Medication for the rest of your life

I felt the same post hole-in-heart fix and arhythmias. I think it comes to everyone eventually. I just accepted it. My partner takes a couple of things. My mum has about 10 different things.

Though after a second ablation I'm now off all meds. Which is nice.

What biscuits?

I bet three pages before being locked, a minor flounce and two short bans.

I feel the same about these things and probably should be on anti hypertensive drugs myself but after 10 years stopped taking them.

But then I think about my nephew who was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at birth so has been on more medication than you could imagine for his entire 19 years of life. Last week he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and started chemotherapy yesterday. Sometimes you don't really have much choice and if the side effects are better than the alternative you have to get in with it.

I'm on a low dose of statins as my cholesterol is a little higher than ideal, but it's genetic - we tried the diet and my folks are on them. Zero side effects, and I'm very low on the risk scale for a heart attack.  I'm also on Testosterone following a dodgy snip and repair works 12 years ago (T dropped really low below 5 n/mol)- I need it otherwise I literally feel like crap, cycling performance drops right off (I commute and can tell by the time it takes). Hopefully I'll be able to stay on it, but may not be allowed  as I get older. Application is a pain, as it takes 10 minutes to dry and soak in - can't apply, get dressed and carry on as clothing soaks it and it doesn't work.

Didn't want the statins, but I've zero side effects.  Had more issues when taking meds for back pain (broke my spine) - the side effects were nasty, so I just put up with the pain these days.

Not heart related, thyroid. They took the misbehaving little tinker out and I'm on 125mg of thyroxine daily. Small price to pay for not throwing wobblers anymore. C'est la vie.

The thing that troubles me is when we reach full blown WWIII, medication will again be scarce

I have blood pressure issues and the GP jumped straight to meds as an option. I said I'd like to revisit after I make a real effort to up exercise and eating healthier. My issue is that my job causes stress and my response is to eat shite.

I'm also on antidepressants and have been for the last ten years or so. I think I will be for the rest of my life. Tried coming off them a few times and ended up feeling suicidal, not nice. The AD's have some pretty shitty side effects. Fatigue and no emotional highs being two of the worst for me. I resisted taking them for years and still have regular battles with myself about staying on them. I don't really want to add blood pressure meds into the mix too to be honest. Just shy of 48 here.

I physically rattle at 61, I am on 9 prescription drugs from Statins to Ozempic (not a lard arse it's a damaged Pancreas) without the drugs I would probably be dead. I struggled with all this tried to exercise, diet my way out then a Consultant explained that I couldn't manage it as one issue was genetic and the other an over prescribed drug.

If you are overweight and unfit and on a shit diet, well you maybe able to work it out via exercise and diet... if not take the meds

I had my first Asthma attack (apparently) when I was about 4. I remember attacks vividly from around 10 years old or so. They are beyond terrifying and the fear of taking your last breath is indescribable. Fortunately for me it became controllable in my late teens. At 60 I will continue to be grateful for the medication that I will take for the rest if what I hope is a long life.

I have blood pressure issues and the GP jumped straight to meds as an option. I said I’d like to revisit after I make a real effort to up exercise and eating healthier. My issue is that my job causes stress and my response is to eat shite.

A couple of years ago my GP contacted me about (slightly) high cholesterol and immediately wanted to put me on statins

I said I'd try and sort it myself first. 6 weeks later with a revised diet (nothing drastic) and he was amazed at the change

Which sort of contributes to the raised eyebrow about me being on statins forever now, albeit for a different reason

Was diagnosed as T1 diabetic 49 years ago and been in insulin since.then. Also been on statins for 20ish years (current cholesterol is 3.4, so I found out today) and candesartan for as long BP was 110/70 today, so guessing that's working).

Also have zero functioning thyroid so loaded up with thyroxin (a symptom of the autoimmune condition that caused the diabetes).

Everything seems to be working fine for me and I feel pretty good, taking plenty of exercise and living a comparatively normal life, so TBH I wouldn't worry too much about being on medication for the rest of your life if I were you. I'd be more worried about forgetting to take it.

If you are overweight and unfit and on a shit diet, well you maybe able to work it out via exercise and diet… if not take the meds

Not overweight or particularly unfit. Cycle to work and back, 24 miles or so, between three and five days a week. Go to the gym when time allows and trying to sort some aspects of the diet. Fewer crisps being the first step. Some GP's just jump straight to meds without looking at education and intervention first. Surely that has to be better for everyone

Son is T1 - diagnosed at 14 - that's a bit shit and was a right struggle at first, still is. He's 24 now. Plus side, tech is better and he's on a medtronic closed loop system (basically adjusts insulin to need more or less automatically).

I had a Pulmonary Embolism last year after (apparently) having a DVT from sitting too long driving back from the Alps. This was the second DVT, the first a few years before post collarbone surgery.

The PE got a bit out of hand and I had a few days in ICU then the Coronary ward as it strained the old ticker.

I'm on blood thinners now and apparently, the risk of a repeat is the same as the background population. The only issue is when I knick myself doing any sort of manual job. It just dribbles out of me and takes ages to stop.

