Generic zocor symptoms and conditions

Taking high dose of statin (generic zocor 80mg/day), I was short of breath, severe fatigue and couldn't get out of bead for long. The following information saved me. The article was published in 2002 by a Board Cerified Cardiologist:

"July 8, 2002
STATIN-INDUCED CARDIOMYOPATHY
INTRODUCTION TO THE CITIZEN’S PETITION ON STATINS
By Peter H. Langsjoen, MD
The medical profession has, after more than 30 years of excellent propaganda, successfully created the wholly iatrogenic - "pseudo-disease" dubbed "hypercholesterolemia" and the associated malady "cholesterol neurosis". After decades of dismal failure to cure this "disease" of numbers with low fat diets and a host of cholesterol lowering drugs, the medical profession stumbled upon the magic bullet, the cure for this dreaded artificial disease - statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors). First released on the US market in 1987, statins have rapidly grown into one of the most widely prescribed class of drugs in history. Statins do three things:
1. They block the body's ability to make cholesterol, thus lowering the blood level of cholesterol, thereby curing cholesterol neurosis. Doctors and patients equally neurotic have immediate gratification. The "evil" high cholesterol has been dramatically lowered and the future is bright and promising. So far...so good.
2. Unrelated to their cholesterol lowering, statins have been found to have anti-inflammatory, plaque-stabilizing properties which have a slight benefit in coronary heart disease.
3. Statins kill people - lots of people - and they wound many, many more. All patients taking statins become depleted in Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), eventually - those patients who start with a relatively low CoQ10 levels (the elderly and patients with heart failure) begin to manifest signs/symptoms of CoQ10 deficiency relatively rapidly - in 6 to 12 months. Younger, healthier people who's only "illness" is the non-illness "hypercholesterolemia" can tolerate statins for several years before getting into trouble with fatigue, muscle weakness and soreness (usually with normal muscle enzyme CPK tests) and most ominously - heart failure.
In my practice of 17 years in Tyler, Texas, I have seen a frightening increase in heart failure secondary to statin usage, "statin cardiomyopathy". Over the past five years, statins have become more potent, are being prescribed in higher doses, and are being used with reckless abandon in the elderly and in patients with "normal" cholesterol levels. We are in the midst of a CHF epidemic in the US with a dramatic increase over the past decade. Are we causing this epidemic through our zealous use of statins? In large part I think the answer is yes. We are now in a position to witness the unfolding of the greatest medical tragedy of all time - never before in history has the medical establishment knowingly (Merck & Co., Inc. has two 1990 patents combining CoQ10 with statins to prevent CoQ10 depletion and attendant side effects) created a life threatening nutrient deficiency in millions of otherwise healthy people, only to then sit back with arrogance and horrific irresponsibility and watch to see what happens - as I see two to three new statin cardiomyopathies per week in my practice, I cannot help but view my once great profession with a mixture of sorrow and contempt.
Statin-induced CoQ10 depletion is the topic of a recent petition to the FDA requesting that this drug/nutrient interaction be identified in a black box warning as part of statin package insert information. A comprehensive review of animal and human trials addressing this issue has been submitted to the FDA as a supporting document. We, of course, do not expect any response from the FDA, but 10 years from now when the full extent of statin toxicity becomes painfully evident, at least we can, in good conscience, know that we tried and who knows, sometimes small sparks may spread in dry grass.

See Also:
Cholesterol Drugs And The Depletion Of Coenzyme Q10: A Review Of Human And Animal Data.
By Peter H. Langsjoen, MD
Citizen Petition: Needed - A Change In The Labeling Of All Statin Drugs"

Hello Everyone,

I am 33, male, I have been doing sport actively for at least 10 years (swimming and running) and I have been leading a health-conscious diet. I have a hereditary high-cholesterol condition, a type which appears in adulthood (so they say). Since 2004 my blood tests have showed roughly the following results: HDL 1.1, CHL 6.2, LDL 4.1, TRI 4.38 (mmol/L).
I have been taking Zocor 40mg for about less than a month and recently I have been experiencing cramps in my left lower arm, fatigue, itching (this morning for example I was woken by the cramp in my left arm, not nice). I have just read all your posts and have decided to abort my Zocor treatment at once. I have bought Q10 capsules and vitamins and started to drink 4 liters (herb tea) a day. I hope the pain will soon abate because now I have a totally dysfunctional left arm (I can't grasp because of the pain).

I am going to write in a week's time about the de-Zocoring of my body. In the meantime, I wish a speedy recovery to everyone.

Peter

I recently had an extremely bad case of depression. I could not figure out what was wrong with me. I could not stop crying. It took me 2 month to figure out that my depressive episode coincided with my doctor putting me on 20mg simvistatin(generic zocor). I've been off of it for 5 days now and have already seen a dramatic improvement. I will never take cholesterol lowering meds as long as I live, I don't care if my cholesterol is 500.

I am a 67 year old female who has been in good health. I was put on 40 ml of Zocor about three years ago. After taking it for six months I asked to be changed to Lipitor because of stomach pain I felt was caused by Zocor. I didn't have stomach pain with Lipitor.

A year ago I must have had a senior moment because I changed back to Zocor. Generic Zocor was much less expensive than Lipitor.

During the past year I developed most of the side effects that everyone is mentioning: stomach pain, nausea, memory loss, sleep problems. I didn't relate this to Zocor.

Then I woke up one morning and could not stand without severe pain in my left knee. It hurt to touch it. A week later my right knee developed the same symptoms. This didn't happen gradually. It was very fast. I can also identify with those who say that back pain makes them walk bent over. The pain also radiated into my shins and one heel.

I wept when I found this site and read all the posts about similar symptoms. I decided to go off the Zocor for a month and see what happens. I've been off it for three weeks today. The pain is MUCH less but not gone. I'm hoping that it will continue to get better.

Is anyone here when referring to Zocor taking the generic or the brand name? I have had trouble with vivid dreams and after several months I am exhausted from this sleep interruptions. I used to take the name brand before they had the generic
and had no problems at all.
The vivid dreams started after taking the generic.
Any responses would be appreciated.

thanks