I don't want to take Statins. Advice please.

nightowl

*Growstuff*, I don’t know how you can suggest buffyfly9 is spreading misinformation when she is describing her professional experience. That’s what I find rude.

But it's misinformation.

foxie48

I wonder if BuffyFly9 worked for a dispensing GP surgery? A dispensing GP will get paid the same as a pharmacist, ie for each prescription + an agreed amount for each medicine according to the current drug tariff. The payment is for dispensing not for prescribing, which is a completely different thing and then of course, the office staff will be sorting out prescriptions, but I would have thought a practice manager would appreciate the difference.

I wondered that too.

Growstuff, I don’t know how you can suggest buffyfly9 is spreading misinformation when she is describing her professional experience. That’s what I find rude.

growstuff

nightowl Weight and age are risk factors for heart attacks and are all put together as well as cholesterol levels when deciding whether statins should be prescribed. Maybe the pharmacist was actually suggesting that you should have a test for cholesterol. Statins wouldn't be prescribed before a baseline cholesterol test anyway.

I know they are risk factors and no, she was not suggesting I should have a blood test. In fact she looked quite surprised that I suggested such a thing and repeated the fact that it would be a good idea for me to take them. She then went on to tell me the data regarding risk of a cardiovascular event if I took them as opposed to if I didn’t. I again asked if it might be a good idea to check my cholesterol in order that I could make an informed decision and she said words to the effect ‘if that’s what you want to do’.

I think medication can be a wonderful thing if it is necessary; my argument is that it’s a good idea to check that it is first.

I wonder if BuffyFly9 worked for a dispensing GP surgery? A dispensing GP will get paid the same as a pharmacist, ie for each prescription + an agreed amount for each medicine according to the current drug tariff. The payment is for dispensing not for prescribing, which is a completely different thing and then of course, the office staff will be sorting out prescriptions, but I would have thought a practice manager would appreciate the difference.

nightowl Weight and age are risk factors for heart attacks and are all put together as well as cholesterol levels when deciding whether statins should be prescribed. Maybe the pharmacist was actually suggesting that you should have a test for cholesterol. Statins wouldn't be prescribed before a baseline cholesterol test anyway.

nightowl

It seems rather rude to dismiss buffyfly9’s long work experience as a practice manager as a ‘conspiracy theory’. I have no skin in this game but I’m very interested in what she has to say.

My husband has been on multiple medications, including statins, for almost 20 years and has undoubtedly had his life saved by the NHS on a number of occasions.

On the other hand, I recently had a medication review with our new practice pharmacist (it has always been with a GP in the past). She suggested I should start taking statins on the basis of my age and weight alone. I have not had any blood tests for over 10 years but she seemed slightly surprised when I asked if it might be a good idea to check my cholesterol levels to see if there was a problem before prescribing medication of any kind.

I would like more cohesive practice between the different professionals at my particular GP practice, it all seems very fragmented and process driven.

It's not rude to highlight misinformation.

Primrose53

buffyfly9

Growstuff: for the final time: I worked in a GP practice in this country for 25 years, the last years as the Manager. Why do you refuse to accept that GP's receive a prescription fee each time they write one.? I am not saying that GP's are sitting at their desks deliberately writing spurious prescriptions! I have sorted and counted thousands of prescriptions at the end of every month and sent them for pricing for years! It's all part of their income, like over 75 health checks, baby immunisation targets etc, they are all paid for if those targets are met. GP's are self employed, if they don't meet their targets they lose money. There is nothing wrong in setting targets in principle but if you ask most GP's if they like their target driven job you would hear a few swear words. Why do you think they are leaving general practice in droves? While you are at it ask a few GP's if they take statins, you might be surprised by their answer.

Explained very well buffyfly9

I know 100% that what you say is true because my ex Practice Manager friend told me the same and the information is out there if you look. I posted a link telling GP Practices how to maximise their income but even that wasn’t evidence enough for some.

Because your link wasn't evidence that GPs are paid for prescribing statins.

Vintagewhine

GPs definitely don't get paid for writing a prescription, just like they don't get paid for prescribing statins. People spread such rubbish but it's damaging if patients think their GP is just trying to make money out of them instead of giving them something that may stop them becoming ill. It reminds me of all the rubbish that was posted about covid vaccines. Conspiracy theories spread by ill informed people!

