Old age that is, I’ve just been prescribed statins and blood pressure tablets, still, at least now I can tell anyone who listens what medication I’m on….
6 Likes
Sorry to hear that Primus, I hope you can tolerate the statins…
Time to slow down a bit mate, how long before it’s time to retire?
1 Like
It was a shock for me I can tell you when I had to start taking blood pressure tablet recently. I couldn’t believe that suddenly in my mid 70s I had to take a daily tablet!
What made it more of a shock was that my blood pressure for most of my life tended to be low - I was knocked back by the blood bank a couple of times because of it.
I don’t know what statins are for but they are not on the menu so far.
2 Likes
This is precisely why I stay away from doctors; you never know what they might prescribe you. 
3 Likes
Statins lower cholesterol Bruce, but not everyone can tolerate them. I understand that here, the doctor receives some remuneration for every patient over fifty that he prescribes them to.
My doctor said that they are told to offer a statin to everyone over fifty whether they have suffered a heart attack or not. I declined the offer because I have heard some horror stories from people I know. I took them for a while and suffered from acid reflux, something I hadn’t suffered before. In all fairness though, I know an equal amount of people who have not suffered any trouble at all. I do believe they are very necessary for people with diabetes to keep the arteries in the legs in good condition.
2 Likes
sorry to hear Primy, I’ve been on BP tablets since I was 22 years old 
It’s a pain taking tablets, my poor husband rattles with all the meds he is on, some of them are ‘prevention is better than the cure’
1 Like
Ah, thanks OGF, cholesterol is not a problem I have, at least not yet.
2 Likes
Same sort of thing here; as I’ve got older, so I have needed some medication
I take Metformin tablets & inject insulin for diabetes, but with that and diet it is well controlled
I take a tablet for blood pressure, which is also well controlled; in fact it has gone down slightly as I have lost weight
When I was diagnosed with diabetes I was also prescribed a statin to control my cholesterol level.
That was OK for a few years, but then I developed aching, mainly in my legs, but spreading all over, and I felt weak, tired & achy
My wife suggested it could be the side effect of statins, so I asked my doctor, and he said that they were precautionary as my cholesterol was high, but still just below the acceptable upper limit
So I said that faced with feeling ill & miserable, I’d rather take my chances and stop taking statins - his reply was along the lines of - I’m not supposed to agree with you, but I do… and in any case, yours was just a precautionary prescription
I think times have changed. - at one time they used to hand out statin tablets left, right, and centre; but now the opinion seems to be that cholesterol is not the baddie it was thought to be, and statins are not handed out as much as they were
Certainly I felt much better when I stopped statins, and as I have changed/improved my diet and lost weight, my cholesterol level is acceptable - just.
It all depends on how much you want to get into diet & nutrition, which is very complicated, and with different opinions
It all goes back to dietary studies carried out in the 1950s & 60s, notably by the American, Ancel Keys, who laid the blame for the increase in heart attacks on fat & cholesterol
But some say his studies were flawed & selective, and the result of pressures from the American food industry, which demonised fat & cholesterol, but did not criticise carbohydrates, especially sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup
Neither did he pay much attention to the rest of the processed & junk food, with its high levels of salt & sugar, nor smoking
They also ganged up on John Yudkin when he published his book ‘Pure, White, and Deadly’
3 Likes
Good post Zulu, and one that I totally agree with…
Hi
My heart condition is inoperable, so now medically managed.
This involves a combination of 12 medicines, a total of 19 pills every day.
I also have oral morphine to be used when required .
All good fun, but they keep me alive.
Sorry to hear about you all and getting older.
Hubby has been on high blood pressure tablets for 10 years, he’s 65 now and he had to have a second tablet to go with the first resently. For a while he was advised to have a statin one and now he’s finally given in. Have to be careful about eating grapefruit with some statins but his is fine.
Since he had to go on high blood pressure tablets he’s been well looked after by having checkups and with tests for diabetes, that he hasn’t got.
I’m 65 this year and I’m not on any tablets but I’m starting to get arthritis in my toes and fingers and my right arm.
Join the club.
Primus, I do feel sorry for you but l suppose we all get some sort of medical condition at this later age.
I wouldn’t believe l had high blood pressure in my late 50’s but then l shouldn’t have been surprised as it’s in my family!
I think we have to think that if we’ve only got high blood pressure, then we’ve done well! Besides, having high blood pressure is better than having low blood pressure that’s harder to control.
The people l feel for are people with Diabetes 1, they are always having to check and test their insulin levels, having to inject themselves how many times a day. Then there’s a chance of them having a hypo.
I was advised to take statins but refused as l’ve seen so many that have been affected by them… but then again others l know that take them are fine.
Looking at some of stuff posted on here, we are very fortunate to have got off so lightly… for now!!
We are all going to die one day but humans will use all our knowledge to extend their life & maybe we have gone too far !
Evolution started with tiny life forms, that changed over time to survive the changes to the planet…but it didn’t happen quickly.
Like many of you, I feed the birds in my garden to prevent them dying from lack of food…but shoud we?
People blame cats for killing birds, but if we didn’t feed cats they would have to catch them to survive, and therefore make sure that only the fittest birds survived.
Human actions upset the balance of " survival of the fittest" & because we are just trying to be kind .
Humans were probably the most mentally advanced creatures on the planet but we got things wrong with our kindness , and maybe sometimes greed !
Medicines and health care help us to live longer than we should, but now that is causing the earth to be over-populated by humans, so perhaps something is trying to remove the majority of life forms .
If the climate continues to change so dramatically, many life forms will become extinct & evolution will create new creatures that will thrive on the new climate.
Perhaps Mars will warm up and maybe the earth will become too hot for life forms… so Mars will create different life forms! 
The good side of it is that you caught and likely prevented a more serious issue! We are living a decade or two longer than our parents - in good health. Take your meds, track and report any symptoms, eat right, exercise and - scoff this aging business get on with living!
Good health and many good years ahead, Primus!
2 Likes
Indeed 
What’s a few pills!
Keep on enjoying life Primus x
Well thank you all for your kind advice,
I’ve been suffering from headaches for a couple of years now, I initially went to the doctors about this and had to monitor my blood pressure with regular tests over a couple of weeks, the headaches aren’t alcohol or eyesight related, anyway, I’ve had blood tests and bp monitoring again so that’s how we’ve arrived where we are with the meds, yes I know about the side effects so I will be keeping a close eye out , I have changed my diet and, cut out a lot of sweet stuff ( my Achilles heel) and am trying to eat more healthily, so time, as they say , will tell.
1 Like
All the best Primus…
Been on statins for 3 yrs now , no issues.
1 Like
Well done caricature, they do suit some people, and I would never recommend that people stop taking their meds without speaking to their doctor first.
1 Like