Statins

Sounds familiar!  I wouldn't take them for love nor money!

I stopped taking them nearly a year ago, have a check up in a couple of weeks, be interested in the results!

Sounds familiar!  I wouldn't take them for love nor money!

Nor me!  

Are you still taking statins, EasyT?

A very fit and healthy friend of ours (runner, mountain walker, long distance swimmer, slim and strong) had raised cholesterol and was put on statins.  Within a very short time he had symptoms as described above, by EasyT - but also including some liver problems, nerve ending problems (tingling and numbness),  and 'confusion'.   He looked up the symptoms, came to the conclusion it was the treatment for his raised cholesterol, and told his GP he wanted to come off statins.  He did, and his health improved again and he is now fit and well again.

GP's receive extra payments to prescribe statins, and perhaps even to push patients into thinking they need them.  To me that raises issues about them being prescribed when they are at best not needed, and at the worst cause additional health problems.

A healthy diet is a better way of keeping your cholesterol (and other fatty acids) within normal limits.  Both mine and my OH's have never been raised.

Hi Val

December last year we went off to Southport with the caravan. We sited the caravan and after setting it up I walked a couple of hundred yards to the wardens office and had to stop a couple of times on the way. I stopped taking the statins, (might have stopped slightly earlier). In April my tablets for diabetes were reduced following a blood test and tablet review. In August I was told that I was no longer diabetic, Last blood test a few weeks ago confirmed that my sugar levels were fine and my cholesterol level was 4. My walking has also improved - slowly. 

Hi Val

December last year we went off to Southport with the caravan. We sited the caravan and after setting it up I walked a couple of hundred yards to the wardens office and had to stop a couple of times on the way. I stopped taking the statins, (might have stopped slightly earlier). In April my tablets for diabetes were reduced following a blood test and tablet review. In August I was told that I was no longer diabetic, Last blood test a few weeks ago confirmed that my sugar levels were fine and my cholesterol level was 4. My walking has also improved - slowly. 

I think Val just needed a yes or no ...... 

I wonder!  Ive been on Atorvastatin for about 10 years and exihibit very similar traits.  Walking now getting quite difficult. Time for a chat with the Doc!

TF

I think what has happened is that they have changed the goal posts on the point you start taking  statins particularly in older people. I have been on them since earlier this year  and I have discussed with my doctor the side effects. He asked me to carry on with them until my next blood tests which should be in February which I will do. I do get a lot of joint pain but I had that before I started statins. There is no medication you take that does not have side effects of some sort or another. Margaret has been on statins for years because of her diabetes. Fortunately she does not have problems with joint pain after she changed the type of statin she was taking. Perhaps this might be an option for Alan?

David

I could fill a page with the "drugs" and problems that drugs have caused me,

As for statins one cardioligist i saw said he would have them in the drinking water.

Then a friend of ours who works in neurology says  their consultants will have nothing to do with them as they like most drugs are a "poison"

I have stopped taking them and feel better for it

my OH had real joint problems with some but is a bit better on her latest which is a not statin statin? 

What do I know! I'm on statins although there's nothing wrong with me, just a precaution the Doc said.

Accepted but I sometimes think that Doctors are too busy to review your medication from time to time. I have just realised that my comment about being on Atorvastatin for 10 years was wildly out!  Its actually over 20 years!  In the mid 90's I was found to have very high Cholesterol, so high infact that they said it was rare (10.8). dieting had no effect, even though I went down below 12 st in weight. So they put me on statins in about 1997. They had the required effect and brought my Cholesterol down but I have suffered muscle wasting ever since.  None of my other drugs have been varied in that time either!

TF