Statin Choice.

[Tbae]

I am not a medic.I am a 75 year old retired Euorepean Engineer who has taken up running 9-10 months ago.

I can now run 50-60 km per week and I have improved my trotting pace by 10-15%.

C25k, Bridge and marathon support communities are on here to support anyone interested in taking the responsibility for their health through running.Likewise active 10 walking support also.

I have just requested my GP to up my statin from 10 mg Simvastatin to 20mg and I have been placed on a better medication Lipitor Atorvastatin.

My heart attack risk actually falls into the guide lines where I should be on 80 mg of the above statin.

My choice at the moment is to stick with the 20mg.Blood tests in Dec 2018.

I am responsible for my health with the help of medics on an ongoing basis.Exercise, balanced diet,weight control,muscle retention,very little alcohol,good hydration,quality sleep, as little stress as is possible, group activity, etc, etc,

What does concern me as a lay person is the diverse views held and maybe understandably as nothing stands still.

I need simplicity in my decision making,

First for me is how do I preserve my life,and lower my risk with proven medication, even with side effects that may have to be managed.

At least medication has gone through extensive research unlike supplements.

Secondly, I trust our NHS system and the professionals to pursue the guidelines, evolving comparisons, from ever growing sample sizes and conclusions and within finite resources.It puts the front line professionals in a position to offer us clear choices.

For me, a simple soul, I want to be living so I can run.

One hour of running is seven hours of life.

I appreciate my medical situation is quite straight forward, had a macro aneurysm 25 years ago and lost central vision in one eye.Two - three years ago had a TIA and lost all vision momentarily.

So hence Chlopidogrel and statin medication.Its a no brainer and for me, I do not want the task to understand and the use of my time pursuing an unproven cutting edge solution.That is great but I have to exercise some patience and give back where I can and trust that all good things are appreciated.

Google “Get Fit in 6mins” and blow your mind with this medical research and of course much more on sister communities that just confirm what an amazing piece of kit we have been gifted.

We can also give ourselves so many other gifts to support our health.

Exercise is mandatory and I think we all understand the consequences of not doing it.

It’s our choice.As is the meds recommended to us.It is just nonsense to suggest financial gains/bonuses to front line medics in pushing certain products.Yes I understand true, but the patient has first to fall into a need of help category and that makes a contribution to ongoing testing and enhanced knowledge and confidence in pursuit of life gains.

These simple non medical thoughts are in no way put here to influence or be confrontational.

Good luck to all with your choices.

On a good day we are all precious to somone so the decision is not just for us alone,usually.🌟👏👏

[AlMorr]

Hi Tbae, Alan here from Scotland, I so admire your attitude on perusing those long distances you run, when I began C25K in April this year and graduated that famous day in June running the third run of week 9 along the promenade in Helensburgh all I wanted after that was to run a full 5 K in around 35 minutes based on the pace I had been running from W6R3. After a short break on the IC. I manage my first full 5k in a time of 34.21 and a week later, according to my new Smartphone which for the first time had Mapmyrun got a PB of just over 32 minutes. Since then around 35 minutes has been my average time for a 5 K.

You mentioned statin, for about 7 years now the only medication I have been on are 40mg of Simvastatin Tablets to lower my cholesterol levels, that combined with less milky and creamy food combined with exercises including running has lowered my cholesterol levels a good bit.

Glad you are keeping well and regards to you and your family including those lovely grand children I saw recently in the photos you showed us all on C25K 😊

[Tbae in reply to AlMorr]

Thank you Alan and very pleased you are good.

That’s a very impressive 5k PB Alan.So well done.

Just shows what can be done.💥🏃‍♂️💥💪☄️

[Springray]

What an inspiring post. Taking up running is a major achievement.

As an engineer you will be familiar with different ways to modify and clean up cylindrical vessels (eg the arteries).

Preventing the build up of further plaque and even reversing plaque would be a big win. Statins do this. And so can a carefully chosen diet. Unfortunately an "everything in moderation diet" doesn't do it...plaque continues to build. The only diet proven to reverse plaque is outlined in the book How Not to Die by Dr Michael Gregor. There is a chapter on strokes and other common illnesses of older age. Helpful recipes in the second half of the book and lots and lots of scientific references if that also is important to you.

