Simvastatin and good luck

4 years ago i was given simvastatin 20mg for high cholesterol when i was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes....last year (November) i stopped taking it after someone commented after hearing me complain about aches and pains and asked if i was taking statins....i checked and found i could relate to several reported side effects...over the last 10 months my aches and pains had slowly disappeared and my cholesterol was recorded at 4.9 in July ....however 4 weeks ago i suffered an optic nerve stroke and my doctor immediately put me back on simvastatin at 40mg despite my complaints is there an alternative i can take as i don't want to risk loosing any more off my vision and as the aches and pains are returning ...i will reluctantly take it but carefully monitor myself....

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 very soon (yes, it's no way to live) and I pray for no permanent damage from this "Simvastatin".

August 12, 2009. I have been on Zocor/Simvastatin (40mgs) off and on over 5 years. I do not have any muscle mass left. I am an avid walker and exercise as much as possible in addition to still working in a high pressure position at the age of 72 (thankful for the job). My entire body hurts constantly, hands, fingers, legs, knees, neck, back, head and other parts to numerous to mention. My sex life is the pits. My doctor tells me I have high cholesterol that must be controlled by medication. I had a quad bypass in 1999, a cardiac defibrillator installed in 2003 (Actually 3 of them, first one was defective and went off, got a severe infection on reinstall #2, and 3rd one still is in and working hopefully). I never had a heart attack, no high blood pressure, just clogged up. I take enough medication to kill an elephant. At 72 I am going to trash the Simvastatin because I know it is the basis for my muscle loss and severe pain constantly. Doctor also had me on Lipitor for a long time (5 years). Statins really suck!

After reading all of this - I take Simvastatin 40mg - then had to go off of it, cause I got layed off & couldn't afford to get my med's filled. Went off the med - felt better (unknowingly). Then, I got a new job, got it refilled & started taking it again - my knees are killing me & fatigue is overwhelming me. I am emailing my doctor today - this is not right after all of what we are going through. M. J.

Below is my original post from 7 months ago i am still waiting for most off these side effects to improve especially my memory which is still terrible and also the tinnitus ...the aches and pains are slightly better but that depends on the day only the severe itching is better but i still have the fatigue in the mornings ..

I am a 52Yr old male and was diagnosed with T2 Diabetes 2 1/2 yrs ago ....The doctor prescribed me simvastatin a few month later 20mg once a day all had been fine till about 6 months ago when I developed tinnitus and started feeling very tired...My concentration started to lapse especially when driving as i found i couldn't remember driving down a stretches of the road etc ie passing speed cameras etc ...my memory also seems to have slowed down and i have problems recalling recent conversations or things i have done etc...just recently i have been getting severe itching on the soles of my feet almost becoming painful i have pains /aches all over and now especially have pain in my left arm right knee and fingers...when i get up in the mornings i feel like i have run a marathon the day before as i ache especially my neck and shoulders...needless to say i have now stopped taking the tablets after reading this forum and i am seeing my doctor next week initially i put all this down to getting older ... S.

It has helped me a lot reading everyone's experiences with the "dreaded" Simvastatin. I have been off this poisonous drug for 7 weeks, and am still feeling rough, and thinking when is this all going to go away ! My doctor swears blind it is nothing to do with the Simvastatin, but I am a 100% sure it is , as I felt fine before I took these nasty tablets. I still have persistent buzzing in the ears , dizziness, palpitations, constantly tired , and generally feel as if I am on another planet. Ive had blood tests , ecg tests and nothing has been found. Im hoping one morning to wake up feeling "normal". I will never , ever, take Cholesterol drugs again , as I don't want to go through all this again. I really feel for everyone that is suffering, and would be interested if anyone is having the same after affects as myself.
Good luck to everyone who is suffering like me .

oh MY God help i have had trouble breathing , itching all over chest burning feeling faint, back sore and hurt and my lower back as well feeling so bad ears hurt everything i just turn 50 and i feel like 90 lol i only took this stuff for 2weeks i stop taking this mess 3 days ago still feel bad i hope this gets better never again will i take this stuff again i will live on salads for the rest of my life if i have to at lease i will feel better instead of going thought life this way i cant even exercise right now because of the breathing i pray thing will get better since i stop taking this i hope this helps someone and the bad thing about this i am on vacation and going thought this mess good luck to all

I've been on Simvastatin 40 mg for about eight months now. Cholesterol levels dropped significantly. But man have I been hating life! Joint pain mainly in the legs. Beginning to walk like an old man and I'm only 62. Also more pain in my back than ever before! I talked to my doctor, who suggested I get off them for 6 weeks. I did, and I feel like a million bucks. I've got to get back hold of him to find out what he recommends? Probably some other pill!!! Just today I was talking with my pharmacist, and I told him my symptoms. He said the muscle deterioration could actually lead to death. I don't think I'll ever go back on them. I'm going to try and watch the old diet and get more exercise. Hope this helped someone? Good Luck!!

