Challenge

[Totoro25]

Hi,Does anyone in this group ever challenge their GP with regard to how the calculation / formula for good or bad cholesterol is applied?

[sandybrown]

Yes, I have.

I helped a GP to Internet risk calculator in the early days, JBS2, now it may be JBS3.

There is another risk calculator and it is QRISK. In Scotland it is different.

Total cholesterol = HDL + LDL + Triglyceride/ x

x, varies depending upon where you live in the world.

Triglyceride has many components.

Over the last 15 years what the GP look for in cholesterol has changed.

Now days it is non HDL number.

Human body produces 80 % of cholesterol on demand for the body to function and 20 % from food intake. Statin medication taken as primary is to control any heart problem and secondary as to help with blood flow after any heart procedure.

[Totoro25 in reply to sandybrown]

Thanks for the information. It seems to me, that how they (GPs) apply the formula is pretty random and without looking at any other information or discussion your put on Statins for the rest of your life 🤷‍♂️

[sandybrown in reply to Totoro25]

You have a choice?

When I was asked to take statin while in employment and with private medical I agreed.

When my GP asked to me go on statin and commented statin cal undo all the damages.!

I asked what damage, no answer, I asked for a referral to a cardiologist, I had three tests,

and the cardiologist said there is no need to go on statin medication.

Is is only now at 77, I am taking one 10 mg statin daily, because of family medical people advice.

The statin I am on is not giving me any problem at the moment.

I hope you can discuss with your GP on your risk calculation and ask for life style help.

Good luck.

[ALB38]

I took Atorvastatin for about six months before the side effects became intolerable. Subsequently I was prescribed two others that were just as bad. I now regard them as poisons and would never touch them again. Coming off them has never caused me any harm.

[DakCB-UK in reply to ALB38]

Lucky you. I was on them for at least six years because one of the side effects was memory loss which left me unable to realise what was happening! It took a smart locum doctor to notice the onset of my symptoms were about the same time as starting atorvastatin. Since then, I've tried and failed off all statins, bempedoic acid and the "-locumab" PCSK9 inhibitor injections. Ezetimibe seems OK and now I'm trying inclisiran.