Simvastatin and medication

WOW! My jaw is on the floor. I have been taking Simvastatin for 4 years! At around that time I started feeling ill. I ended up in the infection clinic. There they did 6 spinal taps since they could not understand why I had this major headache, and stablike pains.
I was hospitalized for 2 weeks and during the last 4 years I have been in and out of hospitals and doctors.
After they found 'nothing' they told me that I might have LUPUS/RA. So they started me on drugs to treat reumatism. I was on 2000mg per day! Complained and said that the meds where not working and I needed help and someone to listen to what I was saying. Then one of the many doctors I had was telling me to shut up and go see a psychiatrist. That got to me and so I started writing letters. I got a 'new' doctor and he said odd. Told me he was only interested in my joints. After the second time w him he passed away and so I met a fresh doctor, on that was right out of med school.
She looked at me and said...*You cant go on living like this, this is no life.* she sent me to the hospital for 2 weeks so that I could get the right treatment. There they realized that I have no sings of reumatisum but rather a connection w Simvastatin.
They right away told me to stop taking all the reumatisum medication and they will now focus on removing Simvastatin.
I am blown away.... I was so sick, so may hours lost from work, family and friends. I almost left my husband because I felt like I was just 'there' not ever being able to do things. I was so sick all the time.
Wow is the only word I have in my head right now- I am in a shock.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2001 and have been taking 10mg simvastatin ever since. Over the last six months have had severe increasing pain in right shoulder neck and arm. Out of the blue the doctor has since automatically changed dose from 10mg to 40mg. I have not taken the 40 yet as I am too scared and am using up the 10mg. Sometimes have diarrhea and nausea. I had to wait 2 weeks for xray and another 2 weeks for the result. Am to see the doctor in 2 days because I cannot stand the pain any longer. A month ago he told me to come off the simvastin as I would not have to wait long, but after 2 weeks thought I had better go back on it again. Have now stopped again because the pains are worse. wondering about taking herbal medicine instead.

I'm 55 year old female and was put on Simvastatin 3 months ago with a cholesterol reading of 6.8. I've been experiencing severe lower back pain, a burning pain in the right side of the groin and severe pain in my right hip and leg. It has become so bad that I'm finding walking difficult. I also have severe itching all over, especially on one part of my arm. I can't take anti-histimes because I am alreading taking beta-histine for vertigo. After reading the postings here I am seeing my doctor this week to have my medication changed. Since I live in the Uk cost is not a problem

Not necessarily a new side-effect judging from the postings of other contributors, but I've been experiencing increasing pain in my joints (particularly lower back, knees and shoulders) since boarding simvastatin 40mg about 6 months ago that I cannot attribute to anything other than this medication.

hi there i have been on simvastatin about a year now and have felt so ill since taking them i am now due to have several blood test to see what they can find " as i suffer with nausea, pains in my legs and body /and terrible depression and i cant remember me feeling like this before i started taking these tablets i really don't feel like me no more / and i can easily sit down and cry because off feeling like i do / now i have been told to take double dose because my cholesterol is higher / i have spoke to others of these tablets and they have had same reaction so i have decided on my own thoughts to stop i will tell my doctor.and i am hoping i will get back to my old self i will try and keep my cholesterol in control and i think its well worth a try than to have all these side affects B.

I have been taking Simvastatin for 2 mos & I have been experiencing horrible insomnia,fatigue, and frequent nocturia with urgency. I would particularly like to know if any one else has experience the urinary urgency?

recently was prescribed simvastatin. Pharmacist advised that 50% of people will experience severe muscle & joint pain and burning in the muscles. I can see by reading the site that this is true. Must try since cholesteral and bp are high and dr thinks at 51 I had two mini strokes (tia's). If I experience the severe pain that is discussed i will stop taking. Thank you for all the info! This site is awesome.

