I 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?
Question posted by meyati on 28 Oct 2011
Last updated on 31 August 2018
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 April 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.
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.
26 Answers
CaliMags
7 June 2018
I’m curious if anyone has had experience with speech problems, muscle cramps, or involuntary twitching after or while taking statins?
My Grandpa stopped taking statins a few weeks ago due to these side effects and now things are getting worse.
We started him on a magnesium supplement, which stopped the muscle cramps, but he’s still unable to speak without slurring his words and has some muscle twitching. It seems worse when he sits still or is tired. He has an appt with neurologist soon, but regular MD won’t confirm these things are a result of the statins.
We also started him on COQ10, D-Ribose and Alpha Lipoic Acid this week in hopes to help reverse some of the damage.
Are these things reversible or has anyone experienced these same symptoms while taking or stopping statins?
Bambam1962
8 May 2018
I've been off statins since 3/29/18. I finally put it together that for the past 12 years that they... atorvastatin had Bern causing my severe leg, foot and toe cramps. I was also getting horrible hand cramps. It's been over 6 weeks & I still have the same symptoms... just a little less often, but still at night. Dr. Told me to take coq10, Flexeril and keep hydrated. I was not warned of the dangers these statin drugs could cause. My question to everyone is... We're you warned if the severe statin side effects?
Jomas
11 April 2017
I am shocked when I read that all the Doctors mentioned in all of the reports did not prescribed taking Coenzyme Q 10 (Ubiquinone) to all the patients who take statins.Ubiquinone does repair the damage caused by statins.
I had a stroke five years ago, it affected my vision, my right arm, my speech; at the hospital immediately treated the clot by dissolving it and then I was given 40 mg / daily to treat high cholesterol.
Later on my family doctor recommended the same amount of Lipitor AND 400 mg of CoQ-10 .Never have I experienced any of the symptoms mentioned above. CoQ-10 can be purchased over the counter.
Marc 59
11 April 2017
I had been Advortastatin 40MG for over 3 years... I have been having leg cramps similar to a charley horse in both calves ( more pronounced in the left leg) since August 2016... they came on after I was certified in scuba diving. I searched 'pain in calves after scuba diving' where the results all stated I should have stretched or would end up with this pain... the pain went away after a few weeks. Within a month the pain was back and more pronounced for 6 months ... it's been very debilitating to the point that I went to the doctor for help. I had never known that there was a relationship potentially to statins to muscle cramps... he took me off in an attempt to rule out the statins where I'm to go back after a month. For me, the pain was gone within a few days and has stayed away ... it's only been a couple of weeks but unless it's psychosematic, the pain went away almost immediately... I have that appointment coming up where he'll put me on a different cholesterol medication.
Katy Butler
4 Jan 2017
Dear Meyati, how old are you? Are you doing better now? If you are over 65, will you consider getting in touch with me? I have a close friend of 89 who is on statins and experiencing leg muscle weakness and problems. I'm a medical journalist writing a book about navigating medicine in the last third of life. Your story might be helpful to others. My name is Katy Butler, I'm the author of a book called "Knocking on Heaven's Door." You can Google me, email me through my website, or friend or message me on Facebook. Thanks a lot. You can get more data about statins on the NNT.com website -- if your expected remaining lifespan is ten years or less, and you haven't already had a heart attack or stroke, the benefits of statins may be outweighed by the risk. The NNT is an independent, nonprofit, physician-run analysis of risks and benefits of various treatments.
sandy4409
26 Aug 2016
I've been off of it several years. I took lipitor for about 4 years, then crestor for about 3 years. I got so I could barely walk. I'm on zetia now, which isn't a statin, but doesn't work.
I still have leg pain. They have done deep vein testing on me and nothing came up abnormal. Some days I can barely walk.