Mustn't grumble/could be worserer etc.

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/stroke-tia/management/secondary-prevention-following-stroke-tia/

This is the latest guideline for the UK. Anti platelet meds are pretty standard now, don't know if your cholesterol levels led to the statin recommendation.

Not a doc, obviously, but even though you say you have normal test results, the biggest risk factor for a second stroke is the first one, so that should guide your view on the meds.

If you're still questioning it after reading the guidelines, have a conversation with your specialist.

I picked up my latest prescription of six types of medication yesterday. Like you, I was one of those people who never needed antibiotics...

After being diagnosed type 2 diabetic two years ago having lost 50% of my insulin production brought on by a bout of Covid ( according to my diabetic team) with blood sugars 350% of what they should be I'll be on metformin for life, although it's nice to know I'm the only person in the surgery with now normal blood sugars who had a similar hba1c that's doing it with just metformin, insulin may be part of my future but not just yet.

It's a bit annoying but I don't mind, the alternative is losing two or three pounds per week till I look like a skeleton, which was very ugly and really quite scary as I couldn't control it, I now feel perfectly normal and have a normal life expectancy ( if things stay as they are) so all good.

I understand at a human level the OPs point of view. It is of course his choice to take a prescription or not.

But there are no prizes for not taking the meds. It feels like there should be not there isn’t. No bonus years of life for 10 years meds free.

You are very complicated bag of chemicals. Be glad you live in an age where there’s things are an option

Now if your talking actual side effects then that’s different

Fewer crisps being the first step

This ^^^ and for me stopping drinking beer and cutting down on carbs generally, plus more regular exercise, stopped me from becoming diabetic, at least for the time being...

Definitely had similar feelings to the OP. I had a TIA about 5 years ago, found to be in AF, so prescribed 4 different meds. I've only taken 3 of them in all that time. Statins? They're the ones for blood pressure/colesterol? YEah I don't take them- the consultant told me it was because "he'd like me to" take them even though BP/colesterol aren't high. So I decided I don't need them. 3 is enough. Then the prostate crap, which are a sod if you do take them and a worse sod if you don't, so that's 4.

In a relationship for the past year with someone very clued up medically, and she got me to see the consultant again, to see about having an ablation to remove the need for the meds. He explained that he does ablations all the time, but doesn't see me as a good case for one,  as my symptoms are mild (if that's the right word). So I'll keep taking the meds - I know my heartbeat is screwed, so I'm not prepared to risk the TIA or worse again by not taking them. (I could've been really badly injured by the TIA, falling off my bike - was seconds away from a 30mph+ descent one way and a very busy A road the other!)

I do forget to take them some weekends though 🙂

Forgot to say, part of it is the bloody insult to someone who has looked after themselves, stayed fit, eats well, drinks in moderation, never smoked.. when they start asking you about those things, like they will be the cause of the health issue.. it does make you object to being "ill" and having to take those meds to get over it! But you do get used to taking the crap. I'll just NEVER use one of those daily pill dispensers like an old pensioner! (despite being 60!)

I could’ve been really badly injured by the TIA, falling off my bike – was seconds away from a 30mph+ descent one way and a very busy A road the other

The weird thing about mine was that although I was having a very strange experience - I rode my bike down a rocky descent, left my mate for dead (his words), then across a busy A road and to the pub. My motor functions were on point, which doesn't make sense as my cognitive functions were all over the place - couldn't read messages on my phone, think properly, or even talk properly when I stopped riding.

Off to bed, will reply to some of the other comments tomorrow, but thanks for the replies

Just been helping son get all his med kit gear in containers for him - he's off on a long weekender with friends, so we've got all his T1 kit in different plastic boxes - one for the fridge, and the sensor kit in other boxes, and the sugar/glucogen pen/glucose in other boxes...

Fortunately, his mates are aware of his condition.  Getting food poisoning was really serious one this year - we only found out second hand a few days later - the food poisoning ended him being in hospital 5 days, without the booze up party (he missed it) - he was 200 miles away..

Having had a TIA then your chances of having a stroke are very high and the statins will reduce this risk substantially.    Your GP will have an assessment tools and will be able to discuss risk.  Its not going to be a one in a million chance tho - probably closer to 1 in 10 or even higher unmedicated depending on other risk factors

My motor functions were on point, which doesn’t make sense as my cognitive functions were all over the place – couldn’t read messages on my phone, think properly, or even talk properly when I stopped riding.

It all depends on which bit of your brain was affected.

69 here and been on Allupurinol for gout for 47 years!  Also take Tamusolosin (sp?) for an enlarged prostate.  Just been told to take statins for raised cholesterol  (even though my 'bad' colesterol is very low; it's the 'good' one which is raised).  I've declined for the time being.

i think the ' you are on them forever' statement from the medical person is a bit of a general thing.

whether you will be can alter very quickly.

prior to open heart surgery i was taking 4 meds.  warfarin, amiodarone, bisoprolol and something else.

all pretty strong, and high dosage.

after the op, i was put on a easier blood thinner which didnt need as much keeping tabs on,  apixaban, and a single AF med, diltiazem.

after a while i saw the cardiologist and he was happy with my progress, so stopped the blood thinner,and lowered the dosage of the AF med.   i now only take this 1 tablet.

so it may seem a bit shit now, but the future may end up being a lot brighter.

so good luck with it all.

