Australia symptoms and conditions

I had my Mirena put in nearly 6 weeks ago- and they side effects now seem to be compiling. At first, I had pretty much only pain - sharp, cramps pains in my lower abdomen- and light bleeding (everyday since insertion). But now I've realized the mood swings, the acne (which is impossible!), depression, the sleepiness... I just don't feel like myself at all. Only 6 weeks in, and I can't wait to get this thing out of me. Not to mention, I'm backpacking in Australia and now need to find a clinic here to help...

I have noticed that a lot of you are not utilizing Planned Parenthood's services, however. One woman mentioned spending nearly $1000 to have Mirena inserted. Planned Parenthood, although a lot of women have many misconceptions, is a wonderful option for women. Their services are available to anyone, any age, any situation. The clinics are always very professional, clean, and the staff always helpful and knowledgeable. I was unemployed at the time I had my Mirena inserted, and had to pay nothing. They depend on donations as many of you know. The counseling services have helped me through a few rough spots, and even if you need to only discuss your side effects and other possible options, I've learned they'll never let me down. (1-800-230-PLAN)

Hi there
Apart from all the above mentioned,
Pitting Edema in arms and legs
Headaches
Severe abdominal pain
Severe backache
Heart palpitations
Constipation
Lack of appetite
SEVERE WEIGHT GAIN (how can this be, I have been a diet for three years...and I am sticking to it) MY PANTS won't fit anymore.
NO energy
Fatigue
Nightmares
Nausea
Dizziness
Unable to concentrate
Slight double vision (right eye only)
Anger
Depression
Fainting followed by temporarily blindness (my studies n that scary matter came up with an explanation that this only occurs when your body organs are switching off. Scary thought.
I have also developed Polycycstic Ovarian Syndrome very serious case
I only had it for 6 month and would recommend to ant woman to take in out NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope the manufacturer will pay for slowly killing us or making a whole generation of females sterile, let's face it who like to have their health tempered with?
M. AM
Australia

oh please your all a bunch of whiners. I don't understand that when people get something medically new that they seem to blame every little thing on it!!! seriously!!! if it were so bad it would not be on the market..... i have had it for two years.....a little cramping in the beginning which is NORMAL and as STATED on the side effects list. YOU MUST UNDERSTAND that these are listed because they DO AND HAVE happened to other people. That is why they are listed! NOW if you died, got cancer, pregnant or what have you then you can bitch. BUT PLEASE don't complain about the LISTED side effects. it is a wonderful product and it does just as it claims. yea the cramping sucks....the spotting is a pain.....men can feel it during intercourse and yes sometimes they can bump it and hurt you. also it causes cysts to grow on your ovaries which can sometimes require surgery. it can also grow outside your uterine wall at time. and it can fall out. all kinds of things can happen that are LISTED. what i would recommend people should do BEFORE they leap into bed with a new contraceptive is RESEARCH the SIDE EFFECTS BEFORE you decide you want it or not. its simple read the damn sheet and decide if you can live with the side effects. maybe one....or all...or none. THEN DECIDE.

My daughter had her gardasil injections in 2007 at age 16. Until then she'd had 3 years of normal regular periods. Since then her period has all but stopped, just appearing every 4 or 5 months for a day. We are now worried if this will effect her fertility.
Since the injection she has also developed vairly severe acne.
She has also had 2 episodes of passing out and seeming to have a seizure after just 2 alcoholic drinks. The doctor says none of this has anything to do with the vaccine, however I am sure that the sudden change in her periods came directly after her first shot. Qld. Australia

My name is M. and I recently and FINALLY got off of prednisone. I was on it for 7 years and came to believe that I could never get off it, until I was finally referred to an endocrinologist, who helped me to get off of it. Unfortunately, my adrenal gland has stopped working so.... I now take a medication with virtually no side effects called hydrocortisone. I will probably have to take it for the rest of my life, but its a BILLION TIMES BETTER than the horrifying prednisone.
-TO L. IN AUSTRALIA- I hope this tid bit of info can be helpful to you. I don't know if you've seen an endocrinologist or know that if you're disease can be managed by another med you can probably go from the pred to the hydrocortisone. I truly hope the best for you, You are only the second person I've ever found who's been on the pred for longer then I was. I hope I've been of some help to you truly, my heart goes out to you.

