Absolute hell symptoms and conditions

DO NOT TAKE DOXYCYCLINE IF YOU HAVE ANY HISTORY OF DEPRESSION!!!

I do and doxy has sent me over the edge for about a month AFTER i stopped taking it.

I was given doxy by my doctor for a sinus infection for a week and stopped taking it just under a month ago. This past month has been absolute hell for me.

The day I stopped taking it I went from feeling fine into a 5 hour crying fit with suicidal thoughts in less than 30 minutes. During the fit I became convinced that this was how my life always is, that I was depressed, that I had always been depressed and that I needed anti depressant as I spend all my time crying. That was on 2nd Feb.

The next day I was shaky and felt very up and downy but went back to feeling normal pretty quickly and after I did some internet research on Doxycycline (the only change in my diet/lifestyle) assumed it was that. I read some pretty bad stuff on the internet about other people’s experiences which were very similar to the one I had had and I thought that must be it.

So I decided to drink lots of water and have been taking Milk Thistle to cleanse my liver.

Then this Saturday past I had exactly the same thing. I had another one of these 5 hour crying fits and more suicidal thoughts and I became convinced I was bipolar. This time was much worse in a lot of ways.

I felt it again felt like a panic attack and to me the change in my physiology was really noticeable. The noticeable dip in my mood – very sudden from feeling fine to feeling a little bit irritable and then withdrawn with some anxiety – and wanting to be reassured but also being a little aggressive in communication almost like trying to find a fight, then a change in breathing and heart rate and then plunge into dark thoughts and sobbing.

When I went to see the doctor on Monday my mood was still swinging up and down and I just felt crazy so I mentioend to him the doxy and he dismissed this without even asking a question about when or how much I'd taken.

I ask to be referred to a psychiatrist as I do get that I may have underlying issues and these mood swings were so bad and so strong and so by the time Wednesday came with my in and out moods I had convinced myself it was probably to do with my childhood and the difficult heart stuff and repressing how I really feel

Whilst I do have my fair share of childhood stuff and issues of the heart I think I’ve become so self aware and so careful with myself and I think I talk to my inner child so much and check that I am okay with things and I deal with things really well. so this has all come as a bit of nasty shock as I thought I was okay with everything. In fact I know I’m okay with everything as I write this.

But during these mood swings I am definitely not okay. I do not feel like myself. I become convinced that I have been lying to myself about being okay, that I have never been okay that I am mentally ill and that is why I am having mood swings and I start really analyzing everything and linking everything back to the past and trying to make links with things that are happening today and things that happened in the past. I haven’t had any change in my heart situation that this could be a reaction to, its remained the same for a number of months and I don’t have a problem with it but when I have this mood swing I blame that situation and my childhood together. I start wanting to blame people. I start thinking I have two personalities and I just start trying to find reasons and I have no idea what I feel, who I am or what I want, if I’m telling the truth of if I’ve ever told the truth. I start doubting everything and everyone. My head hurts, I get in a state of confusion and I become a little mean to people. I start trying to blame events and situations, anything I can find. It’s an absolute nightmare. Then I get confused about what I have and haven’t said and agitated that I need to say more to make myself understood. I might be stable for hours or even a day but it happens very suddenly and it’s a really physical sensation, first the dip in mood, the irritability, the breathing will change, I will feel anxious and can really feel my heart beating, like when you are really scared about something – that fight or flight feelings. I then get a really strong sense of insecurity and nervousness and will become really awkward at communication and almost aggressive and rude in my communications and then rueful.

The crazy thing is my mood is just absolutely all over the place in a way it has never ever been before, even in my days of deepest darkest moments when everything in life sucked and people were horrid to me. I don’t understand why I would, after all my years of learning how to deal with this and cope with this be even worse when my situation is so much better. It just doesn’t feel like its actually real. I don’t feel like anything I’ve said when I’ve been in these moods is actually a true reflection of how I feel when I am out of the swing.

Then I come back to feeling more like a version of myself but not quite and then I swing again very quickly and go from very hyper and laughing to almost the polar opposite in a very short space of time.

This is the first time in a week that I’ve felt like I am completely normal again. Right now I feel very calm and grounded and rational like I have been feeling for a very long time and I feel very clear in my head that I am completely fine and this is a reaction to some chemicals in my body affecting my mood rather than a psychological issue.

I am fully prepared for another full scale attack of mood swings and totally losing the plot again though.

I am lucky in that I have a good friend who called a doctor friend of his in the US and the first thing the doctor friend said when asked about Doxycline was 'don't tell me, you know someone who's had anxiety attacks and suicidal reactions'. According to this doctor this is VERY common and very well documented. There should be no lasting effects or permanent damage and now the doxy is out of my system I should not be experiencing these moods swings.

