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ATORVASTATIN CAUSING TYPE 2 DIABETES?

Posted , 13 users are following.

joyce12429
joyce12429

Hi, In November 2011 I had a heart attack despite never having had raised cholesterol.  I now take a myriad of drugs that the hospital gave me one of which is ATORVASTATIN.  I am now told that I am border line type 2 diabetic and that I should alter my lifestyle!  I am normally a very fit, slim, recently retired 62 year old lady.  I do not take sugar in beverages (use a leaf extract sweetener) I hardly ever eat biscuits or sweets as I prefer savoury flavours and I am busy most of the time (a little less now that I've been diagnosed with Neuropathic pain (ouch).  People are astounded when I tell them that my blood tests are showing borderline diabetes and I am wondering how many other people have been given this borderline diagnosis since taking ATORVASTATIN.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you

2 likes, 64 replies

64 Replies

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  • jude65855
    jude65855 joyce12429

    Posted

    Diabetes is one of the myriad negative effects of statins, as is your neuropathic pain.

    Is your cholesterol high now?  If not, why are you taking statins?  

  • joyce12429
    joyce12429

    Posted

    Hi, My cholesterol will not show high in any blood tests as the ATORVASTATIN lowers it, so I will not know until I stop taking it and get retested.  Have just ordered the book by Dr Duane Graveline from Amazon.
  • Powerwalker
    Powerwalker joyce12429

    Posted

    I bet you never expected such a response to your comment about Atorvastatin and diabetes 2. The medical profession needs to sit up and take notice of these and other comments, I am always amazed by how dismissive Doctors are when I mention my side effects due to taking statin.  I have just paid over £300 to a sports injury clinic for treatment on my right achilles tendon which I am convinced was caused by taking statin. I hope others will see these posts and add their comments about their experience with statin medication.
  • linda36668
    linda36668 joyce12429

    Posted

    Hi, Joyce.  While I did not take atorvastatin, I did take simvastatin (the generic form of Zocor), and my fasting blood sugar levels went up 16 point while I took it.  I no longer take a statin, and my fasting blood sugar level is back down to what it used to be.  

    I seem to remember finding an article several years ago that talked about how some people had their fasting blood sugar almost double when they started taking a statin, but I could not find it.  I think it was on my old computer that died two years ago.

    However, I did google the combination of "statins fasting blood sugar double" and found several articles, one of which is "Largest Risk for Diabetes With Statins Yet Seen, in New Study".  This reference is located at Medscape.com, and stated "Statin therapy appears to increase the risk for type 2 diabetes by 46%, even after adjustment for confounding factors, a large new population-based study concludes."

    Anyway, happy hunting for more information.  Hope this gives you some ideas.  For purposes of comparison, I was in my early 50s when I was put on simvastatin, though I did indulge in more goodies than you did.

    I don't take a statin anymore because it made my carpal tunnel symptoms worse, messed up my memory, made my muscles hurt (covered up by all of the aspirin that I took for the carpal tunnel symptoms), made me cranky and unreasonable, and caused uncontrollable and highly explosive diarrhea during the last few months I was on simvastatin, among other side effects.

    Also, while I stopped taking my statin almost immediately once I learned more about the side effects (which the Veterans Administration here in the U.S. had covered over by not including them on the patient information sheet sent with the prescription), I've read that it's better to taper off them -- something to do with an increased risk of stroke if you stop taking them cold turkey.  For one thing, your cholesterol levels will shoot up much higher than they ever were before you started taking the statin.  However, they will go back down again over time, so just allow for that.

    • Powerwalker
      Powerwalker linda36668

      Posted

      Very interesting article. It's unfortunate that so many people may be unaware of the damage Statins is doing to their body.
  • joyce12429
    joyce12429

    Posted

    Thank you so much Linda for the very informative reply.  I had taken all the STATINS out of my weekly pill box but maybe I should just take one every other day.  I am currently taking one per day at present.  I will also look into the link you sent me and thanks again.
  • joyce12429
    joyce12429

    Posted

    I have just got off the telephone to my doctor and she said it would be OK to come off them for three months and see what happens.  I thought I had better ask in view of my previous heart attack but I can just stop it seems without any weening off.  Really hope that it will stop this borderline diabetic situation and also help with the neuropathic pain.
    • Powerwalker
      Powerwalker joyce12429

