Statins

[everydayupsanddowns]

I have taken statins since I was diagnosed with T1, since that prompted full blood tests and my cholesterol was very high. Statins have brought them down and improved my ratio too. I have not experienced any side effects.

That was my experience too. I waited far too long, with a QRISK hovering a little below 10% and TC in the 4s-5s, but the advancing years was nudging my QRISK upwards so I gave statins a go.

No side effects whatever, and significant improvement in all parts of my lipid panel.

Hope you get on well with them @Sharron1

 

[Sharron1]

That was my experience too. I waited far too long, with a QRISK hovering a little below 10% and TC in the 4s-5s, but the advancing years was nudging my QRISK upwards so I gave statins a go.

No side effects whatever, and significant improvement in all parts of my lipid panel.

Hope you get on well with them @Sharron1

Thank you. I don't really have any objection to Statins. Tbh I am more miffed at being stuck on 4 tabs of metformin when my hba1c results are consistently good. The weak response from surgery doesn't really give me any reason, so I continue asking like a broken record!! On and on.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thank you. I don't really have any objection to Statins. Tbh I am more miffed at being stuck on 4 tabs of metformin when my hba1c results are consistently good. The weak response from surgery doesn't really give me any reason, so I continue asking like a broken record!! On and on.

Sorry to hear you aren’t getting much of a positive response to your questions about reducing Metformin @Sharron1

How blunt are you being with your questions? Sometimes you do have to be quite pushy I find, especially where appointment times are short, and the HCP is focussed on getting through their own agenda 🙄

 

[RBZ5416]

Tbh I am more miffed at being stuck on 4 tabs of metformin when my hba1c results are consistently good.

No reason why you can't start a reduction yourself. You have a meter so can easily spot if levels start to rise.

 

[Sharron1]

Sorry to hear you aren’t getting much of a positive response to your questions about reducing Metformin @Sharron1

How blunt are you being with your questions? Sometimes you do have to be quite pushy I find, especially where appointment times are short, and the HCP is focussed on getting through their own agenda 🙄

Blunt enough without being rude! Decided on new strategy an email to the GP, Nurse/ HCP and Prescribing Practioner, Diabetes expert in Surgery (tfe cleaner???) and see what response (if any)that brings me. I only want a reason why rather 'if it aint broke don't fix it'.

No reason why you can't start a reduction yourself. You have a meter so can easily spot if levels start to rise.

Did think about it but prefer to have it noted on my records.

 

[SB2015]

The weak response from surgery doesn't really give me any reason, so I continue asking like a broken record!! On and on

Sorry that you are not getting a more informed response from your surgery. We definitely need to expend unnecessary energy sometimes to get a response. Keep at it. Can you email prior to an appointment with evidence listed for them, or take this document with you if email is not possible. I find that enables me to make better use of the time available and often elicits a more positive response.

I hope you are able to get a better response soon. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Sharron1]

Sorry that you are not getting a more informed response from your surgery. We definitely need to expend unnecessary energy sometimes to get a response. Keep at it. Can you email prior to an appointment with evidence listed for them, or take this document with you if email is not possible. I find that enables me to make better use of the time available and often elicits a more positive response.

I hope you are able to get a better response soon. Let us know how you get on.

Emailing is my next plan of action. Emailng GP, Diabetes expert in surgery, HCP and Prescribing Pharmacist Hopefully one of these will provide me with a reason. Absolutely ridiculous. At work I am known for being tenacious (in a good way). Sigh.

 

[Inka]

Interesting reading about statins. I was offered them a few years ago and turned them down, but I do wonder at what age or test result I should reconsider.

Is there any neutral online information about the pros and cons? I’ve heard of the side effects, which is part of the reason I’m put off (too busy to be dealing with side effects!) but I haven’t read much about the pros - how they help, what they prevent specifically, and why they might be a good idea.

Any pointers would be appreciated because the perimenopause is making me feel a bit old so the statin question popped back into my head!

