Zocor and medications

I am a male, 61. and have a history of switching around cholesterol meds, most recently because of cost due to my high number of medical conditions and large number of medications for, but not limited to: CAD. CHF, diabetes, hypertension, renal impairment, and herniated disks. I have barely been on zocor a month and have experienced extreme weakness, pain in neck, shoulder, hands, legs & feet. Because I have both cervical & lumbar herniations, I was somewhat uncertain until I began reading these posts. I took myself off zocor yesterday and emailed my doctor's nurse. It also occurred to me that after any length of sitting, my legs hurt upon standing while i was on Lipitor, but don't really recall other symptoms. Sometimes, when you have a number of health issues, you come to believe this is "as good as it gets," but now I believe differently, otherwise why bother with the meds at all.

having bad night sweats and racing heart

This is a message that I wrote earlier on, but I think it´s good to repeat it because I want to encourage people to read and make up their own mind about the cholesterol issue.
_________________________

It`s very disturbing to read all these stories. I really feel for you.

My experience comes from seeing what happened to 3 people close to me. They all took statins.

I started to look for information on statins, and other medications in 2004 , and it continues to this day although two of my relatives are dead.

I have nothing to do with the health or pharmaceutical industry.

I saw the suffering and it made me very angry.

I am an ordinary lady in her sixties who live in Sweden.

The situation is almost the same here as in the U.S.

There is very little discussion about risks/benefits with this kind of medicatications - or others.

I think it`s a good idea to turn to the Internet and books to get other views about the cholesterol issue.

Is it really true that it`s the cholesterol that is causing heart disease?

Are you sure?

Please visit:

www.thincs.org

www.ravnskov.nu

www.spacedoc.net

www.statinalert.org

Also search for "Stopped our statins" on Google.

You will find a lot of information.

Under "print articles" you will find a very informative article from The Weston Price Foundation.

Also search on the names of the different authors below.

Here are som books:

The Cholesterol Myths (Uffe Ravnskov)

The Great Cholesterol Con (Antony Colpo)

Book with the same title (Malcolm Kendrick)

Overdosed America (John Abramson)

The Truth about the Drug Companies (Marcia Agnell)

There are many more.

For more information about these books turn to the Internet.

It´s good to have some other information than the one given by doctors because most of them have been "educated" by the pharmaceutical companies themselves - and why should they talk about risks, side effects etc. They are interested in profits.

Finally - here are some side effects that I have seen:

pains in legs, hands, elbows, shoulders, knees, hips, cracking noise in ribs, muscle weakness, loss of hair, head ache, burning, tingling sensations in hands and feet, numbness, difficulties to swallow, loss of taste, ringing noise in ears, cramps, insomnia, irritation, depression, difficulty with short-term memory and then advancing into more serious problems.

These side effects - i 3 different people - all over 65 - did not come at once.

All of them had taken statins for years (Zocor)

It doesn´t matter which product -all statins have similar side effects.

My relatives also had some other medications which makes it even easier for doctors (and patients) to say that it`s just old age.

I am happy for those who get problems right away because then there maybe a chance for the patient and the doctor to see that there is a connection.

You really have to look out for yourself and the people around you!

Good Luck.

l

Is anyone here when referring to Zocor taking the generic or the brand name? I have had trouble with vivid dreams and after several months I am exhausted from this sleep interruptions. I used to take the name brand before they had the generic
and had no problems at all.
The vivid dreams started after taking the generic.
Any responses would be appreciated.

thanks

I am 55 and was prescribed 40mg per day of Zocor. I am physically fit and thin, but high cholesterol is in my family history. After about 2 months on the drug, my cholesterol improved dramatically. However, I have had increasing joint pain everywhere....even in my wrists. I could not even get up and down well, as my knees hurt. I thought I was getting cancer or something.....my mother is very ill and they gave her many medications that I was trying to monitor. One of them was Zocor. I read the side effects and was appalled. I stopped taking the Zocor just 2 days ago and I already feel so much better! Not sure how I am going to deal with the high cholesterol, but I will not take this drug unless I can take a small dose. I will have to ask my doctor about that.

I have no experience of statins - or hardly of any other medication either, but I have seen the consequenses in some relatives/friends. That´s what made me do some "research".

This is what I think everyone should do before they embark on taking medications.

There are so many interesting - and eye opening books and information on the Internet.

Don´t think that Zocor is the only statin with these kind of side effects.

Most of the statins have similar side effects so therefore please also go to the pages that deals with Lipitor etc.

I have made some suggestions there in November 2007 (swedish) and also "Pasted in" a very interesting text with many links.

