Statins and grapefruit do not underestimate the effect!

Grapefruit reacts with several medicines.

My SisIL could not move her arms above her head when she went on to statins.

Ps I hope you find one that suits you if you GP thinks it's important you take them.

My Consultant does not agree with their widespread use at all.

It was suggested that I take them 'as a precaution', tests being borderline at the time. I declined!

You are not imagining it, if these things are happening trust your feelings, personally for me I wouldn’t touch statins,but that’s of course me, you have to do what you feel is correct,but there are a lot of drs that and all for them, and a lot that aren’t, I hope you get sorted Sago, you will find though that grapefruit can react to a few meds that are perscribed

Just for info, it is only simvastatin's side effects that are affected by drinking grapefruit juice,branded Zocor and Simvador

I take Atorvastatin and that is fine, the NHS website states that you would have to drink 1.2 litres to have an effect which may increase the side effects of the meds.

Personally I would totally avoid statins if possible I don’t like the way they are advised for virtually everybody I know at one t8me they were going to give them to everyone over 50 !
I m with your consultant callistemon

BlueBelle- what about people who are at serious risk of stroke or heart attacks?

Fleurpepper

BlueBelle- what about people who are at serious risk of stroke or heart attacks?

Everyone should be assessed in light of their individual risk factors. As Callistemon & BlueBelle rightly point out, it's a slippery slope when they are recommended for everyone. There is so little good information out there about interpreting serum cholesterol profiles, I find it very worrying.
When my GP suggested that I might consider taking statins, I asked her by how much would it reduce my chance of dying from stroke or heart attack. Turns out it reduced my risk by about half a percent. She agreed that it was pointless but that she had to ask.

Yes, this is what I said.

My friend refused, point blank. Slim, no smoker, vegetarian diet, no alcohol- he died a year later.

Fleurpepper

BlueBelle- what about people who are at serious risk of stroke or heart attacks?

Fleur I was prescribed statins post-stroke. Apparently it's now "common practice" and is what consultants are supposed to do.
I questioned my consultant who looked at my bloods and other results and said "take them if you want to, I have to prescribe them or questions may be asked." I asked if he'd be concerned if I was a close family member, (someone he cared about personally) decided not to take them - and he said no.

Sago I would ask this of your GP or consultant. Just ask "why" and "what if I don't"

Good luck.

NotSpaghetti

Fleurpepper

BlueBelle- what about people who are at serious risk of stroke or heart attacks?

Fleur I was prescribed statins post-stroke. Apparently it's now "common practice" and is what consultants are supposed to do.
I questioned my consultant who looked at my bloods and other results and said "take them if you want to, I have to prescribe them or questions may be asked." I asked if he'd be concerned if I was a close family member, (someone he cared about personally) decided not to take them - and he said no.

Sago I would ask this of your GP or consultant. Just ask "why" and "what if I don't"

Good luck.

I had a stroke 19 months ago and was prescribed statins (as well as BP pills and a couple of other things) - the standard treatment for anyone who has had a stroke, the hospital said. I stopped taking the statins 4 weeks ago as my cholesterol has been 3.2 for many years. My GP told me to stop the BP pills a week ago, as I've been having side-effects. My BP now averages 130/78, so I don't intend to take any at all.

I stopped taking BP pills, with GP agreement,and my BP went down significantly. I avoid statins because I've suffered really bad side effects..

Yes, each case is different. But Statins in many cases save lives and even more important, prevent strokes. Don't refuse them just because of what you read on Social Media.

I have been taking Avrostatin 50mg ever since a diagnosis of angina in 2016 followed by the insertion of 3 cardiac stents. The cardiologist came out of his office 3 times while I was in post op to emphasise that I must never miss taking either them, the 75mg Aspirin or the 2.5 mg beta blockers. I take Co-Enzyme Q10 which eliminates the discomfort the Statins caused me initially....I now walk a good 3 miles a day with our dog and lead a full life. Before the procedure I could barely shuffle a few blocks to the bus stop where I sat for 10 minutes before shuffling back home.....

Fleurpepper

My friend refused, point blank. Slim, no smoker, vegetarian diet, no alcohol- he died a year later.

My friend was slim and fit but her cholesterol level was over 11 so yes, statins would be recommended and necessary in her case.

She's still around 20 years later in her 80s; I dont know if she still takes them.

Fleurpepper

My friend refused, point blank. Slim, no smoker, vegetarian diet, no alcohol- he died a year later.

My cholesterol hasn’t been under 9.4 since 2010.
It’s the worst scam ever perpetrated on the public by drug companies.

MerylStreep

Fleurpepper

My friend refused, point blank. Slim, no smoker, vegetarian diet, no alcohol- he died a year later.

My cholesterol hasn’t been under 9.4 since 2010.
It’s the worst scam ever perpetrated on the public by drug companies.

Probably.

I'll listen to the consultant.

MerylStreep

Fleurpepper

My friend refused, point blank. Slim, no smoker, vegetarian diet, no alcohol- he died a year later.

My cholesterol hasn’t been under 9.4 since 2010.
It’s the worst scam ever perpetrated on the public by drug companies.

I'd listen to the Consultant too. 9.4 is very high.

Each case is different. What is your family history like?

All I am saying, is dont listen to conspiracy theories on t'internet- and listen to MEDICAL advice. I don't take statins, low BP, no history of heart disease, and low cholesterol.

I was advised to take medication for high BP but the side effects are unpleasant.

Often medication results in side-effects which result in taking an additional medication to counteract those effects.

Indeed, often a delicate balance of weighing pros and cons.

For me, avoiding a stroke would weigh very heavily in that balance, even at the cost of some inconvenience. I know many people who take statins without any problems. And one who had to change the type.

I took statins for several years and then with cholesterol low came off them . Blood test for another reason showed my cholesterol was considerably higher, I have type 2 diabetes (very well controlled) and a high incidence of heart disease on one side of my family I was advised to retake them which I have levels low again and have never had side effects.

I have white coat syndrome when blood pressure taken at the surgery, reluctantly tried medication took one tablet and awful dizziness and nausea stopped taking them straight away and told GP I now monitor blood pressure at home and send in results to surgery 2 weeks at a time, all fine, don’t ever intend to take them again if I can help it so side effects can really vary between medications and individuals

It isn’t only statins that can react badly with grapefruit. Some of my blood pressure drugs have a warning about this.

Mine has a warning too Blossoming Lecarnidipine.