Statins

[marionq]

I had just popped my nightly statin in my mouth last night when I got distracted. It was ten or fifteen seconds before I got back to my glass of water to wash it down. Almost immediately a blister was raised inside my bottom lip and is still there this morning. What is in these things?

Are they burning their way through our arteries? I can only assume that stomach acid if they are swallowed straight over is stronger than whatever is in the statin.

 

[Grannie G]

What is in these things?

I`ve no idea @marionq

I was with friends last night and we had a heated discussion about statins, some for and some against.

All I know is when I take statins my cholesterol registers normal and when I didn`t , it was high.

I did get muscle pain at first but was recommended [ by a friend ] the natural health Co Enzyme Q10 , a muscle relaxant , would solve this problem and it has.

It goes against the grain to take one tablet to counteract the side effects of another but what else can we do?

I rely on my GP. If I go against his recommendations and suffer as a result , I can`t really expect his support.

Needless to say, I haven`t told him about the Q10.

 

[marionq]

I`ve no idea @marionq

I was with friends last night and we had a heated discussion about statins, some for and some against.

All I know is when I take statins my cholesterol registers normal and when I didn`t , it was high.

I did get muscle pain at first but was recommended [ by a friend ] the natural health Co Enzyme Q10 , a muscle relaxant , would solve this problem and it has.

It goes against the grain to take one tablet to counteract the side effects of another but what else can we do?

I rely on my GP. If I go against his recommendations and suffer as a result , I can`t really expect his support.

Needless to say, I haven`t told him about the Q10.

Yes, I mostly do what the doctor orders too Sylvia but that was a shock. I had never questioned what was in a statin before but I think I need to do that now.

 

[love.dad.but..]

I have taken statins for years no side effects haven't noticed anything like that Marionq. I have familial high cholesterol which was very high I asked to be checked because dad's was extremely high before he had to have a quadruple bypass. I have now developed high blood pressure controlled by medication from likely combination of sustained carer stress and genetics so for me I feel taking statins has more pros than cons.

 

[Lawson58]

I can't take statins because they really mess with my liver.

Personally I don't understand why anyone takes them as there are much better ways of reducing cholesterol using natural products and diet. If you check via Google what the side effects are of statins, they can be a bit scary so why take them if you don't need to.

 

[love.dad.but..]

I can't take statins because they really mess with my liver.

Personally I don't understand why anyone takes them as there are much better ways of reducing cholesterol using natural products and diet. If you check via Google what the side effects are of statins, they can be a bit scary so why take them if you don't need to.

But not if it is family inherited...strict diet alone will not control it enough. Dad was not able to take statins as it immediately affected his liver but fibrates were given instead. However I agree statins should not be given unless they are needed.

 

[jugglingmum]

If you left an iboprofen tablet or aspirin in your mouth the effect would be the same, many chemical compounds are acidic, and it is no reflection on the actual contents of the drug versus any other drug. As you rightly say our stomach contents are extremely acidic, caused by the natural digestive acids, another chemical compound.

All the research I have read on statins (from large statistical studies) shows that statins do on balance work. The most significant side effect is muscle pain, which is best dealt with by changing to a different statin, as they are all slightly different. There has been a very vocal minority agaisnt statins, but just like the vaccine issues little proof.

If you check google for the side effects of most drugs they are scary, as are the side effects of many everyday foods in those that are affected.

My understanding is that slightly elevated levels of cholestrol can sometimes be lowered via diet but many high levels are caused by genetics and the best option here is to take statins, nothing is without risk, and the risks of not taking them outweigh the risks of taking them.

 

[Lawson58]

But not if it is family inherited...strict diet alone will not control it enough. Dad was not able to take statins as it immediately affected his liver but fibrates were given instead. However I agree statins should not be given unless they are needed.

I do come from a family who all have high cholesterol but I haven't taken statins for years. I keep mine at an acceptable level without statins as does my sister. I think they are one of those medications that gets dished out far too easily without encouraging people to try other things first.

