Statins
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wdnisbet
Posts: 518 Member
So, my doc recently recommended I start taking a statin med. Until recently I have had good cholesterol numbers but they have been rising for the last year +.
He tells me medicine is leaning to prescribing statins routinely for diabetics to protect the organs and blood vessels.
I was reluctant, having the vague impression that these drugs have major side effects but have been taking a low dose for about 2 weeks with no obvious ill effects.
Does anyone have any insights to share?
He tells me medicine is leaning to prescribing statins routinely for diabetics to protect the organs and blood vessels.
I was reluctant, having the vague impression that these drugs have major side effects but have been taking a low dose for about 2 weeks with no obvious ill effects.
Does anyone have any insights to share?
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Replies
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Yep, I've heard about the same things, so I'm taking a statin that works at a lower dose.
There are debates about how aggressively LDL levels should be managed, since there are subtypes of LDL and some are worse than others.
Since I switched to Crestor 10mg and magnesium supplements, I no longer get the nocturnal leg cramps that plagued me when I was taking Lipitor, which is a real boon for a good night's sleep!2 -
Taking Crestor for over 1 year and no ill effects. You can also eat grapefruit with Crestor
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I take a generic Lipitor and never had a problem.0
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My endo put me on 20mg of lipator(asorvastatin)3 months ago. Blood work last week showed big improvement in my cholesterol. But i go to the dr tomorrow and my plan is to talk about it. I lowered myself to 10mg and really just want to stop it all together. I fought it bcuz it raises your blood sugar but he said the benefits outweighed that. I don't know. It is a precarious spot. My only focus is to keep my blood sugar down. I have seen the terrible effects diabetes has on the human body bcuz of my mom and her family. Good luck0
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So I'm taking pravastatin (generic for pravachol) 10 mg. Doc tells me that is quite a low dose.
I can't say I've noticed much changes in my sugars. Of course, I tend to be pretty volatile as a rule so it may be hard to see.
And I do plan to do some more research on the drug, but so far not problems. I'm suppose to see doc for follow-up in about a month. I imagine he'll do blood work and then we can re-evaluate.0 -
What are they specifically protecting the organs and blood vessels from? Cholesterol?He tells me medicine is leaning to prescribing statins routinely for diabetics to protect the organs and blood vessels.
My doc wanted to put me on statins from day one saying it was to control my cholesterol. I'm medication averse, I take too many pills already. I refused statins and asked if we could reevaluate my cholesterol level in six months. When they did new labs my LDL/HDL levels were normal. I check my levels on a routine basis and they have held steady for years. If my labs take a turn for the worse I'll reconsider taking statins, but the notion of taking statins simply because physicians are prescribing them to all diabetics doesn't sit well with me. I need some science behind the decision rather than "everybody is doing it".
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I can't take the standard ones because I have NAFLD and my liver enzymes go way too high. I just quit taking Zetia It isn't covered by my insurance and is very expensive. I am getting my blood work done soon to see how I am doing on my own.0
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My sister in law tried taking three different statins and they all affected her mentally, fogginess, balance, etc. She also has Parkinson's so there may have been some other interactions with those meds.0
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My doctor recently put me on atorvastatin 10 mg. After 3 days I took myself off because they affected my short-term memory significantly and my balance was a little off. I do not have any conditions like Parkinson's but was afraid of developing it because it made my forearms very weak. I am 64 and very active and clear-thinking still. Once I took myself off I was back to normal. Also recently went off my Levemir 10mg for blood pressure because I struggled with balance b/c my blood pressure was pretty low. My head is even clearer now. I would take these meds for sure if my symptoms were bad, but it's not worth the side effects so I am working on my diet and keeping better control of my BG and increasing exercise. My next doctor's appointment is in mid-November so I'll know more then.0
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MoonriverDreamer wrote: »My doctor recently put me on atorvastatin 10 mg. After 3 days I took myself off because they affected my short-term memory significantly and my balance was a little off. I do not have any conditions like Parkinson's but was afraid of developing it because it made my forearms very weak. I am 64 and very active and clear-thinking still. Once I took myself off I was back to normal. Also recently went off my Levemir 10mg for blood pressure because I struggled with balance b/c my blood pressure was pretty low. My head is even clearer now. I would take these meds for sure if my symptoms were bad, but it's not worth the side effects so I am working on my diet and keeping better control of my BG and increasing exercise. My next doctor's appointment is in mid-November so I'll know more then.
Wow. After only 3 days? It definitely did not agree with you!
I'm not a huge statin fan, especially for women past menopause - it seems to be of veru little benefit to that group.
I like this video on LCHF and fat intake on cholesterol. It's an interesting self experiment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZu52duIqno 2 -
My doctor did the "we routinely recommend this" thing and I turned him down. My cholesterol is normal. I haven't seen any evidence that statins do what they are supposed to do - prevent coronary events - they seem to lower cholesterol well enough, but there's no evidence of that having the benefits that are expected.1
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Every stating I tried seriously raised my liver enzymes.0
