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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

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  • elizabeth58460
    elizabeth58460 joyce12429

    Posted

    Hello Joyce, I have been on Atorvastatin for six months, didn't raise my sugar levels but I had tremendous pain in my left groin, across top of leg and down my leg to the point I could barely walk, never had them before, doctors could not diagnose why, a friend said she had similar pains since taking taking Atorvastatin, so I have stopped taking mine and guess what, no pain and I can walk very well. Doc said not to stop taking them as they would give me another 10 years to my life, Hmmm sitting in a chair or bed not being able to move, I don't think so.  I now take oat bran with my breakfast or porridge oats,and Lestrin tablets, that is keeping my cholesterol down. There is a suggestion that Niacin does the same, but need to get that on prescription as too big a dose can be dangerous.
    • jude65855
      jude65855 elizabeth58460

      Posted

      Good decision, Elizabeth, I made the same one after trying every existing statin in every conceivable dose for 3 years.   I also had bad muscle and nerve pain, depression, exhaustion and no lbido.

      I take 3 tsp of Psyllium Husks in the morning cooked in wtih my porridge and my cholesterol is slowly coming down.  If you try it, be careful to never take it dry, as it expands on contact with liquid and choke you.    I also walk every day and do exercises, including 5k weights, every morning.

      What is Lestrin?  I googled it, but could only find Loestrin for birth control, which I certainly don't need at the age of 68!

    • Guest
      Guest jude65855

      Posted

      "Lestrin® is a food supplement containing Beta-sitosterol, a naturally occurring plant sterol. ..." cheesygrin
    • elizabeth58460
      elizabeth58460 jude65855

      Posted

      Lestrin is a plant sterol(natural) I get it from my health store, bit expensive, I have to admit I don't always remember to take them, but I do always take my oats, I am going to look into Niacin, I hear that is good for lowereing cholesterol as well, I don't know why I was put on Statins as my cholesterol was only 5.4.  I don't think that is very high.
    • jude65855
      jude65855 Guest

      Posted

      Thanks Benny, that's easy to find on google, whereas Lestrin is nowhere.

      I'm thinking of having another cholesterol test and then trying this for a month or so and having another test to see if it does lower my cholesterol.  

      The last time I tried an "alternative" remedy for high cholesterol, cayenne pepper as recommend by two very enthusiastic acquaintances, it made no difference whatsover to my cholesterol levels.    When I mentioned this to one of the said acquaintances, I discovered that despite all the glowing recommendations they hadn't actually had another cholesterol test, they were just trusting cayenne had worked!

      I don't trust manufacturers or sellers of "alternative" medications any more than I do those of traditional stuff, they're also big companies in business to make a profit.     

          

    • jude65855
      jude65855 elizabeth58460

      Posted

      Thanks, I found heaps of entries for that on the internet, but googling Lestrin gets no results at all.   Of course, most of the entries are ads, but it doesn't seem very expensive to  me, one brand works out at less than 20c a day in Australian currency.

      I'm curious:  if beta-sitosterol lowers cholesterol, why would you need niacin as well?  Have you in fact had yr cholesterol tested befor and after using the Lestrin?   If it's at a safe level lowering it even more isn't a good idea, esp as some studies indicate there are links between low cholesterol and dementia.   Our brains do need some cholesterol to function properly.

      You're right, 5.4 isn't high, in fact years ago it wouldn't have been considered a problem, but that was before the "safe" levels began to be progressively pushed back following recommendations in the 70's from a US committee composed of a majority of surprise, surprise - pharmaceutical companies.

       

  • Powerwalker
    Powerwalker joyce12429

    Posted

    Well done Elizabeth; great to hear you've got rid of your pain. I was wondering if GPs read these posts - hope so!!
    • elizabeth58460
      elizabeth58460 Powerwalker

      Posted

      I doubt very much they read this, even if they did they still wouldn't take any notice, as my doctor said he had studied for many years and thought his knowledge was better than mine, maybe not good to say but one wishes they could experience what we go through, I was put on them because I have Atheroma of my three main arteries to my heart.
    • Powerwalker
      Powerwalker elizabeth58460

      Posted

      Interesting. You keep working on your diet and exercise and you'll be fine without having a life of misery.
  • mrbob84
    mrbob84 joyce12429

    Posted

    I am also completely normal in my cholesterol tests and have been since they started being recorded years ago, yet my cardiologist put me on statins immediately after my heart operation 3 years ago, just on protocol, 40 mg/day simvastatin.  When I was on the statins my libido pretty much disasppeared for 2 years and I struggled with ED, being 63 and never having had to struggle with sex before in my life.  (Except for maybe at times having to hide my perpetual yearning for it, which had started when I was 14!)   But I was also on BP medication after the heart operation so I attibuted it to that - to controlled, lowered BP possibly weakening my usually great blood flow down there, and contributing to my lack of yearning for it.  