I was prescribed Simvastatin following experiencing a stroke- the first time I took it I threw up seriously an hour later - but it was so close to my recent stroke that it was not recognized as having connection with the drug. The day I came home from hospital I threw up again -seriously and yes, in the projectile manner- I rang the hospital for advice - they told me to come in- and I was left waiting , desperate for sleep in accident and emergency- having been traiged as a non important case. On this occasion I was given some medication to control vomiting and sent home. The vomiting continued and eventually I realized it was the drug. I had to return to work a month after leaving hospital and I couldn't do this if there was any risk of sudden and projectile vomiting! I am quite angry that I was not told of the side effect and had to work it out- during a time when my brain was not at it's best!

I am a 52Yr old male and was diagnosed with T2 Diabetes 2 1/2 yrs ago ....The doctor prescribed me simvastin a few month later 20mg once a day all had been fine till about 6 months ago when I developed tinnitus and started feeling very tired...My concentration started to lapse especially when driving as i found i couldn't remember driving down a stretches of the road etc ie passing speed cameras etc ...my memory also seems to have slowed down and i have problems recalling recent conversations or things i have done etc...just recently i have been getting severe itching on the soles of my feet almost becoming painful i have pains /aches all over and now especially have pain in my left arm right knee and fingers...when i get up in the mornings i feel like i have run a marathon the day before as i ache especially my neck and shoulders...needless to say i have now stopped taking the tablets after reading this forum and i am seeing my doctor next week initially i put all this down to getting older ...
Steve

Iv been on 40mg for a year now i could be feeling perfectly fine then suddenly an intense tiredness comes over me and i feel very sick and start heaving quite violently and desperately need to lie down until it passes, sometimes i fall asleep and sometimes not. This is a day occurrence, sometimes even 2 to 3 times a day. This only started when i started taking these tablets. The doctor says is not anything to do with the medication but im convinced it is. Has anyone else got these side effects?

I am a 55 year male and my doctor started me on 20mg of Simvastatin in Sept 2006 and has subsequently increased it to 40mg. I try to keep very fit through lots of exercise. Fortunately I have not experienced any major side effects mentioned here and my cholesterol has decreased from 6.8 to 4.5. However, I am constantly tired to the extent that I often doze off at my desk at work. In addition, I am having extreme difficulty in getting erections. My doctor claims these are not side effects and has prescribed Viagra but even that is not working now. At Easter, whilst on holiday, I stopped the medication for a week, my libido recovered after a few days, and I was able to have normal sex again for about a month. During the summer, I stopped it again and within 72 hours my libido started to pick up. My wife says it is psychological but I am convinced that it is the Simvastatin. I am going to see if I can get a second opinion.

I've been on simvastatins for about 2 years after TIAs. I'm 56. I had two small Strokes about year ago despite being on simvastatins. Had brain scan which showed two small areas of scarring and carotid artery scan- arteries fine. Started experiencing dizziness last year and GP diagnosed vertigo and gave me seasickness pills which didn't do much good. Since then I've experienced headaches which last for weeks, increasing fatigue (now struggle to get out of bed in morning) muscle pain which is getting really bad and sore feet (?). Increasing memory loss, confusion, lack of concentration, eye problems (when I first wake in morning my vision is blurred for ab out 30 minutes or so. I've been worried i mmay be developing Alzheimers. I've also piled on weight and the texture of my hair has changed - it has become very soft and silky and become thinner - normally my hair is very thick. Also I've had two perms in last 6 months which won't hold curl - been having perms for years and never had this problem. I've had several blood tests including for under-active thyroid and they have all been clear. I've been really worried about all these problems and did some research and came up with this site. I am beginning to think my problems stemm from taking 40mg Simvastatins so am going to stop them and book appointment with GP. Any comments/advice would be appreciated.

I have been on simvastatin for about 1 month. I have some stomach discomfort and what bothers me most is the awful taste in my mouth in the morning. I take this medication before bed.

started taking simvastatin 3 months ago after having a stroke straight away started feeling nausea and diarrhea was told at the time while still in hospital it was probably the tablets but nothing was done about it, since then i have been back to the docs twice, had 2 different types of anti sickness pills, none have worked, which is worse when awaking in the mornings, when i run gagging to the toilet, plus diarrhea tablets, which i am having to take at least 3 to 4 times a week, was told i could not stop taking the simvastatain tablets as i needed them, surly i am not supposed to live my life feeling constantly sick and the rest of the time sat on the toilet, plus panic attacks and depression of which i am also on medication for and my migraine attacks have gotten worse. and a awful taste in my mouth all the time all in all not a happy bunny

I'm 58 years old and I've been on 10 mg Simvastatin for 14 months since I was diagnosed with Diabetes 2. Also Metformin and Glipiside as my bs got up to 499 at diagnosis with high cholesterol.

