Should I take statins and metformin?

[IainGraham]

Hi,

I'm newly diagnosed type 2 and intend to control glucose (which isn't too bad - HbA1C is 6.2) using diet and exercise if possible though doc thinks there is benefit in taking metformin immediately. Am I right to hold off on this drug?

Statins:
My cholesterol levels are 5.6- HDL 1.4 LDL 3.7. Doc says this is fairly normal for someone my age (41) and weight (overweight but not obese). Doc also strongly recommends taking statins to lower LDL to under 2.0 and overall cholesterol to under 4.0.
If achieved, I am told this would be much lower than "ordinary" people. Apparently diet alone would only result in max 20% reduction.

I have read good and bad about very low cholesterol and also side effects of statins. Also not keen on taking drugs for the rest of my life but will do so if the benefits definitely outweigh the downside.

Should I take statins as per Doc's advice? Anyone else had a similar experience - what did you do?

Any good advice appreciated...my doc is normally pretty good but I don't want to rush into popping pills unless it's the right thing to do.

 

[hanadr]

I was prescribed statins and even had my dosage inreased on a lower Cholesterol than yours.(3.4) I took the prescription, but not the pills. On my low carb high fat, my cholesterol is still lower(3.0)
I'm still not taking the things and won't unless he can show me why I should. Not only is my total cholestero low, but the important ratio is Good too
Hana

 

[noblehead]

Iain,

I don't think anyone can make that decision for you I'm afraid!

This discussion comes up time and time again on the forum, members wanting to know what other members think about them being prescribed a certain medication by their gp. Unfortunately no one can answer the question, no one on the forum is medically qualified to do so, or indeed know the posters present and past medical history. The best person to discuss this with is your gp, should you not be happy with their advice, ask to speak with another gp for their opinion.

I often wonder though, those people that refuse to take medicines that are prescribed for them by their gp/consultants, do they ever wonder what the implications may be should they fall ill or god forbid die, when the meds could have helped prevent this happening in the first place. Another thing to consider also, is that should you or your loved one wish to claim on a insurance policy (illness/life policy/pension) and the insurance company writes to your gp for a report, what are the ramifications when it is noted that you refused to take the medicine that was recommended/prescribed?

Sounds dramatic I know, but I do often wonder about this scenario.

Best wishes

Nigel

 

[Smarner]

Diagnosed 6 weeks ago with a bg of 21 been on metaformin 2x 500 bg now 13.2.
Saw Dr this morning he wants me to go on statins. I said I would prefer to get bg down and change lifestyle to look after Cholestorel levels but he said lifestyle alone wouldn't make a difference, which goes against what I thought I knew. I have been very inactive the last 18 months due to a shoulder injury but not overweight. I thought keeping fit and eating healthily was supposed to look after cholestorel. Should I get a second opinion?

Ps My old lifestyle involved drinking too much lucozade, it should come with a health warning.

 

[donnellysdogs]

All persons advised to take statins should research the huge amount of side effects that people are having with them. 11000+ people in uk have complained to MHRA of bad side effects, and this figure is believed to be possibly as many as 10-100 times more of actual people that suffer and do not report side effects to the MHRA.

Do a lot of internet searches and read up on cholesterol before taking........human brains need cholesterol to function properly. Statins also deplete human bodies of COQ10, and all statin users should take additional COQ10.

Japan has cut it's heart mortality problems by 70% despite the average persons cholesterol having risen from 3.9 to 5.

Vitamin C (larger doses) and plant sterol products are a lot closer to nature than statins. Just research on internet.........

 

[Cliff2]

When I was diagnosed in October last year, my cholesterol was 7.0mmol/l and my triglycerides were 6.0mmol/l. I was told that I should take statins as I would never be able to achieve any more than a 30% reduction by diet alone. I decided to give diet and exercise a chance.

Latest blood work has my cholesterol at 4.1mmol/l and triglycerides at 1.2mmol/l on diet only - no meds - so bigger reductions than 20 to 30% are certainly possible. In the last few weeks I''ve gone fairly low carb and I'll wait to see if that reduces the levels further - the above results represent my previous post-diagnosis diet which was relatively reduced carb of about 80 to 120g per day.

 

[Smarner]

Thanks. I'll definately give diet and exercise a chance. Especially as my bg was up to 14.9 this morning. I then had breakfast and made time for an hours walk. After which my bg was 12.5.

 

[Synonym]

High cholesterol may not be bad for you. It is the ratio of good to bad that is the crunch factor and often you are not told what the numbers are.

Chatting to a friend about this he told me that he had been put on statins for high cholesterol but couldn’t get the numbers from the GP at the time and it wasn’t until he moved home that his new GP said that his cholesterol was good as the high part of the reading was the good cholesterol. His cholesterol was protective and not dangerous so the medication was not necessary and may even have put him at risk! Needless to say he no longer takes the statins. :roll:

 

[amiee]

I am certain that my doctor is going to try to put me on statins with a cholesteral level of 5. though I dont know what the good or bad levels are I will now be finding out.
Does a cholesteral level act like blood sugar levels and go up and down ? There is so much that I dont understand This site has been a godsend to me.
I have not fasted before my HbA1c tests as was not told to, will have an affect on my results?
Last test I was told was 5 satisfactory but I only get told by receptionist so get no feed back.
Tomorrow this is going to change as knowlage is power.

