Additives symptoms and conditions

I first started on the generic form of celexa(10 mg once a day) a little over one year ago..it was because I was having some mild depression..I also in the past have had some anxiety/panic attack issues. When I first went on it..it kind of scared me because I felt like I was in a fog..felt like i couldn't respond to things in my normal way..However, i did feel like my energy level was better, wasn't flying off the handle the way i used to, my panic/anxiety seems less frequent. Good things to say. I recently decided, however, to come off of it..(under the direction of my Dr.) I just hate the thought of being on med's to help me cope..I have been having a horrible couple weeks since I have been off of it..back to some of my old behaviors..and worse! yelling at my husband and kids for trivial things..feel very angst and ready to tell someone off at any moment..it has been horrible..am hoping this gets better..I hate feeling like this!

I felt I should share my story, even though it is quite lengthy, since it is similar, and every story helps those who are still unsure.

I went on birth control at the age of 15. I tried several kinds, but all of them made me nauseous. I was on Mircette the longest, and seemed to be doing fine. Then around '03/'04 I started seeing a new ob-gyn, who told me that my problem was that I had a low tolerance for estrogen, and that was what was making me feel so nauseous. She said there was a new type of pill specifically for women like me called Yasmin that had very low doses of hormones. I was excited about starting the new pill, and did right away.

I continued taking Yasmin until about a year ago, when I switched to the generic of Yasmin, Ocella, due to the fact that my insurance didn't cover Yasmin and it was becoming expensive. On the Ocella, which I took for two months, I felt bloated like I had a basketball in my stomach, constipation, and other issues. I was told by the pharmacist that I was probably allergic to the additives that are sometimes in generic pills. So I decided to find out which birth control was covered under my prescription plan, call my gyno, and switch.

My gyno called in Loestrin Fe, but they filled it with the generic, Microgestin. I took this for approximately 3-4 months, and felt absolutely terrible, with panic attacks, crying, sleeping problems- the whole bit. So I thought that I should go back on Yasmin, no matter what the cost, and attempt to regulate again.

I went back on Yasmin six months ago, and though some of my symptoms have improved over how I felt on Microgestin, I am still a mess at times. I have moments when I am anxious and moments when I am absolutely joyful. I get really angry over little stuff, irritable and snappy. Then I get weepy and feel terrible about being snappy. Then I'm happy again. It's an emotional rollercoaster. I was never like this before- my moods were even, and I handled stress well. And I was always pretty happy-go-lucky.

Physically, I have ear fluttering/clogging/pressure/popping/pain. I'm getting fairly frequent migraines, which I never had before more than once a year. I, too, have numbness on the right side of my face in which it feels like my eyelid is swelling, neck stiffness and pain, and numbness of fingers and arm. I went to the ER a while back because I thought something was severely wrong due to symptoms of dizziness (vertigo) and right-sided numbness. I have severe TMJ and jaw pain, which I didn't have before, and allergies, which I also never had before. I have heart palipitations and sometimes random chest pain under or to the side of my breast. All of these symptoms have started to occur in the last six months after going back on Yasmin.

I went to an internist, who did blood tests, checking for thyroid issues and checking hormone levels. My thyroid was temporarily hyper, but my hormones were, according to the test, normal. But when the blood test was done, I wasn't experiencing any symptoms, so I'm not sure if it's accurate.

My yearly exam with my gyno is coming up in November, and I'm going to discuss these things with her, but I'm afraid she'll look at me strange for thinking that these symptoms are related to Yasmin...

Ironically, the only time it seems that I'm feeling pretty good is when I have my period! Which I guess would be when I have no hormones in me whatsoever! I feel happier and my sex drive goes back up, and my moods even out.

I am now considering, after reading these posts with all of you that were kind enough to share your stories, going off of Yasmin for good. I'm not sure what, if anything, my gyno is going to recommend, but I was considering trying an IUD instead...