As a professional in a very different sector I'd generally expect someone coming to me with an issue to want to act on the advice they're given in view of the potential severity of the outcome from not doing so. I'd be a right hypocrite if I didn't make some attempt to do the right things when I'm on the receiving end of the advice.

The medics are the experienced professionals here.  You can take a gamble on not following the advice on some principle or other or you can follow the advice.  Your principles are unlikely to safeguard you from medical conditions but the pills presumably are.

There are times for decisions in healthcare that are primarily about your wishes (e.g. end of life care, high risk or high side effect treatments such as chemo and quality Vs quantity with chronic conditions) and there's a time to accept some minor side effects/compromise for the sake of not having a life limiting or life ending event and an unnecessarily early death.

Ultimately you have a choice but not taking the meds long term seems on the scant details to be the wrong side of the risk/reward line to me.

Omeprazole here, whether it’s for life or not I’m not sure, but any time I’ve tried to come off it over the years the rebound acid reflux has been unbearable so I presume it will be forever.

I think it’s supposed to increase the risk of osteoporosis but the pharmacist didn’t seem worried due to the dosage.

Oh and good luck with whatever you do.

And my only word on COVID and I promise not to bang on about it.

If you're thought to be weaker than before especially cardiovascular wise then please rethink your "jab rules" and take the advice.

My brother in law spent several weeks on a ventilator for COVID in 2020 and then a secondary infection.  Months of rehab after and it's taken years to properly recover.

Some stuff you can diet/exercise your way out of - overweight, high blood pressure, T2 diabetes are all good candidates but it is not guaranteed.
Other stuff you can't. Read the posts above.

Imagine you were told you had to take 'food' for the rest of your life and that would feel fine and natural.
Imagine you were told you had to manage your 'food intake' for the rest of your life and that would feel fine and natural.

Drugs and medication are sightly different from food, I agree, but don't get hung up on 'for the rest of your life' or it might be less time than you expects.

*I decline the blood pressure tablets for the rest of my life and managed it through diet and exercise for the rest of my life instead.

I didn't read the replies but I have some thoughts I'll share.

I had an unprovoked Pulmonary embolism (PE), and was put on xeralto for a year or so. A year after stopping I had the same pain and was diagnosed (during the height of COVID), with another unprovoked PE. I'm on xeralto max dose for life.

I'm a healthy guy who rarely gets ill and I'm obviously indestructible. ?

But I get blood clots. Which are often a killer (especially when undiagnosed fir 2 weeks but that's another story).

Whatever is impacting the body isn't a bit of a sniffle, or a bruised knee, these unrelated things that you and I have. This isn't something the doctors have a definite reason for happening so we can stop that thing. This is something that is happening and could either take us away from the ones we love via death or mangle us up so our loved wish death upon us.

The medicine has been had years of chemistry improvements, years of manufacturing improvements and all with years of control from multiple external & internal sources to produce something that'll help reduce/prevent the symptoms that have been observed.

The body has evolved to fight the common, lesser ailments, but the wacky shite? Historically those people died, often in pain over an extended period of time.

**** that, I'm taking the medicine for life.

Question about the blood thinners: do they limit MTB due to risk of cuts? My dad's on blood thinners and gets bad bruising from bangs and small cuts don't stop bleeding etc. I always thought I'd strongly push back to avoid having to take them for that reason, if it ever arose.

My issue is that my job causes stress and my response is to eat shite.

I’m also on antidepressants and have been for the last ten years or so.

Dude... Change your job?!

My mum summed this up for me. She had a stroke 20 years ago, whilst she was in hospital they purely by chance discovered imminent double kidney failure. In a perverse way, the stroke saved her life. She left hospital with thinners, thickeners, pro-this and anti-that, painkillers, stents fitted.

She said, "on the one hand I could think 'I've got to take all this stuff for the rest of my life, that's awful.' But on the other hand, isn't it great that I can take all this stuff and have a rest of my life?"

I got an extra 20 years out of her that by any metric we probably shouldn't have. I understand your point and it's a bit miserable but suck it up, buttercup. They don't hand out drugs like M&Ms and the alternative is worse.

I decline the blood pressure tablets for the rest of my life and managed it through diet and exercise for the rest of my life instead.

Great if it works. I was diagnosed essential hypertension aged 17 and have never had a bad diet or not exercised. It's made bugger all difference. But then the various medications didn't either, so I just stopped them. I originally started monitoring my exercise HR to get a baseline to see if I tried medication again it would affect my HR. A few years later I still haven't got around to measuring my BP consistently to get a baseline.

When i was in my late teens early 20s I was on beta blockers and still playing high level football - not recommended.

I said I’d like to revisit after I make a real effort to up exercise and eating healthier.

And have you?