I started taking simvastin (the lowest dose) about 6 months ago with amazing results when it came to my cholesterol. After about 2 months I started getting headaches. I went off the drug for about a week and the headaches went away. I went back on the drug and 3 weeks later the headaches came back. This went on for a few cycles. This last time I went off the drug was February 7. I have not taken it since and I have had a headache since then. This time it has not gone away. I HAVE NEVER had headaches before taking this drug. And all I know now is that for the last month my life as I knew it completely changed. Of course the Dr. put me on some pain meds for the headaches that made me sick, sick, sick after 3 days. I just can't take the pain meds as they are worse than the headaches themselves. HAS ANYONE HAD THIS and if so how long did these headaches take to go away.

Hi to all,
I have read all comments in complete shock. I am a 53 year old female.
I was prescribed Simvastatin just over 6 months ago (40mg). I am hypothyrod and also have very high blood pressure. About 6 weeks ago I started to have severe (and I mean severe), night sweats. The sheets are absolutely wringing wet as if someone has thrown a bowl of water over me,
The headaches that start within about 30 minutes of getting up every morning radiate from the middle of my forehead right across my right eye and it throbs all day. My throat is sore, my skin very dry, my vision seems very blurred (especially first thing in the morning), and I don't seem to be able to focus very well. My appetite is almost non existent and my shoulder, legs & feet hurt dreadfully and although I hate to admit this I am quite depressed at how I feel.
Three nights ago I decided to stop taking Simvastin and guess what...hay-ho, no night sweats, no cramp and the headache today was much less severe.
I am glad I found this site and for sure I will be visiting my doctor next week to advise my findings.
I think I would rather live on a diet of bread & water rather than go through this again.
Good Luck to all fellow sufferers.

omg, im 32 years old been on zocor for 3 months now and am experiencing dizziness and disassociation with myself. I know now that it is from the drug. It seems like i want to sleep all the time. I was pretty convinced it was from stress but i have been in war in Iraq and under stress-post war depression and its nothing like statin side effects!! I went on statins because of a genetic disorder that runs in my family, the cause, well high cholesterol. Now my levels are fine but i feel like im a zombie most days? i know in the long run its healthier for my heart and veins to have low levels but at what extent? i think im going to go off for a few weeks and then back on it.

Im a 32 year old male that was put on simvastatin 40 mg and cardizem 240 mg. I am now having severe headaches, so bad i cant go too work anymore, dizziness, fatigue, legs feel shaky all the time, cant stand up for long periods of times. Doctors claim its not the medications but its funny i never had these problems until i started taking these medications, after reading what people have too say about the simvastatin on here i am done with that, i cant live my life like this anymore. I have also heard my other medication can cause these problems so im going too talk too my cardiologist about a different one too control my heart. Im glad i have found other people having problems like me, i don't feel so crazy now.

Ive just come across this site after searching for lower back pain site, ive been on statin drugs for about 5 years, at moment im off work with severe lower back pain, recently i had time off for right shoulder and neck pain, i notice most ppl are affected on the right side, as from today im not taking the meds to see if my pain reduces, i lift heavy packages at work so u can imagine the probs i have, also, my boss doesn't pay sickness benefits, good luck to us all.

No side effects yet - coz I haven't taken it!!! I recently had my blood work done, it had been 2 years slightly elevated cholesterol so, in those 2 years leading up to latest bloodwork, I've eaten oatmeal every morning, taken Flax/Omega 3, B-complex, olive oil for all cooking, I have a glider, 20mins. 5 days wk. but had to watch myself, lost too much weight, I'm only 105lbs now, etc. etc....so, shock and horror my latest results: 232 Total Chol. 157LDL 57HDL-good number really, and best thing, 91 triglycerides, glucose 87 - so I guess some of the above improved some numbers. Dr. suggested a doppler/carotid.....a note received yesterday "some build up" and enclosed prescript. for 40mg. of this poison which seems kind of a high dose to me? So, is he not telling me the extent of "some build up?" what's "some"....I need to find that out first - but I really don't think I'm gonna be taking this stuff - there is so much info out there debunking this cholesterol thing....I'm 58, would there be natural build up in arteries, I mean your plumbing pipes don't stay pristine forever - there's bound to be build up, surely? Or am I kidding myself. Any suggestions out there, people!????

Have been on Simvastatin since May 2007. Have experienced debilitating headaches every day for the first three months, neck and shoulder pain, lower back pain, tiredness to the point of having to stop what I am doing and go to bed and am wondering now whether any other female taking Simvastatin has experienced a burning sensation when passing very hot water and extremely uncomfortable and painful sex.