 

[Lurcher67]

I was put on 20mg Atorvastatin in April and three months later my TC reduced from 5.6 to 3.5, ratio from 3.7 to 2.3; LDL 3.7 to 1.7.
I haven’t had any side effects.

 

[Sussexmax]

Did think about it but prefer to have it noted on my records.

Probably sensible because if it was elevated and for whatever reason you had another blood test your surgery might think you needed even more medication! Hope you get it sorted!

 

[Burylancs]

Thank you. I don't really have any objection to Statins. Tbh I am more miffed at being stuck on 4 tabs of metformin when my hba1c results are consistently good. The weak response from surgery doesn't really give me any reason, so I continue asking like a broken record!! On and on.

If your HbA1c results are consistently good on metformin, why would they want to reduce or withdraw it ?

 

[Sharron1]

If your HbA1c results are consistently good on metformin, why would they want to reduce or withdraw it ?

I suspect my diet and active life means I am doing most of the heavy lifting and the only way to get some idea is to reduce the no of metformin tabs and see what happens. If my hba1c does increase I can always return to the 4 tabs.

 

[harbottle]

I was just told ‘ there’s an argument that we should stop the Metformin (500mg a day) to ‘see what happens’”

‘See what happens’ didn’t sound particularly scientific!

A friend who is a GP told me that he’d do the same, and that lifestyle changes are far more effective than Metformin, which only has a fairly modest effect.

 

[Sharron1]

I was just told ‘ there’s an argument that we should stop the Metformin (500mg a day) to ‘see what happens’”

‘See what happens’ didn’t sound particularly scientific!

A friend who is a GP told me that he’d do the same, and that lifestyle changes are far more effective than Metformin, which only has a fairly modest effect.

It is all so arbitrary. My surgery appears to prescribe very quickly for all sort of conditions, do an annual check to make sure the patient is still standing avd then leave alone. There is no time for a few minutes of discussion, if you try they batten down the hatches, go into defensive mode. My favourite tetchy response from a GP when I politely asked about a metformin reduction was ' well it's your body' which although is patently true is not much of a response. Sigh.

 

[MikeyBikey]

I would like to point out that in addition to lowering cholesterol they have other properties worth bringing into the equation. One important property is that they reduce irritation often a precursor to plaque formation. Variable BGs, in particular, above target range, can cause irritation of the blood vessel walls. This is thought to be a factor in the highish rate of Type IIs with heart problems. They also stabilise any existing plaque. Not yet proven but reported is that they reduce gum disease. Things are not always as simple as they seem.

 

[Burylancs]

I suspect my diet and active life means I am doing most of the heavy lifting and the only way to get some idea is to reduce the no of metformin tabs and see what happens. If my hba1c does increase I can always return to the 4 tabs.

The minimum effective dose of met is 1500 mg. 500 and a 1000 are loading doses on the way there. Your 2000 is the standard dose. 2500 is no significant improvement in Hba1c than 2000.

 

[harbottle]

Some research (From 1997) showing the effects of placebo and then increasing doses of Metformin

https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(97)00254-4/fulltext

500mg/1000mg made no real difference to hba1c compared to the change the placebo made. (Which increased hba1c slightly)
Fasting blood glucose was lowered but it doesn't appear to affect hba1c much.

I guess Metformin is more useful in patients with insulin resistance in the live and muscles, as that is thought to be where its effect are.

 

[Drummer]

I was just told ‘ there’s an argument that we should stop the Metformin (500mg a day) to ‘see what happens’”

‘See what happens’ didn’t sound particularly scientific!

A friend who is a GP told me that he’d do the same, and that lifestyle changes are far more effective than Metformin, which only has a fairly modest effect.

But that is the scientific method - experiment, observation, conclusion.

 

[harbottle]

Maybe, but I'd prefer the GPs to have a bit more knowledge about the effects of 500mg of metformin, and possible increases of FBG and hba1c by stopping it. I would hate to go back to feeling as bad as I did when it was high!