Statins And Dementia.

[Saffie]

I think statins do have to be taken at night. That is what my prescription says anyway and the leaflet accompanying the simvastatin. I only take a 20mg dose.
As the liver makes cholestrol, diet alone will not be sufficient to lower it if it is very high. Only a very little of cholestrol comes from the food that is eaten.
If the statin prevents the liver from manufacturing the cholestrol, why would there be any to go to the brain?

 

[lexy]

deleted

 

[garnuft]

Alzheimer's Society factsheet on cholesterol, statins and dementia.

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=2211&pageNumber=8

 

[Kevinl]

Alzheimer's Society factsheet on cholesterol, statins and dementia.

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=2211&pageNumber=8

The fact sheet is the current position as it is, however, theis is being looked at again and could change in the future (link below) but here's a quote;

"Prof Rory Collins, whose research helped rubber stamp statins as safe, said his team will carry out a “challenging” reassessment of the evidence which will include studying all reported side effects.
Although the original research looked at the effect of statins on the heart and considered cancer risks it did not examine other side effects.
Separate studies and patient complaints have included muscle pain, cataracts, diabetes, fatigue and memory loss."

He's relooking at a report he rubber stamped, they only looked at heart and cancer risks not the other side effects. He's lost confidence in his own work to the extent he feels it necessary to do it again and he's the guy all the advise came from
As I said in an earlier post if they just look at the paperwork me and half a dozen of my friends will show up as statin takers with no side effects because we don't take them, so making the number of people with no side effects artificially high.
K

 

[garnuft]

I don't have an opinion on statins or cholesterol, Kevin. Well, not one I can be bothered to validate.

I don't 'do' drugs...I don't visit my GP or Dealer.

I get paracetamols and ibuprofen from Tesco's and take them as required.

Don't like the idea of all of you's blokes wasting NHS money on prescriptions you don't even use.

Shameful behaviour.

Every one dies of something...I think worry about ill health could be a contributory factor to ill health.

Move more, maintain a healthy weight, don't smoke, don't abuse drugs, eat a balanced diet, drink in moderation.........

you'll still die.

 

[Sue J]

I don't know about 'getting on the wrong side of the Dr' as an excuse not to collect a prescription that the Dr prescribed and not use it and then 'blame the Dr'. It is a shameful waste of NHS money and then to say they'd get the research stats wrong because of your lack of compliance- just downright irresponsible isn't it?

Yes, I have a stash of remedies I buy from the chemist because I forget what I've bought, forget to tell the Dr what the problem is when I do remember to go

 

[jeany123]

I don't know about 'getting on the wrong side of the Dr' as an excuse not to collect a prescription that the Dr prescribed and not use it and then 'blame the Dr'. It is a shameful waste of NHS money and then to say they'd get the research stats wrong because of your lack of compliance- just downright irresponsible isn't it?

Yes, I have a stash of remedies I buy from the chemist because I forget what I've bought, forget to tell the Dr what the problem is when I do remember to go

I think it is disgraceful as well, no wonder money can't be found for essentials, you don't need to get the medication just tear the prescription up if people are too much of cowards to tell the doc they don't want to take them, I am sure the doc doesn't check,

 

[Sue J]

I think it is disgraceful as well, no wonder money can't be found for essentials, you don't need to get the medication just tear the prescription up if people are too much of cowards to tell the doc they don't want to take them, I am sure the doc doesn't check,

I think that as things are more computerised Jeany they will know and it should really be an indicator for them to ensure they don't overprescribe and should alert them if a patient requests something too frequently and maybe isn't taking the right dose. The way things are going though we'll probably all have an individual allowance so you could find they won't prescribe you something you really need because they haven't the funds.

 

[Kevinl]

I think it is disgraceful as well, no wonder money can't be found for essentials, you don't need to get the medication just tear the prescription up if people are too much of cowards to tell the doc they don't want to take them, I am sure the doc doesn't check,

Did you read what I actually said? I said my friends and I collect the prescription then bin it (we don't take it to the chemist, we're not that irresponsible) it was my later mother who didn't take them and for that matter my aunt too and as I said when I found them I returned them to the chemist so they could re-use the ones still in date and dispose of the rest safely.
I and other people had reported side effects as described in the leaflet that come with the tablets to the doctor and basically been ignored, they simple don't want to hear it.
I was originally was prescribed a statin which 4 years earlier the NHS said should not be used in combination with something else I take, when I told the doctor he said I was wrong, I then saw another doctor at the same practice who took me off it straight away and they then had to contact other patients and take them off it too.
Anyway let's see what Prof Rory Collins research comes up with, hopefully they will be proved safe and it we haven't been poisoning people for years. As there is a move to get considerably more people on the this needs sorting out ASAP.
K

 

[H20]

If the statin prevents the liver from manufacturing the cholestrol, why would there be any to go to the brain?

