ZOCOR Reviews (SIMVASTATIN)

Average Rating: 1.8 (893 Ratings)

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 HYPERLIPIDEMIA

 Type: Rx Drug

  

ZOCOR  (SIMVASTATIN):  Simvastatin 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: 1998-07-10 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

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Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR ZOCORCOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 1  High Cholesterol - hereditary My bones ached all the time. I started to experience heartburns on a regular basis. This was never a problem before. Fuzzy thinking. Gained 15 lbs. during the 3 months I took Zocor. The worst part: I stopped taking it in November 2008 and the heartburn developed into serious acid reflux, that does not go away, so now, thanks to Zocor, I have to take regular medication to help with acid reflux. Also the pain in my right shoulder never went away. I don't know if it ever will. 2 lasting side effects so far. This stuff is pure poison. My doc prescribed 40 mg. He did not start with the lower dose of 20 mg, which is beyond me. When I came back to see the doc because of all the side effects, he was in complete denial. I felt like an idiot and have since found a new doc who actually listens. Yes, the Zocor signicantly lowered my cholesterol, but who cares, I could not live with the side effects and still have them after quitting Zocor almost a year ago. This is unbelievable. F 51 3 months
11/10/2009
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 1  Elevated cholesterol level Gradually started hurting and feeling stiff everywhere-thought it was old age and the effects of a very stressful year catching up to me. Numbness in my right arm and around right kneecap. Anxiety and depression. Woke up with swollen, painful wrist one morning with no apparent cause.Then extreme lower back pain and numbness radiating down to legs. When the shooting pains began from ankle up my calf (so bad, my leg jumped) it occured to me it might be the simvastatin. Had my daughter look up side effects on the internet. Stopped taking it that night. Next day felt so much better-I did a lot of strenuous yardwork and hardly had any stiffness or soreness that night.Most symptoms gone after 1 week off, except for the wrist still sore and sometimes swollen-worse right after I wake up. Will never take another statin. I think it's all a big racket by the pharmacutical companies. My cholesterol is not that high and I feel fine and fit otherwise. F 53 3 weeks
11/7/2009
 3  High Cholesterol. I took Zocor and other statins for approximately 15 years at the 20mg level. I started around age 30 using various different statins depending on what my insurance company was getting the best deal on. I did fine until I hit 44 and I started having some anxiety and my blood pressure would pop up at the doctors office. I took Zocor for the vast amount of the time that I was on statins. The doctor felt that perhaps I was developing hypertension and increased the dosage to 40mg. I also noted some water retention in my hands and feet. I also started to develop nueropathy in my hands and feet. The 40 mg didn't really make much of a dent in my cholesterol levels. So the doctor bumped it to 80MG. This is when my hair started falling and my bowels slowed the a crawl. The last inch or so of my rectum stopped working so I would end up with some pretty nasty wipes for a while. It was just better to shower after wards. If you didn't it would slowly leak out for hours. My anxiety and sl A warning for all the side effects of this drug can be so subtle it's really hard to tell what is causing it. M 46 15 years
10/31/2009
 1  cholesterol foot cramps with bruises to feet. Chronic foot pain now getting worse even after off a year. F 56 5 months
10/30/2009
 2  High Cholesterol The first side effects-excessive dry mouth, constant thirst, and diarrhea--began almost immediately, the day after taking the first dose. Then the chest pain and tightness began along with tingling, numbness, and a shredding feeling across the top of my chest from my throat/neck/collarbone to my breasts. Heartburn and belching. Chronic fatigue and lethargy, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Painful left groin in conjunction with a dull ache extending from left buttock to the back of the knee causing me to limp from time to time. Finally, intermittent blurred vision in one eye. I stopped taking Zocor two weeks ago. Most of the physical side effects I experienced have gone. The depression, anxiety, and