UNDERACTIVE THYROID AND STATINS

[Hannah13]

Hi all

I have just been diagnosed as being a type 2 diabetic (just on the very border) and have had a cholesterol test done on the orders of the GP. It was a non-fasting one but it came back at 5.8 - no idea of the breakdown into HDL/LDL as the surgery did not ask for that to be done. I have to see the Diabetic nurse next week and I have a strong feeling that she will want me to go on statins to get my cholesterol level under 5 or thereabouts. I am not sure that I want to go down that route yet so are there any other things that I could take that would lower my chol enough to keep them happy.

Is there anyone on here who does take statins even though they have an UT and, if so, how are you doing with it? Do you have any of the side effects? I understand from many posts on here that taking statins are not very compatible with having an UT - any help/advice would be most appreciated.

[bluebug]

The main problem you have with statins is not your UT but the fact you are borderline diabetic.

Statins have been found increase the risk greatly of women with a predisposition to diabetes become diabetic. This is one popular statin but the risk is associated with others - drugwatch.com/lipitor/diabe...

I suggest you do more of your own research on diabetes, diet and the problems with statins.

You can do some online by looking up information presented by the likes of Zoe Harcombe and Malcolm Kendrick online - both on their blogs and on Youtube. (There are more people but these will do to start with.) Then seriously look into changing your diet to control your sugar levels.

I also suggest you look into the flaws of the Framingham Heart Study and while total cholesterol numbers are a complete waste of time.

Once you have done this you, you should tell the nurse in detail why you don't want statins if you are offered them.

Finally it would help if your posted your latest thyroid blood results to see if you are actually optimally medicated.

[bluebug]

I forgot to add - and I cannot edit my post - that the nurse will think that the people I mentioned are quacks even though one has a PhD in nutrition and the other is a GP. The forums of diabetes.co.uk are full of people who have found that the dietary and other advice people like these have given them has helped them control their blood sugar levels and in some cases come of their metaformin.

[Hannah13 in reply to bluebug]

Thanks Bluebug for your helpful advice - I do belong to the diabetes.co.uk and am fairly ok with the diet to keep the sugars lower - for e.g I do have a low carb diet which is what keeps mine in check and also keeps me off the meds for diabetes. I will look out the last thyroid results and post when I find them.

Thanks again .

[bluebug in reply to Hannah13]

Start a new thread when you find your thyroid results just so you get it answered.

Oh and next time you mention you are borderline diabetic mention you are on low carb to control your blood sugar. That way you won't hear the same advice again and again and again...

[Hannah13 in reply to bluebug]

Thanks Bluebug

[Treepie]

18 months ago I was not diabetic ,cannot recall the test but I was at 40 and 42-48 is pre diabetic .By last December I was 58 ie diabetic ,by March 41.

What had I done: cut out all cakes,biscuits,scones and those small tubs of fruit yoghurt that are full of sugar. Ate lots of cheese .Switched from muesli to porridge adding blueberrys,greek yoghurt and a teaspoon of cumin oil.

Not sure the latter does anything but it claims much and according to the prophet Muhammed cures everything but death. The latter is a bit of a let down.

[Hannah13 in reply to Treepie]

Did you have high cholesterol - I know being UT we run a little higher than normal

[Treepie in reply to Hannah13]

No ,but I Would not be worried if I had.

[Angel_of_the_North]

If your thyroid is treated properly, your cholesterol will drop on its own. Plus, if you are an older person, statistically the higher your cholesterol, the longer you live. 5.8 is not very high at all. Statins have no scientific basis to show that they increase life span or quality of life for most people, no evidence at all for women. Don't take them. Read Dr Malcolm Kendrick's blog. Statins increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, too.

[Hannah13 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thanks Angel of the North - I think with diabetes they like to keep the cholesterol under 5 but like you I am not convinced about all of this so will fight to stay off them as long as I can. Hopefully the D Nurse will be sympathetic to my thoughts on this.

[bluebug in reply to Hannah13]

If they prescribe them to you because they won't hear your "No", you don't have to fill the prescription.

If you end up with a prescription with multiple things on it, you simply say to the pharmacist not to give you that item as for some reason the nurse/doctor put it on there and you don't need it. I've heard lots of people tell pharmacists over the years they don't need a particular item and the pharmacist obeys because the NHS's drugs bill is large.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to bluebug]

Persackly - they can't force you to take them.