Simvastatin 2015-01-22 Person 3 5 0

I experienced frequent inexplicable diarrhoea over very many months. Finally I saw a doctor in my practice. She examined me carefully and considerately, but never questioned the medication her colleagues had prescribed. After seeing 2 more members of the practice (because they or the hospital) had lost a stool sample, I decided to take myself off all the medicines I had been prescribed. The symptoms stopped. I read the patient's leaflet that came with Simvastatin. It did not suggest that this was the likely cause. Finally I saw the 3rd doctor. He asked me what I had been prescribed! (It was all on the Practice computer). When I mentioned Simvastatin, he said at once, "Well, diarrhoea is a well known side effect of Simvastatin". I went home and Googled Simvastatin and there are countless stories of patients experiencing the same symptoms as me. I am now on Atorvastin with no side effects. A good outcome, but not a lot of Brownie points for my practice. I had to do the doctors' job and determine that my condition was caused by the drug that they had prescribed. Oh dear!