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Reasons behind refusing statins?

Posted , 17 users are following.

kayjayem
kayjayem

Hi All,

I am trying to do a bit of research behind why is it difficult to keep patients on a prescription of a statin drug.

I am aware of all the side-effects caused by the statins, but i would like to know the reasoning behind the choice to come off your prescribed statin or to try and change drug;

Is this because you feel your quality of life is lowered on a statin.

Is it lack of evidence behind the efficacy of a statin to lower cholesterol etc?

I am trying to find out if there is anything that could be done to convince patients to continue on their prescription of statins, or whether they would prefer to be offered an alternative medication.

Any views or comments would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

 

0 likes, 47 replies

47 Replies

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  • paul59419
    paul59419 kayjayem

    Posted

    I was on statins and they reduced my life to misery due to the side effects. All to often as patients we are told take this pill as this is what NICE say. The risk of not taking the statin in mine and its my life not the doctors although these days they seem to be just pill pushers and controlled by the Phara Companies. I asked to be referred to the Lipid Clinic and despite stating that statins have a bad side effect they still try and push them. However, I went on to a combination therapy which worked only to then find that the supplier of one of the drugs pulled it off the market. Then back on to some other drugs which worked, only to now find that NICE now do not recommend the use of one of those. There is too much generalisation on taking statins. It is not the wonder drug and does have side effects which compound over time.

    I now am totally secptical on statins as we the patienst are not told the truth, phrases like well tollerated, define this. In simple terms tell the truth i.e. if you take this drug you will live 10 years longer etc. However, you coudl then have dementia.

    An holistic approach is required and tel the patients the truth.

  • mrbob84
    mrbob84 kayjayem

    Posted

    Yeah, I shudder to think what my mind would have become if I had not stoppod after the exposure I did endure:  a year steady, then another 2 years intermittent, for testing only, finally at reduced dosages but still with the same effects.  Constantly deprived of essential nutrition, my brain's dendrites may have never grown back, and within a decade I think I would have had dimensia.

     Permanently.  For the rest of my life.  Did I really want to be rendered effectively senile within 10 years?  

    No thank you.

  • Boatdoc
    Boatdoc kayjayem

    Posted

    For me, it is years of progressive muscle damage, severe cramping/spasms that affect how I walk, how I sleep and how I feel mentally. I now take muscle relaxers to sleep. I now have Diabetes II with the added benefit of neuropathy to further cause pain in my legs/back/feet. The doctors have tried different drugs in the same statin family and that didn't help at all. One doctor finally told me that it is a permanent condition that does not ever go away for some people. I am one of those people. So, no I don't take the statins and yes I know it will kill me, but the other stuff is killing me physically/mentally and has so drastically changed my activity/work life that it is worth it NOT to ever take the drugs again. 

    On the other hand, my hubby did not have any serious side effects from statins, mild cramping but nothing like what I have. It scares him. 

    • marco
      marco Boatdoc

      Posted

      Agree, After the muscle pain and damage I have Peripheral Neuropathy which makes walking very difficult. I put it to my consultant that my condition was down to statins which she rejected. I asked her how she could be so sure.She quoted me evidence that applied to the majority of patients in trials but not all. She reluctantly agreed that statins could be harmful to some patients.

      I don't take statins any more but too late to change my condition..

      To add insult to injury I saw today on TV that if statin taking was declared on a travel insurance application the premium would be a lot more than if the applicant did not take statins. if statins are supposed to be good for us , why?

    • regina86086
      regina86086 marco

      Posted

      incredible, is it not?  What do they know that we don't?  Thank y0u Marco and commiseration for your suffering.
    • regina86086
      regina86086 Boatdoc

      Posted

      maybe it is us women who are most affected?  I would not be surprised if the research is mostly done on men!
  • wayne1962
    wayne1962 kayjayem

    Posted

    People are rejecting statins because it is a poison. Medicine should make you better not worse. Statins set the vulnerable up for more debilitating illnesses, ensuring pharmas and doctors have lifelong clients. My condition deteriorated after doctors became involved with their drugs and dismissal of multiple side effects. I dreaded seeing them. Since dumping the lot I have reagained my health and vitality. I'll say it again: Statins are poison. Doctors are ignoring the hippocratic oath: Do no harm.
    • loxie
      loxie wayne1962

      Posted

      I so agree Wayne, my doctors treated me like some kind of lunatic when I claimed my horrible symptoms were due to statins.  Blunt refusal to accept that.  Now I have severe fibromyalgia - cause 'unknown' but the symptoms are identical to those which I suffered whilst taking statins.  Again my GP dismissed all connection with statins and said point blank that in 'most people' they have no ill effects.  For 'most people' read the scant minority - I even suggested she should take a look at these forums and see the devastation reaped by this poison.  Her only comment was that if I wanted to risk an imminent stroke or heart attack, my choice.
  • marco
    marco kayjayem

    Posted

    Latest I've read on the statin curse is that a study by the Cleveland Clinic et al of statins  found that only 1 in 6 of the most serious side-effects of statins is caused by the drug. The report I read doesn't say how many side-effects, other than serious, were found and I think that the word 'only' tends to play down the effects whereas to me 1 in 6 is a very large number and is still not recognised by doctors.

    But this study does find that there is a problem which is a step in the right direction.

    Will it make any difference to prescription rates? I doubt it.

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