Statins

[JohnfromUK]

I am on Simvastatin - and have been for around 15 years now after a suspected 'silent' heart attack.  No obvious problems and my cholesterol is now 'good'.  I'm also on blood pressure medication which works OK, but getting the right combination there was a bit of a challenge.

I drop statin temporarily (on Dr's instructions) when I occasionally take colchicine (for gout outbreaks).  One key thing is that I am absolutely forbidden to eat or drink ...... grapefruit, which is a shame.  Apparently it can interfere with the way both the statin and BP meds act.

Edited June 4, 2023 by JohnfromUK

[30-6]

I've taken simvastatin for years, my chloresterol has been good for a while now. Among other meds for other ailments.

Some years ago I had a medication review. I was told to take my simvastatin, propanalol and bendrofluromethiazide late at night, which can be 11 pm to 3 am.

I thought this silly as when your asleep I assumed your heart was resting, but apparantely not.

I

[lister1]

6 hours ago, Imperfection said:

My BP sat in my office right now at 2:30pm is 127/72 which isn't perfect but ok (when i had the strokes it were 200+ and this is not a joke). I try to walk every where if i can and am doing my hardest to stay active-im built for comfort-not speed.

I dont have the easiest job and spend much of my time sat on my fat bottom driving but i work unsociable hours in unsociable places dealing with unsociable people. It isn't stressful (not for me anyway) but you do need to be on your guard working at night. Most people at 1:00am just want to stab me. 🔪

 

Similarly with my work, I’m either nailed to my desk or stuck in a car, which I feel is a death sentence. My wife also suffered with post natal depression, which caused some serious stress and still does. 

I was very active once, played rugby, out shooting or walking the dogs twice a day. But as life has changed and I got older, rugby stopped, the dogs the got old and the walks got shorter and the dogs have since passed.

my BP was 140/105, I was due to have a op but my BP was too high. I had to take amlodipine to get the 105 down.

I’ve since had the op and decided I need to get back to being healthy again. 
i fear having stroke or something heart related happening. 

[JohnfromUK]

11 minutes ago, 30-6 said:

I was told to take my simvastatin, propanalol and bendrofluromethiazide late at night, which can be 11 pm to 3 am.

I thought this silly as when your asleep I assumed your heart was resting, but apparantely not.

I was told to take my simvastatin in the evening after my last meal, and that I could take the others (one a day BP meds) at the same time. 

For a long time I also took low dose aspirin and that was supposed to be after a meal, but after many year i began to suffer indigestion and stopping the aspirin (with Dr's agreement) has improved that.  It seems that the benefits of aspirin decrease once past 60s and risks of digestive side effects increase.

On BP, I had to wear an all day BP monitor - and when the Dr. looked at the results, he asked what I had been doing between 15:00 and 16:00 as my BP had gone VERY high then.  It had been a rather 'stressful' business conference call to the USA.

[lister1]

48 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

I was told to take my simvastatin in the evening after my last meal, and that I could take the others (one a day BP meds) at the same time. 

For a long time I also took low dose aspirin and that was supposed to be after a meal, but after many year i began to suffer indigestion and stopping the aspirin (with Dr's agreement) has improved that.  It seems that the benefits of aspirin decrease once past 60s and risks of digestive side effects increase.

On BP, I had to wear an all day BP monitor - and when the Dr. looked at the results, he asked what I had been doing between 15:00 and 16:00 as my BP had gone VERY high then.  It had been a rather 'stressful' business conference call to the USA.

My Dr recommend an all day monitor but they didn’t have one so didn’t bother. But would be good to do. 

[Diver One]

14 hours ago, Westley said:

 In fact I am taking a group of 10, for their first experience of shooting clays, in about 2 hours time. Mind you, just as a precaution,  my shooting buddy is a retired GP   😄

Were you at Dib Lane today?

[Westley]

13 hours ago, Diver One said:

Were you at Dib Lane today?