Thank you for posting that Vintagewhine. I don't know why people persist in posting the nonsense. Yes, it is damaging - and dangerous.

Have been taking statins a long time. Very recently I was diagnosed with heart failure but thanks to the statins I didn't have a cholesterol build up in my arteries. I escaped having a heart attack

Marydoll:

'No-one should be making decisions on their health, based on what they read on social media'

exactly - and if my cholesterol was that high - I think I'd take the statins.

Still, Macerena did ask, so here's some info from the BHF:

www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/cholesterol-lowering-alternatives

It seems rather rude to dismiss buffyfly9’s long work experience as a practice manager as a ‘conspiracy theory’. I have no skin in this game but I’m very interested in what she has to say.

My husband has been on multiple medications, including statins, for almost 20 years and has undoubtedly had his life saved by the NHS on a number of occasions.

On the other hand, I recently had a medication review with our new practice pharmacist (it has always been with a GP in the past). She suggested I should start taking statins on the basis of my age and weight alone. I have not had any blood tests for over 10 years but she seemed slightly surprised when I asked if it might be a good idea to check my cholesterol levels to see if there was a problem before prescribing medication of any kind.

I would like more cohesive practice between the different professionals at my particular GP practice, it all seems very fragmented and process driven.

That's sums up how I feel, Vintagewhine. I agree it is damaging to spread misinformation.
No-one should be making decisions on their health, based on what they read on social media.
How many posting on this thread are actually doctors? Anecdotal evidence does not cut it with me. Do what you like about your own health, but do not try to influence others.

GPs definitely don't get paid for writing a prescription, just like they don't get paid for prescribing statins. People spread such rubbish but it's damaging if patients think their GP is just trying to make money out of them instead of giving them something that may stop them becoming ill. It reminds me of all the rubbish that was posted about covid vaccines. Conspiracy theories spread by ill informed people!

buffyfly9

Growstuff: for the final time: I worked in a GP practice in this country for 25 years, the last years as the Manager. Why do you refuse to accept that GP's receive a prescription fee each time they write one.? I am not saying that GP's are sitting at their desks deliberately writing spurious prescriptions! I have sorted and counted thousands of prescriptions at the end of every month and sent them for pricing for years! It's all part of their income, like over 75 health checks, baby immunisation targets etc, they are all paid for if those targets are met. GP's are self employed, if they don't meet their targets they lose money. There is nothing wrong in setting targets in principle but if you ask most GP's if they like their target driven job you would hear a few swear words. Why do you think they are leaving general practice in droves? While you are at it ask a few GP's if they take statins, you might be surprised by their answer.

Explained very well buffyfly9

I know 100% that what you say is true because my ex Practice Manager friend told me the same and the information is out there if you look. I posted a link telling GP Practices how to maximise their income but even that wasn’t evidence enough for some.

buffyfly9

Growstuff: for the final time: I worked in a GP practice in this country for 25 years, the last years as the Manager. Why do you refuse to accept that GP's receive a prescription fee each time they write one.? I am not saying that GP's are sitting at their desks deliberately writing spurious prescriptions! I have sorted and counted thousands of prescriptions at the end of every month and sent them for pricing for years! It's all part of their income, like over 75 health checks, baby immunisation targets etc, they are all paid for if those targets are met. GP's are self employed, if they don't meet their targets they lose money. There is nothing wrong in setting targets in principle but if you ask most GP's if they like their target driven job you would hear a few swear words. Why do you think they are leaving general practice in droves? While you are at it ask a few GP's if they take statins, you might be surprised by their answer.

Because they don't receive a prescription fee for every prescription they write!

One of my best friends is a GP. I know very well what she thinks of targets. I also know that she doesn't get paid for the prescriptions she writes.

The dispensers (pharmacists) receive a flat fee from the NHS for the items they dispense, which covers the cost they have to pay for them, their staff and their premises.

No, they don't get paid for writing prescriptions.

Part of their pay includes meeting QOF targets, which in some circumstances mean that a percentage of patients with certain chronic conditions are prescribed the medication the NHS (NICE) recommends.

but why would the GPs get paid for prescriptions, i don't understand that ?
they don't dispense the medicines, except rarely in emergencies, which they don't often deal with.
the only GPs i have encountered who actually give out medicines are the out of hours docs who carry some, to bed bound patients.
isn't it the pharmacists who get paid for prescriptions, ie the ones supplying the items.
do GPs get paid for them also ?

