SIMVASTATIN HELL ?

APOLOGIES all round Folks!  I wasn't thinking about the URL being published - and just hope that you do take the time to find out what I was talking about -- as I assure you it will be worth it!!

hi guest, i have no doubt that simvastatin is more than responsible for you muscle problems and a lot more, the best thing ever done was to come off them. i am on atorvastatin 20 mg but i control the way i take them . i watch what i eat [MOST OF THE TIME] but i do cheat i take atorvastatin 2 to 4 times a week because i do not want to take statins all the time, since coming off simvastatins all that you have mentioned i had and now its all gone except one of my legs is still lumpy. my cholestral is down from 8.6 to 5.2 im happy with that , ihope at least most of your horrible after effects go soon as i know it is a night mare your not in control of what is happening to your own body. they should do a lot more research on statins to find out what is the long time use of statins really is.. all the very best... len 7

hi blueboy i do not think its completly to do with bmi, my wife was just over 6 stone and her cholestrol was 8.6 i think some of it is to do with life stile and some possible inherited theres not enough research being done they would rather just throw tablets at it that havent been researched long enough,,  as for stroke or heart attack at your age that can happen to anyone. cholesterol is very reversable.  watch what fatty foods you eat exercise to your abillity and not over do it get expert advice on what kind of exercise will be good for you, we are all different  and your level of fitness is relevent so dont dispare there are things you can do that will bring your cholestral down safely. so all the best

Hello Guest,

My husband has elevated cholesterol (like is parents and siblings) so I made it my business to read up on, research and investigate from all sources, everything I could about statins. 

One thing I have learned is that Big Pharma (drug companies) have lowered the 'normal level' of cholesterol TWICE over the past years. Previous 'normal' readings were higher so that few people needed statins. Now the newer normals are much lower..in order to get more people on them. The drug companies have produced studies showing the benefits of statins that the NHS is planning to follow according to an article in the Telegraph written by Esward Malnick. Google: The Telegraph  New NHS statins guidance 'risks' harming patients'. The information is alarming to say the least.

Another very credible site is the world renowned Mayo Clinic in the US. Read up on their site about the side effects of statins. YES, they do cause muscle wasting, YES they increase diabetes and YES, they do cause memory loss according to their independent research. The good news is, according to the Mayo Clinic, memory loss is reversible once off the statins.

As for my husband;s case, about 6 or 7 years ago our 'health counsellor/naturopath/pharmacist/health store owner' recommended plenty of roughage which rids the bowels/body of cholesterol. My husband started taking All Bran (not Bran Flakes) with extra bran and psyllium added to it, also some ground nuts and seeds with berries or other fruit on top as his breakfast...and after a few months he went for a blood test and his cholesterol which had been very high (7.2) went down into the normal rage (4.8). The doctor was astounded! Our health guru suggested adding Red Rice Yeast which is a natural statin to his regimen which he started about 6 months ago. We hope this also will help. The next plan is to add red wine with his dinner. You can google YouTube The French Paradox...and again be astounded!. 

I am sure you will be able to regain your health once you are off statins. Always look to lifestyle first (nutrition, exercise etc..) before resorting to drugs and all their nasty side effects. I am 65 and I plan to NEVER take any drug...ever!

I was prescribed simvastatin after a test revealed I had a cholesterol level of 9.  My GP stated my high cholesterol was solely due to hereditary issues as I am not overweight, do not have high blood pressure nor high blood sugar and my diet is excellent as I'm mostly vegetarian.  Within 3 months I was in such muscular pain I actually couldnt get out of bed in the mornings.  He changed my prescription to Atorvastatin, fairly low dose, but after a little while I had exactly the same symptoms and appeared to have lost upper arm and thigh muscle tone which previously had been good as I swim very regularly.  I also started getting the most excrutiating headaches, not something I've ever suffered from previously.  I am so worried about strokes/heart attack etc., as I have a family history of heart disease but I cannot bear the thought of taking statins again as they wrecked my general health.  I would love to know what alternatives there are to statins please.

Hello there... In my humble estimation there is no safe drug  alternative.... Although you can get capsules of natural plant sterols from any reputable chemist. These combined with a good diet which you obviously do follow, with plenty of oatmeal should do the trick.   I know exactly where you're coming from with those symptoms and I would most certainly stop those tablets immediately without hesitation - and don't bother phoning your doctor  either -  just stop them, before you develop progressive and irreversible damage with those statins - like I have. 

Good luck.... And in the meantime get yourself onto coenzyme Q 10 tablets - as they do help to reverse the side effects in some people.

I had a heart attack ten years ago and was put on simvastatin - I have always had muscle pain if some degree but in the last three years have developed type 2 diabetes and muscle pain, pins and needles and pains in feet and intermittent shooting pains in fingers and feet. My cholesterol is always around 3.2.

however during last year or so I have had my right knee collapse on several occasions and the medical profession say I have severe muscle wastage in my right thigh. Doctors have never mentioned that statins could be the problem.  Reading this forum I now suspect the statin as the cause, and rather than see my doctor right away I have stopped taking them - 2 days now and noticing a very slight difference.

any ideas what I should do to take over from the statin. I do intend to see my GP in about 14 days but hope to be able to present with an improvement although I do know the muscle wastage is irreversible. Many thanks.

Michael - sorry to hear of your ongoing problems.  Some of your issues may well be due to Simvastatin, it doesn't suit everyone and muscle wastage is a common side effect.  Do discuss it with your doctor as there are other statins available that may not cause the same problems.  Unfortunately, I had counter reactions with several different types of statins and decided I couldn't live with them but that may not be the case for you.  If you decide ultimately, as I did, to dispense with statins all together, the only alternative is to approach a logical change in lifestyle, ie eat a diet containing items with a record of helping to lower cholesterol, take more exercise (this is the one single biggest factor in helping), do things to reduce stress level (eg meditation, exercise, etc) as stress causes the adrenal gland to overwork producing an excess of cortisol, which is bad news for heart health.  Please do discuss the options with your doctor.

My partner was prescribed statins and had horrendous night sweats, tingling legs and lethary. Problem is that like so many things, the doctors get a fund from the government when they prescribe these pills. Discussing with the GP is a waste of time as you only get 10minutes and quite frankly they do not want to rock the statin boat by agreeing to dicsuss any research evidence that you show them.

I read an article online over the weekend about trials for something called Pitavastatin, which apparently has far few side effects.  Has anyone been prescribed this yet?  There is no way on earth I'm ever going near Simvastatin or Atorvastatin again.  They may suit some people they definitely didnt suit me, I felt I was dying whilst taking them.