August 31th
2009
10:45 AM
I think no one should post within the first 3 months of starting the pill... it's not a miracle drug or magic. Your body has to adjust to the hormones and you're not going to find a pill that doesn't cause side effects within the first 3 months. I am about to start my 4th pack and I am curious to know if anyone else has experienced heavy weight gain that they can NOT lose =/
-- By shortysoproper | Reply | (2) replies | Private Message me
March 2th
2009
8:19 AM
So, I had my Mirena removed almost 2 weeks ago now and immediately started taking Yaz. I will miss the fact that I haven't had a period in about a year and the ease of not having to remember to take anything but the acne got too much to bear. My reflection caused me to cry and I couldn't seem to shake 8lbs, and I workout all the time, we're talking 3 times a day, 3-4 days a week, so it wasn't due to my lack of effort. And my diet is phenomenal, it was all very disheartening. I even made peace, finally, with my larger self but my acne was just unreal! After reading the other experiences on here I was simply reaffirmed about my personal suspicions and had a scheduled pap so I told my gyno to remove it. She completely agreed with me, saying that she's seen an increase in these types of cases over the last year, (one resulted in a 40lb weight gain and after removal 20 lbs dropped over several weeks!). She is a wonderful doctor. She said that IUDs have been relatively unused in the states until recently so we simply lack the data for longer termed effects and that since she's come across so many of them lately that she makes sure to inform all of her potentials of them. Mirena works for a lot of women, I have friends on it that swear by it, beautifully clear skin, but they have also seemed to gain that 5-8lbs that's unshakable, but I'm sure they don't associate it with the IUD, like I didn't at first either, but it was irremovable! Anyways, my doctor said it best, Mirena works for a lot of women, but not one thing will work the same on everyone, just as my side effects were pretty common but some of the effects on here were WAY different than my own experiences. All I can say is that I'm glad I didn't have a nightmare of a doctor like some of the other ladies here. If you are referencing this site and are wondering if your effects will go away, I had my Mirena in from Oct.07 to Feb.09. About Jan.08 I started breaking out, not that I ever had phenomenal skin, but these were cystic almost, different than normal acne, but my weight was unchanged. About July08 I noticed a little weight gain but had been on a couple vacations and was about to take a sabbatical, all likely reasons, but I can drop any holiday 5-10lb weight gain within 2 weeks due to effort, but not the 8lbs I gained then, as of Feb09 the acne had persisted and increased, new ones popping up everyday around my chin area and jawline ( not ever before), some on my back (also not ever before) which, after further research, found that those areas around the chin break out usually due to hormonal effects, and then I just finally couldn't take it. I looked in the mirror one day after work and just started crying. My reflection was horrible, my self esteem was diminishing and no amount of my wonderful boyfriend's admiration could make me look any better :( I can say I'm seeing a difference in my skin now on Yaz and am simply hoping there are no nasty side effects waiting in the works for me there! I hope this helps someone out there like so many other testimonies helped me!
-- By smarquar | Reply | (2) replies | Private Message me
September 5th
2008
1:47 PM
I am a 51 y/o white female that has been on Lipitor for 2 years. I am 5' 1" and when I had to go on it my cholesterol was 267 I weighed 112 lbs. I was shocked.... my doctor told me weight had nothing to do with cholesterol. She kept a close watch on me and my cholesterol came down...... and then my ex-husband of 17 years and I re-connected and got back together and I moved so I had to get another primary care physician. I took all my meds to her, she also kept a close watch on everything. At this time my cholesterol is down to 109 and I asked if I could stop taking it, as I take quite a lot of meds, due to different things and if I could stop anything it would be great, but she said it I stopped it, my cholesterol would go right back up. So since I am not experiencing any side effects I'm okay with continuing it.
I surely hate to hear what you all are experiencing with your Lipitor..... could your doc try another cholesterol medication?
The only one of my meds that is giving me any problem is TOPAMAX........ that we are using as a Migraine preventative! HORRORS!!! Today is pretty good day. But my cognitive abilities are in the trash... I say the wrong word when I mean something else...... I search my mind looking for a memory...... I am also on disability since 2002 because of the Migraines....... I have has them since 1978, but they got progressively worse over the years until I was sick more days per week, sometimes more than 7-10 days at the time, having to be in the hospital being rehydrated and on IV pain meds.......... and as awful as the TOPAMAX is.....it has been reduced the migraines to approx 2 per month and they do not last nearly as long.
