statins help

[ashi]

Sorry to be pain the haha. Ive been diagnosed with type 2 since oct 2004. Had a great Dr until the NHS shutt the surgery and opened one of those surgery centres.

Im taking statins and Metmorphone please forgive my spelling i i cant find my spec.

Since i have been with the center seeing the dr's and nurses they keep on hitting im going to die from a heart attack or have a stroke getting quite repetitive.

Now i have had problems with the statin. i hate them, i considering taking Garlic and Ginseng and maybe ginger.
I was taking wheatgrass which helped greatly, but its kinda expensive. I have one dr try to make me into a type 1 diabetic. Im also an asthmatic an the inhales i take are symbicort 200 and pulvinal sabutamol. The Pulvinal contains sugar . If i take statin i have a mild asthma to moderate attack. I have to admit i havent been hospitalized since i have been on these asthma medications.

basically is anyone come off the statins and has been taking something herbal link garlic, ginseng and ginger.

Im also very much aware when i do take th statin it affects my thinking, exercise, i cant run only walk yet i remember the old days i was able to run miles upon miles, im in my 40's now.

The surgery has a number of times given me the run around which can be quite frustrating, ie if my asthma medication has finished i get a repeat prescription but on some occasions ive been told you can walk nto any pharmacy and get my medication with an prescription as the dr is evaluating the medicines. Which i found out this not the case i have to a prescription to get the medicine, hence make an immediate appointment.. I have been peed of with the surgery when they do give me the run around.
I admit my bp is high. Im not sure where im meant to go from here anyways thank you reading my so called rant. And thankyou for any help

 

[luckyluciano]

I have never had paticularly high cholesterol, but did suffer a very minor heart attack in 1996 at the age of 50.
Since then I have been on statins every single day (20mg)- without any problems whatsoever.

Others may have a different experience, but I can only speak for myself.
Regards

 

[Sarah69]

I don't have high cholesterol but the DSN insisted I take them, which I admit I seldom do. Last week I had a pre op and saw the pharmacist we went through my medication and when she asked about the statin I said I don't always take them as my cholesterol wasn't high, she said that they are used not only for that but mainly to protect heart disease and strokes. I am trying to take them but forget to.

 

[wellwell1212]

All I can say is that I and others I know had a rotten time on Statins but, that said many have no problem at all :?

Doctors seen to love them in my experience. I have relatively low Chol and could not see the benefit in taking drugs I did not seem to need. I think Statins a default knee-jerk Doc response to a T2 condition many of them don't have a scooby about treating in my experience

 

[ashi]

wellwell1212 i agree with about the doctors treating t2 and sarah69 im the same i seldom take em coz of te side effects.

 

[Daibell]

HI. If you are on Metformin and have a cholesterol level below, say, 5 then you may choose to not take statins. Metformin does help reduce heart attack risk. The NHS has a love affair with statins which is isn't always justified by the facts.

 

[Cowboyjim]

I got railroaded into taking them until I read up on them... plus I got weird muscle aches and was not sure they were affecting my mind... too subtle to describe. So no more statins for me and they seem OK with that... my choice of course... 8)

 

[xyzzy]

I took the choice to take them until my cholesterol levels normalised as they undoubtedly work at reducing cholesterol. I consider the short term risk in taking them is less than the long term risk of dropping dead from heart failure. I will be reviewing every three months. I've just got back to normal cholesterol levels for the first time in years so if they remain good I see no reason to continue taking them.

Aren't Ginger and Ginseng primarily anti-inflammatories? I have read research that says they work for that but nothing to do with reducing cholesterol. Would be interested to see any research you have come across to suggest they work to reduce cholesterol

 

[didie]

I take 40 mgs of Simvastatin every night. My levels which were not particularly high before are right down now, but as I've had a stroke I'm quite happy to keep taking them as I view them as a safety net. I've not had any complications with them.

 

[paul_melb]

As others have said, individual circumstances and conditions vary. Speaking for myself, I have been taking Pravastin for 14 years with no ill-effect and good cholesterol control. The evidence seems to very strong that the statins do offer significant protection for those at high risk of major vascular events. The other side of the coin is possible side effects ( and variation within the statin class).

 

[smitha48]

Hi there,

As you probably know there are many types of statins.....Some may have adverse effects on you while others do not. The problem is that they each effect different people differently.

