It can be extremely frustrating to discover that a medication you have been taking conscientiously to prevent illness has resulted in a new health problem. Unfortunately, this has been the experience of too many people who have taken a statin with the expectation that it would ward off heart disease.
When a study demonstrates that statins can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, it sounds like statistics. For this reader, the statin statistics hit home. There is good reason to suspect that both diabetes and cataracts could be complications of Crestor.
Q. Last year I felt really ill and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I was told my glucose levels had been elevated for some time.
In talking with two friends I mentioned I was taking Crestor. They both were taking 5 mg. When I checked my dose it was 40 mg.
I was on Lipitor for many years prior to Crestor. I have cataracts and diabetes, and I feel Crestor caused them.
Since I stopped the drug, the rash I have had on my arms is starting to heal. It was itchy all the time.
Will Healthier Lifestyle Reverse Diabetes?
I have improved my diet by adding walnuts, almonds, beetroot, fish, eggs and lean meat. I am walking a couple of kilometers per day and starting to feel a lot better. Is it possible to reverse diabetes?
A. The first reports of a link between statin cholesterol-lowering drugs and type 2 diabetes were dismissed by many health professionals, although People’s Pharmacy visitors have been reading about them for years. (You can read an early report here.)
More recent research, however, has suggested that statins do indeed raise the risk of this serious metabolic disorder. A new study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine (online, May 19, 2015) found that statin users were 87 percent more likely to develop diabetes and more than twice as likely to experience complications.
The researchers also concluded that
“short-term clinical trials might not fully describe the risk/benefit of long-term statin use for primary prevention.”
It seems quite possible that your diabetes diagnosis might be complications of Crestor, known generically as rosuvastatin.
Type 2 diabetes can sometimes be reversed with weight loss, diet and exercise. To learn more about natural approaches you will want to read our Guide to Managing Diabetes.
When you tell your doctor that you have stopped taking Crestor, be sure to include the rash along with the diabetes and cataracts. There are a number of other ways to reduce your cholesterol and your risk of a heart attack. You’ll find many options in our Guide to Cholesterol Control and Heart Health.