I've been on Avaine for 2 months now... And I'm feeling so crappy right now. I've always had an irregular period, where I would miss a month or two then it would come back with a vengeance and last for almost a month in a half. I never had cramping until I started taking this pill. Last month it was so unbearable I was in the fetal position at my aunts house. She tried desperately to comfort me but nothing helped. I ended up going to the emergency room. I was given morphine and some other pain meds. The doctors thought it was my appendix at first so I was given an ultrasound and a cat scan. My ovaries were fine and everything was fine. Six hours in the emergency room and I was told it was really bad menstrual pain. How lame is that? Anywho I went to Australia with my bf and well yea you know... Now I think I'm pregnant... so thanx Avaine. Not sure what to do anymore, afraid if I stop I will most definitely become pregnant. I'm going to take a test.. not ready to be a mom. Cross your fingers for mr guys!

I have just come back from the Doctor (see my emails below) and I have high blood pressure and a rapid heart rate! He has said I have to stop Yasmin immediately (I am on the 7 day break) and to come of the pill altogether do use Coil or other non hormonal barrier. I have to go back on Wednesday for blood test and ECG! I feel relieved but also anxious as I have a long flight to Australia in two weeks so hope that I get back to some normality by then. It can't be coincidence that I start on my first month of Yasmin and I get all these complications (I have never ever had high blood pressure of heart rate-only when I had panic attacks!) My Advice if it works it works if you feel as crap as I do stop it and find other methods!

Hi everyone,

i need to tell you about what just happened to me, because it seems most people are definitely not informed of all the possible side effects of prednisone - not only just relating to the dose of prednisone you take but also for how long.

I have been using prednisone for almost 14 years now, the doctors all tell me i'm unlikely to ever get off prednisone now because i've been on it too long. I know all about it's usual side effects (water retention, mood swings, thinning of all tissues including blood, acne, anemia, etc etc).

One side effect i was not advised of, not even in any educational material about prednisone either, was that long-term dependence can lead to Acute Adrenal Crisis. Which is deadly if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Thus i nearly died two weeks ago. I became rapidly ill with vague symptoms that i now know are symptoms of acute adrenal crisis. *THE ONLY REASON THE ACUTE ADRENAL CRISIS OCCURRED WAS BECAUSE OF LONG-TERM USE OF PREDNISONE*. Not many doctors will warn patients in advance of this. It is however, very very important that people are aware that long-term use of prednisone needs to be very carefully weighed with the benefits of using prednisone (i was started on prednisone in 1995 to treat severe Crohn's Disease).

Acute adrenal crisis can happen over weeks, months or years - in other words, it can come on so slowly that by the time you know there's something wrong you're already very very ill and in great danger.

I am very glad to have found this website and i hope you will all refer anyone who has any experience with prednisone to this site - education and knowledge is power - the power to stay alive.

(by the way, the treatment for acute adrenal crisis is to load up on prednisone - seems i'll probably never be free of this drug unless i can get my adrenal glands to begin working again (as prednisone "takes over" for the adrenal glands and they effectively go to sleep, and this is especially true for long-term use)).

My sympathies to everyone who has to go through the many nasty experiences with prednisone, especially the young children (I had to start it when i was 16). It really does mess with your body and mind, and in my case, became lethal.

Please pass on all your information relating to use of prednisone to everyone you can - it really is that important and seems to be the only way to avoid most of the disasters related to prednisone use.

take care everyone,
Linda
(Australia)