Kevlewi
8 July 2012
I started taking atorvastatin 5 weeks ago after a heart attack. Over the last week I have had bad stomach cramps n loss of bladder control. There is a constant urge to move my bowels and wee, I am now beside myself. I've visited my GP twice over the last week, firstly he told me to stop taking blood pressure tablets with no effect n on second visit told to stop taking statin tab. That was 2 days ago, does anyone know how long it will take for these urges to subside. And I am not taking them ever again!!!
meyati
12 July 2012
Has your doctor done any lab work a urine test- a creatine test that shows in your blood what your kidney function is?-Sorry that I haven't answered you sooner. Yahoo locked me out of my Email for almost a week. Usually statin constipates people, but you aren't the only one complaining of these symptoms. I already had IBS with diarrhea and stomach cramps, but not the urinary problems. This could be from dehydration-as odd as it sounds-I've been in the Er for that since the statin side-effects hit me. Another reason to get lab work. We can just pray that you'll do better. Have you tried a bland diet for the diarrhea? Lately I've been having chicken noodle soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner-as my digestive system is going through a change because of the statins.
Try yogurt to get good bacteria in your stomach-I think Yoplait is the best- as it's enough to get probiotics, a new word for good bacteria, to settle your stomach, but a small enough portion to keep from over whelming your system-as some people complain about dairy products. On another site several people changed from Dannon to Yoplait -Dannon didn't seem to help their statin problems-too much and too sugary. Another thing that might help is cranberry juice. It sounds like it hit your kidneys hard. I didn't know about the kidney damage, but when you're urinating black-I decided to flush out my kidneys. Try it and get back to me. I drink several cups of cranberry juice everyday. My urine became normal the first week of January-I had black urine for a little over 2 months.
From what I can tell-you'll always have problems. If I had told my dentist that I was going to take statins, he would have told me not to take it. He has several patients that went from healthy to being on walkers-young and old-within a few months. There's a med that controls an over-active bladder-several--- ask your doctor why you can't take it-you might get the truth out of him--he's not being honest with you. You have to fight the doctors. They don't want to tell you that it's permenent. Because of my black urine-several doctors told me that I'll be on kidney dialysis in about 5 years. Good luck and you can talk to us any time you want
balbanese
29 May 2012
I am so sorry to hear you are having such a rough ride. I agree with my friends who are advising you to get in touch with your Dr right away, I know that's not exactly ground-breaking advice but it's sincere. I am hopeful the PT will help you, I just get concerned when folks write in and suggest stopping a medication without the approval of the prescribing Dr.
It's a catch 22 that I have been in myself, you don't want to go against the Dr but you can't get in touch with the Dr as quickly as you would like (if at all).
Hang in there.
Inactive
29 May 2012
Meyati,
Please forgive me, I didn't read all 17 posts, but when I was on simvastatin and got leg cramps, I stopped immediately. After two weeks I started on flush free niacin 1600 mg a night. Actually I was afraid of some dread disease called rhabdomyolysis and resulting kidney failure related to statin meds. Niacin was a safe alternative. Then I saw a major drug company come out with Niaspan for an ungodly price. I was ahead of that game as I was already on niacin for cholesterol, which layer I found was normal. Either I didn't need niacin or it worked.
Just sayin',
Hippie
meyati
30 May 2012
Thanks, Darling, I do take niacin-I have been taking niacin-It's nice to know that I'm doing something right. I find myself believing personal testimony more then dry lectures by somebody that hasn't been affected by a situation. The personal talks are encouraging, and it often gives a point of view that others don't know about-as one doctor or one patient will stumble onto something, but medical science needs years to prove or disprove something. I can always go to the AMA pages, get bulletins from different medical research groups-which is nice. Thanks for reading carefully-It means a lot to me.
sally42
28 May 2012
I have no idea about length of time . I am looking for answers myself, Took the statin drug . Heard about the effects. Stopped taking --Dr. said "you want a heart attack?"--started taking again. I developed a bad pain in groin area which moved up to leg muscle-- prevented walking--severe pain which I have currently--- Doctor says " if you still have pain on your next visit we'll take a look." To heck with 3 months waiting. I can't walk--- Stopped the semvastatin and I will not be silly enough to start again--- which is worse--- problem or the cure. I can't see cholesterol but I sure feel the effects of statin drug--- I also have the pins and needles in hand and finger tips. I also have --below knees neuropathy--also have swollen feet and legs--also have bad skin--also knee pain--also "here a pain there a pain ever where a pain." I'm one great big pain all over.