Yes, I had a group of 6 beginners to instruct. I took a neighbour clay shooting a couple of years ago, helped him with his Certificate and then found his first gun. He brought some relations, including a visitor from Australia, to 'enjoy the experience '. They all did  !  I tried to not hold people up and let others 'shoot through ' wherever possible.  I am knackered today though, getting a bit old for doing the Instructor bit, especially in this heat    😄

[Imperfection]

19 hours ago, lister1 said:

Similarly with my work, I’m either nailed to my desk or stuck in a car, which I feel is a death sentence. My wife also suffered with post natal depression, which caused some serious stress and still does. 

I was very active once, played rugby, out shooting or walking the dogs twice a day. But as life has changed and I got older, rugby stopped, the dogs the got old and the walks got shorter and the dogs have since passed.

my BP was 140/105, I was due to have a op but my BP was too high. I had to take amlodipine to get the 105 down.

I’ve since had the op and decided I need to get back to being healthy again. 
i fear having stroke or something heart related happening. 

My last dog had to be pts about 5 years ago (old age) and i guess i changed my life. I used to enjoy taking him (a Bullmastiff) for a 5 mile walk on a Saturday morning and always before/after work. I know im less active now than i was say 10 years ago, but im 10 years older and haven't got the stamina like i used to. Thats why i tend to walk down town etc-to get a bit of exercise.

Amlodipine was the one which made my right leg swell to epic size!

Any how, managed to speak to my surgery few hours ago and a doc is ringing me tomorrow morning. I explained to the reception staff that i dont need an appointment but just need a doc to change the meds.

I explained i need two drugs changing. The statin which locks my muscles up and a second drug which is making me pee a lot and i mean an awful lot. Driving back from Haverhill earlier, i pee'd myself again and its humiliating. I tend not to drink because i know soon afterwards my bladder will let go. So im constantly thirsty. 😞 

 

[London Best]

I have a bladder like that and I don’t take any medication!

[JohnfromUK]

21 minutes ago, Imperfection said:

I tend not to drink

Beware - as you get older, getting dehydrated can trigger gout and kidney stones - both of which are incredibly painful.

[Ratlegs]

On 04/06/2023 at 07:50, Westley said:

I was in a similar situation over 20 years ago, just after I retired. I too was taking Statins and suffering most of the side effects mentioned above. I was running a shooting ground at the time and a regular shooter happened to be a Consultant at Southport Hospital. He was watching me clearing up on one occasion and asked me if I was on Statins. He advised me to stop taking them. I now only take Ibruprofen, but only for pain relief and certainly not on a regular basis. I am now nearly 80 and still reasonably fit, apart from usual knee and shoulder pain. In fact I am taking a group of 10, for their first experience of shooting clays, in about 2 hours time. Mind you, just as a precaution,  my shooting buddy is a retired GP   😄

I had been taking statins for twelve years many different types, terrible leg pain, cramp at night, been for X-rays   got, so I struggled to walk 400 yards been on prescription paracetamol

 told doc they didn't work take them before it hurts that meant living on them different doc said have a month off statins then restart lower dose

a month without pain had two at lower dose pain again binned them

the paracetamol is good at raising blood pressure, binned them

. Now have two raw garlic half an hour before breakfast

BP is lowest it's been for years blood test OK I can walk for hours and run

[Ratlegs]

Have a look online, the benefits of eating raw garlic

[Imperfection]

53 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

Beware - as you get older, getting dehydrated can trigger gout and kidney stones - both of which are incredibly painful.

Its a double edged sword. If i drink i pee-if i dont drink i dont pee.

I already had the finger up my bum which wasn't pleasant. I've had prostrate investigations which proved fruitless then i started googling the drugs im currently on. One tablet i take is classed as a water tablet. To rid my body of salt it makes me pee a lot and thats it.

 

[Diver One]

8 hours ago, Westley said:

Yes, I had a group of 6 beginners to instruct. I took a neighbour clay shooting a couple of years ago, helped him with his Certificate and then found his first gun. He brought some relations, including a visitor from Australia, to 'enjoy the experience '. They all did  !  I tried to not hold people up and let others 'shoot through ' wherever possible.  I am knackered today though, getting a bit old for doing the Instructor bit, especially in this heat    😄

In that case we were on stand 1 next to you! 4 of us and a liver brown Springer. It was a beautiful day, my score told a different story though😂

[Westley]

14 minutes ago, Diver One said:

In that case we were on stand 1 next to you! 4 of us and a liver brown Springer. It was a beautiful day, my score told a different story though😂

I hope we did not hold you up then  ?

