Statins - what is your view?

[lynbrown]

Do any ABrs have views on statins? Are they wonder pills or just another way of making the drug companies richer? Any reactions to their use? I am thinking of stopping mine and wonder what others feel.

[oldwoman]

I seemed to be fine on them untill the generic ones were prescribed to save the doctors money. I got very depressed and suicidal. I stopped taking them but my cholestral is due to family history. It has shot up to 9.8. The doctor has now given me the original ones but said I will probably have to go back on the others given time. My brother in law has had nightmares on his, and has stopped taking them. My view is if I didn`t need them desperatly I wouldn`t take another one.

[MrXLA]

Doctors don't give out statins for fun
There is not really any incentive for GMPs to prescribe MORE medicines to make drug companies richer (the opposite in fact)
Generic medicines are prescribed to save the NHS money (not the doctors)
ALL medicines have some side effects, and these effects differ from person to person

[justasking]

What are statins?

[wired]

I had some really bad side affects, tried 4 different types but in the end I gave up on them, with my GP's help. I'm still being monitored but am progressing well with acupuncture and increase exercise.

[shaneystar2]

I take 20mcg Statavastin every day for slightly raised cholesterol ..been on it about eighteen months now .No side effects .
Yet my sister in law on a very high dose due to a heart attack a couple of years ago had awful side effects ...muscle fatigue and various other things .
What suits one don't suit another !

[Chessie]

I am prescribed statins (Lipitor) but I stopped taking them when I read that they reduce your levels of Co-Enzyme Q10. This can cause heart disease, I have read. I believe that in Canada they have a warning about this on the packets.

Having severe gum disease (which has been linked to heart disease, and low levels of Co-Q10), I was supplementing my Co-Q10 daily in the hope of combatting it, so statins were defeating the object really.

If I'm going to die of heart disease, I might as well die of it from high cholesterol than from low Co-Q10.