My meds are pretty minor, and I’ve been taking them relatively late in life, so I’ll probably be taking them for the rest of my life. I take Naproxen twice a day for the arthritis in my knee and both hands, I also take CoCodamol whenever either sites play up in between. I’m on statins for the obvious reason, and tablets in case of gastric issues from the other medication. I also take a supplement every day to help control macular degeneration, which I’ve been taking for around four-five years, and so far they’re helping a great deal with my eyes, so I’m more than happy to take them for the rest of my life. I also take vitamin D supplements.
Anything that helps me get through every day with the minimum of pain is absolutely worth it.

I was initially put on statins(about 5 or 6 years ago), but they came with side effects so i decided fk it and stopped taking them. Cholesterol is or has been low all my middleagedness, but slight vascular issues and partial blockage in the femoral artery in the right leg and lower calves/feet are quite cold.- But thats why they invented thick socks, and insulated trousers

But overall health is not bad for a 56 yr old. Achilles tendon in the right leg is weak and causes a fair bit of pain after walking 30', though stopping to rest helps for longer journeys, as long as i walk a bit, stop, then walk a bit more i can get about. But 99% of my journeys i use an Ebike, even the 100m to the local shops. But to hell, i dont mind being crippled by this, as there are folk out there that cant even walk, or in some cases get out of bed. By that score I think im doing well.

.

My only real upcoming issue is cataracts, which ive been told is hereditary, and bloody damned annoying as ive always striven to use the best optician and new eyewear every year.

Its quite funny as the surgery im getting in about a year from now is like the sifi movies, where the propagandist is strapped down and a big needle slowly advances towards their eye,which is pretty much how this surgery works, but f all you can do and f it needs done, better get it done.

.

As to medication, I've been on propranolol for the last 25 years 3x40mg due to something called an essential tremor, which i can assure you is not essential from my perspective. And more recently some powders i need to inhale due to smoking for too long, though I've nearly got a grip on giving up, so ill stop them when i feel its done all it can and live with the results come what may.

But I feel i've had a good innings and lived more than the one lifetime, and due to an incident when i was 16, these last 40 years have been a bonus I very nearly didnt get to live.

.

So to all and sundry, to hell with it all. You live, you enjoy, and better to have a time than worry yourself to death 🙂

I'd rather not take anything but just popped in my high cholesterol (hereditary) and high blood pressure (COVID jab) mean this forms part of my breakfast regime.

OP, sounds like you’re not that open to rational persuasion and that you’re asking for interest rather than to influence your decision to ignore the advice of your doctors which they have given in your best interests. NP, living your belief in your exceptionalism is your choice, assuming you are competent.

my go to for medical information in the absence of a medical colleague is UpToDate (Wolters Kluwer).

That your various tests have ‘all come back normal’ perhaps indicates that your TIA might not have been caused by, for example, carotid stenosis, atrial fibrillation, or intracranial large artery atherosclerosis. As you have had a TIA it does not mean you are ‘normal’ but instead perhaps that you are more likely to have another than someone who had not. This increased risk of TIA or ischemic stroke is why you are being prescribed various drugs: to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.

UpToDate summarises

The preferred approach to the secondary prevention of TIA and ischemic stroke is to determine the pathophysiology of the event and treat accordingly

And

Intensive medical management — Most patients with TIA or ischemic stroke should receive antithrombotic therapy and be treated with all available risk reduction strategies. Effective strategies include treatment of hypertension, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering with high-intensity statin therapy, and lifestyle modification, including smoking cessation, exercise, low-salt and Mediterranean diet, weight control, and no or limited alcohol consumption.

I’ve not yet started any long term meds but any people I know have been on various cardiac, psychiatric, and cancer meds for long periods. They, and millions of others, have benefitted from them. In some cases needing to have them changed due to efficacy or side effect profile of course.   By the way I applaud your use of antibiotics except when needed - this is how they should be used  and thanks to good guidelines and good doctors is typically how they are prescribed in England.

i think it is said on most STW ‘my doctor advises … I want to do something different. What should I do?’ threads - would you be better to discuss this with your GP/neurologist/cardiologist than some randos on a mountain biking forum?

These comments are fascinating to read as a doctor, keep them coming please.

My only comment is that I think we (doctors) could do better at explaining the difference between primary (computer says you’re at risk of X) and secondary prevention (you’ve experienced X, now what?).

The risk of X in those two scenarios is usually vastly different and perhaps we don’t communicate that well enough.

The concern is that some people can feel like they are being overmedicalised when they are well, while others underestimate the risk of actual disease.

And have you?

It was last week! Give me chance Cougar. No crisps or crisps like snacks have passed my lips since I spoke to the GP. Not back to the gym yet due to work. Should be back on a more regular basis from Monday.

Dude… Change your job?!

Working on it, but it is difficult when you're the main bread winner, two young kids and not well qualified.

Had my complementary NHS health check the other week. Overall not too bad - a bit overweight (well, a fair bit more than I'd like - which I know) but cholesterol a bit high (5.7). A few days later a call from the nurse saying they'd like me to start taking statins. For now, I have rejected that as an idea as I want to see if I can manage it better by upping the exercise a bit and sorting my diet out. I guess I resented a little the idea that the solution was straight to statins with no discussion of alternatives at all.