I had NO IDEA that my suffering the past year could possibly be tied to one of the drugs I've been prescribed. In the first three months after diagnosis, my Diabetes was controlled and I've even backed off some of the meds. My cholesterol also came down beautifully. However, the debilitating weakness and muscle aches (which has increased over the 14 mos.) has become so bad (especially this last week) that I came to the Internet looking for possible reasons for 'body ache'.

And get this: I take a packet of vitamins every day which includes a daily dose of Q10... BUT I haven't been able to take them for about a week and this last week I felt like I was ready for a wheel chair~!!! Worse than it's ever been, knees and feet in horrible condition, hands and wrists unable to open a water bottle. Total body aches so severe it made me want to research something, anything to see what might be the problem.... before seeing the doctor about it!

My shock at seeing my medication here listed with the horrible side effects I'm experiencing has been a revelation~!! I am going to stop the Simvastatinn and see what happens. BTW, I've been an active person all my life, was a 2nd Degree Black Belt and taught Tang Soo Do and know what muscle aches and pains are, know my body (at least I did) and pretty much thought my active life was over.....

Not now~!!! I'm FURIOUS!!

I have been taking simvastatin since June 28, 2008. I am 44 years old and have always been majorly active with my 17 year old daughter. Recently I have become chronically fatigued so much as to want to go back to bed within 2-3 hours after I get up in the morning, (definitely not me). I have felt spaced out,depressed to the point of wanting to cry all the time, have severe back, hip, knee, leg, and hand pain. I go to pain management for my back and hip problems (past surgery), but the usual pain has been intensified over the last 2 months and I wasn't sure why, until i decided to check out the Simvastatin to see if it has made me put on a few pounds, and boy have my eyes been opened!!!!!!!!! I AM STOPPING THE MEDICATION IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to all who have spoken up, I wish I would of checked on this sooner!!!!! I'm calling my Dr. first thing in the morning!!!!!!!!!!!

By exhausted in Canton

I was prescribed Simvastatin four days ago, against my wishes, as I had heard about the side effects of muscle pain and numbness in the joints and feet. However, what I had not expected were the terrible nightmarish dreams that followed. On the fourth night I stopped taking Simvastin as I was literally too afraid to go to sleep.
I then slept fitfully but did not experience the vivid and disturbing dreams of the previous three nights.
I shall ask my doctor for alternative medication. If she cannot offer me anything other than statins, I shall stick to Benecol and research further!

Jacqui M.

I started taking 10mg of simvastatin in April and experienced awful hand pain. The pain was mainly in the joints of my fingers, I thought I had arthritis. I stopped taking it and the pain subsided. I began the medication again last week to see if that was the reason I was in such pain and within a few days my hands are hurting and I can hardly hold anything in my fingers. When I told my Doctor about it she didn't take me seriously but she will at my next visit.

I started to take 40mg instead of 20mg of simvastatin on July 16 and began to feel pain on my right shoulder two weeks later. The pain got worse and I went to see a doctor who prescribed inflammatory and muscle relaxing medication but they didn't help and my pain got worse. I got to this website and then stopped taking simvastatin completely on August 2 while continue to take the inflammatory and muscle relaxing medication. Today 95% of my pain has gone. If you have this kind of pain or symptom, stop taking Simvastatin.

I was diagnosed with type II diabetes and extremely high cholesterol about a year and a half ago. I was put on metformin and simvastatin. Through diet, exercise and 'natural' meds (banaba leaf, Gymnema, chromium, vanadium, among others) I got my diabetes under control to the point that I was able to go off metformin, but I was kept on simvastatin. I never experienced any of the horrifying symptoms described in previous postings; however, when I went on vacation a month or so ago I forgot my simvastatin- within 48 hours of going of this med, my libido actually returned- I had attributed the loss of not only function but desire to diabetes. When I resumed taking the pills, my libido once again evaporated. I went off of simvastatin completely a week ago and I feel like a new person!

