# Statin



## redrose (Nov 19, 2008)

Hi I am T2 and have been on Astorvastatin (Lipitor 10mg) since being diabetic (about 7 years). I have just had a letter from my gp saying that I am being took off Astorvastatin and being put on Simvastatin 40mg.

I have read some terrible side effects that people have had while on this drug and I have wrote to my gp stating this and have also asked why I am going on a much higher dose.

Her reply was that it is the health board that has decided the change and the higher dose will not work out any higher than Astorvastatin because Simvastatin is a less powerful drug.

I was just wondering if anyone out there is on this "weaker" drug and how they have been feeling while taking it.

I havent got high cholestrol but was but on statins to help prevent heart disease through Diabetes.


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## AlanJardine (Nov 19, 2008)

I've been on Simvastatin for a number of years and nver had a problem with it.


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## kojack (Nov 19, 2008)

I have been on symvastatin - 20mg- along with warfarin following my last stroke when it  was discovered I had Atrial Fibrillation

I have suffered no apparent side effects and have been on it continuously since June 2003 and I don't know anyone else who is on it having probs.

My diabetes is a fairly recent discovery.

I have noticed over a fairly long period that the makers of most of my medication change frequently. Since the nhs instructed GPs to prescribe generic drugs rather than named ones, the pharmacies are going to source the most cost effective licenced companies.


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## Ikey the tinker (Nov 20, 2008)

redrose said:


> Hi I am T2 and have been on Astorvastatin (Lipitor 10mg) since being diabetic (about 7 years). I have just had a letter from my gp saying that I am being took off Astorvastatin and being put on Simvastatin 40mg.
> 
> I have read some terrible side effects that people have had while on this drug and I have wrote to my gp stating this and have also asked why I am going on a much higher dose.
> 
> ...



I've been on simvastatin 40mg for the past year since I got diagnosed and haven't had any ill effects. Have had dire warnings never to eat grapefruit though!


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## Alistair (Nov 20, 2008)

Simvastatin left me feeling weak with muscle pains and no energy, now on Crestor which so far is working fine .. well no side affects.


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## Northerner (Nov 20, 2008)

I was on Simvastatin 40mg and unfortunately did experience side-effects - mostly constant nausea. It's difficult to determine how much of that was due to the simvastatin though, as I was on a number of other medications which also caused side-effects. Reducing the dose or stopping the medications improved the situation by a degree each time, so stopping the simvastatin did reduce the nausea. When I was on it, my cholesterol was 2.2, now I'm off it, it's 3.7.

I was also on clopidogrel, aspirin, cardicor, omeprazole and ramipril - the ramipril and cardicor were the worst offenders and stopping them has made me feel a whole lot better  I'm working on getting the GP to let me stop the aspirin and clopidogrel...


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## Old Holborn (Nov 20, 2008)

*Boils & Itching*

I was first put on Atorvastatin (20mg) which had no side effects. Doctor changed it to Simvastatin (20mg), this had side effects. About 2 hours after taking I would wake up with what I can only describe as boils under the skin that itched like hell, this went on for the rest of the night. The boils and itch would die down over the day. This happened every night until I was able to see my Doc who changed it back to Atorvastatin.


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## ivygirl (Nov 20, 2008)

I have muscle weakness and extreme tiredness with Simvastatin. At least I presume it is Simvastatin but my Doc thinks not. To be honest I have stopped taking it now, have yet to tell my Doc!


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## KateF (Dec 7, 2008)

My husband takes simvastatin, and has not had any side effects from it.
________
Handjob Asian


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## jeanus44 (Dec 7, 2008)

I've been on Simvastatin since I was diagnosed 12 months ago and had no problem with it!


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## JohnForster (Dec 7, 2008)

I'm on Simvastatin also.  No side effects - no problems.  Don't worry


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## ivygirl (Dec 7, 2008)

I think it is all down to cost!  Simvastatin is much cheaper than the other statins so there you go, things will not change. I was put on Simvastatin and had side affects but my Dr would not listen she says there are no side affects!! I took myself off it and things have improved!


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## tracey w (Dec 7, 2008)

My gp wanted to put me on statins as a preventitive measure. all my lipid results were good/great. I told my gp I would prefer not to go on them at present and would reasess if my lipids changed over time. He was not happy but agreed.

When I next saw my consultant I told him this and he thought it ridiculous to be on them unless I needed to decrease my levels or had problems, he wrote him a letter to advise of this. My gp,s response was that when I am discharged from hospital it is them who wil be looking after me long term and therefore their decision? Just thought id mention this. does anyone else agree with me that they are not needed unless their is a problem? I would rather not take any more drugs than I need to.


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## dmarshall (Dec 7, 2008)

I also have had no problems upto now with Simvastatin been on it since april 2008


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## redrose (Dec 8, 2008)

yeah my gp has put me on statins even though i have never had high cholestral. I was put on them as a precaution.
i have been on them for years but just recently have been having terrible cramp in the same place on each leg. i have stopped taking my statin for about a month and have had no cramps. These cramps have knacked my thigh muscle so much so that i can hardly lift my leg up. putting my sock on is a nightmare.


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## Northerner (Dec 8, 2008)

ivygirl said:


> I think it is all down to cost!  Simvastatin is much cheaper than the other statins so there you go, things will not change. I was put on Simvastatin and had side affects but my Dr would not listen she says there are no side affects!! I took myself off it and things have improved!



It's ridiculous of your GP to say that there are no side-effects - the info that comes with the pills outlines what side-effects have been noted for some people taking the drug. Not everyone will get them, but some people - myself included - patently do!