You’re very very likely going to have another stroke without meds, you’re possibly going to have on with them. Being on thinners will massively reduce the risk of any serious damage if you do, for the sake of taken a couple of pills a day. Contrary to popular belief Dr’s don’t just put you on medication for shits and giggles.

As I would explain to any person I prescribe medication to - all medication has side effects - it's just evaluating those with side effects of not taking them.

Blood thinners & statins are the more common meds and benefits certainly outweigh the risks by a long way.

An old saying I used to hear was; as we grow up our bunch of keys get bigger. As we get older our medication box gets bigger.

2 daily meds at 53 isn't so bad.

I guess I resented a little the idea that the solution was straight to statins with no discussion of alternatives at all.

Statins are an interesting case in that the benefits are huge and side effects not generally serious.  Other strategies are not effective across populations ie diet and exercise.  Hence statins are first line treatment

I think it's worth taking four questions into any consultation about tests or treatments:*

What are the benefits?

What are the risks?

What are the alternatives?

What if I do nothing?

*not my list but part of a well known campaign I've promoted.

Statins ......... side effects not generally serious

I've been trying to find one that doesn't have side effects, they seem to have weird effects with me. Over the past two years I've had over 50 different types of blood test (some repeated a dozen times or so), typically I take a statin which improves some things and makes others worse, try another, have another round of blood tests, different things improved, diferent things made worse, try another, more blood tests, repeat.....................

[i]The concern is that some people can feel like they are being overmedicalized when they are well, while others underestimate the risk of actual disease.[/i] - I remember a girlfriends Mum who did both. She refused any medication from Drs because it was pumped out by giant pharma companies who forced you to take it whether you wanted to or not. You opened a kitchen cupboard and there were 50-60 jars of pills and leave of natural 'snake oil' remedies that she took to prevent all the modern illnesses that she was bound to get. She had an A4 sheet with her natural medicine regine inside the door and it was 10-15 tablets a day.

Statins - I was prescribed these and within a week of taking them I felt tired. Nothing specific, just tired and a bit stiff. I went back to the Dr after 2 months to discuss and he told be that it was because I had read about side effect in the Daily Mail. this was the first time the side effects had even been mentioned. I looked at my Strava history and the miles ridden each week dropped about 40% when I started the statins. I stopped taking them and I felt better. I had a similar, but more noticeable, reaction to the 2nd type they tried. They are now asking me to try something else.

If feels a bit like trial and error on their part while I have to put op with the various side effects for 2 months at a time. I don't think it helped that the first Dr, now retired, basically told me to 'give up and get over it, you are old'. The new Dr is the one who is suggesting the start the random statin sweetie testing on me again. Anyone got any recommendations for which ones to try?

Statins are an interesting case in that the benefits are huge and side effects not generally serious.  Other strategies are not effective across populations ie diet and exercise.  Hence statins are first line treatment

Regardless of anything else - your basic issue is a mix of not wanting to use meds on the grounds of principle v the actual downsides of using those meds v the risks of another episode if you don't, I think - I'd be having a very honest look at your diet, lifestyle, exercise regime etc. I suspect a lot of us eat more ultra-processed foods, cake, biscuits etc, drink too much alcohol etc and don't get enough fibre, variety of veg etc. It's our societal norm.

It may be that improving your lifestyle may reduce the chances of you having further issues regardless of medication. If you have some sort of genetic pre-disposition to issues things may be slightly different to something that could have a lifestyle root.

I'm assuming that your main priority here, is not to have another (suspected) stroke. I'd also be having a proper talk with the medical professionals familiar with your individual case about the likelihood of further episodes with or without medication. I wouldn't be basing any big medical/health decisions on advice from people on a mountain biking forum. Irony much. Anyway, good luck whichever way you decide to go.

prontomonto
Question about the blood thinners: do they limit MTB due to risk of cuts? My dad’s on blood thinners and gets bad bruising from bangs and small cuts don’t stop bleeding etc. I always thought I’d strongly push back to avoid having to take them for that reason, if it ever arose

They are usually anti-coagulants these days and so yes, bleeding can be a pain -I'm more likely to cut myself chopping tomatoes than mtbing, but I bleed a lot when I do. You get a medical card in the pill box which tells how you should be treated medically. I certainly wouldn't let them dictate how you live your life! Mountain bike like you always have. Just don't become a sword swallower 🙂 (Ibuprofen is bad too, stomach bleeds can be quite dangerous, but I still take it in v small doses cos its the only pain killer that works on me)

Pushing back on them isn't wise if they're needed, as mentioned by many above.

As far as side-effects go, I had really bad stomach issues from the original anti-coags I was prescribed. Plus extreme lack of energy from the bisoprolol (beta-blocker ) - when I had the review they were changed to meds that agree with me a lot more. Won't be racing Tom Pidcock any time soon, but at least I can run, swim, ride for a decent amount of time. So get reviewed if you have issues.

I've got high cholesterol too.

Me and my partner both eat the same stuff, similar age, but I exercise more, barely drink any acholol and don't east crips or anything (unlike her!!)
My cholosterol is off the scale, hers is absolutely fine! (both recently tested by GP). She's even o got better blood pressure results.

