This increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes. If you want to stop taking your medicine, it's important to find another way to lower your cholesterol. There's some interest in taking CoQ10 together with statins. However there's no firm evidence that taking CoQ10 at the same time as simvastatin will benefit your health. More research is needed. If you decide to take a CoQ10 supplement, tell your doctor or pharmacist. Supplements can interfere with other medicines you may also be taking.
If you're at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, taking statins may slightly increase this risk. This is because statins can raise your blood sugar a little. Speak to your doctor, who will be able to explain how the benefits of taking statins are likely to outweigh this small increased risk. If you already have type 2 diabetes, your doctor may advise monitoring your blood sugar levels more closely for the first few months.
Tell your doctor or diabetes nurse if you find it harder to control your blood sugar. Statins all work in the same way, but they differ in how well they lower cholesterol. There are several other statin medicines for lowering your cholesterol, including:. If you have a side effect with one statin, it may not happen with another. Some medicines don't mix well with one statin, but you can take them with a different one. Your doctor will find the right statin and dose for you, depending on your medical history, cholesterol level and the other medicines you take.
Occasionally, simvastatin can make you feel dizzy. If this happens to you, do not drive, cycle or use machines or tools until you feel better. There's no clear evidence to suggest that taking simvastatin will reduce fertility in either men or women.
However, speak to a pharmacist or your doctor before taking it if you're trying to get pregnant. Simvastatin won't affect any type of contraception, including the combined pill and emergency contraception. However, drinking a lot of alcohol may increase the chances of you getting muscle and liver side effects.
Try to keep to the recommended guidelines of no more than 14 units of alcohol a week. A standard glass of wine ml is 2 units. A pint of lager or beer is usually 2 to 3 units of alcohol. Do not drink grapefruit juice if you're taking simvastatin.
It increases the concentration of simvastatin in your system. Reducing your cholesterol may mean you don't need to be prescribed a statin medicine. There are lifestyle changes you can make that will help lower your cholesterol:. Page last reviewed: 20 December Next review due: 20 December Simvastatin On this page About simvastatin Key facts Who can and cannot take simvastatin How and when to take simvastatin Side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions.
About simvastatin Simvastatin belongs to a group of medicines called statins. Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today?
Simvastatin seems to be a very safe medicine. It's unusual to have any side effects. Keep taking simvastatin even if you feel well, as you will still be getting the benefits. The formulas in these tools often consider your cholesterol levels, age, race, sex, smoking habits and health conditions. Not everyone with a heart condition needs to use a statin. Guidelines from the U. The U. Preventive Services Task Force recommends low- to moderate-dose statins in adults ages 40 to 75 who have one or more risk factors for heart and blood vessel disease and at least a 1 in 10 chance of having a cardiosvascular disease event in the next 10 years.
Lifestyle changes are key for reducing your risk of heart disease, whether you take a statin or not. To reduce your risk:. If your cholesterol — particularly the LDL "bad" type — stays high after you make healthy lifestyle changes, statins might be an option for you.
You may think that if your cholesterol goes down, you don't need a statin anymore. But if the drug helped lower your cholesterol, you'll likely need to stay on it long term to keep your cholesterol down. If you make significant changes to your diet or lose a lot of weight, talk to your doctor about whether it might be possible to control your cholesterol without medication.
Statins are tolerated well by most people, but they can have side effects. Some side effects go away as the body adjusts to the medication. But tell your doctor about any unusual signs or symptoms you might have after starting statin therapy. Your doctor may want to decrease your dose or try a different statin. Never stop taking a statin without talking to your doctor first.
However, studies comparing statins to a fake pill placebo have found a very small difference in the number of people reporting muscle aches between the groups. Also, ask your doctor if the statin you use will interact with any other prescription or over-the-counter drugs or supplements you take.
When thinking about whether you should take statins for high cholesterol, ask yourself these questions:. It's important to consider your medical reasons, personal values, lifestyle choices and any concerns when choosing a treatment. Talk to your doctor about your total risk of heart and blood vessel disease and personal preferences before making a decision about statin therapy.
There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free, and stay up-to-date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expert advice on managing your health. Error Email field is required. Error Include a valid email address.
To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information and to understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your e-mail and website usage information with other information we have about you. If we combine this information with your PHI, we will treat all of that information as PHI, and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. Some people who take statins may notice side effects, including muscle pain and weakness.
Each statin is different, so your doctor may have you switch to a new medication to see if it reduces your side effects. Medications can certainly help, but the ultimate way to improve your health is to eat better, move more, and take care of your body.
But an overall healthy lifestyle can help prevent many conditions and diseases, including ones that increase your risk for heart disease. If your LDL levels are higher than they should be, talk to your doctor about the best way to return your numbers to a safe and healthy range.
Your doctor may first suggest a change in diet and exercise. Sometimes these lifestyle changes are enough to reverse your cholesterol numbers.
Statins are an option, but they may not be the first step your doctor wants to try. The most important thing is that you take the initiative to meet with your doctor and find a solution that helps you live a healthy, happy life.
Cholesterol often gets a bad rap. How do statins measure up to lifestyle changes to reduce your…. Statins are a common treatment for high cholesterol.
Learn about the latest FDA guidelines and recommendations about the use of statins for this…. Statins are a class of prescription drugs that help to lower high cholesterol. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue the regular dosing schedule.
Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. This medication may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children.
Store the tablets at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom. Store the suspension at room temperature. Do not freeze or refrigerate the suspension. Be sure to use the suspension within 30 days of opening the bottle and discard any remaining medication after 30 days.
It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily.
To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them.
However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory.
Your doctor may order certain lab tests during your treatment, especially if you develop symptoms of liver damage. Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking simvastatin. Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription. It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription over-the-counter medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements.
You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital.
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