I took Simvastatin once and had a bad seizure several years ago as I have Left sided TLE. Took again last year and had to go to hospital drooling like a drunk while I do not have these type of seizures. I then experienced severe memory loss and ended up in an Alzheimer's type condition with Encephalitis and slowing brain waves. I was left disabled and a mess beyond imagination. Anyone else have this reaction?
Simvastatin, cause Seizures
- Thread starter Steven
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Hi Steven --
Have you been prescribed any other cholesterol, drugs or just the Simvastatin? Did the doctors know about your prior reaction to the Simvastatin when they prescribed ti again last year?
Have you been prescribed any other cholesterol, drugs or just the Simvastatin? Did the doctors know about your prior reaction to the Simvastatin when they prescribed ti again last year?
It was given again under under lipitor. I took it for 3 days years many years ago but happened to take again 10 years later from doc for 8 months. Likely was seizing daily until I put 2 and 2 together as I started smelling smoke up my nose. Then, I realized the culprit. Don't think Simvistatin should be given to Left side TLE"s based on FDA report of MEM loss. My opinion.
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Steven. I take what you are saying seriously and that certainly must be a life event that is not easy to get over. I bet it happens more often than we know.
I think when a person reports something like that, nobody wants to acknowledge it because so-called anomalies like that cause the system so much trouble, POOR SYSTEM. It causes So Damned Much Trouble and so what should be deeply troubling to us all gets swept under the rug. That is what I think!
I think when a person reports something like that, nobody wants to acknowledge it because so-called anomalies like that cause the system so much trouble, POOR SYSTEM. It causes So Damned Much Trouble and so what should be deeply troubling to us all gets swept under the rug. That is what I think!
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I was once prescribed a statin drug by my endocrinologist because of my Diabetes. But it interfered with my AEDs and my insulin. My glucose levels would skyrocket when I took that med, so I eventually told my endo dr. I would no longer be taking that stupid med.
My cholesterol has been just fine without it!
Listen to your own inner voice!
My cholesterol has been just fine without it!
Listen to your own inner voice!
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Ruth, I am impressed that you had such good body sense that you KNEW that the drug was what was messing you up. When I feel bad, I don't say to myself, Oh, it must be that drug I am taking for blahblah... It is obvious that I need practice to make this kind of connection. Thanks for speaking out.
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A while back I had very serious back problems. My dr told me that getting steroid injections in my back would help so I decided to try it. While getting them my seizures did increase but I thought it was just because of all the stress I was having from my back and not being able to move at times.
After about 2 months I stopped getting them because they weren't helping at all. Once I stopped my seizures decreased dramatically but I the problems with my back stayed the same. That's when I put two and two together and realized that the steroids were what was causing the seizures.
About 2 years ago I had VERY bad poison ivy on my hands. I was actually scratching blisters into my skin then popping them and they would start bleeding . When I went to the dr he said that if I took steroid pills for a week the poison ivy should be gone by then. He also said that I could only use a cream but they poison ivy would still itch, but not as bad, for probably a month. I decided to take the steroids, despite the chance of having seizures, just so I could keep skin on my hands. I did have a few seizures while I was taking them but the itching was gone completely by the time I was done.
After about 2 months I stopped getting them because they weren't helping at all. Once I stopped my seizures decreased dramatically but I the problems with my back stayed the same. That's when I put two and two together and realized that the steroids were what was causing the seizures.
About 2 years ago I had VERY bad poison ivy on my hands. I was actually scratching blisters into my skin then popping them and they would start bleeding . When I went to the dr he said that if I took steroid pills for a week the poison ivy should be gone by then. He also said that I could only use a cream but they poison ivy would still itch, but not as bad, for probably a month. I decided to take the steroids, despite the chance of having seizures, just so I could keep skin on my hands. I did have a few seizures while I was taking them but the itching was gone completely by the time I was done.
MAB
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I had a stroke during the time I was in pain management. I immediately started having seizures but my neuro told me they were TIAs. I was on several different drugs and getting back steroid injections too.
After 3 years of pain management with the pain getting worse I couldn't stand the pain any longer and found a great neurosurgeon.I was on an extreme among of meds. for pain. I had major surgery (16 hours). No one realized I was having seizures before the surgery. After I had the surgery the seizures continued but they changed. After surgery I developed phantom odors in addition to my other seizures symptoms. I finally weaned myself off pain meds over a period of 2-3 months after the pain went away. The seizures continues and the phantom odors became frequent, lasting for days, coming in waves.