Personally i am on high dose Atorvastatin (80mg) with no side effects whatsoever, so i'm happy to carry on with them.

It is worth asking your GP/Consultant if you can try different types until you find one that suits you, or alternatively ask if you could use a fibrate instead.

I tried coming off mine when my levels dropped to well inside acceptable levels, but when i did, the levels shot up again to TC of around 7 with LDL 4 times that of HDL. C'est la Vie.

Good luck

tony

 

[viviennem]

Hi Ashi

First question - what are your cholesterol levels, and do you know your full lipid profile? 'They' like diabetics to have extra-low cholesterol levels because we are at greater risk of heart attack and stroke, but the important readings for cholesterol are not "total cholesterol" in isolation, but also LDL and triglycerides (the baddies) HDL (the goodie), and the Total/HDL ratio. So you really need to see your full profile and have a good discussion about it with your GP.

My total cholesterol is considered by many to be too high at 5.5, but the breakdown of my lipid profile is pretty well on target and improving all the time. I have in the past taken statins (Simvastatin), but had muscle problems, read around a bit, and now won't take them at all. My GP knows this, keeps an eye on me but is in general happy with my levels.

Simvastatin is one of the cheapest, but is also associated with many side-effects including memory loss and 'brain fog'; also the muscle problems I had. There are others which you could try which have fewer side effects.

If your cholesterol and lipids are way too high I think you should persevere with statins, at least for a while. You need to talk it through with someone; they most certainly should not be inducing asthma attacks, however mild! Maybe you need to try another brand.

If your cholesterol/lipids are fairly near the so-called "normal" range for non-diabetics, I think you should read round carefully and make up your own mind. Google spacedoc.net and have a look at what Duane Graveline has to say - ex-USAF/NASA doctor! Also bear in mind that metformin also gives some protection against heart attack and strokes. I'm happy with them.

Finally, what sort of diet do you eat? Most of us on here control our carbohydrate intake to some extent. I try to eat less than 50g of carb per day, and from both present and past experience can tell you that a lower-carb diet will reduce cholesterol and improve your lipid profie - at least it does for me!

Finally - your GP can prescribe what s/he likes; you can't be forced to take them, but do inform yourself fully before you make your choice.

Viv 8)

 

[dawnmc]

I was asked to take them, but refused. My other half was on 1 particular kind, they gave him panic attacks. Hes on a different one now and seems to be ok. My mum was prescribed them and now can't walk. When you have first hand experience of what can go wrong with them well it makes your mind up not to take them.

 

[ashi]

The statin im taking is savastatin 40mg twice a day. I will go bk to the GP and ask for a different type of statin and c whats happens.
Thanks for all your advice, but i have rad up somewhere on the Internet that CQ10 can stop the side effects of statins, and garlic and ginger and ginseng act as a statin without the side effects but i guess no ones taking the time to research, Some websites have quoted that some research is taking place but when the results will be released i have no idea.

Im sure there one or individuals who taking an alternative to statin, im no your out there.somewhere.

 

[wellwell1212]

The statin im taking is savastatin 40mg twice a day.
Im sure there one or individuals who taking an alternative to statin, im no your out there.somewhere.

I was on the same Statin as your good self :crazy: , it appears to be the default/economic NHS solution. They tried me on provvastin and some other Statin poison, util I told them foxtrot oscar and words surrounding quality of life :roll:

I have heard talk in the past months about a low side effect Statin, thus I too would be interested too hear any input on Cholesterol control.

 

[hanadr]

My new doctor says that Simvastatin helps with arterial flexibility. I've had a stroke [almost 10 years ago] and my Cholesterol has never been above total 4 with a GOOD ratio.
Hana

 

[kay45]

Sorry to be pain the haha. Ive been diagnosed with type 2 since oct 2004. Had a great Dr until the NHS shutt the surgery and opened one of those surgery centres.

Im taking statins and Metmorphone please forgive my spelling i i cant find my spec.

Since i have been with the center seeing the dr's and nurses they keep on hitting im going to die from a heart attack or have a stroke getting quite repetitive.