 

[love.dad.but..]

I do come from a family who all have high cholesterol but I haven't taken statins for years. I keep mine at an acceptable level without statins as does my sister. I think they are one of those medications that gets dished out far too easily without encouraging people to try other things first.

The hereditary part is hit and miss in terms of all children from parents having familial high cholesterol ...in my family's case out of 4 children only myself and 1 sister. This comes from my father's side only. It quite often goes hand in hand with familial high blood pressure although other factors also contribute to that. My consultant placed me on a strict diet in the first instance to see if the level would reduce naturally..it did slightly..but as my starting point was far too high...not enough by diet alone.

 

[jenniferpa]

Needless to say, I haven`t told him about the Q10.

I think you should tell him. My doctor asks about everything including vitamins, supplements and over the counter drugs. Just because something is natural doesn't mean it can't impact on other meds (although I don't think co q 10 does - my 96 year old MIL is actually prescribed that along with everything else she takes).

 

[maryjoan]

But not if it is family inherited...strict diet alone will not control it enough. Dad was not able to take statins as it immediately affected his liver but fibrates were given instead. However I agree statins should not be given unless they are needed.

I agree - my mother had a cholesterol of 10.5 - it's familial. I take statins, so does my brother. I found on one kind that I had the most horrendous nightmares, so the doctor changed them. I still have vivid and strange dreams. but not as bad. The statins are the only meds I take, apart from paracetamol for arthritis pain.

 

[Linbrusco]

Have been reading a great deal between Statins, and also cholinergic v anti cholinergic drugs.
Mum (77) has been on 40mg of daily statins since she was 60 yrs with an initial cholesterol level of 13.
It has now shown to be familial on her maternal side.

In the last 10 yrs Mum has been on various medications all Anti Cholinergics.
Donepezil prescribed in 2013 a Cholinergic.

Mum has been in care since mid 2016, and from mid 2017 due to increased anxiety & agitation Mum was prescribed Lorazepam an Anti Cholinergic, her anti depressant increased. Her Lorazepam removed and Quetiapine added. This is another Anti Cholinergic.

A recent spell in hospital due to a UTI and acute delirium, with 4 days of refusing food, fluids & meds and extreme phydical agression , after being discharged back to her care home we had a consult with Mental Health Team & Psycho Geritrician.

Mums Statin & bladder med were discontinued. Her anti depressant dose lowered. Mums Quetiapine dose increased from 50 to 75 mg a day.
These are all Anti Cholinergics.

It is now 4 weeks and the change for the better in Mum is remarkable.
Much more calm, lucid, talkative & responsive to conversation. Eating & drinking better. Joining in activities. Alz still present of course.
Has much of the problem been all all along an Anti Cholinergic overload?
Makes you wonder?

 

[love.dad.but..]

Dad in his NH became very resistant to taking his meds...some important some not so. Discussing it with his GP I asked for his cholesterol fribate (allergic to statins) as one of the meds to be stopped...at 86 advanced dementia and medical history...at that point in his life they were not going to make much difference to anything. However I am much younger with high familial cholesterol and high blood pressure and would rather try now to minimise risks. Mum whilst elderly seemingly fit had a sudden fatal stroke so with dad's history I will continue. Most meds are a balance and everyone has to weigh up their own reasons for and against.

 

[Saffie]

I`ve no idea @marionq

I was with friends last night and we had a heated discussion about statins, some for and some against.

All I know is when I take statins my cholesterol registers normal and when I didn`t , it was high.

I did get muscle pain at first but was recommended [ by a friend ] the natural health Co Enzyme Q10 , a muscle relaxant , would solve this problem and it has.

It goes against the grain to take one tablet to counteract the side effects of another but what else can we do?

I rely on my GP. If I go against his recommendations and suffer as a result , I can`t really expect his support.

