I have just been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism & Diabetes have been prescribed with Levothyroxine 50mcg also Simvastatin 40 mg for Cholesterol
has anybody had experience with these 2 drugs as the doctor has not explained much at all ?
I take 5mg generic zocor, how would that compare to 10 mg generic Lipitor? If I go higher than 5 I get memory problems. My sister takes 10mg Lipitor and has no side effects.
View 3 RepliesSo my latest blood work revealed that I need a dose change and that I'm insulin resistant. I am now taking 200mg of levothyroxine for hypothyroidism and 40mg of atorvastatin for cholesterol and fatty liver. I also take fish oil, multivitamin, D3, allegra, and baby aspirin. My medical provider is focusing on my thyroid before tackling everything else. I should also mention that my mother has non alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, dementia, diverticulitis, and myopathy. I'm considering taking coQ10. I'm just wondering what is the safest otc pain medicine for me to use(ibuprofen, goodies), and is there anything else I should know?
View 2 RepliesI think I have come to the conclusion that my pills levothyroxine is causing me to break out everywhere like my shoulders and face here is why I think it was them I was sick for three weeks stopped taking my pills and guess what everywhere I cleared up
View 1 RepliesI have been on levothyroxine for 19 years and have suffered with many of these side effects mentioned, high Bp, high cholesterol, palpitations, but never connected them with this drug until reading this website. Just in the last three months I have been suffering from terrible hot flashes night and day. My GP prescribed anxiety pills which are making me feel quite sick but have improved the flashes slightly. Has this happened to anyone else out there who are on this, or can anyone shed me some light?
View 10 RepliesI have many negative side effects from this drug. I recognise that some may be down to my having Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism but I think I am allergic to some of the medicine's contents. The medicine contains lactose and acacia. I know little about the latter but know that I have become lactose (as well as wheat) intolerant since being diagnosed (9 months ago) and given levo. Some side effects are - hot and then cold 'flushes', burning ears and lips, dizziness, continual headache. I have altered my diet and lifestyle to manage the condition as best as possible but cannot manage these side effects. Any help - or just sharing - very much welcomed. I wonder if there is an alternative drug on the NHS in the UK.
View 1 RepliesThe doc put me on niacin to lower my cholesterol I haven't taken it yet scared it may mess with me but my question is will high cholesterol cause vision issues and other side effects
View 4 RepliesI was prescribed Zocor for high cholesterol I have for years. Before Zocor I was on Tricor and it didn’t help to lower my cholesterol at all, so my cardiologist switched me to statin because I was under a very realistic risk of having a heart attack. My cholesterol numbers did went a bit down, but it seems like they haven't gone down enough since at my last checkup my cardiologist added Zetia to my treatment with Zocor and Lisinopril I have to take for hypertension.
What worries me though is will Zetia make Zocor side effects worse and is this a good choice when there are other statin medications out there?
I had a general health check at doctors yesterday. Am a 41 year old male and am taking co-codamol painkillers and amitriptyline on regular basis for back/nerve pain. Try to be physically active when I can but have real issues with my back and legs that limits anything too physical or for any length of time, but in general I manage at least 30 mins of some kind of physical activity each day. My diet isn't brilliant but it isn't terrible either (can be improved I'm sure).
6ft tall, waist measured yesterday at 38" and I'm just under 80 kg in weight.
My health check said my blood pressure was good, and that my pulse was nice and steady but also that my good cholesterol was above average (over 1.5) but that my bad cholesterol was not where it needs to be at 7.2.
The bad reading has freaked me out a bit. I've never had a cholesterol test before so cannot compare reading to a historic level but nurse has requested me to have a further blood test and probably a chat with doctor.
So, question is does having an above average level of good cholesterol and good blood pressure help manage the higher levels of bad cholesterol? My overall risk of having some kind of cardiac issue in next ten years came out at 1.49% which seems fairly low, but I forgot to ask how low you can get this % ie a risk of 0.01%?
I can try to up my physical activity a little bit but how dramatic would you change your diet based on above? I have lost two relatives to heart disease on my father's side of family (his sister and his father) but both parents appear to be fine although not aware they have ever had their own cholesterol tested.
