Joining the merry band!

[JohnT]

Hi folks,

Was diagnosed with Type 2 three weeks ago. Touch of irony as I’d stopped drinking and lost 3.5 stones in weight over the previous fifteen months!

However, I had my 10 minutes with the GP Practice Nurse, feet checked, given statins, Metformin and an (undeserved) lifestyle scolding. Told to return in three months for review! No explanation, no targets, just in and out.

The statins are giving me blinding headaches but I’m persevering. I have now developed intermittent severe episodes of dizziness, actually falling over on two occasions. Feels like being drunk with the room spinning.

Tried to get GP appointment at the 8am phone lottery with no success. I feel pretty rejected by the system. I’m particularly worried about the dizziness which may or may not be associated with my statins / Metformin.

Any advice would be appreciated

John

 

[Drummer]

We can't advise - but I stopped taking Atorvastatin as I had a bad reaction, 5 years ago now, and it took some time to recover, and it reads as though you are even worse than I was.
I persevered for 5 weeks and really wish I had binned the tablets sooner.

 

[trophywench]

Well dizziness is a stated side effect of statins according to both Web MD which is I believe an American website and also on the actual Patient Information Leaflet inside every packet. I think I'd stop taking them.

You hadn't drop dead when you weren't taking them so I wouldn't imagine you'll do so overnight either, frankly! Then just carry on trying to get an appointment with a doctor. Hopefully by that time, you'll either no longer be dizzy or if stopping doesn't help you'll also know by then that there's summat else wrong with you that needs different treatment.

 

[JohnT]

Thank you! J

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hello @JohnT

Sorry to hear you are finding it difficult accessing your surgery, and feeling that the care you’ve been given is a little lacking. Unfortunately with the pressure the system is currently under, this isn’t an entirely unusual experience

It could well be that an alternative statin might suit you better, so do let your Dr or nurse know about the symptoms you have been experiencing whenever you next have a follow-up.

Did you get your blood pressure checked at your appointment? This is one of the usual checks, and I wonder if it may have reduced following your weight loss (huge congrats on that by the way!).

Metformin generally works in the background, improving insulin sensitivity, and reducing glucose output from the liver, and doesn’t act directly on any particular meal, so isn’t usually thought to increase risk of hypoglycaemia.

Oh… and welcome to the forum!

 

[Stiggy]

Hi folks,

Was diagnosed with Type 2 three weeks ago. Touch of irony as I’d stopped drinking and lost 3.5 stones in weight over the previous fifteen months!

However, I had my 10 minutes with the GP Practice Nurse, feet checked, given statins, Metformin and an (undeserved) lifestyle scolding. Told to return in three months for review! No explanation, no targets, just in and out.

The statins are giving me blinding headaches but I’m persevering. I have now developed intermittent severe episodes of dizziness, actually falling over on two occasions. Feels like being drunk with the room spinning.

Tried to get GP appointment at the 8am phone lottery with no success. I feel pretty rejected by the system. I’m particularly worried about the dizziness which may or may not be associated with my statins / Metformin.

Any advice would be appreciated

John

Long story short. When first diagnosed with type 2, I too took statins on advice of practice nurse. I too kept falling over. Turns out I had an allergic reaction to statins which didn't manifest itself until many months later, causing my immune system to attack itself and resulting in me developing a condition called Myositis. I'm now on a combination of steroids and cytotoxic immunosuppressives, which I've been told will be for a minimum of 12 months

 

[Felinia]

Hi John and welcome. My friend was put on statins and within 2 days started experiencing dizziness and disorientation. She was immediately taken off that statin. I too had very severe reactions, although I tried 3 different statins over 18 months - one of the unlucky ones who do react. As suggested above, you may need to try a different one. My GP advised me to take a cholesterol reducing drink, which I have done faithfully for 13 years now. It has reduced my total cholesterol by 17%.
But you certainly need to have the headaches and dizziness investigated, so keep persevering. Does your surgery offer online booking/assessment services? Mine asks me to fill in an online form, it is assessed by a nurse practitioner, and passed to the GP. You are then offered an in-person appointment, a phone appointment, information or medication.