Aibu in questioning my mum's medication?

My cholesterol was 5.9 last time I had it checked around a year ago, same as it was at a previous test some time before. On both occasions (by two different GPs) I was told as the ratios within the reading were good, no treatment was needed, just to keep up the healthy eating and exercise etc. Thank goodness I was never recommended statins!

That's interesting to know Jendurham, will give it a try, thank you.

Carosanto you say your mother is 93 with other serious medical conditions. Raised cholesterol is a problem if diagnosed when you are in your 40s/50s, but at 93? It has no symptoms and, at her age, her life expectancy is unlikely to be compromised by raised cholesterol. If I was your mother I would refuse them.

I am more than 20 years her junior and have slightly raised cholesterol and have refused statins. All the medical evidence I could find showed that for women there was no good reason for lowering cholesterol unless there was a history of heart disease. There isn't so I do not take them. My doctor has made no attempt to persuade me to and even her suggestion that I take them was half-hearted and I suspect done more because she had to than from any real conviction.

When my husband died his 90 year old mother was upset, so her GP put her on antidepressants. She had no idea where she was half the time, was falling asleep and falling over.
I told her she was allowed to be upset. The last time she saw him was on her 90th birthday, when he was so ill we had to have her party at our house, and he was taken to bed by our sons half way through the party.
So she stopped taking the tablets, and felt better after that.

I think I will go and see the local pharmacist and have a review of the medication I am on to see if I really need to take statins. I have so many side effects and there's no way you can tell which tablet they are from.
I take the statins at night because the side effects from them are better if you are in bed. I also take a CoQ10 tablet because statins robs your body of CoQ10 and you need that to create energy.

You are right to question this, it is too easy to hand out drugs these days and at your mother's age she seems to be managing pretty well without them. I take statins and the first ones I was given really caused major muscle problems. They were changed and things improved slightly but when you mix it up with arthritis it is difficult to know which causes what. It was someone on here who told me to take them in the evening, my doctor did not mention it and that improved the situation as well.

If you could go with your mother to see her doctor this might help to put both your minds at rest. Too much reliance is placed on reception staff and they have no medical training whatsoever.

Statins can have some very serious side effects if not monitored properly.

A few years ago there were reports in the papers that it was being considered that everyone over, I think, 50 should be on statins as a "precaution". This sort of blanket prescribing concerns me and but I'm sure drug companies are delighted when such initiatives are put forward.

Statins are very interesting, Carosanto.
My husband was type 1 diabetic from when he was 11. After we moved up to Durham in 2009, his GP and the diabetic clinic kept trying to persuade him that he needed to be on statins. His cholesterol was 4.0 and they wanted it to be 3.9 or lower. The nurse at the surgery said that the only side effect was pain. As he had been in pain since he fell off a ladder in 1996 and fractured his spine, he declined.

This year I was put on statins after having an aortic dissection. I was in hospital for 20 days and was put on them the day before I came out.
When I asked what the extra tablet was, I was told it was statins. I asked why I had to take statins and was told that everyone else on the ward was on them. I reminded the nurse that the others on the ward all ate meat and probably had high cholesterol. I asked what mine was and she said she did not know, but I had to take the statins and talk to my GP.
My GP said that my cholesterol was 4.0. By this time my eyesight was going blurred, which is another side-effect of statins, so we agreed to reduce by half. My eyesight is still slightly blurred, but not as bad.
However, my GP said I did not need to take any medication if I did not want to! Having gone into hospital with only 1 item on my prescription and come out with 10, I find that rather disconcerting. And I am 30 years younger than your Mum.
One difference between my husband's time and mine is the new NHS system. I believe GPs were paid a premium for getting people on statins previously. Now they are not. Can anyone tell me if this is correct or not?

Yes you are right to be concerned. My mother was put on statins and the pains in her leg muscles was severe. She gradually lost the use of her legs and I blame her GP for not reviewing her meds despite my pleas. When patients are in their nineties and already have health issues what on earth is the point of prescribing something that will cause painful side effects?

Completely agree Gracesmum.

I would definitely question this. At your Mum's age, I cannot imagine that ANY new medication should be started after just a telephone message. I would agitate for an appointment with the doctor and go with her. I am sure statins do a lot of good for some people but suspect they are too easy to prescribe. Yes, ask more questions.