• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Statins and Raised blood sugar

dwelldon

dwelldon

Well-Known Member
Messages
190
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I am on pravastatin and my latest blood test has shown that my HB1AC has risen. Looking at the side effects on the label it appears to be potentially one of them.

Has anyone else had issues with statins like this?
 
This is a known side-effect of statins mentioned on the NHS Choices website. I was already
on insulin when I was originally prescribed them, but the fact they could raise BS levels was mentioned at the time. I stopped taking them because of muscle and joint pain, loss of appetite and short term memory difficulties which lost me my job. I cannot currently persuade my tablet to save the link !
 
Last edited:
I am type 1 and was originally given Simvastatin and then my medication was changed to Atorvastatin. I was injecting insulin for many years before taking any cholesterol medication. I know that some people do report side effects but personally I have never noticed any from either of the 2 medications that I have been prescribed. Have you seen a big increase in your glaciated haemoglobin test or is it just marginal?
 
It is a well known side effect of statins - they raise BG levels. The warnings are on the leaflet that come with the tablets.
 
Do you know your cholesterol levels (full lipid panel) that gave rise to the statins being prescribed?
 
My cholesterol was 6 that what the doctor said, it was 6.8 before
 
Did they not give you any breakdown? Mine is 6 too.. no way I would take statins though.
 
dwelldon said:
I am on pravastatin and my latest blood test has shown that my HB1AC has risen. Looking at the side effects on the label it appears to be potentially one of them.

Has anyone else had issues with statins like this?
Click to expand...
I was on Pravostatin and my hba1c increased from 48 to 54. I also suffered from dizzy spells which was why I stopped taking them. My hba1c is now between 36 and 38
 
Daphne917 said:
I was on Pravostatin and my hba1c increased from 48 to 54. I also suffered from dizzy spells which was why I stopped taking them. My hba1c is now between 36 and 38
Click to expand...

What are you doing to get it that low? I couldn't get below 46 even without statins
 
dwelldon said:
What are you doing to get it that low? I couldn't get below 46 even without statins
Click to expand...
I ditched the so called healthy foods - low fat, jacket potatoes, lots of fruit and brown everything and started cutting my carbs, eating full fat foods and eating mostly berries. I cut down on bread and, if I do eat it, I have Tesco's high protein or Hovis Seeds Sensation (in the orange wrapper). I tested to see what raised my BS and tended to avoid it. I still test if I gave something that I haven't eaten for a while but I tend to stick to what I know I can eat. Some forum members have had success with ultra low carb but I seem to be able to tolerate a slightly higher carb intake.
 
Daphne917 said:
I ditched the so called healthy foods - low fat, jacket potatoes, lots of fruit and brown everything and started cutting my carbs, eating full fat foods and eating mostly berries. I cut down on bread and, if I do eat it, I have Tesco's high protein or Hovis Seeds Sensation (in the orange wrapper). I tested to see what raised my BS and tended to avoid it. I still test if I gave something that I haven't eaten for a while but I tend to stick to what I know I can eat. Some forum members have had success with ultra low carb but I seem to be able to tolerate a slightly higher carb intake.
Click to expand...

In all honesty that's pretty much what I have done. I Probably drink beer a too often but other than that I cut out the processed stuff and anything white. Don't ever eat spuds, wheat or rice. I do have the occassional bowl of porridge and have things like oat cakes with peanut butter. So this is why I am concerned about the statins.
 
dwelldon said:
Has anyone else had issues with statins like this?
Click to expand...

Only the usual muscle pain, sleep problems and brain fog which haven't really gone in the three or four years since stopping. I can't say if it affected my BG at the time because after diagnosis I actually started eating more carbs as recommended by GP. Any rise in BG would almost certainly have been down to extra carb. Not an issue now, I can get my total cholesterol down to 4 and then get it to rise to 5.7 in the space of 3 months by eating more yoghurt/cream/cheese. Great game isn't it.
 
Back
Top