hello ! I am from Chile and I have type 1 diabetes since 2011, my latest doctor want me to take ator

Veronica384

Newbie
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2
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Pump
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i dislike diabetes
hello! I am from Chile and I have type 1 diabetes since 2011, my doctor wants me to take atorvastatin, but my levels of cholesterol are normal, should I take it or not? I am trying to do the Keto diet or at least I am in a low carb diet.
I am scared of everything I have read about atorvastatin, but my doctor said is very safe.
 

sweetbloodsher

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87
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
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cilantro, liver, rudeness, cruelty, impatience, prejudice, hatred. kale
Hi. I've been taking it for at least a year with no side affects. My cholesterol was also very low. It's a precaution against stroke and heart attacks because, as my dr. said, diabetics' blood is "sticky". :cat:
 

Prem51

Expert
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7,393
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Hi @Veronica384 I don't know why your doctor wants you to take statins if your cholesterol levels are normal. Do you have heart problems?
We can't tell you whether you should take statins or not, it's your decision. Some people find them useful, others say they have caused serious side effects.
There is a thread about cholesterol and statins here:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/cholesterol-and-statins.156985/
 

Fairygodmother

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Hi @Veronica384, I think some people have had problems with particular types of statins. My sister-in-law was prescribed one that definitely altered her mental state. However, I’ve been taking an atorvastatin for quite a few years now and it doesn’t seem to have caused any problems.
There’s been a lot of discussion about statins in recent years and I can understand your concern. I, too, have questioned whether they’re necessary and every GP or Diabetes Consultant I’ve spoken with cites the statistics and seems to agree that they are seen as a profilatic against cardiovascular problems.
Whether you take them or not is not for us to say.
 
Messages
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hello! I am from Chile and I have type 1 diabetes since 2011, my doctor wants me to take atorvastatin, but my levels of cholesterol are normal, should I take it or not? I am trying to do the Keto diet or at least I am in a low carb diet.
I am scared of everything I have read about atorvastatin, but my doctor said is very safe.

Next time, ask you doctor why he wants you to take a statin's, when you levels are normal.
 

Sapien

Well-Known Member
Messages
140
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Statins aren’t only given to reduce the LDL cholesterol which by itself may or may not be an important risk factor. Statins tend to reduce inflammation and also have an anticoagulant effect. If blood sugar isn’t well controlled, it can increase arterial inflammation. The immune system attacks an inflamed arterial plaque, it ruptures and a clot forms which can cause a heart attack or stroke.

Half of people who have heart attacks have “normal” LDL cholesterol. But few people who have heart attacks have ideal blood sugar fasting BG (4-4.7) and HbA1c (4.6-5.0%), a low hs-CRP (<0.5), low homocysteine, low triglycerides, high HDL, normal blood pressure, normal BMI, little abdominal fat and a low Apo B particle count. CVD risk is multifactorial.

You might want to investigate the other risk factors before deciding whether or not to take a statin.

What LDL cholesterol level do you have that is “normal”?