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Suggest Treatment For Muscle Pain In The Arm And Left Side Of The Head While On Simvastatin
Question: I am a 72 year old healthy woman. I have been taking sinvistatin 10 mg once a day for many years. Recently on my own I increased the dose to 15 mg once a day. Recently I have been experiencing head pain/ache and today (now) after taking the medicine am experiencing muscle pain on my left arm and back of my head on left side.
Should be be worried and do something about it now? Or can I wait to call my MD in the morning?
Of course I will not repeat the dose tomorrow unless my MD tells me it is ok. Either way I will return to taking 10 mg once a day if he says its ok.
I read that muscle pain can be a common side effect of this drug.
Thank you.
Should be be worried and do something about it now? Or can I wait to call my MD in the morning?
Of course I will not repeat the dose tomorrow unless my MD tells me it is ok. Either way I will return to taking 10 mg once a day if he says its ok.
I read that muscle pain can be a common side effect of this drug.
Thank you.
Brief Answer:
It is highly likely simvastatin induced muscle pain.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Please, do not worry. Muscle pain on your left arm and the left sided headache are highly likely side effects of the increased dose Simvastatin. Simvastatin may cause such side effects like muscle pain, headache, nausea etc. Unfortunately, there is no proven treatment for statin induced muscle pain. Almost all cases are self resolved by decreasing the dose of statin medicine or temporarily stopping it.
Meningioma may also cause neurologic pain in hands or headaches but if the recent imaging studies showed that the size is stable for many years, it is highly unlikely symptoms of meningioma.
You can call your Doctor tomorrow and discuss decreasing the dose of simvastatin or temporarily stopping it. For now, if the pain is severe you can take ibuprofen (advil) after a meal for symptomatic relief of the muscle pain.
I hope the above information will be helpful for you. Please, feel free to ask me if there is anything else you need to know.
Thank you.
Regards
It is highly likely simvastatin induced muscle pain.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Please, do not worry. Muscle pain on your left arm and the left sided headache are highly likely side effects of the increased dose Simvastatin. Simvastatin may cause such side effects like muscle pain, headache, nausea etc. Unfortunately, there is no proven treatment for statin induced muscle pain. Almost all cases are self resolved by decreasing the dose of statin medicine or temporarily stopping it.
Meningioma may also cause neurologic pain in hands or headaches but if the recent imaging studies showed that the size is stable for many years, it is highly unlikely symptoms of meningioma.
You can call your Doctor tomorrow and discuss decreasing the dose of simvastatin or temporarily stopping it. For now, if the pain is severe you can take ibuprofen (advil) after a meal for symptomatic relief of the muscle pain.
I hope the above information will be helpful for you. Please, feel free to ask me if there is anything else you need to know.
Thank you.
Regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Answered by
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