Itchy Skin (Top voted first)

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I've been taking simvastatin for about 4 months and have had a really bad itchy skin reaction, but nothing is relieving it. I do not see this posted as a side effect. Not using grapefruit juice, what else might it be interacting with to cause this great discomfort?

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4

I have been taking statins for about a month now, and have developed an itchy face, forehead and outer nose.
Has anyone else found the same?

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1

I've been on simvastatin for over a year. Several months I contracted an itch. My PCP doesn't think it is the medicine, but I do. I feel like bugs are crawling under my skin. I have stopped taking it for a few days and the itch has subsided. I'm going to stay of the pills for a week then try them again and see if the itch comes back. If so, I'm telling my doctor he has to prescribe something else. BTW, I don't drink grapefruit juice.

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7

Sympathies to all on this itch. I have just gone through 10 days of itching hell and yesterday went to the dermatologist who is running some bloodwork. I did my own internet exploring and found your comments. Now I am convindced its the Simvastatin I have been taking for 4 years. Hell. Can't we turn the clock back to being 20 again???

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5

This is to Kaymc: I take simvastatin and sometimes itch like crazy on my forehead, outer ears, outer nose and sides of my head. I know just how you feel....and I'm sure it's the statins because it never itched like that before I started taking them.

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11

I too have suffered from a debilitating itch of my legs, worse at night. I eliminated various mess/supplements and started to use the mildest soaps and fabric softeners with no improvement. I did not think it was caused by the statins as I had been on for over 2 years, however, I stopped my statin due to joint and muscle aches and low and behold, the vicious itch subsided and after 1 month is completely gone!

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10

I took Simvastatin for three weeks and developed an itch over all of my body. It's been over five months since I stopped taking Simvastatin and I still have the itch. My doctor seems not to be too concerned. Fortunately the itch is bearable and does not keep me awake. I use Gold Bond lotion to relieve the itch. The itch is worse late afternoon and evening. It seems to move from my legs to my upper body and back to my legs after a couple of weeks.
I.m hoping this will eventually go away.

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3

Thank you, Verwon. I tried a half dose and the itch has begun again, so I am getting off the simvastatin until my next doctor visit which is in a few weeks.

I'm also going to speak to my pharmacist. Thank you again. That is great information to know.

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14

I was on vytorin 80mg and went to the eye Dr. because of some itchy eyes. My family Dr. Immediately changed my prescription to simvastatin 40mg and now I'm itching like crazy. My head, noise, and cheeks some times my back. I believe this is from the drugs. Question to anyone, Can simvastatin be worse than the vytorin? And I'm talking half the dose. Any ideas?

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8

I have been on 60 mg. a day of Zocor and I frequently have very intense scalp itching whenever I try to use my brain to solve problems or make decisions. I am going to stop taking it for a month to see what happens. I had a quadruple heart bypass operation 3 months ago so I don't think I will will accumulate much plaque in my new coronary arteries/veins in one month.

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9

I have Simvastati prescription since last April and have developed itchness of the skin on legs last July. I've stopped taking the medicine since mid-Jan. this year and my skin still itches at night. Just wonder what other medicine do you switch to? Does itchness stop?

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15

after 5 years on simvistatin I started to itch on my forehead, hands, sides and back. I went to a dermatologist who said this was a side effect of statin drugs but he also did blood work and discovered pemphigus, a rare auto immune disorder, exacerbated by statin drugs. My GP switched drugs but the itching has come back with a vengeance. Trying OTC antihistamines and cortisone creams

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6

Do your statins contain E-320 butylated hydroxyanisole?

You will find information in what your tablets contain section plus the side effects i.e irritant to the eyes,skin or mucus membranes

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13

yes i take simvastation40mg and every time i shower or wash my skin itches just as if something is crawling inside my skin my doctor gave me some cream for dry skin, what a lot of rubbish still itching doing back to the dr,

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18

I have been on Simvistatin since late June. 5 days ago I woke up with a rash on my lower abdomen. Now the rash has spread to my back and legs. At first the rash didn't itch. Now it does, especially when I work out. My PCP told me to stop the Rx for a couple of weeks to see if the rash goes away. After reading everyone's posts on this site I'm fairly sure the rash is from the Simvistatin.

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2

Many people just have problems and suffer these types of side effects from Statin drugs, usually they have to switch their medication.

Unfortunately, your MD is not trained the same as a pharmacist, so they don't always know all the side effects and issues that certain drugs can cause, they prescribe according to known effectiveness.

You may need to speak to your pharmacist and, if necessary, have them call your doctor regarding this matter.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Simvastatin/­

Have you tried contacting them about it?

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16

I tried zocor twice before and itched from head to toe. My dr. Put me on a lower dose and after 3days Im itching again!

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17

I have been on Simvastatin 40 for about a year after quadruple bypass surgery. My arms itch on top by the elbows. Creams and allergy pills (benedryl) help but it seems to come back quite regularly. What changes of meds or stopping simvastatin have others experienced to get rid of the itch? How long for it to go away?

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19

My 68 yr old husband has taken statins for years - first Lipitor, then Pravachol, then Crestor. He had the usual side effects but less with each change until he developed this intense sporadic itch. Off all drugs now, been to every kind of doc, can't get rid of the itch. We've tried everything! He now takes Zyrtec in am and Claritin in pm. Now developing allergies to certain foods he's always been able to eat. This is a person who never even gets seasonal allergies! I know the statins caused the itch but what can be done now. Allergy meds help some but he doesn't like feeling like a zombie. Has anyone tried cholestyramine for the itching?

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23

HI All
I have had the same problem of the feeling of crawling skin.
I was told by my Doctor to stop taking Simvastatin about three weeks ago after me complaining of itching all over my body.
I have been taking statins for about three and a half years and slowly starting to get the itch over the last year.
Two weeks ago I paid to see a Consultant Dermatologist and he diagnosed that I had developed Dermographic Urticaria . I have never had any skin problems in my life all 67 years of them. The Consultant would not condemn the the statin but told me to to read about Simvastatin on the internet and then decide If I wanted to carry on taking statins .
I have had a terrible two weeks unable to sleep with the feeling of things crawling on me but slowly getting better.

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12

I have been on simvastatin for three months. I was taking niacin along with it and after a few weeks got severe itching on my upper back. I stopped taking the niacin about 5 weeks ago and the itching subsided somewhat but now seems to be getting worse. I think I'm having an allergic reaction to the simvastatin. I'm going to stop taking it and call my Doctor on Monday and see id he can prescribe something else.

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