Statins please share your experience/knowledge

The current cholesterol obsession is completely misguided. Statins are the most profitable drug in the history of medicine and big pharma has a vested interest in skewing the research to persuade the medical profession to dish them out like smarties. The protection provided by statins is so small as to be not worth bothering about for most men and certainly all women. Fundamentally, the body needs cholesterol and the amount circulating is controlled by the liver. What many people including doctors don’t realise is that elevated cholesterol is a symptom of an under active thyroid. And in fact the NICE guidelines say that this possibility should be excluded before prescribing statins.

Take 10 mg Atorvastatin daily. Didn’t want to take them but being pre-diabetic and with family history of heart and stroke issues (although I have normal blood pressure), I decided to take them. Cholesterol scores are down. Sometimes I take a break from them. Husband takes a higher dosage but he has high blood pressure and heart issues in his family. Not sure what the best choice is.

LJP1

See:
www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(24)00040-8/fulltext?dgcid=raven_jbs_aip_email

summarised as the slight increase in risk of being tipped into diabetes diagnosis (if you are near to upper the glycaemic boundary), but the larger reduction in risk of cardiovascular problems means that most people could benefit from taking statins.

So balancing your basic body metabolism with you lifestyle choices is your decision.

Thanks for posting that LJP1. It confirms what I'd already worked out. I'm a T2 diabetic who takes statins, so of course I've taken the trouble to inform myself of reliable information.

I'm not sure whether people know that heart disease is the biggest danger for diabetics. Most T2 diabetics have metabolic syndrome, which means that their body's "balancing" mechanisms aren't working properly, si it is really important that any risk factors for heart disease are minimised.

I knew about the blood sugar risk with statins, although I can't say I've noticed any huge increase in my own levels. My blood sugar levels are much lower now than they were before I took statins. That's probably a result of being really strict with what I eat and forcing myself to do exercise. My triglyceride level is too high, but that's fairly normal for a diabetic, but my total cholesterol and ratio are good. I'm happy with that!

I’m not on statins but I do know of a book called The Cholesterol Myth which I’m told gives another perspective on the whole issue.

There's an article about a former NASA astronaut ,Duane Graveline, and what happened to him after taking statins, it's worth a read..

I've been on them for around 3 years after a blood test suggested I might benefit from taking them.
My legs ache no more than they did before I started on them and I'm no more tired than before.

undines

Just check out Dr Aseem Malhotra, on YouTube and other alternative media sites before you take the pills
'Medical evidence' comes from research sponsored by drug companies

Take a massive pinch of salt when listening to anything Malhotra says.

I've taken them for years without any side effects, they do the job

I wasn't over the threshold but was offered statins optionally to mitigate other risk factors I had. I tried them for a year and gradually started getting some wrist pain. As I didn't have high cholesterol in the first place I experimented with stopping the statins and my wrists gradually returned to normal. I can't prove it was the statins of course. Having had a think about it I decided I'd rather spare my liver any meds that are not clearly needed.

My husband recently saw his Dr at loros , who looked at his meds and told him to stop the statins . "They don't do any good "

I took them for 6 weeks and then doctor advised me to stop, because of the devastating effect on my mental well being. I've been free of depressive episodes for decades. The statins reminded me of just how awful they were. A rare side effect, but it was there on the screen when doctor looked. Also affected my liver function. I'm hoping my latest blood test will show it as being back to pre statin.

I know people who have taken them for years without any problems. Guess I was just unlucky.

Just check out Dr Aseem Malhotra, on YouTube and other alternative media sites before you take the pills
'Medical evidence' comes from research sponsored by drug companies

My cholesterol is quite high up to 7.8 but when broken down into the two components LDL and HDL the ratio between them is good. I was being told I should take statins until I challenged my GP who then admitted I had one of healthiest levels in his practice. I suspect another battle ahead as that was over 15 yrs ago and I see the ratio is less good now.... and I am older! Back then I used book "Cholesterol Myths" by Uffe Ravnskov.

