Alternative to statins

[Felinia]

Yesterday I yet another talk with the GP surgery about statins. It happens every year, or each time there's a new GP or nurse. The lady I spoke to confirmed the GP hadn't had time to look at my notes and just told her - prescribe statins. Well, anyone who has followed my posts knows I'm severely reactive to them. However she had read the detailed letter I sent her, and has suggested I trial a different non-statin medication, ezetimibe, for 3 months. I said I'd give it a go, but if any of the side effects returned, I would stop - quality of life over quantity. The plan is to have liver function tests, then start in October, after my holiday. So I'll update this post after I see how things go.

 

[Merluza]

Good luck, I went through that routine for many, many years before I found something that I could tolerate. Those conversations do get boring.

 

[Felinia]

Good luck, I went through that routine for many, many years before I found something that I could tolerate. Those conversations do get boring.

Thanks. My main concern is that the side effects of the ezetimibe are identical to those of statins. It took 9 months after I stopped statins before the pain had gone and my inner workings had returned to what was normal for me. What did you find you could tolerate?

 

[trophywench]

My husband and I both take 10mg Ezetimibe daily with no apparent side effects. Not as instantly noticeable at reducing the Chol it's perfectly true and one question I'd like to ask the surgeon who's literally just inserted a stent into OH's AAA is whether his Aorta was/is noticeably furred up on the inside. Not due to see him in outpatients for 3 months after the op last Tuesday though, so won't get the chance before then. Told him they'd send him for a CT scan in a month to ensure it's still in the right place and hasn't budged, but whether anyone tells you the results of that or whether you have to wait another 2 months I dunno. (Spose if they go OMG it's failed they'd tell you pretty damn quick!)

 

[grovesy]

I no longer get the conversation as it is recorded I am allergic.

 

[Felinia]

I no longer get the conversation as it is recorded I am allergic.

So have I been for the last 15 years! The problem is nobody has time to read my records, just have the knee jerk reaction - take statins - as soon as the cholesterol results come in. I get SOOOOO frustrated having to reinvent the wheel every time.

 

[Merluza]

Thanks. My main concern is that the side effects of the ezetimibe are identical to those of statins. It took 9 months after I stopped statins before the pain had gone and my inner workings had returned to what was normal for me. What did you find you could tolerate?

I'm taking a very low dose of Rosuvastatin, 5mg. It brings me within reasonable margins but at that dosage doesn't get to the notional ideal. I have, finally, a doctor who understands, or at least tolerates my objections, he may not be happy but he copes. The last one I had refused to deal with me which is how I got passed to him.

I believe that Rosuvastatin operates differently to the average type but it still carries the same warnings about side-effects so I'm not sure what an increased dose would do but when I agreed to have another go taking a low dose of Atorvastatin the leg pains etc returned almost immediately so maybe there is a difference.

The only negative thing that I attribute to Rosuvastatin is an increase in pins and needles in my fingers, with other statins I was getting them down both arms simultaneously.

 

[Felinia]

I'm taking a very low dose of Rosuvastatin, 5mg. It brings me within reasonable margins but at that dosage doesn't get to the notional ideal. I have, finally, a doctor who understands, or at least tolerates my objections, he may not be happy but he copes. The last one I had refused to deal with me which is how I got passed to him.

I believe that Rosuvastatin operates differently to the average type but it still carries the same warnings about side-effects so I'm not sure what an increased dose would do but when I agreed to have another go taking a low dose of Atorvastatin the leg pains etc returned almost immediately so maybe there is a difference.

The only negative thing that I attribute to Rosuvastatin is an increase in pins and needles in my fingers, with other statins I was getting them down both arms simultaneously.

Simvastatin and Atorvastatin were 2 of the 4 that were tried on me - I can't remember the other two. I had constant grinding pain all over, swelling of the legs, a rash and lost control of some of my internal muscles. But no pins and needles and no brain fog, like my friend experienced.

 

[Merluza]

Simvastatin and Atorvastatin were the two I took. I was ok for at least a year with Atorvastatin then I was switched to Simvastatin and the problems started. I had shooting pains in my legs, brain fog, my reflexes were slowing and the pins and needles I mentioned. I felt old and if I'd carried on I would have lost my job. That was enough for me, your problems were much worse.

 

[Felinia]

Simvastatin and Atorvastatin were the two I took. I was ok for at least a year with Atorvastatin then I was switched to Simvastatin and the problems started. I had shooting pains in my legs, brain fog, my reflexes were slowing and the pins and needles I mentioned. I felt old and if I'd carried on I would have lost my job. That was enough for me, your problems were much worse.

I was told that Simvastatin is the NHS drug of choice, because it's the cheapest. It also seems to be the one with the most side effects.

