Seething! - WARNING- major whinge

[MCH]

I am so annoyed today.

I went to get a blood test - which resulted from the doctor wanting me to start on statins to reduce my cholesterol from 4.6. I went to the chemist and picked up the prescription, but after reading the side effects (which he had not mentioned) chose NOT to take them. (Instead, I stopped eating cheese and as much fat as I could avoid for a fortnight as I had to return today to get a blood test to check that the tablets had not affected my liver though I had assumed – incorrectly as it turned out- that I would get a basic cholesterol test s par t of the test.)

When I went this morning, the nurse (and I know it’s not her fault) refused to take the blood test because I have not started the tablets. This has means that although the info in the tablet box suggested that I should not take them unless I had already tried reducing my cholesterol via altering my diet, I have no official idea whether this has had any effect.

By the time I left the surgery, I was almost in tears – how pathetic is that for a 44 year old woman?

I have spent two weeks not eating fat if I could help it so that I could see if this had any/enough effect on my levels and it all seems to have come to NOTHING! The nurse said if I had not been taking the tablets, there was no point in carrying out the tests the doctor had wanted, but to be fair to her, she could not authorize a straightforward cholesterol test – even thought that would have been presumably cheaper as it is fewer tests that the doctor wanted.

The result is that I now have an appointment next week (with a different GP) to discuss side effects, but no member of the medical profession has suggested what I gather is the sensible option of getting a fasting test to ascertain what the ration of “good” cholesterol to “bad” is

The really stupid bit about the whole thing is it REALLY stems from the fact that the first doctor didn’t mention side effects at all – though when I think about it I suppose the fact he told me I needed a blood test a fortnight after staring the tablets WAS him discussing them with me.

 

[Einstein]

There is quite a bit of support that Statins can in some people cause problem, I think your decision to seriously address your cholesteral with diet alone is good.

It's interesting reading of late how the medical profession seem to deem that you have to take prescribed medication and if you don't they can penalise you. If you'd taken to eating 5Kg of high cheese every week yet still taken the tablets they would have been happy.

Also, there has been some very interesting research out of Cambridge recently about fasting -v- non-fasting lipids tests. Essentially there is no difference in the results and I recall the sample was over 300,000 tests.

If I were you in the future with a nurse I'd just keep quiet and nod faithfully!

From the purpose of drug interactions, side effects etc, GPs read from a book, pharmacists know all you're taking and can advise you far better than your GP - in my opion.

I think an open discuss with your GP about your desire not to take drugs and that you'd prefer to manage by cutting all fat from your diet - it has in the long term to be far better than taking drugs for your diabetes and general health as well.

Good luck next week, remember it's your body and you alone decide what gets put into it.

 

[am64]

how frustrating however now you are able to get to discuss with GP all the side effects....i was put on them par cousre when diagnioise along with 2x500mg metaformin..after 3 months taken off and reduced to only 1x500mg only cos my nurse saw me looking so dredful...my colestral when higher again in summer but i was denying my D...and eating crap...but is on the way down...explain to gp exactly what your worries are and what you think has made you Col. high and what action you have taken to reduce it..and see if you can do it without meds ...however if your gp really thinks you will need them maybe give em a go ...but get him/her to explain exactly why..and the consequences of taking them...
hope this helps
amxx

 

[MCH]

Thanks for the support Einstein. I will let you know how it goes next week -and if I manage not to burst into tears in the surgery when I speak to him - the good thing about today was that I managed to tell the receptionist that I would take an appointment with any doctor BUT the first one!

 

[MCH]

Thanks also AM64.

 

[RachelT]

I agree with einstein, i don't think my GP (curently known on this board as Dr Twit) would know a side effect if it hit him round the head! I understand why you don't like taking statins, i don;t like taking them either, but have yet to tell Dr T or Nurse Angela. I mentioned to Dr T that i was worried coz my incidence of waking up with leg cramps had gone up since i started taking the things, he recommened i tried stopping them for a bit, and errmmm, i'm never restarted. Last time Nurse Angela took my cholsterol she said it was normal, so i figured that i was doing ok without the damned things.

That said, side effects are funny things, some people have a horrible time with Simvastatin, others have no worries at all. Simvastatin's are usually stomach related problems (nausea, diahorrea, wind etc) or muscle pains. Muscle pains can be serious. Take simvastatin at night to a) limit the gastric side effects and b) coz that's when your body makes cholesterol and Simvastatin has a short-ish half life, meaning if you take it in the morning then it won't still be working at nightime. I've never seen anybody take more than one tablet a day.

What i do object to is being stuck on these stupid things just because i'm diabetic, i'm also on ramipril (which i take more often than simvastatin but still not properly), and i know full well this is only because i've hit the appropraite range in the NICE guidelines where it says "prescribe simvastatin and ramipril". Did Dr Twit stop to ask me if i wanted to take these tablets? No. Which i think is unreasonable in any case, but to prove a point i'm of childbearing age and Simvastatin shouldn't be given to pregnant women. Did he ask if i was thinking of starting a family? No. He's just written me off. He never bothered to explain the side effects to me, or even pointed out that simvastatin should be taken at night...the great oaf. As Einstein said, some doctors read out of a book, mine doesn't even bother with that (saw him use it once, but he was looking up the wrong drug then!), dispite the fact we send him a new copy, free of charge, twice a year. Some of us have to make do with thier hand me downs....🙄


Rachel

 

[Peter C]

Thanks for the support Einstein. I will let you know how it goes next week -and if I manage not to burst into tears in the surgery when I speak to him - the good thing about today was that I managed to tell the receptionist that I would take an appointment with any doctor BUT the first one!

hello there,

the five steps usually suggested to reduce Chols by natural means are
1. Cut down on saturated fats and trans fats ( animal fats)
2. Replace them with "good oils" - poly unsaturated fats e.g. olive oil, nuts, oily fish
3. eat whole grain foods - veg, pulses, oats
4. maintain healthy body weight
5. exercise - keep physically active

hth

 

[Caroline]

I find it sometimes pays to be economical with the truth when I see the doctor, and if I really want something do sometimes lay things on with a trowel.

I hope it all works out for you. You could point out if you can control cholestrole through diet you are saving them money as you don't need the statins, and a lower fat diet has to be better for your health.