bad news :( Statins.. Help!

[CosmicHedgehog]

Hi all, ive had some crappy news and have angina and results of recent ct angiogram show narrowing and i have to have a coronary angiogram and possible stents, My cholesterol is 4.5 and doc wants me on a statin asap, Ive already been put on aspirin and will prob be prescribed a beta blocker too. she has prescribed Atorvastatin yesterday , I have read the leaflet... Big mistake... horrible bunch of side affects on that! but i noticed it says it can affect blood sugar. Does any one know which way they go, and anything else to keep an eye on. Im just treading water right now so please gentle replys i feel like im drowning.

 

[Gappy]

Can't lie I don't know enough about statins and the sugar level effect, I do know their primary use is for heart conditions. So, with all that's going on with that I'd be inclined to take them for those benefits and then fine tune things if side effects occur. Diabetes isn't to be laughed (I know you're not) but I think it's secondary to such existing heart problems. Good luck.

 

[LucyDUK]

Hi,

Sorry to read of your angina diagnosis and the need to take more medication and possible procedures ahead - hopefully all will help to ease your symptoms.

The patient leaflet suggests Atorvastatin can cause an increase in bgl - but as with all side effects that wont necessarily happen, though it does suggest those with diabetes monitor bgl more closely.

 

[trophywench]

Thing is, @CosmicHedgehog me old bean - when placque builds up in the arteries, that's the equivalent of inflammation and when we get inflammation, what does it do? - it causes our BG to increase. Statins can't remove whatever placque is already there and you have got used to dealing with from a diabetic insulin dosing perspective - but they are supposed to stop it getting worse. Right now - neither you, me nor anyone else knows if you'll have any side effects from taking them so best to try em first before you leap to any conclusions IMHO.

And it is honest - cos I took em and absolutely had horrid side effects - so I don't give my opinion lightly by any means. In your boat - I'd swallow my gut reaction and try em again despite that. I don't want to die of anything, yet.

 

[leonS]

Have you read the leaflet that came with the asprin? You will find I think that just as many bad things that might possibly happen are listed there than are listed for statins!

Life is a gamble and you might get hit when walking to the shop by a falling jet engine, don't walk to the shop? More accidents happen in your home than anywhere else.

After careful consideration and much research I can say:-
On balance walking to the shops and taking statins are both better for you than worrying about what might happen.

 

[CosmicHedgehog]

Thing is, @CosmicHedgehog me old bean - when placque builds up in the arteries, that's the equivalent of inflammation and when we get inflammation, what does it do? - it causes our BG to increase. Statins can't remove whatever placque is already there and you have got used to dealing with from a diabetic insulin dosing perspective - but they are supposed to stop it getting worse. Right now - neither you, me nor anyone else knows if you'll have any side effects from taking them so best to try em first before you leap to any conclusions IMHO.

And it is honest - cos I took em and absolutely had horrid side effects - so I don't give my opinion lightly by any means. In your boat - I'd swallow my gut reaction and try em again despite that. I don't want to die of anything, yet.

Thanks, i've been blindsided by all this, got a chest pain and within 2 weeks test results and a load of drugs and terrifying things! didn't help getting my results in the post before i had spoken to my gp (had an appointment for results the following day) ive been on asparin for a few week and all fine with that, just not used to suddenly having a load of drugs thrown at me.. i barley used to take anything other than insulin obv. anxiety is getting the better of me at the moment and triggering the panic attacks so thought i would see how others have coped with it. just really wanted to see if it would raise or lower bg. i will just knock them back and see how i go, just can't help being anxious about it. x

 

[CosmicHedgehog]

Hi,

Sorry to read of your angina diagnosis and the need to take more medication and possible procedures ahead - hopefully all will help to ease your symptoms.

The patient leaflet suggests Atorvastatin can cause an increase in bgl - but as with all side effects that wont necessarily happen, though it does suggest those with diabetes monitor bgl more closely.

