Breathing difficulties symptoms and conditions

I had Mirena put in July 6, 2007. It was 2 months after the birth of my son. I felt wonderful before it was put in. I was excited about being a mom to child number two and surprised at my energy level. Three weeks after getting mirena on July 28, 2007 I went to church feeling normal when suddenly I started having severe cold chills. I had to leave the service. It was hot that day and I went outside and sat in the hot sun. I couldn't get warm enough, I laid flat on the hot sidewalk to absorb the heat. Next I put on a sweatshirt, then a jacket, next I sat in a hot car until I got sick from the heat. I got nauseous and a horrible headache from the heat. When church let out we drove home. I slept for two days straight. When I finally got out of bed I was dizzy. I stayed dizzy until yesterday--two days after I had my IUD removed, One year after having it put in. I also had many other symptoms including the following: extreme fatigue, slurred speech, loss of coordination, numbness-tingling-burning sensations-in my limbs, blurry vision, brain fog, inability to comprehend simple questions such as "what is your name?", excruciating muscle pain and stiffness, joint pain, depression, short temperedness, acne, bloating, decreased sex drive, sinus congestion, shortness of breath, psoriasis, and probably more. I didn't think the IUD was responsible because I was told it was virtually side effect free and that the hormone in it was "localized" and didn't circulate through the body. Because of that misinformation I can say that this has been the hardest year of my life. I started out bonding wonderful with my newborn son, however it is hard to bond with a newborn when you are so dizzy you feel like you will drop him. Let alone the fact that I couldn't see straight, had no coordination, and was extremely tired among my many other problems. I'm not saying we didn't bond, we did, it was just so challenging. The only way I could was to lay still with him. I am usually a fun and energetic person and my baby didn't get to see much of that during the first year of his life:(. I wish I had been informed about the possible side effects or at least been treated like it could be a possible cause. Instead, I was told there was absolutely no way my Mirena could be causing my side effects. Well, now I know otherwise because every symptom I listed above has either gone away completely since I had the Mirena taken out or at least subsided dramatically. It has only been out for three days. Another thing that causes me concern is that for the first couple months of my sons life he was a very happy baby and very content. A couple of weeks after I got the IUD he became a very fussy baby. At first I thought it was colic because it was around the age that babies get colic. The fussiness lasted until I stopped breastfeeding him. I have a feeling he was having some side effects also. I wish I would have researched the Mirena more. I actually wish I had prayed about it because I have a feeling I was supposed to. I just want to say that if you or someone you know is having any health issues and they have the Mirena, please have it taken out before you do anything else. It may save you a lot of grief. I have been to the doctor so much. I have had my thyroid tested, blood tests, seen a neurologist, diabetes test, been back and forth to my doctor and a chiropractor for the muscle and joint issues I had. All I needed to do was lose the Mirena. I was told I most likely had Lupus, fibromyalgia, or MS. I am so angry at this point. Why can't they just say that it is a possibility that Mirena could cause all the side effects people are having. My children would have had so many more good memories if I had been told that. Good luck ladies! I hope Bayer finds itself in a class action lawsuit and all the doctors learn something from it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was put on Yaz (same as Yasmin but with a smaller estrogen dose) due to irregular periods and a presumed hormonal imbalance. That was in September '07. Four month later, on Jan 1, '08, I went to the ER with breathing difficulties, and weakness in my arms and legs. I had been having muscle cramps/ charley horses in my right calf, but that was the only other health problem I had experienced. I thought I was having an asthma attack. So did the ER - at first. After I did not respond to the breathing treatments, and I became completely out of breath and exhausted after walking across the hall to the restroom, the ER doc checked my D-Dimer level to see if I was at risk for blood clots. He said if it came back over 500, he would have to do further testing for clots. It came back 4500!! I was sent immediately down for a CT Scan which showed mulitple clots in both lungs, mostly small, but several of significant size. I was immediately put on oxygen and a heart monitor, and an IV drip of heparin was started. I was in the hospital for 4 days, had to learn to give myself shots of Lovenol in my stomach until my pill form of blood thinner had time to kick in. I am now taking Coumadin blood thinner every day until July, when my D-Dimer will be checked again. Depending on the results, I may come off the Coumadin, or I may have to commit to it for 3 years. However, I was tested for all the hereditary blood clotting disorders and all came back negative, so my doctor feels as though the cause has to be the YAZ! Everyone tells me I was very lucky and that I could have easily died, especially when I was just thinking I was having an asthma attack and put off going to the ER for a few days. If you are taking Yaz or Yasmin, and you begin to have difficulty breathing, any kind of leg cramps, weakness, or tightness in your chest (I had also been having severe heart burn) - go have yourself checked out!!!!!