If you start with high cholesterol and the Doctor puts you on Statins then I suspect they have to work to remove the build up of cholesterol already there and so it has to go somewhere....put it this way, my Doctor is one of the better ones and I believe her when she said "you don't want it going to your brain"...how many Doctors are honest enough to tell you these things...I'm thankful that she did tell me.

 

[jeany123]

Did you read what I actually said? I said my friends and I collect the prescription then bin it (we don't take it to the chemist, we're not that irresponsible) it
K

I did read it and didn't think that it would be much of a waste, a few bits of paper so it maybe wasn't worded very well, My mistake but a easy one to make,

 

[H20]

...and another thing...if Statins are so safe why won't they reveal all their research ...I heard on the radio news a few days ago that most of the findings are being held back....if they have nothing to hide then lets all be privy to it and make our own minds up.

 

[Saffie]

make our own minds up

Exactly. Just what I've been saying!

 

[Hair Twiddler]

Babies and bathwater......

I have a defective chromosome - number 19 to be precise.

It is a genetic disorder and my children may well have it to (teenagers not tested.....yet)

This thing I have is called Familial hypercholesterolemia.
I produce very high levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad one), the condition has been with me since birth and without treatment I could have had a heart attack long before now.
I take statins.
I will always take statins.
My children (if they have FH) will take statins.
I never miss a dose.

For those of you who are so anti statins, think again and realise that not everyone on statins can eat less, exercise more, dismiss medicine as bunkum, criticise doctors for dishing out prescriptions willy-nilly, rely on hope to reduce their cholesterol levels.
Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
- Twiddler x

 

[Witzend]

I was given them a few months ago when my cholesterol level was 6.3 but didn't take them, preferring to really adjust my lifestyle and bring it down myself, I've done this before with great results...I am only in my 40's....obviously I allowed myself far too many treats over Christmas and took my eye off the ball so to speak.
After reading the leaflet that comes with the Statins and raising my concerns with my Doctor I was flatly told I wouldn't be able to get my cholesterol down through lifestyle alone and it would be far quicker with Statins...I replied that I would at least like the chance to try before I resort to medication which I'm sure didn't help my Father at all.

The thing that scared me was when my Doctor told me to make sure I took the Statins at bedtime so the fat that gets removed from your liver comes out with your poo in the morning.
I asked why I needed to do this and was told, "you don't want it going to your brain" .
Now that seriously freaked me out


What the hell are Doctors prescribing us...it reminds me of the Thalidomide drug.

My OH got his cholesterol down considerably by adjusting his diet - just eating less plus rather more fruit and veg) and losing a bit of weight, not that he was particularly porky. The GP told him that cholesterol would come down anyway if he lost a bit of weight. He has one of those cholesterol-lowering drinks every day, and uses the spread, though doesn't eat much bread any more.

 

[H20]

My OH got his cholesterol down considerably by adjusting his diet - just eating less plus rather more fruit and veg) and losing a bit of weight, not that he was particularly porky. The GP told him that cholesterol would come down anyway if he lost a bit of weight. He has one of those cholesterol-lowering drinks every day, and uses the spread, though doesn't eat much bread any more.

That's good to hear hun...well done to your OH, may he keep up the good work.

 

[lexy]

deleted

 

[Sue J]

I did read it and didn't think that it would be much of a waste, a few bits of paper so it maybe wasn't worded very well, My mistake but a easy one to make,

Jeany wasn't the only one that 'misread' your post Kevinl, so it wasn't necessarily her mistake?!

 

[Sue J]

Did you read what I actually said? I said my friends and I collect the prescription then bin it (we don't take it to the chemist, we're not that irresponsible) it was my later mother who didn't take them and for thajjt matter my aunt too and as I said when I found them I returned them to the chemist so they could re-use the ones still in date and dispose of the rest safely.
I and other people had reported side effects as described in the leaflet that come with the tablets to the doctor and basically been ignored, J they simple don't want to hear it.
I was originally was prescribed a statin which 4 years earlier the NHS said should not be used in combination with something else I take, when I told the doctor he said I was wrong, I then saw another doctor at the same practice who took me off it straight away and they then had to contact other patients and take them off it too.
Anyway let's see what Prof Rory Collins research comes up with, hopefully they will be proved safe and it we haven't been poisoning people for years. As there is a move to get considerably more people on the this needs sorting out ASAP.
K

Hi Kevinl
I believe that once dispensed items cannot be redispensed even if in date. Pharmacies rightly request return of unused or out of date items for safe disposal.

As a former HCP I am aware of the yellow card reporting system that you write about in your earlier post but many HCP aren't and in the current NHS climate I doubt would have time to report every issue a patient mentions. Hopefully, with technology it will make it easier for everyone to make reports to make things safer.

 

[Saffie]

I think sue is right. I have a load of Warfarin tablets that cannot be returned to the chemist as they have been prescribed to me. Well, they can be returned but not re-issued. It seems such a waste when none have even been opened.