Statins

What an unhealthy lot we are .  I hope CC Ltd's first aid training for wardens is good.  

I wore a 24 hour heart monitor earlier this month. Subsequent review with at the stroke clinic 'Monitor results fine' we will try a 7 day monitor next' 

What are they looking for ET?  In any event I hope the findings are all good.  

It probably stems from me being taken into a stroke ward in Feb with a suspected TIA. I had various blood teats, brain scan, and ECT. Consultant reckoned it was my tablets, others keep checking. I have a retinal photograph, a diabetic eye scan, a further inspection twice a year and eyes tested every year by optician.

When not away in the caravan I seem to spend my time in outpatients, local clinic for x-Ray and blood test and doctors recalls 

Lucky you, MM!

I think I'm one of the sprogs of the forum though at 'only' nearly 55

Lucky you MM you have it all to come .

I'm hoping to copy my Dad. He'll be 80 next year, smoked Capstain Full Strength until they were stupid money & then smoked 'roll your own' ... he packed in completely after his triple by-pass 2 ys ago and pickled himself with booze. He still works a few day a week.... he'll be the last person that some meet before they're buried/cremated. He's recently started taking a statin for something.

I did like capstan full strength. Rarely smoked them as took my wind 

GP's have a limited time to really think about what they are prescribing and no one will ever criticise them for prescribing an 'accepted' drug for a particular condition. I do worry when I read about cash incentives for diagnosing certain conditions and prescribing certain drugs and I wonder how far this comes into the decision-making process.

 

Ian

With respect that is a misunderstanding of the basis for providing extra money to GP's. They don't get it for prescribing medication. It is there for them to provide extra resources to monitor and combat the illnesses I mentioned, all of which are pretty serious especially in people over 60. Now that may mean that they end up prescribing medication to more people based on that monitoring. From the evidence available it seems to have had an impact on the statistics. If you take diabetes as an example. If they can nip it in the bud then the person concerned can be saved a great deal of future heartache. Some would prefer not to know but that is something of a gamble.

David

Is it not the case that NICE told GP's to lower the threshold for people being monitored as being at risk of heart disease? And that GP's are rewarded for meeting government targets? And that by prescribing statins, they achieve their target?

Thanks’ for the posts everyone, this is a very timely thread for me. A month ago I had what they called a lifestyle health check with the nurse at our local surgery. A couple of days later I had a phone call from my doctor to say my blood cholesterol level was too high and I should consider going on Statins. I am not keen on taking medication (the OH takes enough for the both of us) and so I questioned the need to take them. I don’t eat much fat, am as thin as a rake and do miles of fast walking with the dog each day. Now I need to weigh up my options?   

I obviously cannot advise. I would say however that many have been put on statins. I am on a small social forum of 53 (last count) people. All over 50, I suspect most over 0. When I raised the topic on there there were 3, including me, who had experienced raised sugar levels after taking a statin for a relatively short time. I would recomend pressing for a blood test every 6 months and if there is a significant rise in blood sugar reconsider your options. 

I would reiterate the earlier advice to make sure you discuss this with your GP and if prescribed medication DO NOT STOP TAKING IT WITHOUT CONSULTATION.  

Those people, like me, who have chosen not to take statins have done so by discussion of their general state of health with their GP and by weighing up what they perceive as the risks and benefits, then making an informed decision.  Although my cholesterol levels are normal I do have high blood pressure which would be an indicator to take statins.  But it's been high since I was 18 when it was first recorded, and my sister, my brother, and one of my children and both of my sister's children also have high blood pressure).  One of my parents, or grandparents probably had too, but none of them died from heart attacks, strokes, or had any heart problems whatsoever.

I wouldn't want anyone to think that I am advising stopping statins or any other treatment without any prior discussion with a GP - and taking on board what they advise.  

Valda, Don't worry I am a stickler for doing what I'm told, but frankly a bit p***** off that Ive been taking the same statin and a cocktail of BP tablets for over 20 years without any formal review. My BP is now "spot on" but I do have an abnormal heart beat so theyve put me on blood thinning tablets ( Not warfarin).  they have given me dreadful nightime cramps!

But I am slowly losing my ability to walk properly, my legs feel almost dead, - very much like the OP's description. I really do think that its time for a review.

TF

This is a really interesting thread.  I to am on Simvastatin and experience some unusual numbness in my feet.  I haven't spoken to anyone about it but now I think it may be time to.  I didn't think to mention it to my consultant a couple of weeks ago, but as my next hospital appointment is not until next May, I think a visit to the GP or a phoneymoon call to the hospital may be in order.

David