Statin

[xkayzx]

Hi all, my gp has told me to start taking statins... been on them for three weeks now but have noticed my sugars are high a lot of the time could this be the statins?!
I’m type 1 diabetic and my cholesterol is 6.5...

 

[Grant_Vicat]

Hi all, my gp has told me to start taking statins... been on them for three weeks now but have noticed my sugars are high a lot of the time could this be the statins?!
I’m type 1 diabetic and my cholesterol is 6.5...

Hi. Take a look at @Charis1213 's recent post. This whole discussion may tell you all you need to know. I was put on statins 20 years ago and proved to be allergic. Funny how I'm still alive so much later on!

 

[Guzzler]

Statins are known to raise bg for some people.

 

[Bluetit1802]

No-one can tell you to take statins, or any other medication for that matter. All doctors can do is offer. The rest is up to you.
Your total cholesterol (6.5) means nothing. It is the breakdown that is important. Do you know what yours is? (LDL, HDL and triglycerides)

 

[xkayzx]

No-one can tell you to take statins, or any other medication for that matter. All doctors can do is offer. The rest is up to you.
Your total cholesterol (6.5) means nothing. It is the breakdown that is important. Do you know what yours is? (LDL, HDL and triglycerides)

this is all I was given with results....

 

[Bluetit1802]

View attachment 31598 this is all I was given with results....

It looks like they only tested for the HDL (good cholesterol). Before a decision should be made on statins you need the full breakdown which will include triglycerides (the baddies) and the LDL (sometimes bad, sometimes good depending on the particle size, which is never measured in the UK).

However, doctors are advised to take account of the cholesterol/HDL ratio, and yours is within the normal range. Your HDL is also good. The most important ratio is the triglyceride/HDL ratio, and you can't calculate this without a triglyceride figure.
Both you and your doctor have insufficient information to make a decision, although I was told on my diagnosis that "we put all diabetics on statins" and I was prescribed them despite my cholesterol and breakdown bits all being within normal range.

 

[Tophat1900]

It looks like they only tested for the HDL (good cholesterol). Before a decision should be made on statins you need the full breakdown which will include triglycerides (the baddies) and the LDL (sometimes bad, sometimes good depending on the particle size, which is never measured in the UK).

However, doctors are advised to take account of the cholesterol/HDL ratio, and yours is within the normal range. Your HDL is also good. The most important ratio is the triglyceride/HDL ratio, and you can't calculate this without a triglyceride figure.
Both you and your doctor have insufficient information to make a decision, although I was told on my diagnosis that "we put all diabetics on statins" and I was prescribed them despite my cholesterol and breakdown bits all being within normal range.

Agreed, but wow, you were put on statins even though there was no reason to prescribe them as you didn't even meet the required levels? (Levels being highly questionable anyway).

 

[bulkbiker]

good cholesterol

Oh stop it Daf..!

 

[Bluetit1802]

Agreed, but wow, you were put on statins even though there was no reason to prescribe them as you didn't even meet the required levels? (Levels being highly questionable anyway).

Indeed I was, and at that time I knew no better so I took them for about 3 months before ditching them. I think the Q-risk formula they use played a part because mine was well over the 10% risk. The diabetes diagnosis doubled it, and my age didn't help - it goes up every birthday!!

 

[Tophat1900]

Indeed I was, and at that time I knew no better so I took them for about 3 months before ditching them. I think the Q-risk formula they use played a part because mine was well over the 10% risk. The diabetes diagnosis doubled it, and my age didn't help - it goes up every birthday!!

Sounds like a rubbish formula to me.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Sounds like a rubbish formula to me.

It sure is. Have you seen it?
This is the Q-Risk2 that GP's use
https://qrisk.org/2017/

and this is the latest Q-risk3
https://qrisk.org/three/

Have a play with it.

 

[Tophat1900]

It sure is. Have you seen it?
This is the Q-Risk2 that GP's use
https://qrisk.org/2017/

and this is the latest Q-risk3
https://qrisk.org/three/

Have a play with it.

