Many years ago I did some voluntary work for my local radio station. It was around the time statins were big news in the press. Reports of muscle aches and fatigue amongst other side effects were being reported. I started discussing the subject with a lady who joined the radio station not long after I started. Having always lived by the belief that food is your medicine not medicine your food I didn’t need much persuading that statins weren’t for me (not that anyone persuaded me, at this point I wasn’t aware of my cholesterol level but strongly suspected it would be high owing to the fact that my mum and dad both have very high cholesterol and have been on statins for years).

However, I digress, I was telling the lady about symptoms my mum was experiencing, which was basically pain all over her body to the point she could barely get out of bed at this time. Extensive testing was carried out and nothing could be found, and by process of elimination she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I suspected the statins and voiced this at every opportunity, but soon gave up after getting the feeling I was condemning my parents to death. The lady told me that she used to work for a pharmaceutical company, and never take statins as they do terrible things to people. The deal was sealed and I vowed I would never be persuaded to take them.

Fast forward to 2018. Following the death of my twin sister from a very rare and aggressive cancer I convinced my GP to send me for testing. A number of scans and procedures were carried out and extensive blood testing. Absolutely nothing came back of concern except for my ‘significantly high’ cholesterol, which I believe at this time was around 8.5 mmol/L

And so the battle began. Every time I went to my GP (which wasn’t very often), I would be ‘advised’ to go on statins. I was prescribed them twice and threw them in the bin owing to the belief that I was being asked to take poison with no real evidence of any benefits, only worrying side effects. Then I was referred to an ‘expert’ who told me it’s genetic and not familial (which apparently is better as it’s not as risky), but I still need to take statins to reduce my risk of heart attack/stroke.

In January 2025 I had another blood test which showed my total cholesterol as 9.2 mmol/L so we are now at crisis point, my QRISK has gone up to 3 (when I look this up I don’t know what it means as there seems to be different categories of risk within this of below 10%, 10% to 20% and then over 20%. I have also read that the QRISK score isn’t considered for people with familial hypercholesterolaemia or other inherited disorders of lipid metabolism.

All my other risk factors are practically zero, even my long term risk of ever having diabetes is very low, don’t smoke, normal BMI, normal weight, exercise regularly (won the award for ‘most lunchtime steps’ in work :)), every other result is within the normal range (apart from platelets slightly high which I’ve since learned is more likely to be a risk than the high cholesterol).

So my dilemma at the start of 2025 was whether to take the statins. My blood test showed lipemia which is a high concentration of lipids in the blood causing it to appear ‘milky’. This was a concern for me as I was convinced it must be owing to the high cholesterol, blocked arteries and early death were surely inevitable.

So yet again I picked up the prescription and they sat on the side for a few days until I eventually threw them in the bin. Let’s face it, if the stats are right and the healthcare professionals are right there’s nothing down for me. I haven’t come across anyone in the support groups I’ve joined who has cholesterol levels as high as mine. I am just baffled by the whole concept that in every other way I’m the picture of health and yet this one element of my genetics is going to potentially kill me. It happens with other conditions, I know, but I want to be sure that high cholesterol is definitely a bad thing before putting something in my body that is known to have side effects (sometimes irreversible), and restricts a natural process in the body that’s there for a reason.

My next blog explains why I chose to not take statins and how I’ve changed my diet to improve my levels (but probably not the ones you would expect) and improve my heart health.

If you would like to share your story please email me at mycholesteroljourney@hotmail.com