Statins

statins

by hopefulheart - 2017-05-02 13:43:47

Hi, Lil

Having trouble understanding why, especially if your GP has concerns, he/she has not ordered cholesterol levels testing for you.  Actually, we should all keep check on that.  Also, please make sure all of your medical care is aware of all medications you are taking, the dosages and if you stop any.  Some combinations make us feel lousy, some can cause other issues and some are lethal.  You are wise to weigh carefully both what you take and what you combine.  Hopefully, some members with actual statin experience will comment for you also.

hopeful heart

Statins

by Loonylil - 2017-05-02 15:22:59

thanks hopeful heart, maybe my first step is to ask dr for a cholesterol test!

best wishes ❤️

Ask your GP a few questions

by IAN MC - 2017-05-02 15:46:28

Loonylil    I see you are in the UK so  I suggest you ;-

- ask him why the UK has become the statin- capital of Europe

- ask him if it could be anything to do with  the fact that GPs are given "statination-targets" and are financially incentivised to put more patients on statins. Every time they prescribe a statin they know that they will get extra cash if they hit their targets.

- ask him why, in a recent survey  55  %  of GPs said they wouldn't take statins themselves

- ask him how he can possibly justify starting you on statins without having a clue about your cholesterol levels

- ask him why studies on women have shown that the LOWER a woman's total cholesterol , then the higher is her risk of dying either of heart disease or anything else including cancer. This doesn't apply to men !

- ask him for his views on statin-induced side-effects e.g. muscle pain, increased chance of developing diabetes , blurred vision ....to name just a few

- ask him to exactly quantify the risk of you having a heart attack / stroke because of your family's medical history

................................

As you can tell I am anti-statins . I am strongly against the mass-medication of a healthy population.. I have stopped taking them myself because they gave me blurred vision and I have just persuaded my wife to stop taking them because the evidence to support her taking them simply didn't stack up.

Don't get me wrong, if I had had a heart attack , had sky-high cholesterol levels and furred-up arteries then I would probably take them .. Only you know your own medical situation but from what you have said I would refuse to take statins. It is your decision at the end of the day.

Ian

Statins

by Loonylil - 2017-05-02 15:59:05

Many many thanks for taking the time to write such an informative comment Ian! 

It has really given me food for thought and I will be using your points when I go to see the dr for my next appointment.

On balance, I am coming down on the side of not taking them, at least not yet!

thanks again and best wishes to you ❤️

Statins - Yuck!!!

by JoJo B - 2017-05-02 18:37:22

Hi LooLil,

As you may have found by now, or will as soon as you research more, there is no shortage of antistatin views, with wide ranges of experiences and results.  My situation and history are very similar to yours... Bottom line is that statins won't work for me because they have awful side effects and I'd have to take a lot to even dent the issue since I have the genetics for high cholesterol and a lifetime of bradycardia, high BP, etc, etc .

Bottom line after years of issues, heart attack a year ago, blocked arteries, stent insertion and corresponding treatments, I am now forever off Atenolol, and statins.  I even made sure to list statins as being an allergy on every health form - just to be sure no one ever tries them on me again.  I'm also now scheduled for a pacemaker on Thursday.

Something seems clearly out of whack to treat you without a baseline lipid panel and repeat blood tests, and btw there may be an alternative medication to statins for that nasty cholesterol problem that might work for you, as it does for me, thankfully. (Send me a private message if you'd like to hear a bit more about that.)

Please continue asking questions, researching, reading this site, and consider other physician opinions. It will be worth your time and effort, and could save a lot of both - and your health - in the long run. Great going, keep it up!😄

Statins

by betelayne - 2017-05-02 21:31:59

I agree with all of the good information above.I,also,cannot understand why you would be prescribed statins without knowing your Cholesterol numbers.

Statins

by betelayne - 2017-05-02 21:32:23

I agree with all of the good information above.I,also,cannot understand why you would be prescribed statins without knowing your Cholesterol numbers.