 

[Merluza]

That's right Simvastatin was the first one to come out of patent I believe and the reason I was switched to it, I agreed but what did I know? I hold it responsible for my reaction which may be unfair as Atorvastatin now gives me grief but that was my experience. I wouldn't go near it. My partner takes Atorvastatin with no noticeable side effects to date.

 

[s'nic]

I just told them I'd pass on the statins, and see how the results were in 6 months.
I set out to control my statins via diet & a benecol type drink & β-glucan from oats or oatbran (oatbran is lower carb than oats)
2024 Jan - cholesterol 7.7, triglycerides 2.4, non HDL cholesterol 5.9 mmol/L
2024 July - cholesterol 4.4, triglycerides 1.1, non HDL cholesterol 3.0 mmol/L

Cholesterol / HbA1c / eGFR results!

At the end of January my cholesterol results were serum cholesterol 7.7 mmol/L serum triglycerides 2.4 mmol/L non HDL cholesterol level 5.9 mmol/L total cholesterol : HDL ratio 4.3 ratio My (inaccurate) Qrisk score did not cause my doctor concerns, so with multiple heath...

forum.diabetes.org.uk

 

[Merluza]

Best way if you can do it successfully. I used to take plant sterols from Boots which I think is what you find In Benecol although I have no way of knowing if they did any good but along with careful eating I got by for a long time with what I considered reasonable control.

 

[s'nic]

Yup, same thing https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/food-facts-plant-stanols-and-sterols.html

I found those plant sterol tablets on boots web site, but it sounded like they were really really big tablets, and the daily cost was not that different to the supermarket own brand of benecol. I decided I'd rather drink a small yogurt.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I was told that Simvastatin is the NHS drug of choice, because it's the cheapest.

As I understand it, it used to be. I see NICE recommends Atorvastatin. I seem to remember Ben Goldacre complaining about the lack of evidence about which to try first, with some GPs prescribing one and some the other for no particular reason. Given NICE's recommendation I presume the evidence is in and Atorvastatin is more effective. (I'm still on a low dose of Simvastatin and I guess I'll stay on it. My numbers are fine so there's no particular reason to change.)

 

[s'nic]

Note the mention of Ezetimibe on that page tho
"These products are safe for people taking cholesterol-lowering medication such as statins and fibrates. As they work in different ways to reduce cholesterol, the effect of taking both can decrease cholesterol levels more than just taking a statin or fibrate.

If you’re taking Ezetimibe (Ezetrol) cholesterol-lowering medication, you should discuss with your doctor whether there is any additional cholesterol-lowering benefit for you to take stanols and sterols."

 

[Merluza]

I think if you are taking any other cholesterol lowering medication you shouldn't take sterols before talking to your doctor, I think it may even caution against it on the package information. I stopped immediately I started taking Rosuvastatin.

 

[s'nic]

I think if you are taking any other cholesterol lowering medication you shouldn't take sterols, I think it may even caution against it on the package information. I stopped immediately I started taking Rosuvastatin.

I don't know, but that quote is from the page I linked - The Association of British Diaticians
Sterols and Stanols are the foods we all eat whether we use a supplement containing them or not (just in different quantities).

People should check the package information of the statins, or check with their doctor first of course 🙂

 

[Felinia]

Note the mention of Ezetimibe on that page tho
"These products are safe for people taking cholesterol-lowering medication such as statins and fibrates. As they work in different ways to reduce cholesterol, the effect of taking both can decrease cholesterol levels more than just taking a statin or fibrate.

If you’re taking Ezetimibe (Ezetrol) cholesterol-lowering medication, you should discuss with your doctor whether there is any additional cholesterol-lowering benefit for you to take stanols and sterols."

My GP told me to take a cholesterol lowering drink, which I do daily.

 

[Felinia]

I just told them I'd pass on the statins, and see how the results were in 6 months.
I set out to control my statins via diet & a benecol type drink & β-glucan from oats or oatbran (oatbran is lower carb than oats)
2024 Jan - cholesterol 7.7, triglycerides 2.4, non HDL cholesterol 5.9 mmol/L
2024 July - cholesterol 4.4, triglycerides 1.1, non HDL cholesterol 3.0 mmol/L

Cholesterol / HbA1c / eGFR results!

At the end of January my cholesterol results were serum cholesterol 7.7 mmol/L serum triglycerides 2.4 mmol/L non HDL cholesterol level 5.9 mmol/L total cholesterol : HDL ratio 4.3 ratio My (inaccurate) Qrisk score did not cause my doctor concerns, so with multiple heath...

forum.diabetes.org.uk

The cholesterol drink took my cholesterol from 7.8 to around 6 where it has stayed for the past few years.