Simvastatin and pills

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!

hi and thank you

I'm glad I have found this, and will be getting partner of the drug. So many of the stories above/below pinpoint what is happening with him, within 3months of starting the pills. Thank you again

WOW! I have been feeling so bad lately, I decided to put my medications in google and do some research. I have been reading these peoples post like it was something that I wrote.I am only 36, but I feel 86. I thought I was loosing my mind. I have been on 40mg/day for 11 months now. In that 11 months, I have had to stop working, I can barely walk around because the pain in my ankles and knee. My right shoulder hurts all the time. I had been working 50+ hours a week for over 7 years. I pretty much have withdrawn myself from most friends and family, I just feel so bad all the time, I feel more like a burden than anything. The latest thing I have had going on is, this terrible pain in my upper right abdomen. Ive had blood work, Ultrasound, MRI all came back ok, with the exception of a small spot on my liver.(normal they say) I didn't refill the last Rx for about 2 weeks($$ issues) I actually was able to get outside and mow the yard, take a walk with my daughter, then 4 days ago I get it refilled and start taking it again. Now im back in the house, it hurts to walk again, I feel like im here but not here most of the time. I have asked my doctor about this and told her several times that I am not feeling right. She just tries to give me antidepressants! Yea just what I want more pills (NOT). I have also had terrible boughts with constipation and diarrhea. It was nice to see that I'm not loosing my mind here. My mother also takes this, I sent her a link to this site and we are both stopping this medication. Doctor says my chol. should be under 100 mine is 115, and she thinks she is gonna up my dose to 80mg/day. NOT! This is no way to live.

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!

Have been on simvastatin on and off for 15 months now. First of all 10mg came off for a while - cholesterol level up to 7.6 again so was put on 40mg. Very nauseous and came off the 40mg. Went back on to 10mg in Nov. and since then no nausea at all. At present I am getting terrible pain when laying down in my right leg from my hip into my buttock right down to my foot. It is similar to cramp in leg but it lasts sometimes for a couple of hours. Cramp usually disappears in a few minutes but it is the same sort of sensation. Also needle-like pains in my hand and foot. Above symptoms only since going onto Simvastatin. Would be interested in any others have these symptoms too. Trouble is damned if you take them and damned if you dont. Current research does show however that there is no benefit to women over 60 taking these wretched pills - everybody reading this should try and get or borrow the book by Dr Malcolm Kendrick entitled The Great Cholesterol Con (Dundee UK GP) written in 2008 who also is of this opinion. I am not advising not to take Simvastatin but please do research and read this book and reach your own decisions.

Hello,

I am a 55 year old Man and have been taking simvastatin for over two years now. Lately my back hurts from below the shoulder to my waist. Also my right arm and hand hurts. I feel numbness in my right hand a lot. My chest hurts on the left side as well.

I take 40mg of this drug every day and never rally thought about it much till lately. Seems like in the past two months things have gotten worse. I go to the VA Clinic where I live and have a regular Doctor there.

I was about to go see my Family Doctor today with all these pains I have been feeling, but then I googled Simvastatin, and started reading about all the side effects. I think I will just cut my pills into, and take a lesser amount to see if things get better.

last thing I need right now is more medications from another Doctor.. I can relate to all the pains for the most part, that all these individuals have posted. I know one thing for sure, I can't keep feeling this way and something has to change.

I had very high Cholesterol levels before taking this medicine, and it has dropped my levels extremely. Hopefully a lower dose will not only continue to keep my levels in an acceptable range,but cut down on these side affects.

Nobody should have to suffer all these bad effects..

This site may have saved my life! My blood pressure & cholesterol meds were changed last Sept., and like Virge, 3 months later I had a severe vertigo attack (while driving). Long story short, I have been a wreck ever since...feeling dizzy & faint, anxiety attacks, spiking BP, acute insomnia, soreness in the back of my neck, overly sensitive to bright lights and loud sounds, and several reactions to anti-anxiety meds & vitamin B pills (some of which placed me in ER!).

I've seen over 20 different doctors & specialists, and NOT ONE has ever questioned the Simvastatin. A couple weeks ago, I Googled Simvastatin & vertigo and saw that vertigo was listed as a side-effect...then I saw the notes on this site. This prompted another visit to my doctor.

I've been off it ever since, and have noticed a substantial change for the better (I can sleep well again!) - although I'm still always dizzy and my BP has risen. I'm hoping that by taking it for so long, I haven't incurred any substantial long-term side-effects! I'm also wondering why some of us react so negatively to the drug - if there is another underlying medical condition that would cause such an adverse reaction?

