Simvastatin and drugs

My total cholesterol was 220 and LDL was 157; I started taking 40mg last week and within 2 days I just felt horrible. I felt weird and yuck in my stomach. There was a fog in my head and 2 days ago I was so dizzy I was almost falling over; I had to catch myself with the walls and doors. The next day, yesterday, I started having higher blood pressure and racing pulse with heart palpitations every 45 seconds or so, which makes me breathe deep often. I have felt pain in the back, arms, neck, and hips. I have also had weight gain and stomach irritability. Last night was the first night I did not take my medicine and even though I don't feel all that better I will see how it goes. I fought taking this medicine for over a year now and since my cholesterol went up I figured I'd try it in hopes my level would drop, but I can't handle this, I'm only 38!

Amazing. like you I've fallen into this trap. So healthy and in shape at 59, (more like in my 40's), working out every day, happy. Now, after 2 months on Simvastatin, 20mg every other day, my shoulders and neck muscles are so inflamed, swollen and there's more hurt in my upper body than ever in my life. For the past week, I've been having trouble even getting my clothes over my head! Also headaches have started which I've never had before. I thought it was the relatively wet summer we've had this year in Denver, and was believing the weather had brought me into full-blown arthritis. I am so disappointed in myself to have poisoned my body this way, especially after telling my trusted MD for the previous 3 years "no thanks" to a satin drug. Thank God for my chiropractor sat me down yesterday for a consultation for why I was so much in pain. When she found I'd gone on a satin, the light bulb was lit. I will never taking any satin again and will work to always be as drug free as I can be after this lesson. Thanks to those of you who give me hope that I may feel better soon and I pray for no permanent damage from this "Simvastatin".

80 mg prescribed over 18mth period - shoulder pain began after one year - acute pain at night', diminishing rotational capability during the day. Second shoulder pain followed soon after with same symptoms. Feels as if the joint is becoming unstable and the moving skeletal components rubbing together and jarring.(clicks,clonks felt & heard) GP immediately took me off them and arranged physio. After two weeks without simvastatin there is no change/ relief in symptoms

I took myself off it after 3 months of taking it. I simply told my doctor that I will take no more statins. I had liver enzymes checked, but I had come off the drug 3 weeks before that. My enzymes were through the roof!
Needless to say, this drug is poison. Guess I'll eat avocados instead....
and they're a lot cheaper. My cholesterol is coming down without that poison. Exercise and diet...and if I can lose weight my numbers will be perfect. Hope you will all be blessed.

I have been reading all of your Simvastatin experiences with high interest and would like to share my adventures with all of you as well. My story began seven years ago when I was relatively healthy and enjoying life. My doctor prescribed Lipitor for my elevated cholesterol and two months later I found myself in the emergency room after having a severe bout with vertigo for the first time in my life. I have since spent the last seven years fighting this debilitating illness which continues to haunt me after having seen every top neurologist in my area and having taken every neurological test available. It would be as difficult to convince me that I was not somehow "poisoned" by Lipitor as it was for me to convince my doctor.

I was eventually prescribed Simvastatin 40MG and seemed to stabilize for a few years even though my dizziness problems persisted. Suddenly I began experiencing bouts of upset stomach and severe lower abdominal pain. I allowed my doctor to order basically every nasty test known to man in an effort to discover the cause of this new problem, but all have come up negative so far. Eventually I began to experience total exhaustion in the middle of my work day, not to mention the back, neck, and muscle pain that has been described so vividly in this forum. Basically, I have become a 53 year old man who feels much older, has absolutely no energy, and rarely has a day when I can honestly say I feel alive and well.

I am not a doctor and I can't honestly prove that Simvastatin is the cause of all of my problems. However, I do have common sense and after reading all of your thoughtful comments on the subject I would be foolish to at least not suspect that the drug may possibly be making me less healthy and not more healthy. Thank you all for opening my mind to this possibility and I certainly plan on discussing this with my doctor very soon, who may no longer by my doctor should he continue to insist that I take this nasty drug.

