I had to rush through my previous post yesterday; wanted to add:

I'm not a medical professional. Nothing I write should be accepted at face value or as medical advice. I'm relating my experiences and opinions.

I was on Lipitor/Zetia for several years. But I discontinued for a while on the advice of a Naturopathic Doctor, whom I saw for other symptoms. Within a week of stopping those meds, I felt stronger at the gym and was able to increase the weights on the "Nautilus" machines. It was clear that the medicine was having a mild detrimental effect on my body. (The liver enzymes were within the normal range.) Of course, blood work done about three months later showed a total cholesterol of over 300 (dangerously high)!

Since then I've had a calcium scoring test(1) that showed elevated risk of atherosclerosis, so I'm back on meds (even weaker than ever) and seeing a cardiologist who makes me do stress tests and stuff.

Personally I think that I'd rather die from a sudden heart attack than linger with a degenerative disease such as Parkinson's, ALS or Alzheimer's, especially since the state I live in seems strangely opposed to passing euthanasia / aid in dying legislation. I write "strangely" because they're staunchly pro-choice and will treat folks from outside the state.

(1) "As you age, calcium from your bloodstream can settle in parts of your body. Arteries already damaged by plaque buildup and inflammation tend to attract these calcium deposits over time. When that happens, you have what doctors call coronary artery calcification. It makes arteries stiffer and narrower."