Statins
I was having 6 month blood tests as a result on being on blood pressure tablets. I was put on simvastatin early in 2013. A previous blood test showed no other problems. A few months later a blood test showed elevated sugar levels and after additional
tests I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. In September 2013 I had loss of most of the site in my right eye. Often a complication attributed to Diabetes and high blood pressure. For some reason the specialist did not think that was the cause but could offer
no other explanation other than it can happen and we don't really know why but there is a 30% chance of the same happening with the other eye.
Over a period of time I developed walking difficulties. (My hips have not been good since before I was 55 but I still was able to walk 14 miles with a few stops to enjoy the scenery. Often walked 4 or 5 miles when I retired at 55.) This was not my hips
though but I suspect that they somehow masked the symptoms. We met up with a lady who is mid 80s and a friend of ours in Exeter mid last year and as we walked up into town from the old dock area it was her that left me standing. I had to keep stopping to rest
and admire the views.
December last year we went off to Southport with the caravan. We sited the caravan and after setting it up I walked a couple of hundred yards to the wardens office and had to stop a couple of times on the way.
I stopped taking the statins, (might have stopped slightly earlier). In April my tablets for diabetes were reduced following a blood test and tablet review. In August I was told that I was no longer diabetic, Last blood test a few weeks ago confirmed that
my sugar levels were fine and my cholesterol level was 4. My walking has also improved - slowly.
Some seem fine on simvastatin. I have enough problems with arthritis 
Comments
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Sounds familiar! I wouldn't take them for love nor money!
Nor me!
Are you still taking statins, EasyT?
A very fit and healthy friend of ours (runner, mountain walker, long distance swimmer, slim and strong) had raised cholesterol and was put on statins. Within a very short time he had symptoms as described above, by EasyT - but also including some liver problems, nerve ending problems (tingling and numbness), and 'confusion'. He looked up the symptoms, came to the conclusion it was the treatment for his raised cholesterol, and told his GP he wanted to come off statins. He did, and his health improved again and he is now fit and well again.
GP's receive extra payments to prescribe statins, and perhaps even to push patients into thinking they need them. To me that raises issues about them being prescribed when they are at best not needed, and at the worst cause additional health problems.
A healthy diet is a better way of keeping your cholesterol (and other fatty acids) within normal limits. Both mine and my OH's have never been raised.
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Hi Val
December last year we went off to Southport with the caravan. We sited the caravan and after setting it up I walked a couple of hundred yards to the wardens office and had to stop a couple of times on the way. I stopped taking
the statins, (might have stopped slightly earlier). In April my tablets for diabetes were reduced following a blood test and tablet review. In August I was told that I was no longer diabetic, Last blood test a few weeks ago confirmed that my sugar
levels were fine and my cholesterol level was 4. My walking has also improved - slowly.0 -
Hi Val
December last year we went off to Southport with the caravan. We sited the caravan and after setting it up I walked a couple of hundred yards to the wardens office and had to stop a couple of times on the way. I stopped taking
the statins, (might have stopped slightly earlier). In April my tablets for diabetes were reduced following a blood test and tablet review. In August I was told that I was no longer diabetic, Last blood test a few weeks ago confirmed that my sugar
levels were fine and my cholesterol level was 4. My walking has also improved - slowly.I think Val just needed a yes or no ......
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I think what has happened is that they have changed the goal posts on the point you start taking statins particularly in older people. I have been on them since earlier this year and I have discussed with my doctor the side effects. He asked me to carry
on with them until my next blood tests which should be in February which I will do. I do get a lot of joint pain but I had that before I started statins. There is no medication you take that does not have side effects of some sort or another. Margaret has
been on statins for years because of her diabetes. Fortunately she does not have problems with joint pain after she changed the type of statin she was taking. Perhaps this might be an option for Alan?David
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I could fill a page with the "drugs" and problems that drugs have caused me,
As for statins one cardioligist i saw said he would have them in the drinking water.
Then a friend of ours who works in neurology says their consultants will have nothing to do with them as they like most drugs are a "poison"
I have stopped taking them and feel better for it
my OH had real joint problems with some but is a bit better on her latest which is a not statin statin?
