Simvastatin

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!

Simvastatin 2015-01-17 Person 4 5 0

I could have been told that it's best to take at night...found that out by accident.

Simvastatin 2009-12-15 Person 2 5 0

Simvastatin 40mg I was taking the 20mg pill after being identified at amy annual medical screening as having high cholesterol. A change of diet did not seem to work so my GP prescribed 20mg Simvastatin daily. This had a small effect but the GP thought that because of other risk factors my cholesterol needed to be reduced faster and so put me on 40mg daily. This has now worked to improve my readings. The main side effect I have found is an adverse effect on bowel movements. I won't detail exactly how bad it is - you can Google for irritable Bowel Syndrome for a pretty close approximation if you like.