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!
Instersted in your experiences as I have been on Simvasatin and seem to also bve having problems some quite similar. How were you made aware that it may be the Simvastatin causing the problem and why do you think that some of the problems may be irreversable.
There is always a leaflet enclosed with your medication. It lists possible side effects and if people took the time to read it, then perhaps they wouldn't end up with permanent health problems.
I got put on simvastatin 6 weeks as i am a type 2 diabetic and according to guidelines, over 40's should have this and asprin. last cholestrol test was spot on (although i am over weight)
Wow, scary, i am now off work with stress related, i have mood swings, depression, was just getting over this, constant headache , cant remember what i did an hour ago, never mind yesterday, myalgia, constipation, very unhappy boy .
my doc took me off, with a view to getting back on my feet again and putting me a lower dose of a different one.
Praise God that my Doc is sensible enough to see the rapid downturn off my over all health.
i quite agree with all you say--------i was convinced i was dying when i took them i felt so ill-----stiff painful joints hardly could walk somedays and my eyesight weel that was odd to say the least---went to optician didnt need glasses but couldnt hardly read !---back to normal now since i stoppeed taking them ---------pure poison !
I came off them after having 7 months of lumpy breasts, lumps in my legs and agonizing leg pain. I honestly didn't think I would see this Christmas. I couldn't wear a bra because of the pain and I could actually feel the blood running in my veins like spiders running up and down. Overall I felt wretched and must have spent £50 on Solpadeine to give me a decent night's sleep. I visited my doctor more times in 3 months than I had in 30 years.
I came off them myself. I was not told to do so. Since then my symptoms have gone and I am back to my old self. I wouldn't advise anybody to take these. You might as well take Hemlock!
message for Jackson 1957 - a bit smug if you don't mind me saying. These symptoms creep up on us almost overnight. I had just a slight ache in my leg which could have been anything, and all of a sudden one morning I woke up and could hardly walk. I have suffered agonising pains ever since even though I stopped the medicine straight away. I had read the leaflet and suspected it may be these, but even after reading all these notes, it is hard to believe the devastating effect this drug has. It obviously must build up in your system for quite some time and then wham! God knows how long it is going to take before I get any ease.
I am wondering what you have suffered? You must have had some reason to be reading this. We are all just desperate people in agony and can do without the snide comments, thankyou!
I've gotta say, reading all your reviews and experineces that most of you are incredibly depressive about this. I donlt see one person saying - yeah i may ache but at least my cholesterol is down and my risk of heart disease is reduced. I'm 27 and i recently found out that there's AT LEAST 3 generations of heart disease in my family. Went to to the doctors, got myself checked out, was a smoker (packed that in now, albeit it's only be a week so far!!) and had a cholestrol of 6.4. Not high but with the history in the family, high enough.
Doctor was incredibly helpful, honest, upfront about the tablet and risks. It was my choice to go on them. According to him, even if i avoided every bad bit of food, exercised all the time and generally kept myself in tiptop condition, i'd only lower the level to 6!!! Don't know about you lot but i'd far rather ache a bit/lot than die of heart disease by the age of 40.
Lets all cheer up hey... you all say you feel better once you've come off them!
What I've read here is enough to put anyone off trying this drug for. My cholesterol is over 7 but I'm not going to risk the drug - I'll risk the stroke or heart attack (20% chance in the next 10 years, apparently). Yet what of the growing opinions among doctors that they don't do any good anyway? some say it is medical myth and a great con that cholesterol is bad for you. This hasn't been discussed much here. I'd like to know why Dr Malcolm Kendrick is wrong. I showed his book to my doctor and she refused to look at it or give his views a moment of her time. Why is that? There must be a simple reason why he is wrong that the layman can understand. Maybe he's right and doctors (and the industry the produces the drugs) don't want you to know the truth...
I have been on Simvastatin for 6 wks now and I have had distrubed nights sleep and mood changes also aches. It has got worst over the last 2wks hence why I'm writing this at 5am after having another disturbed night and resorted to the web for some answers. i will stop the medication tomorrow and book in with my doc asap. My cholesterol was 8.1 before taking the drug and hasn't been re tested yet but I don't smoke am not over weight ( size 10/12) only drink socially so unless there is a good alternative i won't be taking statins again!
I was fitted with a stent for my angina last November(2009)and was put on to Asprin,Clopidogrel and Simvastatin,since taking these my arm muscles ache like hell ,it feels like they on fire I have been to my G.P.and told him that I cannot sleep at nite but all he does is give me painkillers,that dont work!
Today I phoned the Hospital and spoke to the cardiac dept. they told me to have a blood test to see if my body is rejecting any of the drugs ,they also said that statins are the cause of muscle pain,PLEASE GOD they will take me off them ,how can one little tablet cause so much pain it is WORSE THAN THE ANGINA!!
hi, my Dad has been on simvastatin since his first heart attack in 1995 he has had leg cramps for years , but the last couple of weeks he has had a very painful shoulder /arm an hand, having pins an needles an numbness, in this arm. he is in so much pain and is not able to sleep. he said this pain is now in his leg.
i took him to see his doctor today, (she looked ike she'd just left school). he told her that he was having probs an after talking to many people h thinks it is this drug that is causing these problems, i asked what else could it be be. she said i doubt very much if its this drug, and she said she would have to do varius tests first to see if it is simvastatin. we told her we do not want him to take these anymore an she said she cannot take him off untill the test come back, as that is the only drug for cholesterol, so i said , because it is the cheepest an she said yes,,
I told her he has been on these so long and no one ever asks if he has any probs. so now i dont know what to do,even if his tests come back clear we are not happy for him to take this drug. and Dad has decided to stop taking them as from now.
Hello, all. I'm new to this forum but would like to tell you my experience of Simvastatin. I've been taking Simvastatin since I had a heart attack in 2008 and, I hate it! My hips ache, my back aches and my arms ache. I'm tired all of the time and can hardly function. I'm only 45! Yesterday evening, a friend told me of his 'Simvastatin nightmare' and that prompted me to do some research. I'm now considering binning this nasty drug. My friend ditched the drug some time ago and feels much better for it.
Hi, I have just been reading you experiences with simvastitin I have been taking simvastitin for 2years and been side effects to this tablet numbness,burning, tingling in hands and feet muscle pains in arms and legs and loss of grip in both hands I have stopped taking simvastitin 5days ago and feel a slight differences in my feet but everything else seems the same I just wondered if you got any better after stopping raking simvastitin because I can't see a light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks.
I have been reading this discussion and am very concerned about the long term effects of simvastitin. I am a 33 years old male and have been recently diagnosed with high cholesterol at 8.1 last week by my doctor. I’m not really over weight I’m 6ft1 and weigh about 15stone 7pounds. I do a little running and kick boxing. The doctor has told me to start taking simvastitin which I have started last week 21/4/11, but I’m really worried about these side effects.
I think if I speak to the doctor about this she will just say well what’s better a stroke or a heart attack or theses side effects. its a really hard decision.
I wasnt asked to go without food before i went for the blood test. In fact i didnt even go for a blood test for high cholesterol it was for Gout which i has just started (wonder if this has anything to do with my cholesterol?) and they said they would do my cholesterol at the same time.
The test was done on a Monday afternoon and i had been on holiday for the weekend just before where i was over indulging in food and alcohol.
he has had leg cramps for years , but the last couple of weeks he has had a very painful shoulder /arm an hand, having pins an needles an numbness, in this arm. he is in so much pain and is not able to sleep. he said this pain is now in his leg. 