Lenin...
Which would you say would be the weakest-Pravachol or lovastatin? I've gone off of the Zetia (too many gastro problems for me) and head for the Dr next week for bloodwork. Should that turn out really bad, I may be willing to try a weak statin at a low dose (like 10mg). This time, I would continue taking the COQ10 that I wished I would have known about when I took Lipitor and ended up with muscle pain and weakness.
Was taken off Zocor by insurance company...they will no longer cover it. The only thing they cover is Lovastatin and this crap is tearing my stomach up, nausea & giving me the worse headaches. I take it with my last meal as instructed and by midnight I am in pain. I haven't been able to find anything that states this drug causes this type of pain. If anyone has ever taken this can you tell me if this is normal? I'm going to have my 1st blood test in 9 months on Aug 11 and am thinking of just stopping it and see how the test goes. Compared to Zocor this stuff is "gut wrenching"!!!!
Goldenboys, I too can not take Lovastatin and for the same reason as you. I had such stomach pain and eventually bloody stools as a result. It worked okay for lowering my cholesterol but I started having yeast infections and bladder infections which were coming twice a month. My life was miserable. I refused to take it and all the misery stopped, haven't had any problems since. I take No Flush Niacin now along with other things and feel great. Oh yes I should mention that I had muscle pains in my neck and across my upper chest but don't any longer.
Imacarbuff,
Both lovastatin and pravastatin (pravacol) are weak statins. From what people on the board are saying about lovastatin, I'd be inclined to recommend the Pravacol.
Another weak one, fluvastatin, is sold as Lescol.
Start with the smallest possible dosage of one of these and see what happens.
Inquire again. I cannot IMAGINE an insurance company allowing only lovastatin as the single statin in their pharmacopeia? It's very weak.
Ask about Lipitor, Pravachol, Crestor.
Alas, lovastatin is very cheap compared to the others, and a crummy insurance company might choose only on that basis. I assume you are STUCK with that company because it's what your employer offers, take it or leave it?
PErhaps the Zocor is allowed under the new generic formulation, simvastatin.
Gastritis, nausea, and headache really aren't what people see with statins. Maybe it's something else that's causing it?
Lenin,
You may not be able to imagine an insurance company allowing only lovastatin but if I want to pay only 10.00 copay that is the only thing they allow. I tried to get the generic Zocor but they will only cover if I pay 60.00 for it. Everything else I have to pay FULL price for. I don't think I can say what my insurance company is but it has "Blue" in it.
My headaches are gone but the gastritis and nausea are still there & I'm only taking 10mg. Think I'm done with it and will wait for my test results.
Some of those Blue-Double-Cross plans are DOOZIES. Actually most insurance plans, including Medicare Part D, are pretty miserable when it comes to paying for drugs. Many pay NOTHING towards drugs.
Mine pays half so I'd get stuck with that same crappy 50% deductible for generic Zocor, too.
I guess I'll be dead before the United States get universal health care with an iron fist to bash these rapacious drug companies into line.
I take it with my last meal as instructed and by midnight I am in pain. I haven't been able to find anything that states this drug causes this type of pain. If anyone has ever taken this can you tell me if this is normal? I'm going to have my 1st blood test in 9 months on Aug 11 and am thinking of just stopping it and see how the test goes. Compared to Zocor this stuff is "gut wrenching"!!!!
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