MEVACOR Reviews (LOVASTATIN)Average Rating: 1.6 (113 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare MEVACOR with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Gender males first. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on MEVACOR: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR MEVACOR | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | High Cholesterol | I have been taking it (actually the generic Lovastatin) for 2 months. So far, no side effects and it has significantly lowered my Cholesterol and LDLs. Both numbers are nearly in the normal range. | I get it from Target at a cost of $12 for 90 days. | M | 44 | 2 months | 4/14/2007 | 5 | Elevated Cholesterol | From my previous posts, I have reduced the side effects to my back maybe cracks a little more than usual - during the day I'll twist this way ot that or flex my sholder back and get a crack out of my back. It's really a very minor side effect. | I reported twice before on this post (I used the same description found in the left most column). For clarification, Mevacor, Lovastatin, Monocolins and Red Yeast Rice are [pretty much] the same drug. - Anyways, my numbers now are: Total 194, HDL 53, LDL 129, triglycerides very good, glucose a little elevated but still well within normal. - here is what I did and what I have changed since these numbers were derived. 1/2 pill of Red Yeast Rice (5.2g monocolins), 1500 mg niacin (actually 1200 niacin and 300 inositol in the form of inositol hexanicotinate), 5 1g fish oil pills (molecularly distilled to remove any toxins), b-complex with and also extra folic acid and b12, 200mg CoQ10 (minimum) - Going forward I will increase niacin to 2000mg to increase my HDL. I must be careful and watch my liver function number because niacin as well as the red yeast rice puts a strain on the liver. CoQ10 is absolutely essential for the elimination of many of my earlier symptoms. | M | 49 | 18 months | 6/26/2008 | 5 | 2 NEUROSURGERIES / HIGH CHOL. | NONE WHATSOEVER. | KNOCKED MY CHOL DOWN IN 3 MONTHS FROM 280 TO 80. WHAT CAN I SAY? IT WORKED FOR ME, 100% THANKFUL. LOOKS LIKE I'M ON IT FOREVER NOW. | M | 57 | 3 years | 11/8/2009 | 4 | Cholesterol | Neck stiffness, neck pain, neck muscles felt as thought they were going to freeze up and crack. Heaviness in chest. Lack of ambition. Seemed to be losing muscle mass. Struggled in my running. | I took Red Yeast Rice extended release with 10.2 mg monocolins (Lovastatin or brand name Mevacor). I had great success lowering my cholesterol from 245 to 165 but had bad side effects as I listed. I then started taking 100 mg CoQ10 daily and symptoms lessened. I then cut the pill in half (cut my dose in half) and all symptoms went away. I then started taking a beta sterol 15 minutes before each meal (total beta sterol a day between 3 and 4 grams). I started taking fish oil and cod liver oil also preceded by 1 beta sterol. Beta sterol is believed to compete with cholesterol within the digestive track for uptake. Lastly, I take CLA (another fatty acid just as fish oil has fatty acids DHA and EPA). The CLA is helping me drop fat and hopefully gain muscle. I head to the Dr's next week to check my blood levels. If I keep below 200 total with HDL above 65 and LDL below 120 then I'll be happy - and of course my triglycerides too. | M | 49 | 4 months | 8/1/2007 | 4 | High Choles (244 - Red Yeast Rice) | This works, I guarantee. I make this entry on this site to educate. I'll be short. Mevacor is the brand name. Lovastatin is the generic name. Red Yeast Rice contains lovastatin - or known by monacolin-K when in Red Yeast Rice. Along with monacolin-k there are monacolin-1,2,3,4,5,6 and a beta sterostol. With RYR these work synergistically to lower cholesterol with an amount (mg) less than that used for same cholestrol lower effect as Mevacor. Therefor, with 10 gm of RYR monacolin you get the effect of about 15 mg of Mevacor. It not only uses less but it spreads out the load rather than targeting a single receptor thus putting a far lesser load on the liver. I lowered my cholesterol from 244 to 195 and elevated HDL from 63 to 70. Now I'll mix in walnuts and oatmeal and continue working out. | People jump into statins - DON'T. Start with say 5 mg for 2 weeks and then 10 mg for 2 and then 15 mg. The rule will be that 10 mg will lower overall cholestrol by about 23%. Adding another 10 mg to 20 mg doesn't mean you'll lower it 46% - it will be more like 28%. By slowly starting off on it you will help avoid the problems. And, I guarantee most the people