Vytorin and medication

* Completely sunburned after 30 minutes in the sun
* Have to get up at least once a night to urinate (never had before)
* Extreme pain in my feet when I first get up in the morning. (Goes away in 30 seconds) If I feel it when I get up to urinate, I won't feel it later when I normally get up
* Decreased sex drive
* Cholesterol decrease from 310 to 147

Afraid these side effects are just the beginning

Was on Vytorin for 2 years & experienced no noticeable side effects during that time. It lowered my cholesterol to 179. Had a hysterectomy (complete) in Dec., 2007. In May, 2008, I began a sudden on-set of severe numbness in both hands (especially when lying down)--classic carpal tunnel symptoms and intense pain in all joints. When I move from a sitting position to stand up, I can hardly do it. This is what I thought I would feel like at maybe 80 years old--not 46 yrs. I thought maybe it was because I'm not taking hormone replacements, but my doctor said it could be the Vytorin & he took me off of it. I've been off for 2 months, but the symptoms are not improving. The carpal tunnel seems to have lightened up a bit, but the joint pain (especially hips) has not gotten any better. I wonder if it ever will????? Also experience fatigue, foot pain, & weak fingers.

I am a 45 yr old female and I have been on Vytorin for about 2 yrs or so for my cholesterol problems. Was on Lipitor before that and was getting leg pain so I stopped taking it. When blood work time came around it was still up so my doc put me on Vytorin. I have noticed that I feel like I'm dying. I have severe neck,back and arm pain, cold and hot attacks, can't sleep, chest pain,blurred vision, sudden stomach cramps, nausea, throat and ear aches, and bad stomach problems. I have had heart cath, ekgs,endoscopy, blood work and everything keeps coming back normal. Matter of fact, I went to the heart doc today and he put me on a 24 hour monitor and for low heart rate that has gradually gotten worse over the past few months.He even mentioned a pace maker. I don't even want to start about the depression and anxiety attacks that I have. They are AWFUL. But the more blogs that I have read, I think I know where the problem may lye. The Vytorin, so as of tonight I will NOT take another one..I just hope that there is no permanent damage done as far as my liver. I hope you all the best and I will let you know how I start to feel in the next few days...

I was on Vytorin for about 3 years. Originally I was prescribed 40 mg and when my ldl didnt go down enough for the doctor. I was prescribed 80 mg a day about a year and a half ago. A bit of history....I had a heart attack at 33 years of age and at that time was given angioplasty. I am now 44 years old and have not had another attack. I have been having muscle pain for over year, although it feels more like my syatic sp? nerves in my lower back. My knees are so bad that I have been having to wear knee braces periodically and can no longer kneel without falling over in extreme pain. My muscles in my thighs have been deteriorating even though I have been working out with a personal trainer for over a year and my calves were getting huge to compensate. I also went to an eye dr. as I was having trouble reading and driving at night due to blurry vision. They said that I still had 20/20 vision and to start using very light reading glasses when reading and that should help. The last straw was when I was on vacation and had a terrible bout of paranoia. It was so bad that I can't even tell anyone what it was about. Another major effect that I have had over the years from any statin is the fact that my sexual urges are basically non existent.

Now for the good news!!!! In late April, after returning from my vacation, I decided that I wanted to see if the Vytorin/Simvastatin was giving me a majority of these symptoms and decided to quit cold turkey. Well 2 months later I can say that I feel about 90% better. I haven't had to use the reading glasses within 48 hours of stopping (I'm not even sure where they're at now). Within a week I noticed my libido returning and the paranoia completely gone. Within the last 2 weeks I have noticed my thigh muscles coming back and the muscles around my knees getting stronger. I am so thankful that I am returning back to normal!!

I will never, ever take another Statin again!!!!

Shortly before Christmas 2007 my doctor decided my LDL was too high (104) so changed me to Vytorin from just Simvastatin. Shortly after the new year I became so weak that I would look at my stairway and wonder how I was going to manage going up for the night. I was extremely tired and terribly weak, hurting all over. I didn't even want a back rub from my husband because I hurt so bad. I arbitrarily stopped taking the Vytorin and resumed my Simvastatin (40mg/day) When I called my doctor he poo-pooed my symptoms and said if I had those symptoms with Vytorin I would have them with the Simvastatin. 2 weeks later my cardiologist assured me that I was not imagining the symptoms and increased my Simvastatin dose to 60mg/day which seems to be fine. Three of my co-workers experienced the same problems and took themselves off medication. Doctors...listen up!!!

