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I was just put on a statin because my cholesterol is 113. The statin is Simvastatin 10mg. When I read the side effects I thought why bother. It raises glucose level, can even cause Diabetes in a non Diabetic causes muscle pain and weight gain. Ive been on Insulin for decades and the insulin causes weight gain. It's hard enough keeping glucose readings where they need to be. So I thought why is this drug pushed on Diabetics. It seems to have serious side effects, that directly make Diabetes more difficult to manage.
Has any other Diabetics dealth with Statins, and what has been your experience What Statin do you take. Mine cost was 0. This is the first free script I have ever had. Thanks.
Location: Was Midvalley Oregon; Now Eastside Seattle area
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My total C, ~185average.
Prediabetic. I was on various various statins once. Very painful at any dosage.
I have triglyceride issues, +1000 unmedicated, medicated Gemfibrozil and Vascepa. Statins had minimal affect on triglyceride or TC levels. I could not tolerate statins no matter if statins were effective.
1 stent, 70 yo.
Heart doctor ask me to try one of newer drugs for TC and trigly @+$500/mn without Medicare D, ~$250 with Med D.
I'll take my chances without.
I have a prescription for lipid panel testing @ approx 4 week intervals. This is a much better measure than once every 6 months or once/yr. Primarily for the efficacy of Vascepa and diet.
"Prescribe to PYA" is the legal advice given docs by their lawyers.
OTOH, diabetes is no longer considered a "risk factor" for coronary disease. Now it's considered a coronary disease equivalent (ie- if you got DM, you got coronary disease) therefore, you deserve to try every tool in the arsenal, even if it has only a minimal effect, like statins.
BUT, like any other medical tool, you gotta evaluate benefits vs risks: if you get a side effect, then you stop it. It's not like the stuff is keeping you alive.
BTW- with your already low total chol, using a statin my lower it further, but may also lower your HDL (the "good stuff") even more, technically putting you at increased risk...Talk it over with your doc.
I've had T2 for 10 years and started taking both statins and Metformin within the past 6 months. My diabetes had been fairly well controlled by diet and my A1C stayed around 6.0 to 6.1. For the past few years my doctor had been wanting me to go on statins and Metformin because, as he says, when you age, these become harder to control. I ignored that advice for many years, preferring to be in control myself, but no matter what I did, my cholesterol numbers kept going up, and I have a strong family history of heart disease on one side, and both T1 and D2 diabetes on the other. Nobody is overweight or out of shape. Just bad genes. My brother was a marathon runner when he started on statins in his 30's. It was the sudden death of two former co-workers from heart attacks within the past 6 months, both my age and both having T2, that convinced me to start the statins. Can't say that I've experienced any side-effects, I'm taking atorvastatin, 20mg, but I'm concerned about the long-term effects.
If you have side effects that are problematic, definitely consult your doctor.
It seems to have serious side effects, that directly make Diabetes more difficult to manage.
IF Statins really worked why wouldn't our heart attack rate be zero? Or at least significantly less?
They don't work. They just reduce cholesterol (by a tiny bit) and of course this suggests that cholesterol is not the cause of heart attacks.
Diabetes / high carb / high sugar is increasingly looking like it is the true cause of heart disease. It definitely causes damage to the vascular system and now they think they know why? Recently they have found a microscopic hair like substance in our vascular system -- glycocalyx -- this "hair" keeps damage from the wall. Well guess what, they took photos of the hair when a high carb meal happened, the hair went down / away. And it took about 8 hours to recover.
Have you tried low carb diet or intermittent fasting for the diabetes?
I would recommend you look up Ivor Cummins and on You tube, "the widow maker" - for the intermittant fasting check out "the diabetes code"
I have done it myself. I was slipping toward prediabetes and I started fasting and low carb and right back to normal.
There is also a test you can get called coronary artery scan (CAC) that can tell you how bad off you are - I don't think anyone should take statins without knowing that.. the widowmaker film will talk more about it.
Why are you being prescribed statins for a normal cholesterol count?? I think you need to question your doctor about that. Or was there a typo in the number you posted?
Some people have good luck bringing down cholesterol with supplements: lecithin, or fish oil, making your own salad dressing with olive oil, avocado oil, whatever, eating salads daily (the fiber helps fill you up on low-calorie ingredients), cutting back on carbs (which provoke insulin & can influence cholesterol levels). Add Swiss chard to your salads; it's known to help balance blood sugar. Check your thyroid; thyroid problems can cause high cholesterol, and finding the right thyroid remedy can cause cholesterol to come back to normal.
But OP, are you sure you really have a cholesterol problem? Your number is very enviable, from my perspective!
I was just put on a statin because my cholesterol is 113. The statin is Simvastatin 10mg. When I read the side effects I thought why bother. It raises glucose level, can even cause Diabetes in a non Diabetic causes muscle pain and weight gain. Ive been on Insulin for decades and the insulin causes weight gain. It's hard enough keeping glucose readings where they need to be. So I thought why is this drug pushed on Diabetics. It seems to have serious side effects, that directly make Diabetes more difficult to manage.
Has any other Diabetics dealth with Statins, and what has been your experience What Statin do you take. Mine cost was 0. This is the first free script I have ever had. Thanks.
I was just put on a statin because my cholesterol is 113. The statin is Simvastatin 10mg. When I read the side effects I thought why bother. It raises glucose level, can even cause Diabetes in a non Diabetic causes muscle pain and weight gain. Ive been on Insulin for decades and the insulin causes weight gain. It's hard enough keeping glucose readings where they need to be. So I thought why is this drug pushed on Diabetics. It seems to have serious side effects, that directly make Diabetes more difficult to manage.
Has any other Diabetics dealth with Statins, and what has been your experience What Statin do you take. Mine cost was 0. This is the first free script I have ever had. Thanks.
I can almost bet it's not TOTAL cholesterol that is 113. It is most likely LDL that is 113 which is not that high anyway. No statins needed in my opinion. That is what you are asking right?
Simvastatin is branded as Zocor and 10mg is the lowest dose they make. When I used to take statins, I was taking 40mg which is equivalent to 20mg Lipitor. No statins for me ever again. The side effects are terrible.
For the record, cholesterol can vary from day to day.
Thanks everyone for the replies. Some excellent comments and advice. My LDL is 113 and my HDL is 38. The Primary Care doctor tells me all Diabetics should be on Statins if the LDL hits 100. He said he is surprised I wasn't put on a Statin years ago. So I don't know. I'm seeing a Endocrinologist next week, sees what he says.
I'm a Type 1 and I always felt Diabetic treatment seems more stringent for us vs Type 2 Diabetics. Mainly because we are insulin dependent since our youth. We don't produce insulin or very little. So I imagine they push statins on us.
I started taking the Statin 3 days ago. I have had indigestion since then. So I'm not sure my body is able to handle the drug. I will see what the doctor says. Thanks Again
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