My GP keeps trying to push me to take statins there is nothing wrong with my Cholesterol is there a reasoning why they keep saying something about guidelines for CKD .
Im already on enough tablets for ongoing breathing problems and a partially collapsed lung from pneumonia i don't really want to take anymore have chronic pain and heard statins can give you muscle pain.
Help
please stay away from statin i had my cholesterol level tiny bit up than gp gave me to take startin even never had cholesterol issue using last 6 weeks gave me very bad side effects feeling week tired now just stop 8 days ago i feel myself again try to keep my cholesterol control with diet
I asked further about this as I kept getting asked by my GP to start statins. Apparently it’s new govt advice but broad brush. They really only recommend it if you also have heart issues as well as kidney. I don’t, so am giving the statins a wide body swerve.
Nephrologist put me on statins 5 or so years ago even though I didn’t have high cholesterol as CKD and heart issues always go together. After reading a lot about statins, I have decided to go off them and am gradually reducing the dose now. I think I feel less aches and pains. I read something the other day that CoQ10 is a natural heart protector so I might try that. Will speak to doctor first
I think statins actually attributed to my CKD. I took them for years (cholesterol not that high) and had horrible leg pains, to the point that I had to quit. Looking back and now that more articles are available on the subject, I think toxins put out by my muscle pain affected my kidneys, one of the factors to low eGFR.
I have CKD and marginal cholesterol. Tried different statins for 10 years but they all seemed to make me weak. Finally found one that doesn't seem to bother me. pitavastatin, 1 mg. Keeps Ldl about 70. You should also experiment with lowering dose and then observing results after a couple months. One dose value doesn't fit everyone.
I've been on statin since November 2024, Atorvastatin - 10 mg. I am currently Stage 3B-Stage 4. My cholesterol was moderate, it will be a few months before I have blood tests again to see if there is any improvement. Leg pain was an issue for me before taking them, so, I haven't really noticed any difference. I feel about the same, almost like I'm taking a placebo. I did try to do some investigation on the internet (for what that may be worth), I did see articles suggesting it may help the kidneys by making the blood less laden with the harmful fat (my interpretation). While it isn't a blood-thinner, it could almost act like that. It should put less stress on the kidneys from what I've read.
Regarding the leg pain, I find stretching and taking daily walks helps with the leg pain. Especially if you can find a stretch for the calf muscles. It takes about 2 minutes of my day to stretch those calf muscles, which also helps with the ham strings and lower back.
My GP put me on Crestor years ago and I had a really bad reaction. I've had high cholesterol (family) and diet and exercise did not help. I take Zetia and Pravastatin and my cholesterol is finally good. The cardiologist wanted me to take Lipitor and I said no way. My LDL is 70 and he wants it below 60.
I had a health check yesterday at work (nhs admin worker) i was questioning one of the nurses doing it and they told me there is a statin that doesn't effect kidney function but that is a tier 3 drug and only a renal nephrologist in hospitals can prescribe it.
Im going to keep saying no unless something goes on with my cholesterol but it rather defeats the purpose about guidelines with kidney disease if its going to make it worse
I've been on 20mg pravastatin for about 2 years now. My cholesterol numbers were all high and have been lowered and are almost in the normal range. No side effects from this statin but years ago i did have muscle pain with Lipitor. I'm at gfr 31 for 6 or more ywhich ranges up to 38 at times.
I am very suspicious about the pressure put on patients to go on statins. I tried them years ago and had severe leg pain. It felt like a tendon from my ankle to my knee had turned to steel. If the pain had continued I would’ve been in the emergency room. My brother on the other hand, when he tried a statin his doctor put him on, ended up in the emergency room twice. Needless to say we’re not taking statins anymore.
So a couple years ago when my new primary doctor suggested I go on a statin I simply refused. My cholesterol is just slightly elevated according to today’s standards. But one thing I’ve noticed, every time I look at my chart online, it’s still lists the statin as one of my drugs. I’ve mentioned multiple times to him that I am not taking the statin, but it stays on my list of medicines. It certainly makes me wonder if doctors are being paid to have their patients on statins. If not that, then they are possibly criticized if a patient has a heart issue that was not on a statin? Perhaps there is some liability there.
I don’t know how to link it here but there is a chart available online that shows all cause mortality compared to cholesterol level at death. The lowest level of all cause mortality is associated with a cholesterol range that is elevated over today’s ideal standards - exactly the level that I’m at. I will happily remain off of statins.
My new GP prescribed a statin for me without talking to me about it. I have fibromyalgia and told him I am sensitive to meds and will try natural remedies first.
He told me to see a new Doctor! Apparently this MD has a God syndrome and expects his patients to be lemmings.
I found a new GP, an Osteopath. I figure he will be more into natural solutions.
Wow so sorry you ran into a doctor that would act like that. There’s something very strange going on where so many doctors push statins on their patients. Even to the point of firing a patient that refuses their drugs!
I was taken aback, I have had doctors try to put me on a statin but didn't freak out when I turned it down.
'This is a young guy too and I thought he would be cool since he hands out medical cannabis licenses
my doctor prescribed Crestor several years ago for mildly elevated cholesterol. I was skeptical, however, my cholesterol is at an acceptable level now & I’ve never had any side effects from the statin. I’m at 3A/B CKD & have been at that level for 10 years. I would watch your labs & try to be objective.
