<s>[INST] I have coronary heart disease for many years and have been on statins all that time. Recently my PCP took me off the statins, and now after three months I am having chest, left arm pain. Can being off the statins be enough time for the cholesterol deposits to increase enough to cause this pain? [/INST] Hello thanks for posting here there are some factors that need to be cleared here. If your doctor has stopped statins, then it must be due to low cholesterol levels. So get your cholesterol levels checked. If they are high you need to be started on statins. 3 months of being off statins can increase cholesterol deposits but not on its own. Other factors must be taken into account like diet exercise and lifestyle, and the type of cholesterol you eat. Also do a treadmill test which can give you an idea if there are significant blockages in your heart arteries. I usually prescribe my patients with coronary artery disease lifelong statins in small doses unless they are causing significant side effects. Thank you </s>