Risk QRISK is 13.8% and Atorvastatin 20mg

[RhiaArtist]

My risk QRISK is 13.8%, and my pharmacist, who works in our surgery, wants to put me on Atorvastatin 20mg.I prefer to begin with Ezetimibe tablets (like Ezetrol), but they even do not want to discuss it with me.Take statin or die!I just do not want first to experience all these side effects and, after this, maybe get a better medicament.I think this is not fair.Am I right or wrong?

[PadThaiNoodles]

Ezetimibe on its own isn't as effective as most statins. Why would you want to start with a less effective remedy when you don't yet know if the most effective gives you side effects or not?

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[RhiaArtist in reply to PadThaiNoodles]

That is an excellent question; however, I am not so keen on statin's side effects and know that ezetimibe does not have as many of them (though there are also some).

I know about the effectiveness of ezetimibe, but my risk factor is not that awfully high either, isn't it?

Maybe I'll ask for an Atorvastatin 10 mg dose?

[PadThaiNoodles in reply to RhiaArtist]

I think rosuvastatin is supposed to have a slightly better side-effect profile. My wife doesn't get any side-effects from it. (She's on a high dose plus ezetimibe because she has familial hypercholesterolemia.)

[Lowerfield_no_more]

Statins are always offered first if you are recommended to take medication to modify your lipid profile. That's how it is. The majority of people who take statins (>90%), including me on the maximum dose, don't suffer from side effects, they simply take them and you don't hear any more. What you do hear about are the minority who do suffer side effects and that puts people off. However if you do suffer side effects, sometimes a change of statin may not give side effects. But you won't know whether you are going to get these until you try. And as far as ezetimibe is concerned it is not as effective as a statin, and is usually only offered if people are statin intolerant or if the statin has not managed to bring cholesterol levels down enough, mostly due to a very high natural cholesterol level, which is why I take it as a 'top up'. So if you have been offered a statin as a 'take it or leave it' option and are managing your heart health lifestyle well (diet, exercise, body weight management etc), I suggest you take up the offer but if you choose not to do this ensure the grounds are factually represented not something recommended by Dr Google.

Finally you might find this useful.

nice.org.uk/guidance/ng238/...

[RhiaArtist in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

Thank you, very helpful.

[happyrosie1]

I was like you, ten years or so ago. But I’ve great faith in my doc due to other medical things, so I reluctantly started statins. No side effects, it brought cholesterol down.

[RhiaArtist]

It's lovely to hear this! Congratulations I'll think about it.

[devonian186]

Have you actually been taking statins and been badly affected or have you been taking too much notice of DR Google?

Most people, including myself, feel no effect with statins.

Those that do, have a wide choice of other statins.

[JennyRx]

ezetimibe is never offered as first line of treatment. It is used when statins are shown to cause problems and/or statins don’t bring down LDL enough on their own. Despite there being a lot of noise around side effects from statins they occur far less often than you think. Many many people take them with no issues.

You could try lifestyle modification - diet and exercise and see how you get on. But you won’t get ezetimibe unless the statin option has been tried

[Eglatine]

I was prescribed 20mg of Atorvastatin and felt pretty dreadful, the dose was dropped to 10mg and I still had cold sweats etc, but much less than when taking 20mg, but I stuck with it and after a month no side effects.

My learning is to start with a really low dose and see how you go, with your GP’s agreement.

I never had drug sensitivity issues until I started with BP and heart drugs, but have found that tiny doses seem to have a good impact for me. But make sure to work with your GP.

[L8Again in reply to Eglatine]

NICE raised the Atorvastatin starting dose from 10 to 20mg a year or so ago. I recall getting a text from my GP following a repeat prescription request. I thought it slightly odd at the time as the cholesterol reduction benefit of increasing a statin dose is not linear.

[OldaYoda]

I take atorvastatin - 80 mg, cholesterol down NO side effects at all (I also take bisoprolol with tiny non troubling side effects) not all meds affect everybody. As someone else said on hear we get all the moans and negative comments.

