Has anybody cut down on their meds after reading about over prescribing

Nannyccino

Hello All, Am new to posting here on this lovely site. The Pharmacist from my GP practise rang me to ask why I had been prescribed Statins, as looking back at my cholesterol, ldl/hdl etc levels they have never been high! I had often bemoaned this when they were first prescribed, 3 years ago, after a ‘suspected’ TIA. This diagnosis had never felt ‘right’ to me. The pharmacist said he felt that it would be prudent to try and come off them, so we have halved the dose, and I am to have a repeat blood test in 6 months. If levels remain normal he suggests I then come off altogether, with a further repeat blood test six months after stopping. I could not be more delighted with this sensible precautionary approach, which I had tried to suggest to several GPs without success. Nice to feel vindicated at last!

I had the complete opposite to the one you had.
I’ve been telling Drs for over 20 years that I’m not going to take statins.
A while back at the Drs he said he wanted me to have a cholesterol test. I said no, I’m not having one, end of conversation.
The next thing I know I had a call from the pharmacy enquiring why I hadn’t picked up my prescription.
What’s it for, said I. It’s a statin, said she.
I told her I’m not going to take them.
Then she asked me why.
I told her it’s got bugger all to do with you😡

petra

Nannyccino

Hello All, Am new to posting here on this lovely site. The Pharmacist from my GP practise rang me to ask why I had been prescribed Statins, as looking back at my cholesterol, ldl/hdl etc levels they have never been high! I had often bemoaned this when they were first prescribed, 3 years ago, after a ‘suspected’ TIA. This diagnosis had never felt ‘right’ to me. The pharmacist said he felt that it would be prudent to try and come off them, so we have halved the dose, and I am to have a repeat blood test in 6 months. If levels remain normal he suggests I then come off altogether, with a further repeat blood test six months after stopping. I could not be more delighted with this sensible precautionary approach, which I had tried to suggest to several GPs without success. Nice to feel vindicated at last!

I had the complete opposite to the one you had.
I’ve been telling Drs for over 20 years that I’m not going to take statins.
A while back at the Drs he said he wanted me to have a cholesterol test. I said no, I’m not having one, end of conversation.
The next thing I know I had a call from the pharmacy enquiring why I hadn’t picked up my prescription.
What’s it for, said I. It’s a statin, said she.
I told her I’m not going to take them.
Then she asked me why.
I told her it’s got bugger all to do with you😡

That made me laugh! 🤣

My MiL was on 14 different drugs for over 10 years. Some were to deal with the side effects of others. When a new GP arrived she called MiL in to review them and took her off 5 of them immediately. Two others she swopped out for newer drugs.

It's always worth reviewing medication with the GP.

I wonder if GPS make money prescribing certain pills like statins. I had the same problem as Petra. I didn’t want a statin, my cholesterol was 4.3 at that time so I didn’t feel the need to take one.
In the end I said I would only take it if they prescribed 10mg, which they did.
Also if they prescribed the statin you didn’t want, I think you still have to tell they travel insurance.
I would have been annoyed if my Gp prescribed something behind my back.

AmberGran

My MiL was on 14 different drugs for over 10 years. Some were to deal with the side effects of others. When a new GP arrived she called MiL in to review them and took her off 5 of them immediately. Two others she swopped out for newer drugs.

It's always worth reviewing medication with the GP.

That is ok if you aren’t on certain drugs that you need to be weaned off 👍🏻
It’s Dangerous to just suddenly stop them if you have been on them years & years.

I stopped taking Statins because they caused terrible pains in my legs & I couldn't walk. I certainly wasn't expecting that! Now I try to be mindful of my diet but I think I'm one of those slim on the outside, fat on the inside type of people.
I still like cake though, alas.

MT62

I wonder if GPS make money prescribing certain pills like statins. I had the same problem as Petra. I didn’t want a statin, my cholesterol was 4.3 at that time so I didn’t feel the need to take one.
In the end I said I would only take it if they prescribed 10mg, which they did.
Also if they prescribed the statin you didn’t want, I think you still have to tell they travel insurance.
I would have been annoyed if my Gp prescribed something behind my back.

This a Dr that if you went in with a broken leg he’d say what you need is statins 😂

Ilovedogs22

I stopped taking Statins because they caused terrible pains in my legs & I couldn't walk. I certainly wasn't expecting that! Now I try to be mindful of my diet but I think I'm one of those slim on the outside, fat on the inside type of people.
I still like cake though, alas.

When I changed my diet last year I started taking prebiotic inulin, chia seeds, flax and psyllium husk because the former is supposed to remove visceral fat. I’ve lost over a stone in that time even though I don’t feel that I’m eating less. And I eat cake every day. I think that my digestive system has had a jolly good clear out too but at the same time my IBS hasn’t got worse and I’m eating high fibre food that I wouldn’t dare have eaten before.

Have you had a cholesterol check Maybee70?

I wish I had such blind faith in doctors. Sometimes I fear they just add more medication for each symptom
Many years ago I did the occasional fill in on a consultant led metabolic ward
At the time patients with Padgett disease came onto the ward for a two week stay and many tests were carried out.
They would frequently arrive with a bag full of their medication
Apparently some of the drugs were over prescribed and possible interacted with each other in a less than positive way. Patients went home with fewer drugs
I am on very few meds so I can’t speak personally

Jaxjacky

Have you had a cholesterol check Maybee70?

Yes. Although my bad cholesterol was still higher than it should be the nurse was happy that my change in diet had reduced it and didn’t push for me to start taking statins. The doctor just wanted me to take statins…didn’t ask me about my diet or lifestyle.Annoyingly my bad cholesterol was high ten years ago but the health professional I discussed it with said the fact I went to the gym a lot negated it. Trouble is I stopped going to the gym during the pandemic. I wish I’d looked into my diet back then. I did think I ate quite healthily but, in retrospect I didn’t.What I did forget to do was ask the nurse if my high cholesterol was familial.