here with problems are boozing it. Cut back to maybe 1 glass a wine on 3 day per week. I drank too much once and boy did I pay for it. And I tried taking it before and stopped due to problems. THis time I took it slowly and cut back on the booze and all is good. Initially I felt tired and a little heavy in the chest. but that is all gone. And rememeber to take 30 mg CoQ10 per day to replace what lovastatin removes. | M | 48 | 2 months | 6/4/2007 | 4 | High Cholesterol | NONE | Been taking Lovastatin for 10 months - Lowered cholesterol | M | 46 | 10 months | 3/1/2006 | 4 | lower cholesterol | heartburn,heart racing slightly | taking only 10mg per day. Seems to act as an anti-inflammatory also since my back pain has gone away. | M | 63 | 6 months | 6/15/2003 | 3 | High LDL | Memory loss | I took Mevacor for one year. My memory progressively got worse. My memory returned after I had been off of Mevacor for a couple weeks | M | 45 | 1 years | 8/20/2004 | 3 | Type 2 diabetes | According to my doctor, the beneficial side effects of this statin are increased blood flow to the kidneys which is a good thing for diabetics. He also subscribes to the theory that diabetics, even with "normal" cholesterol numbers, have lower quality cholesterol - hence the statin helps reduce the amount of bad cholesterol (which is worse in us than non-diabetics) and increase good cholesterol (which is not as of good a quality as in non-diabetics). | I didn't particularly need this for cholesterol problems - my doctor prescribed it mostly for beneficial side effects. In any case my total cholesterol was 151 before starting (LDL & HDL both in the low normal ranges too). After 6 months my total dropped to 124. Triglycerides took a nose dive from mid-range normal to low normal. The ratio of LDL to HDL also improved. | M | 47 | 6 months | 3/23/2006 | 3 | High cholesterol | I've been taking Lovastatin for about 10 years. Had the sore muscle thing, but not severe. I am experiencing tremors (shaky hands, fingers, facial muscles. A "RARE" side effect of Lovastatin is "tremors". I have a friend who has extreme tremors and takes Lovastatin. | I want to know if there are many of you out there who have experienced increasing tremors. Thanks. I might be 74, but I'm as active as most 40 year olds, might account for the sore muscles. | M | 74 | 10 years 10 Mg 1X day | 3/18/2011 | 3 | Elevated Cholesterol | ..A GUIDE TO LOWERING CHOLESTEROL FOR THOSE WITH BAD REACTIONS TO STATINS DRUGS SUCH AS MEVACOR AND LIPITOR, etc.. ...Write me if you have questions.. I commented on this page before. I had great success with Red Yeast Rice (also known as Lovastatin brand name Mevacor)lowering my total cholesterol from 244 to 168 with my HDL 40. My orig numers were 244 w/HDL 62. But there were side effects and my HDL had dropped 22. | I stopped and tried beta sterols, oatmeal, loss 10 lbs, kept up the exercise (best I could), fish oil 2 pills total EPA 530mg and 1000mg niacin extended release but my numbers were total 225 w/HDL 53. Thats a little progress but I need more. I have increased my niacin to 1200 mg (600 before bed and 600 in the morning) and started taking Red Yeast Rice again but half a pill therefor 5.2 monacolins but my neck has started to tighten up and crack with headaches. I'm taking one day off RYR and tom I take only 1/4 a pill for 2.6 monacolins. I mean Advicor is niacin extended relase and Lovastatin and it comes in quantities starting at 500mg extended release niacin and 20 mg lovastatin. I'm well within the lowest amount so what gives. I'm upping my fish oil to 5 to 6 pills for an EPA of 1100-1350 mg. I had been taking 6 pills fish oil before my first test (HDL 62) but had stopped before my second test (HDL 40).My goal is Total under 200, HDL minimum 75 and LDL under 125 hopefully close to 100 | M | 49 | 7 days | 11/6/2007 | 2 | elevated cholesterol/family history | Severe moscle and joint pain in hips and upper arms. Stiffness and difficulty sleeping -waking early in AM with arm pain. Tool lovostatin without difficulty but started having symptoms after about 18 months while on 60 mgs per/day. Getting better off lovostatin for two weeks but still difficult to raise one arm above horizontal and persistent hip pain. | M | 69 | 400 days | 12/17/2008 | 2 | Hi cholesterol and family history | Soreness in upper lift arm, as if a bruise or recent vaccination (which it is not), numbness in left side of face, itchy eyes, some blurriness of vision? | Have just started 40mg of lovastatin, 3 days. Read the side effects from the pharmacy