Cholesterol testing and dropping statins

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sandy

sandy

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Someone on the forum has suggested that the tingling in my toes/fingers may be caused by my use of statins.

two things

1. I am thinking of buying a home test kit and reducing/dropping the statins if I can keep my chol levels down

2. If I do so are my symptoms like to decrease
 
Just skyeping him and dragging him away form his patients 🙂
 
sandy said:
Someone on the forum has suggested that the tingling in my toes/fingers may be caused by my use of statins.

two things

1. I am thinking of buying a home test kit and reducing/dropping the statins if I can keep my chol levels down

2. If I do so are my symptoms like to decrease
Click to expand...

Dear sandy,

This site owner believes that Statins cause neuropathy: Space Doc

Dr. Kendrick believes that cholesterol and heart disease are not correlated.

WHO Data- Chol and Heart Disease not related

If you can satisfy yourself that the above are true taking Statins to lower chol is irrelevent!

Regards Dodger
 
Last chol was 4.4 so will be trying to deal with this by diet.
 
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My latest total chol was 6.2 and I very happy it is - older people with high chol live longer! 🙂

Regards Dodger
 
Sandy, you could try taking the co-enzyme q10, that might help your neuropathy (technically it's thought to be better for muscle pain which is a more common side effect, or at least, better known. Personally i think i'm conviced that neuropathy is a "common" side effect, but i don't hold much sway with the BMA....or really understand clinical trails...yet) . I've no idea of how easy it is to get hold of, it's un-liscenced so could be hard to get on prescription and your doctor would have to beleive it would work (and convince your local primary care trust) but as it's a dietary suppliment, you might be able to get it in health food shops. I don't think it will do you any harm to try it, but check with a doctor.

Rachel
 
RachelT said:
Sandy, you could try taking the co-enzyme q10, that might help your neuropathy (technically it's thought to be better for muscle pain which is a more common side effect, or at least, better known. Personally i think i'm conviced that neuropathy is a "common" side effect, but i don't hold much sway with the BMA....or really understand clinical trails...yet) . I've no idea of how easy it is to get hold of, it's un-liscenced so could be hard to get on prescription and your doctor would have to beleive it would work (and convince your local primary care trust) but as it's a dietary suppliment, you might be able to get it in health food shops. I don't think it will do you any harm to try it, but check with a doctor.

Rachel
Click to expand...


I remember that used to advertised on the TV - if doc wouldnt prescribe it then I would be happy to buy it - but have decided to try and manage chol by diet (I did for a while after D was diagnosed but then I let myself slip and levels rose although ISTR I was 5.5 when put on statins. Will take stock then if situation hasnt improved.

Can you just stop statins or do you need to wean yourself off them?
 
Fair enough, i'm of a similar opinion personally, i'd rather control Cholesterol through diet (in my case, low fat spread) than suffer muscle or nerve pain. I was on Statins for a while, but i got cramp at night and told my doc who advised me to stop taking them for a while, and i've conveniently forgotten to start again...
You can stop them, Simvastatin has a short half life anyway (how quick it leaves your system) so if that's what you're taking it should be out of your system in less than 24 hours.
 
Coincidence?

Been having a lot of trouble with my knees (painful, giving way and uncomfortable at night) along with aching legs. My GP gave me the usual - take more exercise and lose weight. However she just got the results of my cholesterol tests after increasing my Rosuvastatin(Crestor) by 50% and cholesterol was down from 4.4 to 3.4. I pointed out that the 4.4 was non-fasting whereas the 3.4 was fasting and I wasn't happy at the pain in my legs, could I go back to the original doseage. She eventually agreed that I should drop the Rosuvastatin for a trial period of 1 month.

Guess what, within 24 hours the leg aches have gone and I feel a lot better. Knee still hurts but it's getting better and having downloaded by BG readings from my new Contour USB it would appear that I shall have to reduce my Levemir injections (85 units twice a day) as I haven't had a reading above 7 since. It's 5.4 tonight before bed and that could mean a Hypo at 3am. Anyone else stopped their statins and noticed this effect?
 
Spoke to my GP mate - he said its OK just to stop taking statins, no need to wean myself off them which is handy because I last took them on Thursday night 🙂

Feet still occasinally aching like buggery during the day but feel better when at my desk. Hopefully they will improve soon - I'll provide feedback either way.
 
So neuropathy symptoms have pretty much gone - but was this diabetes related neuropathy or a side affect of the statins?

Stopped taking statins about 10 days ago but also been dieting for this period (and the week before) so my fasting BG has dropped from about 6.5 to 4.4.

I need to get a new hba1c and my cholesterol levels checked.
 
Thanks for the update Sandy. Very interested in the statins situation as my doc's attempt to double my dosage because I now have diabetes left me quite ill.

Please let us know how you go on.
 
Next month's diabetes uk talk in Northampton is about statins and cholesterol, i'm gonna take notes.
 
RachelT said:
Next month's diabetes uk talk in Northampton is about statins and cholesterol, i'm gonna take notes.
Click to expand...

Let us know what they have to say. I'd be interested to hear about it.
 
RachelT said:
Next month's diabetes uk talk in Northampton is about statins and cholesterol, i'm gonna take notes.
Click to expand...

Where and when is it - I am not too far away so may pop over.
 
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