When to take statins?

[J86579]

I don’t drink, don’t smoke and exercise daily. The only thing I can improve is my diet. I only eat home cooked meals, but I eat too many sweets and the occasional croissant for breakfast.

my cholesterol currently is 6.7. The best it’s ever been was 5.3 (so still above the limit) - that was during a crash diet I was doing where I ate only veg for three months, something that’s not sustainable long term.

I asked my doctor about statins. Although I’m planning to cut the sweets, I think realistically my cholesterol won’t be much lower than 6. My doctor thinks I’m too young to start statins, I’m 41, and that I should just eat as healthily as I can and keep up the exercising.

what would you do?

Follow your doctor’s advice because…they are a doctor.

I have genetic cholesterol issues. I was first tested at 29, following advice from a family members gp. My GP was reluctant to test as I had no risk factors. They came back high. GP still said not an issue, just get retested every few years. It was only when I was diagnosed with another medical issue that they suddenly decided I needed to go on statins urgently! I was 45.

Thanks… I think I’m just overly worried because I suffer from health anxiety and I know others who got statins with anything higher than 5.5, but obviously they might have other health issues or are older, while I’m luckily quite healthy apart from my cholesterol problem.

Hello, I'm genetically predisposed to high cholesterol and take statins. I also have major health anxiety. There are some really simple things you can do diet wise to help your cholesterol (eat oily fish, beans, oats, whole grain stuff) and this made me feel more in control when I started on the statins.

I'd follow the doctors advice, I've been on them for years now with no ill effects and although I eat a heart healthy diet 99% of the time it gives me security and eases my anxiety knowing that the statins are doing their thing too.

I take atrovastatin (31) due to high cholesterol, not mega high however I have CKD ( due to previous kidney failure) I also have atrial fibrillation so I have to take it as a preventative.

my cholesterol is 7.5, triglycerides very high

I am 54, about a stone and half overweight, not taking statins, and do not intend to, nothing has been mentioned to me about them