Worried About taking Statins

[sunflower99]

Hi All

I was just wondering if anyone had any experiences of taking these statin drugs prescribed by doctors to lower cholesterol and whether they felt they had done them any good or not or whether they had any side effects ?,I have extremly high blood pressure and have to take several blood pressure tablets to lower it now,However my cholesterol is gradually getting higher over years and has now reached 7,which is apparently over the ideal range which is apparently 5,The doctor keeps prescribing me statins and tells me that as i have very high blood pressure it is very important to take them to lower cholesterol However i am terified of taking them as i have heard so many strange things on internet about them ie that they can cause depression forgetfullness muscle weakness and aches and pains,I also am worried that they may encourage weight gain as i am overweight,Does any one have any positve experiences of taking them? ,i just can not being myself to take them at moment and they are festering in my cubboard as i am terrified they will make me get fatter or affect my mind!

[SOD'EM]

Here's some usefull information SF99, I don't have any personal experience with statins but I am also on Blood Pressure tablets. My BP last week was 191 over 122:eek:.

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statin

 

 

It also tells you about adverse affects.

[pompeyfaith]

SF I have been taking 6 pills for a year now two of these is ramipril and antorvastatin 80mg I do get the symptoms you mention but until I read this post I did not associate these with the pills as I have had a major sah stroke and put it down to that I do believe though that taking these pills out way the possibility of having a stoke which everyone with high bp is at risk off

Edited June 20, 2010 by pompeyfaith

[Mydogsawestie]

Hi sunflower my mum takes these, she had a stroke last November, dont know whether these pills she got given at the time along with blood thinning ones are the reason for her deteriorating memory loss or the stroke itself. She has also progressively had more leg pains aswell (she does have athritis in her knee though, and is down for a knee replacement operation!)

 

I have read about these causing muscle wastage aswell as memory loss too so thought it good you posting your concerns too as it is a worry!!

[Mungypup]

My Mum has these too after having a stroke last year, although as far as I'm aware she's fine as far as side affects of medication are concerned. That said, she was put on as preventetive medication to prevent further strokes so it would be hard to establish what affects now are stroke caused and which are due possibly to medication. From what I can gather though she seems pretty ok. I think each case is individual, I'd suggest doing your research and then discussing any concerns with your doctor.

[saintly_1]

My mum stopped taking simvastatin earlier in the year after being on them for several years . She was worried after having some of the symptoms mentioned.

 

I was prescribed them a couple of years ago but never took them ...

[Old Cogger]

Hi Sunflower, I have been taking simvastain since my heartattack just over 2 years ago, last thing at night, has brought and steaded my cholestral count, there is what they call possible flushing (face can get red) like overheating symptoms but soon goes, there is an EXPERIMENT GOING ON IN THE UK/SCANDNAVIA/CHINA with some other tablets (statins) to test if flushing eased but is on going for 5 years and has about 3 years to go, otherwise seems no problem & certainly lower cholestral, Doctor now does a yearly test for High blood pressure, cholestral etc, so far no problem. Hope this helps. mine is below 5.

[little teacup]

Hi Sunflower

I have been on Simvastatin for about 10 months now and the only difference is that my chlosterol has gone down below 5.

 

LT

[pompeyfaith]

I would like to add and it is very important statin drugs are prescribed for a reason usually if you have high blood pressure, have recently undergone heart ops like stenting, are at risk or have had a stroke.

 

So I would advocate never to just stop taking them.

 

If you have any issues about taking them seek professional medical advice first.

 

I have found that although some brands do have symptoms attached to them in many ways this does out way the possibility of cardiovascular disease.

 

British Heart Foundation - Cardiovascular Disease

 

I have had a stroke which resulted in brain surgery I also had a heart attack in March 09 which was when I was put on atorvastatin 80mg

 

http://www.medicinenet.com/atorvastatin/article.htm

 

PF

Edited June 20, 2010 by pompeyfaith

[Monty2007]

Hi All

I was just wondering if anyone had any experiences of taking these statin drugs prescribed by doctors to lower cholesterol and whether they felt they had done them any good or not or whether they had any side effects ?,I have extremly high blood pressure and have to take several blood pressure tablets to lower it now,However my cholesterol is gradually getting higher over years and has now reached 7,which is apparently over the ideal range which is apparently 5,The doctor keeps prescribing me statins and tells me that as i have very high blood pressure it is very important to take them to lower cholesterol However i am terified of taking them as i have heard so many strange things on internet about them ie that they can cause depression forgetfullness muscle weakness and aches and pains,I also am worried that they may encourage weight gain as i am overweight,Does any one have any positve experiences of taking them? ,i just can not being myself to take them at moment and they are festering in my cubboard as i am terrified they will make me get fatter or affect my mind!

 

Dear Sunflower

 

The actual total cholesterol is meaningless in reality and yours is not that much off the average of 5 mm/L of blood. The readings that you should be looking at the so called Good and bad cholesterol. I have pased this in from the NHS site the link for which is below:-

'Good' and 'bad' cholesterol

 

Cholesterol cannot travel around the body on its own because it does not dissolve in water. Instead, it is carried in your blood by molecules called lipoproteins.

