Simvastatin

[SusieGriff]

I've been on simvastatin for the past 4 months, during that time I developed weird muscle pains in my thighs, I mentioned it to my GP Nurse and she recommended I speak to the doc. I did.. he did a CK (?) blood test I think that's what it was, anyway it was negative, so he said carry on.. I queried that so he halved the dose to 20mg. I still got the pains, so I stopped taking them about 5 nights ago..... no more pains...... So how come????
Should I tell, or just not take them, I don't want a row with the GP or challenge his expertise (HA! ).🙄

 

[vince13]

I've been on this drug (at the 20 mg level) for about 2 years with no ill-effects but I think it is recognised that Statins can cause muscle pain and some people have to stop taking them because of this. In fact, I think I recall on the leaflet that comes with the pills it says to report muscle pain to your Dr.

Personally I would go back to your GP and tell him of your recent experiment with the drug (i.e. no pain when you stop taking it) in a non-confrontational way and see if he will prescribe another sort of statin which he thinks may not cause the same feelings with you.

Good luck.🙂

 

[Sunflowers]

I've been on simvastatin for the past 4 months, during that time I developed weird muscle pains in my thighs, I mentioned it to my GP Nurse and she recommended I speak to the doc. I did.. he did a CK (?) blood test I think that's what it was, anyway it was negative, so he said carry on.. I queried that so he halved the dose to 20mg. I still got the pains, so I stopped taking them about 5 nights ago..... no more pains...... So how come????
Should I tell, or just not take them, I don't want a row with the GP or challenge his expertise (HA! ).🙄

Hi NMC,

Did the pains stop straight away? I'd imagine if it was down to the simvastatin, that it would take a good few days for the meds to be out of your system, so it would theoretically take a good few days for pains to stop too if they were a direct result of the simv.

Whichever though, I'd have to tell! I had enough years when I was younger of not telling and it was only me that suffered in the long run. Sorry if that sounds preachy, it's really not meant to. Why not tell your GP and they might test you on a lower dose or try you on them again in a few weeks to see if your symptoms come back or something a bit more technical? ;-)

Take care 🙂

S x

 

[Sunflowers]

PS

I've been on the 40mg dose for a good few years with no (apparent!) side effects, but my dad was on them for a few months and they really dissagreed with him and he had to stop taking them. Another case of everyone's different I think x

 

[Northerner]

This is a known side-effect of simvastatin Susie. I stopped taking them because of this, amongst other reasons. Is your cholesterol high? My GP wanted me to continue with them even though my cholesterol had dropped to 2.4! My muscle pains and cramps, plus some of my nausea abated once I stopped. My cholesterol did increase, but is still reasonable at 4.6.

There are alternative types of statin that your GP could try you on if your cholesterol is high - they use simvastatin because it is the cheapest as it is out of patent, although it is by far the least effective. There is a recent article about that here: http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=35&storycode=4129160&c=2

You may have to register to read the article, but it is free and worth it as the website has some excellent medical news on it (it's a website for health professionals/GPs etc.).

I read an excellent book about cholesterol and statins, review here:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=4114&highlight=kendrick

It's a complex subject, so it's worth researching as much as you can. These are powerful drugs so you need to take care and know a little of how they work in your body. Do discuss the fact that you want to stop taking them with your doctor and ask about the alternatives. It's possible to reduce cholesterol levels naturally, with certain foods like benecol, which contain plant sterols, and exercise is very effective too in getting a good balance between 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol.

Hope that helps! 🙂

 

[Nuttyal]

Hi Susie,

Something else for you to look at.

My wife had been taking statins for a while and was always affected with aches and pains in muscles and chest. She suffered it for quite a while before seeking help. She was quite adamant that statins were causing the problems!

Initially GP was very unhelpful.

Wife persevered and used internet to find any possible causes. She came across articles about "CREATINE KINASE LEVELS" and how they affect the body.

Wife returned to GP armed with relevant information, and asked to have blood test to check these levels. It was found that her levels were abnormal and she was taken off statins. Hey Presto! - no more aches and pains!