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## Northerner (Dec 8, 2008)

tracey w said:


> My gp wanted to put me on statins as a preventitive measure. all my lipid results were good/great. I told my gp I would prefer not to go on them at present and would reasess if my lipids changed over time. He was not happy but agreed.
> 
> When I next saw my consultant I told him this and he thought it ridiculous to be on them unless I needed to decrease my levels or had problems, he wrote him a letter to advise of this. My gp,s response was that when I am discharged from hospital it is them who wil be looking after me long term and therefore their decision? Just thought id mention this. does anyone else agree with me that they are not needed unless their is a problem? I would rather not take any more drugs than I need to.


 I'm with you not wanting to take more drugs than absolutely necessary. When I was on 40mg simvastatin my cholesterol was 2.2 - the nurse said it was the lowest she'd ever seen. I stopped taking them because of side-effects and my next cholesterol reading was 3.7, still very good, but the consultant has said I should start back on the simvastatin in a reduced dose to see what I can tolerate. There's some recent evidence that statins can be helpful even to people with good cholesterol levels. As long as they don't make me feel sick, I guess I'll take them. It will be interesting to see what my levels are next month when I get my next tests.


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## tracey w (Dec 8, 2008)

Northerner said:


> I'm with you not wanting to take more drugs than absolutely necessary. When I was on 40mg simvastatin my cholesterol was 2.2 - the nurse said it was the lowest she'd ever seen. I stopped taking them because of side-effects and my next cholesterol reading was 3.7, still very good, but the consultant has said I should start back on the simvastatin in a reduced dose to see what I can tolerate. There's some recent evidence that statins can be helpful even to people with good cholesterol levels. As long as they don't make me feel sick, I guess I'll take them. It will be interesting to see what my levels are next month when I get my next tests.



Good luck with your next tests! I think I will stick to my guns, so long as my levels remain good. I try to eat healthily and excercise, but Im no saint. Life is for living after all


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## sofaraway (Dec 8, 2008)

tracey w said:


> My gp,s response was that when I am discharged from hospital it is them who wil be looking after me long term and therefore their decision?



actually it's your decision. I suspect there may be something attatched for GP's if they can get their diabetic patients on a bundle of meds. statin, aspirin, ACE inhibitor etc. 

I had high cholesterol levels, 7.x and wanted to wait and they have come down on their own to 5.x good enough for me


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## tracey w (Dec 8, 2008)

sofaraway said:


> actually it's your decision. I suspect there may be something attatched for GP's if they can get their diabetic patients on a bundle of meds. statin, aspirin, ACE inhibitor etc.
> 
> I had high cholesterol levels, 7.x and wanted to wait and they have come down on their own to 5.x good enough for me



Well done for bringing your levels down yourself. I agree my decision entirely, think gp,s think we cant think or act for ourselves sometimes!


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## kitemaster (Dec 8, 2008)

*No problems*

Hi 
Ive been on simvastatin for over 5 years a total of 80mgs a day and found no ill affects. It is a a drug that you either get on with or dont, so please dont take my word for it.


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## vince13 (Dec 14, 2008)

*statins*

My Dr put me on statins as soon as I was diagnosed with Diabetes (Type 2 in April - Type 1 now).  In recent months I have been having very odd liver function test results and my diabetic nurse at the surgery said that statins work on the liver directly and so have been known to do some odd things and she wondered if this was why I was getting the odd LFT results.

I googled (Yes I know that's not where to get information) and it seems that statins have been known to have adverse effects on the liver so I took myself off them.  My chlorestorel doesn't seem to be worryingly higher without statins and my LFT results are much better but my Dr is worried I have taken this step - any comments from the panel here ?


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## kojack (Dec 14, 2008)

All these medications are chemicals that have some effect on the naturally produced chemicals of our bodies. What suits one system often has a totally different reaction with another - hence the covering of all possible side effects printed out by the drug companies. We are becoming so litigation conscious that every possibility is covered.
If your GP is concerned, refer to your diabetes clinic. There are so many different views on the use and indeed misuse of statins it is hard to find the truth.


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## Northerner (Dec 14, 2008)

vince13 said:


> My Dr put me on statins as soon as I was diagnosed with Diabetes (Type 2 in April - Type 1 now).  In recent months I have been having very odd liver function test results and my diabetic nurse at the surgery said that statins work on the liver directly and so have been known to do some odd things and she wondered if this was why I was getting the odd LFT results.
> 
> I googled (Yes I know that's not where to get information) and it seems that statins have been known to have adverse effects on the liver so I took myself off them.  My chlorestorel doesn't seem to be worryingly higher without statins and my LFT results are much better but my Dr is worried I have taken this step - any comments from the panel here ?



I was put on simvastatin 40mg when diagnosed, along with many other medications. I suffered bad side-effects and stopped taking simvastatin, but now my doc has put me back on it and I'm slowly increasing the dose - currently at 30mg and seem to be ok. I've had a lot of liver tests over the past few months and all are showing elevated bilorubin levels which the doc thinks may be Gilbert's Syndrome - perhaps you have this and that's why your lft is abnormal? Apparently it's not a problem. My cholesterol  when on 40mg simvastatin was 2.2. It went up to 3.7 when I stopped taking it - still acceptable, but the consultant wants me to keep taking it because it can have other benefits besides lowering cholesterol levels, apparently. I'd rather not take it, but I've taken the decision to trust the doctors for now.


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## vince13 (Dec 14, 2008)

I've just had another blood test done and will see what the results are.  Will store your information away for use later on.  Many thanks, Northerner.


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