How do I say no to statins

[lindisfel]

My Doctor keeps on about Statins, trying to talk me into taking them and my bloods are a bit better than yours. I just look him in the face and say "The human race is running out of things to die of . I'll take my chance"

Also reflect on the fact that although they are professionals how often do they go on refresher courses? (that are not paid for by drug companies) As a chartered engineer I had to be able to show that I kept my knowledge up to date, It was career limiting not to. It was quite illuminating when I asked my GP and diabetic nurse when they last went on a refresher course!!

Doctors have continuous career development and education, my eldest is a GP.

 

[srg100]

No, stuffing oneself with anything, no matter how low carb, may raise bg. Dr Bernstein says that eating too much even of sawdust can do it.

Ithink I'll stick to veg - but not stuffing myself with them!

 

[srg100]

Thought I'd let you all know how I got on at the doctor today.
It was all very calm and friendly and not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

He started by telling me it was just an advisory appointment as my LDL was raised. As I'm on 3 drugs to control my blood pressure he felt I was at higher risk than someone who naturally had my current blood pressure, 121/82.
I pointed out that it had been higher than it is now,even on the medication. He felt there was still damage to my arteries.
He asked about heart disease in the family - my father had a stent put in at age 80 - so he was happy with that.

He offered me a choice - diet and exercise or statins.
He saw that I'd been on statins before and asked why I'd come off them. I told him I was worried abput side effects, especially on BG and weight.I felt the risk of that was more of a problem than the LDL.
He then told me that if I asked cardiology experts they'd say life expectancy, I think he said for men, has gone up from 70 to 80 because of statins.
I said, very nicely, that it depends which experts you ask.
Well it's NHS policy he told me.

Anyway the upshot was that he stressed he was being advisory and it was up to me what I did. He did agree that fasting lipids were a good idea and I should get them checked fasting in 6 months after trying diet and exercise. And that my HDL and triglcerides were fine.

He suggested cutting down on liver, as well as red meat, butter, milk and cheese. I have been eating a lot of liver recently so maybe that's a good idea. Any thoughts? I don't drink milk. I do have some cheese but try not to overdo it and I don't plan on giving up red meat or butter. I will try to watch my quantities though.

BTW he checked my QRISK2 cardiovascular disease 10 year risk score which I later discovered is 5.52%. Well under the 10% for statins, but maybe that is read differently as my blood pressue is not being naturally normal.

All in all I came out happy.

Thanks so much to everyone who posted. You gave me the support I needed!

 

[David_A_Hughes]

Oh how I sympathise (and empathise) with you! My story has a few parallels - I have been trying to stick to the LCHF diet for sometime now - irrespective of what my GP might say (I didn't tell her) and I have to say I think I have had a positive result. It's not cured me (if that's ever possible) nor has it reduced my BG to levels that some on this forum feel it should, I'm still hitting high numbers in the morning and the regulation 2 hours after food. However, my diabetic nurse and GP seem happy with my progress when I have my 4 monthly blood tests. Now comes the problem! Breakfasts, especially, have been difficult for me - I love toast (loved toast) and tea for my first meal of the day - so that's out, if I stick to the low carb regime. What to have instead? Well, most of the time it's been chopped black pudding omelettes with cheese on top! You can probably guess where this is going. I've agreed with my GP that, if in 4 months time I haven't made great inroads into reducing my cholesterol, I'll go back on statins. (yes, I have been there before, with all the aches and pains associated with the life lengthening little pills). I now hardly ever touch eggs, the cheese intake is still there but massively reduced and I close one eye when I eat black pudding, making it OK to do so. Who's going to win in April, my GP or me? I'm desperately trying not to blink.........

