Statins

[healthymarge]

On Levo past 25 years. 10 years ago had cholesterol test which was 5.2 and marked with *. The following year it went to 5.8 and then 6.2 and gp prescribed statins. Took them for a while and cholesterol went down to 4.2. Stopped them soon after although I had no side effects as just dont like taking meds. Mentioned thyroid connection to my gp and he said my high cholesterol was heredity and I was 8 on a scale 1-10 for high risk of stroke. Had a calcium cardio done in local hospital which was clear but cardiologist said to continue on statins in case of problems in 10 years time! Totally confused!! My last few TSH 1.93. 0.26. 0.64. 3.46. Ref. (0.34-5.6)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies and also very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

All thyroid tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. When on Levothyroxine, don't take in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's very important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .

High cholesterol suggests you are perhaps not correctly medicated

nhs.uk/conditions/statins/c...

[healthymarge in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for reply. Results April 2018 fasting from midnight. TSH 0.26* (0.38-5.33) free T4 12.7 (8.3-15.6) vit B12 328 (122-626) Folate 10.0 ((3.1-19.9) Ferritin 47.8 (11-307)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to healthymarge]

Have you ever had vitamin D tested

Can test via

vitamindtest.org.uk

Obviously no FT3 here, and in other result below FT3 is pretty low, most need it at least over 5.5.

Ever had TG antibodies tested?

Folate and B12 are not brilliant. You might benefit from supplementing a good quality vitamin B complex, one with folate in, not folic acid

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 3-5 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

[healthymarge in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks so much will try a good B vitamin as suggested. So great to have support here💖

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to healthymarge]

And get vitamin D tested. If vitamin D is under 100nmol then supplement to improve

Retesting everything Thyroid and vitamins privately in 2-3 months

[healthymarge in reply to SlowDragon]

Will do! Thought gp's tested vit.D as standard.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to healthymarge]

If only they did

No nothing is tested as standard these days

[Judithdalston]

I was on statins for about 13 years, it was automatically given to diabetics, but a couple of years ago while trying to eliminating what might be giving me so much pain from hips to toes I stopped taking it, my Gp seemed to be quite happy and marked my medical notes ' intolerant to statins'. Then instead of total cholesterol my diabetic nurse would comment on High and Low / good and bad, and ratios re cholesterol for the first time. In theory being optimally treated for hypothyroidism should lower cholesterol, but from you point of view I assume your hypothyroidism may have been allowed to deteriorate - with your last TSH at 3.46. Do you only ever get tested for TSH, no FT4 or active FT3? Might be worth getting full thyroid test, do you know if you are Hashimoto's, with thyroid autoimmune antibodies( it is the cause of most hypothyroidism). A feature of Hashimoto's is poor gut absorption resulting in low nutrient levels from food, drink and supplements- advise getting VitD, B12, folate and ferritin tested too for good thyroid health...and accompanying lowering of cholesterol.

[healthymarge in reply to Judithdalston]

Thanks for reply. Oct 2017 ferritin 82 (13-150) folate 8.1 (3.9-26.8) free t3 4.22 (3.10-6.80) free t4 19.2 (8.5-22) tsh 1.93 (0.27-4.20) vit b12 419 (197-771) GFR 89* (90) TPO antibodies 12 (0-24)

[Judithdalston in reply to healthymarge]

Ok so negative for 1 of 2 thyroid autoimmune antibodies, but what about TgAb? Still might be Hashimoto's. Ferritin just ok, but for menstruating women should be 100-130. Folate poor- needs to be at least halfway thru range. B12 needs pushing up to say 500 plus. No VitD? Worth looking up SeasideSusie's previous replies to posts on ideal vit/ min levels, how to achieve them etc. and start supplementing if necessary. Judging from Oct 2017 thyroid results, presumably on one blood draw early morning without T4 in last 24 hours: I'd up the levothyroxin to get FT4 above the range and see if that drags the FT3 up to 5 + after 6 weeks. Then if vits/ mins raised, consider T3 if appropriate.

