my doctors can`t agree on statins

[hairyfairy]

I recently saw one of the doctors at my group practice, & she said that she could`nt understand why I`d been prescribed statins when I don`t have any other risk factors for heart disease. The trouble with group practises is that you rarely see the same doctor twice, & they each have a different opinion as to how to treat a condition. She said my slightly sluggish thyroid gland could be causing my raised cholesteral, & has sent me for yet another blood test. I`m getting quite confused about the whole thing.

[deepblue]

I have seen 3 different doctors at the same practice who have said "take statins", "no need to take statins" and the third one said its up to you! Baffling or what?

[Aliwally]

I agree. However, now I know which ones are "pro" and which one is "anti". Incidentally, the more anti one is the one who debates the issue with me. One of the others accused me of getting my information from the " Daily Mail "....what an insult! I should have said, no actually it's the Lancet and the American Journal of Cardiology, but I was too polite.

Yes, I think an underactive thyroid does make cholesterol levels rise.

[patch14]

I have read several pamphlets that say statins are of no use to women. Has anyone else heard this? There are so many written arguements about the treatment of "high" cholestrol with statins, the risks as to whether you live with higher than "normal" cholesterol or take the medication and suffer the horrendous side effects (quality of life is something I would take into account with that scenario) that the only thing you can do is to become as well informed as you can and read as much as you can. Aliwally is right. Read the "professional" articles and not the media hype. That way you have good ammunition in your reach when you next go to the Dr. I always write down any questions I want answers to, and if I don't get them I just say "thanks for your time" then go and book another appointment with another GP in the practice.

In this day and age with computer technology the Dr should have in front of him/her the notes of the previous visit on her computer screen and any suggestions or prescriptions that the previous Dr had issued should be written there. If not, ask why not, because without that information how can the GP you are seeing make the necessary decisions regarding your care?