I have been prescribed Lipitor, which I have not taken. Apart from it being a protocol that if you have CKD you should be on a statin, I have not yet found a doctor or nurse who can explain to me why I need to be on one. My overall cholesterol works out at 6, which is higher than recommended, but my good cholesterol is high and my bad cholesterol is low. I don't understand why I should take it, so I didn't. I have a renal appointment soon and I will be asking the renal doctor.
several studies show the effectiveness of statins for the benefit of slowing kidney function decline for folks with CKD.
I would encourage you to follow your gut instinct on this one. Statins can cause a whole range of chronic health issues. First, statins are known to increase the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes by as much as 20% over 3 years, and diabetes increases your risk of CHD, CVD, & kidney disease. Second, statins block the body’s ability to make Vitamin K2, a deficiency of which leads to calcium deposition in arteries, which becomes plaque in arteries, and can also cause calcification of arteries and heart valves. This can be further evidenced by the fact that statins are known to increase CAC scores (calcium arterial calcification), which results in narrowing of arteries & calcified arteries are less able to expand & contract to regulate blood pressure.
Statins clearly inhibit synthesis of cholesterol, a substance which is vitally important for normal cell function in the body, and especially critical for both brain and nerve health. Cholesterol is the precursor to many vital substances produced by the body, including Vitamin D, CoQ10, bile acids, sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen), and adrenal hormones. By inhibiting cholesterol synthesis, statins can cause deficiencies in all of these. Bile acids are important for the breakdown and digestion of fats in stomach, and also play a role in liver function. Statins can also impact/alter the gut microbiome which can affect immune system function. Vitamin D levels play a significant role in immune system health.
Statins will lower your LDL cholesterol, but it is important to know that LOW LDL levels are associated with increased all cause mortality. The sweet spot for LDL is between 140-160, and correlates strongly with improved immune function and longer lifespans. LOW LDL levels <120 linked to poor immune function & shorter lifespan, and <100, increased risk of cancer & hemorrhagic stroke.
Recently, I came across what I believe to be an honest research article on NIH PubMed that followed statin users for 8.4 years, and found they had an INCREASED risk of both AKI (acute kidney injury) by 30% and CKD by 35%!! Here is the link:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/267...
One thing I have learned over the last 4 years and as a recently retired pharmacist, is that there is sadly a lot of fraud in the medical research journals. It is important to scrutinize the authors and their research for links or financial ties to Big Pharma. IMHO, there is a huge amount of corruption in the research industry. It is important to realize this and ask oneself, what did the authors stand to benefit from publishing this article. If the article went against the statin or Big Pharma narrative, then I personally find it reasonable to assume they gained absolutely nothing other than an opportunity to disclose the truth at the risk of losing further research grants/opportunities.
One last note on statin drugs, they block the ability of cells to replicate their DNA. This means they block or inhibit a cell’s ability to divide/replicate, which is required for the cell cycle of life. They have also been linked to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, MS, and ALS.
There is a good book that looks into statins you could get on Amazon called “The Cholesterol Myth”.
Long story short he goes into the medical studies behind the advantages of statins and says there is no statistical evidence that statins are effective.
He also thinks they are over prescribed and the other negative effects associated with it, including memory and cognition because the brain is also composed of cholesterol as well as hormones.
The author thought the only condition it is worth taking statins would be after heart surgery to reduce inflammation.
Also there was no significant outcomes of heart related deaths in people who took statins or not.
Not saying I’m an expert but I found the read interesting. Also goes into the origins of our preoccupation with fat in our diet which stems from a study on mice that the author of that study said should have never been applied to humans. Basically what is the correlation between fat in our diet and cholesterol in the blood, it’s not a direct link according to the author.
Although many believed the science on statins and potential increase for AKI showed statins caused no risks, recent studies and studies of studies show potential AKI risk may still exist. In addition there have been recently other discoveries that show non-statin meds help lower LDL-C without the kidney toxicity. Here is a link:
Quote:
“It is worth mentioning that various observational studies have reported diverse effects of statin use on kidney function. Some studies suggest a decreased risk, while others indicate an increased risk, and some show no significant changes. The effects of statins on renal function remain a topic of controversy with conflicting findings [104]. While statins may have a protective impact on the kidney, additional research is required for a more definitive conclusion.
AND:
“In recent years, numerous non-statin options have come to the forefront, offering alternative approaches to managing lipid levels and reducing cardiovascular risk. These therapeutic options encompass PCSK9 inhibitors, bile acid sequestrants, ezetimibe, and emerging medications such as bempedoic acid [110,111,112]. Clinical trials have demonstrated their efficacy in reducing LDL cholesterol levels, especially in patients with conditions such as familial hypercholesterolemia or those who are unable to tolerate statins. PCSK9 inhibitors have shown remarkable potential in substantially lowering LDL cholesterol [111]. As research progresses and more affordable options become available, non-statin lipid-lowering therapies are poised to play an increasingly significant role in comprehensive cardiovascular risk management, providing additional choices for both patients and healthcare providers. In addition, the emergence of forthcoming lipid-lowering medications under development offers an opportunity to gain additional understanding regarding whether these non-LDL-cholesterol-lowering characteristics are exclusive to statin therapy.”
Sorry for the length. Be your own best advocate and educate yourselves because many physicians cannot keep up with current medical studies especially a GP as they are (at least in the United Kingdom and some other European countries) severely overloaded trying just to see all patients in the waiting room. For me I have chosen no statins though total cholesterol runs about 225. LDL though is over 50. It’s my choice and I’ve chosen to avoid those (IMHO) wicked little pills since the AKI nearly 31 years ago.
Plant sterol and stage 4 CKD
GFR Below 60
Doctors Differ - Patients Die. The problem of taking a doctors lead
Statin alternative
