Fed Up

[Marcus1234]

Yes, sadly UK pharmacies are usually not allowed to accept returned meds, however well sealed. Best therefore never to cash in a prescription unless one intends to at least try taking the drug.

The NHS in general waste much money each year, all NHS hospitals across the UK are struggling to meet demand, we have the winter pressures that never seem to end, our city hospital has been in winter pressure for 2 years. A friend of mine booked an appointment to see an specialist and was told 12 months waiting list, if she paid private she would be seen within 2 weeks.

 

[Alexandra100]

I have spoken with the doctor about my concerns but I may as well speak to the wall. He is adamant I take them.
The ironic thing about this, is the video clip that was posted about statins, I watched it and he said statins can lead to raised liver enzymes and possible type 2 diabetes. Early last year I found some statins that was in date and tried them for 8 months and suffered terribly with the side effects, eventually I give up on them and could not cope any longer. Jumping forward to April this year and I started to feel fatigued, dizziness, headaches and urinating more often especially at night. 8 weeks later I am diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Maybe if I wouldn't have taken the statins for 8 months maybe I wouldn't have diabetes now. Maybe there is a connection between the two.

However adamant your GP, he has absolutely no power to make you take or do anything. If you feel statins might help, it might be worth researching them as there are lots of different ones and not all affect everyone in the same way. Also you would want to check which ones raise bg. I have read that taking a statin is only as effective in lowering cholesterol as a lifestyle measure eg taking more exercise or better diet. So if you are set on not taking any statins, lifestyle is your way forward. Enjoy your holiday!

 

[Alexandra100]

That is what puzzled me, I have reduced my cholesterol in the past. My GP says that because it has reached 7.5 that it is now FH genetic and when it gets back to normal levels I will be kept on a lower dose 10mg statins for the rest of my life.

My latest Total cholesterol was 9.8 but nothing has been mentioned to me abut FH.

 

[Marcus1234]

Hi there Marcus - I justs wanted to mention that the treatment of familial hypererchlestorolaemia can differrr from "ordinary" elevated lipids. Do you have other family members who have had heart issues or hesart attcks at a fairly young age?

At one stage, my GP was concerned about my lipid levels and suggested the potential for the familial sort. At that point she mentioned the treatment can differ and that alternative (to stains) meds are more readily available. You could consider asking your GP to make a referal forr you to a hospital Lipids Clinic.

Good luck with it all, and enjoy your break.

My dad had heart disease but never had an heart attack, he had angina attacks often, is angina was treated as stable angina and not the more serious unstable angina. My dads kidneys failed in the end but he had a lot wrong with him, type 2 diabetes, Lupus, Kidney disease, angina, onset of Alzheimer's.
He was relatively fit until is mid 50s. None of my family have had heart attacks, 3 brothers and 2 sisters, A brother and sister died quite young but not of heart attack.

 

[Marcus1234]

Hi @Marcus1234 I would point you towards videos from Ivor Cummins and David Fieldman on Youtube, for some clarification.

Eric Westman also states that doing LCHF has no evidence of being problematic with FH, as tests have shown issues with those on high carb (I would still play devils advocate if you do have FH) The ApoE4 gene which defines familiar hypercholesterolemia is meant to be a throw back to our evolutionary past, that has remained in some.

I think you should be specifically get tested due to your previous 4.5 reading. Also consider the calcium scan, as this as pointed out by @bulkbiker is the equivalent if not better than a HbA1c for blood glucose (Nuffield Health are a UK company which do this)

Thank you, I will look into this

 

[Marcus1234]

My latest Total cholesterol was 9.8 but nothing has been mentioned to me abut FH.

Wow! wonder what my doctor would say to you?

 

[Marcus1234]

However adamant your GP, he has absolutely no power to make you take or do anything. If you feel statins might help, it might be worth researching them as there are lots of different ones and not all affect everyone in the same way. Also you would want to check which ones raise bg. I have read that taking a statin is only as effective in lowering cholesterol as a lifestyle measure eg taking more exercise or better diet. So if you are set on not taking any statins, lifestyle is your way forward. Enjoy your holiday!

I have decided not to take the statins and have ordered some Plant sterols, 120 tablets. I will use them along with diet and exercise and see what my results are in 6 months when I have my next cholesterol blood test

 

[Mal37]

Yes my doctor has ordered another blood test in 3 months for my diabetes and a cholesterol test in 6 months. I'm definitely interested in trying plant sterols to see if they help me. I really do not want to try the statins again.
I feel embarrassed saying, but with my health anxiety I see the worst in everything health wise, soon as I read the pancreas produces insulin, I start to convince myself I may have pancreatic cancer and start getting symptoms, when I was made aware about my cholesterol I'm convincing myself Im heading for an heart attack and start with symptoms. My life over the last 2 weeks have been like a living hell. Normal people just get on with it, unfortunately I can't, and it's not without trying either. I'm still waiting on an appointment to see a CBT specialist who can help me over come this anxiety. When I'm not sleeping, 90% of my thoughts are taken up with "what ifs"
I can honestly say, I cannot remember the last time I felt happy. My wife's birthday was recently and she said it was one of the best she has had. Yet it is all a front on my side because this nasty horrible health anxiety is always there.
We go on holiday next week, everyone is happy looking forward to it, me again is in termoil in my head thinking "what if I get poorly" "what if something is seriously wrong with me" it goes on and on and never let's up.
This forum as been a great support and opened many doors for me to start looking into other ways of dealing with health issues.
I do think a more natural approach is better than prescription meds, Im due to see the nurse tomorrow evening so I will ask her if she can give me a print out of blood test results.
Thanks again for all your replies.