I have been on Simvastatin for about 4 months now. For the past 2 months, I have been having unexplained muscle/joint pain and tightness in my hips and thighs. I couldn't figure out what I'd done but thought it was just one of those things (slept wrong, stepped wrong, etc.). I've been working with a foam roller to get the knots out, even getting up in the middle of the night to work on the roller because it hurt so much. That helped some. Took Motrin but that didn't work at all! Added Omega 3 fish oil and glucosamine and that did help a little. Have been limping for 2 months now and it finally occurred to me, "I wonder if it's the Simvastatin?" I already knew I was sensitive to chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfate, so everything I see written here makes sense to me. I emailed my MD today and she said to stay off it for 3 weeks and see if I see any improvement, plus get blood work. I sure hope I don't have any muscle damage. Thank all of you for posting your experiences

My husband has been on Simvastatin for a few years, six months ago his dose was increased to 40mg, since then he has become someone I don't recognize, we have been married over twenty years and he used to be a very placid and wonderful man. He is now both verbally and physically abusive, he threatens me with divorce on a regular basis. He lies about me to others telling them he does all the housework (never) there is never any food in the house ( Totally untrue) He disappears for hours on end, and sleeps much of the time. He can be quite plausible with other people but turns into a monster when he returns home. Doctor told me I don't think it can be the statin, don't believe everything you read on the internet! She said to be sure for him to come off it for a few weeks - he refused! His aggression is escalating and I now dread him coming home. he has odd moments of being nice but within hours he is back to being nasty. He had been impotent for 7 years but now during his "nice moments" becomes amorous! I am at my wits end, has anyone else experienced this!

33 year old, 125lb female with cholesterol of 234. I was put on Simvastatin 40mg, which I took fot 3 night only. All hell broke loose, insomnia, hands are numb, severe joint/back pain, extreme weakness... The thing is, I took it for 3 nights & realized it wasn't for me. I've been off of it for 3 weeks, but the symptoms still persist, rendering me pretty much dead.... I was told by a few that putting me on 40 mg to start off probably did the job... Three week of living hell & my primary physician don't have answers for me!

simvastatin causes nightmares that's why your sweating so bad. I have never had nightmares since I was a kid. I started taking simvastatin (zocor) and the first night I sweated and woke up with a racing heart. I didn't know why. The 2nd night I woke up and thought someone was in my room I saw someone in the dark run across the room. I jumped up jammed my hand into my draw pulling my hand gun out. Now that Im fully awake I don't see anything. I'm so wound up I can't sleep the rest of the night. The next day today I do a google search about nightmares and boom found a new study that Statin's cause nightmares because it penitrates into the brain. Its made out of a fungus. Anyway i'm done with statin's My ratio is 3.63 so not too bad but I think diet and exercise with fish oil will do it. If you have to be on this stuff there are 2 that don't get into the brain. Check it out Pravachol and Crestor.

I started simvastatin 20mg mid-October 2008. The middle of November I started getting stomach cramps, then in January I had a sinus infection that wouldn't leave and dizziness to the point of passing out. Also having all over body pains. Now I have diarrhea and foul smelling stool and stomach pains and gurgling,also headaches. I have been taking bonine pills which gets rid of the vertigo temporarily. I just found this site today and will not be taking those pills again EVER. I thought I was going crazy.
I am starting to take prevacid morning and night and zantac150 morning and night to solve my indigestion issues. I hope all the problems will go away soon. We should be suing the drug companies for giving us these drugs. I will just live with my high cholesterol, at least I'll be living normally!

I am 59 and switched to Simvastatin from Lipitor. Much lower in price. My cholesterol is 200 and the doctor was very pleased with the number. So far no side effects but it has been only 5 days. The dose is 20mgs. Now after reading all the BAD side effects I am very scared!
Is there any positive statements about Simvastatin?
S.

