My GP has put me on Atorvastatin does this mean I have high cholesterol.
The whole question of statins (and by association, cholesterol) is often debated on this forum. The general population has a total cholesterol
level at (and above) which statins are medically indicated. Unless I'm not up-to-date this is 5 mmol/L. For diabetics, this is lowered to 4.
Whether lower cholesterol is helpful, or whether statins are safe to take, is a whole different matter, and you'll find may threads on this by searching either term.
I am asking because these days you don't get full information from GPS no matter how much you ask.
The best way to see your relationship with your GP is as a partnership, where you can both enter into a discussion, then YOU decide what's appropriate. If my GP wanted me to take a tablet, I'd want to know why, and what test results supported it. So see getting a copy of your results as part of that partnership. Results are often where many here disagree with medical recommendations. This is why it's already been suggested you get hold of your results, and report them here. We'll then come back with arguments, articles and videos you may care to follow up on.
Personally I'm a statin 'denier' whose TC (total cholesterol) in the 5s means my GP would love me on a statin. Increasingly doctors, cardiologists etc are turning their back on the need to statinate, or lower cholesterol. Dr Malcolm Kendrick's The Great Cholesterol Con is a good book to start with.
Others tolerate statins well and choose to take them.
Others start statins, and find the side-effects untolerable.
The final choice should be yours, and hopefully an informed one.
Geoff