So sorry, I got waaay off topic, but I know that it is not the Lipitor that is giving me the side effects as it the last med I had to go on and I had no new side effects....... but that TOPAMAX is kicking my behind.
-- By hayneslori57 | Reply | (6) replies | Private Message me
June 4th
2008
9:53 PM
I had been on a prednisone dose pack (not too strong??) about a month ago for a neck injury to take away some inflammation. No side effects to mention and my neck felt tons better. Yesterday I went back to my dentist after 5 days of pain from a root canal. He put me on a prednisone dose pack saying there was some inflammation in the bone, very common, and the prednisone should take care of it. I took my dose yesterday, didn't sleep well (common side effect it seems) but then today my heart is racing and feels like it skips a beat. I have read this happening to folks on much higher doses, anyone have this kind of side effect with 20 mg/day?
-- By jamse123 | Reply | (4) replies | Private Message me
July 28th
2007
9:04 PM
I've been on Seroquel for a month now. My dosage was progressively increased from 100mg to 400mg for severe chronic insomnia, a symptom of manic depression.
Within one month, I've gained 20 pounds and I look as if I'm six or seven months pregnant.
I am weaning myself off of it, because my doctor doesn't seem to care much about the weight gain, despite the fact that I eat less than 1000 calories a day.
A symptom of bipolar disorder is also depression, and the more I look at myself in the mirror, the more depressed I get.
I'd rather go without sleep than gain weight at the rate I've been gaining it. It's just not safe, and I can feel it taking its toll on me physically and psychologically.
It's just not worth it in my opinion. I'm giving Melatonin a try. Hopefully, that will work for me. It was suggested by one of my nurses.
It's not easy to go from a 4/5 to nearly a size 9 in a month. It really makes you feel terrible, especially when you exercise an hour and a half everyday and are on a low calorie diet.
Until I'm given something that can counteract the weight gain, I refuse to stay on Seroquel.
I admit I'm having some bouts of insomnia, but they're not nearly as bad as they were before I started the Seroquel. Perhaps that will change once the Seroquel is all out of my system.
I also notice I'm itching everywhere, from head to toe. I suppose that's a symptom of weaning yourself off of the drug.
-- By cali5932 | Reply | (6) replies | Private Message me
July 20th
2007
5:26 PM
I'm a 34 year old petite 110 lb female and have been on Prednisone for 7 weeks now for a kidney disease (Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis). The treatment is supposed to be 3-4 months to see if I go into remission. If not, then I'm "steroid resistant" and they will have to move to a more aggressive treatment (a type of chemo). So I'm praying that this prednisone works!!
The first 2 weeks were a peice of case, then I developed many side effects, but the following being the most troublesome:
- 2 weeks - Edema. I got really bad fluid retention in my lower body and was put on a diuretic. A few days later my heart started pounding so hard I thought it would pop right out of my chest. Well turns out I was totally dehydrated from the diuretic so I'm off that now but the edema seems to be under control anyway (following a low-sodium/low carb diet). At the same time as the edema my skin dried right up too, and I need to put moisturizer on all the time. Even when I bend over I feel the skin on my back stretching.
- 2 weeks - Bloating. Really bad bloating. I'm bloated constantly now. Eating a low sodium diet helps, but not much. At night I weigh 5 lbs more than I do in the morning. I have terrible gas (burping mostly) all of the time. Sometimes it looks like I'm 6 months pregnant! And I'm sure people think I am because as I mentioned I'm normally thin and now I have to wear looser clothing to hide my belly, which doesn't really work and just looks obvious.
- 3 weeks - Sore knees. It feels like there's something growing in between my kneecaps that make it very difficult to climb stairs and it feels spongy when I walk. I can not put any pressure on my knees, I can't squat down, bend to pick something up, kneel, anything. And it gets worse at night.
- 4 week - Moonface. And my face has been blowing up like a balloon ever since. As I sit here and type I can actually feel it throbbing and growing still. I've got fat on my neck under my chin now that actually feels like it's choking me if I sit hunched over. I'm finding the moonface very difficult to cope with. I do not like to look in the mirror any more. I feel like a candy apple.
