Re: New Breed of Statins

So what do you want me to say Julie?

That everything's hunky-dory when I have already acknowledged that it's not.

Re: New Breed of Statins

Not at all but perhaps if each time someone says they have a problem don't make it sound like it is just that person or couldn't possibly happen in the NHS would be helpful.

Re: New Breed of Statins

One thing that is clear here in Australia is the fear of medical litigation so those with high cholesterol have to be pushed hard to take statins as a means of reducing it, also the 1 in 5 of those of us who have muscular problems have been only recognised in the past couple of years, I can appreciate that the Drs are responsible for offering anything to lower cholesterol especial genetic.

I took the responsibility of refusing to continue using them and it was noted down, that way if I have a heart attack the Dr. cannot be sued for not providing due care. Quality of life and not feeling crippled by the side affects is my choice and when/if something else without those side affects come available then I will try them but once again it will be my choice.

Drs do have to follow recommendations or party line but at the end of the day we should make the final choice as to what is best for us.

Re: New Breed of Statins

Vivity,
Did you see the recent programmes on Catalyst re Statins. It is causing quite a controversy here.

If not try Googling Catalyst on Statins and you will come up with it all.

For those of you in the UK, Catalyst is an ABC programme that recently aired segments on Statins - Part One and Part 2. Scroll down the page a bit and you can get both Part 1 & 2 to look at.

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/heartofthematter/

Re: New Breed of Statins

Many thanks for that link Sandi, I have watched one of them and wasn't surprised by the claims being made. I have long since been suspicious of statins but it was, nevertheless, a bit unsettling to have my suspicions confirmed.

I also agree with the statement that governments should insist on having access to unsealed clinical data from the trials before mass dosing their population. I was shocked that America had even thought along the lines of adding the stuff to the drinking water!

Re: New Breed of Statins

BV

The ABC here have been asked to take it off their website. Drs are complaining that they are being inundated with people asking to be taken off this medication and how dangerous it is to do that. I agree that not enough research is done on long term use of medicines.

How many things in the last few years have we been advised to eat/not eat specific things and ten years down the track they completely reverse their decisions. Everything in moderation I say.

We have a group practice here and one day when I couldn't get into my own Dr. I got one of the newly qualified Drs ( who the practice helps train when they are first out) who did a blood test and decided she would ask for a cholesterol level as well. It wasn't related to what I was there for and she started to tell me that my cholesterol level was getting high (it was under 5) wanting to put me on statins and I said to her that is completely unrelated to what I came here for and I'm not interested anyway and 2nd my blood pressure is excellent and 3rdly I eat a completely natural diet,don't buy processed food, do all my own cooking, don't eat fatty foods or cook in fat so would you please treat me for the condition I came in for which was a bad shoulder.

Re: New Breed of Statins

I thought that might happen so I've been trying to get hold of my eldest granddaughter to ask her to put all that on the links onto disc for me!

Agreed. It happens way too often. I also agree with the comments that GPs (or governments) should not receive any kind of remuneration for using any particular drug on their patients.

That is what happened to my husband. He had a cholesterol reading of 6 and was put on statins. Within a couple of weeks, he had terrible leg pains but he wouldn't stop taking them because his doctor said he needed them. His health continued to deteriorate over the following years and finally affecting his kidneys (as was mentioned in the link you gave). Then the link stated how it was the pharmaceutical companies, with no scientific backup, who said to lower the level to 5 (Britain has lowered it to 4.5) and now we hear how important cholesterol is for brain function and reduced cholesterol to such a low level could be a contributory factor for dementia! Still, I can't see people being considered a priority over big business.

Re: New Breed of Statins

that was very interesting to read,,,i'm glad i stopped taking statins almost 3 years ago....but i took them for years ..and i don't know that the memory will ever be the same ...the muscle pain has gone now ..so that's something

Re: New Breed of Statins

I repeat...I have said many times that things do happen in the NHS.

You are deliberately misreading my posts simply to reinforce your own agenda.

Re: New Breed of Statins

I don't actually have an agenda but if you say you don't say what I think you do then we are not efficiently communicating I guess. Because it seems to me every time anyone says anything negative you pop in to say NHS is great and we just happen to have the one poor doctor in it or it's just our local area. Missing that many more than me have had the same problem from all over the country.