Today I had my lipid clinic appointment. I was nervous about this one as I have made a decision not to take any more statins. Long story about side effects and a family history of muscle disorder had finally convinced me that this is the right decision for me. I was sorry if I appeared hostile when I was trying to be assertive. Anyway now going to try Cholestagel which has a local effect and not a systemic one..I'll see how I get on.
The dreaded question of what I actually have came up, the nurse practitioner questioning FH again and telling me that it could be that they haven't found a rare mutation even though 95% of the causes have been excluded. She was questioning FCH as my untreated triglycerides are not particularly high.
I have come to the conclusion that I have some form of inherited high cholesterol and does it really matter what they call it. I will continue to try and get it down with some drug but I am not getting fanatical about lowering it to "targets". Good news, blood glucose down to normal levels, is this low carbs, losing a bit of weight, more exercise or stopping the statins....does anybody really know.
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Aliwally
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BG down to normal could be as a result of the low carbs.........a lot of T2's reduce carbs and find that this helps, but losing weight and exercising will also help.
I don't think Statins have any effect on high BG levels, but do know that a lot of diabetics are prescribed them, as most GP's want their cholesterol below that of non diabetics.
I did go in with all guns blazing because I wasn't sure what reaction I would get and to her credit, I did feel she took my concerns seriously. The trouble is, you never see the same person twice (well maybe in rotation) and the only time I've seen the consultant I had a bit of a ding dong as I'd gone for a second opinion.
Smithy, I think the JUPITER study raised the issue of more cases of diabetes particularly in post menopausal women (me) with another risk factor (me again, family history) . I'm just wondering if stopping statins has affected my blood sugar...but it is impossible to know for definite I suppose. What are T2's ?
I did go in with all guns blazing because I wasn't sure what reaction I would get and to her credit, I did feel she took my concerns seriously. The trouble is, you never see the same person twice (well maybe in rotation) and the only time I've seen the consultant I had a bit of a ding dong as I'd gone for a second opinion.
Smithy, I think the JUPITER study raised the issue of more cases of diabetes particularly in post menopausal women (me) with another risk factor (me again, family history) . I'm just wondering if stopping statins has affected my blood sugar...but it is impossible to know for definite I suppose. What are T2's ?
I did go in with all guns blazing because I wasn't sure what reaction I would get and to her credit, I did feel she took my concerns seriously. The trouble is, you never see the same person twice (well maybe in rotation) and the only time I've seen the consultant I had a bit of a ding dong as I'd gone for a second opinion.
Smithy, I think the JUPITER study raised the issue of more cases of diabetes particularly in post menopausal women (me) with another risk factor (me again, family history) . I'm just wondering if stopping statins has affected my blood sugar...but it is impossible to know for definite I suppose. What are T2's ?
I did go in with all guns blazing because I wasn't sure what reaction I would get and to her credit, I did feel she took my concerns seriously. The trouble is, you never see the same person twice (well maybe in rotation) and the only time I've seen the consultant I had a bit of a ding dong as I'd gone for a second opinion.
Smithy, I think the JUPITER study raised the issue of more cases of diabetes particularly in post menopausal women (me) with another risk factor (me again, family history) . I'm just wondering if stopping statins has affected my blood sugar...but it is impossible to know for definite I suppose. What are T2's ?
I did go in with all guns blazing because I wasn't sure what reaction I would get and to her credit, I did feel she took my concerns seriously. The trouble is, you never see the same person twice (well maybe in rotation) and the only time I've seen the consultant I had a bit of a ding dong as I'd gone for a second opinion.
Smithy, I think the JUPITER study raised the issue of more cases of diabetes particularly in post menopausal women (me) with another risk factor (me again, family history) . I'm just wondering if stopping statins has affected my blood sugar...but it is impossible to know for definite I suppose. What are T2's ?
I did go in with all guns blazing because I wasn't sure what reaction I would get and to her credit, I did feel she took my concerns seriously. The trouble is, you never see the same person twice (well maybe in rotation) and the only time I've seen the consultant I had a bit of a ding dong as I'd gone for a second opinion.
Smithy, I think the JUPITER study raised the issue of more cases of diabetes particularly in post menopausal women (me) with another risk factor (me again, family history) . I'm just wondering if stopping statins has affected my blood sugar...but it is impossible to know for definite I suppose. What are T2's ?
I think it is pretty. Obvious that we are all in the same boat, struggling with Sid e effects and differing opinions of different doctors. T believe at the moment we are all guinea pigs until they decide what it should be.
This site uses too much Javascript, do sometimes it behaves oddly if your browser hasn't loaded it all, our stuff like that. It's really fiddly to use on mobile phones!
Hi Aliwally, well if it works keep doing it is my motto!!!!! I too, think that Drs tend to follow the presciptive rules and treat everyone as a symptom and not as an individual. Whatever your family history and whatever your diagnosis Drs shouldn't prescribe ad hoc until they get to know the whole picture. Of course, with everything done in a rush these days in the Surgery they rely on diagnosis and treatment for the ailment and don't take the individual into account!!
Keep up the good work, and I hope that with the regime you have found works for you keeps doing its stuff!!
Hi Aliwally, Great news about your bloods, I suspect its a combination of low carbs, exercise, weight, etc too. Totally agree about the statins as you probably know, I am taking that route as well. I am hoping as my family has high cholesterol but only heart disease in old age that we have some sort of protective gene that they dont yet know about. Its a gamble but so is taking statins imo.
best wishes, hope you enjoyed your trip to the good ole USA!
How are you getting on with the Cholestagel as an alternative to statins?
Have you looked into the benefits of oat beta glucans - for both lowering post prandial glucose response and cholesterol reduction? Surely a useful tool for those trying to avoid statins.
I have to confess that I haven't started it yet. The hospital pharmacy didn't stock it and I haven't got around to making a GP appointment. I will this week.
Your product looks interesting..what I would have to do is try the cholestagel, get a reading, then add the betabalance to see how much more it would reduce my levels.
This means having to get NHS blood tests which is an absolute pain and my statin sceptic GP probably wouldn't write out the form to justify an experiment.
I have tried a home testing kit, but the sticks are very expensive and not very accurate...maybe I'm not very good at doing it.
Trying to get to grips with the home testing kits myself - for some anecdotal "evidence". Can any one recommend the best ones they've tried?
Thanks for the feedback - we are very much promoting a lifestyle approach with a balance of exercise, general diet and, where necessary, medication. The problem with trying to ascertain what is doing what (e.g. statins + beta glucans against statins on their own - or anything else for that matter) is all the other variables. Makes it really difficult to know what is doing what.
Our perspective is that anything that decreases dependency on drugs is a positive. A sentiment that seems to be shared here.
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RELUCTANT TO TAKE STATINS 
Cholesterol from 8.1 down to 5.5
Can you help
Niaspan, any information??