HOWEVER - he thins that because I have a history of depression due to my childhood issues the doxy has basically destabilised me and driven me to the edge again.

I did some really lengthy research because I really feel like this is a brain chemistry issue rather than a psychology issue and knowing I've dealt with everything and I just don't get why these issues would re-arise. I'm going to go get some therapy no matter what but I just wanted to know the brain chemistry.

Obviously if my GP doesnt even recognise that doxy can have this affect there is going to be no interest in helping me figure this out so I will figure it out myself.

From what I can understand Doxy decreases some amino acids in the brain which is important as simply put, amino acids get converted into neurotransmitters which play a critical role in your brain. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals which help your brain cells 'talk' to each other. Low levels of certain neurotransmitters have been associated with depression and anxiety.

I feel like I am 'back' from the Doxy but to be honest, I have no idea what it has done to my brain and I doubt there has been that much research into it...if so why on earth would they prescribe a drug that does this to people?
Particularly people who have a history of depression.

I am going to try taking amino acids to see if that helps - it can't hurt.

If anyone else is going through the same thing please get in touch and let me know!
This site totally helped me!! Thank you everyone who has posted on it. It really makes a huge difference to know that there are other people out there going through the same thing. I have felt like I am absolutely crazy! Thank you so much :-)

In June I found out I had actue renal failure. One of the many medications I was given was prednisone. After a few weeks I grew so weak, tired and in a lot of pain. I even had to take a medical leave from work(4 months).
I was told to expect the moon face, hunchback, the acne..However, my sypmptoms worsened to point I didn't want to eat(lost 30 lbs) could hardly move and had to be hospitalized(almost went on dialysis). They flushed me out for a week at the hospital and avoided dialysis.
Once out of the hospital I proceeded to keep the weight off, but the side effects just mounted. I had thrush in the mouth(the worst feeling), sleeplessness, I had every side effect listed and I mean all with the exception of hallucinations and depression. The miracle was that what I was expecting weight gain, moon face did not happen.
Around September my doctor started weaning me off prednisone b/c I told him I cant take it anymore. Wouldn't you know it the minute I started getting weaned off the medication I got the moon face and acne. I cant beleive how much acne I have and the moon face and extra chin that came along with it are not cute. In 3 days I gained 10lbs and feel like I'm gainiing everyday. This might bring on the depression that has yet to occur. Why is this happening now that I'm being weaned. I started at 80mg a day and now I'm down to 30mg and next week down to 20mg.
I know this drug did its job and I pray that I dont have to be on it at all once the weaning process is over, but this is hell. I really feel doctors should tell you everything that you can expect. I didnt know enough about this drug(I know there is the internet I should have used it) and had I known then what I know now I seriously might have asked for some alternatives. This drug may be a miracle in the medical community, but for those of us who have to take it, its hell. Does anyone know how long it will take for the moon face, acne, and weight gain to go away?

I am 19 years old and I recently was taken off of it 2 years ago when I switched doctors. Prior to the switch I had been on it for 16 years. I prob have some of the worse side effects. Because it causes an increase in appetite I ate but I didn't eat all the time, and I ended up gaining over 100lbs. I have a black-brown ring around my neck and for the longest time I thought it was dirt that wouldn't come off so sometimes I scrubed my neck sometimes to the point that it was raw.I have bad acne on my back and its just horrible.I cry every single night because of the side effects.I just want to know if anyone on here can help me.

I am 21 years old and was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in my hands, fingers, and wrists. My doctor put my on 60 mg of prednisone at first and then had me slowly go down to 20 mg a day. I have since been trying to go off of it myself. I can't stand the side effects any longer. I have this constant charlie horse pain in my hips and legs, i am so hot and constantly flushed, i feel so depressed ( i am normally a happy all smiles kind of person ) i have done nothing but cry everyday for the past week because I just feel like so many people don't understand or believe anything I am saying. I thought maybe some of this was all in my head until I found this site. Is there any other medications out there that don't have all these terrible side effects? I feel as though the pain from the arthritis is far less worse than this.

PLEASE REPLY! ok i wrote on this board about a month ago, and i was complaining about all the horrible side effects i was having.....however things have gotten much much worse since then, and i must admit that i have been bad. very bad. i am secretly winging myself off of the steroids b/c I cannot handle the depression and not being myself anymore... I've been on Prednisone for a year now and started winging myself from 15mg when I last wrote on here to now 10 mg... my hair is falling out in HUGE clumps, and I am NOT overexaggerating when I say I am going bald... does anyone know if this could be from tapering the drug, or would you say it is probably because of my condition possibly returning from tapering the drug too low???? I just want to know if IMMENSE hair loss is affiliated with steroids...I have not seen anyone else mention anything.