I'm going to try and lose a few kg in weight which I'm sure will help but any advice in how to better manage my bad cholesterol appreciated.
For several years I took Simvastatin lowest dose (cut in HALF) and had good cholesterol numbers that satisfied the internist. That doc retired and new internist did a CPK test last year (my first one ever) and found it elevated to 243 so stopped the statin due to fears of muscle damage.
A year later (last week) the retested CPK, after taking NO statin for a year, was 303 and chol. numbers were back up (see below)!! So, doc says go ahead and take atorvastatin because there is a percentage of people who have high CPK with no other apparent problem. He said atorvastatin is more effective re chol. lowering than simvastatin which I'd had years ago. Is that so?
I am female, 64 years old and at age 55 had a calcium scan of the heart which showed ZERO calcium score. This was because I had similar TC numbers to current numbers and one doc (a cardiologist!) said 'have the scan' -- "find out if you need a statin." When he saw the ZERO calcium score for someone 55 he laughed and said I did not need a statin.
Years later, however, this new internist/gerontologist says that's fine but that is just the hardened cholesterol seen in the zero score, not the 'soft,' which is what travels and causes heart attacks and stroke. Great! Money spent for nothing on the test! Guess I need to educate the cardiologist?
My current chol. numbers before re-starting a statin last week were: Total Chol: 251; HDL: 77; LDL: 157; and Trigs: 87. Ratio is 3.26 -- Doc says he does 'not like' the 157 LDL.
So... a week ago I started on atorvastatin at a super low dose (I cut the 10 mg. pills into quarters so 2.5 per day. I have read in multiple places that it's stronger than simvastatin so wanted to start LOW and research shows that 2.5 is often enough to bring numbers to reasonable levels. I am not aiming to have the world's lowest cholesterol.
Last night and today I developed sharp pains in upper mid section and read the 'side effects' -- sure enough -- it's a possibility. Have also experienced increase in heartburn since taking these pills for a week. Started almost immediately. Is there a connection?
NOTE: Gallbladder removed in '04, before ever starting on any statin at all -- I'm one of the many who still has occasional GB related pains, likely from sphincter of oddi problems (sludge or stones formed by liver). It is called SOD III and it's not uncommon and since it's not a frequent occurrence, there is nothing to do about it per gastro doc. I have not had an episode in three+ years until last night/today, though this was mild.
Any relation to start-up of atorvastatin and these pains? Who knows? I would prefer taking NO statins since they are known to raise glucose a little and can bring on Diabetes type 2. My fasting glucose is high normal already at 98 and type II runs in my family at older ages. Swell.
What do YOU experts think of this? Would you be concerned about taking atorvastatin (or switching to simvastatin, which I took with no obvious problems for a few years?) Or would you just say forget the statins and live your life and don't worry about it? There is NO history of heart attack in anyone on either side of my family before age 80 and no 'strokes' at all.
I’ve been on simvastatin 60 mg for six months now and so far it seems that it only managed to bring my cholesterol number by only 3 points. My cardiologist started me on this after a minor heart attack, so I can’t just quit taking it, but given that I’ve changed my diet dramatically and I’m trying to be more physically active I feel like I should be getting at least somewhat better results.
Besides, simvastatin seems to be giving me very frequent headaches, so I did a bit of research and it seems like Lipitor is way more effective than simvastatin. If anyone has experience with these meds, would you recommend switching to Lipitor?
I’ve been on Lipitor for over a year now and I feel like like I’ve been putting up with side effects of this medication for far too long. I’ve not been having muscle aches, but I feel like I’m having flu for this whole year I’m on the Lipitor.
My doctor says that as far as statin medication go, Lipitor is one with least side effects and its more potent than simvastatin, but I was on simvastatin before and it didn’t feel as bad as Lipitor does. I guess I can insist that my doctor puts me back on simvastatin, but still, I’m wondering will it be as effective in controlling my cholesterol?
I’m currently on simvastatin and as the latest blood test showed, it only lowered my cholesterol by 2 points, even though I’ve been on this medication for several months. I’ve been also experiencing some side effects from simvastatin, mainly headaches and stomach pain.
