Simvastatin User Reviews & Ratings

• Ted...
• October 10, 2007

Zocor (simvastatin) for High Cholesterol "I was prescribed zocor for high cholesterol and after several weeks I began to experience heart palpitations and irregular heartbeats. When I stopped this medication all symptoms stopped. I have had the same experience with crestor. I cannot take either drug to lower cholesterol."

• bes...
• July 5, 2010

Zocor (simvastatin) for High Cholesterol "Zocor worked to lower my cholesterol from 288 to 150 with exercise, but the side effects became progressively worse and worse until I had to choose not to take it. I wondered if I had developed lupus because my entire body ached. My hips, my ankles, my wrists, my entire shoulder joints. I felt exhausted and had no energy. I stopped and could tell a 90% change in 48 hours. My joints and muscles are back to normal and my energy level has increassed."

• Nahnie
• June 15, 2021

For High Cholesterol "If anyone is on any type of cholesterol medication...GET OFF OF IT AND STAY OFF!!! My husband died from this!!! Any cholesterol medication shuts down the part of your liver that produces cholesterol. So now you're not getting what the liver was intended for. Since the part of your liver is shut down, it also isn't filtering other things you put into your body, such as other medication. 2003 January my husband received a clear bill of health, retired in 2003 February, 2003 February 19th he turned 55 taking full 100% of his retirement. 2003 May 3rd HE DIED FROM MEDICATION TOXICITY!!! BUT, because no other claims about the cholesterol medication had been made, I COULD NOT SUE!!! Now I live on disability and widows pension no where near what his retirement plan should be paying. So, think of my life the next time you hear of someone taking the cholesterol medication or you being offered this by your doctor"

• Chuck
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 8, 2013

Zocor (simvastatin) for High Cholesterol "This about the 4th time they have tried me on Statins... after a week on Zocor, have severe backaches, muscles aches, and pains in my wrists where I previously had carpel tunnel surgery. I have been on it about a week. I will stop it, since I trust my bodies response to these medicines. If you experience problems with any medicine don't keep taking it without telling your doctor."

• Keith
• January 14, 2012

Zocor (simvastatin) for High Cholesterol "After taking Zocor for several months I experienced sleeplessness, indigestion and anxiety. Depression soon set in. Anti-depressants cannot be taken with Zocor so I stopped it. Antidepressants all came with side effects. So I stopped them too. After several weeks of counseling and breathing techniques I was back to my old self. Doctor put me back on Zocor and 2 weeks later sleeplessness, depression, indigestion are back. I am stopping this medicine."

• Anonymous
• June 11, 2009

Zocor (simvastatin) for High Cholesterol "Doctor prescribed Zocor to lower Cholesterol (269 total and triglyceride 377, way too high). I took it after evening meal with full glass of water as directed. Within the hour I had a raging headache; my heart was pounding. I could hear the blood pulse through my head (I have 2 maybe 3 headaches per year so this was not normal). I spent a very long and painful, sleepless night, waiting and suffering. I tell you this much, 9:00am couldn't arrive fast enough. Doctor told me "headache" was not a side effect of Zocor and to keep taking it. I stopped against doctors advice and now feel great again. Cholesterol is still very high but no more headaches."

• woodd...
• January 18, 2015

Zocor (simvastatin) for High Cholesterol "Been taking Zocor for a while now. Between 1-2 years. Seemed to feel OK, but heart always felt like it was skipping beats. Then about 3 weeks ago it happened every afternoon about 4PM daily scaring me because they were lasting for a long time. I don't know anything but this medicine so I figured this must be my problem. So I just stopped the Zocor {simvastatin} and to amazement no more heart palapations."

• So done
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 21, 2016

For High Cholesterol "I was put on 20 mg.of the drug, Zocor AKA simvastin because my "bad" cholesterol (the LDL) was high;160. This was the first time ever tried a Statin drug and will be the last time. I was up every night urinating. No sleep. I was getting muscle spams like a charlie horse in my legs. My arms felt heavy. I was irritable, had no patience, and no ENERGY. I felt like I was in a fog. I had short term memory confusion. Never again. For ME? Diet change, exercise, 81 mg of aspirin and CoQ 10. Check with your Dr,Good luck!"

• Anonymous
• October 1, 2010

Zocor (simvastatin) for High Cholesterol "This medication landed me in the ER after a week. I was having so much back pain that I could not stand or walk. I was wheeled in. The pain was so severe they had to use Dilaudid to bring it down and send me home on it for several days. I have always had back pain so I was not sure at first that this was the cause. I am now. I figure I can not take "Statins" and currently take nothing. I can take Zetia if I have to. It felt like my back was bone on bone. All my disc felt out in my lower back and crushed. The most pain I had been in ever. Probably a good drug for some but not for me."

• Chas
• November 17, 2013

For High Cholesterol "Taking this medication and having leg cramps that became severe. Did not know the source of the cramps at night. Stopped for a month and leg cramps disappeared. Started again and immediately had night leg cramps, severe enough to get me out of bed over and over again."

• Leman...
• April 1, 2012

For High Cholesterol "I am so happy I looked up Simvastatin here today. It was incredibly helpful. I had been having left knee pains originally and then calf and behing the thigh pains plus backaches sometimes from neck down. I now know from all the reports from users here that is was caused by this medicine. "

• janst...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 23, 2015

For High Cholesterol "My Dr. put me on Simvastatin. My cholesterol reading 134. I guess it was a birthday present. I was on it for two years. Complained about pain and dizziness. Got Gabapentin and Vicadin. Pain persisted. Then after about twenty-two months I felt something crystalize in my legs muscles. My Dr ignored it. I had this Dr for more then forty years and never associated the medicine with my pain. Utterly stupid. Never trust your health to anyone. I have been in severe pain for the last eight years. Get off Simvastatin immediately when you feel pain. I had a muscle biopsy but I am unable to get the results. In a matter of two years I poisoned myself into an invalid. I spend most of my days in a chair. It is too painful to walk."