The following article in the WSJ may explain the reason for the significant number of Adverse Reactions to statin drugs.

Why You Can't Tell Where
Your Medication Was Made
April 8, 2008; Page D1- Wall Street Journal
Bananas come with those little stickers listing their country of origin. Why not pharmaceuticals?
That's what some consumers -- and even some physicians -- are asking since the Food and Drug Administration linked the deaths of 19 people to contaminated batches of the blood thinner heparin from China.
******

I encourage every patient with a bad experience taking statins to contact the FDA (see, June 29, 2008 posting for FDA contact info).

After taking Simvastatin for about 6 weeks I started getting very dizzy. The first time only lasted one day. About two weeks later I woke up slightly dizzy and that is lasting now for several days. I also feel pain in my right shoulder blade. I think I'll take myself off this medication to see if things get better.
Side Effects Dizziness - Pain in my right shoulder blade - Fogy short term Memory.

I started on 40mg of simvistatin 3 and a half months ago,after being on them for a week i started to get bad headaches and felt really fatigued,so when i told my gp she said its just a matter of your body getting used to them,so i continued taking the pills i seemed ok for a while but 5 weeks ago i started with palpitations,then i got indigestion, and general discomfort in my chest,weakness in my arms and legs, headaches and the fatigue came back worse than ever,i haven't been back to see the doctor,i stopped the pills yesterday,the indigestion has gone already,i want to lose about a stone and try to lower my cholesterol myself ,but how can you exercise when you feel so weak and tired,my cholesterol level is 5 but because i suffer high blood pressure the doc said it needs to be 4.3,does anyone else suffer from the same and is on this medication?

I am a 47year old male.I,ve been on simvastatin for about 10 weeks now and have been experiencing mild short term memory loss for a few weeks. I put this down to the onset of old age?. I,ve also been getting spurious pains to elbow and finger joints? could these problems be associated with the medication?.

I took simvastatin about a year ago and took myself off it because I had really agonizing night cramps in my legs. A different doctor recently persuaded me to take the drug again because my cholesterol was high, but after only two weeks this time I have a swollen throat and tongue and a persistent cough. Last night I had a breathing problem and thought I was going to die - I just couldn't get any breath into my lungs. I woke up every half hour or so in the night, unable to breathe. I'm thinking I shouldn't be taking these things into my body if they have such dreadful effects. Are they common> Does anybody else have these effects?

I am 54 years old and on simvastatin for the past year. My nails have become brittle and break off easily. I have never had this problem before.
On the up side, my symptoms of GERD are better and my joint pains have also improved. I also used to have bleeding from gums while brushing (I do realise it is from plaque build up) but that has disappeared since I started simvastatin. When I stopped the medication for a month, the bleeding re-started from my gums. Simvastatin seems to have an anti-inflammatory effect, but I am worried about what it is doing to my nails. If my nails are getting brittle (? dehydration of cartilage), is it doing the same to the cartilage in other places too, e.g. knees and hips etc?

