Statins and GPs

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg181/resources/patient-decision-aid-pdf-243780159
This is the link if any one is keen on reading. Nothing on the link persuades me to stop taking statins, quite the reverse. My only observation is that it's wise to take statins as we get older and continue to eat healthily and maintain exercise.

foxie48

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg181/resources/patient-decision-aid-pdf-243780159
This is the link if any one is keen on reading. Nothing on the link persuades me to stop taking statins, quite the reverse. My only observation is that it's wise to take statins as we get older and continue to eat healthily and maintain exercise.

Thank you for this interesting reading, for me the following stands out
“Improving your diet, stopping smoking, reducing your alcohol intake, reducing your weight and taking more exercise can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. NICE recommends that most people should try doing these things before thinking about taking a statin.”
This is what I aim to do ( although I have quite a good diet, don’t smoke and only drink occasionally) but improvements can be made. I was assured today I am not in a high risk category and will endeavour to insure that remains the same.

foxie48

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg181/resources/patient-decision-aid-pdf-243780159
This is the link if any one is keen on reading. Nothing on the link persuades me to stop taking statins, quite the reverse. My only observation is that it's wise to take statins as we get older and continue to eat healthily and maintain exercise.

Trust me foxie48 ! I am always forgetting to attach the link.

Here is the one I meant

indepth.nice.org.uk/are-statins-the-best-choice-for-me/index.html

Foxie48 I did though remember to give you a link you asked for about GP Practices getting QOF points (which translate into cash) for prescribing statins.

My GP seems to offer them routinely to over 60s. I said no thanks and that was that.

A friend wanted the exact risk statistics, though - and the risk was so low she declined them too.

I know some people have no side effects - but I seem to react to everything.

MY GP gave me the probability of me having a stroke/heart attack in the next 10 years if I did not take statins, this is what this figure they give you is.

I asked her to calculate what difference taking a statin would make to this number. She had difficulty doing this because no one had asked this question before. It turned out that taking statins wouldn't actually reduce the risk very much so I said, thanks but no thanks

Recently for entirely separate reasons I have had all kinds of scans and these show that despite having high cholesterol and not taking statins, my various arteries valves etc etc are free of any blockages or furring up.

Of course I would rethink all my decisions if I were to have any medical problems that indicated a rethink was necessary.

Hetty58

My GP seems to offer them routinely to over 60s. I said no thanks and that was that.

A friend wanted the exact risk statistics, though - and the risk was so low she declined them too.

I know some people have no side effects - but I seem to react to everything.

The effects on my late Dad were scary. aged 80 he was perfectly healthy and was called in for routine health check. They said he needed statins as his cholesterol was high. He looked after his very large garden, kicked a ball around with grandchildren, had a daily walk around the village, drove his car, didn’t smoke or drink and wasn’t overweight.

My Dad always did what he was told and never questioned anything. A few weeks after going on statins I bumped into him in a store. He didn’t see me approaching but stood there with a shopping list in his shaking hand looking thoroughly confused. I asked him what was wrong and he said he didn’t know what he was there for. He had driven from home, about 6 miles with Mum’s shopping list to this store which he had used for 25 years.

I pointed out his list but he said he didn’t know what to do. It was terrifying seeing him like that. I got everything for him and drove his car back for him. As the weeks went by he developed very painful joints and muscles, the confusion continued and his memory got worse. All the family noticed and I told him to go and see the GP and tell him this had all started after taking statins but he refused because he said he trusted the Doctor knew what he was talking about.

Mr C was asked to begin statins around 10 years ago. He queried the need, his GP did some calculations and said not essential, a matter of choice. Mr C decided against and regular blood tests showed continuing low levels of cholesterol.

Ten years on Mr C is unwell and waiting open heart surgery. His consultant surgeon has advised statins although cholesterol levels still aren’t high. Mr C is happy to accept an eminent surgeons advice, so far no side effects.

My cholesterol was a little high last year. The GP checking the blood test was more than happy for me to try to reduce it via a dietary approach.

Not all surgeries are alike, ours certainly doesn’t push statins, the approach is very much one of patient choice.

