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Statins

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Dawn1965

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Hi, this might have been asked before, but my doc has just put me on statins although my cholesterol is 3.5 with good being 1.7 and bad being 2.5. This has annoyed me as I feel I am being given something to fix something not yet broken.
Can I ask other people's views please? I won't be offended if I am in the wrong lol
 
Dawn,

good (1.7) plus bad (2.5) (if these are HDL and LDL) come to 4.2, higher than your total ?

Can you be more precise ?

Geoff
 
mines was 5.6 and at the diabetes education program, i was told they were a little high but not worth worrying over at the minute....so needless to say, i cant really help you with an answer...But curious as to what others thinks is acceptable levels...I'm on no medication as i havent had my first clinic appointment, so been left to my own devices since diagnosis back in july..
 
I haven't collected my statin prescription and I have told them that I don't intend to. He he, rebel rebel! Not really, I am normally very compliant, but I believe from what I have read that their efficacy for women isn't proven and as my level came down following diagnosis and gaining control, I don't intend to take them any time soon.

I will of course keep an eye on it but you are quite within your rights not to take them.

Ali
 
Hi im on statins but my cholesterol has alway been low. My diabetes was nit very well cintrolled fir years and the doc put me on them as a preventative measure. I know alot if people dont agree with them but i have spoken ti my consultsnt today and he has said agaun its ti orevent problens in the future. Im only 33 and the thought of heart problems terifies me. Ive already suffered hugely wuth retinopathy which resulted in a detatched retina and surgery so im nit takung my chances with this one.
 
Dawn1965 said:
Hi, this might have been asked before, but my doc has just put me on statins although my cholesterol is 3.5 with good being 1.7 and bad being 2.5. This has annoyed me as I feel I am being given something to fix something not yet broken.
Can I ask other people's views please? I won't be offended if I am in the wrong lol
Click to expand...

The lab reference ranges on some private tests I had done recently were as follows
Cholesterol.... Optimum <5.0
HDL..............0.9-1.5
HDL % of cholesterol ..... 20%+
LDL..............Up to 3.0

If 1.7 refers to your HDL it is just a little over the ref range
Your HDL % of cholesterol is 48%
and your LDL(?) of 2.5 is within range.

I too would be annoyed if my Dr suggested going on to statins with these figures.
In fact my Dr would have dearly loved to put me on statins following the last tests she had done but I refused as they were bordering on normal. Her reply was "well I'm only your advocate". Indeed madam, how right you are.
In my opinion I will make my own informed judgement on the benefits or otherwise of taking statins.

I'm no Doctor and of course there may be other aspects to your medical history only you and your Doctor are aware of but I would feel inclined to have another word with him/her about going onto statins if you feel uncomfortable about taking them.
 
Target cholesterol levels for non-diabetics are:

Total cholesterol less than 5
HDL above 1.2
LDL less than 3

so those are okay

triglycerides below 1.7 and the lower the better. These are even "badder" than LDL :shock:

Total:HDL ratio below 5.1, and preferably about 3.5

They like us diabetics to have lower "total", but I can never remember the figures!

In your place I'd go back to the GP and ask for a print-out of my full lipid profile. You are entitled to it! I get copies of all my tests.

Then sit down with your GP and discuss it with him. But in my opinion (I am not a scientist!) your cholesterol readings are quite low enough, so ask him why he thinks they should be lower.

There's plenty of info about statins on the web; have a good look round, and read up on the pros and cons of taking them. Read some "pro" sites first; then Google "spacedoc.net" (Duane Graveline) and see what he has to say. Make up your own mind.

In fairness, I have had very bad side-effects from Simvastatin, and now won't take any statin. My cholesterol is higher than yours (though my lipid profile is as good) and my doctors are happy that I don't take them; or at least, they don't argue! :lol: But there are many other people on here who have taken higher doses than me, for much longer than I did, and who are perfectly happy on them with no side-effects at all. Make up your own mind.

Hope this helps :D

Viv 8)
 
Dawn1965 said:
Hi, this might have been asked before, but my doc has just put me on statins although my cholesterol is 3.5 with good being 1.7 and bad being 2.5. This has annoyed me as I feel I am being given something to fix something not yet broken.
Can I ask other people's views please? I won't be offended if I am in the wrong lol
Click to expand...


Difficult one Dawn and only you can decide to take them or not, here are the target cholesterol levels for people with diabetes:

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.


If you are still in doubt have a chat with The British Heart Foundation who will offer you some advice with regards to cholesterol and cardiovascular health, here is a link to their website:

http://www.bhf.org.uk/#&panel1-2
 
As a diabetic cardiovascular patient, I was told I had calcium build up following a non invasive CAT scan (computerised tomography) and was put onto statins. The first (simvastatin) caused all sorts of problems and the next did too (atorvastatin) but the one I take now, Crestor (rosuvastatin), was totally without side effects.
A follow up scan revealed a lower reading and the final one came back as below normal (expected) for my age. My dosage of rosuvastatin has fallen from 20mg to just 1 x 5mg every other day.

Statins certainly get a thumbs up from me :thumbup: :clap: :D
 
Hobs wrote
I was told I had calcium build up following a non invasive CAT scan (computerised tomography) and was put onto statins. The first (simvastatin) caused all sorts of problems and the next did too (atorvastatin) but the one I take now, Crestor (rosuvastatin), was totally without side effects.
A follow up scan revealed a lower reading and the final one came back as below normal (expected) for my age.
Click to expand...


That's a great story Hobs, but until I hear a lot more stories like that seeing articles like this strengthen my position against statins :

Statins Increase Prevalence of Coronary Calcification by More than 50 Percent!

A new study in the journal Atherosclerosis shows that statin use is associated with a 52 percent increased prevalence and extent of calcified coronary plaque compared to non-users. None of the participants in the study – 6,673 in all – had any known coronary artery disease at the time of undergoing coronary CT angiography (CCTA) – a non-invasive method that allows you to see coronary atherosclerotic features, including plaque composition.
Click to expand...
and as published in Diabetes Care
The authors concluded that:

"More frequent statin use is associated with accelerated coronary artery calcification in T2DM patients with advanced atherosclerosis."

So much for statins being the answer for diabetics... Diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is why many diabetics are prescribed a statin drug to reduce their risk. Alas, as these studies show, statins actually accelerate the progression of disease!
Click to expand...
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/artic ... _DNL_art_1

Geoff
 
Hi all, thanks for all your answers. Think I will ring docs in the morning and ask for full reading or a print out but the nurse and 2 docs said it was good. Good bits were slightly lower than they should and highs were 2.2 I think. Hubby takes statins and has had loads of problems. I do have parents with diabeties and have been diagnosed almost 7 years now. Currently on a diet to get bloods lower. I had a heart scan a few years back and got the all clear.
 
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