My first statin.

[agarr]

Hello,

I'm new to all this and still taking it all in.

Last year I'd had a few symptoms I was sure that were due to stress, I was unhappy at work, being a single parent and juggling a 40hr a week job was wearing me down and my family had suffered a loss in the form of my uncle who had a stroke and slowly passed away. My GP sent me for some blood tests and the results came back that I had high cholesterol. Not something I thought possible for a young and fairly fit person so I spoke to my mum who informed me that my dad had just been told he had high cholesterol and she was going for a blood test too. Her test then came back quite high also. We all embarked on a healthy eating diet and my dad and I took up some exercise.

After 3 months I went for more bloods and was told I was back to normal, nothing to worry about. As time went by I found out my auntie had a cholesterol level of 7.4 but refuses to do anything about it and another aunt on my mothers side also suffered a stroke so I went back to the GP after another 3 months and asked for another blood test just to check that everything was ok as I'd re introduced some foods back into my diet. After looking at me in disgust that I should ever ask for such a thing, he relented and off I went for another test. The result came and today I went back to the GP who looked at the screen, took my blood pressure, asked about the family history and told me that my cholesterol was high again. I had my LO with me so he wouldn't actually say a lot but he wrote me a prescription for a 3 month supply of Simvastatin 20mg and said to come back in 6 months for another blood test.

So here goes pill #1 I'm sure I'll have loads of questions as time passes. Right now I'm on a fact finding mission to see how everyone else is managing their own cholesterol.

[Robert787]

Hi agarr, yes, you should read up on statins, For some of us they can be a pig of a pill.

The side affects for me were muscle pain and joint pain. I thought I would end up in a wheelchair it was so bad. So, do read the little bit of paper that comes with pills. And read as many of the articles on the net, you will see even the top Medics dont allways agree on this cholesterol stuff.

All the best.

[Krivda]

I have been taking Crestor (contains Rosuvastatin) for 2 years. Have not had side effects so far. I shall see with the time, if there will be any, it is too early to say. All my doctors say it is the best. I tried to replace it with Rosucard (another generic Rosuvastatin) because it was much cheaper, but with no good effect, so doctors said to stick to Crestor.

[Omooba]

I wonder if the medics do use and experience some of the drugs they prescribe. Almost everyone has one challenge or the other with Simsvastatin yet the docs keep recommending it. I guess the medics need much of feedback from us patients on issues like this.

But Agarr, if healthy eating habits and exercise reversed the situation earlier won't you want to try that again rather than get hooked on drugs?

[Hidden]

simvastatin is the cheapest statin so used as a first response to high cholestrol, it has the highest incidence of side effects...according to my pharmacist. I investigated statins extensively on the intenet when I started having awful side effects with simvastatin...muscle pains and cramps, extreme fatigue, depression (never had that before). Took my GP a long time to persuade me to start statins...worst decision....stopped taking them and all these awful symptoms stopped. For me I'd rather live a 'maybe' shorter but great deal pleasanter life. Read up about statins....imho the jury is out on whether they are of benefit...certainly not for females over 65 years of age.

[agarr]

Thank you all for your comments. I did continue to eat healthily, just reintroduced a few of my old regular foods and semi skimmed milk. Also stopped worrying if I was ever offered out for a meal where a meat other than chicken or turkey was being offered. I've tried not to be too inactive but I'm starting some regular exercise on my days off work again, and trying to involve my LO so we can play more sport or go on walks etc together.

I hopefully will only be on these for the 3 months, as I'm starting to worry about possible side effects but I guess I can deal with those if they happen. A friend at work's hubby has been on Simvastatin for 10 years with no issues so maybe I'll be we shall see.

I would like to live as long a life as possible but it's right that the quality of life needs to really be considered.

[Aliwally]

The trouble with taking the simvastatin now is that it will lower your cholesterol, because this is what they do! When you go back your cholesterol will be lower because of the drugs and nothing else.

As Oomba says you have lowered it before with diet and exercise so you could do it again, usually statins are taken for life so it is a big decision. I was the same , thought I could take it for 3 months only and that would be it. Good luck, diet and exercise will help.

[Penel]

Have a look at the CBN video posted a few days ago, for suggestions on what not to eat.

Good luck agarr.