Should I switch from Lipitor to Zocor??

[Pat in NH]

I've been taking 20 mg of Lipitor for about 8 years now with very good results and no noticable side effects. My new primary care physician wrote a new prescription for my mail order pharmacy and when I recieved the medicine they had replaced my Lipitor with the generic Simvastatin.

I haven't talked with my doctor just yet, but I'm not very happy with the switch, especially right now when I'm recovering from an AVR surgery. I'm on about 15 medications and I think it's not the best time to be trying a new one.

Also, after about an hour doing searches around the web, it seems that Lipitor is considered the better drug with less side effects. I'd really like to stick with it.

Does anyone have any advice or just comments in general?

Thanks, Pat

 

[sweetbanker]

I have been on Lipator too for many years My mail order sends lipator not generic and they are cheap surpised they haven't gone generic (watch next shipment). When I was in the hospital they kept switching me to Zocor then back to Lipator, went home with prescription for Zocor and print out for Lipator.Spoke with Cardio he told me keep taking Lipator. Most generics are close to the real thing and work well, if your not happy have your md write on script no generics and see what your rights are under plan. They will probally charge you more per script but if it will make you more comfortably it's worth the bucks.
I wish these mail order companys would give you a heads up when the pills change or go generic .When it comes to my meds I don't like surprises.
Good Luck

 

[Marfaned]

Although they are both "cholesterol reducers" they also belong to different molecular classes and do have different side effect profiles especially in the presence of other drugs that you take. There is a good reason why we have 2 or 3 molecular class drugs for every indication as people are different. If one is just taking one drug then things become easier, but nobody really understands "polypharmacy" (i.e. the multi drug regimen) that most of us are typically under.

 

[Pat in NH]

Thank you both for the input.

If simvastatin was the generic for Lipitor, I would have no problem with the switch. I read somewhere that a generic for Lipitor will likely be available sometime in 2011.

 

[Philip B]

Statins

Statins

Hey Pat,

You may want to check out the rather lengthy discussion of muscle pain and some of the other side effects of statin drugs in the Heart Talk section. Simvastatin is one of the statin drugs folks have had negative issues with.

-Philip

 

[Guest]

I was on lipitor for a number of years and then switched to simvastatin with no problems. Everyone is different, but I am fine with it.

Pat

 

[Pat in NH]

Thanks Philip, will do. I must have missed that one somehow.

Thanks for the input Pat. Don't get me wrong, I'm not putting simvastatin down I just feel real comfortable with Lipitor and feel it's a bad time to switch. I probably wouldn't even notice the transition, but I don't want to find out...lol.

 

[Jeanie]

Anyone on statins, be sure you are supplementing with CoEnzyme Q10. Sorry I don't have time to write more right now, but a search engine is your friend on why.

 

[Philip B]

Problems with Statin Drugs

Problems with Statin Drugs

I was on simvastatin for a couple of years and never experienced any noticable prolems, but others evidently have had major issues. During a lengthy discussion with my cardiologist about potential negative side effects in May, my cardiologist played the negative side effects down by telling me that only about one in every one hundred people who take statins have problems. He then added that he took simvastatin and had problems with muscle pain.

When I pressed my cardiologist about why he had me taking simvastatin he replied that it would keep me from having a heart attack. I asked him what my level of risk for a heart attack was and he told me, Practically zero since your cornary arteries are totally clear." Of course, this line of conversation continued and he finally stated that it was intended as insurance in my situation.

If what he told me about one in every one hundred statin users having problems is true, that seems pretty high (even if he was simply generalizing). I concluded that continued use of the drug presented more of a risk than I wanted to deal with. I quit taking simvastatin; I'm not convinced it's necessary for me.

Obviously, the potential negative side effects associated with statin drugs caught the attention of the national press a few months ago. Sure, people often have different reactions to prescription meds, but statins seem to have a pretty negative reputation.

-Philip

 

[Mike6855]

Hi Pat, love the picture!

It really depends on your lipid profile. Many people can get by with the cheaper Simvastatin. The goal is to get your LDL below 100, ideally down to 70.
Simvastatin is not as strong as Lipitor, but you can get it in higher doses, up to 80mg i believe.

So I would get tested in a few weeks and see what your lipd profile looks like. If your LDL it above 100, you'll probably have to try a higher does of Simvastatin or
switch back to Lipitor.

My Doctor also has a degree in pharmacology. He swears by Crestor because of how it's absorbed in the body.

I buy generic Crestor from a pharmacy in Canada and it's very reasonable.

Good luck to you and I hope you feel better every day!

 

[Pat in NH]

Thanks again all!

I saw my Dr today and he had no problem with keeping me on Lipitor, so I was relieved. Problem solved....for now anyway

 

[Pat in NH]

Hi Pat, love the picture!

It really depends on your lipid profile. Many people can get by with the cheaper Simvastatin. The goal is to get your LDL below 100, ideally down to 70.
Simvastatin is not as strong as Lipitor, but you can get it in higher doses, up to 80mg i believe.

So I would get tested in a few weeks and see what your lipd profile looks like. If your LDL it above 100, you'll probably have to try a higher does of Simvastatin or
switch back to Lipitor.

My Doctor also has a degree in pharmacology. He swears by Crestor because of how it's absorbed in the body.

I buy generic Crestor from a pharmacy in Canada and it's very reasonable.

Good luck to you and I hope you feel better every day!

Thanks Mike

I think I look better than I actually feel in that pic, but the drugs were good I can tell you that , ha ha!
Thanks for the well wishes, yes I am feeling better all the time.

-Pat