WOW! My jaw is on the floor. I have been taking Simvastatin for 4 years! At around that time I started feeling ill. I ended up in the infection clinic. There they did 6 spinal taps since they could not understand why I had this major headache, and stablike pains.
I was hospitalized for 2 weeks and during the last 4 years I have been in and out of hospitals and doctors.
After they found 'nothing' they told me that I might have LUPUS/RA. So they started me on drugs to treat reumatism. I was on 2000mg per day! Complained and said that the meds where not working and I needed help and someone to listen to what I was saying. Then one of the many doctors I had was telling me to shut up and go see a psychiatrist. That got to me and so I started writing letters. I got a 'new' doctor and he said odd. Told me he was only interested in my joints. After the second time w him he passed away and so I met a fresh doctor, on that was right out of med school.
She looked at me and said...*You cant go on living like this, this is no life.* she sent me to the hospital for 2 weeks so that I could get the right treatment. There they realized that I have no sings of reumatisum but rather a connection w Simvastatin.
They right away told me to stop taking all the reumatisum medication and they will now focus on removing Simvastatin.
I am blown away.... I was so sick, so may hours lost from work, family and friends. I almost left my husband because I felt like I was just 'there' not ever being able to do things. I was so sick all the time.
Wow is the only word I have in my head right now- I am in a shock.

I have corrected my typing error I am not on 400mg it should have read 40mg. Thanks to the reader of my experience who very kindly pointed out my error!!!!
Despite having a brush with the big C last year (I finished chemotherapy in January) I have been very fit and healthy during my 61 years! A few weeks ago I started having palpitations, hence a visit to the doctor revealed high blood pressure and cholesterol reading of 9.9!!! Shock, horror. He informed me that it was genetic and prescribed Simvastatin 40mg and Bendroflumethiazide 2.5 mg daily. Not being satisfied with the enclosed leaflets I have looked up more info. on the net. Should I have done this!!! After reading some of the posting on the site I am feeling a bit apprehensive. Last night I had a terrible night couldn't sleep for the pains in my legs and a bit nausea this morning. But I need to be sensible, I really don't have any choice but to take these drugs just hoping that I won't have to stay on them for the rest of my life and I don't get any of the side effects that some of you have suffered. I also wonder if the chemotherapy could have caused by raised cholesterol? Hope to keep you posted and would welcome any comments!

Despite having a brush with the big C last year (I finished chemotherapy in January) I have been very fit and healthy during my 61 years! A few weeks ago I started having palpitations, hence a visit to the doctor revealed high blood pressure and cholesterol reading of 9.9!!! Shock, horror. He informed me that it was genetic and prescribed Simvastatin 400mg and Bendroflumethiazide 2.5 mg daily.
Not being satisfied with the enclosed leaflets I have looked up more info. on the net. Should I have done this!!! After reading some of the posting on the site I am feeling a bit apprehensive. Last night I had a terrible night couldn't sleep for the pains in my legs and a bit nausea this morning.
But I need to be sensible, I really don't have any choice but to take these drugs just hoping that I won't have to stay on them for the rest of my life and I don't get any of the side effects that some of you have suffered. I also wonder if the chemotherapy could have caused by raised cholesterol?
Hope to keep you posted and would welcome any comments!

I am 45 and have been taking statins for 5 years since having 3 heart attacks in a 4 day period.At first I was on Atorvastatin 10mg and didn't suffer any side affects,I was put on Simvastatin 40mg 2 years ago due to cost.Since then I suffer with very sore muscle pain down the length of my right arm.My GP keeps on prescribing painkillers and doesn't mention the fact it may be side affects of the Simvastatin.I find it sad that costs of drugs are the reason I am in pain.

