I want to come Off statins

[davd]

2 weeks ago had my blood tests four months after been diagnosed type 2 with an HbA1c of 90 .

The test results were an HbA1c of 40 , so I was quite happy.
My total cholesterol was 2.5
My diet has been about 70 to 80 carbs a day sometimes lower, also 1000mg of metformin slow release.
I have a phone appointment with GP on Tuesday and the practice nurse as told me the GP wants to reduce my metformin down to 500mg .
But with my total cholesterol at 2.5 is that low enough to stop my 40mg of Atovastatin, I know that statins increase BS levels slightly.
I have been on statins for a number of years but I think that a different GP put me on them because I had passed a certain age not because I had a high cholesterol level.
I am also on blood pressure medication but I am still a bit high on that so may have to increase the medication for it.
Is it a good idea to ask to come off or reduce statin or would I be better stopping on them .

 

[Antje77]

Total cholesterol at 2.5 is very low.
Have you asked your GP about stopping your statin?

 

[davd]

Total cholesterol at 2.5 is very low.
Have you asked your GP about stopping your statin?

Thanks for information I was not sure if 2.5 was very low so when I speak to GP on Tuesday I will ask him if I can stop taking it , but I can see him saying that the risk of heart disease is more important than my diabetes as that is the way of NHS .
I was asking on here so I could speak to him with some facts to back up my request to stop taking statin.

 

[MarkMunday]

Whether you take statins is for you to decide. Not the doctor. Doctors are obliged to offer them to diabetics because it is considered 'best practice'.

 

[bulkbiker]

I was asking on here so I could speak to him with some facts to back up my request to stop taking statin.

There are lots of facts contained in this thread
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/cholesterol-and-statins.156985/
Its quite long and involved though.. but at the end of the day it's your decision what to put in your body..
Personally I'll never take a statin whatever the doctor says.

 

[JMK1954]

The NHS recommend that if you have diabetes, your total chloresterol figure should be 4 or less. Yours is 2.5. You are well within the limit your doctors are supposed to be aiming for, In addition, 40 mg of any statin is a large dose. You need to read all the info in the link already posted and then make your own decision. Statins can have deveststing side-effects as I know to my cost.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I agree that total cholesterol of 2.5 is very low. It is under the normal range as quoted in my lab reports. The standard range is 3 to 5 (but they like diabetics to be 3 to 4). It also means that your good cholesterol (HDL) must be quite low. My HDL is higher than your total. You really need your full cholesterol and lipid breakdown, and you can ask for a print out of your latest results. When you have these you will be better armed when you speak to your doctor/nurse.

 

[bulkbiker]

The NHS recommend that if you have diabetes, your total chloresterol figure should be 4 or less. Yours is 2.5. You are well within the limit your doctors are supposed to be aiming for, In addition, 40 mg of any statin is a large dose. You need to read all the info in the link already posted and then make your own decision. Statins can have deveststing side-effects as I know to my cost.

So far as I know the 4 level for "diabetics" was dismissed a while ago I think NICE now say it should be the arbitrary "5" like the rest of the pop.

 

[bulkbiker]

Here are the "guidelines".
Some of you who have been "told" to take them by your doctor with fear inducing threats of "you'll have a heart attack if you don't" might be quite surprised. Section 1.3 is the main bit re statins.


https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg...d-assessing-cardiovascular-disease-cvd-risk-2

 

[KK123]

So far as I know the 4 level for "diabetics" was dismissed a while ago I think NICE now say it should be the arbitrary "5" like the rest of the pop.

Because of course we are ALL the same aren't we! Man, woman, old, young, fat, thin and so on so we MUST produce the exact same amount of cholesterol for our bodies as each other. Makes no sense whatsoever to me. x

 

[bulkbiker]

Because of course we are ALL the same aren't we! Man, woman, old, young, fat, thin and so on so we MUST produce the exact same amount of cholesterol for our bodies as each other. Makes no sense whatsoever to me. x

Indeed not and the odd fact that no doctor ever seems to know is that cholesterol levels (a bit like blood sugar levels) can be quite dynamic..

 

[Daphne917]

Thanks for information I was not sure if 2.5 was very low so when I speak to GP on Tuesday I will ask him if I can stop taking it , but I can see him saying that the risk of heart disease is more important than my diabetes as that is the way of NHS .
I was asking on here so I could speak to him with some facts to back up my request to stop taking statin.

Not necessarily my hba1c increased from 48 to 54 when I started taking statins but after I stopped taking them due to other side effects, with my GPs consent, it dropped down to non diabetic levels which I have managed to maintain. When I explained this to a new GP at the practice he annotated my notes as ‘statin intolerant’ as neither of us want to take the risk of it happening again.
Ultimately it is your decision - you have to take them not your doctor so must do what’s best for you. There’s a lot of information out there and that will help you make an informed decision.

