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Simvastatin caution

V

viviennem

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Location
Wensleydale, North Yorkshire
Type of diabetes
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Football. Bad manners.
My local GP practice have announced, in our monthly local Newsletter, that they are changing all patients currently on 40mg or more ( :shock: ) of Simvastatin, over to Atorvastatin because of the side effects.

Just thought I'd share that with you all

Viv 8)
 
I know that this post is not going to be very helpful but I couldn't resist making a comment.

I started with Simvastatin and had severe side effects (couldn't walk for a month). Something else was tried. I can't remember the name and within a couple of weeks I had a similar reaction. The third kind of pill made my shoulders feel as if they were glowing and I couldn't move my head.

What I am saying here is that, for me, a change of pill just means a change of side effects. My record now says, "Intolerant of statins" and they are no longer prescribed.

Oh yes, I nearly forgot. They never improved my cholesterol at all.
 
Pfizer's patent on Atorvastatin expired in May of this year and so there are generics available now. Simvastatin was much cheaper before the expiry but now the price is comparable. Makes you wonder if your surgery would have done this without the drop in price. :think:
 


Good point Catherine . When I was considering statins last year I read an article that said that patients who used Atorvastatin had far fewer side-effects than those on Simvastatin.......wish I'd saved it now
 
they may prescribe them for me, but they can't make me take the script to the chemists to be filled out... I'm flat out refusing to take them.
 
there was an article in the pulse which advised gp of an interaction between simvastatin and a hpertensive drug they were advised to change the statin on all patients who were on the other drug unfortunatly i have forgotten the name of the other drug.One gp did say he would be putting all his patients who were affected onto atavastatin.
 


Hmmm ... does make you wonder doesn't it?
 


I'm pretty sure cost will have had something to do with it. The PCT seem to worry about cost more than the practice. On the other hand, at least they have admitted that Simvastatin has bad side-effects! After my experience with it I now won't take statins at all. Surprisingly, only one of our 3 GPs is hassling me about this in any way, and that pretty half-heartedly. Makes me wonder what they really think - I know our lovely practice nurse is completely anti.

As I said on another post, I'm now trying Red Rice Yeast combined with Co-Enzyme Q10. Apparently the RRY (or Red Yeast Rice, as I have also seen it called) is the substance that the original statins were derived from. My total cholesterol has dropped from the lower 5s to 4.6 in the first 3 weeks, and my Total:HDL ratio is now 3.5. I intend to take it, all being well, until my next annual review, just before Christmas.

As you can imagine, I'm monitoring carefully for side-effects, but nothing so far that can't also be blamed on the weather :wink: . I'll keep you informed. I am not recommending that anyone else tries this - do your own research first!

Viv 8)
 
Hi Viv, I have ordered some red rice yeast as I refuse to take the Atorvastatin I am prescribed as it made my hair fall out big time. Even now, about 5-6 weeks after I stopped taking the statin it is still coming out.
 
Hi Defren

Yep - statins, some BP drugs and Metformin all have hair loss as a side-effect. We can't win! It would seem logical that the original substance that statins are based on might have some of the same side-effects, so watch closely.

The change-over from Simvastatin to Atorvastatin is to do with blood pressure meds - I've just found the Newsletter again after a long search! :roll: The drugs in question are Amlodipine (brand name Istin) or Diltiazem (brand names Adizem or Tildiem).

They are changing all patients on a high dose of Simvastin (40mg and above) on to 20mg of Atorvastatin.

Viv 8)
 
I take Tesco's Omega 3,6,9 combo.

They're said to be helpful in lowering LDL and therefore, good for arteries, heart, brain, health. I know they definitely do improve my memory and brain fog symptoms.

BTW I'm not rigid about taking any supplements - I take them MOST days but not ALL days. I tend to think that if I remember them, it's because they're needed.
 
Took me ages to realise the problems I was having with my legs from time to time - unable to walk far, pain, severe night cramps - were related to the Simvastatin I was taking. All problems have gone and not returned since stopping them. Wouldn't touch ANY statins with a bargepole now.
Less medication the better is now my motto having also recently stopped BP meds. No change in my BP still within good levels, pulse rate increased (to normal levels ) having stopped beta blocker. Surprise surprise.
Anne
 
Just another comment here...

I also replied to Balirob on this recently.
My doctor had described me as 'Statin Intolerant' after experiencing some pretty bad side effects with Simvastatin. I guess I remained this way for a couple of years, before my GP retired. His replacement was a younger man who told me that I really had to be taking statins. He said that the Simvastatin was prescribed because it was the cheapest statin available, but because of his concerns he was prepared to prescribe the more costly Atorvastatin. Result was very well controlled Cholestorol levels within a very short time, and no side effects whatsoever. I am very happy to take this drug and it has improved my general health and well being tremendously (which may be a bit of a placebo effect, but who cares!).
Hope this helps the conversations
Regards,
Colin.
 
'Statin Intolerant' describes me too.

Nearly crippled myself a few years ago, eventually almost unable to walk upstairs until I stopped the Simvaastatin.
Still on painkiller some years later, very slowly improving.
I have tried other, newer statins. They don't affect me as badly - but after a couple of weeks the old aches and pains return.

So, I'm on some of the older drugs: Bezafibrate currently. They don't work as well as statins - but they don't hurt me either!

Andrew
 
If you Google Cholesterol Con it makes it clear that far from being beneficial very low cholesterol numbers are dangerous ...
Because I won't take Statins I am viewed as a non compliant patient at my practice ... Without Statin intervention my total count was 3.2 ... Statins would not have made sense in my situation any way
 
I reckon that the writing is on the wall for statins, there is so much clinical evidence that this evil drug actually does so much more harm than good, although not to the balance sheets of the pharma's.
I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.

Superchip
 
I really hope that Superchip is right and that the present plague of statins is over. Atorvastatin certainly did my brother-in-law no good. He's not diabetic but the GP seems to have automatically prescribed them to him. It's left him struggling to walk where he was very fit and very active before.
Thankfully, neither my diabetologist nor my GP see any point in putting me on statins. My cholesterol is ok and I'm on enough medication that I'm not keen on picking up anything else!
 
Took Simvaastatin for many years, no problem. Then the cripling leg pains started, read no end of complaints about this drug
so I stopped taking them, leg pains eventually went.

Strange thing I told my Dr I had stopped them,You know what he said .............nothing.
 
viviennem said:
Yep - statins, some BP drugs and Metformin all have hair loss as a side-effect. We can't win! It would seem logical that the original substance that statins are based on might have some of the same side-effects, so watch closely.
Click to expand...

Glad I came off the metformin then. Hair is at a premium on my head.
 
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