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Statins - Good or bad - What's the truth?

G2ADY

Well-Known Member
Messages
95
Location
UK
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Since being diagnosed, every medical professional that I've come into contact with has said that I need to be on a Statin. Yesterday whilst with my Doctor who I trust implicitly and who isn't one for handing meds out willy nilly, I asked for his opinion. He explained the role of Statins to me using simple diagrams etc and so I decided to take everyones advice and go on them .

I've been started on Simvastatin 20mg and I took my first one last night. I had the worst nights sleep in a long time, a background headache and lots of irritable thoughts/dreams.

Today I feel exhausted, Luckily I don't have a lot on this week so I'm sat in the lounge, Macbook on knee, popping in and out of various clients websites doing bits of work, dozing for ten minutes, working again etc.

I called the Doctors earlier. I'm expecting a telephone consultation tomorrow afternoon. I want to stop taking them. I understand that they are thought to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by 40% but I've read such horror stories about them causing liver function, memory loss, alzheimers etc. I rely heavily on being mentally sharp. I act as a consultant to business owners, I take classes teaching people how to market online, blog, SEO etc. I need to be alert during the day and these Statins just zap me.

What are your thoughts? By that I mean, do the advantages outweigh the negatives?

Steve
 
G2ADY said:
What are your thoughts? By that I mean, do the advantages outweigh the negatives?Steve
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I wish we all knew the answer to that. So far I have learned that they are capable of affecting people in different ways. Some people say that they are not a problem and take them for the benefits they may bring. Others like myself cannot take them unless I wish to be confined to a chair since they affect my legs badly.

For one group the advantages may outweigh the disadvantages but for the other group they won't.
 
After diagnosed with diabtes type1 last year (age 40) they also found i was borderline High cholesterol and the diabetic nurse wanted me on statins. I refused then as i was suffering from bad side effects from insulin (muscle pains and my legs doubled in size, and haven't recovered much) and didn't want any other drug's side effect on top. Since then i have read about all the terrible statins' side effects and glad i didn't take them.
They asked again after the following tests, so decided to try to change my diet first. I have managed to get my total cholesterol levels down one unit (6 to 5) after just 3 months of cutting fats (a bit), and meals of oily fish 4 times a week minimum. I'm hoping to get them down further by improving my diet.
Statins will be needed if your cholesterol levels are really high and due to genetics but you've got to read about cholesterol more as you don't want to overdo them and you really should try to avoid them if possible. Their side effects are well published.
Luckily the last nurse i saw knew about them and let me off seeing the improvement i had made, but i'm sure i'm going to hear about it at each diabetic appointment, as they push statins onto us, but you're the only one who will know if you can stick with them.
 
Statins MAY offer some protection against heart problems, but if that is at the cost of your good health they're not beneficial. There are other ways of reducing cholesterol.
 
You know, the crazy thing about this is that I haven't had a cholesterol test done since being diagnosed, The last one I had was in 2011 and my cholesterol was 4.1. They just want me to take a Statin as a matter of course it seems.
 
My doctor will only prescribe them if cholesterol levels are over 6/7 which mine were. I have been taking 20g of Simvastatin for over three years now and have never had any side effects or problems with them from day one I know many people do have problems with Simvastatin but your doctor could always try you on another one. I think statins are something you have to decide about yourself whether to take them or not and if not then your doctor should respect that
 
I might have read too many Robert Harris novels but it almost seems like there is a conspiracy to get as many people as possible on them. There are reports that they reduce your chance of heart attack by 40% and yet on the other hand there are frightening figures for people who have had serious complications from Statins. It's just so confusing.
 
G2ADY said:
You know, the crazy thing about this is that I haven't had a cholesterol test done since being diagnosed, The last one I had was in 2011 and my cholesterol was 4.1. They just want me to take a Statin as a matter of course it seems.
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You should have a full lipid breakdown of your cholesterol as part of your annual diabetes check-up Steve.

As for the awful night you had last night and the events of today, if I were you I wouldn't take another until you've spoken with your gp and explained the side-effects, there are alternative statins and one called Artovastatin seems to be better tolerated than others, but at the end of the day no one can force you to take them and the choice is entirely yours, do ask that they check your cholesterol first before making that decision.
 

I've not had a checkup as yet Noblehead as I've only been diagnosed a short while. I've called the Doctors and I have a telephone consultation booked for tomorrow, I've decided not to take one tonight. Today has been a washout. I'd love to get a no nonsense explanation but even the medical profession seem split. Nobody wants a heart attack but equally so I want to be able to lead a normal life and to exercise without fear of muscle pains etc.
 


Whilst on the phone you should ask your gp if they will book you in with the practice nurse to have a fasting cholesterol check carried out, after around a week you can go back and ask for a full lipid breakdown of your cholesterol and discuss the results. As I said before the choice is yours as to whether you take a statin or not.

Good luck!
 
I've been taking Simvastatin for around 8 months now and have had no bad side effects. I had no idea there were any and as I trusted my doctor, off I went. I am on a fair few drugs though and honestly, if I had had aches and pains I wouldn't have had a clue which one was causing it.
 
When I was told I was diabetic the first time I saw the doctor he said I had to go on to statins. He was told on no certain terms I would not take them when I asked why he just said all my patients are on them to which I said well this one won't be
That was a year ago and yes they are on about them again during the summer I was doing a lot of cycling so think that might have had something to do with levels being lower than what they are now so hope to get back on the bike again and get them of my back


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Hi. It's up to you. The arguments rage out there in the media and experts and the increasing view is that for most people they are not needed and harmful to some. It's purely your decision but I've stopped mine as I have no family history of heart disease, have been low-carbing and my cholesterol is not that high.
 
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