I thought I was crazy until I found this site... I've been toying with the idea of taking the nuvaring out because I've been so ridiculously depressed lately, exhausted for no reason, and my sex drive is basically at zero. I had almost convinced myself that I'm just depressed but started thinking about the nuvaring. I've been on it for almost 2 years now, and had minor problems at first but then after I got used to it, it seemed fine. Lately, it's been getting worse. Before I lived with my boyfriend (and in the same city), I worked at a horrible job that made me miserable and depressed and gave me horrible headaches... I thought it was just that, my job. But it's not any better, except the headaches are somewhat better... but I'm more depressed than ever, my sex drive is worsening, I'm crabbier than ever, all I want to do is sleep but when I do sleep it's not good sleep, I have zero energy, I can't bring myself to do the smallest tasks, and I'm so insecure and scared that my bf doesn't love me anymore. I even think I've developed anxiety. Sex hurts almost worse every time, I get that burning thing other people have been discussing, and it burns after sex when I urinate. I asked my gyno about the pain during sex and she almost acted like I was crazy. I think I'm ready to take this thing out. Condoms, here I come again. There were positives to the ring, like a way lighter period, I only have one sort of heavy day, and the rest are super light, and my cramps are nothing compared to what I used to experience. But those positive things do not outweigh my other experiences. The point of going on BC is so you can have sex without getting pregnant... well having sex once a month because I feel bad that my boyfriend isn't getting any is so NOT worth the money I spend on this thing and so not worth the side effects. It's so weird that for almost a year though I was fine on it, it almost makes me think that they changed something about it. And it's weird that the doctors seem almost brainwashed. I'm not the only one who had the gyno acting like they were crazy. I'm hesitant to take it out now, I still have 2 1/2 weeks until I'm supposed to take it out, but I don't want to wait another 2 1/2 weeks if I could start feeling better by then if I took it out now.

I was prescribed Simvastatin 40mg four weeks ago and had horrendous side effects almost immediately eg deep depression, diarrhea, bad stomach aches and night cramps in my legs. Last week my doctor prescribed Lipitor 10mg and I feel no better in fact probably worse. The worst side effect for me is the stomach aches and constant diarrhea and complete lack of appetite. There can be absolutely nothing in my stomach any more. Does anyone else have these symptoms? After reading peoples experiences on here I feel I should stop taking this medication immediately!

Karen

I have been on Lipitor for over a year know after having a heart attack at 43 and having two stents put in. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia by in 2002. Recently, I have been having more arm, leg, back, pelvic, hip and hand pain then ever before. I am going to talk to my doctors now about the side effects. I have just know decided to start halving my Lipitor and may ween off of it completely. I'm on Niacin and Zieta in addition to the Lipitor. Have also been having a lot more digestive problems lately...am to be scheduled for a upper GI. I came here looking for info on the fact that although since being on Plavix (didn't realize Lipitor could be culprit) I have had bruising...today I found knots under two bruises on my upper arm. Not only are there knots but they (the bruises) are a different shade of blue (if that makes sense). Thanks to all who have shared their stories.

This is an update from my first posting earlier this year. I still have localized pain in my neck and shoulder area sometimes extending down my arms to my fingertips. I am 58 years old and stopped taking Lipitor 5 months ago. I am always in discomfort but the very severe pain comes in waves at least 3-4 times a month and lasts for about 1-2 days. I have noticed an improvement since stopping Lipitor but my cholesterol count is on its way up so I am trying to control that. Not an easy task but at least I am not totally debilitated as I was in January and February. I am totally off all meds and vitamins as of this writing. I am trying to cleanse myself and start over with diet and exercise. Hang tough ... this is definitely the battle of your life!!! KooKoo

Hi everyone
My little boy who is nearly two was put on Singulair as a preventative.
I did check on forums when we started using Singulair and I was concerned that there has been descriptions of negative affects. Always trying to be objective I rationalised that the people in this forum are a small part of the greater Singulair population and as a result there was a low risk of negative affects on my little boy.
I have to say I think I was wrong. As soon as he was using Singulair, he had restless nights of sleep. Every night he would cry off and on until 2am and I guess he was so tired he slept. During the day he was very short tempered and became upset very easily. We put this down to tiredness. After 10 days of the lack of sleep for parents and little one, we told our doctor.
He advised to take him off Singulair for 5 days and make observations and then put him back on. Last night, his first night off Singulair was bliss. Not a sound. He had a great sleep. As I type he is now having another great sleep.
Let us see what happens after 3 more days and after putting him back on Singulair.
It would seem that if we are correct and that Singulair is a cause of an issue for my child, am I a quasi beta testing laboratory for a drug?
We are from Australia.
Thank you for reading.

