Are you proactive about your health care?

Harrigran ...I will be 68 in April. I had no idea that Simvastatin was not suitable after age 60 and this has never been mentioned in my annual health checks with the practise nurse. Thank for this information... I now have something else I need to query when I make that appointment.

I have a skin problem that is unsightly, but medically causes me few problems and every now and again I do a bit of research to see if any new treatments have come out. Many years ago I discovered that indeed a new drug had been found so I hotfooted it to my GP who had never heard of it. She checked the NICE guidelines and prescribed it, but also referred me straight back to my dermatologist.

I know that other doctors in her position would have felt threatened to have a patient inform them of new treatments, but my GP was always very open and responsive.

Cholesterol drug dosage is generally 40mg. You do not say how old you are but Simvastatin is not considered suitable long term for over 60s, after I had been on it for 5 years it was changed to Atorvastatin.

That was my thread Grannyactivist and I have to admit I haven't been. This virus has definitely been a wake up call for me and I intend to take a great deal more notice about changes to my health and what medication I am putting into my body from now on. I didn't mention on the other thread but another thing which rather startled me was that I had always been on 10mg dose of Simvastatin for control of cholosteral. A while ago I remarked to dh that the tablets seemed to have changed, looked 'fatter'. A closer look showed they were 40mg! No-one has ever discussed with me changing the dosage so I'm thinking there may have been a mistake made with my prescription. I realize I am entirely responsible for looking at these boxes from the chemist and as I said on the other thread, I am going to be much more proactive from now on. Human errors occur and I should be looking out for myself.
Dh always reads up on anything he is diagnosed with and any medication. I am going to follow suit from now on.

I take H & B's turmeric twice a day, this seems to have boosted my weak immune system, so I might just have a fighting chance? I also take heavy duty pro-biotics. I was given the all clear from TB 3 years ago, after loads of antibiotics which brought my immune system to it's knees.

I tend to be reluctant to visit my GP. However, I do believe that I know my own body and when things aren't right. Sometimes it's necessary to stand firm and say what you think is wrong, and why, and not to be fobbed off.

I was fobbed off in my late teens/early 20s by my GP who said that my gallstones were 'nervous dyspepsia'. I didn't fit the usual profile so he was disinclined to think of anything else even though my mum had had gallstones at the same age. (He did follow up other problems thoroughly though). In my 50s I went to the GP I had then and told him it was my gallbladder causing problems - he took me seriously and it was dealt with.