      Posted

      That's a good result. I stopped taking Atorvastatin 20mg in March last year. I was then put on Pravastatin 10mg from July to September last year after which I stopped Statin altogether. At that time I had severe pain in my legs, arms and neck and felt terrible. Most of the pain has now gone and I feel good. It may take more than three months for you to see improvements regarding your diabetes and neuropathic pain. Would be great if you could keep us up to date with your progress. All the best. 
    • loxie
      loxie joyce12429

      Posted

      well done Joyce and your doctor needs to be congratulated - at last a doctor with an intelligent mind of their own who listens to their patients.  I hope it all resolves itself soon for you hon. xx
    • jude65855
      jude65855 joyce12429

      Posted

      Joyce, can I suggest that as well as sticking to a low fat diet, eating heaps of vegies and exercising, you try Psyllium Husks to lower your cholesterol?   I've been having 3 tsp of the powder most mornings when I have porridge and the last time I had a cholesterol test my levels were slightly down, so I'

      If you or anyone else reading this does try it, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE VERY VERY CAREFUL TO NEVER EVER EAT IT DRY because it exoabds on contact with liquid and if it does this in your throat you can choke.  Other than that it doesn't seem to have any negative effects at all, in fact a positive effect is that I use much less toilet paper. (I'm not going to go into detail here, try it and you'll see what I mean.)

      I should add that I didn't stop statins because of the risk of diabetes or cataracts:  I wasn't aware of those particular risks until fairly recently and I do have the start of cataracts and am borderline diabetic, but who knows isftaking statins for 3 years caused either or both, considering they're fairly common at my age anyway?

      I stopped statins because I decided the risk of another heart attack was worth taking, rather than living with constant pain, exhaustion and severe depression.    Personally I don't think the diabetes or cataracts risks alone are good reasons to stop statins because neither of those conditions are potentially fatal, whereas if we accept that high cholesterol is a risk for heart attack and/or stroke that has to be weighed up against the negative effects of statins.

      It's not generally known that there are non-statin cholesterol lowering drugs:  I tried Ezetimibe and in less than a week I began to experience the same negative effects as I'd had with statins, so I stopped taking them too.

      It still scares me that my decision to give up statins and then the ezetimibe may mean that my cholesterol stays at dangerously high levels:  it's not an easy decision to stick to

  • alzheimer
    alzheimer joyce12429

    Posted

    Hi again `joyce...just read your most recent post and SO GLAD you are stopping the statins.....there IS no need to ween off them either - that is pure scaremongering nonsence..to put it mildly!  I really hope things improve for you soon, but as others have said - don't look for fast benefits  - it will take time and PLEASE - don't get your cholesteral levels checked during the

    next months as they will go up but then they will go back to what is normal for you - ok? 

    CHEERS Joyce and DO  keep us up to speed on how you are feeling...we all like to know our fellow suferers are.

     

  • joyce12429
    joyce12429

    Posted

    Thank you all so much for all your kind words and encouragement I have already bought some of the food supplements you recommended and started taking them today. It will be very interesting to see improvements within the next three months and hopefully, if my cholestrol stays down then I can stay off them altogether.  I forgot to mention, in my telephone call to the doctor, she said that cardiologists advise taking statins not purely for the cholestrol benefit but there were other benefits to the heart too?  Thanks again.
  • alzheimer
    alzheimer joyce12429

    Posted

    Well - they would say that wouldn't they.....lol Anything to keep their reputation valid!  After all GP's are being paid per script for STATINS  - and many other drugs of course!  Consultants too are given "incentives" to  "recommend" them.

    Indeed Big Pharma has deep pockets - and before the licence runs out they are really promoting these deadly drugs. 

    They are also running scared in the USA apparently - as the court cases are gathering pace....fingers crossed we all live long enough to see what happens and to benefit as the legal eagles this side of the Pond catch on!

    In the meantime - well done Joyce - keep up the good work - we are all rooting for you!

     

    • jude65855
      jude65855 alzheimer

      Posted

      What's your evidence that gp's are paid per script?  That certainly doesn't happen in Australia
  • alzheimer
    alzheimer joyce12429

    Posted

    Aren't you lucky to live in Australia I happen to live in the UK when my husband was a GP for 40 years so I should know
    • alzheimer
      alzheimer jude65855

      Posted

      Not too sure about that but it certainly is true for all statins... I am reliably informed by my GP
    • jude65855
      jude65855 alzheimer

      Posted

      So was your husband paid for all prescriptions he wrote or only statins?
    • alzheimer
      alzheimer jude65855

      Posted

      No way Jose!  Although he was still practising when statins were first "experimented" with - he retired many years ago and was never paid for any script he wrote.

       

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