I think they would have been even more reluctant to do the surgery if they realized I was having frequent seizures. I already had the stroke and also had mild COPD. They were already concerned that there could be complications caused just by the stroke and seizures.
After 3 years of pain management with the pain getting worse I couldn't stand the pain any longer and found a great neurosurgeon.I was on an extreme among of meds. for pain. I had major surgery (16 hours). No one realized I was having seizures before the surgery. After I had the surgery the seizures continued but they changed. After surgery I developed phantom odors in addition to my other seizures symptoms. I finally weaned myself off pain meds over a period of 2-3 months after the pain went away. The seizures continues and the phantom odors became frequent, lasting for days, coming in waves.
I think they would have been even more reluctant to do the surgery if they realized I was having frequent seizures. I already had the stroke and also had mild COPD. They were already concerned that there could be complications caused just by the stroke and seizures.
MAB, Thanks for posting about your difficult, difficult journey. When I sat down at the computer just now, I had decided I could manage my future health care needs without any neurologists on board. I am so very angry at them all. But having read your post, I am rethinking.
MAB
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Good neuros are hard to find. I never liked the neuro that treated my seizures as TIAs. He exposed me to drugs I didn't need and one of them cost me over $300. per month because my insurance company refused to cover it.
I now have a neuro. Seizures are not her specialty, headaches are. But at least she recognized what was wrong and started me on meds that have reduced my seizures. I wish they were gone but there are a couple drugs that she mentioned that I refuse to even try. I think I can deal with my seizures with meds and good health habits but only because they are SPs.
She's probably not one of the best neuros in the world but I like her (most of the time)and she has really helped me.
Good neuros are hard to find, you just have to keep trying. Good neuros that you like are even harder to find.
I now have a neuro. Seizures are not her specialty, headaches are. But at least she recognized what was wrong and started me on meds that have reduced my seizures. I wish they were gone but there are a couple drugs that she mentioned that I refuse to even try. I think I can deal with my seizures with meds and good health habits but only because they are SPs.
She's probably not one of the best neuros in the world but I like her (most of the time)and she has really helped me.
Good neuros are hard to find, you just have to keep trying. Good neuros that you like are even harder to find.
HEY MAB, if she REALLY is helping you and if YOU are in charge and if you respect each other, she is a VERY GOOD Neurologist. I think it takes a lot of strength to call the shots the way you are doing.
Things are still in a state of chaos here from after my VEEG. We will see what happens. Thanks for posting.
Things are still in a state of chaos here from after my VEEG. We will see what happens. Thanks for posting.
Statins also are known to cause muscle wasting and memory loss. Given that the only demographic that they have EVER been shown to help and then only weakly is men 45-65 who have already had a heart attack, I don't see why anyone would take them.
I wonder how many people around here who have memory issues are also on statins.
Thanks for bringing this interaction up, Steven.
I wonder how many people around here who have memory issues are also on statins.
Thanks for bringing this interaction up, Steven.
MAB
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I don't know why anyone would take them either. There are to many proven natural ways to lower cholesterol.with very little danger.
You must be very diligent in advocating for yourself if you do not feel right, or off kilter. Stick to the time frame and act ASAP . If time passes, my suggestion is to to take a hard look at any drug changes added or taken away and dosage changes. Go back to the time when you started or felt worse. It is common Doctors will add drugs to clear the problem than to be your own investigator of your meds , since DR's sometimes don't catch the full story of the issue or office visit or time of decline. TRY To be more proactive with this. It has helped me in my 25 yr history, INSTEAD OF AN O YEA WASTE OF Time FEEL'N LOUSY. Make the phone call !
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Thank you. If you asked a regular Doctor if there are warnings out or problems with memory loss with simvastatin the answer would be "NO". If you asked if there was an FDA warning the same would be true "NO Including big hospitals.. In the suberbs I think they would be clueless.
FACT FDA states the following " It Is up to to Pharmacy to DECIDE whether THE PHARMACY wants to put a warnkng label on lipitor, simvastatin or others that this drug can cause MEMORY LOSS . I spoke to the FDA.
