meyatiI started simvastatin this summer. The last few weeks my legs and ankles began hurting now I have foot cramps that twist my feet and headaches. I'm going to stop and see if they go away. I've really been nauseous too. I've almost been thinking of asking the doctor for something for the nausea. I saw another question about this, but nobody said anything about how long it takes to get back to normal.
How long does it take a statin get out of your system my legs hurt?
- Posted:
- 28 Oct 2011 by meyati
- Topics:
- underactive thyroid, high cholesterol, headache, pain, simvastatin, cramp
Details:
Added 30 Oct 2011:
I contacted my doctor by Email-Lab work is ordered for me-I'll have that done Monday. I quit looking at my PC-and went outside to watch the hounds and rub their tummies-
Added 21 Feb 2012:
Since the seizure/cramps in the end of Oct. I'm getting worse. I have pins and needles attack my feet, calves fairly bad, and my hands a little bit. Last week-it became a gigantic problem. It's all over my body-and I want to throw up again. It's getting progressively worse. I'm also developing tremors in my hands and arms. My left tendon went down and is seeming to be well, but my right tendon flares up. Exercise and ice packs were helping-but It seems to have stopped progress. Does anybody have a clue about the pins and needles sensation?
Added 21 Feb 2012:
I found out today that simivastatin stays in the system longer than other brands-longer half life-and it penetrates the muscles deeper. I am not a happy camper-- At least this stuff is on line for everybody now.
Added 6 Apr 2012:
Ice helps with muscle pain. When you try to take trash out-walk to the bathroom-it inflames the damaged muscles and also the healthy muscles that are working extra hard. I spend an hour a day-icing my legs. My skin still gets creepy feeling- burning-not the muscles but skin.
Now when I get pain I throw up. I've had broken arms, legs, nose 2 times- broke horses. I'd sweat from pain-even collapse-but now I throw up and dehydrate-thank you modern medicine and FDA. I've found that heel lifts help the muscles-actually helps control the pain throught the body- Also, doing hamstring exercises help with pain-the creepy crawly skin. Now I can go out in a small yard and clean the dog poop up every day-
http://www.drugs.com/answers/471204/comment/?reply=294613
Added 9 May 2012:
I'm starting physical therapy on Friday May 11, 2012. It's only for my right Achilles tendon. Just saw an abstract on Mendeley.com on a report by the ncbi.nim.nih that statin thins out the Achilles tendons and also thins out the heart muscles making you more prone to heart attacks. When I dehydrated, they did an MRI to see if I had gallstones-vomiting, black urine, nuasea, stomach pain-no fever. My heart is really good.
Added 3 Aug 2012:
I'm getting a little better. My lean, wasp-waisted hounds are turning into jelly. The dog walker can't walk them every day. They have a life span of about 10 years, but with this life style, they probably will die from a stroke or heart attack in a few years. They try so hard to be amiable about the situation. Sometimes I'm up to walking them around the block. They're so happy, but they stand at a corner and look towards a paved trail that's over a mile away- we used to walk there 3 times a week. I'm a little bit heavier every week- and I was Flaca-skinny. I'm getting where I can dig in my yard-and am finishing a landscape project that I started before the statin hit me. I get so tired- my skin is okay now-but my stomach is bothering me a lot. I have IBS-and an active life helped my digestion. I'm trying to do some exercises-stretches to keep my body from crumpling up. The FDA doesn't care they ruined my life-killed my hounds-make my disabled son cry and fear.
Responses (20)
28 Oct 2011
Thank you Sarina--I'm Emailing my doctor. I don't feel like talking to him. He's a good doctor and this is the lowest paying state for doctors-I'm thinking that he's planning on relocating. I had headaches only once, after surgery. That lasted for about a year, until it dawned on a doctor that the anesthesia can give headaches that get progressively worse. I just don't get any. I've always been sort of queasy, and I had to take phenegran for nausea for about a year, but it's really bad. I'm getting sick while walking the hounds. Wed. I was thinking that I'd never go hiking again. I kept thinking that legs were listed as a side effect. What bothers me is that I take an anti-cramp/spasm medication for my spastic stomach. I just shouldn't be having this problem.
