Here we go again...statins...

[bulkbiker]

Just had a call from my surgery..
- "We want you to come in for a blood test"
which one I ask..
- "Cholesterol she says and can you bring in a urine sample too."
Fine I say... Should that be a fasting test I ask..
- "oh no that doesn't matter" says the caller.. "you only need to fast for the diabetes blood test."
What HbA1c says I?..
"oh yes" says the caller...
Head in hands ... and its only because my total cholesterol has gone up from 5.7 to 6.0 between Jan and July..and one of the GP's is a statin advocate.. quite looking forward to speaking to him..
I'm tempted to fast for 3 days beforehand to really send my numbers through the roof just to wind them up.

 

[Deleted Account]

You may disagree with many of our HCP but they are trying to help.
Sure, politely tell them you are not happy with their diagnosis/treatment. But, personally, I find provoking them is not the best way to get them on my side.
(I have had to fight for things in the past so I am talking from experience.)

 

[GrantGam]

Just had a call from my surgery..
- "We want you to come in for a blood test"
which one I ask..
- "Cholesterol she says and can you bring in a urine sample too."
Fine I say... Should that be a fasting test I ask..
- "oh no that doesn't matter" says the caller.. "you only need to fast for the diabetes blood test."
What HbA1c says I?..
"oh yes" says the caller...
Head in hands ... and its only because my total cholesterol has gone up from 5.7 to 6.0 between Jan and July..and one of the GP's is a statin advocate.. quite looking forward to speaking to him..
I'm tempted to fast for 3 days beforehand to really send my numbers through the roof just to wind them up.

I must agree with @helensaramay here.

You "clearly know better" than the HCP's @bulkbiker, that much is clear... In my eyes, going there for the sole purpose of telling them your alternative stand point on cholesterol and statins is just wasting a valuable appointment that someone else may actually need.

 

[bulkbiker]

I must agree with @helensaramay here.

You "clearly know better" than the HCP's @bulkbiker, that much is clear... In my eyes, going there for the sole purpose of telling them your alternative stand point on cholesterol and statins is just wasting a valuable appointment that someone else may actually need.

Completely agree however I didn't request it they did..
I will of course attempt to show them the error of their ways but if they are anything like the previous diabetes nurse and the three GP's I have encountered then they won't want to even listen. Should we all then just give up and take the pills?

 

[GrantGam]

Completely agree however I didn't request it they did..
I will of course attempt to show them the error of their ways but if they are anything like the previous diabetes nurse and the three GP's I have encountered then they won't want to even listen. Should we all then just give up and take the pills?

But you're more than aware that their reasoning for wanting to see you is because your TC has gone up. Attending that appointment with absolutely no desire to lower your cholesterol is therefore still a waste of your time and your doctor's time.

I wish I had enough spare time to contemplate 3 day fasts just to wind up those who are there to try and help me.

And it's not about giving up and taking pills. They are there for those who want them and not for those who don't. If you don't want them, don't take them. But you must remember that some people do want cholesterol levels in the range which most deem normal.

 

[Bluetit1802]

My records are now recorded that I do not intend taking statins, at my request.

 

[slip]

Ok so the Caller had no idea, medically or otherwise what she was on about, surely if the Doc was concerned about BB's Cholesterol level they'd want as clear and as detailed results as possible - which would mean a fasting blood test, if the doc can't be bothered to add this to the note requesting that his secretary/admin make the appointment with BB then it does set the tone!

Personally if I wasn't concerned about my level I would have not made a blood appointment but booked a phone appointment with the Doc to discuss.

 

[bulkbiker]

But you're more than aware that their reasoning for wanting to see you is because your TC has gone up. Attending that appointment with absolutely no desire to lower your cholesterol is therefore still a waste of your time and your doctor's time.

I wish I had enough spare time to contemplate 3 day fasts just to wind up those who are there to try and help me.

And it's not about giving up and taking pills. They are there for those who want them and not for those who don't. If you don't want them, don't take them. But you must remember that some people do want cholesterol levels in the range which most deem normal.

