statins

[Sara_2611]

What are the side effects of statins .My GP keeps dropping indirect hints that I might have to go on them .Im on BP tablets but nevr been on statins

[Happyrosie]

There was a bit of publicity a few years ago saying muscle pains amongst other things were common. There was a small trial with a placebo against a statin and their was no difference. I have no side effects - but have a word with your pharmacist. Different statins have different side effects. Some need to be taken in the evening, and with some you have to avoid (from memory) grapefruit juice. My husband had some side effect of muscle aches and our pharmacist suggested we ask our doc for a different one, which doc prescribed when we told him what the pharmacist had said.

[Sara_2611 in reply to Happyrosie]

Cheers Happy Rosie -I ll have a chat -if my GP goes ahead & prescribes them.I hope he doesnt prescribe them as I'm on enough pills -I just wanted to find out views from other people

[Mary1953]

Hi Rosie! I balked at taking statins. For over a year I put it off. My last blood test showed my cholesterol ever increasing so I started. Have to say I’ve had no side effects, my blood pressure which had been very erratic is now stable. Is it the statins I don’t know, but I feel better! I have taken Bp meds for decades. Atenolol and Clonidine when it spikes to 140 over 90..My only concern is you can’t just stop taking statins once started, you would have to ween off.

Anyway good luck!

Mary

[Phil865]

I have been on and off statins for years. On because my unnaturally high cholesterol. And off because of the terrible side effects. I can't describe it really. They just made my head feel weird. Not dizzy or stoned. Just weird. The Atorvastatin is working now though. Possibly because I take them at bedtime and don't notice any side effects? Or possibly because they have improved and eliminated the side effects? Regardless you just have to try and see for yourself.

[Port01]

I can attest that that side effects are not rubbish. My GP at the time tried 4 different types and the effects were all the same, muscle aches, restless leg syndrome, and a feeling of not being quite with it to name a few. I tried for two years and after coming off them the symptoms disappeared.

[Sara_2611 in reply to Port01]

Ok ta - im just getting an insight in case they do put me on them

[pinosolady]

I have been on BP medication for over 10 years and when my triglycerides were high the doc suggested stating. I know a number of people who have suffered bad side effects so decided to change my diet by avoiding all high fat foods like butter, bacon etc. I lost 1½ stone and reduced my triglycerides and cholesterol in the process. Have a look at the diet suggestions on the BHF website. It worked for me.Good luck and hope you manage to avoid statins.

[Sara_2611 in reply to pinosolady]

Im on BP tablets myself -bendroflumethiazide & candesartan & amlodipine I hope they dont put me on statins

[dizzielizzie1]

Hi Sara--Last year after my annual blood test, my GP rang me and said I should go on statins as my cholesterol was a bit high. I asked her for the reading and she said 5.1 overall. I asked what it was the previous year and she said 5.2, but no one had suggested I needed statins back then. It so happened I had a cardiology appointment soon after when the nurse looked at my cholesterol results, and I told her my GP wanted to put me on statins. She was very surprised at that, She said my 'good' cholesterol was 3.6 and my 'bad' cholesterol was 1.5. She said those results were better than hers and she didn't think I needed statins yet. I did read that GPs are paid to put people on statins. No doubt someone will come back and tell me that's not true, now that I've written it. All I can say is that I am not going on statins unless I absolutely have to.

[Sara_2611 in reply to dizzielizzie1]

Im needlephobic - As a child I spent years geting out of having blood tests but now its come round to haunt me years later -