Station Damage Recovery

[twinmom]

I'm a new user to this website. I'm so glad I found it - it's been my lifeline to some semblance of sanity during my recovery from Zocor damage. After a year of GI problems, weakness, muscle aches, and extreme fatigue, I'm left with persistent fatigue on a daily basis. I'm taking CO Q10, D-ribose, B complex, magnesium (which really helped to relieve the muscle pain), and recently started L-carnitine. However, what is the difference between L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine, and which is the best one to take? Just reading the stories of other victims of statin damage has been a source of moral support and helps me on the days when I'm really feeling down, and wondering if I'll ever be normal again!

[cjbrooksjc]

twinmom: Don't get discouraged, and try to be EXTRAORDINARILY patient with your recovery. Based on my experience and the experiences of others on this forum, it takes months (at least) to begin to feel better. Recovery is also shot thru with seeming relapses (a week or more); you can expect them, but recovery continues. It's been over a year and a half for me and, though I feel much better, I still have bad days filled with muscle ache/pain and general lassitude; then, other days, I feel almost normal again. The hardest part may be keeping a positive attitude... for some reason this affliction causes extreme moodiness which makes the down days harder to manage.

As to the carnitine issue: plain L-Carnitine is said to be best for muscle issues and Acetyl L-Carnitine Arginate best for mental function. Do a forum SEARCH for some of Ray Holders posts - he is well versed in the subject, or simply SEARCH on carnitine.

Best,

Brooks

[twinmom]

brooks - Thanks for the encouraging words and helpful info. It does help to hear that others are experiencing the same problems, and offers a little light at the end of the tunnel. I'll search Ray Holder's postings on the carnitine subject. It sounds like the L-cartinine is best for me. I'm not quite a year off Zocor, and have had improvements, but the progress is certainly SLOW and your advice to use patience is something I'll keep reminding myself.

[pnisthepits]

its 6 years off zocor for me and I still have periferal neurapathy and other nerve problems like shingles from time to time...Have to take pain pills on a daily basis otherwise I would be in a recliner all day...very sore painful feet......(there are good days but I doublt my feet will ever recover) I was on zocor 4 years.......not very encouraging, huh?

[twinmom]

pnisthepits - Has your doctor admitted that your problems are from the statin? To me, that's one of the most frustrating parts of this nightmare - I've been to several doctors, and they say it's not the Zocor, because I'd have recovered in 3-4 weeks after stopping the drug, maybe it's a virus - unbelievable - and even more unbelievable, we may never know what caused it!!! How can we have any faith in doctors anymore, and what will it take for them to realize what's going on with these drugs, and try to help us recover, instead of denying, denying?

[bucho]

I assure you the problem IS the zocor, your doctors' opinions notwithstanding. I had many of the same problems that you report. After a year off Zocor (after about 4 years on it) I still hadn't seen much progress at all on the fatigue front. Now, at my 2-year anniversary, the fatigue issue is all but gone! Never thought I'd see the day.

[twinmom]

bucho - Thanks so much for the message! It's really a huge help to hear that someone out there HAS recovered from the fatigue. As you know, it gets tough to keep thinking positive as the weeks and months go by with not much improvement. Now I have encouragement and HOPE for recovery.