Good Luck to all of you.

Your stories are heartbreaking.

Most people, where I live (Sweden) has no idea, but I try my best to spread the "news".

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!!!

my mom took zocor and it caused pain in her hips. after a week it was so bad she couldn't walk. she'd never had a problem with them but ever since then they'd bothered her. she's been diagnosed with degenerative arthritis and it's spread to her lower spine. we know now that she's terribly allergic to statin drugs. she's always been a sensitive person when it comes to medications so please be very careful if you know you have the same problem. her arthritis is hard on her and i don't want any one else to suffer the same fate.

Hi. I am in remission from Multiple Myloma and have had compression fractures so I am on a lot of other drugs also. It is hard to separate them all. But since taking Zocor and have been experiencing light headedness and just a general wooziness like I am off balance. It is worse when I have been sitting down a great deal of the day. Today has been awful. I am always hurting, and am frustrated I am not getting better faster. After reading this I am wondering if some of my pain isn't from the Zocor, not the after effects of my other problems. They have done tests and can't find pinched nerves or anything. Is anyone having problems like this? Thanks Linda

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.

My problem is itching. I have been on Zocor for 3-1/2 years and it did its job by lowering my cholesterol. I started itching about three months ago (all over). I have been to Primary Care physician, dermatologist and allergist. The itching seems better but still have it after being off the Zocor for almost four weeks. I take other medications so I don't know for sure about the Zocor but had to start somewhere. How long after stopping the medication should the side effects disappear?
pg

I'm 59 and started taking 20mgs Zocor one year ago, I have experienced a moderate amount of leg & muscle pain. I have tolorated these side effects because I feel the side effects of medications used in a heart attack would be much worse! (If You Even Pull Through It!).

My side effects are the same as Guest #26472. The pain is so bad in my legs and ankle musles sometimes I can hardly get up from a chair or walk across a room, I find myself walking bent over to relieve the pain I have in my shoulder and upper arm musles, my hands feel like pins and needles and my ankles and lower legs swell. In January I had a triple bypass and have been taking 80mg Zocor ever since. I have talked with my Dr. about this and he has never said to stop taking Zocor or recommended any other medication, he has only adjusted other medications I am on.

Someone mentioned the their doctor resisting the idea of Zocor causing muscle cramps. Here's why they resist. Believe it or not, and according to a senior sales rep from a major pharmiceutical company whom I know, most physicians receive compensation for prescribing certain medications to patients. If you look for this practice on websites in the United Kingdom for example, it is clearly a well documented, open practice there, however this practice is frowned upon by many in the U.S. so it is not formally acknowledged. I too recently quit years of Zocor therapy realizing that it was causing fatigue.

i have been on zocor for six months,i have a bad case of im-
somia,severe muscle cramps bad taste in my mouth,no sexual
desirers.my medications have been changed frequently,but
this was the last one that i was precribled.my thing is,i feel
worse when i take it.i've already had a heart attack a few
months ago,and feel worse now that i am on zocor.

I am taking zocor and prinival. My cholesteral number, bad
has dropped to 75. I have recently noticed my taste
sensations have radically changed such that coke/pepsi have
become tasteing like acid, tea tastes horrible, oily food
all tastes the same ... bad
A friend who is also on similar medications reports surprisingly same symptoms. CAN IT BE THE ZOCOR?

I have taken all the medication for high cholesterol- the side effects are the same as everyone that I know have had- muscle pain- depression. anxiety, headaches etc etc. even went to see a foot specialist becasue i could hardly walk- after spending $265 for special inserts for my shoes and almost going crazy with the pain now tranferred to my hips , i decided that i was going to stop the cholesterol medications- it has been 2 weeks and i already feel good-
I am so mad at the so called specialists- not one of these doctors even suggeted that could have ben the zocor or liptor . what aprice to pay for lowering your cholesterol. I will continue to investigate and see if there are any other options besides suffering with all those side effects.

My 81 year old grandmother is taking 20 mg of Zocor per day, AS WELL AS 600mg of Lopid per day. I just read that Zocor and Lopid should NOT be taken together, but the quack of a doctor she's seeing is a real pill pusher, and he hasn't made any attempt and getting her off of this. She began losing muscles last fall after taking the medications for a while, but now she is nearly helpless, and falls and loses her balance a lot. Which medication should be stopped, the Zocor or the Lopid? Both of these medications can cause muscle deterioration. Since she will not be going back to the quack, I was just wondering which one we should take her off of, or possibly both. Thanks for any information.