I was on Lipitor for years. I read a ton of literature on statins when my wife experienced muscle pain. I became convinced that the negative effects are under reported and the positive effects (on health, not numbers) are nearly non-existent. After that we both quit. Research shows that statins have no impact on overall mortality in people who have no prior heart disease. They may have benefits after a heart attack. When doctors say statins are one of the most effective drugs ever developed they are reacting to the fact that statins achieve their goal -- reducing cholesterol in the blood. The problem is that lower cholesterol numbers are only slightly associated with better health in some people and they are associated with slightly poorer health in others. Most doctors are not experts in this stuff -- they simply accept the general guidelines that are published. I followed a number of doctors who study lipids and are experts and followed their advice.

By the way, my cholesterol shot up after dropping statins but when I cut out virtually all sugar (and a fair amount of other carbs, particularly wheat), cholesterol dropped down (except supposedly heart healthy HDL which went up) and triglicerides went way down. I also lost 16% of body weight which will likely have a far greater impact on overall health than any pills I could take.