Growstuff: for the final time: I worked in a GP practice in this country for 25 years, the last years as the Manager. Why do you refuse to accept that GP's receive a prescription fee each time they write one.? I am not saying that GP's are sitting at their desks deliberately writing spurious prescriptions! I have sorted and counted thousands of prescriptions at the end of every month and sent them for pricing for years! It's all part of their income, like over 75 health checks, baby immunisation targets etc, they are all paid for if those targets are met. GP's are self employed, if they don't meet their targets they lose money. There is nothing wrong in setting targets in principle but if you ask most GP's if they like their target driven job you would hear a few swear words. Why do you think they are leaving general practice in droves? While you are at it ask a few GP's if they take statins, you might be surprised by their answer.

Ilovecats2

Oh and you should read a book by Dr Vernon Coleman who was a GP for years and he said that for every 10 patients in hospital, 8 of them are put there by their GP. He is very much against these tablets.

www.vernoncoleman.com/aboutstatins.htm

The first paragraph of Vernon Coleman's Wiki page says it all for me:

"Vernon Edward Coleman (born 1946) is an English conspiracy theorist, writer, novelist, anti-vivisectionist, anti-vaccination activist and AIDS denialist who writes on topics related to human health, politics and animal welfare. He was formerly a general practitioner and newspaper columnist.
Coleman's medical claims have been widely discredited and described as pseudoscientific."

I was originally prescribed statins by a consultant cardiologist at Papworth Hospital, where people know more than most about heart conditions. I prefer to believe people who know what they're talking about than some crank who once worked as an agony uncle for The Sun.

Ilovecats2

It has to be your decision but my husband took them for a few months and they made him very ill, that he could not get out of bed so stopped taking them and that was 12 yrs ago and he has been fine since. He changed his diet and eats more organic veg/fruit and meat. My cholesterol was high so I looked for advice and got told garlic is great for the heart and cholesterol so I have raw garlic every day or put it in food. I went back to the Dr a few weeks later and she said my cholesterol was fine. It has been reported by top Dr's that statins are not good for you. I would avoid and try and change your diet. Oh and grapefruit juice and coconut water are good for you too!

It's also been reported by hundreds of top doctors and scientists in peer-reviewed articles that statins reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Your body, your choice!

I've been on a high dose of statins, for a fair few years now, because my cholesterol was through the roof! The dosage is about to be lowered significantly because my cholesterol seems to be back to normal. My GP told me that after a year of taking a 'maintenance' dosage, if my cholesterol remains normal, I can come off them completely. So I'm not sure why your GP has told you that once you're on them, you can never come off? And as I say, I've been on a high dose for a long time and have never had any problems at all! I didn't even get any temporary side effects when I first started taking them, as I have with other medications. I tend to take stories from those who "know loads of people who's had bad effects" with a pinch of salt. Scaremongering at its worst. But, as others have said, I would just return to your previous healthy diet and see how that goes first because it's probably just the sudden influx of fat and sugar that caused the surge.

Oh and you should read a book by Dr Vernon Coleman who was a GP for years and he said that for every 10 patients in hospital, 8 of them are put there by their GP. He is very much against these tablets.

www.vernoncoleman.com/aboutstatins.htm

It has to be your decision but my husband took them for a few months and they made him very ill, that he could not get out of bed so stopped taking them and that was 12 yrs ago and he has been fine since. He changed his diet and eats more organic veg/fruit and meat. My cholesterol was high so I looked for advice and got told garlic is great for the heart and cholesterol so I have raw garlic every day or put it in food. I went back to the Dr a few weeks later and she said my cholesterol was fine. It has been reported by top Dr's that statins are not good for you. I would avoid and try and change your diet. Oh and grapefruit juice and coconut water are good for you too!

growstuff

MOnica The last time I went to see my GP with a problem and asked for treatment, he said to me, "Putting any medication in your body is a poison and will have some side-effects.There are three medications I could prescribe, but I wouldn't give two of them to my own mother, so I'm not giving them to you." When I asked about side-effects, he said that he knew they work, but he couldn't predict side-effects and I should stop them if I was bothered about anything.

I always question any treatment, medication and other forms. I've always felt that I've been involved in a joint decision and I don't understand why people don't just refuse, if they don't like something.

Well said. I’ve refused statins several times. I’ve also refused treatment for osteoporosis as these can have dreadful side effects too. It’s my body, my choice.