Grant
With all respect.. You don't know me or very much about me.
I may write on this forum in a flippant and amusing way but I have been quite keen to get involved in improving Type 2 diabetes care in my local area, I have been to CCG meetings to try and inform HCP's that there are alternative ways of treating Type 2. I have tried e-mailing doctors in my practise so far to no avail. I try to not waste their time by just having blood tests then getting the results online and not going for pointless reviews when I can predict what they will say. I have I think seen the doctor 3 times in the past 4 years (once about chest pains and once about a possible hernia and only once concerning Type 2 diabetes). Am I really wasting their time? I will go for the blood test and get my results online as usual. If they choose to call me and try to persuade me to take drugs that I don't think will help me that is their call. However I would expect them at least to listen to what I have to say.
I have twice been told by Diabetes Nurses ( I have been to 3 reviews the first two when newly diagnosed) that I am unique in this area in having done what I have done (reducing HbA1c to such an extent) but they still refuse to listen as to how.
So I have no intention of giving up and taking the pills.. if the only way I can get to interact wth them is by manipulating my cholesterol then so be it.

 

[Diabeticliberty]

Just had a call from my surgery..
- "We want you to come in for a blood test"
which one I ask..
- "Cholesterol she says and can you bring in a urine sample too."
Fine I say... Should that be a fasting test I ask..
- "oh no that doesn't matter" says the caller.. "you only need to fast for the diabetes blood test."
What HbA1c says I?..
"oh yes" says the caller...
Head in hands ... and its only because my total cholesterol has gone up from 5.7 to 6.0 between Jan and July..and one of the GP's is a statin advocate.. quite looking forward to speaking to him..
I'm tempted to fast for 3 days beforehand to really send my numbers through the roof just to wind them up.

There have been made some very well reasoned points made here about not attempting to wind them up. Personally however I really couldn't help myself other than to wind them up as much as I possibly could

 

[BrianTheElder]

Just had a call from my surgery..
- "We want you to come in for a blood test"
which one I ask..
- "Cholesterol she says and can you bring in a urine sample too."
Fine I say... Should that be a fasting test I ask..
- "oh no that doesn't matter" says the caller.. "you only need to fast for the diabetes blood test."
What HbA1c says I?..
"oh yes" says the caller...
Head in hands ... and its only because my total cholesterol has gone up from 5.7 to 6.0 between Jan and July..and one of the GP's is a statin advocate.. quite looking forward to speaking to him..
I'm tempted to fast for 3 days beforehand to really send my numbers through the roof just to wind them up.

Hi @bulkbiker My TC went up to 10.6, so I had heart scans which were OK, then reluctantly and as an act of compromise, agreed to go back onto 10mg Atorvastatin. The result of that was that my TC went down to 4.8 and I got approval all round. However, the heart specialist recommended I go onto 20mg Atorvastatin and without referring to me, my GP upped my repeat prescription. I have been taking a pill every other day to keep me at the lower dose and my TC has gone back up to 6.2, which I am very happy with, but I got a "too high" comment from my GP printed on the results.
I will expect a frank exchange of views at my next appointment.

 

[GrantGam]

Grant
With all respect.. You don't know me or very much about me.
I may write on this forum in a flippant and amusing way but I have been quite keen to get involved in improving Type 2 diabetes care in my local area, I have been to CCG meetings to try and inform HCP's that there are alternative ways of treating Type 2. I have tried e-mailing doctors in my practise so far to no avail. I try to not waste their time by just having blood tests then getting the results online and not going for pointless reviews when I can predict what they will say. I have I think seen the doctor 3 times in the past 4 years (once about chest pains and once about a possible hernia and only once concerning Type 2 diabetes). Am I really wasting their time? I will go for the blood test and get my results online as usual. If they choose to call me and try to persuade me to take drugs that I don't think will help me that is their call. However I would expect them at least to listen to what I have to say.
I have twice been told by Diabetes Nurses ( I have been to 3 reviews the first two when newly diagnosed) that I am unique in this area in having done what I have done (reducing HbA1c to such an extent) but they still refuse to listen as to how.
So I have no intention of giving up and taking the pills.. if the only way I can get to interact wth them is by manipulating my cholesterol then so be it.