I took simvastatin for 3 years which were the worst of my life. After 6 weeks my cholesterol was very low and I developed obsessive anxiety regarding health issues. I would suddenly think I might have a brain tumour and have to obsessively research it until the anxiety went away, then a day or so later another would surface. I have never been an anxious person, but didn't associate it with the statin. After 3 years I was.barely functioning. I also had developed chronic restless legs. The assistant at the GP surgery suggested it might be the statins and sure enough the anxiety had gone within 6 weeks if stopping them, as had the restless legs. I tried pravastatin with the same instant result.
I have resisted taking them for 13 years now because I was do afraid of what might happen. I couldn't live like that, it was horrendous. Finally a pharmacist has admitted to me that she has heard this before.
I am now trying atorvastatin but am very cautious. So far after a month no problems, but it hasn't been 6 weeks yet. There are some things that are not worth the trade off.

I too received a letter from my doctor (who I have never met), saying that now I was in my 60s (I am 63), I should start to take Statins to reduce risk of heart disease.

When I rang the reception to ask for tests first to see if I really do need to take them, was told I should just do as I was told!!!

After insisting on tests, have found that the results have thankfully confirmed that I do not need to take them.

I too find it sad that my doctor is prescibing drugs to people he does not know.

I had a terrible time with statins. 7 months of severe tummy upsets so bad they decided I needed colonoscopy. I looked through my meds and all potential side effects. Stopped the statins. No.more problems. Did not need a colonoscopy. They are not for me. I now have an alternative. They dole them out to older people as a precaution ratger than as a necessity ignoring side effects.

My GP started me on statins some time ago. I tried them for a while, but my hair started falling out. As I don't have thick hair anyway I stopped taking them. I haven't noticed any difference in my health.

Nanna58

It might help to research Statins and CoEnzymeQ10
My husband had dreadful cramp until someone pointed him in this direction
Could be a help

I'm on a statin but after reaading that statins can affect your body's production of CoEnzymeQ10 I take a high dose CoEnzymeQ10 every day. I haven't experienced any discernable ill effects of taking statins but some people do. The natural production of CoEnzymeQ10 also reduces with age so taing a supplement should be beneficial.

I'm due a blood test in a couple of weeks so I will, indeed, speak to my GP about the efficacy of statins for over 70s. I'm 72.

BigBertha1 I was prescribed Atorvastatin. Reading the leaflet inside the packet, in the section, I think it's 'Warnings and Precautions' or vice versa, it says if you are over 70 years old speak to your doctor before taking them. I've recommended, over and over, the book Too Many Pills by Dr James Le Fanu, a practising GP. It's an interesting read.

See:
www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(24)00040-8/fulltext?dgcid=raven_jbs_aip_email

summarised as the slight increase in risk of being tipped into diabetes diagnosis (if you are near to upper the glycaemic boundary), but the larger reduction in risk of cardiovascular problems means that most people could benefit from taking statins.

So balancing your basic body metabolism with you lifestyle choices is your decision.

I stopped taking them after experiencing chronic muscle pain in my hip. Since coming off them the pain has gone but I do have concern that they have weakened my muscles. I've read others have experienced the same and this is a known side effect.

Robin202

Statins seem to be the ‘go-to’ drug that many GP’s seem quite keen to prescribe and they say, once on them, you’re on them indefinitely - an easy cash cow. Often prescribed for high cholesterol and linked to BP - this was suggested to me but I refused them and decided to lower my cholesterol myself through adjusting my diet and hence lowering my BP. Same with my husband. All too often doctors prescribe without looking at the root cause and often if we take control of our diet/exercise routine, we can make changes without the reliance on drugs.

I've always understood that high cholesterol is often genetic and not linked to diet. A friend was married to a nutritionist who was unable to bring down his cholesterol using diet alone, though statins worked well. Apparently many people in his family had the same problem.

I am 71 they told me I had to take statins, and I said no, just lining the pharmaceutical company pockets, so I cut out butter, changed milk to skimmed, no biscuits cakes or pastries, and down to red meat once a week, so just cut out what causes cholesterol. I’ve had my blood done and cholesterol has gone down, so I’m happy. But you do what you think is best for you.

I also take them, 20mg, and had pains in my legs, particularly at night. I now take them in the morning, also take a low dose magnesium supplement in the evening, and this has improved. I did have "marginal" blood sugar so it will be interesting to see what has happened to this in my next blood test.
My husband has heart failure and has been taking massive doses of everything for eight years. He's had regular blood tests for all sorts of problems and apparently there are no problems.
Unless the PG picks up problems with me taking statins I'm happy to go on doing it.