Zocor and crap

I am a 54 year old healthy woman, and thought I was going nuts! I have been on Simvastatin for about 14 months and on a gradual overall decline...big black pms-like cloud over my head and unable to find anything to feel happy about (I have a GREAT life). Couldn't sleep, gained weight, heart racing (went on 24 hr monitor-nothing!), dizzy and feeling like I could pass out ON A REGULAR BASIS! Tingle down my left arm, heartburn constantly, stiffness in my neck, tingly hot feet at night, zero interest in sex, miserable. I had been taking myself off all the over the counter stuff and estrogen trying to figure out what was going on...then I started the online research on statins. My doctor told me there was no way that a statin could be the cause of my dizziness and problems. WRONG!!! I was having the same side effects as all of you and went off the simvastatin two weeks ago. Bottom line is that I already feel so much better, walked 2 miles with ENERGY today and am happy. Hoping that I will get back to my old self again. I will be taking the herbal approach to lower my cholesterol...never again this crap!

I can't really say I have anything new to report. I had been taking Lovastatin for maybe a couple of years, first 20 mgs, then 40. I don't remember having any problem with that. Then about 4 months ago my Dr. switched me to Zocor, 80 mgs because my cholesterol was 240. First I started having numbness in my feet and legs, cramps in my feet and Charlie horses at night in my legs. I mentioned it to my Dr. but he just seemed to feel it's part of the aging process and not to worry. Then my knee started hurting so bad I couldn't bend it and could hardly get up and down the stairs. I went in and they said I had arthritis and gave me Nabumetone and Vicodin which I didn't want to take because of the side effects. I finally gave in because the pain was getting worse. I was supposed to take two pills bit I only took one and I only took the Vicodin if I just couldn't stand it any longer. I took the drug for about 3 weeks and I wasn't getting any better. In fact my other leg started hurting, and my elbow and two or three times my lower jaw felt numb and I thought, Oh my God, I'm having a stroke. Anyway by some miracle I found this web site and see that many others are suffering the same symptoms that I'm having. What is wrong with the doctors? I am trusting my Dr. with my life. I'm sure he's heard similar complaints before about these drugs, but he acts like it's no big deal. I told him I don't want to take this anymore and he said well sometimes people do get some muscle pain but you can take a over the counter medication, not sure of the name, CO-2, something like that.
I'm wondering what's happened to the Dr's integrity? Why do they keep pushing these drugs when they know they are harmful? I guess I have to look for another Dr. My Dr. is with Kaiser. I guess they all pedal the same poison. So sad that we are controlled by the drug companies for profit. They are killing us. Look what happened with the HRT drugs. Meanwhile I'm afraid to quit this drug cold turkey since I was on such a high dose so I'm cutting the pills in half, 40 mgs, and then in about 2 weeks I will go to 20 and hopefully by then I will have selected something natural and safe. I am 67 years old. Before this I was active and I used to walk my dog a mile everyday. I can no longer do that. Right now my leg hurts so bad I don't want to take another pill but I'm scared if I quit cold turkey something terrible will happen. It's a holiday...

I am a 48 year old male. Was placed on Zocor last year. Since the day I was placed on it, I have felt weak, no ambition, no drive, feel like a zombie. I eventually had pain in my legs so severe that I had to take Hydrocodone so I could sleep. The skin on my thumbs and two first fingers peels off. I haven't had a good nights sleep since the second day I was on this crap. I haven't been taking it since June and still have a lot of problems. I still am very weak, no energy, tired all the time, skin is still peeling off my fingers, can't think, can't keep a straight thought. I have pretty severe pain in my hips that started when I was on Zocor. Also, my knees are very weak, and they pop every time I get up. At the time I stopped taking it, I was unable to make it up a flight of stairs.
My doctor constantly denied any link between any of this and the Zocor, but amazingly, after I stopped taking it, some of the symptoms reduced. I still suffer from many.
I was a small business owner with 7 employees and have since lost everything. I have been unable to find a job now for almost a year. The doctors are all "programmed" to think and tell you that these are good for you.

Have been taking Zocor for about 5 years now, leg and knee pain makes in almost impossible for me to walk. Has this medicine caused permanent damage to my muscles and joints? a question I would like to have answered. I am 71 years old and up to now could walk endlessly without pain or distress. A couple of years ago switched to generic Zocor which is SIMVASTATIN. Noticed no difference, but still have difficulty walking very far and am from side to side unstable, when I walk, because of pain in one leg or the other. Now what is the answer, has this medicine caused permanent injury, it has caused me to be more comfortable sitting and have things to do. Will the pain go away and will I regain my strength back in my legs? Wonder what is the answer.

Tom.

A persistent dull headache and a feeling of spaciness on the third day and now for four days. I am thinking about discontinuing this crap.

I have been on this crap for a year and suffered severe short term memory loss and constipation!
Two weeks ago I thru it in the garbage and already there is an improvement!
I thought Doctors were suppose to help you>?????????????

I just went on the website: www.zocor.com and most if not all of the side effects mentioned here are listed there. They also state that only your physician can determine whether the side effects outweigh the benefits. I think that is crap. YOU are your best advocate for releiving pain,knowing what is best for you, etc. Who would want to live in constant pain, for example? I was looking around for info because my husband has been on Zocor several months now and is always fatigued. We are looking into alternative treatments. I recently found out that Red Rice Extract (from my chiropractor) can be used. If I were in the same situation, I would look into alternative treatments. Try a holistic approach. These symptoms sound very scary to me! That's my 2 cents.