Opinion about Statin??

[Foxley 83]

I was diagnosed with diabetes type 1 on the 1st November 2021 at the age of 38. Was suffering from DKA sugar levels 39 and ketones 6.9. Now recently my cholesterol is reading 5.2 and they want to give statin medication. I am unsure, really appreciate people's opinions and experience on the matter.

 

[Docb]

Hi @Foxley 83. If you read around the forum, you will find that the question you ask is likely to attract a lot of what can be quite hectic debate which usually descends to an argument between extremes of view. I warn you it can get quite acrimonious.

In amongst it you will find what is probably the sensible view, that statins give sufficient benefit to sufficient numbers of people to make their use worthwhile. Like all medications they can induce side effects but they affect a minority of users.

If ever offered statins by my surgery, I would assume it was for good reason, and take them. I would keep track of their effects and only question the GP decision if they were ineffective in reducing cholesterol levels or if I was one of the unfortunate few who experienced side effects.

 

[nonethewiser]

Statins have to one of the most researched drugs around & considered safe & effective, many on this forum take them without any side effects.

If you read around Web there's lot of rubbish spoken about them from unqualified people with agendas, so my advice would be to look at reputable sources & leave rest well alone.

 

[helli]

Despite having a low cholesterol, I have been offered statins. I have nothing against them per se but I have refused them for now I am not sure if it is totally logical but I can't get my head around taking medication when there is nothing wrong with me "just in case".
I prefer to look after my heart through regular exercise, balanced diet (ok I am not sure what that means but I eat a lot of veg and minimise processed food by making most of what I eat from scratch), and managing my diabetes.
I justify this to myself by avoiding the potential side effects of statins
As I say, I am not sure how logical/rational this is but it is my choice which I do reconsider every time they are offered and would take them if I had high cholesterol.

The long and short is that we can all make our own decisions on statins and can chose to be swayed by doctors as well as those who suffer nasty side effects (and conspiracy theorists).

 

[bulkbiker]

I was diagnosed with diabetes type 1 on the 1st November 2021 at the age of 38. Was suffering from DKA sugar levels 39 and ketones 6.9. Now recently my cholesterol is reading 5.2 and they want to give statin medication. I am unsure, really appreciate people's opinions and experience on the matter.

My logical reaction is that without cholesterol we'd all be dead.
Your body makes it when you don't eat enough of it.
Your body regulates it too.
Messing with something that is so important for life seems to me to be crazy.
The "benefits" (apart from being the most profitable drug ever invented so far) seem in many cases to be either non existent or very minor.
Many people report the harms and side effects.

As with everything else it's up to you what you put into your body.

Did the test include a full lipid panel?
5.2 in itself is pretty meaningless (as well as being "normal")

 

[LUSTFORLIFE]

I was diagnosed with diabetes type 1 on the 1st November 2021 at the age of 38. Was suffering from DKA sugar levels 39 and ketones 6.9. Now recently my cholesterol is reading 5.2 and they want to give statin medication. I am unsure, really appreciate people's opinions and experience on the matter.

hi, ive been on statins for over 5 years with no negative effects, I hate taking tablets, but I did a lot of research about statins and its pretty clear that doctors recommend them, I read the other day that their going to be offered to a further 10 million people in the uk to lower the risk of strokes and heart attacks, hope this helps.

 

[Eddy Edson]

I've been taking a high-dose statin for almost 5 years now. Like most people, no side effects.

The evidence overwhelmingly supports their use to reduce cardiovascular risks.

 

[EmmaL76]

My logical reaction is that without cholesterol we'd all be dead.
Your body makes it when you don't eat enough of it.
Your body regulates it too.
Messing with something that is so important for life seems to me to be crazy.
The "benefits" (apart from being the most profitable drug ever invented so far) seem in many cases to be either non existent or very minor.
Many people report the harms and side effects.

As with everything else it's up to you what you put into your body.

Did the test include a full lipid panel?
5.2 in itself is pretty meaningless (as well as being "normal")

I agree 100% with this. I never had problems with cholesterol until diagnosis and my subsequent weight loss when I was already slim. Always been in the 4’s my whole life. Got real skinny chol went up to 6. Ate more and I’m coming back down every time I have it done, last one was 4.9. Interestingly the one before was 5.1 or 2 and when I asked if they still wanted me in statins DN said no there is nothing wrong with that and your ratios are really good ? There seems to be a lot of differing opinions in this subject. The posts labelled statins on this site are guaranteed to get attention lol

 

[rebrascora]

When I was diagnosed 4 years ago my cholesterol was 5.2 and I was told by both my nurse and consultant that my ratios were good and I was fit and healthy (apart from diabetes of course but I personally don't think that makes me unhealthy if I manage it well) and didn't need statins. I was happy with that decision. Roll forward to just over a year ago and my practice nurse at my GP surgery rings me in a fluster to offer me statins because I am not prescribed them and my QRisk is 13%. I explain that I am now slimmer and fitter and my diabetes is better managed than it was 4 years ago at diagnosis and my cholesterol levels have reduced to 4.5 and ratios still good so why do they now feel that I need them when I didn't before? She just said that my QRisk was above 10% and therefore I need to be prescribed them. The main factors in my QRisk are that I am female and 58yrs old and have diabetes. I can't change any of these things but I am fitter than most 58 yr old women and I manage my diabetes well and my cholesterol levels are not high. I also eat a lot of fat and a high proportion of saturated fat (cream in my coffee, lots of cheese, fatty meat, eggs etc) because I follow a low carb higher fat way of eating. It would be hypocracy for me to take statins when I eat a high fat diet and my diet really suits me and has improved other aspects of my health, not just my diabetes management, so I do not intend to change that. Needless to say I refused her offer. I discussed it with the same consultant who had previously said that I didn't need statins and he said that he would now recommend them despite my situation being improved from when he said I didn't need them, so I suspect they are encouraging more people to take them as a result of Covid and the risks of blood clots associated with Covid.

If my personal situation changes then I will review my decision but I personally feel the push to take stains does not take into account people's individual circumstances and I do not want to take tablets unnecessarily. I am not "anti statin" per se, I just don't think they should be doled out like sweeties to all and sundry without taking individual circumstances into account. I also believe that any medication we take has an impact on our bodies, just like the food we eat and in particular our gut biome, which is central to our general health and wellbeing, so I don't want to put things into my body which have the potential to upset the balance, for no particular benefit.