Now that I’m looking up info online, I’ve found out that Lipitor is more effective than simvastatin which would mean I’d need much lower dose, but I’m wondering will I have same side effects? If anyone on here is on simvastatin or Lipitor, what would you recommend?
after I had my last physical exam for work I was bit surprised when the doctor informed me my blood tests showed that both my cholesterol and triglyceride levels were borderline high and that I should go talk to my physician about my option for lowering those. Otherwise I passed with flying colors - I’m not overweight and I exercise twice a week.
My physician gave me several more guides on the diet, of course I’m continuing with my exercise regime, but he also told me he thinks I should think about starting statin medication, either simvastatin or Lipitor in his opinion. Which one of these is more effective?
Just recently, after considering myself to be pretty healthy person, I was shocked when my doctor told me that my regular yearly blood tests showed that my bad cholesterol levels were way too high. He immediately prescribed me simvastatin, together with insisting I make even more dietary changes and start to exercise (which is a bit of a problem due to my bad back).
Simvastatin caused me to feel sick for weeks, I was barely able to work and I insisted to be switched to different medication. Now I’m on Lipitor, and if anyone could explain me what are the major differences between simvastatin and Lipitor?
I’m male, 42 years old and I’ve been having genetic problem with high levels of bad, LDL high cholesterol, in ranges between 250-270 over period of two years. The first statin medication I was prescribed was Crestor. It took me almost a year to convince my doctor that muscle and joint pain I’m experiencing because of Crestor are ruining my life completely.
So he took me off statins for a short period, just three months, and together with dietary changes, my LDL cholesterol levels were around 250. I was having a completely normal and healthy sex life. Then my doctor decided my levels are still too high and that I need another statin - Zocor (simvastatin) and for the past six months I’ve been on Zocor, I’ve been having extreme erectile dysfunction.
I was on lipitor 20mg with no problem. I was switched to simvastatin 40 (i think in error) and soon began to experience a constant low level sore throat. I was going out of my mind trying to figure the cause before I realized it may be this drug. Has anyone had this experience?
View 1 RepliesAfter being on Simvastatin for 3 months I noticed that I had put on 1/2 stone in weight and my usual methods for keeping my weight down didn't work.
I mentioned it to the nurse at my review and she told me it wasn't the statin but just 'middle age spread'!
After a year on the drug I have put on a stone in weight and feeling fed up with this. My friend, who is a phamasist, says that weight gain is a common side effect of simvastatin but is not recorded by the drug company as a side effect.
I was on simvastatin for 4 years and developed bad pain in both legs when standing up. I have to steady myself before I can start walking. I have CK in my blood tests. I was told by my doctor to stop taking the statins. I have got worse in my legs after 6 months. Doctor put me on another statin. When I read the same side effects as simvastatin I didn't take any. I couldn't believe that doctor would put me on a tablet that caused the same bad side effects. I will be going to have my blood tests done soon but would like to know whether anyone has asked about sueing the statin drug company and would the doctor be helpful about it?
View 60 RepliesI have been taking Simvastatin for over two years. During this time I have got progressively worse. Started with tingling and pins and needles in hands and fingers, sore sole of the feet and a little bit of joint stiffness, lumpy legs, severe lethargy, tiredness and irritability.
NOW I have muscle wastage of the shoulder muscle, severe joint pain in spine, chest, hips, wrists and fingers. I have lost the grip and strength in my left hand, finding it difficult and clumsy to use. My sight is progressively getting worse, I feel as if I,m looking through a slight fog. My memory loss was becoming a real problem. Diarrhea, chronic muscle spasms - I was beginning to think I was going to die.
I have only just been made aware that the cause could be Simvastatin - stopped taking them 5 days ago and I am feeling a little better having good days and bad days.
My concern is that if these problems have been caused by Simvastatin - it looks like they could be irreversible!
Had PF for a couple of years, recently had severe cramp and decided to come off Simvastatin mg40 two weeks ago.
Over this period not have cramps gone but the sever pain from PF has decreased to zero no insoles, can walk barefoot.
Have asked my Doc & local pharmacist who both have not heard of statins causing foot problems, suggesting I go back on same tablets after 4wks off
and see if pain returns, if so Doc suggested trying Atorvastatin 10mg