• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

55 years and counting

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
L

llancloudy

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hello everyone
This is a first for me - I've never posted on a forum before so please be gentle with me.🙂
My GP is telling me that as I've lived with type1 diabetes for over 55 years I now need to seriously consider taking statins. I had never considered it before and there are widely differing views of the effects these drugs may have on people.
There are also a number of studies suggesting the benefits of statins are exaggerated and that side effects are negligible.
Not sure where to post this thread so I'm chucking it into the Newbies section to see what happens .....
 
Seems a few members are also considering the same thing and it can be quite a big decision to make.

Have you been advised to go on due to complications and/or management or purely because you've had it for so long? That is quite admirable by the way!
 
Thank you 🙂
I'm relatively unscathed from complications - fingers crossed. From the GP letter it seems that I've passed some kind of marker that triggers a statin letter. I'm not entirely convinced of the efficacy.
 
I was offered statins when I reached the magic 40. I felt that I didn't want to go on them because I didn't want to be taking more meds than necessary and I didn't think it was necessary. I am still not on statins but I wouldn't rule out going on them at some point (not sure what the trigger would be! Hopefully not cardiovascular event!) I think it is a question of risk and that statins have been shown to decrease the risk of a CV event? I am on perindopril though so I'm not sure there is much logic to my position on not taking meds. I just didn't want to end up rattling in the morning. I'm actually quite surprised that this is the first time you've been advised to take them though.
 
Last edited:
Hi llancloudy, welcome to the forum.

Just popping by to say hi! It would be worth asking your GP a few more questions too as to the whys and potential alternatives if any. It's really a personal decision to way up so hopefully you'll get some feedback from those in the same boat.

P.s I've bumped this over to the general board as it's more health than an intro.
 
I was on bezafibrate for years without any problems and was changed to
atorvastin asked why the change and the Dr laughed and said they arn't
working, took the new statin and it completely put me off my legs could
not tell you how much muscle pain in the calves I had, it took over 6 weeks
to recover and for me personally I would not touch a statin again I'll take
my chance I am not saying this to put you off it is your choice they affect
people in different ways my partner takes a statin and has never had a problem
just to say that they arn't a magic formula for all
 
40 years with type 1. Started on Atorvastatin last July, this despite cholesterol being very good, hesitant at first so read around & discussed things with diabetes Consultant, they recommended I started on stains as it does reduce the risk of cvd by stabilising plaque in the arteries.

Seen consequences of cardiovascular events so wanted to limit chances of having one, so far not had any side effects whatsoever & not missed single dose, taking 20mg dose of drug on evening.
 
A visit to the GP for something, can't remember what now, many years ago revealed high blood pressure, highish cholesterol and prediabetes so with family history of heart/ stoke I was put on statins. No obvious side effects but then I got some leg pain so stopped taking the statin to see if it was them causing it but made no difference but the cholesterol went up a bit so went back on them and cholesterol now 3.2. Was put on Naproxen (after trying amitriptyline which I couldn't tolerate) for the leg pain which I still take otherwise the pains come back. Still not sure what is causing it.
 
Welcome to the forum @llancloudy

Congratulations in making it through 55 years pretty much unscathed 🙂

It’s a conversation that comes up on the forum quite often.We have lots of members who take statins with no problems, and some others who have had side effects or who have decided against for other reasons.

The vast majority of the clinical evidence points to statins being safe, well tolerated, and effective in reducing risk, so you might decide to give them a go and see how you get on?
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top