Needless to say, I haven`t told him about the Q10.

 

[Saffie]

I`ve no idea @marionq

I was with friends last night and we had a heated discussion about statins, some for and some against.

All I know is when I take statins my cholesterol registers normal and when I didn`t , it was high.

I did get muscle pain at first but was recommended [ by a friend ] the natural health Co Enzyme Q10 , a muscle relaxant , would solve this problem and it has.

It goes against the grain to take one tablet to counteract the side effects of another but what else can we do?

I rely on my GP. If I go against his recommendations and suffer as a result , I can`t really expect his support.

Needless to say, I haven`t told him about the Q10.

There is no reason not to tell him Sylvia. Q10 isn’t a drug it is something that gets depleted as we age anyway so a supplement is beneficial even discounting statins. I have a review with the pharmacist and I told him everything I take and he looked up Coenzyme Q10 and said it was a good thing to take.
I’ve never had a problem with statins and must have been taking them for over 15 years, the basic Simvastatin too.

 

[Grannie G]

Thanks Saffie.

 

[LadyA]

The hereditary part is hit and miss in terms of all children from parents having familial high cholesterol ...in my family's case out of 4 children only myself and 1 sister. This comes from my father's side only. It quite often goes hand in hand with familial high blood pressure although other factors also contribute to that. My consultant placed me on a strict diet in the first instance to see if the level would reduce naturally..it did slightly..but as my starting point was far too high...not enough by diet alone.

This is very true! My mum and her twin are the only ones left living from her family. Most of her family on her dad's side died between the ages of 40 and 44, from sudden massive heart attacks. When mum was in her early 40s, my dad noticed one day that she was very breathless just after walking upstairs, and her lips were so blue/grey, he thought she'd been using one of those indelible pencils! Her cholesterol was 12.5 when it was checked, and it was the familial type. Diet and exercise made no difference at all. It continued to rise, so she was put on statins. Her cardiologist at the time said he would "do his best" to get her to her 60s, and maybe even 70. She's 81, and just had a pacemaker fitted! Thankfully, of five of her children, only one of my brothers has inherited the condition.

 

[love.dad.but..]

This is very true! My mum and her twin are the only ones left living from her family. Most of her family on her dad's side died between the ages of 40 and 44, from sudden massive heart attacks. When mum was in her early 40s, my dad noticed one day that she was very breathless just after walking upstairs, and her lips were so blue/grey, he thought she'd been using one of those indelible pencils! Her cholesterol was 12.5 when it was checked, and it was the familial type. Diet and exercise made no difference at all. It continued to rise, so she was put on statins. Her cardiologist at the time said he would "do his best" to get her to her 60s, and maybe even 70. She's 81, and just had a pacemaker fitted! Thankfully, of five of her children, only one of my brothers has inherited the condition.

Dad had to have annual medical as part of his job and after finding his cholesterol level at 12 and high blood pressure aged 58 he was sent for heart tests...the consultant said he was an heart attack waiting to happen and had a planned quadruple bypass a few weeks later. He lived til 86 last year and ironically I always thought it would be eventually his heart that would give...however all his pacing and walking must have helped which shows that his heart was strong right to the end..it was just his pipes! Continued good heart health to your mum...how wonderful.

 

[Grahamstown]

My personal experience of statins is good, because I had a heart attack nearly eight years ago and consequently have been on statins ever since. I did have to change from simvastatin to atorvastatin because of leg muscle fatigue, when my doctor recommended co enzyme Q10 to boost muscle function. I walk as much as I can rather than run because my joints get bad if I do that. I am now 78 and relatively fit. At times of stress with my OHs dementia behaviour, I think if this goes on I shall have another heart attack, but I don’t think it works like that. Statins as a preventative measure is more difficult to decide about I agree but my doctor had considered them before when my cholesterol was 6-7 and I probably wouldn’t have had a HA if I had taken them earlier.