I took Chantix for about a month. It lessened my cravings to smoke, but I started getting heart palpitations really bad. I ended up in the ER one day and the Dr. told me that he had never seen that side effect. He looked up the side effects in his palm pilot, and found that it was the very last side effect in the list. I decided to get off Chantix to see if that would help. Well now I'm going to be on Toprol for the rest of my life. They won't say for certain whether it was the Chanitix that caused it or not. Coincidence? I'm not sure. All I know, is that my heart was completely fine before it, and now if I am an hour late taking the Toprol my heart goes insane. My cardiologist has no clue what happened (I've been to two). I'm only 33 years old, and taking this medication for the rest of my life.
Has anyone experienced heart palpitations after starting Chantix?

My sister was prescribed Avelox on Tuesday, March 11, 2008. Within 15-20 minutes she began having breathing difficulties. Because she has asthma her initial thought was that she was having an asthma attack. She tried asthma treatment and it didn't help. She soon was unable to breath. Her husband called 911, they responded quickly but had to intubate her in the ambulance. They know that she was without oxygen to her brain for at least 3-5 minutes. This caused seizures that lasted 20 hours before I.C.U. could get them under control. Unfortunately it caused brain damage leaving her with no higher brain function (vegetative state). As she has worked in the medical field for over 14 years she did not wish to be kept alive by artificial means. On Tuesday, March 18, 2008 her ventilation tube and feeding tube were removed. It is now Thursday, March 20, 2008 and she is in a wonderful Hospice House awaiting her death.
She had taken the same class of antibiotic in the past with no reaction. Really not sure what caused this one. She was going through chemo for breast cancer, but had just finished and was scheduled to start her radiation treatment. Her chemo doctor told us that since her reaction, they have had another patient who went into anaphylactic shock after taking Avelox.
My sister is only 43 years old. This medication should be taken off the market.

All I can say is OH MY GOD. I'm a 23 year old female and have had asthma since I was 13. I started taking Advair two years ago. I didn't really notice any symptoms at that time except for a 10lb weight gain I attributed to 'getting older'. Last year I lost my insurance coverage and stopped taking the medicine (and imagine, I dropped the 10 lbs). Last month, I got a really bad sinus and ear infection and was having breathing difficulties once again. Since I am now insured I went to the doctor, and got an antibiotic. I took the antibiotic for 2 weeks. My sinus and ear infections are gone, but I have this HORRIBLE nagging dry cough (for more than 4 weeks), that NOTHING will cure. So I went back to my doctor a few days ago. He told me that due to my history of asthma, the previous infection I had, and allergies that bronchial inflammation can occur and I was put back on Advair. I took my first puff 2 days ago. I tried to ignore the jittery sensation, and light-headedness. I just took a puff an hour ago, and let me tell you I absolutely CANNOT ignore it. Currently my heart is racing, I am extremely light headed as I write this, and i cannot stop shaking my legs. I tried to relax in bed but the 'jitters' are just too much. If this does not subside, I think I might go to the emergency room. After googling "Advair side-effects" and finding this site, I now realize I am not alone, and this is not in my head. I WILL NEVER TAKE THIS MEDICATION AGAIN. I am convinced that what I am experiencing this very moment are the side effects of Advair. Don't let another doctor tell you there are NO side effects associated with it.
-Ashley Miami Beach, FL

I was weaned off 50 mg Toprol over an 8 day period (after having been on it for 4 years) and then had been off it completely for 10 days -- when my Dr. decided that what I was feeling could not POSSIBLY STILL be side effects from Toprol Withdrawal and so put me BACK on it at a lower dose (25 mg instead of 50 mg) - and 80 mg of Diovan (along with Prilosec OTC for acid reflux and a Hiatal hernia) - the Diovan made me so sick, I developed a bad cough and pains in my upper chest so I stopped that --- and low and behold after being back on the Toprol 25 mg for 2 days -- the severe chest tightness is BACK and worse than EVER -- it is horrible. I am a 33 year old woman with asthma (5'3 @ 135 pounds with no other health problems) -- my problem is without meds my B/P runs 140/110 (they say that it is genetic and that I do not work out and have a desk job - because I do not drink or smoke and I am not overweight, and I eat a very healthy diet) -- but the meds they want me take for it give me so many side effects I cannot STAND IT.. I don't know what to do -- I go back to my DR. Wed for a follow-up but cannot stand this chest tightness until then.......... Being 10 days off Toprol I was still have chest tightness and breathing difficulties -- but not as often and not as severe - so I thought maybe it just took a long time to get out of your system... My Dr. said I should have been feeling better after 3-5 days so that it could not possibly be the Toprol. I am at my WITS END and do not know where to turn or what to do.