 

[barry54]

Obviously the choice is yours, I can only speak from my experience but I would definately discount the videos above, I had a heart event in 2015 brought about by Stress, since then have been as fit as a butchers dog, but I take Statins, prior to the heart event I tried 3 different types all of which gave me bad side effects, when I was told by the heart consultant I had to take statins
I explained I could not tolerate them so he suggested a statin one I hadn’t taken before it’s one they don’t always offer to give you first second or third time around.
So I’ve now been on them two years with no know side effects, my advice would be don’t discount them but try them until you find one that suits you body

 

[srg100]

I explained I could not tolerate them so he suggested a statin one I hadn’t taken before it’s one they don’t always offer to give you first second or third time around.
So I’ve now been on them two years with no know side effects, my advice would be don’t discount them but try them until you find one that suits you body

I'd be interested to know which one you're now on.
Hoping I won't need it!

 

[barry54]

Hi I take Rosuvastatin

 

[srg100]

Hi I take Rosuvastatin

Thanks!

 

[DiabetesDestroyer]

I know you're not doctors but I'm hoping someone can help me

I was on statins from about Oct 15 until November 16 as my cholesterol was high. I stopped because the numbers were better and I didn't want to be on them having found out what they can do - and can't! I understand they can increase the risk of diabetes - is that right? Apart from anything else.

Got my latest blood test results today. And a phone call from the surgery asking me to come in to see the doctor.
My HbA1c has dropped from 41 in May to 38 - it was 43.2 in Feb last year so that's why I'm being checked. I was pleasantly surprised as I thought that was why I was being called back.
BUT my Serum cholesterol has gone up from 4.9 in May this year to 5.4 which is over the limit of 5, my Se non HDL cholesterol level has gone form 2.8 in May to 3.4 which is over the limit of 3 and my serum urea level has also gone just over the normal limits.

I've been eating low carb as much as I can but I have put on 7 kg over the last year - mostly due to a family wedding and also eating to relieve stress.

I do not want to go back to statins but the doctor at the time I said I wanted to come off them said it depended on my results. I have patient access online to my records and after that consultation under the heading 'Problems' it says declined statins!! along with prediabetes, when I had it, hypertension and all the rest.

My question is - can I politely decline statins, or am I risking my health? And if so what do I say to the doctor to convince him it's not dangerous?
Also, am I eating too much protein and that's affecting the cholestorol and the urea? I know it's not the fat - although somebody on hearing my results said they were not surprised, implying it was because of all the fat and butter I've been eating.

Hope someone can help.

Thanks

The fact that you were pre-diabetic means you will benefit from your cholesterol reading being less than 4.

 

[DiabetesDestroyer]

The fact that you were pre-diabetic means you will benefit from your cholesterol reading being less than 4.

https://www.nice.org.uk/news/articl...with-diabetes-not-meeting-cholesterol-targets

 

[bangkokdiabetic]

I was put on 20,mg of Crestor like you I did not want them my Doctor insisted after some research I got a pill cutter and cut them in half next docs visit doctor said my readings were down and to continue on 20mg made me an appointment for 3 months I then cut tablet into 4 i.e. 5mg next visit doc was very happy as my cholesterol level were down to normal and said I should continue on 20mg
I stopped Levels went up doc suggested increasing the dose if this continued I went back to 5mg levels settled doc happy I am still taking 5mg 15 years later. go figure I did eventually tell Doc who did not believe me (Not According to the Book?)
Regarding Triglycerides I reduced mine with fish oil capsules 1000mg I taken 3 time a day

N.B. all the above with a sensible healthy Diet and no Alcohol or snacks between meals & of course Diabetes

 

[srg100]

I was put on 20,mg of Crestor like you I did not want them my Doctor insisted after some research I got a pill cutter and cut them in half next docs visit doctor said my readings were down and to continue on 20mg made me an appointment for 3 months I then cut tablet into 4 i.e. 5mg next visit doc was very happy as my cholesterol level were down to normal and said I should continue on 20mg
I stopped Levels went up doc suggested increasing the dose if this continued I went back to 5mg levels settled doc happy I am still taking 5mg 15 years later. go figure I did eventually tell Doc who did not believe me (Not According to the Book?)
Regarding Triglycerides I reduced mine with fish oil capsules 1000mg I taken 3 time a day

N.B. all the above with a sensible healthy Diet and no Alcohol or snacks between meals & of course Diabetes

That's really interesting.
Did you have any side effects from the statins?
Thanks.

