Abated symptoms and conditions

It's hard to describe all the side effects I think I am having from taking 50mg. of toprol 1x a day, at bedtime. Since taking it, I have heart palpitations,flushing, full body pain, sleep all the time. Feel without hope- so I guess that would be described as depression. I have 0 energy, or even motivation. I have become a hermit in my own house, have not gone out anywhere at all- the entire summer. At first I thought it was becuase certain terrible things were happening with my daughter- but now that has abated-BTW she's 47. So I don't think the way I am feeling has to do with that. I feel just ghorrible- worse every day. Don't want to do anything. All I do most of the time, is sleep, or pray that God will let me die- I have nothing to live for- or Please heal me. Finally I have an appointment with my Cardiologist-Internist this Thursday, and I will ask him to take me off the Toprol. Tonight I am not going to take it, nor anymore until I see him. Nancy

I took this drug for 9 days of a 10 day prescription. I suffered from insomnia, but didn't connect that to the meds. On day 9 I awoke with slight pain in one knee. As the day wore on, that pain got acute and spread to the other knee, elbows, shoulders and hands. I thought perhaps it was a severe attack of osteoarthritis, but that didn't seem right. Three days later in a newspaper column called "The People's Pharmacy" I read about Levaquin causing severe tendon problem. A light went off in my head and I heard a "Boing!" It is now day 5 of my symptoms, some of which have abated. I still have to wear a knee brace on one leg, can't bend either knee very far, and am in acute discomfort. I took some naproxin to alleviate the inflammation and it seemed to work, but I won't take NSAIDS for a long period of time. I'm furious. Neither the doctor nor the instructions for the medication warned me of this side effect. Now I'm left to hope this goes away with time and I can walk comfortably again without this giant brace on my left knee. I remind myself of Igor in "Young Frankenstein!" Sleeping is uncomfortable as well - I awoke in severe pain last night because I had rolled onto my side and my right knee was resting on my sore left knee. Not good. I'm furious.

Both my father (79 years old) and I (48 years old) were prescribed Lisinopril and Lovastatin in the recent past. Within a short period of time (2-3 mos), we both began experiencing excruciating Charley Horse-type cramping in our legs, and I experienced them in hands as well. My father's cramps were more severe. I quit taking the meds and he has not. His symptoms continue, mainly in the evening. My symptoms abated when I stopped taking the meds.

I don't have particularly high blood pressure, nor do I have high cholesterol, my doctor simply prescribes these meds "to prevent the onset of these problems". I am an insulin-dependent diabetic. My father suffered a massive heart attack 5 years ago.

I feel GREAT now that the meds are out of my system. Dad continues to suffer with terrible cramping in his legs and sometimes in his glutes. This can't be good for him. I assume the meds do something to his blood levels of vitamins or minerals, yet his doctor does nothing. He is going to visit a naturopath soon to see what that person recommends. He looks terrible and feels terrible.

Ambien 4 yrs Ambien CR 1yr memory loss, I don't sleep very long. Sometimes I will close my eyes and I can't move or speak, headache. I don't know how long it last. I can hear whats is going on around me, but I can't call out for help. depression.

I'm a 45 yr-old male in pretty good health. Start Cipro for prostatitis, 500mg x2 / day. Eight days into therapy, starting experiencing tinnitus, tingling in hands & feet, and anxiety++. On day 9, actually experienced a significant facial 'tic'. Stopped drug on day 9; anxiety faded out 95% in less than 2 days, tingling has abated about 1/3 after 4 days, but still remains very noticable (of course, now I'm focused on it). Tinnitus remains at the same level. Have taken Floxin & Levequin several in the past with no adverse effects.

I am a 55 yo caucasian male caucasian. Profession: Dentist. Was placed on Lipitor 20mg/day. After 2-3 months noticed that I bruised very easily; began feeling weak, tired; would develop severe muscle & joint pains after Karate & Weight training. Because of my genetics, lab values did not improve enough. The dose was increased to 40mg/day. Leg cramps, weakness, and muscle pains became totally incapacitating. Has to go to bed. Sleeping was difficult becasue of constant pain. Discontinued Lipitor: all symptoms abated.

Was then placed on Vitorin 10/20 one per day. After 4 to 6 weeks noticed severe muscle & joint pain. But there is no bruising like I had while taking the Lipitor. I altered the dose to one every other day, i.e., 1/2 the perscribed dosage, and symptoms have lessened. However, when I perform and intense Karate & weight work out session, 48 hour later I have severe muscle & joint pains which necessitate bed & rest for 24 to 36 hours.

