Statins, and why take 'em?

[missy-45]

Statins work by reducing cholesterol levels... fine. So why take if your levels are ok?

:?: My understanding is that statins reduce the liver's RATE OF PRODUCTION of the BAD/LDL stuff which causes the furring up of arteries etc. So over time reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. You don't make as much = takes longer to clog stuff up. So statins are better than the other cholesterol reducing medications.

Pharmacists (and doctors) can use a risk calculator to give you a personal PERCENTAGE risk reduction factor.

I have been refusing metformin till the last moment, but started a statin pretty much straight off. As with others here, my overall cholesterol is ok and hdl/ldl split was ok too...

The benefit (and it has taken three attempts to find one I can tolerate) is a 65% reduction in the risk of heart attack/stroke and this was not taking family history into account, and that is riddled with HA/S issues. 65% ain't to be sniffed at.

Go get calculated!

(references - bupa.co.uk, Martindale: the Complete Drug Reference, provided by the UKMI medication information service)

 

[dawnmc]

Is that right missy, do proper research first, statins are not the friend you seem to think they are, but they are big pharmas friend.
Statins can cause diabetes, amongst other things.

 

[Bulldogblu]

Why have you refused metformin up to this point please??


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[StephenM]

There now appears to be a link between statins and gout. The number of cases in the UK has risen sharply although the intake of game and port (usual causes) has not. This is because statins raise uric acid levels. I take them because of my circulation problems but had to change from simvastatin because of awful muscle pains!

 

[noblehead]

Well if I had a problem with high cholesterol I would take a statin with no hesitation, 2 years back it was suggested that I should start on a low-dose after my total cholesterol went above 4, however as my next fasting check came in well below we all decided collectively to leave it alone for now and look at it again in the next couple of years.

I don't personally buy into this 'Big Pharma' nonsense, keeping healthy isn't all about keeping good bg control and it's important to take care of our cardiovascular health too, if that means popping a pill to keep bp and cholesterol levels below the recommended levels then so be it :thumbup:

 

[Disgruntled]

Statins can cause some drastic side effects. my partner had a stroke last year and was put on statins, he was in so much pain with them. he had trouble sleeping, his appetite went from being bad anyway to being non existant. he ate because he knew he had to. but very little.

He has now come off them (dr advised) because he was worried about the amount of side effects he was having and the severity of them. also due to the fact that it clearly states in the leaflet that if you've had a stroke you shouldn't take them. Begs the question why most doctors put stroke patients straight on them, doesn't it?
He's eating better, sleeping better, most of the pains have gone.
My dn has said she wants me to take them, not going to happen. my cholestral is only slightly raised and as I've been on a low carb diet for a few months now I'm sure it's going back down.

A lot of the medicines available now have side effects worse than what you're taking them for in the first place.
I was given a tablet a couple of years ago just a painkiller mind. but it was to help with the pain I suffered due to hydrocephilis. at the time I had papiladema ( was almost blind due to pressure behind my eyes) one of the side effects of this wonder drug was pressure build up in the eyes. smart move I think not. again I was given a water tablet now you might think no harm could come from them. you'd be wrong, again one of the side effects was pressure behind the eyes.
I would always advise everyone to research the medication you're given before you even start taking them. it is after all you're health, you're life.

 

[angieG]

I was reading a magazine yesterday and it says researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario have found links between statins and cataracts now.

"Another side-effect of cholesterol-lowing statin drugs has emerged: they increase the risk of cataracts. In fact, the risk of getting the eye problems is the same for a diabetic.
A type 2 sufferer runs an 82% risk of cataracts, whereas a statin user's risk rises by 57% - and when other possibilities are ironed out, the risk is about the same for both, say researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario.
Their findings are based on studying the profiles of 6,400 patients being treated at an eye clinic for cataracts. Of those 452 had diabetes, and 56& of those were also taking a statin drug."
From "What Doctors Don't Tell You" June 2013

I know my Mum was on statins for about 5 years, for the first 3 or so she was fine, but by 5 years she was getting so she could hardly walk, she was weak and got very confused easily (brain fog). After stopping them she felt better within a couple of weeks and after about 2 years she was able to walk as much as she had before taking them. Her levels haven't changed much since she stopped either and the Doctors are happy for her not to take anything.

