The Food and Drug Administration last week released a warning last week about using a high dose of the cholesterol-lowering medication simvastatin (Zocor), as a result of concerns about muscle damage.
Mayo Clinic’s recommendations to patients are the same as the FDA’s:
If a patient has been taking 80 mg of simvastatin daily for more than 12 months and has no side effects (especially muscle side effects), he or she can continue at that dose, with periodic monitoring, or switch to another medication or combination of medications to achieve the same LDL (bad cholesterol) goal.
New patients being treated for lipid lowering, the maximum dose of simvastatin should be 40 mg daily. If addition lipid lowering is necessary, other lipid-lowering agents should be considered (for example, atorvastatin, Vytorin, rosuvastatin, statin and niacin).
Patients who are taking and tolerating simvastatin, medications that can increase the risk of muscle side effects should be avoided, if possible. If such medications cannot be avoided, alternative lipid-lowering drugs with a lower potential for drug interactions should be considered (such as pravastatin or rosuvastatin).
Patients should look at the FDA website to see if they are on another medication that should not be used with simvastatin, or are on a medication that necessitates a lower dose of simvastatin. It is also recommended that patients talk with their physician about the use of simvastatin.
Click here to read more from the FDA
Dr. Randal Thomas, chair of Mayo Clinic’s Cardiovascular Health Clinic, offers patients an explanation of Mayo’s recommendations.
I have taken notice to the side effects of simvastatin. I recently injured my left rotator cuff. And it seems to be taking longer for the muscles to relax and respond to physical therapy. I went out on a limb and did not take the regular prescribed everning med. I had discovered the positive results to physical therapy the next day. The muscles relaxed and responded to the stretching therapy. So I took the regular prescribed medicine the evening prior to physical therapy. Following the guidance and instructions of the therapyst. I almost immediately noticed the negative impact from the simvastatin. I soon discovered the excruciating muscle pain and the lack of any muscle relaxer, tylenol or aspirin did not eliviate the pain. So, I tried it again and discovered without the simivastatin I responded better to the physical therapy. I did take the prescribed dosage last night and again same results. At three in the morning the muscle spasms came on and regardless of the ice packs or hot pads the extreme muscle pain has yet to leave. Extreme muscle soreness and tenderness.
I have been taking Simvastatin 40 mg for many years. I have been readi g about the side effects of taking this drug. I have been recently diognoise with Cutaneous T- Cell Lymphoma. I have been to several skin Doctors & now they are treating me with going to the tanning bed three times a week & will do more biopsy,s on the spots that I have on my skin. So my question is, Is it possible that the Simvastatin could cause the Lymphoma with me. I only take the small dosage of 40mg Thank You FRances Cummings