fatigue have also seemed to disappear (but just in the past few days) and I am sleeping again. What scares and angers me about this drug and the more than 3 months of unnecessary misery I experienced is that I, not my physician, made the connection between the Zocor and the symptoms I had. In prescribing Zocor my doctor only mentioned dry mouth, diarrhea, and minor muscle soreness as possible side effects. About 4 weeks after beginning the drug, I talked to her about the chest pain, tightness, and heartburn. She said my symptoms were the result of anxiety, and prescribed meds for that and for the insomnia. There was no mention of Zocor as a possible cause of the conditions for which she was now prescribing more pharmaceuticals. F 55 3 months
10/21/2009
 1  Elevated cholesterol Muscle weakness in legs and back, progressively worsening until recently I also developed ache in shoulder and arm. Have had several bouts of Plantar Faciitis in my foot as well. Leg cramps, and a sore shoulder,meant that at night I could not sleep on my side. I was prescribed this by my doctor because I have a family history of heart disease and my cholesterol was at about 220. I have been on the drug for 2 years until I decided last month that enough is enough- I feel so achy all the time that exercise, even moderate walking has become a big effort. I felt more like an 80 year old, rather than 50. I have put on weight because of the lack of exercise, and now my blood pressure is getting high. So my doctor suggested meds for that as well. Instead, I have stopped the Zocor, I will consult a dietician and follow a vegetarian diet, and hopefully soon be out walking again. At least I sleep better now- no more leg cramps! I tried to report this to the FDA as a few of you suggested but their website is impossible. No wonder side effects are reported in a small % of patients....I can't imagine many people bother to report this. F 50 2 years
10/19/2009
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 1  hyperlipidemia My teenaged daughter was prescribed this medication in generic form and within a month had a psychotic break. She was hospitalized for three weeks, given antipsychosis medications and never improved. When I found a small article about psychosis on this med, I requested she stop taking it. Within a week she significantly improved, although is still not completely lucid yet. We will be reporting this as an adverse reaction to the drug. She has lost a month of her senior year of high school, and may still not return for another week or two. Watch your family members closely on this medication. F 17 28 days
10/17/2009
 1  High Cholesterol After six months on Simvastatin (Zocor) 40 mg per day. I had a TGA. I went to the VA Dr. 3 months later for liver blood tests. I told the Dr. about the memory loss for 30 min. and he said it may be a TIA and sent me for more tests. After researching on the internet and finding my exact symptoms occuring in many others I'm confident that the CT and carotid ultrasound tests will be negative and instead of the Dr.'s suspected TIA it will have proved to be a TGA. I've been fatigued, need a nap, lack of interest, foot tendon pain and memory loss. After 9 months I am in the process of discontinuing my statin treatment gradually from 40mg to 20mg per day for 2 weeks and 10mg for one last week. M 67 9 months
10/12/2009
 1  high cholesterol (210) I was okay for 1.5 years (nothing noticeable), but last year I began sleeping all the time, didn't care for anything going on around me, hip joints started aching, very foggy-minded, depressed, didn't care if I lived or not, then arms began aching along with my big toe(!). After reading "Overdosed America" (strongly recommend this book), I quit taking Zocor on 9/20/09. On 10/7/09, I awakened from the dead as if someone flipped a switch. I clean the house, socialize, and have a real interest in life again. My arms still ache, but hopefully that will go away. I cannot believe the difference. Please read the book, everyone. The doctor writing it is not a quack out to make a buck. He himself was shocked by his investigations about the so-called effectiveness of this new medical fad, especially for women. I am alive again and will only take herbal remedies from now on. Since 75% of heart attack victims don't have high cholesterol, I am not worried. Good luck, all. Don' F 53 2.5 years
10/9/2009
