Black cloud symptoms and conditions

I thought I was going crazy. I have pretty much the same problems as everybody else. The pain that shoots down my legs that sometimes make it hard to walk. I now have really bad back pain that I first chalked up to a bad mattress but now I'm not so sure. I have always had migraines but I now have SUPER MIGRAINES!! I have about 4 or 5 a week that leave me in so much pain I can hardly stand it and no amount of drugs work to ease the pain. I now have to see a neurologist for the migraines because my PCP doesn't know what else to do for me. Nobody including my OBGYN told me that if you already get migraines that this might make them worse and maybe I shouldn't use it. I'm on the verge of being alone because of my massive wild mood swings. I feel more depressed than ever and can't lift the black cloud that I feel is always around me. I have no energy or sex drive and my 2 kids want to live with grandma because mommy is CRAZY!! I think it is time to have this taken out and hope my life returns to normal.

Sinus infection and chest congestion: doctor knew I was on HCTZ, a diuretic, as well as Zyrtec and Nasonex. The HCTZ I now known is an agent that should have triggered a modification of the treatment protocol. First night on the 400 mg Avelox, during conversation at the supper table, a black cloud of depression suddenly descended upon me like a curtain. Then I became extremely irritable and short-tempered. (Hard to blame on a drug, except that this came out of the blue right when I was feeling mentally and emotionally happy and relaxed, enjoying my husband's companionship. No reason for depression, irritability and short temper, especially to such an uncharacteristic degree. This was severe!) No sleep whatsoever that night due to shivering without getting warm, feeling like my whole body was crawling, feeling terrible frustration and anxiety and depression. Had taken the Avelox with my supper. Second night: unable to breathe through nose at all. Nasal passages so dry they hurt. I decided to abandon Nasonex and Zyrtic but never thought about stopping the HCTZ (the info insert from the drugstore never mentioned that). Insomnia and feeling electrified. Again, the feeling of total body crawling and restlessness. Irritable to the max. Frustration. Wound up sitting up most of the night to avoid waking loved one with my tossing and turning and misery. Third night, I took the Avelox early, at 5 p.m. Had been having to turn on the shower and steam up the bathroom to moisturize my nasal passages enough to bear the painful dryness. Also began using Ocean Mist to ease the pain. Despite the dryness, my nose was still too stopped up to breathe. Heavy sinus congestion and pain not any improved yet. Dozed some that night but a phone call came at midnight for my husband and after that I was wired awake again. I am desperate for rest. This is the fourth day and finally I'm coughing less and the congestion is coming up. But my sinuses are harder than ever to empty. Mucus extremely thick and sticky (sorry for the graphic quality of this post). One very severe side effect is that I am now incontinent. I never make it to the bathroom in time to urinate and so am wearing pads. Having to change them every time my bladder begins to fill. Leaking, dribbling and now gushing urine without any control whatsoever. I have just read the full prescribing info and wonder why on earth was I not given a safe antibiotic (I realize everything has some risks and side effects, but why was I exposed in this way to such a dangerous drug without a life-threatening disease to require its use?) This is an outrage. Now I"m stuck finishing the script or else my infection will be back worse than ever and then I'll be given yet another bad drug. I have only one clue to this question: I was asked what my Insurance company was just before the script was written. I cannot help wondering: what if I'd had no insurance, or another insurance? Would I then have been given a less-expensive and much safer, even safe drug? If you are ever asked just before the script is written what your insurance company is, ASK WHY THEY NEED TO KNOW. They will probably tell you it's so they can pick a Preferred drug. That would be a bogus answer, because after I told them what my insurance company was, they never went and looked for a list of preferred drugs! They simply swiftly wrote for Avelox! I was never told any of the bad effects. Now I fear getting the colitis, the tendonitis (no one told me not to exercise!). I even fear permanent incontinence. I also think that this depression, anxiety, and insomnia, and the horrible restlessness and whole body crawling sensation could be lasting and that really makes me feel very depressed. My husband has had to suffer with days and nights of my irritability and temper -- and he has cancer and I never wanted to ever be cross or complaining or to worry or burden him. This medicine is not worth it. THere are safer better options. DEMAND BETTER OPTIONS. I also wonder if the HCTC or Zyrtec or Nasonex taken on the same days could have damaged my kidneys or liver. I really think that antibiotic resistance is the ultimate bad side effect of this drug. What could be worse? Why is this being used for garden-variety sinus infections? Why is it not an option only for those who must have it or probably die of some life-threatening illness? This medicine needs more than a black box. This medicine should be available only to doctors treating patients who are in danger of dying of an illness. I have had doctors give me black box medicines before and I was spineless enough (and ill enough with severe, recurrent sinus infection) that I took the medicine. But from now on, never again. There are still better options and I deserve the safer options just as much as the next person -- no matter what my insurance coverage is! Doctors don't hesitate to use black box medicines anymore. Why do they hesitate so long to prescribe medicines without black boxes? They say it's because of the new resistance to antibiotics and the super bugs. Well now I'm susceptible to super bugs PLUS all these other severe side effects have to be endured. If anything else goes wrong, I'll come back and add another post. Meanwhile, I'm praying for each of you to make a full and speedy recovery.

