Sugar Levels as a side effect of atorvastatin

[PaulBelino]

Hi,
After being unsatisfied with my previous GP I changed (due to lack of preventative care, 3 weeks or more to get an appointment, missing prescriptions etc) . Part of registration, with a new Doctor, is a blood test that showed a diabetic sugar level. I have always watched my sugar intake so I was surprised. However my new nurse (and in my previous practice) seem unaware that statins can cause raised sugar levels in some people. I have been on the maximum 80mg daily for some years. My question is has anyone else managed to lower their sugar levels simply by reducing their statin doses? I think I should insist I reduce the dose?

 

[hankjam]

I could be wrong but the info sheets on statins say that (i) they can raise BG and (ii) cause diatbetes

 

[Bluetit1802]

Whilst statins can cause raised blood sugar levels, it is unlikely they caused your diabetes all by themselves unless you were already on the edge.

Great that you watch your sugar intake. Have you any idea how many spoons of sugar are in ordinary every day foods? Such as 10.1 spoons of sugar in 150g of basmati rice? 5.9 spoons in a banana? 8 spoons in pure apple juice? 3 spoons in 1 slice of brown toast?

https://phcuk.org/sugar/

 

[PaulBelino]

Thanks hankjam I'd forgotten that. I had a look and yes its buried deep in the leaflet! I know someone who was a Doctor's receptionist and she said that anyone on statins is supposed to be called for regular blood sugar levels checks. However some surgeries are so over-subscribed that patients often slip through the net as happened at her practice.

 

[PaulBelino]

Hi Bluetit. Yes even baked beans and crisps have sugar in them. Here's one for you: did you know that a Cadbury's cream egg has 6 spoons (25g) of sugar? Yet I wonder how many were eaten by kids over Easter unknowingly bought by Mums and Dads?
I have to watch fruit juice sugar (Fructose) as it exacerbates my gout. God I'm old.

 

[Guzzler]

Hi Bluetit. Yes even baked beans and crisps have sugar in them. Here's one for you: did you know that a Cadbury's cream egg has 6 spoons (25g) of sugar? Yet I wonder how many were eaten by kids over Easter unknowingly bought by Mums and Dads?
I have to watch fruit juice sugar (Fructose) as it exacerbates my gout. God I'm old.

We often forget or are unaware that the the human body (non Diabetic) carries roughly one teaspoon of glucose at any one time in total. So that Creme Egg will will increase bg six fold. Seen in those terms it is clear that keeping sugar and indeed all carbohydrates to the lowest possible level for comfort is extremely important for those with Diabetes.

 

[bulkbiker]

Hi,
After being unsatisfied with my previous GP I changed (due to lack of preventative care, 3 weeks or more to get an appointment, missing prescriptions etc) . Part of registration, with a new Doctor, is a blood test that showed a diabetic sugar level. I have always watched my sugar intake so I was surprised. However my new nurse (and in my previous practice) seem unaware that statins can cause raised sugar levels in some people. I have been on the maximum 80mg daily for some years. My question is has anyone else managed to lower their sugar levels simply by reducing their statin doses? I think I should insist I reduce the dose?

May I ask why are you on the statins in the first place? Have you had a cardiac event?

 

[ringi]

I know someone who was a Doctor's receptionist and she said that anyone on statins is supposed to be called for regular blood sugar levels checks. However some surgeries are so over-subscribed that patients often slip through the net as happened at her practice.

This is mostly due to the risk factors for type2 being the same risk factors that are used when deciding if some will be put on satins