Last Night I scared Myself Silly

[penguina]

I started on Simvastatin on Sat 1st Jan. I started with wobbly legs and aching joints, and a week later I slept all day. The next day Sunday, I felt like crying all day, welling up, and Monday, I did cry and had a hissy fit over biscuits. The Doc yesterday said to stop them and get them out of my system before I have a 24 hour blood pressure monitor, and see where we go from there.

But last night after taking them for 10 days (I was reading before going to sleep), I found myself thinking about cutting one of my wrists.

For personal reasons I am 100% sure I would never do anything like that but it did scare me that my subconscious had gone there. I do suffer depression and have been on antidepressants for years, but I have been pretty stable for the past 4/5 months since starting on Thyroxine.

So partly my question is Statins: My cholesterol was not too bad at 5.3 but they wanted it below 4 due to T2. If your diet is better, your cholesterol should get better after surgery? I certainly don't want to go back there again.

 

[Big an Bouncy]

I have heard they can give you bad nightmares,mine are just vivid and weired.A nurse pal of mine once told me to avoid them at all costs!My gp didnt want me on them cos my cholesterol was only borderline,the doc at weightloss wanted me on them to progress my wls!Coming off as soon as I have my op.Maz x

 

[angie790]

My OH is very fit, does loads of exercise, has a very active job, doesn't smoke (& never has), barely drinks and his BP is very low....but because he has naturally high cholesterol he has been prescribed statins...he's on his third one now as the side effects of the other two made him feel rotten. I glad your GP has advised you to stop taking this particular type, especially with such horrid side effects. Perhaps when you go back to see him you could discuss holding off trying a different statin until a few months post-op? Like you say, your 5.3 reading may well drop of its own accord once you've had the op, so perhaps he would agree to a 'wait & see approach'? xxx

 

[lisa x]

I was offered statins a few years ago..i refuse to take them,if i am honest...
I wont go into why on here but my cholesterol is 3.9 . but I will say i am glad your off them.
hope you feel better soon xx x

 

[hsmel]

My mum has had a very bad experience with Statins and interestingly enough I watched a programme where three doctors all said in their opinion the side effects of statins in general outweighed their usefulness . . . . certainly something I would verify in the case of my mum!!!

 

[Nat2104]

Your cholestol will easily come down if you change your diet and exercise. Im surprised you gp put you on statins if that was ur lever. They say your cholestrol should be 5 or below. Normalpy is people with a cholestrol of above 6 they put on statins. There are different types of statins though so may not all have the same effect! But i know someone that had one of 7 and they changed their diet and exercised and it reduced, hers is now 4 and it didnt take her long to get it down!

Hope that helps, def sounds like statins dnt agree woth u! X

 

[penguina]

Thank you all, yes it did shake me up. I am used to being a miserable cow (Wednesdays Child is full of woe :cry: and all that) but nothing so shocking. It was just the speed of the down turn as well that shocked me. But I am sure they will clear quickly as I wasn't on them long. I haven't had the knee pains today, either although the legs are still a bit wobbly.

Thanks Angie, I know there are different types and that Simvastatin is the cheapest they first use, I am glad your hubby got sorted on his. But as you say, hopefully I won't need them afterwards, and you can join me in kicking them Maz!

It is funny I didn't know about any of my problems until I started the WLS train, I just thought feeling horrid was normal. I am so grateful for this journey so far, and hope it is a good easy ride to the end.

Thanks to all who sent good wishes. Trisha

 

[penguina]

Thanks Nat, the doc had said that diet alone only usually accounts for about 10% drop in levels, so I guess he wanted to give me a head start. Also At the time they were prescribed just before Christmas,I hadn't got my funding though, so I guess it still could have been a long wait. He also suggested waiting till the new year to start them 'just in case' I had a problem.

I had been exercising more till Christmas came. It did help we were in the sunshine in Malta while everyone else was up to their armpits in snow. Spring like weather does make you want to get outside more. That might have been why it was 'only' 5.3 when they checked it in Dec.

I hope your mum is sorted now, and off the things, or at least on one that she can tolerate.

 

[VeronicaT]

I have naturally very high cholestrol, so went on Simvastatin 25 years ago, when they first came out. Never looked back - had no side effects at all. Reading the above, I would say that I have been very lucky

 

[penguina]

Hi Veronica I didn't realise they had been around that long - I though they were the lastest new wonderdrug! Glad you are well on them, and after 25 years I think they must suit you!!

I actually slept for over 5 hours last night and not a dream in sight, so I think they are clearing quickly as I was not on them for long. I know there are fat soluble and water soluble one, and some might cross the blood and affect the brain.

It will be interesting to see what happens to your Cholesterol after your op - if it will improve, as you say yours is naturally high.