I'm a 54 year old female prescribed 10 mg zocor(simvastatin) for slightly elevated cholesterol. Took it for 7 months before I clued in to the cause of my many symptoms. Muscle and joint pain, head fog, blurry vision, weight gain, stomach upset, fatigue, etc... The muscle and joint pain were excruciating at times --especially in my left hip...which had gotten so bad I needed a walking stick for support. I felt so darn old wondering if I would even feel normal again.
After reading many postings I decided to stop my zocor(simvastatin) 6 weeks ago and am very happy to report an improvement in many of my complaints...although far from where I want to be.
I am curious as to the withdrawal effects others may have experienced. The first week coming off I had stomach aches and I had awful headaches which thankfully did stop. The stomach aches and touchy digestive system still plague me though. Am I the only one experiencing this?....

I am a 52Yr old male and was diagnosed with T2 Diabetes 2 1/2 yrs ago ....The doctor prescribed me simvastin a few month later 20mg once a day all had been fine till about 6 months ago when I developed tinnitus and started feeling very tired...My concentration started to lapse especially when driving as i found i couldn't remember driving down a stretches of the road etc ie passing speed cameras etc ...my memory also seems to have slowed down and i have problems recalling recent conversations or things i have done etc...just recently i have been getting severe itching on the soles of my feet almost becoming painful i have pains /aches all over and now especially have pain in my left arm right knee and fingers...when i get up in the mornings i feel like i have run a marathon the day before as i ache especially my neck and shoulders...needless to say i have now stopped taking the tablets after reading this forum and i am seeing my doctor next week initially i put all this down to getting older ...
Steve

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've been on simvastatins for about 2 years after TIAs. I'm 56. I had two small Strokes about year ago despite being on simvastatins. Had brain scan which showed two small areas of scarring and carotid artery scan- arteries fine. Started experiencing dizziness last year and GP diagnosed vertigo and gave me seasickness pills which didn't do much good. Since then I've experienced headaches which last for weeks, increasing fatigue (now struggle to get out of bed in morning) muscle pain which is getting really bad and sore feet (?). Increasing memory loss, confusion, lack of concentration, eye problems (when I first wake in morning my vision is blurred for ab out 30 minutes or so. I've been worried i mmay be developing Alzheimers. I've also piled on weight and the texture of my hair has changed - it has become very soft and silky and become thinner - normally my hair is very thick. Also I've had two perms in last 6 months which won't hold curl - been having perms for years and never had this problem. I've had several blood tests including for under-active thyroid and they have all been clear. I've been really worried about all these problems and did some research and came up with this site. I am beginning to think my problems stemm from taking 40mg Simvastatins so am going to stop them and book appointment with GP. Any comments/advice would be appreciated.

I am an active 60 year old.After being checked for diabetes I was told I was borderline and chose to try by changing my diet. Three months later at my next visit UI was told I was improved but my cholesterol was far too high and prescribed 40mg Simvastatin.Between then and the nest three monthly check I had numerous symptoms. My calfs throbbed, my shoulder ached and my sex drive decreased and I was always tired. The most frightening thing of all though was my concentration. I would be riding my motorbike or driving the car and suddenly snap to and realize my mind had been wondering and my concentration gone. (Ive had numerous near accidents.)
IU read on this site about "memory loss" and wondered if this was what was happening to me. My last three month visit was last week, my cholesterol is almost normal so I am stopping the pills and seeing what happens.
Steveb

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!!!

I have been on Simvastatin for some years and increasingly felt tired to the point of fatigue, had muscle pain in my legs, arms, neck and back and also gained weight.
After reading an article in a British newspaper I linked my symptoms with taking these tablets and, just over a week ago, I stopped taking them.
I already feel much better. The aches and pains are subsiding and I don't feel so tired. No weight loss yet but I live in hope!
I will be seeing my GP soon and I intend to show him this website.
Good luck everyone - I hope your health improves soon!

My father is 73 and has been taking this drug now for a few years. In the last year he has been suffering from severe hallucinations , particularly at night. The other evening he walked out of the house and went wandering around the village because he saw people in the house. Has anybody else had similar experiences taking this drug? Clive

I took simvastatin about a year ago and took myself off it because I had really agonizing night cramps in my legs. A different doctor recently persuaded me to take the drug again because my cholesterol was high, but after only two weeks this time I have a swollen throat and tongue and a persistent cough. Last night I had a breathing problem and thought I was going to die - I just couldn't get any breath into my lungs. I woke up every half hour or so in the night, unable to breathe. I'm thinking I shouldn't be taking these things into my body if they have such dreadful effects. Are they common> Does anybody else have these effects?