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

My cholesterol level is 6 (apparently too high to control with a change of diet) and after having batted away suggestions to take statins for a few years, eventually I felt I had to do as I was told.

I'd read that muscle aches and pains were a side effect of said medication which were the main reason I wanted to avoid them. Sadly, I was diagnosed with arthritis about a month before the cholesterol business. The extreme muscle aches and pains came after coming off painkillers - suggested for a two-week binge for the arthritis (and didn't really help the flare-ups) so I gritted my teeth and rode it through, so to speak. Most uncomfortable at the time.

I still groan and creak when rising from a chair, stairs frighten me more but I'm glad to be alive. I have to assume that the cholesterol level has fallen but haven't had a test to prove it yet. I've only been on statins for about five weeks so it's very early days. I tell myself, 'chin up, lass', you're still here.

I assume that cholesterol is a silent killer which could lead to a stroke or heart attack, whereas the arthritis is more noticeable. I see a physio next month so here's hoping that there'll be an improvement.

I have been taking plant sterols for 18 months my last blood test they didn't mention statins at all so I'm hoping that means its been working. I was too scared to ask.

Also since my last blood test I have spoken to some friends and they say that there are lots of different statins and all the side effects should be reported to your GP and they can keep changing them until you get one that suits you.

Nice reading this. I’m an adverse to this after recently taking them and feeling headachy and low mood. The dr told me to come off them as he thought they were interacting with my breathing tablet. Came off and fine again. Probably will try a different statin at a later date but awaiting drs telephone call.

Like sharpeyes I have a tendency towards high cholesterol due to a genetic condition. My diet has always been pretty good but the cholesterol levels never came down whatever I did. Ordinary statin tablets lowered it slightly but I now inject a drug called Repatha once a fortnight. I don’t really mind the injection- it has caused my cholesterol level to fall to the lowest level I have ever had. I have had no side effects whatsoever- although I know some people have reported them

Northernlass

Macerena

You may be interested to have a look at this research published in the BMJ:
www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n1537

And this from Cochrane UK:
www.evidentlycochrane.net/are-statins-good-as-we-think/

If you haven't come across Cochrane before here's some information from their website:

"Cochrane is a global independent network of health practitioners, researchers, patient advocates and others, responding to the challenge of making the vast amounts of evidence generated through research useful for informing decisions about health. We are a not-for-profit organisation with collaborators from all over the world working together to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest.

Cochrane UK (formerly the UK Cochrane Centre) is a regional Cochrane Centre within Cochrane, supporting Cochrane activities in the UK. It is supported by the UK Government through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)"

Please, please research carefully before making your decision and only rely on research that can be backed up by evidence. I would even go so far as to suggest it's a mistake to use Gransnet in this instance.

That is interesting Northernlass

Scrolling down to the section headed “some people will benefit more than others”. Let that sink in.

The Great Cholesterol Con by Dr Malcolm Kendrick (British GP) has been saying for many years that there is no evidence that taking statins will prolong the life of a WOMAN by even a single day.

What matters with cholesterol readings is not the total number but what your HDL, LDL and Triglycerides readings are.
My reading has always been high: 5 and going up. My GP looked at my HDL reading etc, also talked about me as a person who walks, is mildly overweight, diet not bad, doesn’t smoke and drinks occasionally. She said “I’m not worried about your readings, you are fine, some people have a normal high reading or familial ‘high’ cholesterol reading.

On statins for 5 years post heart attack.
Absolutely no problems at all.
If you need them and your GP advice is that
you take them - just do it! They really do know what they are doing.

…… must also say no heart or bp issues. Some people are put on statins just because …….. bums on seats means money.

Monica, I agree with a lot in your earlier post. In your position and having listened to the medical advice I would have taken the statins in order to prevent any further events.
I certainly do not have " health hubris", I consider myself very fortunate to have good health so far. The battery of blood tests taken in A&E were normal, my BP was good for my age (78) and a CT scan was normal apart from my umbilical hernia. Two very fit and slim friends who still run and take regular exercise have been told they are "pre diabetic" as our local surgery is obviously looking at their Targets and the payments that flow from it. I'm only saying that we should not be taking tablets with potential side effects if we don't have to. I suppose I could wear a bullet proof vest in case I meet a terrorist but now we are in the territory of risk analysis which you could also apply to statins!!

I was taking statins for a couple of years and also getting really bad pains in all my joints and muscles. Some days I ached all over. Then I read the list of side effects from statins and it said 10% of people might get muscle pain. This was me! I talked to my GP and stopped taking them. I will have a cholesterol test soon to make sure my level is ok. If it is I will not go back to taking them.

I wasn’t going to respond, and I have to say I read only half the posts, but I have some ambivalence about what I read in your ask for help.

You didn’t post your height and weight so we can’t tell just how thin you may be. You exercise a lot and eat a spartan diet. You’re trying to get off the junk and sugars in trying to gain weight but now have another problem - high cholesterol.

This all reminds me of a friend, who’s countenance reminds me of you. I’m going out in the limb here - but you need to change your diet altogether. You over compensate your calorie intake and weight gaining by exercising (too much)? Exercise is very good but obsessive exercise is detrimental.

The first thing malnourished people go for is sugary, fatty things. It seems you’re lacking some protein (fish is good!) and just having a more well balanced diet. Also, you must never give up all fats, stay on healthy fats (Mediterranean). You could completely stay off statins by regulating your diet and eating properly. I’ve seen my brother do it!

My friends all agree our dear friend has a problem. Her constant exercising and picky eating which contributes to her extreme thinness makes her look far older than she is.

Please get your GP to help your find a level of nutritious eating to gain a little weight and shed the cravings. You need to find a level of peace of mind.