Now i have had problems with the statin. i hate them, i considering taking Garlic and Ginseng and maybe ginger.
I was taking wheatgrass which helped greatly, but its kinda expensive. I have one dr try to make me into a type 1 diabetic. Im also an asthmatic an the inhales i take are symbicort 200 and pulvinal sabutamol. The Pulvinal contains sugar . If i take statin i have a mild asthma to moderate attack. I have to admit i havent been hospitalized since i have been on these asthma medications.

basically is anyone come off the statins and has been taking something herbal link garlic, ginseng and ginger.

Im also very much aware when i do take th statin it affects my thinking, exercise, i cant run only walk yet i remember the old days i was able to run miles upon miles, im in my 40's now.

The surgery has a number of times given me the run around which can be quite frustrating, ie if my asthma medication has finished i get a repeat prescription but on some occasions ive been told you can walk nto any pharmacy and get my medication with an prescription as the dr is evaluating the medicines. Which i found out this not the case i have to a prescription to get the medicine, hence make an immediate appointment.. I have been peed of with the surgery when they do give me the run around.
I admit my bp is high. Im not sure where im meant to go from here anyways thank you reading my so called rant. And thankyou for any help

Hi, I was on statins once, but like you I did not like the effects from them, in my case it was the loss of memory (which did not help when doing my degree) however I adopted a "Mediterranean diet" I cook only in olive oil and use flora cuisine for making roast potatoes etc, my cholesterol is now down to a normal reading. I eat as much veg a little lean meat and some fruit, I am on Victoza for my bs and metformin and ramipril.

 

[suem]

Hi All i am Type 2 and don't take statins as they give me muscle/joint pains and my Cholesterol is at the normal level and ratios ofLDL HDL good but do take instead CoQ10. If you take statins it will deplete your body of CoQ10 in the long term and can cause Cardic issues anyway, something that most GP's dont tell you or the Pharama companies don't put on the information in the packs of Statins!!!!
This article is well worth a read as it explains it better than i can
http://www.thecholesteroltruth.com/
Regards
Sue

 

[Dillinger]

I used to take Statins but have stopped now because I do not feel the facts back up the claims made about them.

Statins most certainly reduce your cholesterol and show a 'significant' reduction in risk for major cardiovascular events. But that word 'significant' is very important; it is being used in a technical sense not in a conversational way. It means 'not a result produced at random' and not 'by a lot'.

An admittedly old study (2003) looked at 10 clinical trials and produced the following: over five years only 2.7% of patients taking statins had a heart attack compared to 4.1% taking a placebo. If cholesterol was so important to heart health and statins so obviously reduced cholesterol why isn't that figure much better? That is the same as saying for every 71 people taking statins over 5 years 1 will be prevented from having a heart attack.

Full details of that analysis are below.

There is something strange about the obsession with statins and cholesterol; everyone must make their minds up but I feel uneasy about being part of this whole medicate to lower a normal biological state. In whose interest is it for me to take statins? Well I may have reduced in absolute terms my risk of a heart attack by 1.4%, my GP will have received a payment for me getting my cholesterol levels below an arbitrarily defined level, and a huge amount of profit will go to the companies who make these drugs.

Best

Dillinger

“Do Statins Have a Role in Primary Prevention,” a review by the Therapeutics Initiative of the
Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics of the University of British Columbia, Therapeutics
Letters, April – May – June 2003. – http://www.ti.ubc.ca/pages/letter48.htm or http://www.ti.ubc.ca/
PDF/48.pdf (Note: the pdf version is more suitable for printing.)

 

[Johnnyvee1]

Good day - I am supposedly TYpe 2 controlling with excercise and diet - Pilates, Gym, GOlf and Tennis. I was put on Statins some eyars ago and my Choleserol levels have been reduced to around 5. At the end of last year I read a lot about the statins/diabetes effect and did not like what I read so togetherr with my doctor I gave up statins (40mg Lipitor). I had suffered for last 2 years or so with increasing pain in a knee joint (squash injury) and an ankle (broken but incorrectly diagnosed 25 years earlier) andafter 18 holes golf was effectively crippled, and could no longer run at tennis. Within 2 weeks of stopping Statins I had no pain! I have thrown the Ibuprofen away and whilst I'm not going to break records running I am fully, and painlessly, mobile. I went back for my 3 month checkup - Cholesterol slightly increased but not worrying so, however Blood Sugar well down - yippee.

So I can control cholesterol with diet and exercise, maybe see BS reduce further and save the NHS some money!!! And perhaps I'm not a real Diabetic - Let's see in another 2 months