Lipitor and knee down

I'm 78 years old and in fairly good health, considering. Began taking Lipitor, 10 mg daily, nearly six years ago. Lowered my cholesterol nicely, thank you, so I ignored a buddy's warnings about statins in general, not bothering to check the Net. Finiished a strenuous home project last July and then in August, I noticed an unexplainable loss of strength in my leg muscles. I commented on it to a number of people, thinking I must be aging in spurts. I was experiencing problems getting out of my car, off the commode, out of chairs, etc.. Then, the first week in December, I woke in the middle of the night with my left leg, from the knee down, in totaly excruciating paing. I got into my Family Physician the next day, he had lab work done. Saw him two days later, all a big mystery, but he thought perhaps gout. He did give me a prescription for vikadan, which helped alleviate the pain. Things settled down somewhat, but I was even less capable of getting to my feet and was obliged to walk with a cane. I saw the Gout Doctor last week and after checking me over, he wasn't certain the problem was gout. The following night, my left leg blew up again and thank God for the vikadan. Then I finally got smart and check the Web and there's no doubt in my mind now that Lipitor is the source of both my loss of strength in my leg muscles and in the extremely painful episodes I've been having these last several weeks.

I am a 63 year old female who has taken Lipitor for 3 years. Since I have arthritis in my right knee, I dismissed symptoms starting last summer in my thumb. I had pain and gripping problems, very difficult to lift anything. By first of October my left knee became involved. Had minor popping in my ankle and left knee until I turned over in bed one night and felt big pop in my knee. Knee was sore and within about two weeks stiffness started in both knees - so stiff after sitting that I have to stand for a few minutes before walking. The stiffness in my knees became painful and then my left hip developed sharp pain and some discomfort in my back. Walked very slowly and stiffly, difficult to get out of car, put on panty hose, step in and out of shower , or lie on left side. Started taking more ibuprofen and aleve, using a tensunit, and applying heat to both knees. Had some improvement but on December 9, notice my left leg was quite swollen from knee down to ankle. Called doc who said to quit taking Lipitor to see if that was problem. Will be 3 weeks this Friday since I quit taking Lipitor and I am experiencing a lot less stiffness in my knees, less pain in my hip, but my left leg is still somewhat swollen. I will see doc January 26 and get his verdict.