Statins

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JennySL

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I have just been told by the practice nurse that I can have statins. There was no pressure from her. I’m not keen but would like some opinions.
my cholesterol is 5.7 (last diabetes check it was 5.4) creeping up. I can’t improve diet or activity etc, she said it will prevent heart disease and stroke.
I don’t want more meds and the side effects. Any advice gratefully received.
 
What side effects are you concerned about?

I refused statins first time they were suggested and over the next two years my cholesterol crept slightly higher in spite of the steps I'd taken to reduce it. I accepted the statins. I take one daily. I have no side effects that I am aware of. My cholesterol is now within ideal ranges.
 
ColinUK said:
What side effects are you concerned about?

I refused statins first time they were suggested and over the next two years my cholesterol crept slightly higher in spite of the steps I'd taken to reduce it. I accepted the statins. I take one daily. I have no side effects that I am aware of. My cholesterol is now within ideal ranges.
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That’s good that you have no side effects. Some report tiredness and muscle pain. That is on concern. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. It’s appreciated.
 
To be pedantic, they will not prevent heart disease or stroke. They may decrease your risk of these.
 
JennySL said:
Yes, thank you for pointing that out. Do you take statins? Would you reccomend them?
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Everyone is different.
It was described to me as making the blood less sticky and therefore reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Someone is going to get side effects from every single thing out there but that's them. If this helps me lower my risk of cardiac arrest or stroke then that's a good thing and there's plenty of evidence out there which suggests that side effects are largely cases of people expecting them and then getting them without any actual medical cause. I think the term is "nocebo".
 
I don't have any side effects from a high-intensity statin (20mg rosuvastatin). Most people don't.

Statins are excellent for reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
 
No side effects for me either.
But you'll get the horror stories soon.

In reality, the only person who can answer the question about what effect will they have on you, is you after taking them for a couple of weeks.
 
I am one badly affected by statins - in 5 weeks I was suicidal and so threw them away but it took years to feel that I was better.
 
I have started taking them this year and have had no ill effects at all.

I’m due to get a blood test to see what changes may have happened later this month.

The recommendations for people with diabetes are slightly more stringent than ‘nonnys’. Because simply having diabetes (even if well managed) statistically increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. And the more years you live with diabetes, the greater the increase of risk is likely to be.

For people with diabetes I think the target is a total cholesterol of less than 4.0mmol/L
 
I've been on statins for more than ten years now with no side effects whatsoever.

Anything that reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes and with no side effects
has got to be good - well they are for me.

And you can always stop taking them if they don't agree with you.
 
Diabetes increases the risk of irritation within blood vessels. The body in trying to heal this irritation lays down fatty deposits. These narrow the arteries which can cause heart disease (CVD), PAD and narrowing of other arteries like the carotid arteries. It may also cause vascular dementia. I initially refused statins and when I started was put on a very low dose. I wish I had started on a higher dose earlier as I may have avoided the need for a triple bypass and a BKA. The first statin I tried, simvastatin, did cause muscle pain but a change to atorvastatin alleviated this. Very few people are allergic to all stations. Whilst my bypass was quite a positive experience the amputation wing was hell on earth!
 
MikeyBikey said:
Diabetes increases the risk of irritation within blood vessels. The body in trying to heal this irritation lays down fatty deposits. These narrow the arteries which can cause heart disease (CVD), PAD and narrowing of other arteries like the carotid arteries. It may also cause vascular dementia. I initially refused statins and when I started was put on a very low dose. I wish I had started on a higher dose earlier as I may have avoided the need for a triple bypass and a BKA. The first statin I tried, simvastatin, did cause muscle pain but a change to atorvastatin alleviated this. Very few people are allergic to all stations. Whilst my bypass was quite a positive experience the amputation wing was hell on earth!
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Yep, my PAD was the reason why I pushed my slightly statin-hesitant GP to prescribe at the high intensity levels consistent with guidelines for secondary prevention. It's worked a treat, in terms of whacking down my non-HDL cholesterol.

And also I think in terms of helping me to develop a great network of collateral vessels getting around my completely blocked femoral artery, so allowing me now to average 11km+ walking per day at a respectable pace.

PAD is way underdiagnosed by all accounts, certainly compared to CAD, but it's just as dangerous. Like having heart failure or a heart attack, except in the leg. Diabetes, smoking, high BP, elevated non-HDL, age are major risk factors. Any diabetic aged 50+ getting leg pains or cramping after walking short distances quite likely has it.
 
Eddy Edson said:
PAD is way underdiagnosed by all accounts, certainly compared to CAD, but it's just as dangerous. Like having heart failure or a heart attack, except in the leg. Diabetes, smoking, high BP, elevated non-HDL, age are major risk factors. Any diabetic aged 50+ getting leg pains or cramping after walking short distances quite likely has it.
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I did have aches before I was diagnosed, although it was generally when walking upwards and wasn't really pain. I got pains after three big hill climbs in Symons Yat and this is what lead to the eventual diagnosis as they wanted some up to date bloods (They said the pain was 'wear and tear.'). Although in my case it was mainly uncomfortable when sitting or lying down. When I walked it went away?

I recently walked 1/3 of the way up mount Vesuvius without a problem (And a libre sensor throwing alarms like mad as my BG was heading down!).

I wonder if I have/had PAD? I did mention this to the DN last year but she shrugged it off.
 
I’ve been on statins for years, at least 20! Started on Simvastatin and been on Atorvastatin at 30mg / day for several years now without any side effects that I am aware of.

As others have said, reducing the risk of heart problems, strokes, etc. seems worthwhile to me. But YMMV (to borrow a car term, Your Mileage May Vary) and you may get some side effects, but you can also explore other statin options with your GP to find something that works for you without side effects. Definitely worth trying I would have said.
 
Only took statin for 3 months & no side effects, didn't think I would as majority don't get any.
 
Was put on statins in Apr as higher risk due to age and having high bp. No side effects at all. Went from 4.7 down to 3.2 in 3 months. Well happy!
 
Taken Statins since diagnosis nearly 15 years ago, with good reduction in cholesterol and no side effects that I have noticed.
 
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