I am finally writing after reading these posts since the end of April. That is when I took my 11 year old son off singulair, in an act of desperation. He has been on singulair on and off for about five years for seasonal allergies. He started again in mid-March so it could get into his system, before the allergies started. Immediately thereafter his behavior changed. He was arguing on a daily basis. He would hit, kick or trip me when he was angry. He was starting to destroy things in anger. He seemed to be fueled by anger. It was affecting the whole family. He was starting fights with his younger brother, my husband's heart was palpitating and I was crying every day. I heard about Singulair side effects and looked it up. I saw that it caused behavioral changes and out of desperation, took him off, not knowing what to expect. We had three days of total peace, then on the fourth day another outburst. Then my son told me he had taken a singulair the night before. That was it. I threw every pill in the garbage. He no longers acts like that. It's been almost two months so I am convinced it was the Singulair. By the way, he always complained of headaches, stomach aches and would scream in his sleep. Who knew - it was the singulair all along.

I am 60years and a stroke survivor of ten years.
About 9 years ago started on Lipitor 20mg until about 18months ago prescribed 80mg.
Looking back I have symptoms for quite some time, and thought it must have been from tthe strokes.3 weeks ago had a CPK blood test showed my level was about 300 over recommended ratio. Have been nauseas, light headed as though I am going to fall (even when I turn my head in bed) bloated, very hungry, put on weight,stiffness, sore or aching muscles. Have been on Luvox for depression since the strokes chest pain, back pain, shoulder pain foggy vision again, aching under armpit and groin areas, irritable,and always seem tired and the list goes on, even my speech seems to be worse at times
Have had two weeks of Lipitor and started to feel better, but had to try them again for this week. See doctor Friday and I wish to say never again do I want to take another lipitor. I live in Australia and would like to find more info. Any advice would be appreciated.

My 9 year old daughter has been on singulair for about 5 months now and she is moody and not a very nice person sometimes. Now she in complaining of headaches and even cry's with the pain I want to take her off but I am a bit scared that if I take her off to quick this might be harmful can anyone let me know if they had any problems when they stopped their childs singulair.
Worried Mum
Australia

I should add to my post below that I'm in Australia where we the NuvaRing costs about $70 for 3 rings. I have $50 worth of contraception that I can't even sell on eBay!

I was prescribed Remeron (Avanza in Australia) for a neurotransmitter deficiency that was causing "depression-like" symptoms including lack of energy, low libido, poor sleep, pessimistic thoughts, brain fog etc etc. I really wanted to give Remeron a good try because most other anti-ds that I've taken have an even worse effect on my sleep. Remeron was good taken at 30mg to help me sleep (I found 15mg knocked me out even more and was ridiculously tired the next day). I however progressively slipped into depression over a period of 3 weeks where I had zero energy, complete apathy and was really irritable to the point of having a massive blow up with family and girlfriend. I was told these effects would lessen in time and I would feel "lighter" and "better" - This didn't happen at 4 weeks and although I should keep going at a higher dose before knowing for sure if this medication doesn't work for me, I read on this page that feelings of irritability and agitation continue while on the med - This is cause enough for me to not be on this medication. Within 48 hours of stopping, I feel better already! Remeron - apparently works for most but not for me.

I have been posted before about my father symptom due to Lipitor, he has been stopped Lipitor nearly one year's ago and doctor put him on Ezetrol another name for zetia in Australia, he had the same side effect with that despite CPK normal and no doctors believed his problem is due to Lipitor or zetia. thanks to this side it help us a lot after one year's that he couldn't walk , getting up from chair, stoop posture, low energy he is now improving not completely but 20 % which is a lot I took him to many many doctors but it is shame for doctors that prescribing medication but don't know about the side effect. now he is taking half ezetrol5mg but nutritionist gave him therapy to lower cholesterol with food (Apple cider vinegar one spoon in water before meal 2 a day,lecithin,coq10,fish oil 4tab,oat bran,and milk thistle or st mary thistle liver tonic to detox the liver from Lipitor toxin) it is really helped him apple cider vinegar not only normalizes cholesterol but also gives energy as well so his weakness is improved 20%and also milk thistle really helped him, dizziness is getting lesser now he has hope that he is going to improve which is he did .seeing nutritionist helped him a lot rather than doctors. i will post his complete improvement .I hope for every one to get better soon