PSSSSS--husband has known for years--- Seriously might as well try to laugh--- makes the pain a little easier--- What I say is- if I have to hurt this way to prevent something happening--- I would would rather go to my resting place a little earlier--- what do you say?.
SeeknFind
28 May 2012
I came to the same conclusion Sally. No cholesterol meds for me anymore, I'd rather live till I die.
meyati
29 July 2012
I told my doctor that if I stroke out-I have a don't resuscitate order-that I'll be out of it-so leave me alone.
SeeknFind
9 May 2012
OMG, I just read through all your stories and I am beyond outraged at the Doctors. AMA, Pharmaceutical Empire, etc. It is absolutely mindboggling how "they" get away with doing so much damage, all for profit. I have my own list of medical and drug disasters... and now I hear about simvastatin (sp?).
About 2 years ago my internist gave me a Rx for it, had high-ish cholesterol.
I took the first pill at night and within 20 minutes (don't read the rest if you are squeamish) I lost control of my bowels (a first) started urinating at the same time (a first) started vomiting and wretching at the same time, my head was splitting in two, sweating like a pig, and my heart was coming out of my chest. I believed I was dying for the first time in my life. My body said "NOOOOOOO"
to that med big time. My husband was in panic mode. Never took another statin period. I'm really starting to be grateful that I don't have insurance anymore, it spares me from further "experimentation and practicing" of medicine on me..I will let nature and God take it's course naturally with me... All this pharmaceutical prevention is killing us. So we live alittle longer, but we also suffer longer too.
meyati
9 May 2012
That's called a seizure-gran mal- wish that I had it that way-might have prevented muscle damage. I had doctor diagnosed 'seizures' later-it's on my medical record.
Everybody in my family lived into their late 90s or early hundreds. One was shot while deer hunting at 97, another crossed a street on his 98th birthday and was hit by a speeding car and thrown above an electric pole, another fell broke her hip when she was a hundred and froze to death, the other was in a car wreck when she was 105. She wasn't driving and she touched her toes when she was in her 80s. Then I'm took statin-I hiked slot canyons, lifted weights, walked coonhounds, and touched my toes until I took statin.
Inactive
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 simvastatin, & 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 simvastatin.
Any ideas anyone??? How can I get through to him, or is it just too late already. Almost 20 years of taking it.Anyway, good luck with the PT. I surely hope it helps you get walking again... Mary
queenirene
4 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...
270Winmag
31 Aug 2018
How you feel now I know it's four years later I'm sorry it's 6 years later I just never been on this site I've been taking pravastatin for 4 years and I would have had bad headaches bone problems
DianeRiley
7 April 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 April 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.
rainmaninwa
30 March 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.
... PLEASE GO SEE THIS WEBSITE...
www.spacedoc.com
This is a webiste written by a former NASA astronaut doctor (Dr. Graveline) who experinced severe statin reactions himself and has studied the problem and collected info on the subject for many years. You can check out all your symptoms there and read accounts from others with statin reaction issues. He explains his recommendations for statin recovery as well. He has written several books on the subject and I have purchased and recommend them... I stress that I have no connection with is website whatsoever and am recommending it simply because it has a wealth of statin related information and help.
At a minimum I would recommend that you stop statin therapy immediately and see your doc specifically about statin reaction problems. (My doc would not believe that statins cause these issues (he has been brainwashed by big Pharma). You should also start taking large CO-Q-10 and L-Carnitine supplements daily as well to help with muscle repair and healing. Almost all my investigations indicate that IF you MUST take a statin drug, it should be NO MORE than 10 mg. per day unless you are taking it after heart surgery etc. Preferably not at all.. I will never take another statin pill. Ever...
