Anyone take meds for high cholesterol?

[splash5]

I was just wondering if anyone had to take meds for high cholesterol. What do you take and are there any side effects?

 

[goaliewife]

I take simvastatin. Only been on it for three months. No side effects, but I am on a very low dose.

 

[MEM]

It really depends on the individual. I take simvastatin and don't notice any ill effects. My DH was taking it and felt he was losing muscle strength - his doctor switched him to lovastatin but its too soon to tell about his muscle tone.

 

[antmaril]

I have been on Simvastatin for almost three years. I have no side effects.

 

[mom2mikel]

I just started Prevastatin 20mg on Sunday and felt a little queasy the first few days, but now I'm OK. I'm hoping for no other side effects!

 

[paladin]

I've been taking Lipitor for over 10 years (now switched to generic) and have never had any side affects (however, I am on a very low dose).

 

[Gigi22]

Same as paladin. No side effects whatsoever. The main problem with lipitor is that it must be taken at bedtime. Sometimes I get so sleepy, I can't recall if I have taken it--so I bump it up earlier by about 30 min.

 

[DVC-Don]

Been taking Lipitor for years with no side effects.

 

[davmill]

I take Simvastatin, 40mg. Been on it for two years and no bad effects. Have cut about 80 points off my level.

 

[stacieps]

I take Lipitor (started with 20mg, now take 40mg), have for about 2 years.
I have had no side effects.
My total cholesterol has gone from about 315 to 150ish.

 

[POOHsie]

I was taking Vytorin for years. Had to change because of other medicine conflict. Now on Lipitor 40 mg and Zetia 10 mg. No noticeable side effects ever.

 

[Sadie22]

It's important to have blood tests at the interval recommended by your doctor so that potential side effects can be diagnosed and eliminated before any real damage is done. The doctor will be keeping close tabs on your liver enzymes, and dosages or medications may need to be reduced, eliminated, or changed over time.

 

[sherreis]

DH was on pravastatin. His first set of side effects were muscle cramping which was relieved with taking enzyme Co-Q10 supplements. Then, we started noticing some short-term memory loss and were getting quite concerned. PCP took him off the medication and sent him to neurologist and luckily there is nothing wrong with his brain that can be seen. We have switched to a mostly vegan diet and DH is taking fish oil supplement (I know it's contradictory to the vegan diet - but that is the one available in bulk at BJs) and red rice extract. DH is losing weight, his cholesterol has come down from high 200s to 180 and his triglycerides also dropped 100 points to about 180.
Everyone is different.

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

A few years ago my doctor started me on 10mg of simvastatin (generic for Zorcor) but after taking it for a few months I just did not feel right. He switched me to 10mg of Liptor (I'm now up to 20mg) and I haven't had any side effects. I started taking the generic version of Lipitor a few months ago and still no side effects.

 

[Gina]

I am so dumbfounded that so many of you have never had any side effects... I think you might be the only group of people I've ever heard that from. Wish I was one of them! Statins are the very bane of my existence.
I've been on 40mg of Pravastatin since last September, and while it has drastically helped my cholesterol, it has also drastically altered my quality of life. Everything I do causes my muscles to cramp up/lock up, and I have the strength of a newborn. But I can't really even pin it down to being in my muscles -- it's that, but it's also this weird seized-up feeling in my joints and bones themselves. Brushing my hair, I have to stop halfway through and rest my arms. My tongue cramps up when I eat. It's RIDICULOUS.

Nothing helps -- Not even a pretty hefty dose of CoQ10. Tried that for a couple of months. What's worse, he took me off the stuff for almost 6 weeks, and the muscle issues didn't go away. He said he could try me on Simvastatin, but the research I did (and I have done way more than I ever cared to) pointed to that statin as being leagues worse than the one I'm on. In fact, the one I'm on is supposed to generally have the fewest side effects.

But it's amazing how many message boards and articles are out there devoted to how completely awful statins are. I wish I had some other choice. I'm 45, but most days I feel about 90.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I've been taking Lipitor for over 10 years (now switched to generic) and have never had any side affects (however, I am on a very low dose).

Same here. So glad the generic is finally available!

 

[bdcp]

I've been taking 5 mg of Crestor for the last 4 months. It's not available as a generic and my Dr actually prefers that because it has less side effects. My co-pay is $40 for 3 months supply by mail order. We have great insurance and the co-pay is more than a generic. I don't have any real side effects but I also take CoQ-10 with it. My Dr said it can't hurt and a lot of heart patients take it.

My total cholesterol went from 275 to 225, but my good cholesterol has stayed very good. My ratios were actually about 4.75 before I started taking it and it's now about 3.5. Another reason she put me on Crestor is that it doesn't affect good cholesterol the way other statins do.

 

[yoopermom]

Everyone responds differently, but from my informal survey of family and friends it seems that people who are not affected by it negatively feel great, and usually have good results. Those who ARE affected by it negatively have TERRIBLE side effects. I don't talk to many people who say, "Oh it affects me, but just a little."

My DF and I both have had terrible reactions to various ones (and our drs have tried the gamut). Horrible muscle aches and weaknesses throughout the body, as if you've just been run over by a truck, backwards, forwards, etc, etc. I've tried the natural suppliments others have mentioned to mitigate this, and it hasn't helped .

A few years ago I lost 100 lbs, and, honestly, the good eating/exercise habits I practiced then brought my numbers down pretty decently. Now I just need to get motivated to do it again!

Terri

 

[nilseks]

DH has been on simvistatin for about 3 years with no side effects. I love it because it only costs about $1.60/month at our pharmacy. At least it's not expensive, because he's probably gonna be on it for a long time...forever? When the dr. initially told him he needed medication, he said he really wanted to try and get it down on his own with diet and exercise. He tried VERY hard for 6 months, and I think he went down a whopping 6 points. With the meds he went down about 40 points in 6 months.

 

[aubriee]

I take Simvastin along with a CoQ10. My mom takes Levostatin. Neither of us have ever had any adverse reactions to them.