 

[paulus1]

the op had gained 7kg in a short time on lchf diet. therefore they were over eating something. if not carbs then that leaves protean or fat. eat any enough you will gain. i wish folks would relize that statins are not always nasty. they save lives and i think urging folks to stop taking them is a dangerous thing to be doing. would you tell a type 1 to stop using insulin. please unless your a qualified cardiac expert lay off the demonizing of an important medicine. it up to each of us to decide. you well meaning advice could result in a diabetic who does have a raised risk from heart related events from suffering one. ive had them and its flipping terrifying

 

[srg100]

the op had gained 7kg in a short time on lchf diet. therefore they were over eating something. if not carbs then that leaves protean or fat. eat any enough you will gain. i wish folks would relize that statins are not always nasty. they save lives and i think urging folks to stop taking them is a dangerous thing to be doing. would you tell a type 1 to stop using insulin. please unless your a qualified cardiac expert lay off the demonizing of an important medicine. it up to each of us to decide. you well meaning advice could result in a diabetic who does have a raised risk from heart related events from suffering one. ive had them and its flipping terrifying

I gained about half of the 7 kg because I was abroad for a week for a fanily wedding and holiday and ate all the wrong things!
It was the carbs that did it - I was not eating lowcarb! It was such a shock to gain so much and it took me a while to get back to normal, during that time I put on the rest.
I understand that I may need statins if my results don't improve but I didn't want to take them if it's not necessary. My doctor has given me 6 months to try diet and exercise which I'm trying to do. But LCHF, not low fat as he was suggesting.

 

[bangkokdiabetic]

That's really interesting.
Did you have any side effects from the statins?
Thanks.

Not Noticeable ones But since I am now 77 yrs. of age I get all sorts of aches and pains from time to time I put down to aging but who knows I did have 2 strokes before being prescribed statins so I was cautious about saying no and now I say so far so good
HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR

 

[paulus1]

I gained about half of the 7 kg because I was abroad for a week for a fanily wedding and holiday and ate all the wrong things!
It was the carbs that did it - I was not eating lowcarb! It was such a shock to gain so much and it took me a while to get back to normal, during that time I put on the rest.
I understand that I may need statins if my results don't improve but I didn't want to take them if it's not necessary. My doctor has given me 6 months to try diet and exercise which I'm trying to do. But LCHF, not low fat as he was suggesting.

i was not trying to lecture its just its not as clear cut as a lot of posters are making out. there is no point having great bg levels and conking our with a heart attack. the doctors are not payed to push them. its a simple equation that if your risk factors are raised they try to improve them. more so if you have a cardiac issue like me.

 

[bulkbiker]

i was not trying to lecture its just its not as clear cut as a lot of posters are making out. there is no point having great bg levels and conking our with a heart attack. the doctors are not payed to push them. its a simple equation that if your risk factors are raised they try to improve them. more so if you have a cardiac issue like me.

You may or may not be correct but you first have to believe that high cholesterol is linked to CVD, dubious in my opinion.
If you do believe that then you have to believe that lowering cholesterol with medication is a good thing (bearing in mind that without cholesterol we die).
If you can get over those two hurdles then you have to consider the possible side effects of taking statins.
That's quite a lot of hurdles to get over to take a drug that may or may not help (the jury is currently veering towards not) reducing the "risk" of CVD which is a bit of an unknown anyway.

If you had a cardiac event as you have then you may well be in a far better position to make a choice.

However the insistence of many doctors to prescribe statins to people without any heart disease and more worryingly without checking if there is any calcification in the arteries beforehand is, I think, tantamount to malpractice. But hey what do I know I just listen to cardiac exerts like Aseem Malhotra.

 

[paulus1]

i have unstable angina alongside my heart problems, raised bp, and a genetic issue with cholesterol. the males in my family used to die in there 30s because of cardiac issues. i know we are cynical about the medical folks over there relationship with the drug industry and yes it can push unsuitable drugs on folks but if i was not on my 15 or so pills i would be dead. statin likeany drug have to be used wisely they are not smarties. yet ive been banned from most of my pain meds because the risks of heart issues.