SIMVASTATIN HELL ?
Posted , 50 users are following.
I have been taking Simvastatin for over two years. During this time I have got progressively worse. Started with tingling and pins and needles in hands and fingers, sore sole of the feet and a little bit of joint stiffness, lumpy legs, severe lethargy, tireness and irritability.
NOW I have muscle wastage of the shoulder muscle, severe joint pain in spine, chest, hips, wrists and fingers. I have lost the grip and strength in my left hand, finding it difficult and clumsy to use. My sight is progressively getting worse, I feel as if I,m looking through a slight fog. My memory loss was becoming a real problem. Diarrohea, chronic muscle spasms - I was beginning to think I was going to die.
I have only just been made aware that the cause could be Simvastin - stopped taking them 5 days ago and I am feeling a little better having good days and bad days.
My concern is that if these problems have been caused by Simvastatin - it looks like they could be irreversable!
7 likes, 185 replies
richardbramwell Guest
Posted
As you may have guessed I am on 40 mg daily statins awaiting quadruple grafts - however I decided at an early stage to increase my metabolic rate and I exercise more and more - this means getting up early and applying myself even if it is only walking – fast walking with a bit of TNG!
If I get cramp I just take quinine in the Tonic water otherwise keep moving - per ardua ad astra
scott86884 Guest
Posted
I too had similiar side effects after being on atorvastatin for 6 months, it was 20mg day and my symptoms got worse after just being on it a month or so. I had memory loss, vision problems, headaches, brain fog, balance issue's and the Dr's didn't think it was caused by the statin. I knew it was because that's the only drug I was on during this time frame. I decided to quit taking them and it took about 6 weeks till I started feeling normal again. It takes time once your off them. My vision is good again, memory is getting better and brain fog has dissapeared. Maybe Dr can try a different statin if you really need to be on one..
loxie scott86884
Posted
SiSimon Guest
Posted
What an interesting thread.
So many people suffering with these awful tablets.
For me the depressed feeling after a few days of skipping a meal or too while out and about. I never got depressed previously. I never had issues sleeping being kept awake by my mind not wanting to stop ticking over. Sweats, cramps and disrupted sleep.
My last visit to the Dr as I am borederlne type 2 (only just so have gone from 2 metformin to 1 this year as that was overkill too) the cholestrol was fine - too good in fact. So these wonder tabs I figured were maybe the issue.
A friend suggested I was depressed and should get help - I then looked into how that could be as I really had nothing to be depressed about. And there I found it - these beauties simstatin were making lots of others feel miserable along with the other symtoms.
I told my Dr I didnt want to take them any longer and they prescribed other statins at a lower does - i looked them up and it was an ever worse picture.
So 3 weeks on and I am constantly happy - it feels really wierd.
I'd rather die of a heart attack than feel that bad again.
Good luck all.
loxie SiSimon
Posted
Si - your last line is exactly how I feel - it's awful to say it and probably foolish of me, but I too would rather run the risk of a stroke than a heart attack than be so ill and have other major health damage while taking statins. Never thought I'd say this but quality of life is now more important to me than length of life.
scott86884 loxie
Posted
I couldn't agree more loxie, quality of life is most impt.. I had terrible side effects from atorvastatin and couldn't function at all while on them. Quit cold turkey and it's taken about 6 weeks before I felt somewhat normal again. Decided to eat much healthier and exercise more and monitor my cholesterol every 3 to 6 months. Statins are definitely not for everyone. I would recommend trying everything you can do to try and stay off them. Sd
loxie SiSimon
Posted
My doctor was of the opinion that ALL medication has side effects but the benefits outweigh them. The damage I suffered on statins I don't consider falls under just 'side effects' it was life threatening and damaging. He told me that my diet was good and diet alone couldnt solve my high cholesterol as it was inherited. Given that my BP is normal, along with my blood sugar, I just have to accept that high cholesterol isnt curable for me unless I take statins, which I have decided I cannot do and will have to risk the consequences.
mrbob84 loxie
Posted
Seeing as how the jury is still out on whether high cholesterol actually has anything to do with heart problems, I think this decision we both made, to stay off of them even at the risk of raising our potential for problems - which is also super tiny to begin with, in the 2-3% range, I believe - is the best one to make. WAY too much can go wrong.
My memory problems alone were enough to keep me off of them forever, after 2 years of significant lapses, patchiness, and feeling blah from not being in touch with those nice salacious ones that keep me going - and non-remembering of critical deadlines. That was enough. I had had it, and 2 years later I am back to normal, thank God. Others have not been quite so lucky, you can find more horror stories in other threads here on this site.