Sorry, my post yesterday about using brewer's yeast to try to grow your hair back was not clear: you mix a rounded tablespoon of Solgar brewer's yeast powder (Solgar = high quality, no additives; it must be powder, not capsules) in about 6oz of ordinary water and DRINK it, last thing at night before bed, after using the bathroom for the last time. Do it every night for 90 days (you should need 3x 16oz cans of yeast), no skipping. Pause for 30 days and repeat if necessary. Good luck!

I'm 18 years old and live in Florida, while at the gynecologist for a routine visit my doctor strongly suggested that I start the Gardasil 3 shot cycle. After checking with my mom (who was unfortunately given biased information from my doctor without first doing research on the product) agreed since we both figured that my doctor would be knowledgeable enough on the subject (or you would think since she was the one administering the drug.) The first two shots went fine and I had no reaction at all. After the third shot (in October of 2007) I woke up the next morning with swollen hands and extreme swelling at the injection spot. I immediately returned to my gynecologist where I was told “there is no possible way you can be allergic to this medication” by my doctor, and that those reactions would go away in a few days. A few days following this I developed sores in the back of my throat and under my tongue, however my gynecologist still insisted there was no possible way it was an effect of the Gardasil (EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE VERY NEXT DAY) & I had no previous illnesses. Within the week following I developed body-wide hives so severe that I cannot sleep and they affect my breathing. I’ve seen several doctors (allergist, dermatologist, primary physicians, and immunologists) none of which can determine why exactly I have these hives, besides that it is a “drug reaction” (it took 11 vials of blood to determine that). However when one of my dermatologists questioned Merck about it they simply said that there is no evidence and I cannot sew!!! That’s all they cared about! A law suit! WHAT EVER YOU DO, DO NOT GET THIS SHOT, TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW! It has ruined my life. As an 18 year old girl living in Florida I love to go to the beach however because of these hives they get so severe when I’m exposed to sunlight I can no longer go. It’s also extremely embarrassing when people stare at them since they cover most of my body on a daily basis.

MY SON IS TAKING THIS MEDICINE ANDHE IS STILL HAVING OUTRAGES,AND HISDOCTOR HAS UPED HIS DOSAGE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

I started taking Lisinopril about 10 months ago and now I have had severe redness and heat in my face, neck, and chest. I have constant headaches and my eyes are bloodshot most the time now. I have quick sharp pains throughout my chest arms and legs/feet a lot. I get blurry vision and disorientation every time after taking this stuff.. My heart rate varies from high to low but it feels like my blood is extremely thick no matter if I eat or not, I also get extreme nausea after eating even a salad with no dressing. I hate this stuff so much and it scares me to no end. I have major anxiety disorders anyway but this crap makes it worse. I think I am dying everyday its so nerve wrecking and I am only 25yrs old!!!! I recently stopped taking this junk for about a week but still took my Xanax for my anxiety and my face and neck aren't hot at all most the time anymore only when I move around and work a lot but not bad at all. My heart rate is normal and my blood pressure is staying about the same but maybe bout 8 or 9 notches lower than when i was on this stuff. I think someone is really going to get hurt on this stuff and we are all going to see a commercial on TV saying to call a lawyer for cash rewards because of med induced illness or even deaths... I'm going to the doctor and telling them to give me the most expensive effective and less side effect BP med..