Of note is the fact that the same disease process is at work for strokes and coronary artery disease and most likely also Alzheimer's disease (ie inflammation of the blood vessels). So the same dietary precautions will help with all chronic diseases of older age.

Additionally there is really good practical advice in the book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr C. Esselstyn. He also has a website. With his way of eating I've been able to come off B.P tablets and to cut down statin dose. I could stop my low dose statin but I want to keep my LDL below 1.8 (see nutritionfacts.org), as this is linked to halting further plaque from building.

Thank you for sharing your story and keep us posted.

[Tbae in reply to Springray]

Wow./ Boom💥

Thank you so much for your clear concise post and references.

You have inspired me to take action.

I certainly will and thank you so much for your knowledge and help.

💥🌟👏👏✨

[Tbae in reply to Springray]

Hi Springray,

I am one week on my changed statin and 20 mg level.

Must say feeling the effects of some of the paperwork alerts.

Mild headaches and constipation.

I’ll hang in there for 28 days.

Have not had time for my running which just seems to keep everything right.

Who knows, 🤔. Many years ago I was put on a statin 20mg for life.That took me by surprise for some reason.🙈and now I think it should have not and I do not know why I pursued reducing it to 10 mg and having the desire to get off it.

Now strictly I should be on the max 80mg.

Only reassurance is the cholestral stuff has been stable.Presumably that means minimal plaque build up.🤔

Through time and I am going to follow up on your references and settle on a plan of action.

Thanks for your previous post.

Take care of you.

🌟👏👏

[Markl60]

Personally I only do 10 mins of interval running every other day and I tend to agre with the following article which all should read.

blueheronhealthnews.com/sit...

[Tbae in reply to Markl60]

Thank you and so very interesting.

Much food for thought for a senior novice runner.

💥🏃‍♂️💥👏👏

[Bazza1234]

Hi all - I am Australian - but have been participating in these NHS forums for quite a few years now. I started running at age 67 - and have literally run thousands of klms by now including 3 half marathons and 140x5k parkruns . I now do mostly run/walking and am currently training to complete a full marathon next year. I am now 72. What I like most about running ( which I don't really enjoy) is the running community - I have never before experienced such a welcoming positive inclusive community in my life!! I have had some ups and downs over the past few years - I have discovered that I have hardening/calcification of my heart arteries . I discovered this quite accidentally because i knew that I had extremely high cholesterol levels for 30+ years and had a calcium score test done. I am now officially diagnosed with atherosclerosis - but without symptoms. This has possibly led me to have a Central Retinal Vein Occlusion which has caused me to lose much vision from my right eye . 18 months ago I was not watching where I was jogging and fell in a a streetside gutter - fracturing a 5th metatarsal bone in my foot which has not healed completely.

I have now reduced my cholesterol levels down to where my cardiologist wants them to be - with 20 mg Crestor and 10 mg Ezetemibe - plus a baby aspirin and a very small ACE inhibitor. I exercise 4 times per week - 2x5K brisk walks , 1x5kparkrun and a long run/walk (14k next week). Who knows whether this will improve or extend my life - I just know that I don't want to be like the MANY people I see of my age group in the streets - obese, sick, unfit. But , at the end of one day --- youtube.com/watch?v=WdEoput...(Not working as expected?)

[Tbae in reply to Bazza1234]

Hi Bazza,

Still gonna die,still gonna die,

Never managed to get sorted with a playlist yet.

This will forever be first and top of the list.😂😂👍💥💥

Hope all good with you Baz, and your marathon training going as planned.

Thanks for this Bazza.

💥🏃‍♂️💥👏👏💪☄️

[Do_La]

thank you for the information and congratulations on your gains. very impressive. while i agree with you it's important to get and stay fit at this point in time I'm trying to just walk without any pain.

[Tbae]

Thank you for your points, Concerned.

You have given me lots to consider.

🌟👏👏

[Hidden]

Very inspirational. Thanks for sharing.