Acknowledge symptoms and conditions

I am having horrible hair loss too. I always had thick, helthy hair. Now my pony tail is about half the diameter...I have to twist the hair band 3 times instead of 2 and it still slides off. And I barely have any bangs left at all.
My doctor said it doesn't matter, (in fact, he wouldn't even acknowledge it as a side effect) since my levels are now fine. Easy for HIM to say!!

I'm considering getting the thyroid surgery now, so I can get off methimozole, but I'm afraid what the side effects for the OTHER medicine will be. Since that's permenant, I don't want to take that step too soon...but I also don't want to go bald!

I just got home from the doctor's office. I was put on lisinopril 10 mg per day. After reading these posts,I don't think I will even start taking it!

My six year old started Singular about two months back and I've noticed some major differences in his moods/attitude. He's normally a very happy, loving boy. I would have parents comment on how loving he is - they'd see him giving me hugs/kisses each morning at school when their kids would barely acknowledge their presence. My son would tell me he loved me 100 times a day and every night before bed he'd say - Good night, I love you, you're the best mama ever. A few days into taking Singulair that all stopped. He would say he wants to tell me he loves me but doesn't want to lie. OUCH. And the nightly routine stopped and he'd ask if he had to say it if he didn't mean it. After starting Singulair, if I ever needed to ask him for an opinion he'd say - well maybe, well no, well i don't care. Like what to eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. His favorite place is Joe's Crab Shack and he "didn't care if we ate there". The yes or no answers stopped. It seemed to be about getting through the day. And he went from being a well behaved little boy to getting in trouble several times a day even at school. The word I'd use to describe him the last couple of months is melancholy - basically no emotion one way or the other and while sitting he'd look really depressed. This is a boy that has a blast all the time. I have been wondering what is going on and wasn't sure what to do but when several of my friends have commented on the change in him - they always loved the fact he was such a sweetheart that I figured I'd try one thing at a time. I decided to take him off Singulair (since that was the most recent change and seemed to be when this all started) last Wednesday and have noticed a difference almost immediately. It's now Sunday. He's smiling more, more definate answers, he is giving more hugs, still distant a little but NOTHING like he has been. Curious to see how school goes this week. And I wonder if I'll ever get my boy back????

Been on Levaquin for 6 weeks now for acute prostatitus (thought I was ready for the glue factory, let me tell you that was no fun).

The first few weeks all I had was acute sensitivity to sunlight, a few itchy bumps and the inevitable GI tract distress that doctors always seem to think is unusual but for me is an inevitable consequence of taking antibiotics of any kind.

The last month however, I have extreme joint pain, mostly in my left hip socket but also in my knees. It almost feels like sciatica but it comes and goes. Mostly it is in the back side of my legs. One more day left, next time (hopefully never) I will insist on something else.

Glad to see its not just me, the "official" side effects don't seem to acknowledge the joint pain side effects.

Regards

Peter

I have a host of side affects to acknowledge. First the teeth clenching in an issue, it is messing my bite up. Second loose bowels and occasional diarhea. I can deal with the lack of sexual appitite but my girlfriend thinks I don't like her, she starts calling me a fag!
Worse of all I am lacking the aggressiveness towards life and personal accomplishments, I fear that I will turn out a broke but happy man. I walk around being somewhat tired and carefree about life, bills and just about everything.
I don't pick arguements with my girlfriend and overall Zoloft has been great but, I am concerned with being a happy loser!

Started 500mg for sinus/upper respiratory infection on 7/15. So, I am on day 7 of a 14 day prescription. Side effects include: restlessness, insomnia, muscle restlessness (not really a pain, more like a spasm feeling) in thighs and forearms, headaches that radiate down through my jaw and cause tooth pain, neck tension, increased appetite - especially cravings for sweets (which has led to some reflux and sore throat). Dr. refuses to acknowledge these as side effects and feels they are symptoms of the infection. White count originally at 16 is down to 12, so she feels the Levaquin is working and that I should stay on it. ??? Not sure what to do, so I've started taking Acidophilus 3 times a day to at least counter the possibility of yeast build up in intestines.

The only side effect that doctors officially recognize is the cough. Some doctors will try to convince you that you can live with the cough, which is such bad advice.

The cough is a sign that your body is not happy with the med. It took me about 2 weeks to get the cough. It is the first symtom I had. I wish I'd stopped right away when I got it, but it was so mild at first and the doctors convinced me I could live with it. Once I had the cough, it very slowly kept getting worse over a period of the next 2 weeks, though I would have still considered it liveable. But then other side effects that the doctors don't acknowledge started happening. Eventually it was these other side effects that made me stop taking the drug. But the cough was the first symptom that my body didn't like this med.

Since it's the only one the doctors know about, it's the one to complain about. So if you get the cough: start complaining about the cough right away - immediately, the first day you get it. Tell them that you associate the cough with taking the drug. If they don't switch you off right away and it gets any worse at all, complain that the cough is getting worse and worse and tell them you can't live with the lisinopril, and tell them before it harms your lungs and energy levels, or you develop other symptoms.

I have learned that it is up to the patient to complain about drug side effects. The doctors will never diagnose it on their own. They must be trained to consider new conditions as new conditions, and never as side effects. It is important to them to never put it in the patient's head that a symptom is or could be a drug side effect. They don't want to mess with patients who are actually taking a drug and getting some benefit from it. Compliance (getting the patient to take a drug every time, on time) is a big problem. And, of course, experimenting by taking a patient off a drug might make them question the drug. So they would rather experiment by adding more drugs than to put the idea in your head that it might be a side effect of one you're alread taking.

Therefore you, the patient, must make the association yourself, and complain about the drug's side effects. And you have to complain about a side effect they already know of, or they will flatly reject the idea that the drug is doing any harm. Even when you do they will try to get you to live with it. Once they have you living with it, they not follow up with you to see if it gets any worse, and, you'll probably also be less likely to complain about it again if it does. This is a bad situation. And maybe you can live with it at first, but the first side effect appearing is a bad sign and if, after complaining, you agreed to live with it, if it gets any worse at all you need to bring it back to their attention, quickly, and let them know things have changed and it's time to stop living with the side effect.

Kay,
I understand the anxiety you are going through and it is very difficult when people do not acknowledge Yasmin to be the cause of your symptoms. I felt alot like you 2 months post Yasmin and I honestly felt like I couldn't get through another day. Try not to take on any added responsibilities and put as little stress as possible on yourself right now because you need all the energy to get better. Try your hardest to focus on the present and take one thing at a time. I know it's hard--I've been there--but it does get better. Best wishes.

I started taking Yasmin in August and stopped taking it five weeks ago.

Whilst I was taking this horrible pill I was subject to the worst stomach cramps, bloating, constant GAS!, my weight increased, my breasts were HUGE, sore and itchy, I was dizzy constantly, I had NO SEX DRIVE whatsoever, my appetite increased and I couldn't stop eating, and worst of all I had a dreadful bout of thrush that lasted the entire two months (and still remains a problem today).

I honestly thought there was something wrong with me, like I wasn't healthy but it was this pill all along. I can only be thankful I didn't suffer from anxiety attacks like so many of you.

If you are suffering from these dreadful side effects and you have not been feeling your normal self since you started taking Yasmin, stop taking it immediately and see your doctor. I acknowledge that some of you have not experienced any negative side-effects. It's great if you can find a pill that suits you.

After five weeks Yasmin-free I'm getting back to normal. The awful side-effects have disappeared although I'm still waiting for my sex drive to return and the thrush is still causing problems. Fingers crossed!!!