the financial gain aspect . Integrity appears to be inversely proportional to profit. theguardian.com/business/20...
I do think we each need to make our own risk assessments.
I have been in Statins for years now ever since I had open heart surgery - and they are doing their job in controlling my Cholesterol. I don’t have any side effects from them.
Hello, I am sorry to hear of your struggles. I personally think statins are very important. I do recognise there may be others who disagree. Having said that I have struggled with them due to severe muscle weakness. As such I am now on a tablet which works I believe a little differently which I seem to be able to better tolerate. I am also on a trial which includes injections, although it may be a placebo! My point is if you believe you are very overweight and your cholesterol is high please speak with your doctor to discuss your options. There are options so I hope you can find something suitable. There are often side effects with meds but hopefully they can find something which works for you. Please do discuss with your doctor. Take care, Judi
So sorry to hear of your struggles with your weight, its a problem that many of us have had to face,
Please get advice from your Dr to the best plan in helping you, the internet is full of rubbish information and in my opinion some of it can be extremely dangerous if like you and many of us suffer with other illnesses.
I am sure that your Dr can put you in touch with a good NHS qualified dietician , qualified being the key word.
As for statins, there are many that you could be put on, if side effects are a problem, and ask your Dr about why you have been put on them, is it just for your cholesterol level? or is it also helping with some of your other problems?
I am on statins and my cholesterol level is fine, but mine is for stoping any plaque that has built up braking away and causing other problems.
Bramble you are not alone and if we can help in anyway please just continue posting your questions
I was recently in hospital, they sent me a dietitian on the ward. I was looking forward to getting some advice and guidance on management of lipoprotein a. She stood at the bed and told me to go in the NHS web and look at the eatwell plate!
Although many generally healthy people don't need statins if they follow a good diet avoiding foods with bad cholesterol , they are an absolute necessity for many others. With a past history of VT a statin is often a very sensible precaution to take as part of preventative self care.
A hardly ever discussed but very common genetic condition which can effect approximately 1 in 250 people is Familial Hypercholesterolemia as well. This is a genetic issue that makes it hard for people to remove bad cholesterol from the body to varying degrees of severity even whilst eating a well balanced diet.
This , over time , can put these people at higher risk of developing blockages and having heart , artery and stroke issues.
Most people don't get a diagnosis for it ,unless, when they get a high LDL cholesterol reading from a blood test , and then try to control it with a strict diet they get no reduction in the LDL results over the next six months (before receiving statins) . Then , those people , like myself and my Mum ( our LDL even increased despite the diet change) the GP diagnosed FHC and advises consistent use of statins with a managed diet to keep things under control, and as a preventative to help reduce our risks of heart and stroke problems. As without the statin , no matter how good my diet is , my LDL cholesterol would still be too high.
If you also have AS and PMR ( I had GCA and am also a member of the PMR/GCAuk forum ) it is often advised by GPs to take statins also to reduce the risks of plaques and blockages that can occur because of changes in how steroid medication effects fat distribution and metabolism and cholesterol as well as coping with reduced activity when your disease activity is high, especially if you also have heart issues too.
There are side effects but you need to outweigh those against the risks you are trying to reduce by taking the medications.
One tip I will give from experience, is that, as you have two conditions that cause joint and muscle pain anyway, if you find you can link an increase in this pain to taking a statin and it's still there after 6-8 weeks, go back to the GP and ask if you can change to a different statin. Some people need different types of statins to get less side effects than the one that is usually prescribed first time round.
One tip, especially if you are using steroids as well as statins, get your Vitamin B 12, Folates and Iron tested regularly and Vitamin D once a year and increase foods in your diet high in these nutrients.
Both of these drugs can effect how well, you absorb Vitamin B 12 and Folates and low levels of these nutrients in turn act in a bit of a vicious circle by reducing how well you absorb medications and other nutrients, especially iron.
This , in turn, can increase the Fatigue , Pain and Stiffness of AS and PMR , and for people generally , making it harder to move or exercise, and can effect how often you have palpitations, dizziness and non heart event chest pains.
You've probably already been given Adcal for prevention for PMR , but adding in a multivitamin and mineral taken after food , and a single dose of B12 or B complex a day can help improve your general Self Care and reduce the chance of future deficiency, But they are supplements not substitutions for your medications.
And last point , I know you are probably feeling like you've been hit too much with the unlucky stick and the situation you are in that the moment will be making you feel very low. I can tell you as treatments begin to help and with the right additional support things to get better.
I have to spend various amounts of time when I'm unable to get out to exercise because of symptoms and how it effects my mobility. A long time ago I decided to change my mindset to help me keep positive by changing the way I view the time I need to spend at home. Now , I don't call it ' Housebound' anymore , but, ' Living Life at Home' silly, but it really made a difference to how I felt about being in the house, as though it was a positive choice to help my health rather than something imposed on me.
You can start helping get control of your weight and exercise when things feel more managed, slowly and steadily. Eating a diet with rare processed sugar, low in saturated fats, avoiding ready meals and artificial sweeteners and flavourings. and keeping the white carbs to occasional small portions while adding more lean proteins and a wide variety of vegetables, fruit, pulses and wholefoods can be a tasty Diet for Life instead of feeling like a Diet of Torture and with portion control can help weight loss or reduce the weight gain until you get back to more activity.
Keep in touch , and if you have any questions , including on AS or PMR , feel free to private message me for a chat. take care , Bee
i don’t have Familial Hypercholesterolemia. I don’t take steroids and don’t need Adcal as bone density is fine. I will probably start with a Statin. Thanks
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