What would you do?

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Flutterby

Flutterby

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I know I keep going on about the statin issue but I have an appt with the "good" doc tomorrow afternoon (not my normal GP but another in the practice) regarding whether I take another statin or not.

This is how I felt on the others
Dry cough
Fluttery feeling in chest
Tired
Weak
Temperature of 38.4+ causing shivers and feverish feeling
Flu like muscle aches
unable to walk very far
Terrible neck pain which stopped me sleeping

The reason they want me on a statin is because I had a stroke 4 months ago and they say statins MAY help prevent another (although they also say there is no guarantee at all and it doesn't help everyone) My cholesterol is 5.6 so could do with reducing that a bit but am now taking Omega 3 oils and eating lots of oats, using plant sterol margarine and eating a low fat diet, the dietician says although my cholesterol sounds raised it isn't that bad as lots of it is the "good for you" cholesterol

My GP (so called diabetic expert) says "I do want you on a statin" He didn't really accept that the side effects were anything to do with the statin although they are clearly listed as significant on the patient info leaflet.

The "good" doc says try another one that is better tolerated but otherwise forget it!

Everything in me is screaming "do not take any more" but what would you do? Would you try one more, knowing it could cause such awful side effects or would you decide, "I'll take my chance and at least feel reasonably well"

I know it's a tough one but I need some insight as to what others would do, bearing in mind a statin MIGHT help save my life or might make me terribly ill. Help!!!!!!!!!!
 
Good luck tomoro Karen, however it goes, we will be thinking of you
 
Apparently, diabetics are at increased risk of heart disease and other complications which statins are meant to combat so they prescribe them for many of us regardless of whether we actually need them or not. My cholesterol was very high at diagnosis but it came down very quickly when I changed my diet and the last two readings were 4.9 and 4.7. I'm now having the same debate with my own doctors about whether I actually need the things. I've been taken off them for the short term until the medics decide what my new drug regime should be. I should hear about that today.

According to recent news articles, the medical 'experts' reckon every one should be taking statins, even if they don't have any medical condition that warrants taking them. Talk about a waste of NHS resources.

Oh, and good luck with your appointment, we'll look forward to hearing about the results.
 
Good luck with the doctor. I think I'd be inclined to tell him why I don't want to take the statin and see what he says.

I told my doctor I wasn't going to take mine anymore because I hated aching all over. He said I should and I said well unless he can give me one that didn't make me ache I didn't want to know, I want something that makes me feel better not worse!
 
Karen i know you are in 2 minds as to what to do ,if it was me i think i'd try another one ,there maybe one better suited to you .Im on atorvastatin but was on a different one previous to that ,that made me feel bad so doc changed me and ive felt fine on this one 🙂 But at the end of the day Karen it is your body and your decision not the doctors . Tc and i hope this has helped , Good Luck with doctor .
 
Caroline said:
Good luck with the doctor. I think I'd be inclined to tell him why I don't want to take the statin and see what he says.

I told my doctor I wasn't going to take mine anymore because I hated aching all over. He said I should and I said well unless he can give me one that didn't make me ache I didn't want to know, I want something that makes me feel better not worse!
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Good for you, surely quality of life has to count for something. I think I'm going to tell him exactly how I feel and ask him what he thinks the chances of me not reacting badly are. He has already said that the statin he has in mind is less effective than the ones I can't cope with so what's the real benefit I wonder. think my usual GP is going to be p'd off with me but he seemed to know nothing about the side effects. He came over all condescending "no they wouldn't give you a temperature......." till I showed him the leaflet. That's what's made me really insecure I think.
 
Ask your doctor to tell you what the individual componnents are, you trig, HDL and LDL results are that make up your whole figure...

As the risk factors aren't worked out on the whole figure, but what these the pecentage factors between these three seperate figures..

Normal Cholesterol below 5 mmol/l

High Density Lipoprotien (HDL) Over 1.1 mmol/l
Low Density Lipoprotien (LDL) below 3 mmol/l
Triglycerides below 2.3 mmol/l

Total cholesterol/HDL ratio Below 4

Even though my cholesterol is within the normal range, and TC/HDL are very good, my doctor still wants me to take statins, but I refuse on this bases, if I hadn't been diabetic I would be patted on the back well done, no treatment needed!!