There are lots of articles on internet that give a lot of info on this.

Maybe have a quick look at www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0215/p854.html "Creatine Kinase Levels and Statin-Induced Myopathy"

Hope this helps.

 

[Northerner]

Thanks for that Al - I'm guessing that was the 'CK' test that Susie says her doctor did. I wonder if the doctor's interpretation of the results was incorrect? (It can happen! 😱). I'll have a read of that article, thanks 🙂

p.s. just read it - very interesting, and would support the possibility that Susie's CK test was normal but she still had pains.

 

[margie]

To be fair to Susie's Dr it looks like he has ordered the Creatine Kinase blood tests and based on the results of that has said to continue.

Susie you should go and see the Dr and explain that you were getting so fed up with the pains that you stopped the statins and the pains have stopped. Ask if there is anything else you can try. Just because the test didn't appear to show something doesn't mean that your levels are in a range you can cope with - just that the majority of the population can.

 

[Ellie Jones]

Some people seem to be able to get on with them, I know some that take the full 80gm wack without any problems (shame it's not making a lot of impact at lowering their cholestrol) Other seem to have problems with them from minor aches and pains to quite disbiliting symptoms...

Les my OH had a lot of problems with ache's and pains in his shoulder after starting simvastatins, he gone to his gp on several occasions who wasn't much help apart form sending him for physio! which didn't help either..

Les was aware what was being said about statins and muscle pain etc, but at first really wasn't convinced but has his ache's got worse he spoke to his GP several times to no avail...

So he decided that he would do his own experiement and not take them for 3 months inbetween bloods tests, that way he could see what difference they were making to his cholestrol and/or it did or didn't help his ache's and pains..

Shocked when we saw the results, once he stopped taking them, he noticed within days a improvement in pain levels, and within a couple of weeks ache's and pains completely gone... His next bloods came back, there was an slight increase in his Cholestrol, but still in the mid 3's!

When he presented this information to his doctor telling the doctor he wasn't going to take them anymore the doctor presuaded him to take statins but put him on the more expensive Rosastatin (sp) which even though yes it doesn't cause the ache's and pains of simvastatin but really doesn't improve his cholestrol that much to really warrent the cost!

 

[Nuttyal]

My wife and I remember seeing a documentary on TV a few years back that looked into the effects of statins.
Some of the people being interviewed suffered from severe aches and pains having taken statins for a considerable time. Some of them were even unable to walk!
It had been proved that the cause of their pains was indeed statins, but even after coming off medication, their problems still persisted. They had been taking the statins for so long that their problems were irreversible!
I have been taking statins myself for a number of years with no side effects!

 

[SusieGriff]

My Cholesterol was (I think) as it was mumbled... first diagnosed I didn't take all the info in, but I seem to think it was around 6 ish. And yes I had the Creatinine Kinase test and he said it was normal. I think I'll try again for a few days, see what happens, if the pains come back then I know it's them. I was trying to walk to get my exercise and it was becoming more and more painful to do this, i've never had anything like it before. I said to the doc that it seems like I'v run a marathon, it's like those sort of pains, you know what he said......? "Well have you? " I was gobsmacked. yes of course I've run a marathon, then complained that my leg aches... duh !
If it happens again I'll see another doc. (is it me, or do they all seem like they couldn't care less ??)

 

[Northerner]

Well, I am used to running marathons, and the types of pain I was getting were a little similar when on statins - although at the time I hadn't done much running at all as I was forbidden for a few months after diagnosis because of suspected heart problems (my heart turned out to be OK 🙂). The pains have not returned, except when I go for long runs! 🙂

There are some really excellent GPs, it is such a shame that there are some who appear to be poor - they may be good GPs, just not very good at communicating, or they may be genuinely bad GPs who don't really listen or know their stuff. I used to place a lot of trust in GPs before I had to start seeing them regularly, now they have to earn my respect. My current GP is one of the excellent ones, so I am very lucky 🙂

 

[lucy123]

I had the same problems on simvastatin and was changed to atorvastatin which I believe is more expensive - however since changing no more awful leg pains. Stick to your argument, you have the right to try another sort.

