Niacin 500mg symptoms and conditions

I took Zocor for 9 months after I had a heart attack. After about 8 months I began having sever muscle spasm in my legs. I had a couple of episodes where when walking I couldn't pick up my feet and thought I was having a stroke and had to sit down and rest before walking on. I had to do this several times to get where I was going. I told my cardiologist and he had me stop the Zocor. The spasms stopped but I never regained the strength in my legs. Today I have had to put ramps in at home cannot climb steps. The ramp is difficult because of the incline but it is better than crawling up my steps to get in the house. I can only walk about 50 steps before my legs give out on me. I cannot walk on uneven ground without holding on to something or someone. I have now had 2 back surgeries because I have been told over and over it is my back with no relief for the legs. This last surgery my left foot drags and my big toe hangs down and I cannot pull it up. Now I fall a lot because of that and have to wear an AFO to keep my foot and toe up so it doesn't drag and trip me. The back doctor thinks it another pinched nerve and wants to open back up again. I am so tired of them trying to convenience me it is my back when I know it was the Zocor and the damage apparently is irreversible but no one wants to agree with me. I am sick of it and just wish they would say yes it was the Zocor and get you a scooter and live the best you can. I know I am headed for that road I use a walker and cane when I don't have someone with me to hold on to. Because I am so unstable on my legs.

Except for having high cholesterol (310), I'm a 29 yr old healthy active female, very petite and weigh 98lbs. My mother has had a quadruple bypass and 4 stents at the age of 54, high cholesterol is just hereditary in my family. My doctor put me on 40 mg of zocor. The first week taking zocor I started feeling strange, a little soar here and there and very tired at times, also I have become very forgetful. It's been almost 2 months now and I have severe pain in my legs. First it was the right leg and now both legs, the pain starts at my lower back all the way down to my cav. I have a burning painful feeling sometimes numbing feeling, its driving me crazy!!!! I can't stand for too long cause I feel tons of pressure on my lower back pushing down my legs, It feels like my sciatic nerve. I went to my doctor and he said he is 95% sure that this is from the zocor medication, he told me to stop it right away. This is my first day without it, I know I need to do something to prevent what happen to my mother, I'm on a strict healthy diet, staying away from all fatty cholesterol filled foods, but there has to be a better way then taking statin drugs! If anyone has some ideas of what kind of alternative meds I can take, please help.