# Statins again.



## nagden (4 Jun 2020)

My cardiologist has told me that I should start taking 10mg of statins daily after my Ldl cholesterol rose from 1.49 to 1.53. I told him I would rather try diet and exercise before medication. But he was insistent. I am sure that my cholesterol has risen because I was unable to cycle for 2 months because of the lock down here in France. I am very reluctant to start this course of treatment. Any opinions would be welcome. Thanks


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## Bonefish Blues (4 Jun 2020)

10 mg is quite a low dose - I was on 80, since halved.


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## Ming the Merciless (4 Jun 2020)

Push for exercise and diet and ask to retest in 3 months.


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## welsh dragon (4 Jun 2020)

It seems like most of the men where I live were prescribed statins and they all refused to take them ever again after the first month or 2 as the side effects were awful. I to would personally go down the exercise and diet road first. If that still doesn't work, then statins are a fall back position.


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## slowmotion (4 Jun 2020)

I took 80mg for seven years with absolutely no adverse side effects. The medics then knocked it back to 40mg. I don't know why. I would do what your doctor suggests and wait to see if it doesn't suit you. Plenty of people would disagree.


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## derrick (4 Jun 2020)

Have taken statins for the last ten years no side effects at all.


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## gavroche (4 Jun 2020)

When I started statins, my GP said it would increase my life time by 25%. That was possibly at least 15 years ago with no side effects and my cholesterol level is under control.
By the way, I am on 20mg so quite a low dose really.


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## Dave7 (7 Jun 2020)

welsh dragon said:


> *It seems like most of the men where I live were prescribed statins* and they all refused to take them ever again after the first month or 2 as the side effects were awful. I to would personally go down the exercise and diet road first. If that still doesn't work, then statins are a fall back position.


I didn't realise they could prescribe statins to sheep 
But, seriously, I am with you on that.
Going back 15+ years the Doc tested me and I was 8.9. She said a) I was a heart attack waiting to happen and that I must go on them. b) she said it was often nothing to do with diet but is inherited.
I declined, altered my diet somewhat and started to take herbal stuff.
6 month later it had dropped to 6.0.
15 years later and I'm still here and, at 73, feeling good.


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## Drago (7 Jun 2020)

derrick said:


> Have taken statins for the last ten years no side effects at all.


I've been eating chips for 52 years with onside effects at all 

A serious question for those in Englandland - if you have statins, do you have to pay for the prescription?


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## dave r (7 Jun 2020)

Drago said:


> I've been eating chips for 52 years with onside effects at all
> 
> A serious question for those in Englandland - if you have statins, do you have to pay for the prescription?



No, I'm a pensioner so don't have to pay, I've been on statins for years.


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## Bonefish Blues (7 Jun 2020)

I pay, yes. I have the NHS subs card which reduces the cost somewhat, so I get as many drugs as I can


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## Drago (7 Jun 2020)

That's annoying. Smoke fags until you develop lung cancer, or eat mars bars until you develop lifestyle induced Type 2 diabetes and you get your prescriptions for free.


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## Bonefish Blues (7 Jun 2020)

Drago said:


> That's annoying. Smoke fags until you develop lung cancer, or eat mars bars until you develop lifestyle induced Type 2 diabetes and you get your prescriptions for free.


It was something of a pisser, I have to say - fit, active, doing all the right stuff, so I thought!


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## dave r (7 Jun 2020)

Bonefish Blues said:


> It was something of a pisser, I have to say - fit, active, doing all the right stuff, so I thought!



And me, but I have a family history littered with heart attacks and strokes so shouldn't have been surprised.


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## fossyant (7 Jun 2020)

Drago said:


> I've been eating chips for 52 years with onside effects at all
> 
> A serious question for those in Englandland - if you have statins, do you have to pay for the prescription?



Yep. I pay a tenner a month as on 2 prescriptions. 20 mg statin here. No side effects other than cholesterol now in range. Family history, so diet didn't affect it


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## Bonefish Blues (7 Jun 2020)

dave r said:


> And me, but I have a family history littered with heart attacks and strokes so shouldn't have been surprised.


I'm badly-bred too!


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## PaulSB (7 Jun 2020)

I'm on 4 different meds one to control epilepsy and three following a heart attack five, I think, years ago. I also survived a severe brain haemorrhage in January 2019 - the "let's wait and see if he wakes up" type. I'm very fit and have now twice been told it's my fitness levels which helped me survive. I'm a month off 66.

I'm on Atorvastatin 80mg/day and my cholesterol is around 3.2/3.5. @nagden you should consider for +/- 20% of population cholesterol levels cannot be controlled by diet alone. I'm one of the 20%.

I've discussed all my meds with my GP and expressed my desire to come off them. She has advised she will help with this but I should consider my meds are long established, safe drugs and to date have caused me no harm.

I'm a firm believer in being a good patient and try to follow all the advice. Nothing wrong with questioning it but consider the answer and alternatives carefully.

I don't pay prescription charges and haven't for five years.


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## nagden (7 Jun 2020)

Thanks for all your replies. I have decided to go down the diet and exercise route. I am sure that the two month lay off from cycling due to the lock down caused the increase in my cholesterol, as well weight and blood pressure.


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## jamin100 (7 Jun 2020)

37 here and have been on 80mg or statins (plus other drugs) since I needed a stent in my LAD 3 years ago.

BEFORE I started the statins my total cholesterol was 3.6 with the NHS guidelines to say keep it under 4.

after being on 80mg and tested regularly my total cholesterol is always under 2.

no side effects that I can tell though. Although i do go light headed if I stand up too quick but suspect that’s from the beta blocker I’m taking as well


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## fossyant (7 Jun 2020)

There is alot of bad 'science' floating about. If a drug works for you, then it's better than the long term consequences, If it doesn't then change it. If you can change something by diet/exercise then great, if it's genetics, then you are a bit stuck. 

I only went for a checkup a year ago as a good mate had just dropped dead. Heart attack whilst cycling, in hospital, couple of stents, back out, dead the next weekend - literally dropped dead at home.


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## rualexander (7 Jun 2020)

Presumably you already have some cardiac issues given you have a cardiologist looking after you, and an ldl level of 1.53 would be considered very good in most people.
But surely a rise from 1.49 to 1.53 is of little statistical significance and could easily be within daily fluctuations?


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## nagden (8 Jun 2020)

rualexander said:


> Presumably you already have some cardiac issues given you have a cardiologist looking after you, and an ldl level of 1.53 would be considered very good in most people.
> But surely a rise from 1.49 to 1.53 is of little statistical significance and could easily be within daily fluctuations?


I had a pulmonary embolism 5 years ago and been on a blood thinner called pradaxa since. I am sure it has affected my system. Since then I have had issues with low blood sugar and potassium and BP. I have been taking a potassium supplement for a week and my BP has dropped significantly. Thanks for your reply.


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## Bonefish Blues (8 Jun 2020)

nagden said:


> I had a pulmonary embolism 5 years ago and been on a blood thinner called pradaxa since. I am sure it has affected my system. Since then I have had issues with low blood sugar and potassium and BP. I have been taking *a potassium supplement* for a week and my BP has dropped significantly. Thanks for your reply.


Om nom nom eh 

Actually, having a very non-sweet tooth, I don't mind it as much as others do.


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