Statins

[Peteryuill76]

Hi, looking for advice. I'm 37, been diagnosed type2 3 years almost. I'm not and have never been overweight. Doc has me on gliclazide and sitagliptin. Went for my 6 month review today. Nurse was happy with all measurements etc but when I went to the doc he wasn't. My hba1c was7.2. He reckoned this was too high and has upped my gliclazide. Also, my cholestoral was 4.2. He now feels this is way too high and has prescribed statins. Now, I have read a lot of horror stories regarding these. I'm unsure whether I should take them or not. I am not as active as I could be, and have only really made dietary changes taking into account sugar and carbs..not to fat intake. I feel I should only take them if I feel I'm trying everything else first...more exercise and further dietary changes. What do you think.

 

[noblehead]

Peter, I would certainly try dietary changes and exercise first-off before considering statins. A total cholesterol figure of 4.2 (you don't say whay your HDL,LDL and Trigs are) isn't high and is only just above the target cholesterol figure of 4 for people with diabetes.

Hopefully the increased meds will help lower your Hba1c :thumbup:

 

[Squire Fulwood]

I tried to co-operate when statins were prescribed and took them for a couple of years. In that time I was off my legs for two separate months and spent months limping, went rigid when most muscles seized up and suffered from most of the other side effects. It was my nurse who gave up in the end and put "Intolerant of statins" in my notes.

From what I have read and from my personal experiences I would vote to try anything else rather than take statins.

 

[Maybird]

I have been taking statins for over 3 years now and have never had a problem with them no side affects at all from day 1.
I heard the horror stories about them before I was prescribed them but I was not one to take any notice of those because it did not mean they would affect me in the same way and I wanted to find out for myself how I was with them
You can have bad side effects from any drugs and statins are no different. Thousands of people are taking statins every day without any problems so I can only say give them a try and see how you are with them. The British Heart Foundation certainly recommend them for people like diabetics who are at risk of heart attacks and strokes

 

[annew]

I'm another one who won't touch statins with a barge pole.

I was prescribed simvastatin for several years apparently without side effects - so when I started having problems with my legs (twice in A & E as I couldn't stand up) it took me a long time to connect what was happening with the drug.

I have had no problems at all with mobility or legs since stopping them. Can again walk 8 miles comfortably when I choose to. Don't think that is too bad as I'm over 70.

Everyone must make their own choices but I'm very clear about mine.

 

[fatbird]

I'm another one who won't touch statins with a barge pole..

See this. :shock: Read the comments.

http://www.saga.co.uk/health/medicines/ ... ainst.aspx

FB

 

[douglas99]

I take simvastatin.
Absolutely no side effects at all.
Work like magic, my cholesterol is now considered good, (I still want to improve it by diet as well though).

LIke fatbirds post says, if you take simvastatin and have muscle pains, you'll notice, so stop, and you're no worse off, if you don't notice muscle pains, (like me) no one else has posted any other side effect, so what is there to lose by trying?
Not all medicine is the work of the devil.

I'd question more why you're on both gliclazide and sitagliptin, rather than one of them and metformin. You two you're on stimulate the beta cells, to produce more insulin, one selectively, one not, so usually you have metformin to help your insulin resistance as well.

 

[dawnmc]

If you are going to take statins at least remember to take Q10 with them. Statins block Q10, if you read the leaflet that comes with them I think it too recommends it. Doctors don't tell you that. Q10 is important for the heart.

 

[Maybird]

I take simvastatin.
Absolutely no side effects at all.
Work like magic, my cholesterol is now considered good, (I still want to improve it by diet as well though).

LIke fatbirds post says, if you take simvastatin and have muscle pains, you'll notice, so stop, and you're no worse off, if you don't notice muscle pains, (like me) no one else has posted any other side effect, so what is there to lose by trying?
Not all medicine is the work of the devil.

I'd question more why you're on both gliclazide and sitagliptin, rather than one of them and metformin. You two you're on stimulate the beta cells, to produce more insulin, one selectively, one not, so usually you have metformin to help your insulin resistance as well.