Regards
Angie

 

[dawnmc]

My mother is in a wheel chair because of statins, they block all the good stuff from getting through that's the idea, hence (although no-one says) Q10 has to be taken as its blocked. Horrid things.
There is evidence that cholesterol should get higher as we age because it protects us.

 

[SamJB]

Just because there's a link, doesn't mean statins are the cause. I don't buy into the big pharma controversy, I do think food companies have pushed the cholesterol thing too far though.

Having high cholesterol might be bad for you, it might not. I'd rather reduce the risk, if there is any, by taking statins. To my mind, the cholesterol hypothesis is a "better safe than sorry" hypothesis: reduce your cholesterol just to be on the safe side. I think it's snowballed from there.

 

[Disgruntled]

I watched something we found online the other day. it was about statins and that the brain is made up of mostly cholestrol and taking statins while reducing cholestrol can also shrink the brain. they also said that we need cholestrol to survive, that when we get a cut the body produces cholestrol to seal up the hole and help us to heal. they said that statins are just a mass medication.

Personally I wouldn't trust a drug because the leaflet say's it will work. or a doctor for that matter. on 2 occasions I have had to draw my doctors attention to the fact that they have given me a drug that could cause me a lot of damage. one being a neuro opthamologist, who should have known given the severity of my eye condition not to give me a drug that could cause the very condition I was in.

I question every drug my doctor prescribes, I question him first and then I research the drug before I ever consider taking it.
I could have been blind if I hadn't researched my drugs and brought it up with my doctor. so I say question, research make sure you know the facts before taking anything. lets face it those of you on metformin and other drugs to help you with diabetes question things when you think your bg's are not under control or they're giving you to many side effects so why not question the statins.

We're humans not sheep. we have intelligence. we have a mind of our own. just because someone say's a drug is good for you doesn't mean they're right. it just means they're telling you it's right or vice versa.

 

[missy-45]

Hi Forum

If you notice I did say it had taken me three attempts to find one with a side effect base I could tolerate - and I did not make any mention of other issues
All I said was have a risk calculation done.
NO medication is risk free - calculate your insulin wrong/ go hypo, take too many paracetamol/ get rebound headaches or kill your liver, take a contraceptive pill.....
Take your pick.

My query with the :?: was wondering if this is is why the doctors tout statins over the other lipid-lowering drugs? and why take them if your cholersterol levels are ok - as mine are.

Dawnmc said do proper research... Funny - I thought here was a sourch of information and, therefore, part of my research?

 

[Geocacher]

For some of us the side effects of Statins are debilitating.

What would you choose --

A longer life where pain and lack of energy would cause you to struggle just to get out of bed, go to work, and look after yourself and your only leisure activity would be sitting?

-- or --

A shorter life where you could engage in travel and outdoor activities, do whatever work you please, and look after yourself without assistance, and just enjoy life?

I've tried Statins, I'm very well aware of the risks of not taking them and the risks of taking them, and I choose to have a life of quality even if it means I may have a shorter life than I would taking Statins.

That's not a wrong choice, it's an educated choice based on what I value in my life.

 

[MartinAU]

About 10% of statin users get aches and pains. The higher your dose, the more likely you are to experience aches and pains.

Much less common but more serious is (rhabdomyolysis), in which muscle cells break down and release proteins such as myoglobin that damage kidneys.

The pain is usually in the thighs, shoulders, upper arms, and/or lower back, and doesn't go away even when you are at rest.

 

[stuffedolive]

About 10% of statin users get aches and pains. ....The pain is usually in the thighs, shoulders, upper arms, and/or lower back, and doesn't go away even when you are at rest.

Yup! that's exactly how mine was. It came on gradually and as I do a lot of exercise I didn't realise it wasn't just a reaction to my latest hills run or weights session. However when the pain started to last for days and my exercise got less and less but the pain stayed I realised there must be something wrong. After 2 weeks of doing nothing a test at the docs showed I had CK levels (?) showing muscle breakdown which he would expect to see if I had just finished an ultra-marathon. Even reduced dosage caused the same problems.