leron30 Oct 2011
when i was on a statin i didn't think it was hurting me till i weaned totally off it then i get another blood work done and my triglicerides were sky high again so i had enough pills left so i started back on them and in two days i was screaming in pain and was bedridden for days as i couldn't even walk. Threw them out told my doctor no more i will go natural and if i stoke out to bad i don't care as i cannot live in that much pain. your right about the cramping and headaches also. Since i quit them i also am not as nauseous either. I hate statin drugs as so many people have so many problems with them they should find something else before that's another thing on t.v. being advertised for suing over. When i weaned off i broke my pills in half first and started that way then slowly stared decreasing more till i was done with them. I think it took about a month as i didn't want to worry about withdrawal and maybe getting sick stopping suddenly.
30 Oct 2011
Found out about statins- my doctor said stop immediately-no harm-no foul- in quitting suddenly. A friend of mine is dating a doctor-she asked him and he said the same thing-and it takes less than a week for it to get out of the system, but you suffer pain as the body heals, which is 3-4 weeks. It doesn't have steroids or other things where you need to taper off.
My last statin was on Wed. This am, I didn't have foot cramps, but I've been having foot and leg cramps off and on, and my calves are pretty much cramped. Also my feet are burning and tingling. My knees, ankles and other joints hurt.
sara12345
15 Nov 2011
Yes, a side effect of statins can be all over body pain which means that the pills are destroying your body. That's why the docs say to get off of it right away. I took several different kinds of statins and kept getting the all over pain which I couldn't distinguish from my fibromyalgia or the statins. So no more statins.
But there is Zetia which is not a statin. The top cardiologist for cholesterol at the University of Michigan prescribed Zetia which also lowers cholesterol. One study said it didn't protect the cardiovascular system, but he disagreed. Unfortunately I had severe itching from taking it.
You owe it to yourself to try Zetia if you can't take statins. After having a major stroke, you really wouldn't want one which can paraylze you, stop you from being able to speak, other destructions and death.
sara12345
15 Nov 2011
P.S. for nausea, try Zofran. It even comes in a dissolvable pill that you don't need to drink any liquid to take it.
sara123458 Feb 2012
To Meyati,
That's hard to believe that just after, was it several weeks of pain, cause you such lasting major injury? That's really too bad and shows how quick one needs to respond to muscle pain. I wonder what real damage could have been done to me from having the pain come up during 3 or 4 different statins which I did stop within 1 -2 days each time. I still have high cholesterol levels and I now take a vitamin called Cholest-off which are plant things of some sort. And again, anyone else with high cholesterol should try Zetia which is not a statin. Having high cholesterol increases your risk of a stroke which is a far more serious injury to the body and the mind.
And did I understand that in spite of your cholesterol doubling, that the level is low? Why in the world then did you ever take statins?
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. It is really appreciated.
meyati
8 Feb 2012
Every time I went into the doctor I was nagged about just trying it, keep me healthy. I kept saying no and the doctor said look you really need to take it. I began to think that I'd loose my medical coverage and I don't have much money. My legs felt heavy-We had a forest fire that burned for over 90 days-had soot on my face at times, it was hot-Everybody in the area was sickly-then I had the cramps. The FDA doesn't say anything about heavy legs-but people that have severe damage get heavy legs. hypothyroid increases the chance of damage by 30%, atheletic-i walked about 2-10 miles a day-increases it by another 25%-new study just out. being female increses the chance of problems by 15%. I was like bambi in the middle of the road.
sara12345
8 Feb 2012
So sorry to hear all that. It sounds like your doctor was irresponsible.
gramma71
6 Apr 2012
hi diane,
i too have been off of simvastatin for a month and i still see little improvement. severe muscle pain, blurry vision, respiratory thing going on like a cold, legs ache so bad, headaches, etc, etc. what does your dr.say?
meyati
6 Apr 2012
Ice helps with muscle pain. When you try to take trash out-walk to the bathroom-it inflames the damaged muscles and also the healthy muscles that are working extra hard. I spend an hour a day-icing my legs. My skin still gets creepy feeling- burning-not the muscles but skin.