[Jassuze]

I was on 80mg atorvastatin due to a high LP(a) as well as high cholesterol LDA however I have reacted terribly to them the severe tummy aches and nausea and sickness. Waiting for a review and at moment taking nothing. Starting to slowly feel better after 3 weeks of not taking anything. But also know people who take time without any issues whatsoever.

[Murderfan58]

I have just started Atorvastatin no side effects . My brother has been on it for years with no side effects.

Why worry about side effects unless you get some . Until you try the tablets you don't know if they will give you side effects. I have slight furring in my right artery and luckily didn't need a stent but the Atorvastatin is to help stop any further furring.

Couple of months ago I was diagnosed with Osteopenia in my left hip. I have been taking a combined calcium vitamin D and vit K since I was 50 and had my first mammogram and the radiotherapy told me I should be taking them . So been taking them for 16 years. Because of the Osteopenia my GP told me to stop them and put me on very high dose of calcium and vitamin D tablets. Had to stop taking them after 2 weeks they blocked my pain relief tablets from working fully and caused my Clonazepam I take for a rare hereditary neurological condition from working fully . Two days after I stopped them my other tablets worked as they normally did. After a month went back to my usual calcium and vitamin D and vit K tablet I get from Boots .

All tablets come with list of side effects even vitamins and minerals. But it's not saying you get any . I was worried once as I tablet I took one of the side effects was impotence 🤣🤣🤣. I am a woman . So it shows manufacturers put everything down to cover themselves from being sued.

Don't be frightened of side effects if you get any just stop taking the tablet and tell your GP.

[OK10 in reply to Murderfan58]

Hi. Was it K2 you were taking please? And what dosage. Thanks. I have been taking vitamin d 4000 iu but to start k2 as well because it transfers calcium to your bones and not your arteries.

[Murderfan58 in reply to OK10]

It was Colecalciferol 400unit/ calcium carbonate 1.5g one twice a day chewable tablet's . That my GP prescribed but they stopped my other tablets working . So it meant I was in more pain than usual and my mobility and balance was off ..

[Ewloe]

who knows if you’ll have any side effects. If you read the leaflet on paracetamol the list of side effects is long. Do you take paracetamol? Were all different. But if you do try statins you need to do so with an open mind otherwise you’ll have side effects regardless. Good luck

[Anniejen10]

6 months ago my QRISK was 10 point something and although my cholesterol level was a little high it wasn’t huge. My doctor suggested statins but I resisted as I didn’t like the idea of potential side effects. Also I was fit and healthy and saw no reason to take a drug that I could not see was helping me. Just over two weeks ago I suffered a mild heart attack and had a stent placed in my main artery which was furred up - I am now on statins to prevent further issues with high cholesterol leaving deposits that will block my arteries and risk my life. So far I have had no side effects from the statins that I’m aware of. It may be that statins give you some side effects, but like everyone here has said, there is a strong likelihood that they won’t. If they do, changes can be made with the help of the GP. The side effect of not taking them could be worse. I wish you all the best.

[TheDode]

All medications have side effects. I am on 40mg of Atorvastatin and have been taking it for years and can honestly say that I am completely unaware of any side effects. I take medication for high BP and several diabetic medications and I tolerate all of them well. I did have to come off Bisoprolol as I didn't take that well at all. Most people that use statins have very few side effects. Reading what the side effects are can be scary but there is a very high chance that you won't have any. Is better to give yourself the best protection as soon as possible so they are at least worth trying to see how you get on. I was reluctant to take any kind of medication but I am now 57 and have been taking daily medication for the last 24 and a half years. You do have the choice but the benefits definitely outweigh the risk of possible side effects. If you even get any.

[sandandkev]

If worried then you could start atorvastin and make sure you get bloods checked 12wks,look out for anything different ie tiredness,muscle pain etc,if so get changed,I was on ezetimibe and had awful fatigue! So it's difficult to know if affects you til you try,but don't take it if side effects bad as there are others,I'm now on rosuvastatin

[Carosemary61]

I’ve recently been prescribed Atorvastatin 20mg. I was initially very reluctant to take any medication, particularly statins, but after 6 months of trying unsuccessfully to reduce my cholesterol through diet alone, was persuaded by my cardiologist that the wider benefits to my overall heart health and management of aortic stenosis would go well beyond lower cholesterol levels. I started taking Atorvastatin a week ago and as yet have experienced no side effects whatsoever.