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Accepted but I sometimes think that Doctors are too busy to review your medication from time to time. I have just realised that my comment about being on Atorvastatin for 10 years was wildly out! Its actually over 20 years! In the mid 90's I was found to have very high Cholesterol, so high infact that they said it was rare (10.8). dieting had no effect, even though I went down below 12 st in weight. So they put me on statins in about 1997. They had the required effect and brought my Cholesterol down but I have suffered muscle wasting ever since. None of my other drugs have been varied in that time either!
TF
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I had one of these MOTs a while ago and was found to have raised cholesterol levels though not by much. I discussed statins with my doctor who said they might give me aching legs. I told her no thanks then as I still get aching legs as a legacy of surviving
Guillaine Barre Syndrome.0 -
OH had terrible problems with statins - bad temper, aches and pains, nightmares etc etc. Simvastatin were worse than Atorvastatin. Stopped statins and most of the problems have vanished.
So much of what is pushed on us is driven by the drug companies and isn't necessarily what's best for us.
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It does make one wonder what some "consultants" are doing
as the last one I was sent to because I had a slow heartbeat;after all sorts of tests put me on a beta blocker and asprin,It was only when Pharmacist had a chat about new drugs that he advised not to take beta blocker as they also slow the heart and consult GP,i am now waiting a new apointment with cosultant
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New drug 'effective' for those with intolerable statin side effects
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nerve ending problems (tingling and numbness),
That rings a bell as well. I had strange sensation in my feet. I describe as as feeling as if I am standing on sand when wearing socks and shoes when standing. Not a numbness as such but almost like I could feel the weave in my socks. That has also largely
dissipated.0 -
OH was invited to take part in the trial of the new drug, evolocumab, but the invitation was declined. One reason for this was that the drug would not be available after the trial period, even if the trial was successful, until NICE approved it which could
take years. Another reason was that the trial was short term so it is impossible to know of any long term problems.OH takes the other drug used in the trial, ezetimibe, without problems. It doesn't lower cholesterol as effectively as statins but that's a small price to pay in our view.
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Good luck DD, after reading these post I too am going to demand a review. 20 years on atorvastatin without a review?
TF
At my annual asthma review (I'm 71 btw) I mentioned that I would like a cholesterol check as most of my peers seem to have had theirs done as a precautionary measure. The nurse practitioner said I would have to make an app't with my doctor. Upon leaving I asked the receptionist for an app't and she said there was no need unless I was getting symptoms of high cholesterol. When I got home I Googled the symptoms which were Angina, Heart attack, Stroke and Sudden death. I still haven't had it done but it seems to me that the health centre has a very irresponsible and ill-informed receptionist!
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OH was invited to take part in the trial of the new drug, evolocumab, but the invitation was declined. One reason for this was that the drug would not be available after the trial period, even if the trial was successful, until NICE approved it which could
take years. Another reason was that the trial was short term so it is impossible to know of any long term problems.OH takes the other drug used in the trial, ezetimibe, without problems. It doesn't lower cholesterol as effectively as statins but that's a small price to pay in our view.
NICE approved Repatha (evolocumab) in June /July 16. However, your local CCG can still decide not to pay for it which is my problem (postcode lottery).
Unfortunately I'm also intollerant to ezetimibe.
That's good news on the approval but bad news on the funding. So much for a
National Health Service.
I hope it works for you and you can continue being prescribed Repatha one way or another, DD.
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Wow! Thanks to EasyT and everyone who has contributed to this thread, we just may have found the reason for OH's (thus far unexplained) tingling and numbness in his feet and lower legs.
He has been suffering from this since early October. He has had lots of blood tests with nothing unusual found, so is now waiting to see a neurologist. He has been taking statins for years!!
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I'm no experts but based on my experience if he has been taking the same statin at the same dose for years then I doubt if it's the problem. If there has been a change then I would be very suspicious.
On the other hand if it unexplained it could do. My OH had been taking statins for well over 10 years with no significant problem and then she too started with aching legs etc, after she stopped the problem slowly wentand she was able to walk further and
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He describes the sensation much as EasyT did. Not numbness as such, but an altered sensation. He can feel his socks and trousers against his skin.
He has had blood tests for just about eveything, including Lyme disease (as he had a couple of tick bites when we were in Scotland in September) but all negative.
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