Just started on Zocor

[karann17]

I have just started taking Zocor and wonder if the dosage should be lowered. I know Zocor starts at 5 mg. My doctor gave me 20 mg daily dosage. Since starting it a week ago I have had charley horses in my legs at night and a twitching in my hand between thumb and index finger. Would lowering the dosage to an initial 5 mg starting dose be advisable? I have also had bad results while on Lipitor and Lescol XL. I need the meds for lowering only total cholesterol and LDL numbers. My family has history of heart disease. Are there any other cholesterol drugs I could suggest instead of the statins since I really don't trust them. Thanks, Karen

[buckshot111]

If I were you I'd stop taking the Zocor and tell my doctor the symptoms I was experiencing.

I had problems taking 10mg Zocor (see my earlier posts), and tried Policosanol without success, and now finally red yeast rice which is showing results. It is still a statin, but I'm not experiencing any symptoms (as yet!) from 1200mg/day as well as CoQ10.

All of this was after consulting my doctor BTW.

[jblondi]

Originally Posted by karann17

Are there any other cholesterol drugs I could suggest instead of the statins since I really don't trust them. Thanks, Karen

With any drugs there are going to be side effects, any. You have to find ones that you can deal with the best. Your other option is to take a good hard look at your diet and excercise.

[vipergg22]

Originally Posted by karann17

I have just started taking Zocor and wonder if the dosage should be lowered. I know Zocor starts at 5 mg. My doctor gave me 20 mg daily dosage. Since starting it a week ago I have had charley horses in my legs at night and a twitching in my hand between thumb and index finger. Would lowering the dosage to an initial 5 mg starting dose be advisable? I have also had bad results while on Lipitor and Lescol XL. I need the meds for lowering only total cholesterol and LDL numbers. My family has history of heart disease. Are there any other cholesterol drugs I could suggest instead of the statins since I really don't trust them. Thanks, Karen

Are these doctors stupid or what ? You should always start on the lowest possible dose and see where that gets you . If 5 mg works there is certainly no reason to be taking 20 mg , the potential for side effects increases with any higher dose . I would demand that he start you on 5 mg for a couple of months and see where that gets you before taking anything stronger . If you have HD in your family ask about taking 1 baby aspirin a day .

[pcovers]

Originally Posted by vipergg22

Are these doctors stupid or what ? You should always start on the lowest possible dose and see where that gets you . If 5 mg works there is certainly no reason to be taking 20 mg , the potential for side effects increases with any higher dose . I would demand that he start you on 5 mg for a couple of months and see where that gets you before taking anything stronger . If you have HD in your family ask about taking 1 baby aspirin a day .

I'm not sure I would characterize it as stupid. There is a plethora of double blind, peer reviewed, studies out there that prove high dose statin therapy significantly reduces and reverses coronary artery disease (CAD/CHD). Proven. Not subject to opinion. The cause and effect is not 100% understood nor is it directly and singularly correlative to simply reduction in cholesterol. There may be other factors such as reduction in inflammation.

In these studies, which includes tens of thousands of subjects, side effects of the typical kind we hear associated with statins was equaled by those taking the placebo.

Bottom line is that high dose statins have a proven value. What they don't have are studies proving that the high doses have any significant detrimental health effect. If anyone is aware of such double blind, peer reviewed studies, the readers of this forum would greatly benefit from them.