Thank you

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi @CosmicHedgehog, Statins will probably reduce your LDL Cholesterol.
They also may give you higher Blood Glucose , muscle aches or even the more serious side effects.
Nobody in here can predict this beforehand, though in the USA there is a product invented by one of the leading proponents of statins which supposedly is quite good at determining if a person is at risk from Statin muscle ache/damage side effects.

I strongly suggest that you make yourself a lay expert on the subject of Cardio Vascular problems. Just because your Medical specialist recommends something doesn't automatically mean that it is the best thing in your case.

I had very serious blockages in 3 arteries 1 @100% and 2 others > 90% blocked. I took the advice to have a 3x CAB and I remember some in the same ward as me were waiting for stents.
It was only after I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes that I started to really question what Doctors told me.
Then I learned to my horror that for me at least:
1. The way of eating that my GP scared me into eating probably pushed me over into being a full T2 Diabetic.
2. The so called healthy diet and 5 a day are amongst the leading causes of Obesity, T2D and High Blood Pressure and may also cause Cardio vascular disease in some people.
3. For people over 65 especially women, those with high LDL live longer than those with low LDL on average.
4. In the USA (and to a certain extent in the UK) many patients are fitted with stents even though there is likely to be no benefit for them (since their plaque is stable and not increasing. Indeed in those cases fitting a stent may cause the plaque to break into fragments which are much more dangerous.

I offer no advice except that you become as much of an expert as you can and don't just accept what is offered.

On a personal note, I got and could put up with some muscle aches which may have been statin induced. But I could not accept higher Blood Glucose and the possibility of brain fog i.e. Statin Induced T2D with increased risk of heart problems, or a statin induced lack of concentration and memory similar to early stages of alzheimers.

 

[nonethewiser]

Been on 20mg dose of Atorvastatin for past 8 days, no increase in bg whatsoever, take statin on evening & bg fine thru night & nowt changed during day.

In your shoes given your diagnosis I would take a statin, last thing you want is plaque to break away leading to heart attack stroke, seen damage they do & how they ruin lives, so stick with expert advice from those who know you best.

 

[HenryBennett]

she has prescribed Atorvastatin yesterday , I have read the leaflet... Big mistake

There’s a great deal of noise around about statins but I’ve been taking atorvastatin for around 15 years with few side effects. Muscle cramps early on or when the dose has been increased. I’m now on 80mg which is like a horse tablet. I genuinely think you shouldn’t worry so much about it.

 

[trophywench]

I had the brain fog and memory problems and did think I had Alzheimer's - it was very very frightening.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear about the narrowing of blood vessels @CosmicHedgehog

Its a very personal decision, about medication and risk, but remember that statins are one of the most widely prescribed drugs in history, and the majority of folks take them with no issues.

I hope the investigations clarify the way forward for you - and all the best whatever you decide to do meds-wise... hopefully one or other of the statins will suits you. Hope the anxiety subsides.

 

[Drummer]

Metformin and Atorvastatin for a few weeks and I had about 3 decades of extra and unwanted aging drop on me. If they do affect you then it is no joke. I think I have made a good recovery, but it took time and is not perfect.

 

[Junglegirl]

I was prescribed statins many years ago and had dreadful side effects, immediate memory loss in relation to words and spellings, I was a secretary at the time so this affected my work. I stopped taking the statins, was placed on another one, same problem plus aches and pains, dreadful time coupled with higher blood sugars.
I have had extremely high blood pressure for years, none of the BP meds settled well with me, making me ill as well, I had to be taken off them due to the horrible side effects.
Everyone is so different, you can only try them and see. I can honestly say I will never take another.
Good luck going forward.

 

[Hepato-pancreato]

Sorry about your diagnosis. Horrible to be told of a life altering condition. Anyway as we all take different amounts of insulin and even different types it's so personal to you. The side effects you read on the leaflet are all that have been reported. Therefore you may get one or two effects or even zero. As life becomes an experiment dealing with diabetes, how much insulin do i need for this and that. It's the same with any condition. Someone might tell you how awful statins made them feel on the other hand someone might say they felt fine. No one can tell you what to do it is up to you to weigh up the pros and cons. Good luck! Hope you discover a solution.