Wow, that's a terrible system, I knew straight away what a load of rubbish it was when they asked only for a chol/HDL ratio and what a massive difference being diabetic made. Selecting Type1 for the fun of it was even worse. That is a system devoid of information being used to prescribe statins? No wonder they are handing them out like lollies.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Wow, that's a terrible system, I knew straight away what a load of rubbish it was when they asked only for a chol/HDL ratio and what a massive difference being diabetic made. Selecting Type1 for the fun of it was even worse. That is a system devoid of information being used to prescribe statins? No wonder they are handing them out like lollies.

You should also play about with the smoking question. Believe it or not, type 2 diabetes gives a worse result than a smoker. The post code also makes a difference.

 

[Hotpepper20000]

I have been offered statins twice. Because according to my doctor they are heart protective, and diabetics need all the help they can get regardless of cholesterol numbers.
I have chosen not to take them because I remain unconvinced that lower numbers equals healthier.

 

[kitedoc]

If you subscribe to zoe harcombe's blog and related literature you will find a rebuttal of the supposed association between cholesterol and heart disease/cardio-vascular disease.
She calls this good and bad cholesterol palaver, drug company propaganda of sorts. The actual cholesterol carried about in the centre of these things called HDL and HDL is exactly the same, and the same as the cholesterol with makes up part of the wall around every cell in the body. She says it is so important that our livers make it to ensure we have sufficient.
It is worth reading what she says to get an unbiased view as Big Pharma has lots of biased reports and promotion in place which many health professions apparently do not have the statistical nous to actually understand.
The cardiologist says prescribe statins and the GPs follow suit.
I hope your GP advised you about ALL the side-effects before prescribing them ??
The choice is yours of course but according to her and the studies she quotes the side effects of statins are reported to include worsening of diabetic control, there is a law suit in progress about statins causing onset of diabetes, muscle aches and pains, dementia, behavioural issues, a small % of people die from statins and so on.
Good luck

 

[xkayzx]

If you subscribe to zoe harcombe's blog and related literature you will find a rebuttal of the supposed association between cholesterol and heart disease/cardio-vascular disease.
She calls this good and bad cholesterol palaver, drug company propaganda of sorts. The actual cholesterol carried about in the centre of these things called HDL and HDL is exactly the same, and the same as the cholesterol with makes up part of the wall around every cell in the body. She says it is so important that our livers make it to ensure we have sufficient.
It is worth reading what she says to get an unbiased view as Big Pharma has lots of biased reports and promotion in place which many health professions apparently do not have the statistical nous to actually understand.
The cardiologist says prescribe statins and the GPs follow suit.
I hope your GP advised you about ALL the side-effects before prescribing them ??
The choice is yours of course but according to her and the studies she quotes the side effects of statins are reported to include worsening of diabetic control, there is a law suit in progress about statins causing onset of diabetes, muscle aches and pains, dementia, behavioural issues, a small % of people die from statins and so on.
Good luck

So annoying! Been back to the doctors and said my sugars are higher since being on the statins... they have put me on different ones now but sugars still seem high!!
Really don’t no what to do!! Got blood test next Friday should I wait and have that to see my overall result?!!! Help!

 

[dawnmc]

So annoying! Been back to the doctors and said my sugars are higher since being on the statins... they have put me on different ones now but sugars still seem high!!
Really don’t no what to do!! Got blood test next Friday should I wait and have that to see my overall result?!!! Help!

its really up to you as to whether you take. You really must do your own research.
Dr Aseem Malhotra, Zoe Harcombe, Dr Malcolm Kendrick are good places to start.
Personally I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole and have finally got it on my notes at the GPs not to offer me them.

 

[kitedoc]

So annoying! Been back to the doctors and said my sugars are higher since being on the statins... they have put me on different ones now but sugars still seem high!!
Really don’t no what to do!! Got blood test next Friday should I wait and have that to see my overall result?!!! Help!

Hi @xkayzx, If you look up side-effects to statins - e.g. under drugs.com or rxlist.com you will find raised BSLs as one of them (but not all the official drug company product sites list it as a side-effect)!! I believe there is a class action type court case going on between one or more statin manufacturers and patients about statins causing diabetes. Pls see my post above!!

 

[dpoet]

My Atorvastatin 20mg lists raised blood sugars as side effect in 1in 10.

 

[PeterHud]

When I was diagnosed with diabetes they put me on statins straight away. Unsure what they were I did my research and decided not to take them.

9 months later and after many DN visits they never once brought up statins.