My Cardiologist is skeptical of these effect being related to these cholesteral statins...but as a clinician of 30 years i KNOW there is a direct relationship.

I was initially placed on Aceon for HBP but was switched to Linisopril by my drug provider in late July. Within several weeks I developed a cough that by mid-August had developed to violent, unpredictable and overpowering coughing spells that would last for three to five minutes. These spells were accompanied by watering eyes and a runny nose.

When I mentioned the problem to my doctor, he immediately speculated that it was a Linisopril reaction. Further research suggested that this was probably the case and that from the time I stopped taking it it would be from 2 to 4 weeks before the symptoms went away.

As I write this, I have been off for 16 days and the symptoms have not abated. Within the last week, I have had to sleep in a chair to avoid continual coughing.

In reading these postings, I was amazed at the wide variety of side effects and their severity. It appears that Linisopril is the ultimate "Weapon of Mass Destruction"

I have a hack as well but only in the middle of the night. When I first started taking Lisinopril, the cough was throughout the day but not as disruptive and some have described. The cough abated but never completely went away - stuck around to wake me every night. Now, it seems to be getting worse as it has twice occured during the day. Is anyone else experiencing this sort of intermittent hack? My doc says he doesn't think it's the meds cuz I'm not hacking all day long. Thanks

Started Zocor in May 2005, took for approx. three weeks. Had been given samples by GP. Stopped June 10, 2005 due to problems. Following is a list of symptoms as they occurred. Head shake, thinking and speaking problems, difficulty swallowing, weakness, low back pain, muscle spasms, pain in legs (especially left leg) Kidney pain, dark urine for one day only, and especially extreme fatigue. GP said was Myopathy. didnt seem to know cause. Continued to get worse untill approx. July 15, 2005. Started phy therapy. This helped to build back the muscles lost but would only build to a certain point. Presently, april 2006, Most of the symptoms have abated but I still have difficulty walking and standing very long. Had to quit working, could not handle. I will keep updating as I progress. This has been some nightmare.

Took Singulair for approx. two weeks due to ears "popping" and feeling full of fluid, even though ENT could detect nothing. First week seemed like miracle drug, ears cleared up and allergies greatly abated. Second week, developed constant pain in hip joints and lower back, and tingling in feet, and terrible acid reflux. Since it was the only new med I'd been taking, I took myself off to see if that was the cause. Within 24 hours, all hip joint pain, tingling in feet and reflux was gone. My son is 3 and has been on Singulair for a year for allergies/asthma and it has helped him tremendously, esp. since he uses a nebulizer in winter months. This past winter the nebulizer use was way down. He is a sweet layed back kid but has started becoming hyper and agressive and a lot of disobedience, which could be just his age. In any case, I've taken him off as well to see if Singulair has caused any adverse effects on his health or behavior.

I have been on yasmin for two months now and could tell the first week of the first month that I had became extremely angry at everything. This could almost be described as rage. This abated by the second week but then nausea would consume me and an achy body - particularly in the pelvic region, lower back, and legs. I chalked it up to the flu. Additionally, I experienced night sweats (big time) and something akin to anxiety and "jitteriness" - almost like having a caffeine overload ALL THE TIME. The second month I was on yasmin, my reaction was identical. Rage and anger and now here I am, feeling like I have the flu. I am so incredibly achy and have severe nausea. I, too, also seem to have some effects due to dehydration and I am peeing constantly. I am stopping yasmin as of right now - particularly after reading these posts. I was wondering if the fact that yasmin increases potassium levels had something to do with all of this. Now I REALLY wonder. I will post again once I determine how things go while off of yasmin.

SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTION TO LIPITOR 10mg TABLETS.

Wed 02 March 2005.

I have Type 2 Diabetes and live in the UK. In Dec 2003 I had my annual medical at the local Diabetes And Endocrine Clinic. Consequently, my Doctor (GP) had been advised by the Clinic to prescribe a Statin to reduce my cholesterol level that had been measured as '5.2 borderline raised'. Subsequently my GP had prescribed ATORVASTATIN CALCIUM (LIPITOR), 10mg tablets, 1 per day that I have taken at night.

Just over a year later, during the week commencing 7 Feb 2005, I had begun to experience fairly severe muscle pains in my chest, back, ribs and forearms. The chest pains were similar to angina pains of which I have had previous experience and because of which I take a 10mg Adalat Retard tablet twice daily plus a 75 mg Aspirin tablet once daily. However, these pains did not manifest themselves through exertion, were not abated by rest and warmth and I did not lose mobility. From the outset the bouts of pains had occurred at regular intervals and could be temporarily abated by sitting still. Because I had been carrying out an extensive DIY task that had involved twisting various tools in cramped conditions I believed that I had strained muscles in my chest, back and forearms. I began self-medication with Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. There was no apparent improvement in my condition and the bouts of pain were becoming more longer lasting, more frequent and more severe.