    Now I gotta question it all.  Are statins bad for your libido?  Could that be what it was?  It was so very strange not being excited about things that had always given me such a healthy rush before!  Life became far less enchanting than usual...

    My blood sugar went one tick into the diabetic zone while I was on them, and I have to wait until September to get my next lipids panel done, now that I have been off the statins for a few months.  Since my lifestyle has not changed, if I am no longer one tick into the diabetic zone, that will be conclusive proof of statins being the cause.  I'll let you know. 

    • jude65855
      jude65855 mrbob84

      Posted

      Loss of libido is a common side effect of statins, mentioned in the manufacturers' own info leaflets which you should receive with the script or access via the internet.   For years I haven't had any prescription made up until I"ve checked the negative effects, except once I forgot, only to discover a stupid gp had prescribed something which the info sheet specifically shouldn't be taken by anyone with a history of heart attack.

      I contacted several websites to inform them that the listed side effect of "erectile disfunction" totally ignored the fact that statins also effecct women's libido's too, but none of them ever responded or changed their information.

      I can understand why doctors prescribe statins for someone like me who had slightly raised cholesterol before and after a heart attack, but why do they prescribe them for people with normal cholesterol levels?  I don't get it - it's not that difficult to check cholesterol every 6 months or so rather than prescribing something with such common and deblitating (in some cases permanently crippling) side effects

    • linda36668
      linda36668 mrbob84

      Posted

      Sorry to be so slow in spotting this.  During the 40 months that I took simvastatin, my fasting blood sugar went from the low 90s all the way up to 109.  After I stopped taking simvastatin, it went back down to th low 90s (U.S. readings).  Anyway, it was an increase of about 16%.  I think there is a gene that, if you have it, your blood glucose while on a statin can go from normal to full-blown diabetes almost overnight.

      Other things that I experienced with simvastatin were greatly increased symptoms for my carpal tunnel, explosive and uncontrollable diarrhea (showed up at about 3 years on the statin, but went away after I stopped taking the statin), increased levels of anger and irritability, tripping over my own feet (balance issues), and weird memory lapses.  Unfortunately, the memory lapses have stayed with me, so I sometimes wonder if the statin's effects on brain cholesterol interacted badly with some prior concussive trauma (bad fall with a horse that caused partial permanent amnesia at the time of the accident).

      Anyway, hope your blood sugar went back down again after you stopped taking the statin.

  • mrbob84
    mrbob84 joyce12429

    Posted

    With some pharmacies I get such leaflets, with others I do not.  I presently do not get them from Walmart.  I know I have gotten them before, just don't know who from.

    I might go out and directly ask for one now, just to take to my next appointment with my cardiologist!

    • jude65855
      jude65855 mrbob84

      Posted

      You can read the leaflets on the pharmacy websites and save some trees!   Before the internet most pharmacies included paper info with scripts, but it's not necessary now with the internet, which is in my opinion easier to read and you can check out the info BEFORE you get the script made up and make an informed choice about what you're putting in your body
  • Powerwalker
    Powerwalker joyce12429

    Posted

    The problem with reading leaflets, either with the medication or on the internet, is that the list of side effects cover every eventuality in order to protect the pharmaceutical companies. If you believed all the potential side effects you wouldn't take any medication. 
    • loxie
      loxie Powerwalker

      Posted

      how very true powerwalker.  One medication I was on had a folded sheet covering side effects that was over a foot long! Everything from dry mouth to death by horrendous means.  You're right, they have to include every single side effect experienced ever but not necessarily highlighting those that are frequent unfortunately.  This is why these forums are a godsend, comments by people who have actually been effected and we're able to ask more questions than we ever could of our doctors (and get more truthful answers!) Thanks you everyone.
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