I’m 65, slightly high blood pressure for which I take a tablet and been on statins for about a year. Wouldn’t know I was taking them. If it helps protect your heart and against strokes. To me it’s a no brainer!

Gundy
Unfortunately our trainee doctors are given very little education in nutrition.
You couldn’t make it up, could you? When that’s what keeps us alive and well.

I was put on Statins 4 years ago after my stroke. I never take tablets and I didn’t want to take these for life. My Dr a locum, told me that they hand these out like smarties. I stopped taking them a few months down the line. I eat well, strength train and I don’t smoke or drink and not overweight.My stroke was put down to stress. So I decided that as long as I continue to look after myself and keep stress low, I am unlikely to have another one.
Another Dr said that Statins don’t change when you die just how you die. That freaked me out, completely.
Take your health into your own hands and future proof your health. The drug companies want everyone on statins, it’s a money maker

Would someone who has said that doctors get paid for putting patients on statins, please provide evidence from a reliable source? My understanding is that GPs get paid for the health check that they do, not for the prescribing, which is a very different thing. I am very happy to be proved wrong but I would like to see evidence rather than anecdotal opinions. Thanks.

I've taken stations for a number of years, only once have I had any side affects and that was near the beginning, I became a little forgetful.

Made an appointment, this was back when you could make appointments, with my GP. I explained the problem and he changed my statins and the problem went away. That was over 10 years ago and I've had no problems statin related issues since.

foxie48

Would someone who has said that doctors get paid for putting patients on statins, please provide evidence from a reliable source? My understanding is that GPs get paid for the health check that they do, not for the prescribing, which is a very different thing. I am very happy to be proved wrong but I would like to see evidence rather than anecdotal opinions. Thanks.

managementinpractice.com/practice-intelligence/qof-2023-24-what-practices-need-to-consider-to-gain-maximum-income/

They are given QOF points for various treatments and high cholesterol is one of them. QOF points are then translated into income which can massively increase income for the GP Practice. Once a patient is on them, they are most likely on them for the rest of their life so the points keep on coming in and so does their income.

There is a former Practice Manager on this thread who may add more info for you. She also said that most GPs are too busy to sit and discuss diet, stress etc with you so it’s easier to just prescribe statins. My old school friend is also a retired Practice Manager so I learned a lot about this from her. She also told me that the drug companies provide lots of freebies to staff ranging from pens and notebooks to very expensive fine dining type meals out, laptops etc.

Minxie I think the doctorgot it the wrong way round, they change when you die, possibly not how.

The statistics are there to prove it, growth in longevity and and the reduction in deathsf
deaths at younger ages from those having heart attacks.

^ between 1990 and 2013 CVD death rates in England declined by 52%, coronary heart disease (CHD) by 60%, and stroke by 46%.^ heart.bmj.com/content/102/24/1945

Statins also reduced the overall risk of death by coronary heart disease by 28 per cent, and reduced the risk of death by other cardiovascular disease by 25 per cent among those with very high LDL cholesterol. www.imperial.ac.uk/news/181453/statins-reduce-deaths-from-heart-disease/

Primrose53

foxie48

Would someone who has said that doctors get paid for putting patients on statins, please provide evidence from a reliable source? My understanding is that GPs get paid for the health check that they do, not for the prescribing, which is a very different thing. I am very happy to be proved wrong but I would like to see evidence rather than anecdotal opinions. Thanks.

managementinpractice.com/practice-intelligence/qof-2023-24-what-practices-need-to-consider-to-gain-maximum-income/

They are given QOF points for various treatments and high cholesterol is one of them. QOF points are then translated into income which can massively increase income for the GP Practice. Once a patient is on them, they are most likely on them for the rest of their life so the points keep on coming in and so does their income.

There is a former Practice Manager on this thread who may add more info for you. She also said that most GPs are too busy to sit and discuss diet, stress etc with you so it’s easier to just prescribe statins. My old school friend is also a retired Practice Manager so I learned a lot about this from her. She also told me that the drug companies provide lots of freebies to staff ranging from pens and notebooks to very expensive fine dining type meals out, laptops etc.

Not the same, where does it say they get paid for prescribing statins?

It doesn't foxie. I've already tried to explain, but I give up.

My doctor suggested statins without even knowing what my cholesterol was, as it hadn't been checked. It still hasn't, 2 years later. I don't believe in taking preventative medicines especially those which give you muscle pain as a side-effect.

As the former practice manager mentioned on here, I can tell you that a GP practice is a BUSINESS. GP's are self employed contractors to the NHS and as such have to manage their budgets like any other type of business. It is target driven, drug companies offer special discounts for bulk purchases, yes, they take the GP's out to lunch,( including myself on lots of occasions) and yes, deals are done over the pudding course!! That is not to say that the GP's don't care for their patients or do a good job, we need them. Every time they write a prescription they get paid for the drug and they get paid for writing it. Big Pharma is everywhere, it's a group of doctors who sit down in an office in London and decide what the ideal blood pressure should be in the general population (it keeps going down, if you notice). Question everything you are told, do your own research and then and only then take the medical advice you are given.

I don't believe in taking preventative medicines , what if it meant they would lessen the chance of you being seriously ill?

I have taken prophylactic antibiotics for years, because I am immunocompromised, have bronchiectasis and brittle asthma. I will be on them for the rest of my life.

I used have have chest infections on a regular basis, which floored me for weeks. Since starting them, the frequency of episodes dropped dramatically.
RA and COPD are not a good combination, it can greatly increase the possibility of rheumatoid lung, which is a terminal illness.

Therefore, I do believe in preventative medicine.

buffly Were you a practice manager in England? What you have described just isn't true.

For a start, most statins are now generics. It is up to the pharmacist which brand is supplied to the patient. Secondly, QOFs don't work like that.