One week later on Wed 16 Feb 05 I had visited my GP and reported the pains. He took my blood pressure and examined my chest. His opined that the cause of the pains could be a stomach acid reflux and prescribed 1 x 20mg Omerprazole capsule nightly. I had begun this medication on the night of 16 Feb 05. It had had no noticeable effect on my condition.

The following day, Thur 17 Feb 05 I had travelled to and from the Diabetes Clinic for my 'annual' check up. During the examinations it was commented on that my pulse rate was unusually high; no comment had been made regarding my blood pressure. On that day the pains had recurred in various intensities from about 9.30am onwards and increased in severity until they had become excruciating by the time I had returned home at midday. I was able to relieve the pains by sitting immobile for about 30 minutes. There had been a lengthy recurrence in the evening.

This sequence of pain onset had been repeated daily, and the occurrences had become more frequent, until Mon 21 Feb 05 when the pains had woken me at 4.45am and had not abated until late afternoon. The pains had recurred in the late evening and continued through the night into following morning of Tue 22 Feb 05. I had not been able to fully control the pains with the analgesics that I had been using and the pains continued throughout the day.

It was at this stage the I had recalled that I had read items in the 'Diabetes UK' magazine concerning adverse reactions to statins, which I now re-read. Subsequently, I researched various Internet web sites (including this one) dealing with the same subject. What I discovered led me to decide not to take the prescribed Lipitor tablet at 11 pm on the night of Tue 22 Feb 05.

The severe pains continued throughout the evening of Tue 22 Feb 05 and into the night, preventing me from sleeping. However, by 7.30am on Wed 23 Feb 05 the pains had begun to abate and by 2pm I was pain free except for a feeling of soreness or bruising in the upper chest and back regions. During the period that I had suspected an adverse reaction to Lipitor I had frequently drunk glasses of water in half pint quantities. I did not experience any severe pains during the rest of Wed 23 Feb 05 and I was able to sleep normally during the night.

On Thurs 24 Feb 05 I had walked from my house to shop and it was a very cold day. After I had walked for about half a mile I began to experience moderate muscle pains at the right side of my upper chest, right underarm area and rear shoulder area. They did not appear to me to be angina pains, which I have experienced. These pains had abated after I had returned home. I attributed the pains to upper chest and shoulder muscle movement when I walked and moved my arms.

On Fri 25 Feb 05 after getting up from bed I felt a dull ache\stiffness in my upper chest and back muscles, which was uncomfortable but did not require analgesic relief.

Sat 26 Feb I had again walked for about a mile from my house when I began to experience muscle pains at the right side of my upper chest, right underarm area and rear right shoulder area. These pains felt less intense than on Thursday and had abated when I had returned home.

On Mon 27 and Tue 28 under the same circumstances, the pains had further diminished. On Tue morning I had some restricted movement when I turned my head fully to the right and later the same day I carried out a task that required some physical effort involving both arms and shoulders, over a couple of hours. I was able to complete the task with no ill effect.

The following day I consulted my GP and gave him a more detailed version of this report. He seemed too busy to read it and appeared sceptical of my claim that Lipitor might be the cause of the recurring pains. His revised opinion was that the pains could be attributed to angina. He wanted me to continue taking Lipitor but I advised him that I had lost confidence in statins and that I was fairly confident that I did not have angina pain (I hope that I am not proved wrong!). He asked me to discuss the matter further with the Practice Nurse, which I did.

I advised the nurse that I did not want to continue taking statins of any type and would prefer to try control by diet if necessary. The nurse was sympathetic to my point of view and advised me that she would research a possible alternative to statins. She has arranged for me to have a pre-breakfast blood test to determine my present cholesterol levels. I have not resumed taking Lipitor and I am determined not to do so.

By RJ.

I was prescribed Levaquin (500mg x 10 days) for bronchitis and ear infection. I'd already taken heavy regimen of Augmentin a few weeks prior, but my symptoms only abated temporarily and then returned 'full force'. My case is a little different from the typical poster, as I was not ignorant of the possible nasty s/e of this drug. In fact, when the Levoquan was first prescribed for me, I read this message board (among others) and was scared enough by what I read that didn't start this medication right away. I went back to my MD to discuss my concerns; he acknowledged that some people do experience some bad side effects from this drug but indicated that these effects tend be pretty rare and didn't think I would have a problem - given my age (32) and otherwise good health.

