Now even more confused......Simvastatin?

[BigKipper]

I was diagnosed in January with a blood sugar reading of 51, got my head around that and take blood pressure medication as well. I've just had my first annual review with my GP and am now even more confused......my blood sugar level is now 47, my cholesterol level at 3.4 and has always been around this mark - yet my GP has prescribed me 40mg Simvastatin to control my cholesterol as that is the current guideline?

I'm not convinced I need this and have read all sorts about side effects of Simvastatin....anyone out there been in a similar confusing situation?


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[catherinecherub]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Statins are an emotive subject on this forum with arguments for and against.
Your levels seem low but what you really need is a breakdown of HDL, LDL and Triglycerides to know what the composition is.

Your levels seem low and I hope someone else who has faced this dilemma will answer.

 

[AnnieC]

I have been taking Simvastatin for about 4 years due to raised cholesterol...in the 6's... I was on 10mg until last October when my yearly blood test showed cholesterol at 5.2 GP said they like it below 5 so upped the dose to 20mg. I have never had any side effects at all from the Simvastatin
Would not think you need them when your cholesterol is 3.4 but your GP may have prescibed them because sometimes cholesterol can go up with diabetes

 

[kesun]

It depends partly on your attitude to medication. I prefer not to take any unless it's definitely necessary, but others choose to take it "just in case", and yet others rely wholly on their doctor's opinion.

I'm one of the people who can't tolerate simvastatin, so my opinion on that specific medicine won't help you, but when a doctor wants to prescribe any medicine I always ask whether there's a different way of treating the condition (such as lifestyle changes), and ask what would happen if we tried (say) six months without it then checked again. In your case, with your cholesterol stable and well under the danger level and your BG falling, you'd have a good argument for the wait and see approach.

But as @catherinecherub says, do get a breakdown of your blood lipid readings: if, for example, your 3.4 is almost entirely LDL and your HDL is extremely low, there would be a stronger argument in favour of statins.

Kate

 

[Daibell]

Hi. With your reading of 3.4 I doubt that you need the statin. I don't even agree that the current guidelines would indicate you need it. I believe the advice for diabetes is to prescribe them if above 4 or you have a family history of circulation issues. It's your choice but I doubt you need them?

 

[noblehead]

Your cholesterol does seem quite low to be prescribed statins, I would have a chat with your gp and ask the reason why he wants you to start on them.

The following is the target cholesterol levels that they like people with diabetes to achieve:

• Your total cholesterol level should be below 4.0mmol/l.
• LDL levels should be less than 2.0mmol/l.
• HDL levels should be 1.0mmol/l or above in men and 1.2mmol/l or above in women.
• Triglyceride levels should be 1.7mmol/l or less

 

[donnellysdogs]

Statins are being handed out willy nilly to everybdiabetic that will accept a prescription..


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