Awww I do feel for you Marcus but when you are totally aware of everything, and see that your worries are unfounded, then it should help? I worried like mad upon diagnosis as many on here probably do but you know why don't you? It's that age old thing called 'Fear of the unknown'

 

[Mal37]

I have decided not to take the statins and have ordered some Plant sterols, 120 tablets. I will use them along with diet and exercise and see what my results are in 6 months when I have my next cholesterol blood test

YEAY! I so hope you see the results that I have! I'm due in September again so I'm hoping for even more improvement

 

[DCUKMod]

Surely though you either have FH from birth or you don't?
Is it something that can develop?
I seriously doubt that the GP is in any position to diagnose this at all as a previous total cholesterol was 4.5 mmol... and is just "making it up".

It might clarify matters though to ask the questions. For folks like me, who hadn't actually had to visit my GP often at all, pre-diagnosis, there was a relatively scant lipid history.

I agree, if the OP has previous history of statins, then one might like to think there was some relevant history. For me, that history alone would be enough to ask for a referral.

Thankfully, my GP is open to incoming suggestion as well as deliverery outgoing ones. She's a keeper.

 

[Marcus1234]

High cholesterol does not mean you have heart disease it simply means you have "high" cholesterol.
There is a huge amount of debate and controversy about cholesterol levels and their effect on health.

If your doctor really implied

then he is very ignorant of what "high" cholesterol is and the impact on your health.

Total cholesterol is a pretty meaningless number and you really need to see the breakdown of HDL, LDL and triglycerides.
If you didn't get those results then I would suggest asking for them (if they were measured in your test) and if they weren't then ask for a repeat test with "a full lipid profile" which you should have fasted for 10-12 hours before. Without knowing at least this there is no way I would be taking any pills that I know have a bad effect on me. If he is really worried then you could ask for a Coronary Artery Calcium Scan which actually looks for plaque build up in the heart rather than using cholesterol as a very bad proxy measure.

I've never heard of a calcium scan, will mention it to the doctor and see what he says. I think he will be adamant about the statins. Thanks again

 

[Marcus1234]

Awww I do feel for you Marcus but when you are totally aware of everything, and see that your worries are unfounded, then it should help? I worried like mad upon diagnosis as many on here probably die but you know why don't you? It's that age old thing called 'Fear of the unknown'

Thank you Mal

 

[jayney27]

Yes my wife is very supportive and has a good idea what is going on in my head at times. I am trying small steps and hoping there is light at the end of the tunnel.
We are going to Barcelona, we have been before and loved it so going again. There is so much to see and do La Rambla, Gothic quarter, the marina/harbour, Sagrada Familia, and Barcelona beach.
We went to Crete in October 2016 and it was just out of season, we had a lovely time and on the second from last day "I got food poisoning" then moved to gate 13 etc etc etc

I’ve been to a Barcelona, wonderful place, as you say so much to see and do, I love all the Gaudi influencers and especially the Park.
Shame about the food poisoning but on the positive it was the last day and not the first day of your holiday and you survived gate 13

 

[Marcus1234]

It might clarify matters though to ask the questions. For folks like me, who hadn't actually had to visit my GP often at all, pre-diagnosis, there was a relatively scant lipid history.

I agree, if the OP has previous history of statins, then one might like to think there was some relevant history. For me, that history alone would be enough to ask for a referral.

Thankfully, my GP is open to incoming suggestion as well as deliverery outgoing ones. She's a keeper.

My GP is very good in some areas but let's himself down in other areas. He is very old school.

 

[bulkbiker]

I've never heard of a calcium scan, will mention it to the doctor and see what he says. I think he will be adamant about the statins. Thanks again

If you manage to get one on the NHS I will be amazed.. but worth a try. I had to get mine privately.

 

[Marcus1234]

I’ve been to a Barcelona, wonderful place, as you say so much to see and do, I love all the Gaudi influencers and especially the Park.
Shame about the food poisoning but on the positive it was the last day and not the first day of your holiday and you survived gate 13

 

[Marcus1234]

Just hope we don't fly from gate 13 next week

 

[Alexandra100]

If you manage to get one on the NHS I will be amazed.. but worth a try. I had to get mine privately.

Was it very expensive?

 

[Alexandra100]

Wow! wonder what my doctor would say to you?

I'm not exactly delighted about it myself, but I consider that raised bg is guaranteed to do harm, whereas the effects of raised cholesterol are debatable. Anyway, I'm already taking Flecainide, Dabigatran and Glucophage, I think that's enough polypharmacy for one elderly woman. I don't want to bankrupt the NHS single-handed.

 

[bulkbiker]

Was it very expensive?

£225.00 last year at rivers hospital in Hertfordshire
https://www.rivershospital.co.uk/treatments/ct-calcium-scoring