<<I will keep the weight coming off and avoiding staturated fats etc.>
Lay off the booze too! I've been on low dose statins for several years. My cholesterol level was greatly reduced and I have no side effects. My doctor arranges a blood test every six months and I'm very happy with this treatment. A friend of mine had similar side-effects to the husband mentioned above. Her doc tried her on several different types of statin and she now has one she can tolerate with no problems.