High cholesterol - unsure about statins - can anyone tell me their experience?

[PunishmentRoundupWithJoon]

Cholesterol has been consistently high for well over 10 years. Never gone higher than 7.5, occasionally drops into the 6's. Obviously the GP's have suggested statins many times but I've always declined, imagining I could reduce it myself (not my most successful endeavour...)

I'm not against statins, just concerned about the side effects - I've read that some people can have less energy and muscle pain when on them. I already suffer from ME so fatigue and muscle pain is a part of my life and I don't relish the prospect of being even more knackered and achey. Obviously I realise that high cholesterol is not great and would love to see the figures dip into the 5's (I'd be happy with that).

Can anyone give me their experience of statins? Did you actually find that you felt fabulous whilst on them? (clutching at straws here).

Thank you in advance.

DH is on statins. He had already had a stroke so it was a no brainer. GPs generally start you on the cheapest statin then if the side effects are a problem they review it. DH was on Atorvastatin, but was getting too many leg cramps, so now he is on Simvastatin and is fine.

Honestly, if you are at high risk of a stroke or heart attack then you really need to reconsider going on statins.

I'm assuming you have tried the usual cholesterol lowering foods?

If you have familial high cholesterol then no amount of diet or exercise will change that so please discuss this with your GP. Good luck.

What is the ratio of your good cholesterol? I just had mine checked and my total was 5.9 but my HDL was nearly 3 so apparently the ratio made it fine.

I am on Atorvastatin, have been for about 14 months now. Purely as a preventative measure. My cholesterol is actually fine but I have family history or cardiac/vascular issues. I've had no side effects from the statins at all. They get a lot of bad press but I think I lot of it is unfounded. My cardiac nurse said the GP giving me them 'just in case' was fantastic, so I will carry on with them.

The GP did send me to a consultant at the hospital who said it was familial - all he did was ask me the same questions the GP had. He said it would never come down on it's own, but it did! Twice since then it's come down. Plus, no-one in my family has/had high cholesterol so I'm confused as to how it can be that.

There are, apparantly, no lifestyle factors that would account for the level.

Current levels are: Serum total cholesterol level: 6.8
HDL: 2.15
LDL: 3.5
Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio: 3.2

SO it's come down from 7.8 in April (apologies, in previous post I said it'd had never been higher than 7.5) Surely this wouldn't happen if it was familial?

I have a family history of strokes - my levels were borderline so I tried dietary methods to little avail. I've now been on Atorvastatin for about four years with no side effects at all.

@RampantIvy - yes, have implemented a couple of changes. Perhaps I haven't done as much as I could have, but I certainly will at this point.

What do people think of plant sterols?

Following with interest. I’ve been prescribed them but haven’t taken yet. I read that they work by stopping your liver producing cholesterol which seems like a bad idea to me. your body makes it as it needs it.

i e been trying the plant sterols as they work by reducing absorption of cholesterol.

I’ve also been told it’s familial.

It's good to hear that people have been on statins with no side effects. Obviously, I can always try them for a time and then stop. As @RampantIvy said, it can be reviewed if it gives side effects.

I’m on Simvastatin 40 and have been taking it for at least five years with no side effects. I was like you at first, after hearing the horror stories but my doctor suggested a trial run and if it didn’t suit she would prescribe something else.
I’ve been fine.
DH is on Atorvastatin, he had a stroke two years,ago, his dosage was really high, 80mg at first, it caused some gut issues which led to weight loss, he needed to lose it though. The dosage has been reduced to 40mg which suits him better, the gut issues have stopped, he’s stopped losing weight but has kept it off.

I'm on Atorvastatin as well - no bad reactions at all.

I started taking atorvastatin 10 months ago. Apart from very slight cramps in my calves in the first week I've had no side effects. Cholesterol levels significantly improved so well worth doing in my opinion.

Sorry posted too soon, DH takes a cholesterol reducing yoghurt drink every day, supermarket own brand ones, his level is 4.

No issues here. 40mg atorvastatin for 3 years.

I've been on them since June and have felt perfectly well, no side effects at all.

I’ve been prescribed them but haven’t taken yet. I read that they work by stopping your liver producing cholesterol which seems like a bad idea to me. your body makes it as it needs it.

This is actually the clever thing about statins.

Statins inhibit an enzyme in liver cells called HMG:CoA reductase (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, to give it its full, Sunday-best name). This enzyme usually enables the first step in a biochemical pathway that synthesises cholesterol.

As you said, the liver synthesises cholesterol because it needs it. These things aren't left to chance. If the level of cholesterol in the liver cells falls below where it's expected to be, the cells detect this and a signal is sent to the nuclei through activation of a protein called sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP). This protein binds to the gene that encodes scavenger receptors for low-density liporptein (LDL, "bad" cholesterol), leading to more expression of these receptors.

The LDL scavenger receptors move to the cell membrane of the liver cells and pull LDL out of the blood to provide a source of cholesterol to meet the liver's needs.

The result is that the liver still has the cholesterol it needs but the amount of LDL in the blood has been reduced, which is what reduces your cardiovascular risk.

lipoprotein, not liporptein

I thin

Ask for questran if you don't want statins. It's what I took to keep my levels under control before statins were invented

Colestyramine (Questran®) is only recommended by NICE as first-line therapy for patients in whom statins are contraindicated. Bile acid-binding resins like colestyramine can cause problems with absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K).

That’s really useful and interesting thank you. And your right it is v clever.

Could i ask does the liver normally produce the good cholesterol rather than bad (I presumed this). And is the liver’s response the same to LDL as HDL?

@NoNotHimTheOtherOne

oh and the liver resumes production if statins are stopped?
i already take thyroxine and I’m not a fan of how my body feels. I preferred the thyronine but that’s too expensive.

My DH has familial high cholesterol, his grandfather, father and uncle all died young of heart attacks. DHs cholesterol was high for a long time, he's a fit, slim non smoker and eventually it was addressed at a private health care check required for work. He's now on statin and his cholesterol is a healthy level.

The consultant described his condition in a really simple way. People who don't have familial HC have 2 hoovers that remove the bad cholesterol and keep it at healthy level. People with familial HC have 1 hoover and will never be able to reduce their HC without chemical intervention.

For me it's a no brainer and I'm so grateful DH is on statin as he'd probably be dead without it.

DH and I both take atorvastatin; no side effects or problems at all.

The local pharmacist who dispenses it, advised taking it last thing at night.

Atorvastatin here with no issues. Been on it for two years following a stroke and quite honestly it's helped with me not having to worry about cholesterol. I still watch what I eat though. Just knowing these help is a huge weight off my mind. Check out the Heart UK website if you want dietary advice about reducing cholesterol - lots of easy recipes and simple changes to make on there,

DH is on Atorvastatin. He was on the cheaper one that everyone starts on, but he had side effects so he was changed on to this one. He has been fine with it.