 3  High Cholesterol Pain and Swelling in Toes and Fingers We'll haven't thought I had any side effects up until now. But my brother has been pushing me to look into the side effects, and sent me the link to this site. For about the same time, since I started on Zocor (later simvastatin, the generic), I've been having these terrible pains in my toes, accompanied with swelling. The pains moved from toe to toe on one foot, then into my other foot, now into one of my fingers. I've been going to a Podiatrist, had XRays, MRI's, bone scans, and all are showing inflammation, and actually swelling of my bones, which I found odd. But it has still never been diagnosed, and I've been living with it all this time. I just quit taking it, might be feeling a little better, but I'm gonna give it some time to see if there is a connection. Check back for update. M 41 5 years
10/2/2009
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 1  Prescribed for high cholestrol Only took Zocor for about 2 weeks. Arm muscles began to weaken. Dr. said don't worry, drug only affects large muscles (??). Maybe, like the heart? I stopped taking the drug long before Dr. said she would switch me to Lipitor. I refused to take any statins. Cholestrol up to 444. Muscles are wasting away and painful. Leg cramps unbelievable. It has been over 8 years since this started and getting worse. Taking CoQ10. Cholestrol still high, but my father had over 420 count at age 82, so what is the big deal? First find out if a high count is a problem. There is nothing Zocor can do to replace the muscle mass I have lost, and what damage is going on with my heart? Wish they would come up with an answer to stop the ongoing damage. F 68 2 weeks
9/30/2009
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 1  High cholestrol Lower back pain, upper back pain, arm pain, fatigue, weakness, cloudy thinking--terrible drug Look at the Harvard Med School warning about these statins www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Dyslipidemia/8489 I am a slender man with a cholestrol level of 140. My doc told me it was too high (!) and I needed a statin, so he put me on simvastatin 40 mg saying it was a low dose. After several months I developed severel low back pain, was in for 2 weeks. In that time my wife did research and told me that it was the statins, so I stopped taking them and my back pain went away. 4 months later and back at the doc, who told me it was all in my head and to get back on the statins, so I did. That was three months ago, and here I am in bed, again, with a sore back and intense pain going down my arms. I have been like this for a week, unable to do anything. I am so tired. My wife reminded me (how easily I forget--cloudy thinking) that I had these same problems before and that I need to get off this darn drug! She went out and bought me some CoQ10 to rebuild my muscle strength and I am taking niacinamide 2x daily 500 mg. Not only that, my wife says that a cholestrol level of 140 for a guy my age is good, why take the statins? M 62 10 months
9/25/2009
 2  high cholesterol muscle pain in the legs, extreme tiredness...never felt like I had enough sleep...have been on this drug for several years F 67 3 days
9/23/2009
 2  Yes Side effects came on slowly so it was difficult to pin them to Zocor.Neck muscles would tighten up so much that I felt dizzy, visual disturbances, almost like pre migrane.Pain in Left side of neck and shoulder.Thought I had a pinched nerve..Bloating,strange sensations in both arms like my muscles were not coordinating well,blurred vision in the morning,Stopped taking Zocor and bingo all side effects are going away slowly. Watch your diet, these side effects are horrible.Although it did bring my cholesterol down to acceptable limits I'm not sure that putting up with these side effects are worth it. M 56 7 months
9/19/2009
 2  High Cholesterol lump in throat feeling, sore throat, "sore" tongue, stuff nose/nasal dryness. M 43 2 weeks
9/9/2009
 1  high cholesterol Joint pain in knees and feet. Started taking Zocor in December 2008. By mid-January I was in almost constant pain, without apparent cause. First noticed the pain in my knees, felt like it was focused just underneath both kneecaps. I would take the pill at night as recommended and then wake up in the morning with pain. I knew there was no reason to have pain after sleeping for several hours, and not having the same level of pain when I went to bed. I'm 38 years old and in good physical condition. I am in the military and running has been a way of life for me for the past 12 years, never had ANY problems with my knees until now, but it started suddenly just a few weeks after I started on Zocor. There is NO doubt in my mind that Zocor is the culprit. To verify this to myself, I stopped the pill for a week and my knee pain quickly improved. I have tried to get more than one doctor to listen to my story but they seem either uninterested or openly doubtful. Zocor has done its job--my cholesterol numbers are back in the normal range, but it has cost me the ability to move about comfortably. Stairs are a nightmare, and sometimes it hurts too much to walk across level ground. I can no longer run or ride a bicycle unless I stop taking Zocor for a few days first. M 38 8 months