It's very frustrating.

I'm getting side effects from statins (bad joint pain, especially in the knees) so trying to go quite extreme on diet and seeing a physio to build up my knee strength, but theres' very little effect at the moment.

Sometimes I think if you've got the wrong genes, its a choice of taking medicine or accepting the extra risk of cardiovascular disease.

Statins are an interesting case in that the benefits are huge and side effects not generally serious.

To put that in context, it's crystal clear that there are significant benefits post-stroke in people who have elevated HDL cholesterol or other factors pointing to artery disease.

OP's comments suggest to me blood cholesterol markers were/are normal, so it's slightly less clear whether he would personally see those benefits, which is why he is posing the question. Fair enough, something to be discussed with the specialist.

Personally, if I were in the position of looking to prevent a second stroke/TIA, I would view the statins as potentially beneficial, even if I couldn't directly see where I fitted into the research/ target population. The consequences of further strokes mean I would accept a degree of overkill in medication, particularly in the first few years post-stroke.

I went back to the Dr after 2 months to discuss and he told be that it was because I had read about side effect in the Daily Mail.

Well known phenomenon.  this really does happen.  As you are anti meds then your chances of getting "side effects " is increased - sort of placebo effect in reverse.

this was the first time the side effects had even been mentioned.

Poor - should have been discussed

If feels a bit like trial and error on their part while I have to put op with the various side effects for 2 months at a time. I don’t think it helped that the first Dr, now retired, basically told me to ‘give up and get over it, you are old’. The new Dr is the one who is suggesting the start the random statin sweetie testing on me again. Anyone got any recommendations for which ones to try?

Standard practice - there is no real way of predicting who will have which or any side effects.  As for which ones to try - your GP is the right person to ask

However, I’ve always been against too much medication – won’t have antibiotics unless they are totally necessary and believe in the body being able to mostly look after itself. I’ve always had a pretty decent immune system

This is pretty common view amongst men. Taking medication or seeking medical care goes against an image of stoic masculine self-sufficiency, and it's something that I hear from men pretty often in the practice. When we ask why men are reluctant to come to the GP, or canx/DNA their appts - I'm too busy, It's embarrassing, it'll probably get better on its own, are themes we hear all the time.

Because men are reluctant to come to the GP, there is often a l lack of knowledge of how to navigate primary/secondary healthcare which only makes guys more reluctant and its easier just to ignore it all, and hope it'll go away/get better by itself, and is  compounded when men get told that the solution is a long term, or life time treatment.

The answer is probably better health literacy aimed at men, something I think the NHS is realising it doesn't do very well.

Yeah I having trouble with statins too.  Been on blood pressure meds for genetically high BP for years with zero side effects, started statins early this year.  Started to get pain in the arch of my foot, which eventually spread to the other foot.  Doc said it was "classic plantar fasciitis", which seemed odd in both feet. Stopped the statin and the pain went..started again after 2 weeks and pain returned within 2 days.  Anyway, got a different statin, but after 4 weeks the arch pain is back (altho in a slightly different place).

Hey ho....back to the doc for a 3rd try I guess.

I should add, I didn't particularly want to start on statins, for no logical reason, but given my family history, and relatively healthy lifestyle, it seemed the right choice.  Not sure what I do if I can't find one I can tolerate.

barely drink any acholol

Are you sure 😉

That's my second breakfast every day since Long Covid did a number on me. I too am (was) anti-pills for life, but dropping 1.5 stone, getting fitter so my resting heart rate dropped 10 bpm and heavily adjusting my diet made no difference to any of the symptoms or risks. GP and Consultant were both very patient with me.

Statins are an interesting case in that the benefits are huge and side effects not generally serious.

There's a reluctance sometimes I see in GPs that means that becasue they often ignore/play down patients (mens') concerns that something they think is trivial - pain in the foot, for example can be a total embuggerance for the patient, and there's a cycle of "don't want to take this as it cuases X pain/discomfort, I feel fine, so I go off my  meds, flare up of issue - back to the GP"

For our patient with long term conditions, we're starting to offer them an appt where instead of fixating on say; why their blood glucose levels are not good, we ask what's preventing them form taking the steps to maintaining it themselves. Often times the answers; My work is shit, my home life is rubbish, I have a pain in my back that I numb through drinking, are often more usefully resolved first by giving them pointers to where they can find help about those issues, than battering them around the head with dietary advice.

If i'd had a mini stroke id be terrified of it happing again. And if chomping on a couple of smarties in the morning reduced that risk i wouldn't be considering anything else.

53yo - 2xbp tablets and 1xstatin. Never seen this as an issue.

Been on Allopurinol for gout for last 30 years.  More recently on 2x bp and a statin too.

As Blackflag says:

Never seen this as an issue.

OP. Almost exactly the same situation as you except I'm 62. My feeling is that I've dodged a bullet here. Got diagnosed on the back of having what felt like a trapped nerve leaving me with pins and needles all down the right side of my body. Whilst being in I mentioned that I'd had the slightest split second of blackout a couple of days before. They did all the tests and saw I'd had a blood clot on my brain. I'm on meds for life which could well stop me getting a full blown stroke and ruining my (and affecting my family's) life. I'd say that was a pretty good deal really.

