Statin confusion

[Maca44]

So my results in March while on Statins

Serum cholesterol level 3.56 mmol/L
Serum triglyceride levels 1.25 mmol/L [< 2.3]
Serum HDL cholesterol level 1.11 mmol/L [0.75 - 1.85]
Total cholesterol:HDL ratio 3.2 Ratio
Calculated LDL cholesterol level 1.88 mmol/L [0.0 - 3.0]

Stopped taking Statins just over a month ago as it was giving me vivid dreams one after another and a swear poor memory.

30th June 2021

Serum lipid levels
Serum cholesterol level 5.73 mmol/L
Serum HDL cholesterol level 1.24 mmol/L [0.75 - 1.85]
Total cholesterol:HDL ratio 4.6 Ratio

Pathology report says Normal but have strongly been advised to go back on which I did Friday. So why does it say Normal but they want me back on.

 

[Leadinglights]

The levels which are classed as Normal are different for people who are classified at 'high risk' and that includes people with diabetes. The preferred level for total cholesterol is less than 4mmol/mol, they are probably concerned that is has risen. Maybe a different statin would give you less side effects.

 

[Maca44]

The levels which are classed as Normal are different for people who are classified at 'high risk' and that includes people with diabetes. The preferred level for total cholesterol is less than 4mmol/mol, they are probably concerned that is has risen. Maybe a different statin would give you less side effects.

Didn't think about that so will just carry on and put up with the SE's it's not a major one just annoying. Which one is the good cholesterol ?

Thanks

 

[PattiEvans]

Cholesterol is a basic building block of every cell in your body. It's not a poison. It's my personal opinion (underpinned by a lot of reading) that under 4 is dangerous and probably why you were having memory problems. You see it's the low cholesterol rather than the statins that causes memory problems. I had the same problems myself and stopped taking them years ago. May I suggest you read this article from Zoe Harcombe PhD

 

[Leadinglights]

Didn't think about that so will just carry on and put up with the SE's it's not a major one just annoying. Which one is the good cholesterol ?

Thanks

You could try asking for a lower dose of your statin, I take 10mg atvorstatin and that is sufficient to keep cholesterol at 3.2 ish.
I do agree that the body needs cholesterol for all sorts of metabolic processes, including synthesis of hormones, vit D, tissue healing among others.

 

[PattiEvans]

PS I am not advising you one way or the other, but I do suggest it worth looking into it so you know the facts and can make your own mind up.

 

[Maca44]

Cholesterol is a basic building block of every cell in your body. It's not a poison. It's my personal opinion (underpinned by a lot of reading) that under 4 is dangerous and probably why you were having memory problems. You see it's the low cholesterol rather than the statins that causes memory problems. I had the same problems myself and stopped taking them years ago. May I suggest you read this article from Zoe Harcombe PhD

I understand what you are saying and the choice you have made not to take them. Thank you for the link that is very interesting and helpful to me, I'm going to think long and hard about this as the link has highlighted that a drug I take for anxiety/depression at a high dose effects cholesterol and I never knew that although this is a med I need to take to keep me functioning mentally so would not change it.

Thank you

 

[PattiEvans]

I have from time to time been put under a lot of pressure to take them, but I have set my stall out with the GP and they have had to accept that I won't. Although my Chol is regarded as high at 5.4 the lipid panel shows a high level of HDL, low LDL, low triglycerides and the ratio of HDL to trigs is excellent. So I feel OK about my decision... as I said, it's got to be everyone's own choice as to what is best for them.

 

[Felinia]

I was a good girl when told I needed to take statins, and over an 18 month period tried 3 different ones. They did the job and I got to below 3, but the side effects of each were horrific. I went from a fit active person, to a bloated, pain ridden, depressed, housebound, incontinent wreck. In the end I flat out refused to take them, and the review nurse said I had the worst side effects she had come across. But it took 9 months before all the symptoms went and I never got back to how I was before. Since then I remain around the 5.2-5.4 mark with good ratios. I've had 3 different GP's all trying to get me to take them again, but I never will. Yet my friend takes them happily with no side effects. Just like diabetes, statins affects everyone differently.

 

[Drummer]

I took statins in 2016 and am only just getting my brain back into full working condition - I lost all my songs and had to read them from a book, luckily I could remember most of the tunes, but Atorvastatin and Metformin made me think that the next stop was a care home, and then I began to have thoughts of suicide.

 

[Maca44]

I took statins in 2016 and am only just getting my brain back into full working condition - I lost all my songs and had to read them from a book, luckily I could remember most of the tunes, but Atorvastatin and Metformin made me think that the next stop was a care home, and then I began to have thoughts of suicide.

Yes my brain has been Fuzzy at times