Zocor and blood tests

I am currently 58 years old and lead a very active, healthy lifestyle. I began taking 10mg of Zocor, along with 1000mg of niacin in the summer of 2004 to reduce cholesterol (251) and triglycerides (571). The therapy dramatically improved my blood tests, however, within 6 weeks, I began to experience minor chronic skin infections, both fungal and bacterial. They were easily controlled with topical over the counter type medications, but they were annoying. At no time was this new condition linked to the statin/niacin therapy by my doctor(s). The infections became progressively worse over the next 3 years, and evolved into chronic folliculitis in my scalp, neck, and face, cystic acne, and persistent fungal infections that were becoming more difficult to control. In addition, I began to get chronic eye infections. It was as if my immune system was becoming ineffective. I stopped taking niacin in December of 2007 and the symptoms immediately lessened. I stopped taking Zocor in March of 2008 and within 2 weeks, all the skin problems and eye infections completely ended. My health was restored completely and I am glad to have put that whole mess behind me! I have been taking Omega 3 supplements to control my cholesterol and triglycerides and have had results that equaled the Zocor and Niacin therapy, with cholesterol at 160, triglycerides at 91, and a favorable HDL/LDL ratio. My physician is skeptical, but I know that my body was not functioning correctly with the statin/niacin treatment. I have found anecdotal reports from others who seem to have experienced a change in their immune system, but no mention of this as a side effect by the medical establishment.

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'm a 48 year old male in good physical condition and not overweight. I have genetic high cholesterol and started taking Zocor about 3 years ago. My cholesterol had climbed to 280 before I started the statin. I started with 5mg but my doctor quickly raised it to 10mg. After 6 weeks my cholesterol was down to 180! Yippee! The only side effects I noticed at first was swollen eyelids in the morning. After about 18 months my cholesterol had climbed to about 225 so my doctor raised the dose to 20mg. About 3 months later I started getting abdominal pain and tightness in my chest. My doctor thought I had gallbladder problems, I had an ultrasound which was negative. The pain(s) continued and I had blood tests, 2 MRI's, chest Xray and EKG... all negative. I suggested quiting the Zocor but my doctor didn't think that was the problem. I decided to quit the statin 1 week ago. Not feeling much better yet, but I will post an update.

I am 59. Not overweight and now eat intelligently .Had moderate heart attack in August 2001 and have taken 20mg of ZOCOR every day since.About four years ago I stated getting mild pain in right buttocks muscle and groin but thought this was just "AGE" setting in.Doctor thought it was arthritis in lower back and causing associated musle strain.Went to physio but no progress in pain alleviation, in fact pain and weakness kept getting steadily worse.Pain then started in left shoulder last spring (2007) then about three months ago really severe in left hip and buttocks. Sleep was interrupted every night by pain.Movement from sitting position to standing/walking was like a ninety year old,slow and stumbling.My legs felt nearly numb when walking.Getting out of bed in the morning and putting on my socks became an ordeal of PAIN.
Seen my doctor last week and told him of current status and that I couldn't go on like thisanymore.He said to STOP the Zocor immediately. I can feel the difference already, in one week!!! Not perfect but maybe 50% improvement!!!
He ordered a battery of blood tests including PSA . I just hope something else isn't now really F--ked Up from taking this stuff for six years ?
I will defiately NOT TAKE ZOCOR or any other STATIN again!!!