I am 43 yr old woman and have been on simvastatin on and off for the past 3yrs, it's only since coming across this website that I have actually managed to find a connection between this awful drug and a whole heap of medical problems. The most recent course made me so ill that I thought I had an incurable illness that no one could diagnose, at times I have been in so much pain I thought I was going to die. It started with severe knee pain, I have a little arthritis in the knee but doctors were baffled at why it would hurt so much as x-rays on knees and hips were ok. I ended up having an operation to cut a ligament, that was over a year ago and had been in crippling pain ever-since. Also; foggy head, headaches everyday lasting all day, pain in jaw, shoulders, neck, swollen throat, incredible limb swelling, numbness all down right side, kidney problems, weakness in muscles, aching hips and legs, itching, insomnia, to name a few. I complained to my doctor when I was prescribed 50mg of this poison because as soon as I took it, I immediately felt ill and collapsed from terrible weakness, couldn't even lift a feather. They reduced it to 20mg, and I blindly kept taking it, in the meantime, my leg function was worsening, my back was killing me, I couldn't sleep because of the unbelievable burning in my shoulders, hip, neck and legs, everything hurt so much. I have been in tears from the pain and frustration of not knowing what was happening to me, painkillers, even high potency prescriptions just didn't work. I was a healthy gym-going person with a slightly high cholesterol reading, and suddenly, I was almost crippled, unable to function or look after my family, couldn't even handle simple chores that I had done a thousand times before, couldn't think, speak well, do crosswords, it was unbelievable. I have had ECG's, heart stress tests, been to and fro to doctors, hospitals, specialists, even seen an osteopath with these pains, they must have thought I was a hypochondriac! Finally, I insisted on an MRI on my thigh as it had changed shape as there was a lot of muscle wasting in both my right arm and thigh, and so much pain. A lump had also appeared and was really worrying me. The doctor tried to fob me off and said it was a fat lump, I argued that if it was fat it wouldn't hurt so damn much, so the result of the MRI is that I have a tumor which is getting bigger. If I find out that this is a result of the medication, the gates of hell will open.
I took myself off this lethal stuff immediately as soon as I realized there was a connection between it and my debilitating condition, though it's too late to save my 12 yr relationship, that went down the tubes because I just couldn't function well, oh, and my job. and any chance of working after being ill for so long.
I have been off it just a few days but already I feel almost human again. I know it'll be a while before I can see a marked difference and do some of the things I used to be able to do like walk the dog!! but I am furious with my doctor's and have written a letter of complaint, and have told them that I would rather take my chances with god and be a happy person than ever trust them again. I am in no doubt whatsoever that this drug has ruined the last 3 years of my life and probably caused irreversible damage to my leg muscles. Why take a pill because the doctor said so??NEVER AGAIN from now on everything will be checked via websites like this, I am so disgusted that instead of helping me, my own doctor just prescribed other medications I need not have had because of this pill when all he had to do was take me off it. I find it hard to believe that they don't know of these side effects, or pretend not to, how can they not make the connection?? Absolutely furious. I am in worse health now than I ever was, there should be a serious health warning before this is given to anyone, and the first port of call for any complaints should be the doctors who prescribe them instead of offering alternative solutions. This is a time bomb waiting to explode.

Have been on 20MG Simvastatin for about a month. During this period have experienced severe burning/itching on both legs between ankles and calfs, resulting in an ugly rash. After reading several responses, I believe that I will 'put the medication' away. (Like down the toilet). Thanks for all who contribute!

Mike in AZ

Beside the joint pain and nausea experienced day after I started medication, was waking up each morning at 3 a.m. and not being able to get back to sleep again. Doctor suggested I come off for 3 months to see now that my cholesterol is down to 6.0 whether I can control it by diet alone. I was on 20mg at night.

I have been on Simvastatins for a number of years, with no apparent side effects. Then last year I moved house and had to find a new doctor, who reviewed my medication. He doubled by dosage from 20mg to 40mg and now I feel as though I want to go to sleep all the time and my feet are very painful to walk on, its like walking on cobbled stone in your bare feet.

Has anyone had hair loss? I have been on Simvastatin for 30 days adn I noticed hair loss.

Have been on 40mg of simvastatin for couple of months Experiencing sore calf muscles and feet both legs. Never had side effects from medication before but I suppose there is always a first time. Are the side effects described common?? Going back to GP Friday

I'm not yet sure that this medication has caused the problems, will check with my GP, but been taking 40mg doses for 3 months now, and have noticed worsening of stomach cramps, and pains in the kidney areas...also some weakness in muscles from time to time....and oh yes, intermitent night sweats too!

About 6 months after beginning to take simvastatin I began to have episodes of faintness, dizziness, loss of balance, loss of co-ordination and memory loss. Not a lot of fun! I would get up from my chair and fall over, fall down the stairs and stagger off the pavement into the road whilst out and about. My partner thought I was drinking in secret, and it got so bad that I fell off the pavement into the path of a moving car and was nearly run over. I read an article about the side effects of statins in general and realized that they may be the problem and so stopped taking them. Result? All side effects vanished and I'm as good as new. I'd rather have high cholesterol than go through that again.