Type 2 Any advice on whether or not to take statins?

[pleinster]

Yes it is but medication is a bit of a no go area here as none of us can know how different medications will suit or affect people what suits one may not suit another
I have taken Simvastatin for about 8 years because I had raised cholesterol and the statins did lower it and I never had any side effects from them At my last blood test my cholesterol had risen and that is only since I have started to eat more fat and a few here have found the same. My doctor has now changed me to Atorvastatin . That is just my experience with statins which may be totally different to someone else so as you see here some are happy to take them and some are not

Thanks for that. That is exactly the kind of personal experience I was hoping to see...I don't expect to be given magical one size fits all medical advice (on ANY condition with ANY meds) as I am neither stupid nor naive...but it's nice to hear what other people have experienced even if just to give a bit of balance to all the negative stuff about statins. I fully expected varied reactions and varied experiences...and ALL information in life helps inform our decisions and actions...even if it's to take on board, weigh up, ignore, accept or arrive at fresh approaches. I would never simply act on someone else's opinion..I seldom even act on my own! But it is good to see what people think...surely?? Anyway..thank you for getting back to me and letting me know how it was/is for you. I am still thinking it all through.

 

[Pearlethan]

I've had cholesterol that has been on the high side since I was 25. I was thin and active so it was a genetic "gift". Statins give me terrible body aches. My Dr says the statins block the formation of some enzymes and that is what gives the aches. He prescribed CoQ10 which is supposed to help. Haven't tried taking the statin again yet, psyching myself up. I've done a lot of reading tho. Plaque build up in the arteries is associated with inflammation. It needs cholesterol AND platelets AND calcium to happen. The body creates more cholesterol to help "repair" the inflammation, which makes it worse. I'm trying to understand the cause of the inflammation, that seems key. Apparently magnesium helps to relieve inflammation. Some other readings say that high BG makes your blood sticky and leads to the formation of more of the bad cholesterol. Dr Peter Attia, a fit and healthy man, developed insulin resistance. He has done a lot of research on diabetes and cholesterol. His blog has good info. He supports LCHF (but good HF). LC has helped me get BG control a lot! But I'm careful with the HF side. I rather go for moderate fat and use Veges like squash and butternut to feel fuller. If your body can't metabolise fat it will go sit somewhere it shouldn't. Like your liver where it will lead to fatty liver disease which doesn't have major symptoms till later in life but probably causes inflammation in the meantime. Get what I'm saying? My personal opinion is that all the bad things filled with salt, sugar and chemicals that we eat (usually too much of), stress our bodies because they are difficult to process. Then that causes the dreaded inflammation. I'm trying to eat (and drink) only things that I can see where they come from and the closer they are to the earth the better. It's helping me control BG and lose weight. Hopefully it will help with the cholesterol too. In a few months time I will test and post if it worked. Read, read, read and do what works for you.

 

[pleinster]

I've had cholesterol that has been on the high side since I was 25. I was thin and active so it was a genetic "gift". Statins give me terrible body aches. My Dr says the statins block the formation of some enzymes and that is what gives the aches. He prescribed CoQ10 which is supposed to help. Haven't tried taking the statin again yet, psyching myself up. I've done a lot of reading tho. Plaque build up in the arteries is associated with inflammation. It needs cholesterol AND platelets AND calcium to happen. The body creates more cholesterol to help "repair" the inflammation, which makes it worse. I'm trying to understand the cause of the inflammation, that seems key. Apparently magnesium helps to relieve inflammation. Some other readings say that high BG makes your blood sticky and leads to the formation of more of the bad cholesterol. Dr Peter Attia, a fit and healthy man, developed insulin resistance. He has done a lot of research on diabetes and cholesterol. His blog has good info. He supports LCHF (but good HF). LC has helped me get BG control a lot! But I'm careful with the HF side. I rather go for moderate fat and use Veges like squash and butternut to feel fuller. If your body can't metabolise fat it will go sit somewhere it shouldn't. Like your liver where it will lead to fatty liver disease which doesn't have major symptoms till later in life but probably causes inflammation in the meantime. Get what I'm saying? My personal opinion is that all the bad things filled with salt, sugar and chemicals that we eat (usually too much of), stress our bodies because they are difficult to process. Then that causes the dreaded inflammation. I'm trying to eat (and drink) only things that I can see where they come from and the closer they are to the earth the better. It's helping me control BG and lose weight. Hopefully it will help with the cholesterol too. In a few months time I will test and post if it worked. Read, read, read and do what works for you.

Thanks a lot....really interesting info to bear in mind...undoubtedly valid stuff.

 

[SamJB]

I've had cholesterol that has been on the high side since I was 25. I was thin and active so it was a genetic "gift". Statins give me terrible body aches. My Dr says the statins block the formation of some enzymes and that is what gives the aches. He prescribed CoQ10 which is supposed to help. Haven't tried taking the statin again yet, psyching myself up. I've done a lot of reading tho. Plaque build up in the arteries is associated with inflammation. It needs cholesterol AND platelets AND calcium to happen. The body creates more cholesterol to help "repair" the inflammation, which makes it worse. I'm trying to understand the cause of the inflammation, that seems key. Apparently magnesium helps to relieve inflammation. Some other readings say that high BG makes your blood sticky and leads to the formation of more of the bad cholesterol. Dr Peter Attia, a fit and healthy man, developed insulin resistance. He has done a lot of research on diabetes and cholesterol. His blog has good info. He supports LCHF (but good HF). LC has helped me get BG control a lot! But I'm careful with the HF side. I rather go for moderate fat and use Veges like squash and butternut to feel fuller. If your body can't metabolise fat it will go sit somewhere it shouldn't. Like your liver where it will lead to fatty liver disease which doesn't have major symptoms till later in life but probably causes inflammation in the meantime. Get what I'm saying? My personal opinion is that all the bad things filled with salt, sugar and chemicals that we eat (usually too much of), stress our bodies because they are difficult to process. Then that causes the dreaded inflammation. I'm trying to eat (and drink) only things that I can see where they come from and the closer they are to the earth the better. It's helping me control BG and lose weight. Hopefully it will help with the cholesterol too. In a few months time I will test and post if it worked. Read, read, read and do what works for you.

Really interesting post