I have been very lucky, I was diagnosed Type 2 diabetic following COVID with an hba1c of 60, doctors only response was "pick up your metformin" on the way out, there was no education, no alternative given etc.

I asked if I could try to beat it without medication and give it three months, and got a genuinely shocked look from doctor and diabetes nurse.

But I also have a type 1 diabetic daughter, she has been since 4 years of age, and is now 14, and the advances just in medication and control (also on Medtronic closed loop system) have been amazing.

So i will never knock medication, i feel lucky that i had read many books on diabetes and come from a sports science background so had the knowledge to seek to control my disease without meds, plus I truly believe that it is something you need to fight straight away, or you can only fight up to a certain level, as the longer blood glucose levels are elevated, the more damage is caused, and the harder remission is.

I don't blame doctors for the "heres the medication" approach, they are seriously overworked (any my wife is a consultant therapy radiographer on a cancer ward with a daft work load), and they want people back on an even keel as soon as possible. Ideally though, I wish there was more of an educational side to these things, that they had the time and resources to be able to say, "lets try this" before just medication, and then have the time to be able to see you reguarly to be able to see if changes you're making are working and not just meds. But i know that they do not have the luxury of that often these days.

tarted to get pain in the arch of my foot, which eventually spread to the other foot.  Doc said it was “classic plantar fasciitis”, which seemed odd in both feet. Stopped the statin and the pain went..started again after 2 weeks and pain returned within 2 days.  Anyway, got a different statin, but after 4 weeks the arch pain is back (altho in a slightly different place).

Hey ho….back to the doc for a 3rd try I guess.

This is very similar to my experience. I iniitally didn't correlate the knee pain with the statin, but I've stopped and started statins 4 times now and each time the pain comes back to the point I can't even cycle along flat ground. Doc just keeps saying "it's very unlikely its the statin" and told me to go to physio. Tried atorvastatin, rousavastatin, and finally nustendi and it's the same with all of them. After the most recent blood test the doc just wrote a note saying "As expected raised cholesterol as patient refuses statins" and thats that! WTF

[i]tarted to get pain in the arch of my foot, which eventually spread to the other foot. Doc said it was “classic plantar fasciitis”, which seemed odd in both feet. Stopped the statin and the pain went..started again after 2 weeks and pain returned within 2 days. Anyway, got a different statin, but after 4 weeks the arch pain is back (altho in a slightly different place).

Hey ho….back to the doc for a 3rd try I guess.

This is very similar to my experience. I iniitally didn’t correlate the knee pain with the statin, but I’ve stopped and started statins 4 times now and each time the pain comes back to the point I can’t even cycle along flat ground. Doc just keeps saying “it’s very unlikely its the statin” and told me to go to physio. Tried atorvastatin, rousavastatin, and finally nustendi and it’s the same with all of them. After the most recent blood test the doc just wrote a note saying “As expected raised cholesterol as patient refuses statins” and thats that! WTF[/i]

These both reflect my experience. Nothing too specific, just a weary ache and some new pain. Easy to dismiss, as my Dr did. It was only when I correlated the Strava results showing the big drop in my cycling to the dates I started taking the statins I had any evidence. Basically they made me feel just bad enough to not bother riding much.

If I hadn't made the connection I could have spent the rest of my life feeling run down and achy every day but with a reduyced chance of a stroke. Without statins I enjoy my days much more but have an increased risk of stroke.

I'm 4 years ahead of you, happily taking the meds. Having seen my mum's life debilitate after having strokes there's no way I am risking that if I can avoid it, tho I'm not aware of any downsides.

Godspeed.

just anecdotal but when I started nursing 40 years ago major strokes were relatively common and made up a chunk of the workload.  Now since statins they are very much more rarely seen and stroke services have been reorganised to reflect this as we sim-ply do not need the same number of rehab beds.  Thrombolysis has also had an impact as have other therapies but the impact of statins on stroke is just incredible

I have had the bad luck (or maybe just the genetics?) to have suffered two serious conditions that hit me in my early 40s - just under 20 years ago. One condition was highly correlated with men over the age of 65 (which I clearly wasn't), and the other highly correlated with smoking (and I have never smoked in my life). So, I have been on various meds ever since - with ongoing discussions with GP about the risks/benefits of each whenever they are reviewed. But the bottom line is that there is a pretty high risk that I would not be riding my bike at all without them and they have allowed me to enjoy the best riding of my life over these past 20 years.

So - of course - we are all different and lots of factors coming into play (age, fitness, exposure to risk factors, luck !) and you can't hold too much store in individual experiences. But, the big trends are worth paying attention to (as mentioned  above) where the prevalence of some once-common conditions has been massively reduced by the introduction of some medications.

ps I am now compensating for the side-effects of one tablet by way of prescribing myself an ebike purchase last year ....and what an amazing thing the ebike is when you really need it 🙂

I had an exactly similar experience to the OP two weeks ago. Hospital docs told me I had high cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. All testing failed to show any indication of a TIA but it was diagnosed as most likely. As well as pills for life for blood platelets and cholesterol, I was told not to drive for 3 months (which is causing huge problems). Finally got to see a consultant neurologist on Tuesday who said that a TIA was only possible, not probable, but kept the pills for life. Reduce driving ban to 1 month which is good. Then on Wednesday saw my GP who reviewed my notes and said my blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar were within a normal range.