 

[Valerie Ann]

I am on Simvastatin as well 40mg at night and have been having muscle aches and was wondering if it was these that were causing them. I hate taking them really but doctor says i have to.

Val x

 

[Northerner]

I am on Simvastatin as well 40mg at night and have been having muscle aches and was wondering if it was these that were causing them. I hate taking them really but doctor says i have to.

Val x

Val, if you think they are continuing to cause you problems then ask your doctor if you can either try an alternative type or stop taking them for a couple of weeks to see if the problem disappears. I suspect this problem is more common than is generally recognised given the number of people who report it. No need to suffer if it's not necessary 🙂

 

[Ellie Jones]

I am on Simvastatin as well 40mg at night and have been having muscle aches and was wondering if it was these that were causing them. I hate taking them really but doctor says i have to.

Val x

Valerie are you under a mental health act section?

As this is the only way that we 'have to' take medication prescribed to us!

A doctor can not tell a patient that they 'have to' take anything he can prescibe medication that he/she feels may be benefical to the patient and advise the patient that it is in their best interest to take medication that is prescribed to them...

The choice to whether you do or not is still yours to make..

I do have to note here, that I don't advocate anybody stopping any medication prescribed to them by their doctor without dicussing it with their doctor first though...

 

[C*5_Dodger]

I've been on simvastatin for the past 4 months, during that time I developed weird muscle pains in my thighs, I mentioned it to my GP Nurse and she recommended I speak to the doc. I did.. he did a CK (?) blood test I think that's what it was, anyway it was negative, so he said carry on.. I queried that so he halved the dose to 20mg. I still got the pains, so I stopped taking them about 5 nights ago..... no more pains...... So how come????
Should I tell, or just not take them, I don't want a row with the GP or challenge his expertise (HA! ).🙄

Dear nomorecakes,

I just caught up with this thread - I don't take statins and have told my doctor that I will not take them on any account. Anyway, the following web site just alerted me to this article, left click here.

Regards Dodger

 

[SusieGriff]

Dear nomorecakes,

I just caught up with this thread - I don't take statins and have told my doctor that I will not take them on any account. Anyway, the following web site just alerted me to this article, left click here.

Regards Dodger

Wow Dodger, thanks for this, it really is food for thought. We are advised to take a fair amount of exercise to help lower cholesterol and yet it states that excersise exacerbates it ! I really am going to see whether these statins are life or death for me, and if there is another way to lower the cholesterol then I think i'm going to opt for it.

 

[Northerner]

Wow Dodger, thanks for this, it really is food for thought. We are advised to take a fair amount of exercise to help lower cholesterol and yet it states that excersise exacerbates it ! I really am going to see whether these statins are life or death for me, and if there is another way to lower the cholesterol then I think i'm going to opt for it.

Be aware Susie that these side effects don't affect everyone to the same degree, or the drugs would never be licensed for use. The webpage mentions rhabdomyolysis which can happen but is extremely rare. My main criteria when considering whether to continue taking statins was chiefly because, as a person of low risk and reasonable cholesterol levels without them, the benefits were outweighed by the risks of taking them.

Also wanted to clarify that exercise doesn't exacerbate cholesterol levels, but may exacerbate the side effects of statins (according to the good doctor).

 

[SusieGriff]

Be aware Susie that these side effects don't affect everyone to the same degree, or the drugs would never be licensed for use. The webpage mentions rhabdomyolysis which can happen but is extremely rare. My main criteria when considering whether to continue taking statins was chiefly because, as a person of low risk and reasonable cholesterol levels without them, the benefits were outweighed by the risks of taking them.

Also wanted to clarify that exercise doesn't exacerbate cholesterol levels, but may exacerbate the side effects of statins (according to the good doctor).

Yes, exercise, that's what I meant.. excercise exacerbates the effect, the pain. I'm not going to take anything as gospel Alan, just weighing it all up. just know that I hated the pains in my legs. It's good to knows the ups and the downside of anything really, it's just educating yourself about it all. It's still all so new to me and I didn' want to just get carried along with all these meds and not ask any questions.