I have been on mirena now for 10 months. I was on the depo for 10 years prior. I loved my depo adn only went off of it after Kaiser said I could not do it any longer. I was told that mirena was a god send and a lot like my depo. I can say that the combination of depo and mirena I have not had any period at all. but that is where the happiness ends. I have experienced moths of breast pain. it hurt to touch them let alone put anything on them. after about 6 months and numerous trips to the vet it disappeared. then I got a small rash on my neck and by my arms. went to dermatology and since then I have been there, or to my primary or an allergist every week since then. the rough severley itchy skin is constant. remarkably every 29 - 32 days it fades for 2 days or so and just when I am sure it is going away wham back it comes and each time it is getting worse and worse. having never had any skin problems before I believed the doctors tha tit was folliculitus, then they said dermatitus, then they said uticaria and then hives or the last straw i was causing it that it was in my head. i just got a new allergist and while she doesn't knwo if it is my mirena she can tell me I have histamine levels that are off the chart. my husband is allergic to a lot so we already use free & clear everything and my housse is spotless but I am still being told it is soemthing I am doing to myself. I have also been reevaluating my things and I relaize I have been experiencing a lot of numbness and joint pain. so much so that my primary sent me to a rhuematlogist and he ran every test for lupus, and many other diseaeses adn even cancer. I was going crazy. Iwas beginning to think maybe I was mental. I have since been researching mirena and I am finding it so much more than what the pamphlet says. I finally got the nerve to call my ob, adn she ahs since been researching things with me and we know for sure that no matter what next week I get my mirena removed. I am just feeling so alone and depressed. I am 33 years old and instead of enjoying my new marriage I am contemplating a divorce becasue I do not want him to be stuck with soemone who might be crazy. seeking support and anyone else who feels this way.

I've had Mirena for 4 1/2 years. A doctor in Australia recommended it to me since I was very sensitive to birth control pills and could not use them. Yes, it hurt the first 3 months, but no more than the years of painful cramps I got every month with my periods. Now I have no cramps, no periods, and none of the craziness that accompanies it. My doctor used a local anesthetic when she put it in, which sounds like it is the best way. I would recommend that to anyone considering having one put it. I just wanted to let people know that there are some people who have positive experiences with it. I have not experienced weight gain, acne, moodiness or loss of sex drive. But as we all know every womans body handles things a little differently!
I'm very lucky to have had it inserted in Australia because many American doctors will not give it to women who have not had children.

II have been on Statins for many years. Started with Zocor which caused two large muscle knots in my side. I talked to my cardiologist and was told it couldn’t be, as it would be more systemic. I asked him for a CPK check and he telephoned me and said get off of it at once. In the meantime I broke two ribs swinging a golf club. I was switched to at least three other Statins with the same results, muscle pain. I finally ended up on lipitor. My CPK was elevated, but my cardiologist said that the benefits of 10 mg. of Lipitor trumped the slight CPK elevation. All went well for a couple of years. During that time I participated in a Lipitor study and was monitored for approximately six weeks. Results were Ok until the dose was increased from 10 to 20 mg. I was immediately dropped from the study. Three weeks ago my cardiologist increased my Lipitor to 20 mg. and added co Q-10 300mg. It took four weeks until I developed severe muscle pain in my lower back and shoulders and neck. My doctor will not accept that Lipitor is the cause. I took myself off of it a week ago. I am now almost pain free. He appears to be avoiding communication with me. He also was one of the Dr. participating in the Lipitor study. I would hope that many MDs read this entire list of problems attributed to Lipitor.

Thanks for your advice Sarah. I will see how I go.

I want to personally thank you for setting up this site and sharing your knowledge and experience. I am in Australia and when I googled Yasmin here all I got was drug company propoganda about how good it is. Great to have some real life experiences to wake us all up about what we are actually putting into our bodies!!.

I hope you return to full health soon.

Amy

I am in Australia. I have been off 80mg of lipitor 2-3yrs I am a mess shoulder operations thumb and hamstring tears. All my referrals start withStatin damage. Diagnosed Rhabdomyolisis.And many other muscle damaged diagnosis. I was a bushwalker and now my life is a mess. A friend who is also suffering would be good. Australia does not seem to accept the dangers,

Dear two girls mom,

ur welcome.
have you thought about relaxation tapes also chamomile tea helps a lot. u are detoxing and it will get better. Which country do you live in??? I am in australia and mirena is free ...a joke really when you think of the side effects although yasmin is really expensive here.
\
big hugs
lisa