I must add my recent experience with Prednisone to this forum:

I have been suffering from constant lower back pain and a torn shoulder injury (rotator cuff) for the last several years. A week ago I got a slight case of Poison Ivy. My doctor gave me Prednisone - starting at 60 mgs. a day, tapering down to 10 over 12 days. I was unsure as to whether I wanted to be on a steroid , especially after reading some of the testimonies here at this forum. But I went ahead and took it. I must say this has been one of the most amazing experiences for me.
Not only did my Poison Ivy immediately begin to go away, but lo and behold, practically ALL my back pain and shoulder pain went away. I also found myself with this amazing positive mental attitude. I began to get up and enjoy my job everyday (normally I am somewhat depressed and stressed out). It was such a major change for the better - I feel like I have been living the resurrection!! Yet I know it is only due to absence of pain and increased energy brought on by the Prednisone. I feel like a happier, younger version of myself. Prednisone has even helped me sleep better! So, evidently, for some people, prednisone is a wonder-drug.
I did note a very slight manic edge at times, but never unmanageable and always very positive. As soon as I decrease the dose, the pain and inflammation in my back and shoulder starts to return. What a shame that this drug causes osteoporosis and other long-term affects. I wish I could stay on it forever!!

I am a 19-year-old female pre-med student who has been taking this nasty drug for exacly 1 year now.... The amount I am on continues to change, for my disease keeps returning and leaving remission. I finally get down to 10mg from 40mg, and have to go back up when symptoms return!!! This is SO discouraging. The worst part is, no one understands the physical and emotional agony this drug brings on. I'm 19 and feel like I'm 90. My body aches, my weight is constantly fluctuating, I bruise from simply being poked (being a clumsy person, I look like I am beat!!), my bones feel as if they are about to break, and I am SEVERELY despressed. Being in college and taking rigorous classes, this is just too much for me to handle anymore... My 5-year relationship with the love of my life/best friend is falling apart because of my horrible mood swings.. don't blame him for leaving. I feel as if this drug has ruined my life more than the disease itself...Does ANYONE know if one's body and mind returns to "normal" after FINALLY being off this drug??? I pray to God the answer is yes... I would appreciate someone's reply and/or insight, because my Dr. fails to tell me about ANY side effects until I mention something. PLEASE REPLY!!!

YASMIN IS POISON!!!!
IF YOU HAVE HAVE BEEN EXPERIANCING EXTREME PANIC ATTACKS AND ANXIETY THAT LEAVES YOU GASPING FOR AIR, HEART PALPITATIONS, DIZZINESS AND CLOUDINESS IN THE HEAD, EXTREME MOOD SWINGS, HEAVINESS IN THE CHEST, DEPRESSION, AND ABSOLUTE HELL READ THIS!!!!!!

Hello All,
Like some other ladies who have posted their stories on this site, I feel it is important to repost my story to alert new readers to the hell caused by Yasmin....

After being on ortho tri cyclene for about a year, I began having some mood swings so i decided to switch my pill. Because I attend college about 3 hours away from my home, I made an appointment at the end of my winter break last year to see the nurse practitioner at my gyno's office. Without any warning, she handed me the Yasmin and told me that it was such a "wonderful pill" that causes little or no side effects. I took her word for it and i was on my way... the next day I left to return to school...

About a few weeks after i returned to school, I began having EXTREME PANIC ATTACKS and ANXIETY to the point that I was constantly GASPING FOR AIR and was even taken to the hospital. I was constantly DIZZY, and horribly MOODY. Every day I felt PRESSURE IN MY CHEST and HEART PALPITATIONS that made me feel like I was going to have a heart attack. I literally was gasping for air every single day while in class, and walking to and from class. Even when I returned to my dorm, I would do nothing but sit in bed and gasp for air.... I felt like I was dying.

I would call home every night crying hysterically to my parents because I had no idea what was going on with my health... I had ABSOLUTELY NO HISTORY OF HEALTH PROBLEMS IN THE PAST. My mom called my doctor and a therapist (who I would call at least 2 times a week from my school because I could not cope- i would see him on the weekends when I would ocme home from school but I had to be driven there because my panic was SO BAD that I COULDNT EVEN DRIVE!!!!!!), who told her that I was probably just under stress from being in premed and having a large workload.....we knew that this was not the case because I have always had a very heavy workload and I had always managed to be VERY OPTIMISTIC and capable of handling stress.