STATIN

by BOBJ - 2017-05-03 10:17:25

I take statins. I have a cardilogist that was really stright forward and up to date on this debate.

If you never had heart attack he does not recommend

If you have had a heart attack he prescribes them

Why?

This is what he told me.

Even though your cholestrol is good statins also help prevent the placque from peeling off the walls of your arteries. That is why even though I have went to the same practice for years they never put me on statins until after I had a heart attack.

I don't know if this helps but this is what I was told.

No Statins for me

by Grateful Heart - 2017-05-03 23:46:18

The doctor tried a few statins on me....at different times of course.  I was very achy....like how you feel when you have the flu, in my legs and arms.  At first I didn't realize it was the statins.  Each time he tried another statin, I had the same problem.

It's listed on my medical records now as an allergy too. 

Grateful Heart

Why a statin?

by Selwyn - 2017-05-04 13:36:51

Born in 1949, family history of 'heart diease', hypertensive, atrial fibrillation, pacemaker for conduction defect ? cause.  

I quite agree you should have your cholesterol measured.

Numerous, and large scale studies, show that there seems to be a straight line relationship between bad cholesterol and coronary artery disease ( atheroma). The lower your bad  cholesterol the lower the risk . 

Satins are also anti-inflammatory ( inflammation is thought to cause problems with plaques in the coronary arteries, leading to blood clots etc.).[BOBJ above has the right idea- you should read about this!]

Present UK guidelines take into account lots of large studies. If you reach a certain risk threshold ( and the above is what you have told us with regard to your risks for a heart attack), taking a statin will reduce that risk considerably. A 10% risk of heart attack in the next 10 years would qualify you for a statin. Risk is calculated using a recognised risk assessment tool.

Last September, with published guidelines ( NICE) it was suggested that the statin of choice was atorvastatin. There has been a lot of talk in the medical press recently about how muscle pains seem to be more of a symptom than can be explained by a medical mechanism, when taking statins. 

I would suggest a small dose of a statin, increased slowly is the best way. 

Clearly, a balance has to be made between the risk of death ( as observed by large studies) and the taking of a drug. Never had any problem with my statin. Never had raised ( what ever cut of point that is used) cholesterol . Guidelines, based on observing what happens to people) suggest I will benefit.  I am still here.

Are you feeling lucky? 

 ref: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg181/chapter/1-recommendations

With best wishes,

Selwyn

Statins

by Loonylil - 2017-05-04 15:43:13

Many thanks again to all of you who have taken the time and trouble to post your thoughts and experiences about taking statins!

I feel much more confident talking to my dr with all this information to hand

best wishes to all ❤️

Better Test

by BillH - 2017-05-07 16:04:25

There is a better testing then cholesterol to determine risk, it is based on the accumulation of different gentic characteristics.

http://www.drjohnm.org/2017/05/the-future-of-predicting-heart-disease-may-be-in-your-genes/

Also he has some comments on statins.

http://www.drjohnm.org/2016/03/a-new-way-to-discuss-statin-drugs/

http://www.drjohnm.org/2017/04/statins-like-all-medicines-are-neither-good-nor-bad/

http://www.drjohnm.org/2017/05/beta-blockers-statins-af-and-the-nocebo-effect/

BillH

by Loonylil - 2017-05-08 04:11:44

many thanks for your comment and the useful links

best wishes ❤️

statins

by DennyO - 2017-07-10 22:26:31

Hi everybody.  My cardio guy and the doctor at the VA both agree, my cholesterol number needs to be as low as possible.  No matter what the number is, they want it lower.  My number has always been within acceptable range but no matter, they want it as low as possible.  Now I'm having some side effects from the statin so will be searching for one my system will tolerate.  I agree with the docs, side effects from statins is better than another stroke...lesser of two evils.  Oh boy.  Good luck.