I was put on Verapamil 120mg after being taken off of Atenolol which I had been on for 5 years. I also took Lisinipril along with the Atenolol. I had a couple of rough months getting off the Atenolol as there are some side effects to doing that. I was put on th Verapamil along with Enalapril and Hydrochlorithiazide, didn't feel well. Off the Enalapril and Hydrochlorithiazide now and have increased the Verapamil to 180mg. I feel so tired but can't sleep, have no energy and my heartrate is still up there. Doctor wants to add Digoxin, will this help or make it worse. I felt better on the lower dose but it wasn't controlling the BP.
Thank you for your time and would appreciate any info.

I have been taking toprol for almost 2 months and have experienced most of the side effects mentioned here. I have myasthenia gravis and after severe allergic reactions to many medications. After trying several different meds for hypertension, my doctor prescribed 25 mg of topral.

The strange headaches and dizziness began immediately as well as fatigue, blurred vision and body heat totally unlike hot flashes. Feels like i am on fire when i touch my flesh.

The toprol affected my muscles almost as bad as lisinopril causing breathing difficulties and weakness in my leg and neck muscles to the point where i had to stay in bed for most of the day.

Toprol is a beta blocker and can sometimes cause difficulties for myasthenics but i was told that once i had been taking the medication for awhile the side effects would likely disappear.

Well they got worse and last night i had a myasthenic crisis and will be talking to my doctor about a different medication.

The problem with prescriptions is that most doctors dont have time to monitor their patients on new prescriptions and insurance doesnt support medication education for preventative maintenance so meds end up sometimes putting patients in life threatening situations.

There has to be a solution.

Just one year ago I had a very bad car accident the doctor precribed percocet I was on it for one year.Just one month ago I stopped cold turkey and since then i am ngoing through panic attacks and anxiety.Atleast thats what doc diagnosed me with so i have alot of breathing difficulties.

hi,yes i still get chect pains 8 months after stopping taking yasmin,i also have an irregular heartbeat. my doctor told me it was nothing,just anxiety......hmmmm. well i'm not sure about that but nothing bad had happened so far.if after a year i still have the pains then maybe i will follow it up. i still have breathing difficulties sometimes too,feels like i am being smothered. the other awful thing that i get is a massive feeling of pressure in my head,it feels literally like it is being squashed,it only lasts a few seconds but happens about twice a day.that really freaks me out,i start thinking oooooh what if i have a blood clot on my brain or something! i have no idea what all these aches and pains are. maybe they are just anxiety symptoms,i just hope they will go away soon.

sarah

I was diagnosed with asma last year, and was prescribed Advair. It works amazingly on my breathing difficulties when jogging, and I really can't breath easily when I run without using it twice daily. One noticable side affect though, is that I have gained 20 pounds since starting the medication without altering my eating or exercise habits.

SIDE EFFECTS:
May cause drowsiness, dizziness, headache, loss of appetite, stomach upset, blurred vision, restlessness, irritability and dry mouth and nose. If they become bothersome, inform your doctor.

***Who besides a teenager following the Greatful Dead would not find this bothersome?!!!***

Notify your doctor if you develop: breathing difficulties, heart pounding, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, ringing in the ears, difficulty urinating.

Dizziness especially when rising quickly from a seated or lying position is common. Change positions slowly and be careful on stairs. Use caution engaging in activities requiring alertness.

I was taking prednisone for breathing difficulties. It worked miracles on that but i became very anxious and grouchy and my legs and ankles retained a ton of fluid.

I have been on this drug for almost 3 years. I have had headaches, very vivid and realistic dreams, dizziness (especially when I skip a dose), severe weight loss (66 lbs) followed by severe weight gain (70 lbs), paranoia, leaking nipples (I am male), and breathing difficulties. I am thankful that this medication got me through a very difficult time in my life, but now I am going to try to get off of it.

Last year, I was prescribed Etodolac for pain I was experiencing in my knee. After incredible improvement in my knee within 24 hours, I continued taking Etodolac. After 7-8 days on Etodolac, I started waking up in the a.m. feeling like my heart was racing and difficulty breathing. I thought I was coming down with flu or pneumonia. Went back to dr., who additionally prescribed an antibiotic. Symptoms continued until I read about the "rare" side effects (breathing difficulties, congestive heart failure, etc). I called my pharmacist Sunday morning, who advised me to stop taking the Etodolac and see if symptoms improved. I stopped having the pounding heart (which occurred 9-12 hours after each dose). I called my dr. the next day to make him aware of my reaction to Etodolac. However, I'm wondering if it could have done any permanent damage. I found out, during a routine colonoscopy that I had a heart irregularity and ended up having to have a pacemaker.

I am responding to the most recent post about Zocor side effects. Yes, I had the same response about not being believed about the side effects that I was experiencing. One of the most troublesome for me was the depression to the point that I was teary every day. Slowly, this seems to be lifting-I have been off the Zocor approximately 8 weeks. I also experienced the eye twitching that was so severe it interferred with my everyday life. Also, I had breathing difficulties with chest pain.