We have the right to refuse treatment/advise offered by our doctors, but before doing so looking at these figures and discussing your figures in relationship to what is considered the norm, will give you the ability to make a informed choice to what you want to do
 
Thanks Ellie, the dietician said that I have a good ratio of the "good for you" cholesterol so actually the numbers aren't as bad as they look. Will ask about the triglycerides though as she didn't have access to those. They say that an additional benefit of statins is to prevent "plaque" breaking off and causing a stroke but my arteries in my neck are clear anyway so I don't know why they keep on about this cholesterol and plaque, they are doing my already tired head no good!
 
Ok, doctor said that I am going to get pressure from every doctor I see until I agree to try Parvastatin, in his view the best tolerated of all the statin drugs. He said it was up to me if I wanted to throw in the towel but urged caution as he feels it could really make a difference to my future life as one person in 40 who has had a stroke and takes a statin will be protected from a further stroke. I have told him that it is with great reluctance that I agree with this and that nobody could live with the side effects I had on Atorvastatin so if there was any recurrence of the effects I would be stopping immediately and "throwing in the towel"

Of course all this sounds very wise and sensible but deep down I am terrified that by not taking one I am putting myself at risk, so all I can do is try this final one and then make what he has said himself is a "most difficult decision" Then again, it's not really my decision is it? I can't take something that makes me feel like I have flu and get a temperature.

So lets either hope that I am absolutely fine on these, no problems at all or that they react quickly and I know to stop taking them. Wont start until Thursday night as I have company Friday and then Paul will be home at the weekend. Thanks everyone, this is so emotionally horrible for me.xx
 
Hi Flutterby Lots and lots of hugs to you this must be incredibly difficult for you. I really do understand because of the trade off between my glaucoma medications and the side effects. I really hope that this new statin will work for you without the side effects and will be thinking of you lots over the next few days in the hope that you don't have any side effects from them.
 
AJLang said:
Hi Flutterby Lots and lots of hugs to you this must be incredibly difficult for you. I really do understand because of the trade off between my glaucoma medications and the side effects. I really hope that this new statin will work for you without the side effects and will be thinking of you lots over the next few days in the hope that you don't have any side effects from them.
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Aww thank you, it feels like you trade one problem for another doesn't it? It is really, really hard. It almost feels like it's a nightmare that's happening to someone else and then I realise it's real and it's me. Thanks for hugs and thoughts, I will hold on to those over the next few days.xx
 
I agree with you Flutterby - if you are not suffering from side effects it can be difficult to imagine why someone would not take certain medications but sometimes the side effects of the medications are just much too much - I can't believe how much better I feel today after being allowed to stop one of my glaucoma medications, I feel like I can function properly for the first time in over a week - even though it means that I might find out on Friday that the pressures have gone up. It's not easy trying to decide what is best to do when you know that the medication will help the underlying condition - but if the side effects are too bad you have to try and find alternatives, which you are doing.
 
AJLang said:
I agree with you Flutterby - if you are not suffering from side effects it can be difficult to imagine why someone would not take certain medications but sometimes the side effects of the medications are just much too much - I can't believe how much better I feel today after being allowed to stop one of my glaucoma medications, I feel like I can function properly for the first time in over a week - even though it means that I might find out on Friday that the pressures have gone up. It's not easy trying to decide what is best to do when you know that the medication will help the underlying condition - but if the side effects are too bad you have to try and find alternatives, which you are doing.
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Thank you AJ, I must admit I was somewhat "flattened" by a previous comment. I'm really glad you feel better but of course it doesn't solve the problem for you. Some of these medications leave you in a place that is hard to understand if you haven't been there. When you stop them you suddenly get your life and personality back. I will start the tabs tomorrow night and have arranged for company on Friday to distract me! (And for support if the problems resurface.) I will think of you Friday. Love and hugs,Karen.xx
 
Hi, here is a link to an article by Dr Mark Porter - he resisted taking statins ( I remember seeing him talk about it) but in now taking them.
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article6072438.ece

The last paragraph is interesting - as it mentions that statins deplete Coenzyme Q10 so it might be worth taking a supplement.

The thing with drugs is we are all different - I have a relative who has to be prescribed the original of some meds - as she finds that the additives in some of the generics really disagree with her. You are doing the right thing and I can understand why you are feeling scared after your experiences so far. I hope you have better luck this time.
 
Thanks Margie, I have just read the article, several people have mentioned to me about the coenzyme Q10 but interestingly none of the doctors! I will ask about it if it seems I am to remain on a statin. The potentially life threatening side effect that is mentioned is the symptoms I was getting and yet 2 doctors failed to pick up on it. This is why I'm so afraid. Thank you for your link and your kind words. I will let you all know on Friday how I'm feeling after taking the new one on Thursday evening.xx
 
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