Have been taking Vytorin for about two months. So far, main side effects have been frequent stools, gas, and occasional diarrhea. Some tiredness; hard to know if it's caused by the Vytorin, though.

The only truly bad problems I've experienced happened when I ate a half a grapefruit. That night I awoke with a splitting headache and chills/sweats. The next day I had to take Pepto Bismol before leaving the house because I was constantly in the bathroom. Obviously the grapefruit doubled the effect of the medication.

In Sept, I was given a script for Vytorin as my triglycerides were high while rest of cholesterol was in the good zone. I have taken Zocor for years with no problems at all. I am also hypertensive and type 2 diabetic. I take a lot of medications. I was told that there might be a possible problem and to stop the medication if it did come about, by my primary care dr. The chief pharmasist also talked to me about drug interaction that could take place due to one of my BP drugs. I had trouble from day 1, starting with severe HA. It got worse as the days went on and by day 5 I was a wreck, pains from top of head to bottom of feet and depression issues as well. I was unable to reach my PCP as he was in the Arctic Circle on training exercise. I stopped the medication and it took about 10 days for me to come back to what for me is normal. I then called in a request to go back to the zocor as it had not bothered me in the past. Happy to say that I have only the old problems that I have been living with for years and doing fairly well. I have since been tested for any possible damage and thank heavens there was nothing new. It will be a long time before I accept a change or addition in my medications. I guess if it sounds too good to be true it must be so.

I ran across this web site after trying to figure out what was causing all my aches and pains. After I started taking Vytorin, I first noticed severe shoulder and neck pain. Other symptoms includes, headaches, depression, anxiety, moody, chest pains, joint pains, nausia, and feeling extremely tired. After visiting this site, I have taken my LAST vytorin. Now I just hope the side effects go away soon. Im 53 but feel 83.

I'm a 36 yo. female weighing in at 119 lbs. About four (4) weeks ago, I found out that my cholesterol is 221/154 so my doctor started me on Vytorin (10/20 mg). I started to - noticeably - not feel like myself about 2-3 weeks ago, but I thought it was just 'female' sickness. Once that factor played itself out I got concerned because I was progressively feeling worse. In general my physical symptoms were feeling extremely tired, nauseous, weakness, constipation, gas, diarrhea, dizzy & lightheaded and inability to concentrate and/or focus. On the 'mental' side, I have a history of panic attacks, depression and social anxiety disorder but they have all been kept under control with medication - that is, until I started taking Vytorin. I'm literally known for my friendliness and sweetness, etc. but for the past couple of weeks I've been in a constant bad mood, cranky, very easily annoyed about things and at people, depressed, anxious and generally uninterested in things that normally excite me. This past Friday night I was, once again, very upset and depressed about how bad I felt and wondering what was wrong with me, etc., and it hit me. The only thing I've done different in/for the past month was the introduction of the Vytorin into my system. I found myself almost crying I was so relieved to have figured out what the problem was. It's been 2 days since I stopped taking the Vytorin and today has been the best I've felt - physically and mentally - in 3 weeks. Hopefully, I'll continue to get back to my 'old self'! (Thanks to everyone else for sharing their side effect(s) symptoms on this site. It helped me verify mine.)

Used to take Lipitor but my immune system went down and I blamed the statins.
Dr. at Lipids clinic changed medication from statins to ezetimibe and since using that I wake in the morning with stiff hands and arms up to the elbow. Difficulty making a fist, also have extreme lower back pain, difficult to walk or bend first thing in the morning. Also noticed bad calf muscle pain. Symptoms usually resolve after I have been up and about for about an hour. Not sure if it's the new drug but I am stopping it to see if these symptoms go away.

Ezetimbe, and Zocor: I have a lot of the same problems, muscle soreness, head aches, swollen hands, restless nights not sleeping very much and no sexual drive at all. As well I now have a blocked artiry, and a valve that is not closeing.
I believe this was caused by the Zocor witch caused long and short term memory loss, short temperedness, tiredness all the time (with out doing anything to cause this problem) as well as muscle pain all over my body. I am a man about 64 years old with no heart problems before this. I worry that the Zocor has effected the heart muscle, and has caused the problems with the valve not closeing. If you have had problems with either medication please let me know, also tell your doctor and keep telling them if they don't listen change doctors.