A Doctor at the Diabetes Clinic (I am pre-diabetic) recommended statins when I inquired about how to offset the tendency of Prednisone to raise blood sugar.
I don't want to take them. Is there a valid reason why I should?
I was diagnosed with PMR in Sept 2023 and I am currently on 12.5 mg of Prednisone daily.
This is a fairly regular discussion on the forum and you've probably already seen related posts to your own. A quick search will bring up many more. You will get a wide range of views from those who don't like them to those that have no problem with them. If you do go for them you may find that that you need to try two of three different ones to get the one that works for you. Rosuvastatin has given me no problems at all over many years whereas two of the others gave me joint pain on a par or worse, with my OA.
Like many people you may well find your blood sugars go back to normal levels as you reduce your Pred….and being pre-diabetic doesn’t automatically lead to diabetes.
Plus what are your cholesterol levels?
There seems to be differing views on statins and diabetes-
….for
diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-di...
..and against [although this is older]
gov.uk/drug-safety-update/s...
I’d want to do more investigation.
Cutting your dietary intake of carbs will also achieve that - it has for me. It also reduces the risk of weight gain. Some on the forum have reversed Type 2 diabetes by doing so, We discuss it a lot.
It is all very well picking up on one aspect of a drug being used but I am utterly bemused by this suggestion!
There is quite a bit of suggestion that statins raise the Hba1c, just as corticosteroids can, so where is the logic of combining them? I would want a LOT of back-up to his claim.
Not to mention the fact that for many, statins cause muscle aches and pains - as if we didn't have enough of those with PMR itself! I have tried twice with different statins - PMR flared both times.
There has been reported results of research that taking statins if you are female over sixty five is a waste of time unless you have heart problems.
That’s my argument!
???
Not to take them, that is! As well as being intolerant to them…
Thanks, everyone for the responses. My blood sugar ranges are good at the moment as I have adopted a low carb diet and increased my exercise. I don't even think my cholesterol is high, but the Diabetes clinic Doctor hadn't even seen my blood work when he recommended statins and wrote a note to my GP about it....now I have to argue with him, too (he takes statins) as I have decided I don't want to take them and I am not convinced of their benefit in patients who haven't got proven heart disease or had a heart attack. Thanks for your input, everyone! Proactive
the Diabetes clinic Doctor hadn't even seen my blood work when he recommended statins and wrote a note to my GP about it..
First rule of thumb, know the patient’s history before you suggest a drug! Or am I being a tad naive 😂🤣..I should know better!
Perils of prednisone
Statins/PMR
Leflunomide 
update on Prednisone taper below 5 mg and question about timing of daily dose
Statins
