Diabetes link to Statins

[Sally66]

Hi there, I'm new to this forum so would welcome any info concerning the link with Statins and diabetes. Recent routine blood tests have revealed high cholesterol levels as well as pre diabetes. I was told this is common and that the diabetic state contributes to raised cholesterol but not the other way round. In the same recent GP appointment she wants me to do a glucose tolerance test and put me on statins. I looked up statins and low and behold they are linked to increasing glucose levels. I can't understand why she would prescribe a medication that would increase levels when I'm working hard through diet and exercise to get them down. My whole diagnosis came about after routine blood tests following a total abdominal hysterectomy to remove a massive fibroid. I was off work for 3 months but now back full time and just starting to feel really great. I have no diabetes symptoms. However, I do have a family history of raised cholesterol (my mother went on them in her 50s and I'm 47).

 

[JAY1JAY1]

I've been on statins for years now only just been told I'm type2 , as my colesterol was and still is high my doctor told me to say on them .

 

[Fayefaye1429]

If it helps I've just started stains and no hypers so far

 

[moonchip]

Well, I can tell you in my experience, there is a link

Last October I was in A&E with tachycardia. I had full bloodwork done and no sign of either diabetes or pre diabetes

Consultant told me to stop smoking (which I did at the end of the month, cold turkey) and started prescribing statins

By the end of January, I had diabetes

Stopping smoking & starting statins were my only lifestyle changes between last October and January this year

I no longer take my statins

 

[catherinecherub]

There were some answers to your statin query on your other thread.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/recently-diagnosed-with-prediabetes.76492/

I would tell your Dr. that you are going to try diet and exercise for 3 months to see if it makes any difference to your cholesterol.
It may be that your family history was a reason for prescribing them You don't have to agree to them, your body, your choice.

 

[Sally66]

Cheers guys, this is really helpful. I want to try diet and exercise and believe I can get both glucose and cholesterol levels down. Everyone seems to have bad things to report about statins. Think I need to research it really well. I have lost a bit of confidence in GP knowledge on all of this can you request a referral to a specialist?

 

[Daphne917]

My BS rise when I started taking statins. I came off them due to other side effects and my BS levels reduced along with my cholesterol!

 

[Fayefaye1429]

There is an awesome cookbook for people lower cholesterol in water stones. I go down through it years ago.

 

[jeanie99]

I would never go back on statins.
When I received the results of my blood test 2 and half years ago it show prediabetes and high cholesterol, GP recommended Statins a drug I knew nothing about.
I had a chat with the nurse and she said she took Statins and the good thing was you could eat whatever you liked. I did think at the time this was very unprofessional to say this to a patient.

Some months later I stated having memory problems, couldn't remember the names of every day objects and it came to a head when talking to someone I totally forgot what they were talking about and just stood there like a fool with this person waiting for a response.

My DIL knew I was having memory problems and did some research and found a number of studies which showed Statins effect memory.

Went to see my GP who said, yes unfortunately this is one of the side effects, he knew and had not told me.

I thought I had the start of Dementia and had suffered weeks of worry.

This was my personnel experience so obviously does not apply to all but something to consider.

 

[noodlebonce]

I understand that American cardiologists often advise taking co-enzyme Q10 supplements if you are on statins.Q10 is something we all have in our bodies, but we lose levels of this as we age. It is now known that statins can strip Q10 out of the body. People who report muscle spasms and weakness may be showing signs of this depletion. As the biggest muscle in the human body is your heart, this should be made known to the ever-increasing number of people put on these drugs. I have several family members who have been put on statins by their GP's and and it's never mentioned, which seems to me to be a failing on the part of the medical establishment here.
I'd advise anybody on these things to do some research into their effects.

 

[DeejayR]

It is now known that statins can strip Q10 out of the body. People who report muscle spasms and weakness may be showing signs of this depletion.

Ooooh that made me sit up. I'm due to see a neurologist next month about muscle spasm. I'll do some more homework.
I aim to tell my GP next week I want to come off statins (been on them for 6 years) in a controlled test to see what happens top my cholesterol levels and blood sugar. This requires a full cholesterol test which I can't get on the NHS at the moment, nor even by paying £15 for a test at the chemist -- it doesn't give the triglyceride value.
My sister in law lives in Norway and has a fairly consistent cholesterol level of 11. She is not on medication and is fit and well as far as she knows!

 

[Fayefaye1429]

hi everyone,

I went to the doctor because I have been having tightness in my chest. I started Stains Firday and then the breathing issues happened. My doctor laughed it off and basically seemed not to care what I did one way or another. She suggested I take it at night than morning as it works better. I have very little faith. Thoughts?

 

[noblehead]

hi everyone,

I went to the doctor because I have been having tightness in my chest. I started Stains Firday and then the breathing issues happened. My doctor laughed it off and basically seemed not to care what I did one way or another. She suggested I take it at night than morning as it works better. I have very little faith. Thoughts?

Do as your Dr says and see how you get on, if the chest tightness continues then go back and see your Dr (or preferably another one if they think breathing difficulties is something to laugh off).

 

[Fayefaye1429]

thanks noblehead yes that is my plan to review at the end of the week.

 

[Eurobuff]

Do as your Dr says and see how you get on, if the chest tightness continues then go back and see your Dr (or preferably another one if they think breathing difficulties is something to laugh off).

My mother takes Statins and was told to only take it at night. She was told for the first week, get into bed and then take the tablet, not to even take the tablet and then go upstairs to bed, as her body needed time to adjust to them.

 

[Fayefaye1429]

Oh ok good info to know thanks

 

[noblehead]

My mother takes Statins and was told to only take it at night. She was told for the first week, get into bed and then take the tablet, not to even take the tablet and then go upstairs to bed, as her body needed time to adjust to them.

Sure my mother was also told to take hers at night, she tolerated them well as did my brother when he was taking them, but like all drugs some people get side-effects where as others don't.

 

[Fayefaye1429]

I'll give it a whirl

 

[Eurobuff]

Sure my mother was also told to take hers at night, she tolerated them well as did my brother when he was taking them, but like all drugs some people get side-effects where as others don't.

My mother say she doesn't feel like she has the same amount of energy as she did when she wasn't taking them. My brother had the same side effect, but he told his GP he wasn't going to take them any more because of the side effects, so his GP changed his prescription to a different one and he's ok now.

 

[Fayefaye1429]

Go did say there was others to try this one apparently has least side effects