 

[davd]

I agree that total cholesterol of 2.5 is very low. It is under the normal range as quoted in my lab reports. The standard range is 3 to 5 (but they like diabetics to be 3 to 4). It also means that your good cholesterol (HDL) must be quite low. My HDL is higher than your total. You really need your full cholesterol and lipid breakdown, and you can ask for a print out of your latest results. When you have these you will be better armed when you speak to your doctor/nurse.

Thanks for reply I can access my results online but don’t fully understand them ,these are part of results I hope they are good so I can speak to my GP and know what I am talking about.

Investigations

Urea and electrolytes
Serum sodium level 141 mmol/L [133.0 - 146.0]
Serum potassium level 4.4 mmol/L [3.5 - 5.3]
Serum urea level 5.1 mmol/L [2.5 - 7.8]
Serum creatinine level 86 umol/L [64.0 - 104.0]

Serum cholesterol level 2.5 mmol/L [1.5 - 5.5]

Serum triglyceride levels 1.03 mmol/L [0.5 - 2.0]

Serum lipid levels
Serum HDL cholesterol level 1.0 mmol/L [1.0 - 3.0]
Serum cholesterol level 2.5 mmol/L [1.5 - 5.5]
Serum triglyceride levels 1.03 mmol/L [0.5 - 2.0]
Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio 2.5 ratio
NON HDL CHOLESTEROL 1.5 mmol/L
Serum LDL cholesterol level 1.0 mmol/L

GFR
GFR calculated abbreviated MDRD 82 mL/min/1.73m2 [90.0 - 500.0]
Below low reference limit

Thyroid function test
Serum TSH level 4.15 miu/L [0.34 - 5.6]

Serum vitamin B12 level 364 ng/L [110.0 - 914.0]

HBA1C.
Haemoglobin A1c level - IFCC standardised 40 mmol/mol [26.0 - 41.0]

(thanks for any advice )

 

[bulkbiker]

Thanks for reply I can access my results online but don’t fully understand them ,these are part of results I hope they are good so I can speak to my GP and know what I am talking about.

Investigations

Urea and electrolytes
Serum sodium level 141 mmol/L [133.0 - 146.0]
Serum potassium level 4.4 mmol/L [3.5 - 5.3]
Serum urea level 5.1 mmol/L [2.5 - 7.8]
Serum creatinine level 86 umol/L [64.0 - 104.0]

Serum cholesterol level 2.5 mmol/L [1.5 - 5.5]

Serum triglyceride levels 1.03 mmol/L [0.5 - 2.0]

Serum lipid levels
Serum HDL cholesterol level 1.0 mmol/L [1.0 - 3.0]
Serum cholesterol level 2.5 mmol/L [1.5 - 5.5]
Serum triglyceride levels 1.03 mmol/L [0.5 - 2.0]
Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio 2.5 ratio
NON HDL CHOLESTEROL 1.5 mmol/L
Serum LDL cholesterol level 1.0 mmol/L

GFR
GFR calculated abbreviated MDRD 82 mL/min/1.73m2 [90.0 - 500.0]
Below low reference limit

Thyroid function test
Serum TSH level 4.15 miu/L [0.34 - 5.6]

Serum vitamin B12 level 364 ng/L [110.0 - 914.0]

HBA1C.
Haemoglobin A1c level - IFCC standardised 40 mmol/mol [26.0 - 41.0]

(thanks for any advice )

Had you fasted before the blood was taken for the tests? If so how long for.

 

[davd]

Had you fasted before the blood was taken for the tests? If so how long for.

No not intentionally but I had not eaten since night before anyway.
It was not a fasting blood test ,nowadays no blood tests need to be fasting I asked about that before I had it and I was told that testing systems had changed and fasting isn’t necessary, the letter they sent me also said the same.

 

[bulkbiker]

It was not a fasting blood test ,nowadays no blood tests need to be fasting I asked about that before I had it and I was told that testing systems had changed and fasting isn’t necessary

That's kind of nonsense but not your fault.. if you're only looking at total cholesterol (which most doctors will) then maybe not required but to get an accurate picture of your full lipid panel its essential.
It's the ratios that appear to more important than the total and without fasting there's no consistency of the results.
Your total still looks pretty low to me I'd be pushing to get off them.

 

[ianf0ster]

Personally I would like the HDL higher than the Triglycerides, but your total Cholesterol is also low, so I can't see any real
reason for staying on statins.

 

[Peadair O Brionn]

Personally I would like the HDL higher than the Triglycerides, but your total Cholesterol is also low, so I can't see any real
reason for staying on statins.

My last cholesterol test came back as 8.6 the one before was 6.6 my lowest ever since 2006 was 6.2 . Doc hasn’t contacted me about the results yet . But I’ve told him no statins as the last time I took them the cramps in my legs were horrendous . My last HbA1c was 37

 

[davd]

Thanks everyone.
I definitely will push GP to get me off statins

 

[Daibell]

Hi. A cholesterol level that is too low can cause as much harm as being too high as Cholesterol is needed for body repairs. A total of 2.5 is too low. You should only go onto statins if your lipids ratios are not good from a fasting blood test. I would ask to stop the Statins and see what your lipids are at the next blood test.