I have muscle pain, weakness, and chronic lower back pain. Started statin drug, Simvastatin, on 11/21/07. I take no other drugs. Within two weeks, I could not sit without severe lower back pain. Reported problem to family medical doctor on 1/11/08. M.D. sent me to physical therapy for 8 sessions. No relief from physical therapy so I requested an X-ray on 3/20/08. X-ray shows very mild degeneration at one lower vertebrae. M.D. sent me to an orthopaedics doctor who recommended continued physical therapy. Went to a Chiropractor instead. After six chiropractic sessions with little relief, I made an appointment with an Osteopathic doctor. My M.D. sent me to a rheumatologist who prescribed high dose naproxen for two weeks. The rheumatologist ordered and X-ray of my lower back area. The lower back X-ray produced no negatives. The rheumatologist's next step will be to order and MRI of my lower back area. The D.O. suspects statin induced myopathy and because of hyper reflexes he ordered an MRI of my brain and cervical spine. I am now recommended to a neurologist who specializes in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Am I getting the run around? Only one doctor said I might have statin induced myopathy. The rest will not even mention the statin drug theory. I just pray for ache and pain relief. I have some improvement after four months off of the statin which I believe is quite a strong point that it was the statin drug and not some unknown condition. I don't think arthritis or MS conditions improve. All I know is that I had no health issues before taking the simvastatin. Good luck to everyone who has or is taking a statin drug. BEWARE!!!

My husband was prescribed 40mg of this drug 2 years back,for his high cholesterol reading. He is an ex-services and has always been extremely fit, he was tired for almost a year, then he began having headaches to the point he had a brain scan, because he thought he had a tumor. He also has had knee and neck joint problems and now the joints of his fingers are giving him pain He now wakes up each morning feels really ill and feels as though hes being strangled, the sensation lasts sometime for hours and he has to lie down. His doctor said it was blood pressure but he keeps a monitor and his pressure has been normal. His doctor said he should continue to take it, but when you read all the symptoms that people are getting while taking this drug it makes you realize they are all just guinea pigs for a large scale trial of the drug

I have been taking Simvastatin 20 mg. for about two and 1/2 months now. It really lowered my Cholesterol but I have been extremely fatigued and now I am getting really dizzy when standing up and having some nausea.

I have never experienced the side effects of statins myself. I have never taken any - nor would I if my numbers should be too high.

I have had the opportunity - or rather was forced to - to "educate" myself on the cholesterol issue as i had 3 relatives suffering from side effects.

They were all over 70 and had taken Simvastatin (Zocor) for years.

In 2003, when I had just got an Internet connection, I started to look for information and was surprised to find these sites:

******

I also found "Stopped our statins" (google for those words) where there is a lot of information.

Under print articles you will find a very informative article from The Weston Price Foundation about the different statin studies over the years and also about the side effects.

Are you sure that a high cholesterol will cause heart problems - or is it just propaganda from the pharmaceutical and health industry?

After having visited some of these webb sites and read some of the books you might have changed your mind - like I did.

Your cholesterol is very important for your body and essential for your brain among other things.

Why should you live better and longer if you use medications to lower it?

It`s just to read all these patient stories - what quality of life is this?

I would suggest that you also read the messages for the other statins such as Lipitor, Zocor (=Simvastatin) etc.

All statins have similar side effects.

Here are some books that you might find interesting. Some about the cholesterol issue.

The Great Cholesterol Con (Antony Colpo)

The Cholesterol Myths (Uffe Ravnskov)

Lipitor - thief of memory (Duane Graveline

Malignant Medical Myths (Joel F. Kauffman)

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Overdosed America (John Abramson)

The Truth about the Drug Companies (Marcia Angell)

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Bitter Pills (Stephen Fried)
about quinolone antibiotics such as Cipro, Ciprofloxacin, Levaquin etc.

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The Antidepressant Fact Book
Your Drug May Be Your Problem
Toxic Psychiatry
Medicine Madness
(Peter R. Breggin - all books about psychotropic drugs)
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What if medicine disappeared?
(Gerald E. Markle and Francis B. McCrea)

How doctors think
(Jerome Groopman?)