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

started taking simvastatin 3 months ago after having a stroke straight away started feeling nausea and diarrhea was told at the time while still in hospital it was probably the tablets but nothing was done about it, since then i have been back to the docs twice, had 2 different types of anti sickness pills, none have worked, which is worse when awaking in the mornings, when i run gagging to the toilet, plus diarrhea tablets, which i am having to take at least 3 to 4 times a week, was told i could not stop taking the simvastatain tablets as i needed them, surly i am not supposed to live my life feeling constantly sick and the rest of the time sat on the toilet, plus panic attacks and depression of which i am also on medication for and my migraine attacks have gotten worse. and a awful taste in my mouth all the time all in all not a happy bunny

i am 55 and have been taking simvastatin for about 2 years although my cholestrol was under 5. over the last few months have had pain in my knees which i thought may be arthritis and then about 2 months ago the pain started in my left foot and became so severe that i had to change to an automatic car, still believing up until today that arthritis must be getting worse although my foot xray came back normal, i found this website today as my finger and thumb joints are hurting so much i cant hold anything and every muscle aching so much i just wanted to cry.after reading these letters i realize that even the choking feeling im sometimes getting isn't a menopausal panic attack and now i have checked my simvastatin leaflet an d box and realize that although my last cholesterol reading was only 3.5 one of my doctors has put my tablets up from 10 mg to 20 mg so big question is this an overdose ? im not taking another one of these pills an see what progress my health makes. i am slightly worried about heart disease and will look into herbal type as my parents use these,have never taken statins and are 90 and 87 so i think this speaks for itself,thanks everyone who has helped me diagnose my own illness!!!

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.

been on simvastatin for 4 years with no problems then got pills from a different chemist same 40mg but a different maker immediate symptoms were chronic diarrhea, loss of appetite, tiredness, kept taking after all no side effects with previous maker.thought i had a serious stomach disorder.stopped taking when i realized that was the only constant that had changed,immediate results took none for 3 weeks went back to gp he put me back on my original pills,after taking one,thought that the end was nigh ,diarrhea,sweating general feeling of weakness never again they are binned.

i forgot to mention i have started to get very bad hot flushes, besides a lot of cramp

Hello: Posting about simvastatin. I have been off of the medication for about six weeks. Initially the symptoms led me to hop on an ambulance gurney and visit my local ER due to dizziness, lots of palpitations, and the feeling that I was going to drop on the sidewalk. I followed the ER with two days on the heart unit, and have pretty much have had just about every test but a brain scan (or at least it has seemed that way).

My symptoms progressed to intense burning in my torso, pronounced in the shoulder blade areas, upper chest, and into my forearms. A week after stopping the statin much of the intense burning was gone.

I still have pain and discomfort, but I have not been "white knuckling" to get through the nights like I had been, which is a relief. I read somewhere that someone described the muscle pain as feeling like he had been repeatedly punched with a bag of oranges. I can relate to that feeling, and recently I have felt the symptoms in my thighs as well.

Pain management takes up my days (although I have continued to work). I have begun massage therapy, and I am going to attempt acupuncture next week. I am trying to sort out what supplements may be the best and which ones won't interact with each other or other medications that I take. I am taking CoQ10, Omega 3 capsules, a multivitamin, and a B complex.

Anyone with similar symptoms or comments, please jump in. We are in similar boats, as they say. I have gotten the impression that some people out there (not on this site) don't see this as real. For those people, unless someone is bleeding profusely from an artery, they remain non-supportive or non-believers....

I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel after starting 40 mg simvastatin, my wrist had never bothered me before, was one step away from surgery. Other joints started giving me problems. As joint problems grew I also was getting weaker. I felt so weak I couldn't get out of bed. Headache, neck stiffness, nausea, and kidney pain. Doctor just told me blood test does not show anything is wrong. I stopped the pills 4 days ago and my wrist no longer hurts. I'm still weak. I think they haven't found the test that proves the way this drug is the cause. How can I be is such bad shape but the tests look normal?

March 2nd 2008

4.45pm indigestion and feeling of fullness as if I can't breath too easily. Also have atrial fibrillation and palpitations appear worse since taking Simvastatin 40mg tablets for 2weeks was previously on 10g Rosuvastatin. Has anyone else experienced similar symptoms.

I take a combination of pills at night- metoprolol succinate er and simvastatin. I have been experiences skin itching on a daily basis. Specifically the itching starts normally at night or when I take off a clothing I begin the itching. Red scratches appear on my thighs, stomach, arms or back of my legs. Sometimes my head will itch after taking the medicine at night and I wake up scratching. The problem, may or may not, be related to these medicines but I would like some advise as to what to do.

about three months after taking simvastatin I had a bad attack of vertigo and have been suffering with dizziness & feeling off balance, also panic attacks have ocurred, I did not experience this before taking this drug. This has now been going on for 4 months. has anybody else experienced this.

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