Welchol and hips

I decided to read about side effects of Welchol. I just got back from the doctor's and she gave me some free samples of this. In the past, I had been on Lipitor and Zetia but had terrible back, hip and leg pain. I went off of those and I was fine. Started on Crestor- same pain in back, hips and legs. Now my doctor says that Welchol is not absorbed in the blood stream so there should be no side effects- only possible heartburn. After reading all of these side effects that everyone is having on Welchol, I am not going to even try it.
I am going to record everything I eat and try to control my cholesterol with a good ,healthy diet. I also have heard that Red Yeast Rice- available at GNC or Health food stores can lower your cholesterol. I might try that but for now I'm doing the healthy diet and exercise.

When I take Welchol, my whole body is wrenching in pain from the muscle spasm, stomach pain, and I can't sleep from the pain. My body feels as if someone has taken it and just twisted it from my legs up. My doctor prescribed me to take 2 tablets 3 x per day. If I take one during the day, I can usually make it without too much pain. But if I take just 1 tablet in the evening, I am miserable and cannot sleep. I have lipitor and am trying to just take it, but the doctor says I need to take the welchol. My cholesterol is very high and my good cholesterol is extremely low. I know that this drug is supposed to help with raising your good cholesterol, but the side effects are devestating. Even now when I do not take welchol, I have really bad pain in my lower back and hips.

I take hydrochlorothiazide (a diuretic) to keep BP low. My first dose of Welchol (3 tablets at mealtime) produced excruciating pain in my feet after about 2 hours. Lesser pains progressed up my legs in the next few days until they reached my hips. Now 2 weeks after and no more Welchol, I don't have any more pain. I'm very alergic to Welchol. Are there others? Does HCZT have any bearing on this?