The two main lipoproteins are LDL and HDL.

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL).LDL is the main cholesterol transporter and carries cholesterol from your liver to the cells that need it. If there is too much cholesterol for the cells to use, this can cause a harmful build-up in your blood. Too much LDL cholesterol in the blood can cause cholesterol to build up in the artery walls, leading to disease of the arteries. For this reason, LDL cholesterol is known as 'bad cholesterol', and lower levels are better.
  
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL carries cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, where it is either broken down or passed from the body as a waste product. For this reason, it is referred to as 'good cholesterol', and higher levels are better.
  

The amount of cholesterol in the blood (including both LDL and HDL) can be measured with a blood test.

 

from: Cholesterol - Introduction

 

The statins do work but you can also make a significant impact via lifestyle changes such as diet and excercise. So cutting out saturated fats and increasing your level of fitness is something to consider.

 

A good friend of mine had a total cholesterol count of 10 mm/L and high blood pressure and got it down to 4 within 8 months and lost 4 stone though a new diet and exercise plan. I would ask your GP to measure your HD and LD lipids levels since the ration of these two is far more accurate in terms of an indicator.

[sunflower99]

Hi all

Thanks for all your comments and links ! I will read up on them all when i get home from work today!

There seems so much controversary over statins ! Trouble is i did ask my doctor about them and they tend to be very dismissive of anything negative about them and seem to think they the best thing since sliced bread and will not even consider any adverse publicity about them,.One doctor was so blinkered that she accused me of reading the gutter press! LO,l and got quite annoyed with me for daring to question her! and saying that i was implying she not good at her job! LOL which was not my intention! but doctors dont like patients reading reports and questioning them! typical doctor!

[sunflower99]

Here's some usefull information SF99, I don't have any personal experience with statins but I am also on Blood Pressure tablets. My BP last week was 191 over 122:eek:.

 

 

Statin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

 

It also tells you about adverse affects.

Hi Sodem

Thanks for link! Will read up on it when i get home from work! Your blood pressure similar readings to mine:eek: The argument my doctor is using is that i should be on them because i am at increased risk of health problems if my choleserol is not borught down to at least 5! because of very high blood pressure which he argues causes my risk to be doubled of having health problems if i dont take statins! My blood pressure,unmedicated is often something like 220 over 130 which i suppose is quite high for a 51 year old:eek: well i was in my 40s when Doctor got those readings,

[sunflower99]

I would like to add and it is very important statin drugs are prescribed for a reason usually if you have high blood pressure, have recently undergone heart ops like stenting, are at risk or have had a stroke.

 

So I would advocate never to just stop taking them.

 

If you have any issues about taking them seek professional medical advice first.

 

I have found that although some brands do have symptoms attached to them in many ways this does out way the possibility of cardiovascular disease.

 

British Heart Foundation - Cardiovascular Disease

 

I have had a stroke which resulted in brain surgery I also had a heart attack in March 09 which was when I was put on atorvastatin 80mg

 

atorvastatin (Lipitor) - drug class, medical uses, medication side effects, and drug interactions by MedicineNet.com

 

PF

Hi PF

Thanks for links! Will read them later when i get home! I So sorrry you have had bad health problems and in your case i suppose that is why you on such a highg dose of statins,My doctor wants me to take 40 mgs of simstatin a day which is a middle dose i assume.

[sunflower99]

Dear Sunflower

 

The actual total cholesterol is meaningless in reality and yours is not that much off the average of 5 mm/L of blood. The readings that you should be looking at the so called Good and bad cholesterol. I have pased this in from the NHS site the link for which is below:-

'Good' and 'bad' cholesterol

 

Cholesterol cannot travel around the body on its own because it does not dissolve in water. Instead, it is carried in your blood by molecules called lipoproteins.

 

The two main lipoproteins are LDL and HDL.

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL).LDL is the main cholesterol transporter and carries cholesterol from your liver to the cells that need it. If there is too much cholesterol for the cells to use, this can cause a harmful build-up in your blood. Too much LDL cholesterol in the blood can cause cholesterol to build up in the artery walls, leading to disease of the arteries. For this reason, LDL cholesterol is known as 'bad cholesterol', and lower levels are better.
  
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL carries cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, where it is either broken down or passed from the body as a waste product. For this reason, it is referred to as 'good cholesterol', and higher levels are better.
  

The amount of cholesterol in the blood (including both LDL and HDL) can be measured with a blood test.

 

from: Cholesterol - Introduction

 

The statins do work but you can also make a significant impact via lifestyle changes such as diet and excercise. So cutting out saturated fats and increasing your level of fitness is something to consider.

 

A good friend of mine had a total cholesterol count of 10 mm/L and high blood pressure and got it down to 4 within 8 months and lost 4 stone though a new diet and exercise plan. I would ask your GP to measure your HD and LD lipids levels since the ration of these two is far more accurate in terms of an indicator.

Hi Monty

Thanks for all the information ,My doctor did tell me that i had quite a bit of bad cholesterol in addition to god cholesterol so assume that is another reason he thinks i neeed statins ,But your explanation makes it a lot clearer the explanation between good cholesterol and bad cholesterol!