Zocor and shortness of breath

I am 39 years old. My cholesterol levels have been between 250 and 370 since my mid-twenties. I started on Lipitor and noticed after a few years that my loss of memory, muscle pain, fatigue and difficulty sleeping were just plain annoying. I quit talking in August of 2007. Since then I have changed my diet to a vegan diet where I have zero cholesterol intake. After 9 months my cholesterol levels are still 270. My body produces it anyway. The only time I saw my cholesterol levels drop (on Lipitor) was when I was doing Atkins (high fat, protein) and my levels were in the 170s. I was prescribed Zocor this spring by another doctor, however still found myself unwilling to take it. While only taking a diuretic blood pressure medicine, I began experiencing some chest pain, headaches, shortness of breath, numbness in the face and hands and got scared. I began taking the Zocor on Friday 4/25/08 - I haven't had a good night's sleep since. By Tuesday night I broke out with a rash on my arms and hands (itchy). I thought it was hives. By Friday 5/2/08 my head was in a fog - I couldn't remember what happened on Monday, it feels like it was 6 months ago. I stopped talking last night Fri. 5/2/08 and this morning the rash was gone and I slept fairly well. I believe in choosing the lesser of two evils; however, with the obvious effects of this drug I wonder what it does to the inside of my body where it isn't so obvious. As young as I am, I really worry about the long term effects of this medication, and others like it, that would make heart disease seem like a piece of cake.

April 2007--I live with my elderly parents and am on the
constant lookout for side effects. We nearly lost my
father a few years ago because of a severe, gradual aller-
gic reaction to Hydrolazine. My mother was on Lipitor and
became so weak that she fell and was not able to get up
by herself along with extreme fatigue & muscle pain. A
couple months ago my dad's doctor put him on Zocor and this
past week I began to notice a gradual deteriation of my
father's health that included shortness of breath, muscle
pain & weakness, which also affects bladder control, memory
loss, depression & a flushed face. Some people notice an almost immediate change, but with my father it has been a gradual and subtle build up of side effects. He is now off of Zocor, and, we are praying his vitality will return &
his quality of life begin to improve.

My cholesterol has always been lower than 5. I have aways been sensitive to drugs in near, homeopathic concentrations, but forgot this when I tried my first 25 mg dose of Viagra. It caused a collapse (kink) in the transverse artery and induced a heartattack.
When they put a Stent in my pipes to open up the kink the surgeon remarked how clean my blood vessels were, but this did not prevent them putting me on Simvastatin. I did, however insist they gave me the lowest manufactured dose. 10mg.
I took this religiously for four years. Recently dropping the blood pressure medication because my BP was the same,125/81/67 with or without it.
Two weeks ago my left leg below the knee became covered with petachiae.The next day, so was the other. I was also informed I was beginning cataracts. I had shortness of breath and found it hard to pick anything up from floor. I quit Zocor. One week later all sysmptoms gone. My doctor agrees it is likely an allergy. I am 76 and now feel younger!

Leg muscle pains.Shortness of breath after walking upstairs.

I have taken simvastatin 40mg for about a year over the past three months I have had very bad effects from this medication I was very very fit before taking this medication

I HAVE STOPPED THE TABLETS BUT I AM NOW HAVING TO HAVE HEART TESTS FOR SUSPECTED ANGINA

Water Retention.... weight gain, loose stool, no energy.. all after starting the zorcor 10 mg pill.... its working, lower counts, but the side effects are not worth it. I am comeing off.. any one else haveing a problem with swelling due to water retention, and also shortness of breath. especially at night.
Rose

Facial rashes, lowered sex drive, mild muscle pain, shortness of breath......is it really worth it. Will be looking into alternative treatments. Any suggestions?

High cholersterol runs in my family and my has been high for years, it just lept up to 415. I was on 40mg of zocor daily and my ears started ringing and I felt that I was having constant panic attacks because my heart rate went up to 160 and was short of breath. My doc told me it was because of my thyroid was elevated. I stop my zocor for a week and then started again. After 10days the ringing of ears, shortness of breath, chest pain, tachycardia and a new one depression started all over again. I have an appointment with my doc I know that she will think that I am crazy, but I will not take this drug again.

I have been on zocor for about 2 yrs and have recently developed an annoying tremor in the bicep of my left arm and felt a tremor in my left hip when i decided to take myself off the med., the tremor has subsided considerably. after reading about everyone's side effects now maybe i can understand my blurring vision, difficulty in getting in and out of cars, chairs, etc. also maybe my angina pain and shortness of breath. Only been off med for a week so will see if other side effects subside as well.