You are correct to question taking a statin!  be fully informed before you take this med!!!!

see this:

Evidence for Caution: Women and statin use:

http://www.whp-apsf.ca/pdf/statinsEvidenceCaution.pdf

also see this, a multinational, well respected research group looked at the studies on statins in general. what they found will shock you:

http://www.newswithviews.com/Richards/byron201.htm

and  see what kind of adverse effects you can expect:

http://www.spacedoc.net/board/viewtopic.php?t=1653

better to lower your bodies need for cholesterol than to artificially lower the cholesterol with statins and risk disability! cut out sugar, anything made with  flour, powdered eggs or powdered milk (oxidized cholesterol), and white starches like potatoes or white rice.

look into the stone age diet or the atkins diet if you easily tolerate dairy.

heart disease was unkown before Kellog started the food industry in the early 1900's and the whole fats/cholesterol are bad (the lipid hypothosis) is based on bad science, false pride, and greed... see here:

http://www.perfecthealthinstitute.com/aANCELKEYS.html

now if you believe you must lower your cholesterol with a statin here are the figures of adverse effects from the higher doses of the four main statins (from the mayo clinic:

5% in those taking extended-release fluvastatin 

10% of those taking high-dose pravastatin

15% for atorvastatin

18% for simvastatin

full article here:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/medicalprofs/statin-intolerance-clinic.html