The Pharmacies choice, even though the' FDA HAS WARNED AND HAS determined simvastatin and other cholesterol lowering meds can cause memory loss. ? Who is caring for us? GO TO fda.gov/for/consumers/consumerupdates/ucm293330.htm#2 other Google reads
FACT FDA states the following " It Is up to to Pharmacy to DECIDE whether THE PHARMACY wants to put a warnkng label on lipitor, simvastatin or others that this drug can cause MEMORY LOSS . I spoke to the FDA.
The Pharmacies choice, even though the' FDA HAS WARNED AND HAS determined simvastatin and other cholesterol lowering meds can cause memory loss. ? Who is caring for us? GO TO fda.gov/for/consumers/consumerupdates/ucm293330.htm#2 other Google reads
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Cognitive Decline Cholesterol
Thank you. If you asked a regular Doctor if there are warnings out or problems with memory loss with simvastatin the answer would be "NO". If you asked if there was an FDA warning the same would be true "NO" including big hospitals.. In the subscriber I think they would be clueless.
FACT FDA states the following " It Is up to to Pharmacy to DECIDE whether THE PHARMACY wants to put a warning label on lipitor, simvastatin or others that this drug can cause MEMORY LOSS . I spoke to the FDA.
it is the "Pharmacies" choice, even though the' FDA HAS WARNED AND HAS determined simvastatin and other cholesterol lowering meds can cause memory cognitiveloss. ? Who is caring for us?
This new information should not scare people off statins, says Amy G. Egan, M.D., M.P.H., deputy director for safety in FDA’s Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products (DMEP). “The value of statins in preventing heart disease has been clearly established,” she says. “Their benefit is indisputable, but they need to be taken with care and knowledge of their side effects.”
FDA will be changing the drug labels of popular statin products to reflect these new concerns. (These labels are not the sticker attached to a prescription drug bottle, but the package insert with details about a prescription medication, including side effects.)
The statins affected include:
Altoprev (lovastatin extended-release)
Crestor (rosuvastatin)
Lescol (fluvastatin)
Lipitor (atorvastatin)
Livalo (pitavastatin)
Mevacor (lovastatin)
Pravachol (pravastatin)
Zocor (simvastatin).
Products containing statins in combination with other drugs include:
Advicor (lovastatin/niacin extended-release)
Simcor (simvastatin/niacin extended-release)
Vytorin (simvastatin/ezetimibe).
Thank you. If you asked a regular Doctor if there are warnings out or problems with memory loss with simvastatin the answer would be "NO". If you asked if there was an FDA warning the same would be true "NO" including big hospitals.. In the subscriber I think they would be clueless.
FACT FDA states the following " It Is up to to Pharmacy to DECIDE whether THE PHARMACY wants to put a warning label on lipitor, simvastatin or others that this drug can cause MEMORY LOSS . I spoke to the FDA.
it is the "Pharmacies" choice, even though the' FDA HAS WARNED AND HAS determined simvastatin and other cholesterol lowering meds can cause memory cognitiveloss. ? Who is caring for us?
This new information should not scare people off statins, says Amy G. Egan, M.D., M.P.H., deputy director for safety in FDA’s Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products (DMEP). “The value of statins in preventing heart disease has been clearly established,” she says. “Their benefit is indisputable, but they need to be taken with care and knowledge of their side effects.”
FDA will be changing the drug labels of popular statin products to reflect these new concerns. (These labels are not the sticker attached to a prescription drug bottle, but the package insert with details about a prescription medication, including side effects.)
The statins affected include:
Altoprev (lovastatin extended-release)
Crestor (rosuvastatin)
Lescol (fluvastatin)
Lipitor (atorvastatin)
Livalo (pitavastatin)
Mevacor (lovastatin)
Pravachol (pravastatin)
Zocor (simvastatin).
Products containing statins in combination with other drugs include:
Advicor (lovastatin/niacin extended-release)
Simcor (simvastatin/niacin extended-release)
Vytorin (simvastatin/ezetimibe).
But this is the problem. Their value in lowering cholesterol may be indisputable but their value in preventing heart disease is anything but.
As I said in men 45-65 who had already had a coronary "event", there some weak correlation.
Given such marginal benefits for so few people, and such clear side effect for so many, the cost/benefit doesn't work out.
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