Now when I get pain I throw up. I've had broken arms, legs, nose 2 times- broke horses. I'd sweat from pain-even collapse-but now I throw up and dehydrate-thank you modern medicine and FDA. I've found that heel lifts help the muscles-actually helps control the pain throught the body- Also, doing hamstring exercises help with pain-the creepy crawly skin. Now I can go out in a small yard and clean the dog poop up every day-
cdougherty18 Feb 2012
I tried statins to get my cholesterol down, crestor, simvastatin, lipitor, pravastatin, all gave me stiff achey legs, worse than they normally are. A friend recommended trying fish oil, so I'm taking Omega-3 fatty acids distributed by Trader Joe's here (in So California), has 1200 mg fish oil, 600 mg of EPA & DHA, and yesterday my cholesterol results came in normal. Am taking 1 in the morning and 2 at night. Every time I had stopped a statin I felt better right away. I had stopped pravastatin about a month and a half ago.
Anonymous 18 Feb 2012
Meyati, I hope you haven't gotten permanent damage from the statins. What one were you one & what was the dose? I just printed out a FDA warning for my hubby who takes 80mg of Simvastin which is a bad one, well they all are for muscle & tendon damage. Once you get the damage it can't be reversed. Sign up for the MDA mednotes or Consumer Updates. I believe it was on Wednesday of this past week. You might still be able to pull it up. I wish you well my friend, & please let us know what the doc has to say. Oh, you did say simvastin I see rereading your question. Now that has me scared for you too, so please let us know. Try taking Vitamin C 1000mg a day & 250mg of magnesium & see if that helps. It does me when I get leg & toe cramps... Mary
meyati
18 Feb 2012
I took simivastatin-it seems permenent damage. I'm 70--- I just started cleaning up the dog poop- nothing entergetic-my tendons flared up again- muscle weakness in the knees and hip- my skin feels on fire-like when your feet fall asleep. My specialist has been trying to recover from statins for about 5 years. Good news- I complained about the severe pain-Thurs I was able to pick up my first pain prescription. My doctor got hold of pharmeutical companies and got samples for me. But I have an actual prescription-it had be approved by medicare and the HMO- My doctor called in front of me, wrote things down- filled out papers-I took them to check out-then medicare and HMO said they were wrong. I began taking the name-date-and time of every stupid person that I talked to and submitted a grievance. I finally got hold of someone that called my doctor and sent him the proper paper work. I told them that I was going to my congressmen and contact the Surgeon general about this. I should have done this in November-
Anonymous 18 Feb 2012
Good for you! Be proactive is the only way to get things done! Mary
27 Mar 2012
Meyati,
I just read your posting from I think Feb. 22, which showed all the places you filed complaints with. GOOD FOR YOU! Wish there were more people like you. You are so right that our FDA should have posted better warnings for these statins. What a horror. Now I can't tell what is my fibromyalgia or from the statins that I repeatedly had problems with.
Thanks for your efforts.
Does anyone know what possible bad effects can occur from Zetia which is not a Statin?
Sara
quaffled127 Mar 2012
I completely understand this. I have been on every statin and with each one it was headaches and muscle aches. Even Zetia was like that. I take fish oil and was taking CO-Q10. That was suppose to help with the aches.. but of course did not. My Doctor finally has referred me to a Cardiologist to see what else we can do. That appointment isn't for a few weeks yet. Hang in there... usually symptoms are better once the drug starts leaving your system..
meyati
28 Mar 2012
This last week, I had 2 doctors say they didn't want to deal with me anymore. I was told that my legs would never heal and get over it. The other one said it was rare so quit bothering him. I thought we'd work on each problem as it came up- as it might or might not be a statin problem. I've really been nauseous for the last 2 days, which leads to dehydration. Tomorrow, I'm making an appt. to get something for nausea. I know that there are meds for that. I know that's caused by statins. I just take spells now. My doctor thinks that I like spending all day in ER, urgent care, and waiting for appointments. I was told that I like making trouble. I don't have money for hiring someone to clean the house. I hired a dog walker that was attacked by off leash dogs in the middle of a street yesterday. I trained my dogs to sit quietly, that usually causes a dog to change it's mind-and if it comes close-I spray with a dog repellent.
