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Low carb and Statins

Personally i wouldn't take statins ive seen the affects they have on my dad . My cholesterol is 7.3 I keep getting offered statins and i keep refusing , like someone quoted on here the other night , They're not getting their hands on my cholesterol .

But its really down to you and what you feel is right , but there's a lot of threads on here about cholesterol and statins and they might help you to decide , good luck and please let us know .
 

It's weird isn't it?, take diabetes out of it and my heart age goes back to 57 (which is what I am), put it back in and suddenly I'm 72!, all regardless of the actual physical state I am in (excellent if I say so myself)
 

I agree, mine is 7.2 (HDL 2.45, Trigs 0.5). I went to see a Lipid Consultant, he did some tests and told me (via a letter) I had a 'lipoprotein A' reading that was twice the 'average', that apparently is another 'risk' but I say well surely my body is compensating for not being 'average'! I was satisfied in a way because he said that reading would be from birth so nothing to do with what I ate (the opposite of my GP telling me to go low fat even though I already was as well as low carb). I still wonder about the so called 'average' readings and how they deem what is average anyway. There must be so many individuals who are genetically just a bit different? Does that mean they are always 'ill' or flawed and therefore should be put on drugs just in case?
 
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What did he have to say about your excellent HDL and trigs? My GP told me they don't look at trigs at all.
 
KK123 said:
Nothing!, nothing at all! I pointed them out and he said that 'LDL was a risk in and of itself'.
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So no mention of the LDL particle sizes, when the good large fluffy ones and the nasty small ones decrease can increase as your trigs decrease ? Surely he could have given you an LDL particle test.
 
If that is the level of detail from a Lipid Consultant it is not surprising the average GP doesn't know very much about it.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
So no mention of the LDL particle sizes, when the good large fluffy ones and the nasty small ones decrease can increase as your trigs decrease ? Surely he could have given you an LDL particle test.
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Nope. I do have another appointment in Jan at which he will probably discuss the results, my first appointment was when he took the tests so my first chance to discuss will be in Jan (almost afraid to go back because I didn't take the statins!). I will ask for an LDL particle test and if he says no, I might pay for a test myself if available. He did refer me to a group of Lipid Nurses that are going around the UK testing certain genes for FH and so on. I don't think I fit the FH profile (and neither did he) but he said it was probably all to do with the genes from both parents merging to give me high cholesterol...or words to that effect. I do know my trigs have always been low and previous cholesterol levels over the years have tended to hover between 5 and 8. Many thanks for your input Bluetit. I am very grateful for all of the referrals my GP's and Consultants have made though, I'm looked after very well in that regard but am frustrated by how they interpret the results and seem to give the same one word answer....STATINS. x
 
I do have a heart murmur but am on the very lowest dose of statin for “protection” but my cholesterol is 3.1!
 
Ann1982 said:
I do have a heart murmur but am on the very lowest dose of statin for “protection” but my cholesterol is 3.1!
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and what is the breakdown? HDL, LDL and triglycerides? The total is meaningless without these components.
 
Update -- so I went to the doctors to get my cholesterol levels from my last tests. I was told they were "borderline" but borderline to what? what bench mark? Some discussion but the the bottom line is I am having a cholesterol test again immediately after Christmas - which I think is good as if I indulge a little at Christmas it will show my worst. I actually have an appointment with doctor (not a telephone consultation which might just as well be a recorded message) a couple of days later to get the result and discuss my coming off the statins. After reading the forum information given, and referenced, I wish I had never started taking them all be it if only for a few months. My only reservations at the moment is can I just stop taking them or do you have to reduce the statin over a short period of time? Any info on this really appreciated.
 

Did you get the breakdown of your cholesterol? You need the HDL, LDL and triglycerides. I have no idea what borderline means. There is no borderline. If you ring the receptionist and ask for a print out of your test results, you will be able to see for yourself, and if you don't understand them we will help you.

You can just stop them if that is how you feel, but without knowing what the levels are it will be guess work.
 
EllieM said:
That's what my GP said to me, that diabetics over 50 should go on statins (very low dose) as a preventative against cardio issues....
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I’m 53 and it’s never been suggested to me. In fact my doc is very laid back about my whole diagnosis....thankfully!
 


But the profits are lost.

Statins are scary.

I was prescribed them. I did not fill the prescription.
 
Jim Lahey said:
I can feel the rage welling up inside just thinking about the idea of someone being prescribed statins just because of an arbitrary age. Surely this doesn’t happen...does it??
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It's what my gp did. He does this routinely if you're >50.
 
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