I have to do this for myself!

Jackie_W
Jackie_W Posts: 1,676 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
As a lot of you know, I am diabetic, and I was diagnosed awith high cholesterol back in May this year.
I have been suffering with severe muscle pain for most of the time I have been on Simvastatin, I read the slip in the packet today - first time for everything! It states that 1 on 1,000 people have this side effect, and to stop taking the medication immediately and consult doctor. :noway:

I have decided that, as my cholesterol was low at 3.6 last time it was checked 2 months ago, I would just come off the tablet - I'm seeing my doctor in 3 weeks any way, so I will notify him then. I'm hoping that, with a balanced diet itself, I can do without these tablets, I would rather eat more fibre rich foods etc than keep taking tablets that are causing me grief.

I've also decided, after keeping a close check on my blood sugar levels for the past 6 weeks that, I am also going to reduce the amount of metformin I take, I am on the maximum dose of 6 per day at the moment, and would dearly love to get this down to a maximum of 2 per day - with help of a balanced diet :bigsmile:

I'm going to still keep a close eye on my blood sugar and just see how I go...1 step at a time :bigsmile:

Replies

  • Jackie_W
    Jackie_W Posts: 1,676 Member
    As a lot of you know, I am diabetic, and I was diagnosed awith high cholesterol back in May this year.
    I have been suffering with severe muscle pain for most of the time I have been on Simvastatin, I read the slip in the packet today - first time for everything! It states that 1 on 1,000 people have this side effect, and to stop taking the medication immediately and consult doctor. :noway:

    I have decided that, as my cholesterol was low at 3.6 last time it was checked 2 months ago, I would just come off the tablet - I'm seeing my doctor in 3 weeks any way, so I will notify him then. I'm hoping that, with a balanced diet itself, I can do without these tablets, I would rather eat more fibre rich foods etc than keep taking tablets that are causing me grief.

    I've also decided, after keeping a close check on my blood sugar levels for the past 6 weeks that, I am also going to reduce the amount of metformin I take, I am on the maximum dose of 6 per day at the moment, and would dearly love to get this down to a maximum of 2 per day - with help of a balanced diet :bigsmile:

    I'm going to still keep a close eye on my blood sugar and just see how I go...1 step at a time :bigsmile:
  • lina1131
    lina1131 Posts: 2,246 Member
    You have done great so far and will continue to do a good job! Good luck, you can do it!
  • Jackie_W
    Jackie_W Posts: 1,676 Member
    You have done great so far and will continue to do a good job! Good luck, you can do it!

    Thanks - been hard work at times, but it'll be worth it :bigsmile:
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    Sounds like you're doing a great job. I hope everything works out well with your doctor's appointment. Let us know how it goes. :flowerforyou:
  • Jackie_W
    Jackie_W Posts: 1,676 Member
    Sounds like you're doing a great job. I hope everything works out well with your doctor's appointment. Let us know how it goes. :flowerforyou:

    Thanks, will do, kinda hoping I can live with only 2 tablets per day instead of 6, but hey, time will tell :bigsmile:
  • Jackie_W
    Jackie_W Posts: 1,676 Member
    Ok, so, I've been good all week, and managed to get my metformin intake down by half!!!! :bigsmile:
    I was on 6 tablets a day, I'm now on 3 :bigsmile:
    I've not had any simvastatin for reducing my cholesterol for a few days, not noticed any lessening on the side effects due to my falling down the stairs at home - so my arm is uncomfortable anyway at the mo.

    My sugar has been around 4.8 - 6.3 all week, so I'm very pleased with myself :bigsmile:

    Back to see the diabetic nurse in a couple of weeks, so I'll know if I did the right thing in reducing my medication :drinker:
  • greenbaum9
    greenbaum9 Posts: 121
    Hi Cyberswitch
    I wish you good health. You have done a great job, but, unless you have a medical background, I feel obligated to say not to try self medication management, and not to wait the whole 3 weeks until your next appointment. Call your nurse, maybe she can just tell you what you need to know over the phone.

    I recently got into trouble by missing taking my medication. I am also a diabetic and am on insulin and simvastatin, but I am OK now.

    I hope you are feeling OK since your fall.
    :flowerforyou: :bigsmile:
    greenie
  • Jackie_W
    Jackie_W Posts: 1,676 Member
    Hi Cyberswitch
    I wish you good health. You have done a great job, but, unless you have a medical background, I feel obligated to say not to try self medication management, and not to wait the whole 3 weeks until your next appointment. Call your nurse, maybe she can just tell you what you need to know over the phone.

    I recently got into trouble by missing taking my medication. I am also a diabetic and am on insulin and simvastatin, but I am OK now.

    I hope you are feeling OK since your fall.
    :flowerforyou: :bigsmile:
    greenie

    I've worked as a care support worker for 17 years, mainly with diabetics, so I know quite a bit and regulating meds - thank goodness :bigsmile:

    My sugar is A OK at the mo, and I'm making sure not to have too much cholesterol in my diet - already knocked all the sugar on the head :laugh:
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
    Please please please don't self-regulate your meds unless your doctor has agreed it is safe for you to do so! This can be very dangerous, especially for a diabetic. Talk it over with them and then go from there--if they've said it's ok to reduce, then fine but don't do it on your own without their prior consent. I know you want off the meds--I do, too!--but it has to be done under doctor's control.

