simvastatin

[marbil]

hi there, i would like to know if anyone out there has had any experience of taking this statin, as i have been taking it for 3 weeks now and have been having some really bad side effects, so much so that my doctor told me to stop taking it today and did a blood test for muscle wastage, i also wondered, if anyone else had to stop taking the drug and how long it takes to leave your system.

[Eve]

Have you read the patient warnings to make sure you're taking them properly and nothing that is interfering with it?

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100002859 .html

It does say it can affect your muscles.

[Kleiber]

All of the statins can have the side effect of myalgia (muscle aches). Usually these are short-lived, but if they persist you are right in going back to your GP. It won't take long for the drug to leave your system, but in all honesty, I'd ask my Dr if I could try another statin (atorvastatin is probably the best, but that's only my opinion) as the side effects vary with each one. As I said, the side effects are usually transient (a couple of weeks or so) and you need to weigh up the advantages of taking the drug (i.e. lowering your cholesterol, therefore reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke) against the disadvantages of the (Usually) temporary side effects. Have a chat with your GP. Good luck. K

[marbil]

thank you both very much for your comments, i had read all about statins and have to say it took the doctor a long long time to persuade me to take them, but i can assure you i'll never take them again, i'm sure there must be an alternative remedy to get cholesterol levels down which i hope to discuss with my doctor in a few weeks. thanks again