Bulging discs symptoms and conditions

Here is a update on my condition since last posting, please keep in mind that prior to 7-15-08 I was totally normal.I have recently found out that I have Psoriatic Arthritis,Fibromyalgia,COPD,3 bulging discs in my back and also Bursitis in Right hip.All from Levaquin! I also was the one that put 2 & 2 together and talked it over with my PCP and now I have a Rhuematologist,Lung DR,Neurologist and I am currently seeing a Pain Management DR.I had my 1st.epidural injection yesterday for the bulging discs and will have 2 more and see how it works.I am beyond being frustrated and I do not know what the future holds for me.Some days I wonder if my life will ever be somewhat normal again.Take care everyone and god bless us all,,,,

I am 49 yrs old. Had been on Neurontin from Aug '08-Jan '09. Was taking it for lower back pain & leg pain due to two bulging discs pressing on nerves running down my leg. When I began taking Neurontin, I couldn't walk because the pain was so bad. Long story short, Neurontin greatly helped my pain - it totally went away. HOWEVER, the entire time I was on Neurontin I felt drugged (dizzy, lethargic, depressed, paranoid). I determined it wasn't worth it (for me anyway) to live in this state of mind. So, slowly, I came off Neurontin and found out that my leg/back pain had eased. What I also learned is that I developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Neurontin masked the pain from that as well, so I didn't even feel it coming on! I think it's dangerous to be on a drug that masks all pain. I now go to physical therapy and so far, experience only minor, tolerable pain (I'm lucky so far). But I know one thing, I will go for injections and even surgery before I ever consider this drug again. It was just awful living like that. I hope this posting has helped some of you.

Thank you all for sharing! I thought I was crazy. I have 3 bulging discs in my neck and have been seeing a new doctor for neck block injections. He prescribed Ultracet for me on Jan 29, 2009. I did not know it was Tramadol, which I told him I could not take because of the side effects. In a short period of time I began to experience the same problems that I had with Tramadol. Very dry mouth, weird dreams, uncontrollable sleep but not rest, hyper activity as if I had had coffee, which I don't drink, and the strangest one of all that I just discovered on this site. I live in Chicago so dry skin is typical in the winter but I have had uncontrollable itching on every single part of my skin including private areas. I had already stopped taking them except in extreme need but I am stopping completely now. For those of you who are helped with the drug, good for you, for the rest of us, we are not crazy with these strange side effects. I for one have stopped and will look, with my doctor, for an alternative.

I WAS TOLD TO TRY NERVE BLOCKS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SURGERY. I HAVE A RUPTURED LEAKING DISC AS THE RESULT OF A CAR ACCIDENT AT L4,L5, I HAD THREE INJECTIONS, I WAS NOT EVEN TOLD THEY WERE USING A STEROID. WHEN I STARTED HAVING NIGHT SWEATS, IRRITABILITY AND EXTREME FACIAL HAIR MY GYNO SAID IT WAS THE NERVE BLOCKS. THE NP AT THE PAIN TREATMENT CENTER SAID IN TEN YEARS SHE HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT. THE DEPO SHOT I WAS GETTING WAS NEGATED SO I GOT MY TUBES TIED. I HAVE AN APPT WITH AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST IN JUNE, I GOT IT IN NOV, MY HUSBAND SAYS WE WILL HAVE A CIVIL UNION BY THEN!! THE PAIN RELIEF LASTED 19 DAYS, THE HAIR 2 MONTHS AND COUNTING. THE SURGEON TOLD ME BEFORE HE PUT ME UNDER HE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO WORK. I WISH I KNEW ABOUT THE SIDE EFFECTS. NOT HAPPY AT ALL. TREATMENT CENTER SAID BECAUSE OF SIDE EFFECTS I WAS NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR NERVE BLOCKS AND CLOSED MY CASE AS A PATIENT. I ALSO HAVE 2 BULGING DISCS IN MY NECK AND CHI FROM THE ACCIDENT. I GUESS I MAY HAVE TO HAVE SURGERY. THIS HAS NOT BEEN A GOOD EXPERIENCE.