    Keep up the good work and you'll get there!
  • Jackie_W
    Jackie_W Posts: 1,676 Member
    Please please please don't self-regulate your meds unless your doctor has agreed it is safe for you to do so! This can be very dangerous, especially for a diabetic. Talk it over with them and then go from there--if they've said it's ok to reduce, then fine but don't do it on your own without their prior consent. I know you want off the meds--I do, too!--but it has to be done under doctor's control.

    Keep up the good work and you'll get there!

    Last time I saw my doctor he said I could reduce from 6 down to 3 as long as I ate right, and my sugar stayed within the 4-7 boundary. If I have all 6 in one day now, nmy sugar goes too low.
    I spoke to my diatician last week, and she agreed that I need to reduce or I'll end up hypo.
    So used to having hypers - hypo's are a new one on me - but I'd rather not risk either.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Hi Cyber....I am so proud of you for taking control of your health.

    I dropped my chol meds (crestor-which was making me ill) and my Chol went down 67 points from diet and exercise. I was eating right every day, watching the cholesteral intake,low fats, lots of veggies and getting my exercise in to move that junk out!
    (went from 267 to 200!)

    You are doing SO well, keep up the good work!
    :flowerforyou:
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
    Last time I saw my doctor he said I could reduce from 6 down to 3 as long as I ate right, and my sugar stayed within the 4-7 boundary. If I have all 6 in one day now, nmy sugar goes too low.
    I spoke to my diatician last week, and she agreed that I need to reduce or I'll end up hypo.
    So used to having hypers - hypo's are a new one on me - but I'd rather not risk either.

    In that case, good! And yes, hypos are not fun--not fun at all. I'd rather by hyper. As my doc said, a Type 2 will almost certainly not die from a hyper but there is a chance that we can die from hypos :noway: Lowest I've been and knew it was 42. Unfortunately, I've had so many hypos recently that now I'm partially insensitive to them, so I'll feel fine, then test, and I'm 50 or in the 40s. Not good! So, be careful!
  • Jackie_W
    Jackie_W Posts: 1,676 Member
    Last time I saw my doctor he said I could reduce from 6 down to 3 as long as I ate right, and my sugar stayed within the 4-7 boundary. If I have all 6 in one day now, nmy sugar goes too low.
    I spoke to my diatician last week, and she agreed that I need to reduce or I'll end up hypo.
    So used to having hypers - hypo's are a new one on me - but I'd rather not risk either.

    In that case, good! And yes, hypos are not fun--not fun at all. I'd rather by hyper. As my doc said, a Type 2 will almost certainly not die from a hyper but there is a chance that we can die from hypos :noway: Lowest I've been and knew it was 42. Unfortunately, I've had so many hypos recently that now I'm partially insensitive to them, so I'll feel fine, then test, and I'm 50 or in the 40s. Not good! So, be careful!

    Please don't worry, I check my bloods before every meal - then, if I'm near the highest level, I take a tablet, but if not, I leave it. It's all trial and error and at the moment it's working - it might not work in the long run, but at the moment it works, so I'm happy - incidentely, I just did my blood testing - just before eating lunch - it's 5.4 (sorry, I don't know the american equivelant) so, I will not be having a tablet this time, but I will have one tablet this evening before bed time - just to see me throguh the night.

    As for the cholesterol, it reads on the packet to stop immediately if get rare side effects such as severe muscle pain - mine got so bad in my right arm, that I couldn't even pick a pen up with my hand.
    My cholesterol has gone down by almost half, so I am being very careful not to have any salt - which is a big no no for us diabetics anyway, but I won't even have ready salted crisps now - I used to love those little salt and shake crisps, but now, if I want them, I throw the salt sachet away, and eat the crisps plain.

    :flowerforyou:
  • Jackie_W
    Jackie_W Posts: 1,676 Member
    Hi Cyber....I am so proud of you for taking control of your health.

    I dropped my chol meds (crestor-which was making me ill) and my Chol went down 67 points from diet and exercise. I was eating right every day, watching the cholesteral intake,low fats, lots of veggies and getting my exercise in to move that junk out!
    (went from 267 to 200!)

    You are doing SO well, keep up the good work!
    :flowerforyou:

    Hi arewethereyet
    Well done - it's not worth taking them if they end up making you ill is there - could even lead to other complications.
    I have a thing for garlic salt - but, hey I can't have it :cry: So...I keep the jar anyway - and sniff it :bigsmile:
    I love the smell :bigsmile:
    I do have garlic granuals and garlic cloves, but still like to open the garlic salt dfor the smell - although I think they all smell the same - GARLIC !!!!
    Oh well, if it keeps my mind off sprinkling it on my salads and vegetables, its worth it - I'm a funny kinda gal LOL :laugh:
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