I would like to try to control this by diet and exercise if possible. So I need to get out on the bike. And i have signed up to the Zoe diet app which monitors your blood sugar and gut biome to suggest dietary changes. My wife already does this and is feeling better for it.

So let's see what happens. If I have to continue the pills it's not a hardship, i already take Omeprazol for acid reflux and Tamsulosin for prostate every day.

I was recently diagnosed with arthritis (this year has not been a good one for riding my bike), and to try and avoid having to take Naproxen indefinitely I've got an appointment where they're going to set me up with DMARDs (methotrexate if memory serves) which I imagine I will be taking for several years if not for the rest of my life.

I turned 40 yesterday and have always been a reasonably healthy guy, and this diagnosis has somewhat taken the wind out of my sails. I've got two very nice bikes sitting around doing sod all at the moment and unsurprisingly exercise has taken a nosedive, even though long term it's important I keep it up to keep the weight off and reduce stress on my joints.

If one pill a week (which from other experiences here makes me realise is good going) can wind the clock back a year, then I'm all for it.

Disgustingly healthy here in my 50s, sorry. But don't worry, I'll get struck down by something at some point. Luck and genetics (and a reasonably sensible lifestyle, nothing obsessive though) won't last for ever.

Now I’m worried, had a TIA 7 years ago due to a neck injury, got some new plumbing in the neck artery and only popping asprin daily until I drop. Do I need more pills?

In terms of thinners and mountain biking - I can attest that it’s not a great idea. I spent 6 months looking like the recipient of a proper kicking until I got my carotid fixed. I probably should have taken some time off the bike tbh.

I wouldn't be worried.  I assume the surgeon that did the surgery decided what was appropriate treatment for you.  You had a arterial graft by the sound of it to fix a mechanical issue.  the asprin is to slightly reduce clotting.  From the little I know seems reasonable - its a very different scenario from atherosclerosis or small vessel disease etc

I'm on beta blockers and flecainide. I developed atrial fibrilation after a particularly heavy weekend at a MTB festival a few years ago. I've since had three cardioversions and an ablation. My latest attack was on New years day this year after a heavy night on the Jack Daniels. Since that day, I've given up alcohol. I'm coming upto my 59th birthday and am still able to ride along with, even ride ahead of people who are quite a few years my junior. Whether it's the beta blockers or the sobriety that's helping me I'm not sure but I feel quite fit at the moment. I intend to keep it that way by staying off the drink which I know is the trigger.

@natrix  "I’ve been trying to find one that doesn’t have side effects"

After trials of various statins and dosage (over 18 months) I've ended up with 10mg of Ezetemebe along with 180mg of Nilemdo (Bempedoic Acid) which has pretty much stopped my side effects for over a year now, but keeps my cholesterol levels acceptable for someone with cardiac disease. The downside, I believe, is the cost of these compared to standard statins.

I’d be having a very honest look at your diet, lifestyle, exercise regime etc

Ironically when it happened, I was the slimmest and fittest I've been for a good 10-15 years when it happened, hadn't had an alcoholic beverage for 7 months, was riding three times a week, going to the gym four times a week

To pick up on some other comments

I've had no side effects from the thinners or the statins yet, that I know of - nearly 4 months in

I do worry about crashing the bike more now - one for the fact that I'm on the thinners and two, I had a bit of a slip and a bang 20 minutes before the TIA happened

I'm not taking advice from an MTB forum per se. Both my GP and stroke specialist have said I'm on them for life. End of story. I doubt there'll be a review, as my condition can't really improve as they have found nothing wrong with me from any tests

Some good replies all round though, so thanks

I’m very much opposed to people ignoring medical advice. When i was a youth one of my sisters wonderful friend died of an asthma attack. She had been told be a quack to stop taking her asthma meds as they were chemicals that were poisoning her.

But i think threads on here discussing medical advice are brilliant. I’ve learnt so much about symptoms, treatment and life style choices.

I think I’m correct in saying that it’s established that men’s health suffers from a lack of discussion between men, compared to women?

mens health suffers from being macho IMO

against an image of stoic masculine self-sufficiency

I guess I'm lucky I've been on asthma medication since the age of 6 (45 years now), so taking meds doesn't bother me one bit. (The fact I had to pay for the asthma meds until 2 years ago still boils my wee) I think this was a huge saving grace when I needed antidepressants. It wasn't that much of a big deal. (Taking the pills that is, not the anxiety/depression.) Last 2 years I've also been on thyroxine, hence my asthma meds now being free.

mens health suffers from being macho IMO

Indeed it does

In my case, I have no problem talking about medical conditions - nor visiting a GP.

Whether my aversion to over medication is machismo or not, I'm not sure