Primrose53
I don't want to be pedantic but GPs don't get paid "for prescribing statins". They are incentivised to carry out a whole range of checks on their patients. They get points for the checks they carry out whether or not the check results in prescribing.

foxie48

Primrose53
I don't want to be pedantic but GPs don't get paid "for prescribing statins". They are incentivised to carry out a whole range of checks on their patients. They get points for the checks they carry out whether or not the check results in prescribing.

Actually very important to be clear, thank you

I think this issue of GPs surgeries making money out of prescribing statins in particular just muddies the water.

This is not America where (it seems from what I have read) people are very suspicious of “Big Pharma”. Because they have to pay for everything.

And so I keep on bumping into these articles by eminent doctors and experts whenever I have tried to do a search about statins and cholesterol and side effects AND they nearly always have a conspiratorial flavour to them whereas NHS sites are largely matter of fact but in short imply they are the best thing since sliced bread.

Statins are actually quite cheap now and I am well aware that they do indeed bring down cholesterol levels from quite high to acceptable levels and in a short time.

However my experience of the reporting of side effects has been varied from being told not in so many words perhaps that my pains were psychosomatic, Nocebo and anything and everything but real.
This is nothing short of patronising because I have been prescribed four other common cardiac related medicines along side the statins for over 18 years now and when ever I stop taking a statin after “giving them another go” the pains go away pretty quickly and I have continued taking my other meds at the same dose.

There is insufficient information about why some bodies produce higher levels of cholesterol than others - mine is familial
And what apart from lowering it, the statins are actually doing to my body at the same time?

growstuff

swampy You can insist on being given any test results. I get mine automatically online, but before that I used to ask for a print out from the surgery and have all my blood test results going back about 7 years. Don't get fobbed off with a verbal comment.

This is useful to know; thank you growstuff. The main reason that I've been put onto them seemed to be that I'm a Type 1 diabetic and it's to be on the safe side. I have not seen my blood test results, though at some point I was told that my cholesterol was high even though I eat no animal fats and am a healthy weight.

My memory, dizziness etc. has got much worse over the last few years, but I assumed that was from simply getting older, plus the brain damage from the many extreme hypoglycaemic comas I have had over the years. I hadn't realised that this could be a side effect of statins; I think I will ask for a chat at the surgery!

If people have concerns about taking statins, nobody is forcing them to do anything they don't want to do.

The NHS/NICE gives people an algorithm and instructs them to offer statins to everybody at risk of a stroke/heart problems. They would be negligent if they didn't, but nobody has to take up the offer.

Exactly, Growstuff!

Unfortunately my surgery does not have the facility to allow me to access test results online. I wish it did, then I wouldn't have to do battle with the receptionist.

Granmarderby10

I think this issue of GPs surgeries making money out of prescribing statins in particular just muddies the water.

This is not America where (it seems from what I have read) people are very suspicious of “Big Pharma”. Because they have to pay for everything.

And so I keep on bumping into these articles by eminent doctors and experts whenever I have tried to do a search about statins and cholesterol and side effects AND they nearly always have a conspiratorial flavour to them whereas NHS sites are largely matter of fact but in short imply they are the best thing since sliced bread.

Statins are actually quite cheap now and I am well aware that they do indeed bring down cholesterol levels from quite high to acceptable levels and in a short time.

However my experience of the reporting of side effects has been varied from being told not in so many words perhaps that my pains were psychosomatic, Nocebo and anything and everything but real.
This is nothing short of patronising because I have been prescribed four other common cardiac related medicines along side the statins for over 18 years now and when ever I stop taking a statin after “giving them another go” the pains go away pretty quickly and I have continued taking my other meds at the same dose.

There is insufficient information about why some bodies produce higher levels of cholesterol than others - mine is familial
And what apart from lowering it, the statins are actually doing to my body at the same time?

I agree it has muddied the waters a bit but a lot of people don’t realise what big money there is in statins.

I am surprised that not everybody realises statins can have nasty side effects because they are mentioned on the pamphlet inside the box. I worked with older people for many years and often when someone seemed less alert or slept more or seemed confused we would ask them if they had changed medication and in most cases they had gone on statins in recent weeks.
Older people than most of us don’t question what the Doctor says but we can.

I think the best advice is what NICE say, research it yourself, do your homework and don’t feel you have to go on them if you don’t want to. What always concerned me was that there is so little evidence that statins prevent WOMEN from heart attack or stroke.