After waiting a few days and debating whether to try this medicine, my upper respiratory infection worsened and my ear pain became so tormenting that I finally decided it was worth the risk to at least try Levaquin...hoping I'd be one of the lucky one who experienced few, if any, side effects.

After taking the first pill yesterday, everything seemed fine for several hours. In fact, I almost immediately noticed improvement of my URI and ear ache. However, last night before bed I noticed that both of my knees felt swollen and walking felt uncomfortable. I also noticed an audible "clicking" sound in my knee joint when using stairs. Today, I called my MD to report my symptoms. My doctors nurse called me back and suggested I not taking any more doese until she was able to discuss this matter with the doctore (who was out of the office but due to return tomorrow). By the time the nurse gave this advise, I'd already taken the second dose of Levaquil earlier in the day. Tonight, my knee pain (especially right) is much worse and it hurts to get up and walk around. I'm starting to feel like an old man. I've never had any joint problems or tendonitis prior to taking this medication. Tomorrow I intend to ask my doctor for advice. I don't plan on taking any more of this medication. I do fee a little conflicted though, because now after taking the second dose of Levaquin, my upper respiratory infection seems almost gone and my ears have completely stopped aching.

If anyone has any suggestions, it would be appreciated. Should I expect that my knee pain will resolve in a few days after stopping this med? Again, I'm a health 32 year old male, and hope that this drug hasn't done anything irreperable (sp?). Thanks for listening.

Dentist prescribed 20mg 2x/day for 3 months: At one week fatigue started and at week two hasn't abated. One-time burning sensation on legs upon exercising, but lotion calmed that down. Pharmacist advises that at such a low dose the drug shouldn't be a problem...

Started on Levaquin 500 mg five days ago for a sinus infection and suffered severe cramps in my back after on it for less than 12 hrs. The cramps have fortunately largely abated by now, but last night I woke up with acid reflux and decided to take OTC Prilosec for it. An hour later I experienced the most vivid and horrific nightmares of my life! I couldn't get out of them and they felt like waking hallucinations. Would be interested in whether anyone else has experienced nightmares with Levaquin alone, or in combination with other drugs like Prilosec.

Newly diagnosed 48 year old male diabetic with moderate hypertension. Was prescribed lisinopril 20mg daily and for a month & everything was fine. I had a pre-existing back problem that got much worse and I was at a loss as to why it flared up until I read carefully the package insert on lisinopril and noticed multiple musculoskeletal side-effects. Upon d/c'ing the lisinopril the symptoms abated and I was curious to see if anyone has had similar experiences. What made the causal connection so difficult was the very slow negative effects upon the back and the relative lack of info on this serious side-effect. Thanks!

I took Levaquin (500mg) for 10 days for a sinus infection with a nasty cough. (non smoker)
My heels began to hurt as did my right shoulder at day 4.
I had strange transient pains in my right index finger at day 6.

It took two weeks AFTER the last dose before my joint pains abated.

This antibiotic was very effective against my sinus infection.
I read about the possible side effects and I avoided exercise during the course of this drug.

All, in all. I am happy with the results. I am so glad to be rid of my sinus infection. It was worth the transient side effects (joint pain).

Any drug has side effects. This illustrates how important it is for people to be responsible for their own health and to
insist on complete information from both thier doctors and their pharmacists.

Be well.
TP Lathrop

Dec. 02 was issued by RX Amibid DM 30-600Cr Qty 60 Two twice per day,acct heavy lung congestion. Ater condition cleared did not refill Rx in expectation of reoccurance in future. As during course of usage noticed an effect of alleviationc of PN intoes and fingers. Thinking it"s just a fluke or way of PN, until this May during another heavy chest congestion Hay Fever_ Asthma and another ongoing round of Amibid DM, the PN has abated again. AQm wonering if this could be an alternatine means of treating Pn other than Neurontin?? Any Dr. or Pharn care to respond for or agaqinst? Thanks

Answer to 'Requesting Comments':
Yes, those are all side-effects that I (and others) have noticed. Have you talked to your doctor about it? The main question here is, have you become addicted to the stuff, or could you taper off and do with something else, or with smaller doses?

I asked my pharmacist to fill the prescription with 100mg capsules instead of 300 mg ones, and have been tapering myself off for the last 6 or so months. So, I only take as much as my pain and discomfort seem to require.

Much of the symptoms you describe have abated -- and I had a test to show kidney functioning (which came out 'normal'), so the pain over the kidneys problem is not so frightening now.

However, the BEST thing to do is ask your doctor to help you addrress this problem together with you -- and if he/she won't then you need another doctor.
Hope this helps, JanK