statins

[Chocolate41]

My Gp wants me to go on a statin.Iam 78 cholesterol is 5.6 .Have done the dieting thing and it won’t go down.

Have heard a lot about the side effects.Can any one out there give me their story.

Don’t know what to do.

Thank you

[Koalajane]

I am on statins, put on them when diagnosed type 2 diabetic (now in remission). I take Atorvastatin and it does not have any effect on my muscles

Doctors seem to like to dish out statins and there are quite a few different ones so if one doesn’t suit there are more to choose from.

[Blossom20]

You are only marginally above 5 which is the target number, or used to be , I think they're now saying below 3!I did a lot of research before I finally aquiesed. I only agreed because my consultant said he wouldn't treat me unless I took them!

In my reading I heard that older women need high cholesterol . It's good for the immune system and the brain.

Two books I have are Put your heart in your mouth by Natasha Cambell, and A Statin free life by Aseem Malhotra.

Good luck!

[Chocolate41 in reply to Blossom20]

My worry is if I have a stroke.My dad had one at 72 and lived for10 years.It was horrible to see him like that.

[Karenjaninaz]

Docs wanted to put me on statins forever but since I've been on a low carb diet and taking psyllium husk capsules and using olive oil for most things; my bloodwork is great. I eat bacon and butter but I think fiber and lower carb helped in my case.

[Chocolate41 in reply to Karenjaninaz]

Mine is probably genetic as I had a good diet and it didn’t move.🙁

[Yorksman in reply to Karenjaninaz]

Hello, pleased to see you've avoided statins. Can you let us all know more about your diet, olive oil and psyllium husk capsules please? I miss my bacon!

[Karenjaninaz in reply to Yorksman]

Apparently, it's not genetic in my family so, perhaps, easier to control. I use psyllium husk capsules 2 daily, though higher amounts are used. I also think the low carb diet helps because I have the best cholesterol in years despite pred. I use olive oil for all frying, marinating etc.

Be careful which psyllium to use: some preparations tested high in lead.

[Pol53]

hi Chocolate , I like you. Was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes ( in October 21) they perscribed me metformin which I chose not to take my hbac1 was 52 at diagnosis ) so I made changes to my diet and lifestyle to see if I could do it myself following year hbac1 was 35 as I result of low low carbs but probably too much protein not enough fibre my cholesterol went up to 6 and was put on atorvastatin , looking back 6 is not that high , and I wish I had read more on how to reduce my cholesterol myself my advice would be to read a lot about it before making the decision

I have just stopped taking the atorvastatin my chol was 4.2 and probably because I was taking it but I’m on a journey of many tablets at the moment so it was a personal decision

My gp says they don’t like to see people go over 4.5

So my head tells me 6 wasn’t that high at all because they’d like me to be 8 stone 2 for my height to but it ain’t never gonna happen in a million years!!

[Noni71]

My reading was 5.8 and I was advised to go on statins. At the time I was having problems with Methotrexate and liver function and trying to sort that out. I declined the offer of the statins because I wanted to sort out the other problems with the other drugs first. I have now given up on the Methotrexate but am about to start Leflunomide so will maybe consider the statins when all is sorted!

[Viveka]

See my post about reducing cholesterol by plant sterols.

[strawclutching]

I had a dreadful reaction to many brands of statins - vomiting, diahorrea, rooms spinning, etc. However, I tried a low dose of Rosuvastatin (5mgs) a few years ago without a reaction at all and my cholesterol has hovered between 5.2 and 6.0 and I keep getting nagged to increase the dose which I'm refusing because I can't cope with the stomach issues again.

But 5 weeks after adding in a Plant Sterols supplement, my cholesterol has gone down to 4.7 which is quite incredible for me! And I've only been taking 1 tablet a day. Recommended intake is two.

I've always eaten a low fat diet and I believe that does help. The Plant Sterols I take are Time Health 900 mgs per serving (which is 2 tablets, but I only take 1). I found the spreads and drinks advertised by the supermarkets with plant sterols added didn't do anything for me at all.

[WaltzG in reply to strawclutching]

I'll try those thanks .....

[Polygolfer]

I guess it all depends on what strength you are prescribed and what statin you are given (there are a few choices). I have taken statins for some time at a low dose and it totally controls my colesterol levels. What it won’t do is reverse the amount of deposits you have in your arteries (that’s the danger as those can lead to strokes, heart attacks etc). I am very active and the first statin I took (Simvastatin) had a detrimental effect on muscle fatigue. I was switched to Rosuvastatin and never thought about it again. I was also told there are no known or documented negative cross effects between steroids and statins but best thing is you discuss all these things with your doctor and jointly agree what is best for you!! Good luck!!