It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature.
alison55279 Guest
Posted
Hi had to reply my husband is 43 had three strokes he was on 80mg ativistane sorry can't spell it couldn't walk cut him down so much he now on 20 he made a very good recovery from his strokes his down fall his is arm one arm right one. He had neuro stroke team look at it and she totally baffled what causing this chronic pain. He has pins and needles his fingers to his elbow. No a doctor but I can sense it's the sivmstane he taken. His cholesterol is perfect hospital said but rather he took it any way. I'm sorry but to see a grown man cry whole night way the pain is no way of life, I could put my life on it this is reason.
scott86884 alison55279
Posted
Hi Allison,
I was on Atorvastatin 20mg for about 5 to 6 months and had severe side effects. I had headaches, brain fog, memory problems, severe irratability, vertigo and couldn't take it anymore. I quit cold turkey about 7 weeks ago and am starting to feel much better now. I have pretty good cholesterol numbers and have decided to eat healthier and exercise. I did cut my dose in half for about 2 weeks before I quit. If he can do without I would, if not try cut in half and also take every other day. My dr said it was ok to do that before I quit all together on my own..
mrbob84 alison55279
Posted
NOBODY WITH NORMAL CHOLESTEROL SHOULD BE PUT ON STATINS.
To do so is taking risks on something you're acclimating you body to, 24/7, that could be poison to that particular body.
I was on them same way, "just in case". I can't believe doctors would encourage such behavior in each other. I had to hear about it thru my chiropractor. My cadiologist not once talked with me about side effects even when I dropped off copious literature from this site, the FDA site, and other sources reporting how horrendous and permanent some of those side effects are.
Please stop taking them if your cholesterol is normal. That would be like taking chemotherapy when it is not needed. It's poison, and we just hope it kills the disease before it kills the patient. Nobody ever takes chemotherapy for the rest of their life. That do what they need to do and then leave it behind.
In this case if your cholesterol is normal, there's no reason to be taking them at all, and every reason not to. Keep surfing this site for more and more evidence. The reports here of the dangers to one's health from statins seem to be endless.
geebee48 mrbob84
Posted
loxie alison55279
Posted
Alison, I've just read further articles, medical papers etc on the subject and the view of the 'experts' is that statins should not really ever be used as a primary treatment, even in the most 'at risk' group, ie middle aged men with a history of heart episodes. For anyone else, the best advice is really dont touch them with a barge pole. There is plenty of eminent work categorically linking statin use to type 2 diabetes, arthersclerosis, liver damage, muscle damage ( it is thought to occur because statins activate the gene atrogin-1 gene, which plays a key role in muscle atrophy) this is in no way a minor side effect or nuisance. Muscle pain and weakness may be an indication that your body tissues are actually breaking down -- a condition that can cause kidney damage. The ridiculous situation of blanket prescribing of statins to anyone who has even the slightest risk is not just unwise but realistically immoral. Too low a cholesterol level will cause cognitive function problems, possibly leading to dementia. Statins have been linked to heart attack issues, particularly but not exclusively in women. I guess your husband is on other post stroke medication anyhow and the best advice from those on here who have suffered is avoid statins at all costs.
mrbob84 loxie
Posted
Loxie, I could not agree more: "The ridiculous situation of blanket prescribing of statins to anyone who has even the slightest risk is not just unwise but realistically immoral."
I have seen reports that prescribing statins is intentionally on the increase and that due to the fantastic profit picture out there with this cheap medication, those who manufacture these medications want to get as many people as possible on them, regardless of whether those people are at risk or not. Citing side effects as being "nominal and negligible", they are being pushed like candy. Anyone reading this thread and others on this site and elsewhere knows that nothing could be further from the truth.
They can have life altering consequences to those who are reactive to them. Permanent consequences. This goes far beyond being immoral!
Thanks for your share, we are in complete agreement on this. I believe that prescribing statins when there are little to no risk factors is a criminal act and should be prosecuted. NOT ADVISING PATIENTS of the potential risks by at least mentioning them and advising people very imperatively that they should read the pamphlet should also be deemed a criminal act, as these are definitely the exception to the rule when it comes to side effects, these are serious not nominal. When you turn out to be part of the minority - but the still very distinct and prominent number - of those who will react badly (understatement, should be react excoriatingly terribly and dangerously, as in their effects on pushing patients towards diabetes) to them, NOT having been advised by your doctor to be wary of them and their potential side effects will put you in a health situation you didn't know you'd be in. Possibly permanently, according to many reports I have seen on this site.
With reports like in these threads here on this site, which are true stories, there should be safeguards for us patients. We believe in our caregivers, and they are not telling it like it is. They should not be giving out statins like candy, and the pharmaceutical industry should be ashamed of itself.
alison55279 mrbob84
Posted
Hi mrbob84
I totally agree my man is 43 feels like an 80 year he sucidal way pain only in his arm so much so he attending a stroke physiologst. She asked why he went from been so upbeat about taken life differently after first two strokes to now he had a third one he did every thing he meant to and stil had a stroke and on top of it all this horrendous pain in arm. Nothing showing up saying he has any injuries or neuro pain. They know he in pain as he can only use 3/4 of it othe r1/4 is opening up lifting above his shoulder putting it behind his back turning over in bed. Not a frozen shoulder. Pain makes his fingers numb and has pins and needles all time in hand to elbow. Told hm get off the simvistatine. Only reason I can think why they can't diagnose the condition this would t show up. Also pain worse at night after he takes the tablet during day it's sore but not as sore. Hope it can get better if t is this silly tablet he been on it for 6 months in and off as he had bad cramps on high dosage he collapsed way the pain in his legs bit t was all over this pain is one arm.