Zocor and sleep

I'm 43 years old, 5'3" and weigh 165lbs. My doctor started me with Zocor 40mg. I stopped sleeping through the night about a week after taking it, but thought it was work/stress related. About 2 weeks after taking it, I could only sleep for about 3-4 hours, wake up, and then lay about another 2-3 hours hoping for sleep again. I didn't think any of this was drug related. After two months of insomnia, I began suffering very bad neck and back pain. It felt like someone stabbed me in my spine and it was excrutiating to roll over or get out of bed. I thought maybe it was my bed/pillow. I ran out of Zocor and my symptoms went away in about a week. I figured this was all stress related. After a month off, my doctor insisted on increasing my dosage to 80mg. Within 2 weeks of the increased dosage, the insomnia returned, my eye developed a "twitch," and I started feeling pains/aches again in my neck, shoulder and back. I refuse to take this drug further.

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 started taking Zocor 6 months ago, switched from Crestor because of muscle weakness. About a month and a half ago started to get fuzzy head and could not sleep thru the night. I awoke up to five times a night and could not go back to sleep. I had tingle feeling on my head above the ears. Sometimes I had to get up from whatever I was doing and walk around and it felt like an “anxiety attack” with a feeling of tightness on the back of the neck. My knees are weak and I can feel them whenever I get up from a chair or getting out of the shower. A few times, I felt sharp pain on my right shoulder blade and my head hurts a lot. Cold and hot flashes mostly at night and sometimes in the morning after the shower and during the day together with the “anxiety attack”. Once in a while I would have warm flush feeling on my face. I also have a few pimples like tiny bumps on my head. I could not carry on my normal daily life for the last month and a half. I could not concentrate on anything except constantly feeling the fuzzy head/head heavy/pressure on my head. I also had a MRI on my head and brain to make sure there are no tumors inside and it came back negative. I just found this website a few days ago and I told my doctor that I am taking myself off of the Zocor for a while. I am feeling at least 50% better already after a few days. I am hoping the rest of the side effects would go away eventually. I feel for you all who have been taking this drug for many years.

Like many posts describing side effects, I was not sure that all the new little health-related issues I've been noticing were connected to taking Zocor. I'm thinking that perhaps my issues are related to the drug, especially since the only other drug I take is Levothyroxine (for hypo-active thyroid). I have been on the generic for two months. (I'm a 39 year old female.)

In the first month, my total cholesterol score was 278. After taking it for one month with no change in diet or physical activity, it reduced to 207. So, the drug does work! Now I need to determine if the cost is worth it.

In the past week, I've noticed several of the side effects listed in some of the posts: sharp pain in knee (feels like there is a paring knife in it!); lower back pain; joints creaking and popping; skin on tips, sides, and underneath of fingers kind of blistering-hardening and peeling off; brain fog in the morning; difficulty maintaining a deep sleep; crazy dreams; general increase in skin blemishes; heartburn; loose bowel movements; and increased sinus congestion.

I am a 67 year old female who has been in good health. I was put on 40 ml of Zocor about three years ago. After taking it for six months I asked to be changed to Lipitor because of stomach pain I felt was caused by Zocor. I didn't have stomach pain with Lipitor.

A year ago I must have had a senior moment because I changed back to Zocor. Generic Zocor was much less expensive than Lipitor.

During the past year I developed most of the side effects that everyone is mentioning: stomach pain, nausea, memory loss, sleep problems. I didn't relate this to Zocor.

Then I woke up one morning and could not stand without severe pain in my left knee. It hurt to touch it. A week later my right knee developed the same symptoms. This didn't happen gradually. It was very fast. I can also identify with those who say that back pain makes them walk bent over. The pain also radiated into my shins and one heel.

I wept when I found this site and read all the posts about similar symptoms. I decided to go off the Zocor for a month and see what happens. I've been off it for three weeks today. The pain is MUCH less but not gone. I'm hoping that it will continue to get better.

My doctor & I agreed I should go on Simvastatin 10mgm for a slightly high cholesterol approx March 2nd. My already tenuous sleep problems became more so immediately. Medication for sleep was ineffective.
After 3 weeks of Simvastatin I started dozing off & waking with sort of panic attacks-weird dreams & my heart fluttering.-several times during the night.
During the daytime when checking –occasionally my blood pressure would drop to below 100 systolic over 40 & my pulse dropped to 38-40/per min. The pulse was regular like a ventricular rhythm (when the atria of the heart is no longer the electrical pacer) This drop would persist for approximately a half hour & occur several times during the day. There were no other symptoms associated that I could discern.
I could find no side effects listed online or from the pharmacist like these for Simvastatin. Concerned, I stopped taking the Simvastatin 11 days ago. Three days ago I felt good, found no BP or Pulse problems & have had good sleep. Since this has continued I am feeling certain that I reacted in some way to the Simvastatin

I am 27 years old, male, and have had type 1 diabetes since I was 8.

My doctor prescribed Zocor repeatedly in 2007(for high blood pressure) and I was reluctant to taking it because I have no respect for any of the miracle drug companies and feel that they are only looking to make money, not help anyone with their health problems. I finally started taking Zocor (generic) in Nov 2007, then started getting some strange side effects that my doctor never mentioned when I asked him.

My side effects were, but not limited to, muscle pain in the legs and back. I noticed sharp pains in my knee like arthritis and Charlie horses in the calf during time at sleep. I noticed these after about 1 week of taking the drug and lasted through till the end. I stopped taking the drug in Dec 2007 and been off it since. I have yet to talk to my doctor about it, but I talked to his nurse and she recognized the symptoms. I reached my conclusion long before speaking to her however.

Now 2 months have passed since I stopped taking the drug and the pains in my back and legs have disappeared. The arthritis type feeling in the knee has gone away. I have more flexibility and none of the pain that I felt while taking the drug. I am astounded that the clinical trial for this drug doesn't note the muscle pain; at least the notes from trials I found on the internet didn't note it as a side effect.

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 have been on Lipitor for several years, but switched to generic Zocor (Simvastatin) for 3-4 weeks because of the high co-pay. I didn't seem to have any bad side effects with Lipitor (or not as bad as Zocor), but have had swollen ankles, sore knees, and difficulty walking for the past couple of weeks--that's why I'm here--to see what others are experiencing.

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.

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.