Tryimg to decide whether to take statins or not. This is my latest cholesterol test readings. I knw that the total cholesterol level is high (as it tells me) but my diet is not bad (exercise level lowish though due to PMR) but are there any/enough mitigating factors? Due to see GP in about 3 weeks. Please and thank you
you will find that being type 2 you are expected to take statins if your cholesterol is slightly high as diabetics are more likely to have heart problems
I’ve taken statins since a stroke 3 years ago when cholesterol found to be high. I now take half the original dose. My diet is good (loads of fruit and veg, little meat) but honestly portion control not, so addressing that now is important as is exercise and I don’t seriously think I could get enough exercise to reduce cholesterol. As they say many heart doctors take statins and long term side effects low I’m continuing with them. There will be others saying Big Pharma making money, don’t touch them and not necessary but I wouldn’t like to have a stroke again!
You may find it helpful to your decision to try statins to run your cholestetol results and any other risk factors you may have through this calculator. It includes steroid medication.qrisk.org/
Thank you for posting this, I currently have a 10 year risk score of 15% from my GP but didn’t know how it had been arrived at. I have recently started taking Statins so it will be interesting to see if this comes down.
I am diagnosed with PMR and ‘likely’ LVV so am I right in assuming that I would tick the Rheumatoid arthritis box?
Like all risk calculators they are a slightly inexact science. To my mind given the known thrombotic tendency of autoimmune diseases overall, one probably should but i am not aware of any research on it re PMR/LVV etc. Perhaps others might know? It might be interesting to see how much your risk goes up if you do tick it? Worth remembering too that ones risk naturally goes up as one ages!!
FWIW, three months ago I swapped from Atorvo 10 to Rosuvo 10mgs which has lowered my cholesterol to 5.2 from 6.7, ( in spite of all the dairy I eat to keep my calcium up) and has much less muscle cramps.
Thank you for your reply, I was aware that these conditions are a form of vasculitis but as there is no tick box for them on the QRISK calculator I was wondering whether to tick the RA box as the nearest comparison.
I take your point that there may not be a link to cardiovascular risk so maybe it’s best to leave the box unchecked and see how that affects the score.
It’s obviously not an exact science in any case just a rough guide to risk so probably best to take the statins and not get too hung up on the risk score but hopefully get my Cholesterol down.
Courtesy of a recent visit to Urgences with chest pain, with a bit of self interest in mind,I had a scout round the Internet. There would seem to be reputable evidence that both RA and PMR/GCA are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, albeit by different mechanisms but linked to their autoimmune origins. As ever more research needed. That's why RA is on the Qrisk calculator but PMR/GCA probably isn't common enough to merit its inclusion.
Yes, I think I mentioned that recent research the other day - thanks for reminding me. But not sure you can equate them - left out as usual! Even though PMR is the most common vasculitis in over 60s ...
My readings very similar to yours (second test) . First readings very similar to this second one but they are no longer on nhs app for some reason.I stopped taking the prescribed statins I was put on after first test as I got muscle pains, not like pmr pains, so stopped taking them.
Needless to say, doc has contacted me after this last result.....noticed I'd not renewed my prescription.
I've tried to be really good with diet, and taken plant sterols for last 3 months the but it hasn't altered the readings.
I reckon call with doc in order, as there is a history of strokes in my family going back generations.
One good thing about Statins is you can stop them at any time. So giving them a go is not complicated. At the start of this year I was told I could no longer avoid them. Overall reading 8! HDL high but……. I found a letter referring to steroid induced Cholesterol so I guess that happens along with hypertension and other side effects of Pred needed because of PMR/GCA.
So I gave them a go. I did not read the list of side effects as part of a positive approach but knew muscle aches could be a problem, which is not helpful as a flare can cause those. After 3months Cholesterol down to 5 but had nearly all the other side effects. Dr said come off them and see. There was an immediate response! However the Cholesterol climbed again! I’m now trying out Ezetimibe and hoping it will work as a cautious introduction has produced no side effects I can determine and it looks as if my Cholesterol is coming under control. A BT in a couple of weeks will decide.
Like anyone I have a fear of a stroke! One day I hope this PMR/GCA experience comes to an end. Meanwhile I guess we are lucky to have a solutions so that we can lead an almost pain free life.
My cholesterol reading was similar to yours at 6 but the ratio was 2.6 which I believe is normal. My GP suggested statins even so. I also take levothyroxine for an under active thyroid and had my levels for TSH checked in case that was a factor. It wasn’t.
At the time I was walking two to three miles a day and my diet was good, so there wasn’t much I could do to reduce my cholesterol level myself. I decided to give statins a go (after asking for advice here). I take 20 mg Atorvastatin and I do have some muscle aches but I really can’t say whether they are due to the statins or not because I continue to be very active with walking, swimming, gardening, toddler care etc and something always seems to be aching, statins or not!
20 mg seems high but that’s what I was prescribed. Any views out there?
I'm on 20mg atorvastatin having had it increases from 10mg a year ago. The increased dose has had no effect on my total cholesterol which is 5.2. The nurse wants me to increase the dose further. I'm going to see her later this week.
The NHS app shows a breakdown of the results and the boundary levels as you have shown. But if you look at the BHF website it's different, and mine would be OK. I'm going to take this with me! bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...
Having said that, a friend aged 66 has had a stroke which has left her permanently disabled and unable to speak. I guess it's not worth taking any risks with this.
After someone on here mentioned her success, I started taking a plant steroid supplement a few weeks ago and mine has gone from over 6 to 4.5. (Sorry I have not all the figures but they were all good) I am well pleased!!!
hi again Marionof Norwich. Your readings are almost identical to mine. Discussed with GP who said that the “good” level did not indicate a need for statins ( I have previously tried), so not to bother with statins!
Also read somewhere that they are not always necessary or as effective in over 50s.
There is a lot of dispute in the literature - but more recent work is showing a benefit in even over 80s and that is where the greatest disputes were, Younger patients are more likely to benefit - and hope to live to be over 80!
Hello yes I am a lot better thank you. Hip has healed well. That was my right hip but left knee is still as dodgy as it was before my fall and op but that is ok I guess. Hip is good and I am back driving again
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