I can't believe it's taken me so long to find this site. I have b...

I can't believe it's taken me so long to find this site. I have been on Lipitor for the past 5, going on 6 years. My doctor thought it would be a good preventative measure as 22 year old sister had recently had a massive heart attack.My cholesterol levels were all great but a CRP test indicated that I was on the high end of normal. Nearly three years ago, the muscles in my right arm became very achy and I could not rely on it to lift many heavy objects or even my 2.5 year old son at the time. The doctor recommended i see an OT, who, in turn, was not able to figure out why I always felt like I slept on my arm funny. After months of getting nowhere and chalking up to pulling a tendon while throwing a baseball, I decided to live it all. That summer, I also started having a hard time focusing. So, I saw an eye doctor, who said that I was slightly near sighted and that glasses would help strengthen my vision. I had never had any vision problems prior to that and it seemed like it came on suddenly. But, I figured that I was getting older and people need to have glasses sometimes as they age. Then, last summer, I began to get these crazy rashes, which I now know where hives that bacme irritated by touch. The rash would pop up any time, any where and never in a way that i could relate to anything I ingested. Then, all of my joints began to ache unbelievably. I looked up some symptoms, wondering if I contracted something through my son's preschool, which was dealing with a little fifth's disease breakout. My symptoms seemd in line with what an adult can experience if he/she had fifth's disease. The doctor was stumped and had me have blood drawn, which indicated my liver levels were a little high, but they could tell me "What you don't have"... lyme disease, any viruses or lupus. Okay. I was to have more bloodwork done in a week or two, but decided to see how this rash, etc. would play out. The pain went away (except of the arm on that started a year and half or so earlier) and the rash was something I thought would dissipate soon enough. After three months it did subside. We bought a house and my son started kindergarten and it finally seemed like I was on the upswing. Now, six months later, the rash resurfaced. I was completed disappointed. At first I thought the Fifth's was making a comeback. I looked online and found a site that showed different types of rashes. That is when I came across a picture labeled "Drug Allergy" and began looking into the two drug I was on. By the weekend however the pain started in, especially in my legs, the calves, and my ankles hurt so bad. I was having spasms in my arms and legs and noticed within the week, two bruises on my thighs that I am certain appeared on their own. I did not bump my leg at all. I became very nervous and thought that I was going to experience a blood clot as my mother had one at 34 years of age. I am 32. But, after researching and reading forums like this, I am convinced that I, too, am experiencing serious Lipitor side effects. On Saturday,I did not take my usual 10mg and saw the doctor. She recommended that i go off the Lipitor for now and have blood work done. I have been off it since then (not very long) but by Monday I was feeling almost normal. Today, I feel some cramping in the legs, but I think it will take a long time for this drug to rid my system. I have to go back on Friday for a follow up, but I haven't heard anything alarming about my bloodwork yet. Again, I can't believe it has taken this long to find this wonderful site. Best of luck to the rest of you in your recoveries and a Lipitor-free life.