What annoyed me was that I had been on these for nearly a year and had never been called in to see whether they were suitable. I could have carried on taking them until I ended up in a wheelchair - as has happened to some people. I exercise to control my diabetes and the statins were getting in the way of that, but they seemed more concerned about my cholesterol than my Hba1c. My athletic performances dropped off a cliff and have taken years to recover - I am one unhappy bunny.

And guess what? ... they want to put me back on them. No fear!

 

[Geocacher]

According to a recent article in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 20% of those who have taken Statins have experienced serious side effects. And those side effects are not limited to muscle pain and weakness. Loss of memory, nerve damage, increased risk of diabetes, high BG readings, liver damage, and a host of other unwelcome side effects appear on the list. Many of those problems are irreversible, they don't go away when you stop Statins.

It's also been found that the promised 30% reduction in heart disease is more in the range of 10% to 12%. What that means is that a person has a one in five chance of serious side effects and only a one in ten chance they'll see any benefit from taking Statins.

My GP tried to fob off the problems I had with Statins as poorly managed diabetes. When I asked him to prove I was not managing my diabetes appropriately he couldn't. My HbA1C is always within the recommended range and my daily readings are, with rare exception, within the expected margins. It seems that once you are diagnosed as T2, diabetes becomes a catch all for every medical problem you have, even among the medical profession. I suppose it's easier to arbitrarily place the blame than to consider whether or not there is evidence that T2 is the cause.

Even the Mayo Clinic has revised their recommendations on Statins:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/statin ... ts/MY00205

It's a good article and worth a read if you want to make an informed choice on whether or not to take Statins.

 

[Ladybirdy75]

Gosh, reading all this has really got me worried :-S. i've been on Simvastatin (40mg daily) a good few years now. I aways thought that i hadn't experienced any side affects whatsoever but having read some of your posts i am beginning to wonder if i have finally identified the root of my neck and shoulder complaints. They ache so badly most of the time and i now have lost almost my whole range of motion in my right arm due to adhesive capsulitis. There are also days when i feel like the old battery has well and teuly died a death. I've so desperately tried to get fit and healthy since going on a pump a couple of years ago but feel like my attempts to train (running, weights....... anything!!!) get thwarted by muscle pain and fatigue?!! Hmmm? Will be asking my GP about this.....who'll no doubt tell me to stay on them. I've been diabetic for 38 years now, i'm a tough old bird and i try my absolute best to manage my diabetes but since going on the pump and Simvastatin and Irbesartan (bp drug) i can't even get my bg's stabilised. My HbA1c, done last wek was 83 (9.4%) and so am due a bollocking for that too no doubt. Who'd be a diabetic eh?!!!!


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[Geocacher]

Ladybirdy75 --

You may want to suggest to your GP that you stop taking the Statins for a month or two to see if the problems you are having improve. If they do, then you will know the Statins are the cause and your GP can offer alternatives, if not then you can continue Statins knowing that you are one of people who can take them.

 

[stuffedolive]

Since refusing to take statins I have seen a number of doctors at the surgery. Most try to persuade me back on. One recommended Benecol drink - the lowest sugar version is a 1.2g hit :-( but it takes the cholesterol level down by upto 1 percent. An Asian doctor recommended garlic (which has some scientific basis) at least a whole clove a day - don't chew, chop and swallow!
I fully expect to get caned at my next review in 3 weeks as my last Cholesterol was 6.2 and I've low carbing/highfatting since then. However, the HDL/LDL ratios were good last time as was the triglycerides, so here's hoping....

 

[angieG]

One doctor at my Diabetic Clinic mentioned to me that you can get Omega 3 capsules on prescription that will do the same sort of job but Doctors aren't keep on supplying them because they are expensive. Don't know whether this is true but maybe worth a try for anyone having problems.

Ladybirdy75,
My Mum had neck and arm troubles (along with legs etc) I told her to stop taking them for a few days to see what happened and within a week her pains were reducing so maybe just try a few days and see if anything improves then you would have some ammunition to challenge your Doctor with when you say you want to stop for a while. That's what Mum said to hers and he said okay some folks do have problems with them!

Regards
Angie

 

[dawnmc]

Ok read Dr Briffa for research, don't think many on here are medically trained, it is a forum for diabetics and can only say what happens to us.