Good luck with your recovery and be very careful with statin drugs. They pretty much all have the same nasty side effects. (including the natural statin, red rice yeast).
cutiepie960
29 July 2012
Hi There,
I am new to this site and i would like for someone who has side effects from taking SIMVASTATIN and no its not regarding me its regarding my 82 year old mother, First of all my mother was prescribed this MEDS by her PCP for elevated CHOLESTEROL shes been on it for 5yrs + and just the other day she was diagnosed with a very slight case of PNEUMONIA when she went to the ER.
She is now on LEVAQUIN 500mg everyday for 10 days however she says she feels WEAKNESS in her legs and from her waist down she feel like a TINGLING SENSATION/SENSITIVE TO TOUCH when we returned from the ER i guess she was so WEAK & while climbing our ramp to get into the house she fell and hit her head! So back to the ER and they took all the BLOOD TESTS & CAT SCAN and said that everything looked EXCELLENT & that she was in perfect health the ER doctor asked what kinds of MEDS she is currently on and one of them is SIMVASTATIN for CHOLESTEROL immediately the doctor said that we need to stop the SIMVA for at least 5 days since everything was fine with her BLOOD WORKS & CAT SCAN however shes been complaining of BODY ACHES, TINGLING SENSATION, IMBALANCE WALKING & we think thats why she fell its only been 2 days since shes been off SIMVA & 3 days on LEVAQUIN for her slight PNEUMONIA she dosen't look good at all and after being discharge from the ER she had to follow up with her PCP and she also said to stop the SIMVA for at least 5 days as instructed by the ER doctor this is very concerning only b/c shes 82 years old and was very active till now. Can someone tell me if she needs to be HOSPITALIZE for further testing or could this be from the SIMVA even if she had no symtoms like this for 5 years. So my question is how long does it take the SIMVA to leave her body after taking it for 5 years. Any information/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks everyone who comments.
meyati
29 July 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.
cutiepie960
3 Aug 2012
Thanks Meyati for commenting i did some researching on SIMVA and found out that in EUROPE every single doctor who are prescribing SIMVA to their patience are required to take UBIQUINOL which is CO-Q10 i've read that whatever SIMVA depletes the body or break down muscle tissue that causes these horrible side effects the CO-Q10 repairs damage muscle tissue and elimininates the side effects! Right now we have my mother on 300mg of CO-Q10 and i can say she feels so so much better. However my mother is also on a blood pressure medication which also slows her heart rate that also causes MUSCLE WEAKNESS so that could also play a factor in all this her doctor had to adjust her pressure meds so shes much better almost back to herself again. I would recommend everyone who is on STATINS to get on CO-Q10 ASAP this is a supplement-like VITAMINS so it can't hurt u at all except brings POSITIVE results.
I was surprise because it also states on the bottle that anyone taking STATINS should be on CO-Q10. If anyone is confused about the UBIQUINOL it is CO-Q10 but the difference is that it is more of a PURER FORM ingredient wise. GOOD LUCK TO ALL please let me know if this brings any POSITIVE RESULTS hope to hear from u all soon!
Regards,
Lila Ann
JoJo1954
29 Sep 2016
After reading the comments from different people affected by statin drugs, I now realize that I too have all or most of the same side effects. I can hardly walk and have Achilles Heel issues in left foot and beginning to have feet issues with the right. Feel stiff and achy throughout my body. This has made me so angry!! If I would have known that taking this drug would do this to me I would have taken my chances with a possible heart attack or stroke. At least I would enjoy my life pain free. What good is your life if you can't move!!! I have stopped the simvastatin five days ago and do not plan to ever take another statin again in my life. I will do this through exercise (hopefully, if I can ever walk or move again without pain) and food. I am hopeful that some of this will reverse and I will be healthy again with body movement and being pain free again. I have taken some hope in reading other comments that this maybe can happen.
I fortunately only took 10 mg a day, but I have been taking it for about four years. I hope my lower dose will be reversible quicker. If anyone can give me advise about supplements that I can take that would benefit me in healing the muscles and joint pain would greatly appreciate it.
Related topics
underactive thyroid, high cholesterol, headache, pain, simvastatin, cramp
Further information
- Simvastatin uses and safety info
- Simvastatin prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Simvastatin (detailed)
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