[shaws Administrator]

Statins should not be prescribed for someone who has hypothyroidism. The reason being that hypo causes a higher cholesterol level due to our body being slowed down due to hypothyroidism. When on optimum dose of thyroid hormones cholesterol will become lowers. Posts we receive from members clearly show how uneducated our doctors and endocrinologists are when we are on an insufficient dose of hormones or remain undiagnosed.

axappphealthcare.co.uk/heal...

[Judithdalston in reply to shaws]

Yes , don't think any doctor from a wide range of specialists I have ever seen put 2 and 2 together re my myopathy and 12 years of statins and hypothyroidism!

[shaws Administrator in reply to Judithdalston]

12 years on statins. I wonder if you can sue the NHS if you have permanent damage through following doctor's orders.

[Judithdalston in reply to shaws]

Hohoho- don't make me laugh Shaws, statins are still the best thing since sliced bread...Big Pharma have even more to loose there than with thyroid drugs/ treatment. Although it's become more mainstream to say carbs are bad for you, the low-fat/ manufactured fats message is still very widespread. I belong to Stopped our Statins forum a US based site that has patients with all sorts of horrendous side effects from dementia, paralysis, mitachondrial damage...from a drug prescribed for a 'disease' we never had and weren't likely to ever get. It wasn't long ago some bright spark suggested statins went into tap water!

[shaws Administrator in reply to Judithdalston]

Is it terrifying or not - that we will get even more diseases due to Big Pharma who, at one time, were loved because they made diseases defunct as many who used to die of them i.e. diptheria - smallpox etc etc, polio. or had permanent injuries.

Nowadays it seems that it is 'profits, profits, profits' come what may are the main aim. So why make diseases go away when they then cannot recover the 'outlay' in Research?

Flouride in common water is another. For what reason? to stop tooth decay? No - it is a way to dispose of substances which will cause harm to the planet.

globalhealingcenter.com/nat...

We talk of the thyroid gland yet our babies and young children have 'flouride' toothpaste when their first teeth are going to come out anyway. Damage their thyroid glands - who cares, it would seem.

[userotc in reply to shaws]

Shaw's, on the subject of suing NHS..... I suspect GPs are in the clear with prescription drugs like statins simply because they all have leaflets listing possible problems eg side effects - although I hope it's not as black/white as that. This was the initial response I received from a legal advisor. Any experiences?

[shaws Administrator in reply to userotc]

I doubt GPs read about medications or side effects as they are issued with medications which can be freely prescribed. Therefore if a patient has an unexpected reaction it is not down to the prescriber.

I have no legal experience at all about suing the NHS as I suppose they are well-insured against any possibilities.

[userotc in reply to shaws]

I await further legal feedback but indications to date are that the drug company only could/should be sued for prescription drugs. Personally I believe docs that prescribe them should have some responsibility.

[healthymarge]

Thanks everyone will get on the job!😁

[penny]

You should hear Dr Kendrick on statins! I don’t suppose that you were told to take CoQ10 at the same time as statins, not that I would ever take a statin, in fact I refused when my doctor suggested that I do.

[jjf255]

Years ago my husband was on the Armour and did great. We're in the US. He not only had low TSH...his DR. never did full thyroid panel all those many years ago...but he also had low cholesterol. Then about 20 yrs ago his Dr. retired and the new Dr. switched him to Synthroid. Within months his cholesterol started going up as did his weight. Oh the smart Dr. said his weight was contributing to his rising cholesterol. Nothing about the possibility it was due to the Synthroid. After a few years his Dr. put him on statins. Within a year on statins he started to have mild memory loss. I did some research and started him on COQ 10. I really think it was helping. Fast forward to 2 years ago and yet another Dr. This time we did our research and found a Dr who would prescribe NDT. After 6 months on Naturethroid his dr. said to start cutting back on his statins. He has now been off statins and his cholesterol is good. I am by no way suggesting people go off their statins, but only to do their research.