[WaltzG]

If only just 5 very marginal so I wouldn't....in fact I haven't and have been around 7 for years. I keep it steady with diet and exercise......there is a lot of contention around statins usefulness for women anyway.

[Miacaro45]

I have had high cholesterol since I was a little girl. I have been on every kind of diet and nothing worked. I have been on all the major statins but the muscle cramping was horrendous. My doctor put me on Zetia about a year ago, Lo and behold, it has helped. Doesn’t hurt to try.

[Pixix]

everyone has a different story! My Mum & Aunt died after strokes. When their cholestrol tests showed the results of 10 & 12, I was requested to get tested. My result was 11. We all tried dieting. It didn’t work for any of us. We were informed (3 different doctors, as I’d left home by then) that we had familial high cholestrol & should take statins for life. I accepted that, & my cholestrol is now between 4 - 6. It was the lower end before PMR. Last year my Aunt was poorly while we were on holiday in France. The day before we went I had a long talk to her. She said her Dr had taken her off the medication. She told him she was worried about a stroke. She explained her sister (my Mum) had died from one, & she just didn’t want one. He said she needn’t worry, she definitely wouldn’t have a stroke. 7days later she had a stroke. They operated on her brain (she was 90). Two days after that, she died. I have no side effects from Atorvastatin at all. If it works for me & I never have a stroke, it’s possible it will have saved my life. Who knows? I only have 4 relatives left. Everybody else has died. My Aunt was like a Mum to me. I realise this is personal, but I still feel it’s nice to present the possible good side of life. Now..my Mum. She was still on statins when she had her stroke. However, she had a lot of other medical problems, & shE was always doing too much. Her stroke was mild. She couldn’t talk for 4 days, but was conscious. But on the 7th day when we were preparing to take her home, a diverticular pocket burst. Because they had her on an excess of blood thinners etc to prevent another stroke, they couldn’t stop her bleeding. We sat for 8 hours & watched her, literally, bleed to death. Statins are important…for some folk. They get a bad press. Media says they’re good, then bad!! Each case is different. S x

[strawclutching in reply to Pixix]

My heart goes out to you. Such a sad story and you must curse that doctor who took the statins away from your aunt when clearly her life depended on them. My dad bled to death on the operating table, despite continuous transfusion. He was on a medication called Opren which has since been banned because of its horrendous adverse reactions which included haemorrhages of the stomach. An artery burst in his stomach. He was only 70 years old and even though this was over 40 years ago, I still miss him so much.😞

[Pixix in reply to strawclutching]

My heart goes out to you, too. Yes, I don’t suppose I could have made a difference, but if we hadn’t been away in France…ah, well. I’d like to ask him why, with her medical background, he did it. She couldn’t talk after the stroke & I could just picture her trying to say ‘why did he stop my tablets…or he promised this wouldn’t happen’! So sorry for your loss. It shouldn’t have happened, somehow. Sending hugs, S x

[strawclutching in reply to Pixix]

Thank you. Hugs to you too.

[KASHMIRI1 in reply to Pixix]

My husband has familial cholesterol as does his brother and nephews and nieces. Even the strictest diet wouldn't lower their cholesterol levels. stains have certainly been life savers.

[Pixix in reply to KASHMIRI1]

Good to hear something great about statins. I feel I only see bad things about them. & I have no option but to take them with my family history! Interesting to hear of a similar family!

[KASHMIRI1 in reply to Pixix]

My brother in law tried the lowest fat diet you could eat. About 2.4 percent fat and his cholesterol hardly shifted. I suppose we are lucky to have them in comparison to previous generations. My husbands father was early forties when he died many years ago from a heart attack.

[winfong]

I've been taking simvastatin for years, with no side effects. MY PCP tried updating me with atorvastatin, but that one did give me some side effects.

[Bcol]

Morning, I struggled with Atorvastain, Pravastatin and Simvador (Simvastatin) , really bad joint/muscle pain, but have been taking Rosuvastatin for many years (5mg) with no problems. Long before PMR and since PMR arrived on the scene.

[Nagswoman]

GPs get paid for every person that they put on statins.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Nagswoman]

A study found that that is what patients think, It isn't entirely true though. What happens is they are issued with NICE guidelines and in order to get paid to run their surgeries they have to show they are complying with the guidelines. They are issued with contracts and have to comply with the services they are supposed to offer. Potato potahto maybe ...

[Chocolate41 in reply to Nagswoman]

Do they really no wonder they push them