Statins
Posted , 10 users are following.
Just had a follow up cholesterol blood test and it increased to 7.4...should I take the recommended station or try changing lifestyle first
0 likes, 15 replies
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Notes on Statins
jen86183 brian3357
Posted
To be honest Brian that is a decision only you can make. If you believe everyone's body is identical therefore, every reading is identical in every aspect then you believe everyone's blood pressure, cholesterol etc., is identical so be it. Personally, I believe cholesterol is an important function in the body, everyone's cholesterol is the correct level for that person and by lowering it artificially to ridiculous levels is dangerous. As I said only you can decide.
By the way I have made the above comment not through ignorance but by educating myself about the original cholesterol studies to where we are today and the drug companies constant lowering the numbers to promote the sales of statins. You cannot go wrong with exercise and a fairly healthy diet.
loxie jen86183
Posted
you'd be very foolish not to try lowering your cholesterol by making healthy changes to your lifestyle and diet first, rather than taking statins as a first step. Statins may be a life saver for some but for many, probably the majority, they are toxic. As Jen has very wisely said, every person's body is different and a high cholesterol reading in isolation of anything else is never to be considered the main factor in choosing to take statins. If all else fails and you are persuaded to take them - start low and monitor very carefully any reactions you have. If you do start to experience the onset of the common side effects of muscle weakness, loss of cognitive function and liver problems, stop immediately - regardless of being pushed to continue by doctors who for some reason dont seem to want to accept that whilst they are very effective in lowering cholesterol, they are also very effective in destroying very many other parts of the body. They are in effect a last resort when all else has failed, not the first port of call.
lee12629 brian3357
Posted
I took 10 mg of a statin for a year,at first no side affects,then I deveoped them,muscle weakness and pain ,nerve pain etc. Took me 3 years to feel ok again. They don't caus symptoms for some,but do for many. Research on line,look up user reviews for the statin your doctor wants to give you and think it over first. I would try the diet,exercise if I had it to do again. Personally I doubt I would ever take a statin again.
WayneH brian3357
Posted
Yeah, mine has slipped as well lately, doctor's have invited me in for a Q Test.. I think that's a lifestyle test. Admittedly i had slacked off on my tables i was taking due to repeat prescription not being renewed correctly.
Knowing myself, id consider the tablets, unless you are going to religiously stick to a very strick diet then it's incredibly hard to lower your cholesterol.
brian3357
Posted
Yes my Q test came out as 22%risk.
lisa09924 brian3357
Posted
Brian , I agree with everything Jen said, I took statins for years and was fine at the start , but then the muscles aches ,thinning hair painful joints started and eventually raised blood sugar, I was told I had type 2 , so I stopped them although G.P. wasn't very happy, but I was.....since then my blood sugar's been fine, but it takes a long time for some of the effects to go away.
and your body needs cholesterol. every organ needs it .if you have a healthy diet and do some exercise you're doing fine. but it is your decision if you decide to take them. I won't ever take another one.
WayneH brian3357
Posted
I have to admit i'm currently taking Fibrates for high triglycerides levels as opposed to statins. I did take some statins on a trial a long time ago and i did have the muscle aches, if you decide to try them and that doesn't go away then i'd be tempted to stop.
brian3357
Posted
What was your cholesterol level?
wayne1962 brian3357
Posted
Hi Brian - get the lifestyle in order - diet including salmon, sardines, tuna, tumeric, olive oil, fresh fruit and veg, oatmeal, dried fruit and nuts, exercise which is as simple as walking everywhere, weights twice a week. Sort sharp bursts are best. Once you are in the routine, it'll become second nature and you'll feel great. I was on Atorvastatin for 2 years and it ruined my health. Took me years to recover after i dumped the doc and his poisons.
brian3357 wayne1962
Posted
I agree. Also I'll diet to lose excess weight.
Thank you
wayne1962 brian3357
Posted
No worries - I hope you can post here in the future to let us know how you get on.
loxie brian3357
Posted
Best advice Brian - dont focus too hard on just losing weight or making it hard work to diet - small steps to changing your whole lifestyle to a more 'heart healthy' one is what to aim for - as Wayne has said, introduce oily fish, fresh fruits and food, nuts particularly, use olive oil. Exercise - start gently at first, dont aim to become a gym bunny immediately. Remember every little helps. Once you get into a more healthy routine, you'll feel better not just physically but mentally too and dont forget stress plays a big part in affecting heart health. If you feel better for the changes you make you're more likely to stick to them and you'll be more relaxed and happier - that will lower your BP, lower your cholesterol and lower your blood sugar too. It's a win-win situation 😃 Good luck and take it slow and easy.
brian3357 loxie
Posted
Thank you for a really helpful piece of advice
andrew99882 brian3357
Posted
Hi - I support other replies that you must take medical advice and then make a decision.
If this helps
In 2010 I suffered a bleed at the back of my eye from a blocked retinal vein. It was put down to the high level of Cholesterol (7.4) recorded at the time. I was prescribed Simvastatin and a 75mg aspirin a day. Less than a month later I began to suffer significant muscle pain in my arms and loss of muscle strength. It became so significant that I took myself off them and, without advice, decided there had to be another way. I noted a surgeon based in Canterbury blogged he to had suffered like me, and concluded Statins were the source. He changed his diet completely and noted a reduction in his cholesterol levels and the pain disappeared. I did the same, and within 6 months had reduced from 7.2 to 4.5 (hospital checked). Since then I have maintained close to the original dramatic diet change, as set out in the most recent Patient Access News Letter, and currently hover around 5. Though my muscles have never recovered their lost strength, suffer no pain.
Andrew
Tatarewicz brian3357
Posted
I was over limit and was prescribed a statin for a few weeks but by rigorously limiting fatty foods I got my cholesterol under the limit .
What I'm recommending to politicians is they mandate that when doctors prescribe a statin or whatever they give patient the option of a prescription and diet/lifestyle change with a printed summary, including a reference to chat rooms like Patient. It's the only way we'll get health care costs under control and have a healthier population.