and was alarmed. Then the shoulder pain started and I began researching side effects on line. Found this site. Am very concerned, and will not continue. I will discuss this with my doctor further. Also am concerned that my 87 year old mother's dementia symptoms may be related. Have read that some experience memory loss and cognition difficulties taking statins. Too many drugs!! | M | 57 | 3 days | 10/31/2009 | 2 | High Cholesterol | Dizzyness,Memmory loss, Felt like i was in a fog all the time, loss of strength, heart felt like it was twiching, Felt like the top of my head was going to pop off. | I work on high voltage and i don't need a medication given me problems. I realiy don't have much of choice if i keep taking the meds i'll be dazed and confused and the high voltage will kill me, or stop taking the meds and die of a heart attack. | M | 46 | 10 days 20 MG 2X day | 2/15/2010 | 2 | High Chol | Muscle and joint pain... especially if you have consume alochol. And I do.... every muscle you have hurts. Looking to change to another script. | It did lower my numbers, but not practical for me at all. | M | 51 | 45 days | 3/9/2005 | 2 | to lower LDL below 100 from 125 | After about 2 years on 20 mg Lovastatin I woke up to lower leg and ankle pain, both legs. This continued for days even though my extensive exercise routine had not changed. Walking was painful, but improved during the day. I stopped taking the statin on my own [Dr. was out of town] and had significant lessening of the pain after 2 days. The pain was completely gone after 10 days. I kept a daily log. | I often woke up with arm numbness that went away after a minute or so being awake. I attributed it to sleeping on my arm. The numbness has not happened since I stopped Lovastatin. The caution sheets given to patients call side effects very rare. I doubt that, as a friend's Dr told him leg pains occur in 25% of patients. I lost some weight and saw a dietician since stopping Lovastatin. I'd rather lower LDL this way. No more statins for me! | M | 72 | 2 years | 3/18/2007 | 1 | High cholesterol | Sore muscles in both arms; weak muscles in arms, legs, and back. My father has taken lovastatin for several years and is now experiencing severe weakness of muscles in his legs with symptoms of nerve damage | I stopped taking Lovastatin approx 3 months ago. Left arm is now ok but soreness in right arm continues. Muscle strength in back and legs has returned (I can now lift heavy items again without injuring muscles). | M | 52 | 1 years | 9/30/2006 | 1 | Statins — Advicor, Crestor, Lescol, Lipitor, Mevacor, Pravachol, Zocor, etc. — inhibit CoQ10 production so severely that side effects include muscle pain and wasting, heart disease, liver damage, kidney failure, fatigue, and cancer. (Merck patented packaging CoQ10 with statins, but has never sold the combination.) Baycol was yanked from the market after it suppressed CoQ10 to the point of death, and Crestor is considered to be equally unsafe. Numerous petitions submitted by doctors to the FDA seeking mandatory statin warnings contain statements like, “Statin-induced CoQ10 deficiency can be completely reversed by supplemental CoQ10.” | M | 62 | | 7/27/2007 | 1 | To lower cholesterol | I experienced heart attack like symptoms and have been having extreme dizziness, vertigo, and headaches for the past 4 months. I consulted my doctor and she zeroed in on the Mevacor and I stopped it about 2 weeks ago. Am still having dizziness and headaches. Anyone else out there with these problems?? | M | 50 | 3 years | 9/12/2007 | 1 | Cholesterol | Erectile Disfunction | Was effecting libido and ability to achieve erections. Went off medication and everything got better. | M | 39 | 3 months | 7/26/2005 |
MEVACOR (LOVASTATIN): Lovastatin is used along with a proper diet to help lower "bad" cholesterol and fats (such as LDL, triglycerides) and raise "good" cholesterol (HDL) in the blood. It belongs to a group of drugs known as "statins." It works by reducing the amount of cholesterol made by the liver. Lowering "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides and raising "good" cholesterol decreases the risk of heart disease and helps prevent strokes and heart attacks. In addition to eating a proper diet (such as a low-cholesterol/low-fat diet), other lifestyle changes that may help this medication work better include exercising, losing weight if overweight, and stopping smoking. Consult your doctor for more details. FDA Approval Date: 1988-12-14 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)