Statins, your experiences please.

I’ve been on them for 30 years but only the lowest dose, 20 mg. I tried a higher dosage but couldn’t cope with the aches and pains . Mostly my level is around 4.5 - 5.which my doc thinks is too high. Without them it was 8.5 . My mum had a very high level, around 9.5 but she lived to be 86 . She wasn’t good at taking medication. She did die of heart failure but I guess we all have to go from something and for her it was quick.

If you want to make an informed decision about medication you should discuss with your GP.

I was interested in the sort of algorithm the GP uses to calculate risk (over the next 10 years of heart attack or stroke) because my OH takes statins. I checked QRISK3, there is also QRISK 2, I think it’s regularly updated. There may be an age cut off date.

I found that at my age I have a 16% chance of dying from heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years. My BP isn’t raised and am not overweight, and no (known!) medical conditions. Of course as we age the risk increases, and it’s only generalised guide. Doesn’t tell you if you’ll be run over by a bus any time soon!

I like to make informed decisions about my health, and if my risk was greatly increased may consider medication, and/or some lifestyle changes.

I think it is maybe around 18 months since I started Simvastatin 40 mg. Think my cholesterol level was around 6. I have hypothyroidism. This means I have a greater chance of heart disease. So I had a choice and opted to take them. I have no complaints. Mine is supposed to be taken at night. Lemon grove on what do you base your view that the one I am on is the worst?! On what do you base your view that a Doctor knows best?! It is my understanding that if you start statins you need to stick with them.

It was the GP's results from the algorithm GPs use to calculate the risk of these events that showed that statins would do little or nothing to reduce my chances of a stroke or heart attack whether I took them or not.

Statins only reduce risk, they do not eliminate risk completely, so quite a number of people will suffer a stroke or heart attack whether they take statins or not.

Of course, but I hope you’d recognise your patients can make informed decisions. Especially decisions supported by cardiologists

If I was a doctor I would be careful to err on the safe side in my prescriptions. re heart attack/ stroke - so common.

Yes, I have seen some of the literature suggesting that, for women, statins are not necessary much good. That did influence me to ask the question I did. But I now have the confidence of being able to say say that the algorithm that GPs use shows conclusively that they will do little to protect me.

MOnica, my experience has been 3 cardiologists who concluded statins do little to prevent stroke/heart attack in women who havent already experienced that. Two told me they wouldn’t advise their wives to take them. Nice guidelines recommend GP prescribe

lemongrove I had simvastatin and it caused all sorts of side effects. I know people who it did suit but I was not one of them.

Iam64 My GP was very keen that I take statins and quite taken aback when she saw how little difference they would actually make to my chances of a heart attack or stroke.

I asked the question after someone on GN recommended doing so. on another thread on statins.

I was prescribed statins and got terrible pains in my calves. I didn’t realize at first that it was the statins that caused the pain as I was also having problems with my Achilles. Anyway, my notes now say that I am allergic to statins.

I think my OH is probably alive today aged 74 because he started taking statins in his 40s. He has a strong history of cardio vascular disease in his family, his father died aged 48 from a heart attack.

His cholesterol was raised, in particular the LDL (bad cholesterol) so it is probably familial. He does take Co Enzyme Q10 for muscular cramps but his GP was sceptical about this. It has helped, but possibly placebo .

You really have to weigh up your individual risks after discussing with your GP. Whether you smoke, are diabetic, or have a raised blood pressure, and a raised LDL cholesterol is used to calculate risk.

I resisted Statins for years because I had heard bad things about them. But eventually I gave in because my cholesterol was getting higher and higher. So about 3 years ago I started taking Atorvastatin and the result has been amazing. Whereas I was always well over 6, I am now 3.2. (or at least I was; last year they cancelled the annual check up clinic, so I don't really know now)
I am not aware of any side effects at all from taking them.

Can you ask GP if you get muscle cramps can you take Co Enzyme Q10, DH had cramps , takes these and is fine.

MOnica, good to see someone else who had medical advice that didn’t simply encourage statins.

I see NotAGran didn’t know that, thanks for explaining.

I asked my GP what my chances of having a heart attack/stroke over the next 10 years would be if I did and did not take statins. The answer was that of a 100 women my age and state of health roughly 15 would have a heart attack/stroke in the next 10 years if they took statins and 17 if they didn't.

The difference was so small I decided not to take them. If I have a heart attack/stroke in the next 10 years how will they be able to tell whether I was one of the 15 who would have had that happen, even if they did take statins, or one of the two who had it because they were not on statins?

Bluesky apparently satins have 2 benefits. One is to lower cholesterol which I don’t need , but also to stabilise it in the arteries which might benefit me with parents’ history.

Dad had first heart attack at 59 along with 2 mini stokes and went on to have a quad bypass at 69 .
My mum died at 63 with no warning from one massive heart attack .

They had both been smokers in their younger days and meat eaters but I have not been either, therefore reducing my risk too I hope .

Been taking them (Simvastatin) for years with no side effects, as my cholesterol reading was over 8. It's now between 4 and 5. They work best when taken at night.

have been taking statins for 14 years without problems. I believe the optimum time is to take them at the end of the day when you are finished eating and drinking.

Glad to hear that response. I sometimes think men have to be pushed into asserting themselves when talking to medical professionals.

That’s interesting Redhead, I’ve just shown your reply to Orlin and now that he sees it might be ‘a thing’ he has promised to mention it to the doc in a phone consultation next month.

My husband has been on statins about a year. His pillow cases are yellow and have to be thrown out it's like dye will not wash out. He does seem to moan about aches and pains more than he ever has before. I told him to have a word with the nurse but he just refuses unlike me he is not one to complain.

I was told my cholesterol was 5.8 last year and I refused the medication saying I will adjust my diet. I don't eat a lot of dairy or meat I eat more fish and lots I mean lots of citrus fruits. It reduced to 4.9 in six months so it can be done. I think the tablets are given out like sweeties and too many people just accept them.

Thanks Lemon, I have been asking him to mention it to his GP, he says he forgets when he’s there. However nurse only for INR checks since March.

NotAGran how strange that you were put on statins when your cholesterol was already a low reading. I thought that while lowering is advisable, it shouldn’t be too low, same as blood pressure really. Obviously I’m not an expert.