2 hours ago, Ratlegs said:

I had been taking statins for twelve years many different types, terrible leg pain, cramp at night, been for X-rays   got, so I struggled to walk 400 yards been on prescription paracetamol

 told doc they didn't work take them before it hurts that meant living on them different doc said have a month off statins then restart lower dose

a month without pain had two at lower dose pain again binned them

the paracetamol is good at raising blood pressure, binned them

. Now have two raw garlic half an hour before breakfast

BP is lowest it's been for years blood test OK I can walk for hours and run

Eating raw garlic, you are probably as well being able to run   !   😁

[Diver One]

I hope we did not hold you up then  ?

i think you were on the practice stands...girl with a  white shirt? Young lad about 12 ish?

 

[Sciurus]

I started taking Atorvastin in October but quickly had to halve the dose as it was affecting my liver and kidney functions. The other cocktail of drugs didn’t do me much good either- eg  bisoperol affected my circulation that badly that I often couldn’t put a cartridge in a gun and hold the steering wheel was painful. Now awaiting a camera up the derriere to see what other problems the drugs have caused.

I feel well but have lost strength and stamina.

[steve_b_wales]

Amongst other various medications, I take Atorvastatin, which was prescribed (many years ago) for Cholestrol. When I have blood tests, usually twice a year, my Cholestrol levels are good. I have asked my GP if I could come off the statins for a month or two, just to see what the levels would be then. I explained that my diet has vastly changed and I no longer eat 'rubbish'. The GP didn't agree with me and said that taking them will do me more good than harm.

[Pushkin]

Been on statins since I had a stroke in 2012 but, had to change them as they made me feel unwell.  Been on Rosuvastatin for a good number of years now and my Cholesterol always comes up as really good.  No apparent side effects with these one so far - fingers crossed

Pushkin

[wymberley]

1 hour ago, Pushkin said:

Been on statins since I had a stroke in 2012 but, had to change them as they made me feel unwell.  Been on Rosuvastatin for a good number of years now and my Cholesterol always comes up as really good.  No apparent side effects with these one so far - fingers crossed

Pushkin

This one having changed from the xxxxxx  Ator'. Didn't fancy taking any after the Ator' but negotiated a low dose as the cholesterol level wasn't too bad after a TIA and could bear coming down slowly - no problems.

Just don't get me started on the xxxxxx Amlodipine.  Finally got the Doc' to take me off these this very morning and switch to something else - will find out what in a few minutes.

[cuffy]

4 hours ago, wymberley said:

This one having changed from the xxxxxx  Ator'. Didn't fancy taking any after the Ator' but negotiated a low dose as the cholesterol level wasn't too bad after a TIA and could bear coming down slowly - no problems.

Just don't get me started on the xxxxxx Amlodipine.  Finally got the Doc' to take me off these this very morning and switch to something else - will find out what in a few minutes.

It's taken my doc 3 months to get me off amlodipine .

Doxazosin is what I'm on instead . 

I feel much better and my bp is lower .

(+ Ramipril, bisoprolol,rosuvastatin) 

[Imperfection]

4 hours ago, wymberley said:

 

Just don't get me started on the xxxxxx Amlodipine.  

Apparently, its a cheap drug and GP's always go for this first. If you dont have a negative reaction-they'll continue prescribing it. For me it were hell. Ramipril was another i reacted badly to.

 

Anyway, a doc rang me this morning and he recommended changing the statin to another type but explained they all make your muscles tighten/hurt. He's gotta find our for the bladder problem then refer it to my gp. I told him, im sitting here right now (in a Transit van in Peteboghorror) and my muscles dont feel like a dozen elastic bands round a tennis ball.

[wymberley]

Now on  Losartan potassium 12.5mg.

[welsh1]

30 minutes ago, wymberley said:

Now on  Losartan potassium 12.5mg.

You probably would get the same result with that dose by having a grapefruit and a bannana every day.

[wymberley]

10 minutes ago, welsh1 said:

You probably would get the same result with that dose by having a grapefruit and a bannana every day.

Seems that dose is a function of my age.