gramma71
6 Apr 2012
hi quaffled,
I have been on 4 statin drugs and had problems with all of them. simvastatin, the last one just about did me in. still having problems and have been off of them for a month. see my doc thurs. will give and update. god bless, gramma 71
rainmaninwa30 Mar 2012
I am a 64 year old male that experienced adverse reactions after taking 40 mg Simvastatin daily for 5 years. I also had the severe muscle pain upon muscle movement, muscle weakness and wasting, dark colored urine, severe fatigue and malaise, difficulty breathing and pretty severe polymialgia-like traveling pains throughout the muscles and joints. These problems all developed slowly over the years and it was NOT apparent to me that my statin treatment was causing these issues. I stopped taking Simvastatin (40 mg. day) about 1 year ago and just now my symptoms are beginning to resolve.
About 6 months ago, I have finally felt well enough to become moderately active again. The muscle pain is still there but is tolerable and seems to be lessening over time. The fatigue and maliase is much improved. It comes and goes from day to day. I am just beginning to think that there might be hope for me to recover (at least partly) from this awful drug.
cutiepie960
29 Jul 2012
Hi There,
meyati
29 Jul 2012
In June they decided that if you take statin- you have increased chances of falling. I just feel my feet or a knee or two will just collapse. It's permenent-I always hurt. It's periphial neuropathy that makes her skin and legs hurt into the hips. I'm having some spasms in my left shoulder- A person on statin also developes a type of Parkinsons- I'm starting wonder about that for myself. I wish you well for your mother. Try ice packs-it takes months to help but they do work. There's some meds, but they take months to work too-ice is cheaper.
7 Apr 2012
This isn't a good thing to tell anyone.
I'm dealing with returning breast cancer. So I'm getting bone meds and also a cancer med for the liver. Maybe the simvastatin isn't the problem and it is something all together different. Could even be heart related. I was in the hospital for a week in May of 2010 and had two stents put in. During all the tests no one found cancer? I really don't think anyone knows what is really happening!
meyati
7 Apr 2012
Statin is horrible for a liver--simivastatin which is generic Zocor are the most dangerous types of statin-UC at San Diego and other research centers say that. 4 some reason it penetrates deeper into the muscles and does more damage. What's bad is that everybody complains that it seems to go into old injuries-surgery sites, etc.and create great pain. I was in agony with my Achilles tendons. If I won the lottery-I'd go to India and have my legs amputated at the knees and get those artificial leg-feet so I could walk and hike again. Last year this time-I went to the ER- My toe caught the edge of a sidewalk, while jogging the hounds and talking on a cell phone. Thought that my right arm was broken- not-just the joints jammed together.
queenirene4 May 2012
I have been taking statin drugs for 15yrs. I was taking pravastatin 40mg.
These drugs are so insidious.. They gradually caused me to have numbness and stinging burning pain in my feet so much so it has affected my balance. Muscle pain in calves. Pain in my legs . Everytime I mentioned these things to a doctor,I got no answers. I came upon an article on https//www.statin effects.com/info/adverse_effects.com which sent me directly to my current doctor. I decided to stop taking statins. He didn't argue with me.Some of the damage may be reversed. It's only been 4 days since I stopped the drug so we'll see. Fifteen years too long...
Anonymous 9 May 2012
Hi Meyati. Just wanted to wish you luck with the PT on Friday. I sure hope it helps your legs & ankles. You have been thru hell & back because of statins. My hubby takes 80mg of simvastin, & he is a mess, but he still takes it no matter what I put in front of him to read. I have told him of your story too, & all the others, Gee, you'd think if he half a brain he'd quit taking it! I love this man, but he is stubborn. Instead of changing his diet, he'd rather just pop a pill & hope it works to keep his cholesterol down. He has been on this crap since the mid 90's too.How can I get through to him? I've read & printed out the warning for him to read. I've told him all about you & the others. He has already had shoulder surgery on both shoulders. He thinks all his muscle pain & damage is from his back, & I don't think so. I think it's the simvastin.
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