I am 29 year old type 1 Diabetic. I am healthy and regularly exercise. I recently moved to the east side of London from West London. My new GP would not prescribe Lipostatins that I was on (10mg) and chose to put me on 40mg Simvastatin. I finished my course of Lipostatins and started on Sims' about a month ago. I have only just clocked a relation to the change in drugs to why I feel so exhausted, depressed (nearly finished my relationship because of feeling so low), have pains in my hands and my ankles feel weak (I play football and really my ankles feel weak in comparison to last month).
My GP did not even give me any side effect warnings. I am stopping these drugs immediately for my sanity and the people around me.

Has anyone had mouth numbness or metallic taste in mouth? My mouth feels chalky.

I am 43 yr old woman and have been on simvastatin on and off for the past 3yrs, it's only since coming across this website that I have actually managed to find a connection between this awful drug and a whole heap of medical problems. The most recent course made me so ill that I thought I had an incurable illness that no one could diagnose, at times I have been in so much pain I thought I was going to die. It started with severe knee pain, I have a little arthritis in the knee but doctors were baffled at why it would hurt so much as x-rays on knees and hips were ok. I ended up having an operation to cut a ligament, that was over a year ago and had been in crippling pain ever-since. Also; foggy head, headaches everyday lasting all day, pain in jaw, shoulders, neck, swollen throat, incredible limb swelling, numbness all down right side, kidney problems, weakness in muscles, aching hips and legs, itching, insomnia, to name a few. I complained to my doctor when I was prescribed 50mg of this poison because as soon as I took it, I immediately felt ill and collapsed from terrible weakness, couldn't even lift a feather. They reduced it to 20mg, and I blindly kept taking it, in the meantime, my leg function was worsening, my back was killing me, I couldn't sleep because of the unbelievable burning in my shoulders, hip, neck and legs, everything hurt so much. I have been in tears from the pain and frustration of not knowing what was happening to me, painkillers, even high potency prescriptions just didn't work. I was a healthy gym-going person with a slightly high cholesterol reading, and suddenly, I was almost crippled, unable to function or look after my family, couldn't even handle simple chores that I had done a thousand times before, couldn't think, speak well, do crosswords, it was unbelievable. I have had ECG's, heart stress tests, been to and fro to doctors, hospitals, specialists, even seen an osteopath with these pains, they must have thought I was a hypochondriac! Finally, I insisted on an MRI on my thigh as it had changed shape as there was a lot of muscle wasting in both my right arm and thigh, and so much pain. A lump had also appeared and was really worrying me. The doctor tried to fob me off and said it was a fat lump, I argued that if it was fat it wouldn't hurt so damn much, so the result of the MRI is that I have a tumor which is getting bigger. If I find out that this is a result of the medication, the gates of hell will open.
I took myself off this lethal stuff immediately as soon as I realized there was a connection between it and my debilitating condition, though it's too late to save my 12 yr relationship, that went down the tubes because I just couldn't function well, oh, and my job. and any chance of working after being ill for so long.
I have been off it just a few days but already I feel almost human again. I know it'll be a while before I can see a marked difference and do some of the things I used to be able to do like walk the dog!! but I am furious with my doctor's and have written a letter of complaint, and have told them that I would rather take my chances with god and be a happy person than ever trust them again. I am in no doubt whatsoever that this drug has ruined the last 3 years of my life and probably caused irreversible damage to my leg muscles. Why take a pill because the doctor said so??NEVER AGAIN from now on everything will be checked via websites like this, I am so disgusted that instead of helping me, my own doctor just prescribed other medications I need not have had because of this pill when all he had to do was take me off it. I find it hard to believe that they don't know of these side effects, or pretend not to, how can they not make the connection?? Absolutely furious. I am in worse health now than I ever was, there should be a serious health warning before this is given to anyone, and the first port of call for any complaints should be the doctors who prescribe them instead of offering alternative solutions. This is a time bomb waiting to explode.

My husband started taking Simvastatin about 6 weeks ago. Since taking it he has been experiencing sexual problems. Is this related to the drug? It has never been an issue before.

Stomach cramps, night sweats which stopped when I forgot to take them on a long weekend away.