My doctor has advised me that I should consider taking Statins. I know of the side affects. Am I right to be apprehensive?
Hi Jacqui. In my opinion yes you are right to be apprehensive. Please watch Station Nation on Youtube. It's is very informative.
Aw honey! No one can advise another where medication is concerned. I can only say this site will be invaluable to you in making an informed choice. Know your own body...weigh the pros and cons.At the end of the day you must do what is best for you. My own experience and those of close friends/family has not been favourable where statins and blood pressure drugs are concerned. Quite the contrary.This is the reason I found this site, whilst researching. and I'm glad I did. It gave me an ability to share, it gave me peace of mind and settled a quandry for me. You must make a decision that gives you the same and I wish you well in your choice, whether to take or not take statins
Helen is absolutely right. I was on them for 12 years . My new GP took me off. Muscle and nerve function and pain have improved over the last 7 months. But some of my problems are permanent. But I have sisters and friends who haven't had these problems. So everyone is different I suppose. That's definitely a personal decision. But do all the research fist. Con versus pros. Possible side effects and so forth. Difficult decision I know , but don't simply believe a doctor. They can be wrog.
Thankyou I think you are right. Everybody reacts differently to drugs.
Hi Jacqui, you are definitely right to be apprehensive but although the horror stories about statin side effects are vast, there are many who have no adverse issues whilst taking them, as Helen below has commented. The best advice is that you must do a lot of research, weight up the pros and cons and make the best decision for you personally. If you decide to take them, make sure you monitor their effects closely, ensure you have very regular liver enzyme tests and if you do experience negative effects, discuss it immediately with your doctor, who may decide you cannot continue to take them. If on the other hand you have no ill effects and your cholesterol returns to normal, then you're onto a winner. One small word of caution - it is NOT healthy to have too little cholesterol - it adversely affects brain function. Current pharmaceutical industry marketing would have us believe we need to be below 3 or 4. Aiming nearer to 5 or 6 is probably healthier all round.
Most get on all right with it although I didn't. It is worth trying it for few moths to see if it suits you.
Why do you need statins?
Absolutely right to be apprehensive. Search out other posts I have done on this site for an earful.
And the correct name of the movie to watch is Statin Nation, not Station Nation. You can find it on the net, free.
Oops apologies.. should have checked my predictive text. I meant to say Statin Nation
Those of us who have had a bad experience should not right away deter others and possibly harm their future health.
On a site like this 90% of posters on statins or other drugs are ones who have had side effects. Ones who have benefited have no need to be here. Jacqui must make up her own mind as every drug has a long list of possible side effects.
Most side effects of medications ARE innocuous and most can be cheerfully disregarded. I did for over 60 years.
The ones for statins are anything but innocuous. They can be severely debilitating and can cause permanent damage.
I feel that if I had not stopped when I did, I would now be steadily - inexorably and possibly permanently after a certain point - headed for demensia. The scatteredness of my mind and memory were really scary when I was going thru it. I still cannot find the tool kit I had been building and nursing for over 10 years. Gone. Don't know when, don't know where. All of a sudden I reached for it and it was nowhere to be found. Could not remember when I used it last, tho I knew I had had to have used it for work at sometime in the near past.
Those who want a balanced rendition of what statins don't do to you probably won't find it here, that's correct. Keep that in mind in making your decisions. Just don't be caught unawares. That's what this thread is for.
I agree with you and a friend of mine once a fit hill walker who did not stop developed dementia and severe muscle weakness that I put down to statins. Another friend had problems with every statin he tried but they are exceptions.
I developed muscle pain in the months after starting a statin and took a break from them and it cleared up. I was at the time taking a number of other medications before and after heart surgery. I twice went back to statins with the same result and would never take them again. The same applies to Bisoprolol and Amiodarone but the majority take them without ill effects. My doctor takes a statin and runs marathons.
There you have it, folks, the requested balance.
The reason I am so adamant about keeping them away from me is that I never had any reason to be on them. My cholesterol was, and continues to stay, completely normal. I was put on them after my heart episode - which had nothing to do with cholesterol - just in case.
Not enough reason, in my book. Not compelling.
Not with the dangers they present.
My Mum was on them for several years before she passed away with vascular dementia. I watched her steadily deteriorate and I am convinced the statins were to blame. She had so many side affects. I just always thought they were keeping her alive but they were just killing her slowly. She ended her days not even knowing her family and utterly terrified. Unfortunately I've inherited her high cholesterol. I already follow a healthy diet so I intend starting a vigorous exercise regime in an effort to stay off statins.
Not with the dangers they present.
Sorry for the redundance, wanted to make it just 1 statement in the right place, but cannot delete the second one. Wish we could edit these things...
I agree wholehardedly with you. The same thing happened to my wife last year. No dementia though. But lost the use of her legs and nerves. Docs and test never figured out what was wrong. She was on statins for 8 years but was pretty healthy otherwise when she started them. So , an ounce of prevention will go a long way.
What's the point of avoiding a potential heart episode that is already in the tiny percentages of probability as is, and lose the use of your legs and nerves??? And in my case risk permanent dimensia later on, with my mind and memory already demonstrably affected now?
I would rather risk it and die intact.
Sad world when greed is the main goal. I truly hope there is an investigation into the awful side effects that so many people suffer !