 

[ShyGirl]

I was prescribed statins and even had my dosage inreased on a lower Cholesterol than yours.(3.4) I took the prescription, but not the pills. On my low carb high fat, my cholesterol is still lower(3.0)
I'm still not taking the things and won't unless he can show me why I should. Not only is my total cholestero low, but the important ratio is Good too
Hana

What do you mean? You take the pills but don't use them? That's an awful waste of money if so.

I said no to statins last week even though I was told my levels have shot up (not sure why as other than cutting carbs i've not changed the foods I eat) and will try to find other ways of bringing my levels down first as i've read awful things about them. Not sure how much more exercise I can fit in though

 

[donnellysdogs]

Stains were killing me, as I have stated in previous forums. However, having given them up on Christmas day, I had my cholesterol taken at end of March.....

Superb, just the same as I was on the statins and that is the same for total cholesterol and good cholesterol etc.....how?

a) cholesterol marg twice a day, either on toast or jacket spuds etc.
b) plant sterol tablets twice a day. (Cheaper than the cholesterol little bottle drinks in chilled cabinets at Tesco's) on a long term basis.
c) vitamin c (1000mg per day)

I still eat cheese, milk, eggs and have not actually altered my diet at all besides the above. Yes, I am having to buy the vitamin and sterol tablets, but heck for the past 10 years I have suffered needlessly and now I am genuinely feeling 21 again.

Yes, some people find statins lower cholesterol and they don't get theside effects of the pain and memory loss and confusion, but it is possible to do it with a more natural method.

 

[benniesmum]

Hmm - me too!

Having got my hba1c down from 11.7 to 6.4 (with 3 doses per day of Metformin, diet and exercise), I thought I could do as well with the Cholesterol. That has reduced from 6.4 to 4.8 on diet only, but the Doc says that isn't enough. So I now too have the dilemma as to whether to take the 20mg Simvastatin the Doc wants me to, to get it down below 4.

I've tried Benecol and other plant sterols for 6 months , but they've made NO additional difference after the other diet changes. I can't really change much more with the diet, and it seems unlikely this will make much additional difference.

I hate the idea of muscle pain (I already have problems with aching joints and tendons) etc, BUT will the stains help me live longer? (Which I'd like!) Both the parents take it with no ill effects (Mum on Simvastatin, Dad on something else).

So do I take the statins? :?

 

[Magill]

I too was put on Simvastatin 10mg when I was first diagnosed - readings then were 5.8 but the LDL was the higher. They later increased the dose to 20mg but then the night cramps started in my legs. I already have permanent cramps/pins & needles in my legs due to nerve damage from the crash so getting cramp on top of the permanent cramp was not a lot of fun! Dose was reduced but the cramps continued so I was switched to Atorvastatin - Currently at 4.7 but the HDL is 3.1 LDL 1.6.
I've felt fine since the switch.

 

[benniesmum]

An update on taking statins.

I tried 2 weeks on 20mg Simvastatin, with increasing muscle pain and night cramps (and generally feeling weird). Doc switched me to 20mg Pravastatin which, after 3 weeks, seems not to cause the same symptoms.

However, I notice that my BG levels have risen from an average morning reading of 6ish to mid 7s. I think I'm putting weight back on too, although I haven't changed my eating habits (I keep a food diary) and am taking more exercise.

Anyone else had this experience?

Or could the BG rise be due to the heat? (I'm not good with hot weather)

I'm having an HBa1c and lipids test in a couple of weeks to see what's changed.

 

[HpprKM]

In relation to good levels of cholesterol, when mine read 3.4 I was told it was ok for non diabetic, but diabetics need to be under three - I cannot and would not presume to advise anyone else on what to do, but I can tell you about my own situation.

I have resisted my GP's suggestion to take statins for more than 2 years having read so much adverse media on them. I have never been what is considered overweight and always tried to eat healthily, so lowering it was quite a task. On my last cholesterol check I was finally told that it was fine! This was achieved, eventually, by the use of Flora Proactiv and Benecol (and the obvious dietary considerations)! All I can say to anyone who is trying to lower their cholesterol and have tried all other options, give these (or similar products a try).

Although I hate to take drugs, on the following I have relented as I guess it really is for my own good and I do take the potential side effects very seriously - having escaped the statins (for now) and even though my sugars were only 5.7 she has started me on Metformin - guess you can't win them all.

Hope this helps and best of luck to all who are doing battle with cholestorol. Having finally managed to lower mine, my new challenge is to keep it low - did I hear anyone whisper 'ice cream' (a twofold forbidden fruit) - :!: Oh sorry for making your mouths water (mine did too), I am wicked :twisted: