Got a call from a remote GP with regards to recent bloods for lung issues. Cholesterol is 6.5 and she has pushed for me to start Atorvastatin 20mg, after she number crunched my height and weight. Told her about my other issues IBD, CFS, hypothyroid, and now on going investigation for lung nodules and atelactasis. Kind of caught me off guard but Statins were talked about 5 years ago, i said no when i was 6.8. Came across as pushy and reading a script. Bit of a dilema one part of me says try it. ( kind of surprised as unless im wrong it isnt to high) for Hypothyroidism. She didnt take that into account. But my gut is saying No! Try and lower it yourself. Told her im unwell with my lung problems, so would leave it for a couple of weeks. Sorry for the lecture. But its frustrating the GP seemed to be number crunching, and doesnt know me..Thoughts please.
levothyroxine & Atorvastatin quandry: Got a call... - Thyroid UK
levothyroxine & Atorvastatin quandry
GP's get financially rewarded for prescribing statins. Just saying. If your gut is saying no I'd go with that.
Thank you.
GPs do have a target, which when met gives them a small financial incentive, to offer statins to patients with established cardiovascular disease or diabetes or chronic disease. There is no national target to offer them as primary prevention for those not in those categories, although some localities might have local targets.
You don’t have to take anything that’s prescribed. Worth keeping that in mind. It’s your choice—and it sounds like it would be an informed choice—not to take statins.
And prior to the development of TSH as the primary diagnostic test for thyroid conditions, many doctors knew that high cholesterol was actually a sign of untreated hypothyroidism.
So stick to your guns and trust your gut. Is there a chance you need an increase in levothyroxine dosage?
Thank you. Last tested 12th Aug 24. TSH = 1.21 / T4 =18.5 Forgot to say i have been getting weird hot flushes affecting ear and temple/ face. Doing a 7 day self monitoring blood pressure at home. Which is a bit hit and miss. So probably will be told about BP medication. But my readings are be generally okay. I dont know maybe im stressing over this lung issue and waiting game( another xray and ct scan to come) Think im going to get another Monitor my health Thyroid function test. 3 years ago my TSH went from 2.02 to 4.27 in one month. Worth another check. can see T3 as well. As we know they dont tend to do that test.
No, it’s very frustrating that routine and much needed thyroid tests don’t get done on the NHS
I think self testing would be a very good idea. If you’re undermedicated that could also be causing higher blood pressure.
But the stress from worrying doesn’t help any of it either does it? Hopefully all will be ok. 🤞
Statins are bot recommended for hypos and they're not recommended for women. But GPs tend to ignore that in their zeal to get everyone on statins.
Cholesterol levels have nothing to do with diet. It is made in the liver - because your body needs it - and the liver keeps levels steady by making more when you consume less, and vice versa. But, when your T3 is low, the body cannot process cholesterol correctly and it tends to build up in the blood. Raise the FT3 level and the cholesterol level should drop.
But, in any case, there's nothing to worry about. High cholesterol is not going to give you a heart attack or a stroke. That's not what it does. Your body is largely made up of cholesterol: cell walls, sex hormones and the brain! And it's said that those with higher cholesterol live longer. Artificially reducing cholesterol with statins puts you at a greater risk of a heart attack than having it high.
'High cholesterol is not going to give you a heart attack or a stroke. That's not what it does. '
'Artificially reducing cholesterol with statins puts you at a greater risk of a heart attack than having it high.'
greygoose Can you please back up these statements with some evidence. If this is just your own opinion, then please make that clear when you state it.
Not my opinion, Dr Malcolm Kendric's opinion. It's in his book.
Ok, please mention this as your source next time, so that members know where your info comes from. drmalcolmkendrick.org
Hi there, am I right in assuming that you have not had a heart attack or a stroke and you do not have diabetes or chronic kidney disease? That being the case, the decision to offer you statins should be based on your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke. This risk is calculated with an algorithm, which does not use total cholesterol level, which is I think what you have been quoted by the GP, but by the ratio of cholesterol/HDL. This cholesterol ratio is only one of many factors that make up your risk. You can check your risk yourself here: qrisk.org/
Thanks for your response, i have had none of the conditions you mention. Serum cholesterol/ HDL ratio was equal to 6.4. ( if that's the one you mean.)
Regards.
Hope you don't mind me asking, but I have just been given an inhaler for life which I have not used. I coughed up blood once and was sent for a lung x ray, which didn't look right. I was sent for a spirometer lung test and had "fantastic technique", even though regarded as borderline COPD. The clinician was gobsmacked and had never seen anything like me in his life. On the out breath, when you breathe out for as long as you can , I could breathe out indefinately. The clinician eventually told me I could stop now. He was gobsmacked. My brother did the same thing about 50 years ago when healthy , but is now using a steroid inhaler. I asked him what could cause this and he rhymed off about 5 reasons, one of which was connective tissue disease. I am hypermobile, which is a connective disease. When the G.P. nurse gave me an inhaler she said the hospital clinician had obviously done the test wrong, tested me for far too long and didn't know what he was doing. I had an unusual test , but the fact it was unusual is being ignored, and put down to erroneous testing. He did know what he was doing and why, and it was performed correctly.
I had cholesterol , like you, at 6.5 at one time. Like you I have IBS (rather than IBD), CFS and am hypothyroid. My question to you is, given our similarities, does the above scenario apply to you too? How did you have your lung nodule discovered?
I am very grateful to you for making this post, as you mention atelactasis. I have never come across this word before, but when I look it up, believe you have alerted me to my exact diagnosis , and that I have atelactasis or pneumonothorax. I got a copy of the image of my lung x ray last week through a SARS request for hospital medical records, and photographed it on my mobile phone. My lung X ray matches that pictured on the internet as an example of atelactasis, which it says is similar to pneumonothorax. I don't know if you are hypermobile , like me, or not. My hypermobility issue is similar to , and can be mistaken for, the connective tissue disease Marfans syndrome. It is actually due to a genetic double mutation for CBS, which presents like Marfans. Commonly , collapsed lung or pneumonothorax can be a feature of Marfans. So the spirometer clinician was spot on when he said that connective tissue disease could explain my unusual result. I can tell you with 100% accuracy what caused this for me. I had a pneumococcal vaccine last August. I was fine until the 4th or 5 day, then WOW! Not fine. Have you had a pneumococcal vaccine by any chance?
I replied to a post yesterday and explained to LOVECAKE, though not the original poster, how I managed , with diet change, and before being put on thyroid medication, to lower my cholesterol from 6.5 to 4.2. If I try to find the correct post from yesterday at this point, I will lose what I have written to you. When I send the post to you I will try to identify the post I replied to yesterday , which was in answer to Lovecake mentioning xanthalasmas, and edit this post so that you can read how I lowered my cholesterol.
The post was 3 days ago and the poster was "Citta". It was entitled "Statins".
Thanks for your post. I had an Xray due to chest sinus infection chest/lung crackles. I am prone to infections. last year i had Pneumonia left lung lower lobe. The Xray identified a problem so i was sent for an urgent referral CT scan. The scan show a crease fold in the lower left lobe, and 3 small nodules. The nodules could have been there a long time or as a result of the pneumonia ( also had covid in 2022) or they can be something else. So its early days for me. A follow up xray is due in a few weeks to see if the lung has improved or got worse, and a follow up CT scan to re check the nodules. I was going to do a spirometry test, but cant do it after antibiotics and ongoing lung investigation. So Atelactasis diagnosed as you say via CT Scan as well as the nodules . As i said the Xray was not very helpful but highlighted issues. Pneumonothorax is more serious i believe. Where as Atelactasis depending on severity when diagnosed, and location in the lungs can be reversed. I am not on any meds or treatment plan at this time. It may clear up the next scan will tell. Or it could identify COPD, Fibrosis or something else. We shall see. I did have what you would call hypermobility probably more likely good flexibility in my case, but im 62 now…lol. Weird fact..I do have double jointed thumbs. No marfans syndrome for me. Its just infections and poor immune system, ( Pneumonia & covid) that have probably caused my lung issue. The other ailments as you know clearly don't help. I haven't up to now , not had or needed any vaccinations. Surprised they havent done a CT scan for you, unless they were happy( so too speak) with what was identified by Xray. Mine was fast track like i said, and put forward as a possible lung cancer, urgent referral. Dramatic! but it got it done, and i am now in the system, seeing how things develop. Hope i answered your questions..Good luck & regards.
Thanks for sharing that. The hypermobility is important, and classed as connective tissue disease. It is always EDS (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome )that is talked about for hypermobility, and I was told I likely had that. You feel all sorts of horrible with that. Many forum members who are hypothyroid are hypermobile .You still have the double-jointed thumbs, so I wouldn't rule connective tissue disease out for a lot of your symptoms. It is just as difficult as thyroid to get diagnosed. I have a double mutation for CBS that is like Marfans. The CBS mutation causes hypothyroidism and you cannot recycle your B12, which is a big problem. Izabella Wentz and Dr.Lam are on the internet and point out that CBS and hypothyroidism and B12 not recycling go hand in hand (you lose it too quickly is how they refer to this). It is genetics. Environmental factors can turn on this mutation if you have it. For some people their working environment may be a factor.
I had the x ray due to lung crackles and probably still do (I had coughed up blood) What a racket from my lungs when I first exhaled! Urgent referrals in my health board , you wait over a year. Any referral for anything is to a sub standard clinician, except for spirometry. He knew what he was doing and why and said connective tissue disease would explain my unusual test.
Does your TSH not seem a bit too high, and though FT4 looks reasonable (no ranges quoted), your FT3 is likely too low. Hypothyroidism does affect lung function too. I privately tested Progesterone and mine is too high.This can cause you to cough up blood and also affect lung function. Too low estrogen , which I have, also affects the lungs. Testosterone levels need balanced , with estrogen and progesterone. Men make all 3, and is not something I was previously aware affected the lungs, but they do.
Hope everything goes well for you, and keep us posted. Good luck.
after 2 years waiting nightmare endo appointment
Only TSH
what a load of croc
My GP has Hashi's! Have I struck gold?
Update on T3 endo appointment 🤦♀️
