Taking statins

Just on my second month of low dose atorvastatin, so far so good. I have an excellent diet and I walk my dogs miles daily. So I really don’t know what else can be done to lower naturally.
Some of us are actually predisposed to this I believe.

Familial hypercholesterolaemia cannot be overcome with exercise, sensible diet and life style choices - we all seem agreed on that. A discussion with his GP should help to inform your DH about his choice.

My GP told me that, as my cholesterol count hadn't deviated, by one point over all the tests I have had over about 15 years, it is probably genetic, but as my chance of a heart attack/stroke is very little different, whether I take them or not, I haven't bothered.

Since I am 78, fit, healthy and very active, with no underlying health conditions, and a good diet, my risk level is very low - and if I did have a stroke the chances of being able to nail it down to being the one that is the result of not taking statins, against the 17 that can be expected anyway, would be very difficult.

BlueBelle

I wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole there are far better ways

Good foods
1. Oats
2. Barley and other whole grains
3. Beans
4. Eggplant and okra
5. Nuts
6. Vegetable oils
7. Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits
8. Foods fortified with sterols and stanols
9. Soy
10. Fatty fish
11. Fiber supplements
from www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/11-foods-that-lower-cholesterol

www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/lower-your-cholesterol/
www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-lower-cholesterol#basics

I took statins for years without side effects but only a low dose (20mgs) I knew people on 40mgs that had joint pain.

My levels became low and I tried not taking them for a while but levels grew high again so am back on them but as they seem to suit me I don’t mind.

I’m diabetic too so GP did cardiac risk test and advised I stay on them.

What are the better ways, Bluebelle. I’m not asking to be sarcastic, I’m genuinely interested to know what you think is a better alternative to taking statins?

I’m aware that changing your diet so that you reduce your saturated fat intake can help, and is probably a wise thing to do whether you are on statins or not and also taking regular exercise is important, but for some people, these measures alone aren’t going to be enough, particularly if there is a close family history for stroke, heart attack, etc and if you have other existing conditions such as hypertension and there is also an hereditary condition (I forget it’s name without checking) where people have high cholesterol which needs monitoring and treatment.

Certainly changing diet can be a first try for some, and that might be enough, but it’s not always the case for some people.

I think that what can be lacking at some surgeries, is the lack of adequate discussion between doctor and patient before the decision is made to put someone on statins - they are too keen on telephone consultations at the moment, (I understand that covid has meant this is necessary for routine appointments), and if you are taken by surprise by what the doctor is telling you, you might not have prepared enough pertinent questions to ask before making a decision that is right for you. Not everyone is comfortable with telephone consultations.

valdali

Might be a myth that they start you on the cheapest ones that are more likely to cause side effects. It would just increase workload wouldn't it & cost more than was saved in the long run. When I've heard of people getting side effects on statins the usual course of action seems to be to take them off them, not swap them for a different one.I think they're pretty safe but they don't suit some people, hopefully you'll be OK with them.

Yes it is a myth. All statins are off-patent now and cost the NHS pennies. There are two “types” and some people fare better on one type vs the other. No way of predicting before trying one. Some people will react badly to any statin and no drug is completely “safe”. GPs will always calculate 10yr cardiovascular risk before prescribing statins, as well as considering other medications you are taking. Statins have a high “number needed to treat” which means that many people need to take statins in order for just one person to avoid a heart attack or stroke. Alternatives to statins are plant sterols (benecol etc), diet and lifestyle etc.

What are they then Bluebelle?

I wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole there are far better ways

I’ve been on statins for about 10 years. I think the first type they gave me caused a cough, so they changed me to Simvastatin and I am fine on those. Just grateful I am on them ?

People often talk about possible side-effects of taking statins- but never go on to talk about the very real effects of NOT taking them.

(I don't take any btw- excellent family history, low BP, low cholesterol and good levels of good cholesterols. For OH, a totally different story- hence he chose to take statins profilactically about 15 years ago. Many of his close relatives refused and paid a very very heavy price).

Good to read, for once on GN, positive comments about statins. For some people, they are a huge life-saver and prevent 1000s of strokes and heart attacks.

I've taken statins since 2007 and from 7 it's been a steady 3+ all these years and probably saved a catastrophe 4 years ago when I had a mini-stroke.
Statins help remove the build-up of a plaque-like substance and also help prevent blood clots.
Because of family history is the reason I take them, always at night before I go to bed.

I asked my doctor that with my medical history if I was her mum would she prescribe them.
We moved onto to talking about something else and statins were never mentioned again.
OH was prescribed them and has had no problems.

Same as M0nica in my case, but everybody is different. I would go on them if advised by a consultant, particularly after a cardiovascular event.

You do not say how old your DH is but get him to ask the doctor what the chances are of him having a stroke/heart attack in the next 10 years, taking statins and not taking statins and go on that.

I was in my mid-70s when I was told I needed to take statins. The doctor worked the two figures out and, for me, the difference between the two figures was so slight, there was nothing to be gained by taking them, so I decided against it.

Now the answer will be different for everybody and for some it will show that statins are nothing but a blessing for them, but check it out.

Might be a myth that they start you on the cheapest ones that are more likely to cause side effects. It would just increase workload wouldn't it & cost more than was saved in the long run. When I've heard of people getting side effects on statins the usual course of action seems to be to take them off them, not swap them for a different one.I think they're pretty safe but they don't suit some people, hopefully you'll be OK with them.

I’m on Atorvastatin, not because of high cholesterol but because myocarditis wrecked my heart and left me in heart failure.
I don’t have any side effects at all after nearly 4 years of taking it, I vaguely remember having vivid dreams at first but nothing more than that.
DH takes them too and hasn’t had any side effects either.

Just today I have reluctantly agreed to give them a try. I’m not at all keen to take them, it’s probably the sensible thing to do but I’ll be very alert to any side effects. I’ve heard that they always start you on the cheapest ones which are most likely to cause side effects. Does anyone know if this is true?

You can lower cholesterol by diet but I think you have to be pretty dedicated to do it. I've been on statins for at least 15 years with no side effects at all, just low cholesterol.

I’ve just started on Atorvastatin. I started in December and have hadno adverse side effects, well a little constipation but I can take something else a couple of times a week to sort that out. I’m pleasantly surprised as I expected side effects. My cholesterol was over 7 but as yet I haven’t had another test to see how they’re working. I hope they’re doing the trick.

My cholesterol is 3.2, but because I had a stroke (caused by Covid, they said), they put me on statins. Standard treatment for anyone who has had a stroke, in my case.

I think your DH should try diet changes first, not sure whether the GP would suggest this or advise statins straight away. It’s worth a try especially if his diet is rich in saturated fats. Otherwise give statins a chance, some people have side effects but some none at all.

There are a few threads on GN re statins. Sorry I can't do links. My husband, sister and several people I know have been on them for years with no problems.
They didn't suit me. I had severe nosebleeds on them but I think I am the exception. Good luck.

My husband doesn't tolerate statins well so he is on the lowest dose of rosuvastatin on alternate days to minimise side effects which is working for him at the moment.