Marydoll

Exactly, Growstuff!

Unfortunately my surgery does not have the facility to allow me to access test results online. I wish it did, then I wouldn't have to do battle with the receptionist.

I actually get mine because they're processed at Addenbrooke's Hospital and their online system has no problem in posting the results online as soon as they're available.

I agree that it can be a hassle getting the results via the GP, but you just have to persist. The receptionist always insists that the results are "signed off" by a GP, but they don't have the right to withhold them. I used to have to pick up the results from the surgery in person.

I don't know how many times I've explained that I feel more in control of my health if I know the results of tests and can compare them over time. I think it's really patronising that some GPs (and receptionists) seem to think that patients can't interpret results and take steps to improve their health by making, for example, lifestyle changes.

Primrose53 I also think that people shouldn't be put off by scare stories. I take statins because I've had a heart attack. At the time I wasn't overweight, didn't smoke or drink alcohol and ate healthily. Nevertheless, my blood pressure and cholesterol ratio were borderline high, as they are for many diabetics.

Since then, my blood pressure and cholesterol levels have come down quite dramatically. They're now lower than most of the people on this thread. I have no idea whether I'll be one of the unfortunate ones who will have another heart attack, but I don't have side effects and the ECGS and echos I've had over the last six years indicate that my heart is in good shape.

I have no reason to give up statins and, for me, the evidence suggests they're doing me more good than harm.

People need to understand that it's all about risk. Nobody can predict the future, but hopefully people won't have a heart attack or stroke and regret that they ignored the advice they were given.

Interesting. I have blood tests every year and the gp put my results into the calculator and I was just over 10% and I was told I could have statins as the calculation had been lowered from 20%. He also said it was almost impossible for a person of 70 to be lower than 10% regardless of bmi etc. I declined to have them.

Growstuff, I attend four hospitals within the Glasgow University Hospital Trust, none of my test results have ever been accessible online.
The other day, I received a letter giving me test results from a procedure done in July 2022. I had been battling with my GP to find out exactly what they were, If one of my consultants hadn't intervened ( not his speciality) I would still be waiting.
The system seems to be very different in England.

Marydoll Addenbrooke's has a system called "MyChart", which is very good. I was signed up to it when my breast cancer was diagnosed. The GP told me that as I was now signed up, I would be able to see any blood tests ordered by the GP because they're processed in Addenbrookes' labs. They're sometimes available within hours of the test. I don't think it's an "English" thing, but it is for any patients at Addenbrooke's Hospital (and probably some other hospitals).

Before that, I used to ring the surgery, have a conversation with a (usually grumpy) receptionist, who would agree to get the results printed off and release them to me when a GP had seen and signed them, which used to take 24-48 hours. I used to find the whole palaver ridiculous, but I persisted.

The receptionist usually tried to fob me off by telling me that I would be contacted if any action needed to be taken. Unfortunately, I know for a fact that sometimes they don't. I prefer to keep a record myself and can see trends. If there's an upward trend, I take action myself. I honestly think I save GP time because I look after my own health as well as I can and like to be in control.

Many GPs in England are refusing to give their patients online access to their full medical records (despite NHS instructions), but patients do have a right to see them.

PS. I've always asked the hospital to copy me in to any letters sent to the GP about any treatment plans, etc. I've explained how reluctant GPs are to give information. The hospital staff seem to have heard it all before and are very willing to give me the information.

I’m lucky in that I have a wonderful GP. I can request test results online and she phones me, or sometimes, as with my latest x-ray, she texts me the result or gets the receptionist to phone and ask if I now want to go ahead with the referral. My previous GP was lovely but not at all on the ball, but she’s left now, and I suspect she was too stressed by the job and couldn’t cope.

I take statins and have no side effects. I have a familial raised cholesterol. On statins it is low. As a retired GP I feel quite happy taking them. The action of statins isn't solely down to lowering cholesterol. They also have an anti inflammatory action which helps stabilise the plaque within arteries.

mumofmadboys

I take statins and have no side effects. I have a familial raised cholesterol. On statins it is low. As a retired GP I feel quite happy taking them. The action of statins isn't solely down to lowering cholesterol. They also have an anti inflammatory action which helps stabilise the plaque within arteries.

The voice of reason, momb, thank you.