[Silvermedal]

I was on a statin, no side effects but affected my liver. So given ezitimibe and had horrendous side effect - won't detail in case you are eating. Everything has side effects, the only way to find out is to take them.

[Survivor1952]

In the past I’ve been on both Simvastatin and Atorvastatin. I’ve had joint and muscle issues with both to the point I had to use sticks to walk. My GP concluded I have naturally high cholesterol and stopped statins. My diet wasn’t perfect but it wasn’t bad, it is a lot better now. I had expressed concern about my weight with my GP, my BMI peaked at 28 and is now 24, I was told don’t worry about your weight. My partner has suffered the same side effects that I did.

After my HA in May 23 I was put on Ezetimibe when in hospital and after my AVR in June 23 Rosuvastatin was prescribed in addition. I now have two stents, a bovine aortic valve and a single bypass that was done as a precaution whilst I was under the knife. My valve problem was regurgitation. My Cholesterol level is now low and no side effects at all from the statin, my cholesterol/HDL ratio is 2.

I’ve done a QRISK for myself and it comes back at 13.6% against a normal level for my age of 19%. What this says to me is that you have not given, or been given, all the information as you really need to know the base line risk for your age before you can make a sensible judgement.

[Rachscarl9696]

Im on 80 mg Of Artorvastatin have been for a while. I just tolorate them

[Thanksnhs]

Hi I was on pravastin 40mg since my transplant in 2020 last week at clinic It was changed to 40 mg of artorvastatin as my cholesterol is at 5.6, my consultant said they should work better 🤞, I was fine with the pravastin so I hope all will be ok with this one but I wouldn't risk anything happening to my new heart if I didn't take them. I am not overweight just addicted to cheese! I am trying to cut it down now. Char

[OK10 in reply to Thanksnhs]

What the gp's don't tell you is that it is better to have a blood test to measure cholesterol on an empty stomach as the results would be more accurate.

[Thanksnhs in reply to OK10]

I've never been told that at the hospital either, bloods are always done before 10am so most people probably wouldn't have had too much to eat, a slice of toast at 8 o'clock is all I have. I get it checked every 6 months and my GP checks kidney function in-between. Char

[pete109]

Really GPs ought to be more open to patients trying a diet change first then after a blood test, if it’s not working offer statins, statins should really be the last resort not the first, there are real long term side effects including memory problems that people probably wouldn’t associate with statins, they probably put it down to old age, but it does happen, they were definitely affecting me and after I stopped taking them due to an allergic reaction to them, the side effects including slight memory problems disappeared.

[OK10 in reply to pete109]

Agreed. Statins are a very contravercial subject and not all doctors offer them but i take them as well.

[cappachina]

I have been on atorvastin for over 10years with no side effects Its well trying it

[OK10]

Hi. What is qrisk please and how do you get it measured? Thanks a lot.

[pete109 in reply to OK10]

qrisk.org/

[OK10 in reply to pete109]

Thanks

[AscotMoon]

I had no side effects whatsoever from Atorvastatin. Good luck!

[Hoocher62]

I've been on Atorvostain 80mg for nearly 5 and a half years. No issues at all

[Sleepyzz]

if it’s any encouragement, I’ve been taken atorvastatin for a couple of years with no side effects.

[Desertflowerchild]

Have you had a coronary calcium scan and has your lipoprotein a been measured?

[Cariboogal]

I think you are right, and they should respect that this is your body and your choice. More and more studies are coming out reporting that statins do not work! I have a relative on statins for 20+ years who just had to have a triple bypass. Read the forums, which I am sure you are, where folks who are taking the drugs report truthfully what they are experiencing. Read as much research as you can find on each drug, and look to see who funded them. Why do the drug companies keeping changing (lowering) guidelines considered "healthy" for people? Could it be so that they can sell more drugs? Good questions to consider, and sad that we can no longer trust drug companies. Fortunately, there are whistleblowers who are shining light on what is REALLY going on.

[Beater in reply to Cariboogal]

Bingo!