You're right, I know very little about you and likely never will.

No, of course you never wasted your doctor's time with chest pains and a potential hernia, I never implied that you had. Nor does that bear any relevance to this thread. They're entirely valid reasons to go for an appointment.

But, if you're planning a fast to wind up your doctor (by putting your "numbers through the roof" as you put it) then you'd be daft to expect the doctor to take on-board anything you have to say.

The point I'm making is that the appointments are there for those who need them. You don't though, as you don't want the doctor's advice, so it would really be a wasted visit. A visit that someone else could have benefited from.

If I were in your position, I'd take note of what @Bluetit1802 has done and then continue my quest to raise awareness of alternative means to treat T2D that does not waste the time of any medical practitioner.

 

[bulkbiker]

If I were in your position, I'd take note of what @Bluetit1802 has done and continue my quest to raise awareness of alternative means to treat T2D that does not waste the time of any medical practitioner.

That final sentence has left me quite speechless... so I'll stop.

 

[Freema]

you could also fast and eat olives instead of cream in your coffee and maybe have a much lower cholesterol number than they expect

 

[GrantGam]

That final sentence has left me quite speechless... so I'll stop.

Why? You simply need to tell your Dr that you don't want statins (as @Bluetit1802 did). In doing that, they won't ask you to come in for blood tests when your TC skyrockets, nor waste their time giving you advice that you're never going to take heed of.

 

[Fleegle]

@bulkbiker I don't think I have ever read a post from you where I haven't felt better informed.

Is there not a better way than creating a false medical result to further the cause?

 

[Pinkorchid]

Completely agree however I didn't request it they did..
I will of course attempt to show them the error of their ways but if they are anything like the previous diabetes nurse and the three GP's I have encountered then they won't want to even listen. Should we all then just give up and take the pills?

If you do not want to take them the answer is simple ..don't...end of story.

 

[Guzzler]

The point that the OP is making is not that he has made the decision whether or not to take statins but that his HCPs are ignoring his repeated refusal to take them and keep requesting that he make an appointment to discuss his latest results which he knows will lead to yet another explanation of why he refuses and the concomitant arguments pro statin use.

The remark about manipulating the test results was, I think, made tongue in cheek but I share the OPs exasperation with HCPs continual flagging up of cholesterol levels. I will be taking a leaf out of @Bluetit1802 book and requesting that there be no more requests to attend the surgery on this matter and further, I will ask that no further cholesterol tests actually be done.

 

[Fleegle]

The point that the OP is making is not that he has made the decision whether or not to take statins but that his HCPs are ignoring his repeated refusal to take them and keep requesting that he make an appointment to discuss his latest results which he knows will lead to yet another explanation of why he refuses and the concomitant arguments pro statin use.

The remark about manipulating the test results was, I think, made tongue in cheek but I share the OPs exasperation with HCPs continual flagging up of cholesterol levels. I will be taking a leaf out of @Bluetit1802 book and requesting that there be no more requests to attend the surgery on this matter and further, I will ask that no further cholesterol tests actually be done.

It is a shame - my NHS health are really supportive of my efforts and when I said I didn't want satins accepted it. Not all the same though I accept that.

 

[Guzzler]

It is a shame - my NHS health are really supportive of my efforts and when I said I didn't want satins accepted it. Not all the same though I accept that.

I suspect that it is a tick box that flags up in response to 'negative' results. I loathe these things as there is no leeway to have any more details than those of data required. I want a tick box added that requires the fields of a) Do you want an argument this morning? and b) Really?

 

[Mike d]

Firmly of the opinion that statins might work for non diabetics, but they do not for diabetic patients. Dumped them at the first chance I could