I was on Yasmin for about 10 days and wound up with severe depression. I was fine to begin with. I woke up one morning and felt a very hopeless, "don't want to do anything, don't want to get out of bed" feeling. All of these effects on vacation, too! I continued to take the pill for about another 3 days and continued to feel depressed and hopeless about 3 hours or so after I'd take the medication. The feeling was very distinct and it was clearly the symptoms of a depressed person (had to force myself to get out of bed, felt there was no reason to live). I felt like I had a black cloud over my head!!! I was also very irritable and angry with my family....for no reason. I also experienced severe nausea. I felt like I was experiencing morning sickness (and I know morning sickness....I have kids). I went off of the Yasmin and am now starting to feel myself again. I don't know the half-life of this med., but thank goodness I went off it sooner than later! I would take this product off the market or put a severe warning about anxiety and depression on the label!

Reading all of your your sx's was both heart-breaking and eye-opening. I have been on Topamax for 4 months--just moved up to 100 mgs in the hopes that the migraines would be defeated once and for all. So far, besides a week-long doozy that I think was actually a horrible manifestation of the stomach flu, the headaches have reduced themselves to about two times a month rather than averaging about every day. An improvement. Never-the-less, I still wrestle with the choice of the depression that has followed me like a black cloud since I began this therapy, and also the rage that can blow up out of nowhere, or the headaches. Quite a choice. I often wonder how my children will remember me. I'm not normally a moody, angry person, but since starting Topamax, you wouldn't know it! Not surprisingly, my doctor simply offers me an array of more prescriptions to add to the cocktail. I've had about enough. I too get the tingles in my hands and feet--especially if I've been sitting with my feet elevated--like in an easy chair. I'm getting good at ignoring it, though. It's actually quite painful! My face quit tingling after the first month. Words can still elude me at embarassing moments. So frustrating! I lack all ambition, and I must literally force myself to do anything--housework, exercise, take care of my children! Guilt, guilt, guilt! I'm so glad that so many of you mentioned that! I've been beating myself up about that particularly, wondering what in the heck was wrong with me! I could sleep all the time! I've lost about 8 pounds, and my appetite is satisfied very easily. Carbonated beverages don't taste horrible, exactly, they just don't taste good. So I've more or less quit drinking them. No loss. We spend less that way! As I read all the entries, one thing is very clear to me. We have got to be less passive in the hands of our doctors. No one knows too much about this drug. There are alternative forms of medicine that are being more actively explored by reputable practitioners. I am starting to research it more myself. I don't want to live out the rest of my days so...sad. And angry! Good luck to all of you.

I can tell u some of my symptoms after stopping pred. a month ago. At first I felt like my skin on my face and neck had been thru radiation. I still cannot tolerate the heat. My insomnia is still there. The swelling in my face and the weight gain is rapidly going down. At first I felt like a black cloud was over me all the time. It's not so bad now. Good days and bad days. I lose my temper really quick and then other times I just sit there and think "whatever" It will get better. I've been light headed and very,very tired. Just go with what the day brings. Watch the sugary foods and high carbs, it will cause the stomach problems to flair up. Take it easy. wonderwoman