• RoseM...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2015

For High Cholesterol "I took this drug for 3 months. I just stopped it now with doctor's approval. I stopped because I was getting tightness in my chest, burning sensations on my skin, sore breasts, and was getting depressed. Yes it did lower my cholesterol, but it's not worth it to me if it causes depression. Apparently, this drug can inhibit serotonin production. If you have any history of depressive disorder, I would NOT take this drug. My father took the pill as well, but just stopped because he has had trouble with walking this year. He had burning sensations down his legs this year. We think his walking troubles *may* have something to do with Simvastatin. Perhaps Simvastatin doesn't hurt everyone, but my opinion of it is poor. Trust your gut."

• tmiller
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 11, 2013

For High Cholesterol "Since I started taking simvastatin 20mg at bedtime, I am not sleeping well, joint pain, tiredness and my acid reflux is so bad I cant stand it anymore. Not sure if the simvastatin is the problem, but was not having the issues with my acid reflux while taking my nexium until I started taking simvastatin. Talked with my pharmacy and they told me that the simvastatin does not worsen acid reflux, it does seems funny, I was not having a problem with it until I started taking the simvastatin."

• Welby
• May 27, 2016

For High Cholesterol "I took the medication for three days and quit. I became so ill and could not keep down food for three days. I was in pain in my chest and back. The pain was so bad I could not sleep. I took Tylenol and it did nothing. I called my doctor's office and let them know I could not take this medication. I had a terrible reaction to this medication."

• JohnG...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 29, 2015

Zocor (simvastatin) for High Cholesterol "Started this med about 11 years ago. It dropped my level to below avg. I always associated my aches and pains to my age and activity level, but I've discontinued its use for about 3 weeks because my finger joints felt swollen and arthritic. I'm starting to feel a slow improvement. My additional symptoms are sore hips and other joints. To be fair, I won't be able to discern whether this is the drug or some other factor until staying off it longer."

• pepzi...
• April 4, 2015

For High Cholesterol "Simvastatin was A total nightmare for me. Lower half of back,hips,and legs were so painful,I could barely walk. For me It was like A Intense burning sensation.And this was after my first dose,and this was my last."

• Viking
• January 11, 2016

For High Cholesterol "Took my cholesterol down. After one year developed what I believe to be awful side affects from this med. Muscle weakness and neuropathy at the top of the list. Went off statins, felt better after a few months, but took about 3 years to feel normal. I know others that also had side affects from statins. I will not take this again."

• Sleep...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 15, 2012

For High Cholesterol "Was prescribed simvastation for elevated cholesterol and family history of atherosclerosis. It was very effective in lowering my cholesterol and my side effects were minimal. I did experience insomnia after several weeks which became increasingly worse over the two years I have been taking it. I was doing good to get five hours of sleep each night, sometimes only three, however never felt tired. I have decided to stop taking it for awhile and am now sleeping a full eight hours and feeling less "edgy". Hope to lower cholesterol with exercise and diet."

• Death...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 10, 2015

For High Cholesterol "I experienced night time Severe Reflux and Aspiration, gasping for air with a over whelming near death feeling. Plus I had the night cramps. I Stopped the med. Changed my life, will never take it again."

• trici...
• April 27, 2016

For High Cholesterol "Lowered Cholesterol..took for about 4 months...never again..I found myself in the emergency room often reporting extreme weakness..especially in legs and head. I felt like I was floating instead of walking. Extreme headaches. I'm a very active 40 year Old! I felt like I couldn't stand up or walk without help. Not to mention shortness of breath and sharp pains in my legs. Stopped taking as soon as I realized Simvastatin may have been causing it about a few days ago. I still feel spasms in my legs but not as severe and my strength has returned."

• Bobjk
• February 1, 2017

For High Cholesterol "I took this simvastatin for about a week and stopped. I was having insomnia, dull pain in my chest, numbness of both my legs and hands and consistent pain in my left arm and neck. I intend to see my doctor this week."

• Karrie...
• August 27, 2017

For High Cholesterol "I will NEVER use any statin again,I experienced neuropathy and muscle weakness. I felt 20 years older and this was on a 10 mg a day. The side effects which I believe were statin related did not show up for one full year. They did bring my cholesterol numbers down, but my quality of life greatly went down. Took me 3 years after quitting to not feel the affects of this any more. At one point my muscles were so weak I could barely lift my purse, I had prickling and numbness in my legs,varms and feet. It was horrible!"

• Louie
• April 7, 2014

For High Cholesterol "About one week after I started taking it, I started with mild leg cramps. After 3 weeks, I couldn't stand it anymore. They would wake me up at night and throb, so I stopped taking it. I can't really rate effectiveness as I wasn't on it long enough."

• SumnerE
• September 28, 2012

For High Cholesterol "I have been on Simvastatin (5mg/day) for a month. It has worked wonders. My High Cholesterol is family related, and without much change to my diet (besides raisin brand for cereal, and more tea), it has lowered significantly within a month. My HDL was 37, it is now 45. My LDL was 173, and is now 91. My Total Cholesterol had been 234, and it is now 154. This is great news for me, and I have not had any side effects that I have been able to feel as of yet (possibly because I'm on such a low dose). I only have rave reviews for Simvastatin."