After by-pass heart surgery in 2002, my cardilogist put me on 40mg of zocor.
I was in good health with no physical limitations. I had no heart damage. The restriction of heart arteries were found due to my stress test that was performed each year as a part of my annual Physical. After surgery I was on zocor for three years, during that time I experienced a little tiredness, little weakness, a little muscle aches. some tingling in my right arm and shoulder. I went to my heart doctor Jan. 2006 and he changed me to vytorin (10mg zetia and 40mg zocor). about 6 months all of the about symptoms got worse.
By Jan. 2007, my muscles became so stiff, I could not walk, had balance problems, severe muscle aches and cramps, numbness and tingling in both arms and hands, also stifness and pain in my hands, stiffness and pain in both feet, stifness and pain in my back and weird nerve sensations over my entire body. During Jan. and Feb 2007, I was seen by my family doctor, a neurologist, and a muscle doctor. Thanks to the internet, I found info on zocor and zetia, which is the drug vytorin. Warnings described the same symptoms I am experiencing. I stopped vytorin, I am not taking any statins drugs now. My doctor order a blood test to check for muscle damage, It indicated severe damage, a Creatine level of 770. This level should not be over 200. After being off the drugs for 30 days the creatine level dropped to 645. My condition has improved by 25%. I am walking a little better, but I still having muscle problems, there is improvement. I think there will be a very long recovery. There seems to be some evidence that these Statins affect people of age much more than the young. I am 70 years old. PLEASE PEOPLE, IF YOU ARE TAKING STATINS DRUGS, STOPPED NOW! SLOVE YOUR CHOLESTROL PROBLEMS BY OTHER MEANS. Since I stopped my cholestrol has gone from 157 to 280, but I am not going back taking these drugs. I am trying the natural way now. I have read post after post on many web-sites of people with the same symptoms that were using these drugs. The drug companies and the FDA are responsible for the the degradation of people's health taking these statin drugs.

I don't remember when I started taking Zocor - I think it was late 1990's. Recently I've been having pins and needles in my legs, arms and other parts of my body. Doctor did an EMG and it came back normal. Blood tests were also normal. He's now sending me to a neurologist. I researched Zocor and found that it can cause nerve damage which is what my doctor said I probably have. The research said that it starts in the feet then travels to the rest of the body. In 1999 I went to the doctor with pins and needles in the feet and he diagnosed it as arthritis and gave me quinine. I was in a car accident in 2001 and have been on pain medicine since then which was covering up the pain. The pain sometimes has me using a cane.

I am 34 years old, white, male, american. I am 6 foot 2 inches and weigh appx 215 pounds. My blood pressure had been creeping up a few years ago so I was put on a small dose of Benicar. No problems, BP went down. During a regular check-up with blood tests it was discovered that my cholesteral and triglicerides(have no idea if I'm spelling these corectly) were up. Cholesteral was 215 and trig. were through the roof. He put me on 10 mg per day and said we'll do blood tests in six weeks. About three weeks in I started cramping in my abdominal region. It got worse with alocohol intake but didn't seem to change much other than that. I complained to my doc's nurses and they said, "Zocor doesn't usually have ANY side effect." My blood test showed a drop in my numbers and no liver or kidney problems (according to my doctor). I stopped taking Zocor for about four days and felt better. I started again and now my cramping is worse than ever. My doctor hooked me up with another doctor and I have a colonoscopy scheduled for next week. I might stick it out until then to see if anything shows up but this website and these posts really worry me. Doctors I think listen to drug salespersons and not their patients too much. Wish me luck.

I have been on Zocor for nearly four years. Was recently switched to Vytorin which is a combo Zocor/Zetia drug. I am on max doses and always have been...my cholestorol issues are genetic.

I have had extreme leg cramping, body aches, mood swings, night sweats, hot flashes, you name it including a possible early and forced slide into menopause (my latest battle). All of your side effects mentioned in each posting is a side effect that the docs don't tell you about and they will only treat you like you are crazy each time you call in and complain of a pain they can't find an answer to. I remember that docs thought I had lupus for goodness sakes and tried to give me MORE meds for that. I refused - I knew better!

I am only 33 and have been on statins since I was 18. With more info that comes out and the ability to learn about others' side effects, I have finally decided that I am going to stop all meds and try to find some other answer. Glyconutrients for one! No one should live this way and eventually you will rather a heart attack to these side effects. The longer you are on them, the worse they get. You will notice that if you stop taking them all that you will start to see side effects start to decrease after about two weeks.

Good luck and please, if anyone has any natural meds to suggest, with proven blood tests results, I would love to hear about them.

Took Zocor for 8 months, have been off 6, quit because of leg cramps and hands and arms losing feeling at night and muscle pain. Continue to have muscle pain in arms and shoulders even after being off so long...in fact, it seems to be getting worse. Could this be caused by Zocor?