I am just starting (hopefully) to come off the Medication Ride From Hell. I I am 61 and take estrogen, diovan, vytorin, boniva, and just started back taking Prozac (1/2 dose) after this fiasco. Two weeks ago today I started having pain in my face like I got hit by a MACK truck for 5 days, especially one tooth hurt if I touched it. Then on Tues, I went to dentist, took x-ray, no abscess. So figured sinus infection. Wed I go to have epidural shots in my back for 3 bulging discs. But I had a slight fever and suspected sinus infection, so they would not do an epidural, for fear of introducing bacteria into my spine which could result in paralysis. OH BOY So this doc gives me tramedol 50 mg for pain in 3 of my discs. Eventhough 2 ibuprophens work great, I can't take advil because of stomache issues. I am sensitive to meds, so a little goes a long way. So then back to my reg doc who gives me AVELOX . And now the nightmare begins......At 7:30 pm I took Avelox and 1/2 half of a tramadol (never took either one before). Around 9:00 pm took another 1/2 tramadol. Figured I was tolerating well. At 1:30 a.m. took a whole one. (RX is 1-2 3 times a day) A few hours later I wake up itching all over. By 5:30 a.m. the slightest move I make I am spinning and nauseous. Fall back to sleep, get up and am having vertigo and nausea. I think maybe a little sprite will settle my stomach. I immediately throw it up. My body feels paralyzed with muscle spasms, pain and extreme weakness. Also pain between my shoulder blades, heart palpitations, sense of panic, extreme heaviness in my limbs, headache and continued dizziness and nausea. Felt as if I had a slab of concrete on top of my chest, as if the muscles would not move to let me breath. Call my hubby home. He takes me to urgent care, they started an IV ad then because of "possible heart symptoms" they ambulance me to the hospital. At hospital, they gave me anti nausea meds in IV. The ride in ambulance was a big blurr. My first time in 61 years ever in an ambulance. They confirmed my sinus infection with a CAT scan which probably ruled out some other things too. I leave hospital around 5 pm and am feeling somewhat better, as all meds are now out of my body for about 15 hours. Fri, no Avelox...took a break. Sat, Sun took it and all the symptoms came back except for the vertigo and nausea which was caused by the tramedol. Skipped Monday, to test theory that it is the drug. Take it Tues, within 2 hours symptoms back with a vengeance and major panic attack out of no where, hearting pounding. I am at work so I manage to get through and when I get home I collapse in chair and can't move. Finally Wed I said thats it NO MORE AVELOX. Thurs, back to doc. She gave me Bactrim DS. I am still having some muscle weakness and fatigue. Woke up at 11:30 a.m. and took pill around 2:00, fell back to sleep around 4:30 pm with spasms in upper back and shoulders, causing weakness in my arms. I hope I can tolerate the Bactrim for the next 9 days and my side effects let up. The doctors and pharmacist look at you like your crazy when you tell them what happened. When I found this site I was so relieved when other people described the same symptoms as mine down to the smallest details. Thanks for being here.

Horrible side effects. Had sinus infection so was also taking Avelox, took 2 tramadol for pain for 3 bulging discs and face pain associated with sinus infection. Pills were spaced out over 7 hours. Then BAM I wake up about 3:30 a.m. itching all over and then progress to vertigo and nausea. The Avelox brought its own set of symptom, which I didn't realize for a few days after the Tramadol was out of my system. The whole experience sent me to the urgent care, then by ambulance to hospital. I HATE TAKING MEDS.

BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD! I took this drug today and thought i was going to die from a heart attack. I began getting palpitations and then it progressed into a full blown panic attack. Thank god I had some Xanax to bring down the side effects. But now I just feel out of it and foggy. I almost called 911, it was that bad. I felt like I couldn't breathe, like there was something standing on my chest. I called my doctor right away who said they had no other samples, that Avelox was the only thing they are really getting right now. That seems really odd to me that a drug like this is on the market with so much negative press and yet its all our physicians have on hand for people like me with no insurance. PLEASE DONT TAKE THIS DRUG, it is terrible...

I started out exhausted and dizzy as I was upping the dose for the first 3 weeks and then magically all of my pain was gone! I have chronic back pain due to L5/S1 disc removal, bulging discs and degenerative disc disease. Everything was great until I got my period and it started for 1 day and stopped w/mild spotting (that is not normal) the Dr. suggested I was pregnant when I KNEW that I wasn't. After the 4th week on the medication my hair started falling out. 1st more strands than normal and now by the handful! It is obviously thinning. Has anyone experienced this? Is the follicle permanently damaged by the chemicals? I've since weaned myself off the medicine and am in complete pain again. This seems to be one of the rarer side effects of this medication. Has anyone experienced this?

I'm starting my fourth week on Topamax. I'm not sure if I really need to be on it though. My doctor sent me to a neuro for an EMG because I have bulging discs in my spine. Well, the neuro seems to think I have migraines and put me on Topamax and he added "this'll really make you lose weight". Well, I don't think I've ever had a migraine...just sinus headaches. I'm supposed to start 100mg tonight but I'm afraid to keep taking it. I keep getting double vision and tingling in my feet alot. I don't feel like myself and I'm not sure if there have been studies of the effects of this drug long term??

I started taking Lipitor Sept, 2006. Soon after I thought I had the flu and was really sick for about 3 weeks. I assumed the muscle pain was due to the flu. I've felt really tired, aches all over, muscle pain, horrible lower back pain (I also have 2 bulging discs but the pain is worse than it's ever been) and I can't sleep a whole night through. I wake up in the middle of the night due to pain in my hands (the joints in my fingers almost feel like there's fluid around them and it's hard to move them), or back and leg pains. For the last month the pain in the arches of my feet and heels have been getting worse, to the point that I can't walk without pain. I have to have good suppory tennis shoes on at all times to be able to walk. The aches and pains started slowly and kept adding up so I just didn't pin point any one thing as the source of my problems. When my husband watched me hobble into the kitchen tonight he told me that everything started after my physical in Sept. The only medication that was added to my daily meds was Lipitor. (the only other med I take is 1/2 of a .25 HCTZ for slight elevated bp) I am schedule an appt with my doctor ASAP but I think I will stop taking Lipitor as of tomorrow. If the pain is reduced then I will be able to report that I believe Lipitor to be the culprit.

I was recently diagnosted with 2 bulging discs in my back after being in constant pain for 7 months. My doctor suggested tht I get a series (3 shots) of epidural steriod shots in my back to see if it would help. I had the first on 02APR05 and felt great after 3 days. I was basically pain free for 6 weeks and then the pain started again. I just had my second shot yesterday and I'm just waiting for the soreness at the injection site to go away. The only side effect that occurred is slight muscle cramps in my hamstrings occasionally. I've had two different doctors give the injection and neither talked about side effects of the steriod (Kenalog 40). They only generalized steriod side effects such as possible weight gain, fluid retention, increaded appetite, increased blood sugar and a few other symptoms. There was nothing about the actual medication itself.