9/9/2009
 1  to manage cholesterol been taking zocor for 10-12 years, begain on 20mg - brought my levels down but doctor advised increasing dose to 40mg - clinical trials indicated longer term benefits from 40mg. Leg cramps, poor sleeping, burning feeling in large leg muscles when I stand or walk for more than 10-15mins, unpredicatable diarrhoea, poor concentration, irritable, loss of muscle mass and strength, went back to Dr -no mention of possible side effect, prescribed anti-depressants, I have been googling the symptoms for months till I found the link to zocor. Seems to be obvious now. Stopped the zocor and will go back to GP. On the B vitimans and fish oil plus exercise - hope my drive and fitness will return but fearful of long term damage Friends (2) had been taking zocor for 20 plus years, both developed severe pancreatitus and died of pancreatic cancer within 18 months - be very careful of this drug. I cant be sure of the link but I am very suspicious. F 51 12 years
9/5/2009
 1  High cholesterol Hair loss, hot flashes, feeling of being out of it, foggy, couldn't think clearly, very agitated and angry, very short temper, muscles in my arms and legs hurt, felt lousy. Been off Zocor for 2 weeks and feel like a new person. Give this poison up! My poor excuse of a Dr. suggested I up my intake of Zocor to 30 mg. I did that and at the same time started a diet, long story short, I quickly lost 15 lbs, had my cholesterol tested, it was down to 120. Called the Dr. and said I don't think 120 is normal, her response? 120 is great, keep taking the Zocor. Within 35 days of losing the weight and uping the Zocor the symptoms started, my hair started falling out, a lot, my mood was terrible, I was foggy and out of it (not like me), I was getting agitated and angry all of the time (not like me), my arms and legs hurt, I had terrible hot flashes. I wrote all of this off to PMS, just getting older, etc. I started researching all of the possible reasons why my hair was falling out because the Dr. had no clue, of course, and finally I came across an article about statins. Bingo! I learned that any cholesterol reading under 160 is cause for concern, mine went down to 120 and I was still taking 30 mg of Zocor, what an idiot! I learned that your hormones, organs, your entire body, especially your brain needs cholesterol, period, to function correctly. I stopped the Zocor 2 weeks ago and I feel like a new person, my hair stopped falling out on day 5, no hot flashes, my mood is almost back to normal and I feel great. I will never take Zocor or anything like it again. F 47 1 years
9/4/2009
 1  High Cholesterol I was on Simvastatin (generic for Zocor). There are many similar drugs in this category including Crestor, Lipitor etc... I strongly encourage any of you to discuss the possible side effects of that drug with your doctor and should you decide to take it pay careful attention to how you feel. I felt fine for a year or so after beginning Simvastatin then my health crashed. I am 39 years old. I run, lift and Box daily so there was no good explanation for an immediate loss of energy, complete loss of sex drive, stamina, focus and drive. The worst effects though may have been the loss of memory and mental clarity which even now has not fully returned. I have been off the drug since Jan' this year and I would say that I am probably about 80% but I hope that I will recover fully in time. Only after I took it upon myself to do an in-depth search of the internet based on my symptoms did I find that MANY people on cholesterol lowering drugs have some of these same symptoms. With that said, Some additional resources: http://www.medicinenet.com/simvastatin/article.htm M 39 3 years
9/2/2009
 3  high colestrial Had ben taking 2omg for three years wit no side effects. Dr. raised me to 40mg. Started to have muscle pains in legs. Started on COQ10. That helped with pain, but now have trouble sleeping, a side effect of hte COQ10 F 62 60 days
9/1/2009

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