As the semester went on..... my symptoms worsened and became UNBEARABLE. My dad was driving to my school every weekend to pick me up because I COULD NOT COPE with the extreme anxiety, chest pains, and dizziness. Every weekend I was comming home and doing nothing but sitting home suffering through the Yasmin symptoms. My boyfriend would come over and sit with me because my panic attacks were so bad that I refused to leave the house because I was afraid of getting another wave of panic. At that point, I considered dropping out of school because I couldn't take the gasping for air and dizziness that made sitting in my bed difficult, let alone sitting through whole days of classes. My parents convinced me every weekend to go back and finish out the semester... I continued perservering.

I had no idea what was going on with my body... aside from feeling like I was about to DIE. I was consdtantly crying because I felt so aweful... my parents thought that I was bipolar... and even my roomate knew that something was SERIOUSLY wrong with me. My hair and skin became very dull, and I was missing so much class due to the panic and the other syptoms that even the teachers would ask me after class if everything was ok with me.

Finally, with one day of finals left to go, my mom called me and told me that IMMEDIATELY NEEDED TO STOP TAKING YASMIN. After doing much research about possible yasmin side effects, she told me that she came across this forum and was COMPLATELY SHOCKED about how similar my symptoms were to the other women who wrote in. My mom read the stories to me.... for the first time in months, I was SOOOOO RELIEVED that I was not alone. I IMMEDIATELY sstopped taking Yasmin.. At first, I felt soo dizzy and out of it, but my mom told me that my body just needed to 'detox' from the poison.

When I got off of the Yasmin, I visited a new physician. He told me that he has heard of some women having sever side effects from yasmin. He told me that my body needed to reblanace itself. To curb the anxiety, he prescribed me ZOLOFT, which is also helping me get back to normal...

I HAVE BEEN OFF OF YASMIN FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS NOW.... and I am slowly but surely getting better. The panic has subsided
(im sure the zoloft is helping it along) and I am starting to enjoy life and enjoy agian out again. I'm also looking normal again.... my hair regained its shine, my skin looks more vibrant, I'm beginning to drive again without being overcome by exteme panic, and i dont feel like im going to die!! Im definately NOT 100% better yet but I am working on it... I know that it will be a slow recovery.

I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO POSTED THEIR STORY ON THIS FORUM!!!! YOU HAVE ALL GIVEN ME HOPE AND EXTEME RELIEF AND HAVE MADE ME FEEL LIKE I AM NOT ALONE IN RECOVERING FROM YASMIN!!!!!! TO ALL THE LADIES WHO HAD TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF THIS AWEFUL PILL, DONT LOSE HOPE.... WE WILL ALL RECOVER AND BE BACK TO OUR OLD FABULOUS SELVES SOON!!!!!! THANK YOU AGAIN AND GOOD LUCK!!!!!

I am wondering if any of you ladies have been taking medications such as ZOLOFT, or PAXIL or other SSRI's to deal with the effects of the yasmin????????? Please post some comments to let me know.... Also, did anyone file a CLASS ACTION SUIT against YASMIN???????? Write back and let me know!!!

I was taken off Paxil per my request 3 weeks ago. The last 3 weeks have been the WORST ever. I was in so much pain, mental and physical. I could not work, sleep, drive, eat, walk, or even form words to talk. It was like my brain was mush. The only thought i could ever understand in my head was to go ahead and kill myself to get rid of the pain. I almost got fired from work, I had electric shocks up and down my body, I was always dizzy and could not walk with out help from someone. I was numb all over, for some reason, numbnees was the worst in my lips. I had to go to the ER where i was put on Valium to help with the withdrawls. I just started getting better last week, I still get dizzy and have numbness in my lips. The DR prescribed me Lexapro to replace the paxil but i have not taken it for fear that i will not be able to come off it without enduring absolute hell like i did with paxil. I have made several postings on this site about how great paxil was.. to began with... I wished i would have done some research before taking this med..DR's are so fast to prescribe it.. beware of what it can really do to you.

I took effexor for two years and can report that I experienced the halucinations, the bad dreams, the feeling of no feeling. I felt like my creativity and life had been sucked out of me. If I forgot my morning dose (150 mg) I would be dizzy, nauseous, and have hot flashes. I lost 15 lbs that I didn't need to lose, I was weak and felt like I had had a lobotomy. This drug is absolute evil, and I think everyone should run the other way if a doctor wants to prescribe this. I went off it cold turkey, had two weeks of absolute hell, and only am now really feeling my true self. I have been clean of all drugs, street and otherwise, for two years now, and I am happier than I have ever been. Get high on life!