I was prescribed Simvastatin (40mg) by my doctor because...

I was prescribed Simvastatin (40mg) by my doctor because my cholesterol levels were high, even though I have no other risk factors. I took one pill and in the morning found it difficult to wake up, my throat was bone dry, my speech was slow, I felt sick, dizzy and had no strength in my limbs - I could barely shuffle, let alone walk, and could not even dry my hair with a hairdryer. The previous day I had felt totally fit and healthy, even doing my usual 3 mile walk. I could not drive so my husband took me to the surgery. A friend was there and she was shocked at my condition. I saw a doctor who told me to stop taking Simvastatin and he prescribed cetirizine (an anti-histamine) to damp down the reaction. Even so he said it would take days for the statin to leave my bloodstream. Within 20 minutes of taking the cetirizine I began to feel better. Within an hour I was able to walk fairly normally, my head had cleared, strength had returned to my limbs, though I felt very tired. I am allergic to penicillin and wonder if this contributed to the problem, or whether the does was simply too high. Either way, it was a very frightening experience - I went overnight from being a fit, active person of 56 to a shuffling octagenarian.

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