Ask the doctor. I am a 64-year-old woman with high cholesterol caused by bad genes (familial hypercholesterolemia). Without medication, my cholesterol is above 450 mg/dL. So I am taking high-dose Lipitor (80 mg/day), WelChol, and Zetia to lower my cholesterol. I sometimes have pain and stiffness in my knees, and my shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints, plus the muscles in between, are stiff in the morning and hurt during the day. Two years ago I was diagnosed with bursitis in my hips. Could these problems be from the Lipitor? If so, is there another statin I could take that wouldn't do this?