Hi, I am still taking Prednisone. I have been trying to get off of it since September and am now down to 2.5 mg. a day. Yes, I agree with you it does NOT take massive quantities of Prednisone to do internal organ damage. I can no longer eat normally anymore since September 14th, 2007. (I can drink all the water I want, however) I am slowly starving to death, I think. IF I don't completely lose my brain functioning first?! If I eat anything like dairy or any carbs like pastas or breads of any kind or simple sugars, juices of any kind, or candies or cookies, crisps or the like, I go into massive withdrawals and brain fog!! Any holiday foods I must stay away from. I can no longer eat tomatoes or Mexican, Chinese, Italian, pies, ice cream, coffee, tea with sugar or milk, etc etc....The list of 'no no's are endless!! And this thing won't let me cheat! It knows if I eat the so-called 'wrong foods'. My Neuropathology doctor says I now have "Leaky Gut Syndrome"!! What the he** is THAT?!
I feel like my brain power is melting away to nothing and I am going through daily life in a haze. This is a very real and frightening feeling for me to experience!! I tried "jumping off" the 2.5 mg Prednisone on Tuesday the 11th and was in full horrible withdrawals by Thursday afternoon! I cannot even begin to tell you what horrible symptoms I experienced!! I had to reinstate the 2.5 and my Doctor said I just could. NOT 'COLD TURKEY what I had left, but must taper the final 2.5 over a period of the next several weeks!! I don't know whether I'll have a brain LEFT by that point or I may be a dithering, slobbering idiot by that time?! When I go to sleep and then wake up, I notice that I have MORE brain-fog than ever!!! Not to mention I have constant diarrhoea all day from drinking magnesium (Natural Calm) in the mornings to keep from pacing and being a nervous wreck?!
HELP ANYONE?! Am I ever going to get my brain back to normal?! And be able to eat normally again?!
Shaun

I was a 2:42 marathoner. I used a synthetic varnish containing isocyanates, pentanedione, organic solvents, in one 7-hour session; the company-recommended respirator did not in fact prevent transmission: Severe chemically- induced asthma, plus neuropathy, plus, plus.

I've used Advair 500/50 for six years. There have been many diverse effects from the chemical exposure; I'd not questioned any being Advair side effects. But the raised blood pressure was not initial, and certainly not a priori. Diminished hearing, diminished eyesight, anxiety. Again, not to lump in, but these questions are new for me. But the point I'd like to bring before this group is this: In August I was diagnosed with ehlichiosis , and was prescribed 28 days on doxycycline. They recommend eliminating many possible antagonists to the doxycycline. My respiratory capacity had been continually diminishing. My ongoing physician said this was to be expected and recommended only the next more powerful steroid. Not a good solution. Before all this I was strong; repaired myself. In the absence of constructive answers, wondering if the Advair was weakening me, making me dependent, I quit the Advair as well on beginning the doxycycline. Today is eleven days post-doxycycline. Eight days ago there began with increasing severity, a terrible wracking deep cough producing dark yellow mucus. Painful. No fever. Grevious throat from the wracking, but I question whether this is a cold or infection. It's just in my lungs. Maybe it's as though I've thrown off an epithelial coating. These past two days the quantity of deep yellow mucus is not as ready, but the wracking and coughing is more severe. And my lung capacity, my respiratory capacity, is frighteningly diminished. Until these past two days I'd considered this an infection, especially post-doxy. But it doesn't feel like an infection. And I'm scared. Is this because I quit the Advair abruptly after long regular use? Have any of you had a similar experience. Can you discuss the effects of abruptly discontinuing Advair. Have you stayed off it. What's happened to your respiratory capacity. Have you any professional studies, trials or experience to recommend. Thanks.

I was prescribed 25 MCG tabs of levothyroxine (generic for Levoxyl) by my MD for my hypothyroid. (I was tested at a 4.5 reading -- just below a normal 5 reading). After 60 days of taking levothyroxine EXACTLY as prescribed (i.e.; on an empty stomach, 1st thing in the morning with a glass of water; no vitamins for at least 4 hrs afterward), I started to have symptoms that I've never experienced before: my hands began hurting so bad with joint pain; my lips felt numb; and I was sweating more than I ever had in my life. I decided to stop taking the medication due to these symptoms, and in about 7-10 days from stopping, ALL these symptoms had disappeared and have not returned to date. I relayed this information to my MD who told me that my symptoms had nothing to do with Levothyroxine and that I needed to continue taking the drug. It's more than strange to me how some MDs will not listen to his/her patient -- even more so now that I've read other info on the internet where many other people have had these same side effects taking levothyroxine!! On my own, I am now looking into taking an all natural alternative that I found on wellness resources called "Thyroid helper". I will not take Levothyroxine again if I can avoid it by taking an alternative. Has anyone else out there had success taking "Thyroid Helper"?