I totally agree if you do suffer from any side effects then you tell your doctor. When I started them my doctor said to tell her straight away if I had any muscle pain anywhere especially legs as I would have to stop taking Simvastatin and try a different one.
I really can't understand how some doctors let their patients go on taking them even if they are getting leg problems and muscle pain...maybe patients don't tell them.... Any other side effects should usually only be mild and stop after the first few days of taking them

 

[foxglove]

Totally agree with all that has been said so far.
Unfortunately there seems to be a common trait with a lot of doctors these days who prescribe statins to prevent heart attacks .."just in case".. in other words it doesn't necessarily mean that is essential that they should be taken.
I am amongst those that go with the "barge pole" edict.. :thumbdown:

 

[douglas99]

Totally agree with all that has been said so far.
Unfortunately there seems to be a common trait with a lot of doctors these days who prescribe statins to prevent heart attacks .."just in case".. in other words it doesn't necessarily mean that is essential that they should be taken.
I am amongst those that go with the "barge pole" edict.. :thumbdown:

I can't see any problem taking them "just in case". It doesn't mean I'll necessarily have a heart attack if I don't take them, so no , it's not essential. However, there's only one way to find out that I should have taken them, and that it didn't mean I was necessarily going to avoid a heart attack without them. So I take them, and if I don't have a heart attack, I really don't mind if it was the statins that did prevent it, or just the fact I was never going to have one.

 

[Andy12345]

Totally agree with all that has been said so far.
Unfortunately there seems to be a common trait with a lot of doctors these days who prescribe statins to prevent heart attacks .."just in case".. in other words it doesn't necessarily mean that is essential that they should be taken.
I am amongst those that go with the "barge pole" edict.. :thumbdown:

I can't see any problem taking them "just in case". It doesn't mean I'll necessarily have a heart attack if I don't take them, so no , it's not essential. However, there's only one way to find out that I should have taken them, and that it didn't mean I was necessarily going to avoid a heart attack without them. So I take them, and if I don't have a heart attack, I really don't mind if it was the statins that did prevent it, or just the fact I was never going to have one.

totally agree, as i dont get the side effects im ok taking them just in case

 

[Squire Fulwood]

There have been a few debates on here about statins, some of them while I was still taking them. I was concerned about the effects they were having on me long before my nurse decided that I was intolerant of them.

At that time someone else put up the following link

http://www.spacedoc.com/why_statins_do_ ... _than_good

It didn't do my confidence any good and it made me feel relieved when I didn't have to take them any more.

 

[douglas99]

There have been a few debates on here about statins, some of them while I was still taking them. I was concerned about the effects they were having on me long before my nurse decided that I was intolerant of them.

At that time someone else put up the following link

http://www.spacedoc.com/why_statins_do_ ... _than_good

It didn't do my confidence any good and it made me feel relieved when I didn't have to take them any more.

Interesting link, but the reference to the 17 year study is worth a follow through

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21254906

"Total cholesterol declined in old age, and low cholesterol was associated with poor health and multi-morbidity"

I'm not sure the original report has the same bias to cause and effect.

I take statins, my kidney, liver, bloods, muscle tone are all good, my heart is good, Maybe I'm wrong, but while I'm not having any bad side effects, I can't see the problem in taking them.

 

[hels]

I've been diagnosed with high cholesterol. The doctors talked about statins which I'm reluctant to go onto and can't at the moment as I am breastfeeding. I have started taking plant Stanols in the form of the Benecal shot drinks and spread. I haven't checked out the research recently but at one point there was talk that it would be worth prescribing these as they are successful in reducing cholesterol. The dairy-free ones have the lowest carb count (sainsburys do their own shot drinks but quite high in carbs, there is also the Flora active range).

Only just started on them and will be trying to eat more cholesterol lowering foods and see what happens.


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[arabia1962]

I've been diagnosed with high cholesterol. The doctors talked about statins which I'm reluctant to go onto and can't at the moment as I am breastfeeding. I have started taking plant Stanols in the form of the Benecal shot drinks and spread. I haven't checked out the research recently but at one point there was talk that it would be worth prescribing these as they are successful in reducing cholesterol. The dairy-free ones have the lowest carb count (sainsburys do their own shot drinks but quite high in carbs, there is also the Flora active range).

Only just started on them and will be trying to eat more cholesterol lowering foods and see what happens.


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[arabia1962]

I have said no to statins for six months because of the horror stories but now I have given in and have been put on 40mg of simvastatin once per day, i take it just before I go to sleep, I dont know how long before any of the symptoms like aching joints etc will take to be noticable or if at all, I have bought co-enzyme Q10 capsules which I am taking once a day. If I have any reactions to the statins I will be coming off them and trying my diet to get it right

 

[nok1888]

I've been on simvistatin for a few years now and never once had any side effects. Tell you the truth I've never even heard the horror stories or read what side effects are but I've never had any adverse effects from them

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