- 4 weeks - Cramps. Terrible terrible hand and feet cramps. Sometimes if I'm using my hands to chop vegetables or write or even use a fork, my hand cramps up like a lobster claw. I try to use the other hand then the same thing. And then almost every day, my feet. First one, then the other. Excruitiating cramps that seem to go in 15 minute intervals that make it impossible to walk, stand, sit, anything.
- 4 weeks - Very moody and aggitated. I am usually very easy going, now i have patience for nothing. I will be in a good mood one minute, the next I feel like I can kill someone. My boyfirend and our dogs are being very patient with me... I just hope they know it's the drugs not me! I just don't seem to have any control over my emotions.
- 5 weeks - Extreme fatigue. I used to have lots of energy, especially at the beginning of my Prednisone journey. But now I'm just wasted all of the time. I walk to and from work and the last couple weeks I want to just lay down on the side of the road and have a nap as I walk home. I used to do pilates (as much as possible with the sore knees) but it's too hard now. And forget about any elliptical training or cycling. It's enough just to get to and from work and I'm just exhausted.
There are more issues and I could go on forever, but those are the most troublesome. I just try so hard to stay positive but it's very hard sometimes. I pray that this is working, and that it is not all for not. I can't wait to be off these drugs, and my heart goes out to each and every one of you enduring the same thing and pray that it works for your too.
Good luck everyone.
:)J
-- By jennyc | Reply | (4) replies | Private Message me
March 9th
2006
11:25 AM
I started taking Levothyroxine about a year ago. A couple of weeks ago, I started to have problems sleeping. I would fall asleep just fine, but I would wake up in the middle of the night or an hour or two before I would have to get up and would be unable to go back to sleep, even on days where my stress was minimal or not enough to get me anxious around bedtime. It would seem strange that the side effects would start so late into the therapy, but sometimes long-term usage of a drug can cause side effects. I went to the doctor for my yearly physical in January, and my blood test results showed that my thyroid levels were normal. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Please contact me if so. I'm trying to figure out the cause of my insomnia, and it would be great if I could either eliminate this medication as the cause or contact my doctor with information about sleep problems that others have had while using this drug. I believe I'm on the .025 mg dosage. Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.
-- By retrogirl77 | Reply | Private Message me
September 25th
2003
1:04 AM
I have taken Levaquin for bladder infections 6 times. I have Interstitial Cystitis and sadly one of the side effects is frequent UTI's. I have tolerated this drug better than any other antibiotic I have ever taken, and I have taken many.
Walgreens lists the vast majority of "possible" side effects and the Ortho-McNeil web site (the company who manufactures the drug) has a very detailed PDF file which lists all of the side effects complaints I have seen here and more. Some of the other side effects include suicidal thoughts and death!
ANY drug can cause side effects that may be severly adverse. It is impossible to know who will have such a reaction. In order to avoid all posssible reactions to drugs the healthcare industry would have to stop using medications of any kind.
I had a bizarre reaction to oxybutynin (which generally causes no side effects) that went far beyond drowsiness, it more resembled Narcolepsy. I could not safely care for my child or drive my car. I still took the pills for 2 months hoping the side effects would go away, which they didn't. I know that my reaction wasn't the "norm, and would not tell someone not to take it simply because it didn't work for me.
Please if you have been prescribed Levaquin, take it. As with any drug, over the counter or prescribed call your doctor immediately if you have any reaction that is uncommon or you feel requires medical attention. All medications can have risks, just use your head :)
-- By kittenx3 | Reply | Private Message me
April 23th
2003
3:42 PM
The dr. said no side effects. I've been on it for five months and big weight gain from 32C bra to 36D. Not happy about this. Also major foot and leg cramps. I used to sleep holding my albuterol inhaler and have gone weeks without even using it. But these side effects including itching, weakness, etc. are not worth it. I am going to try and go without it. Inhaled steriods DO cause side effects despite what the doctors say. I am so absolutely thrilled to hear that I am not the only one with bad side effects.
-- By joetta.adams | Reply | Private Message me
PredniSONE (2) Advair HFA (1) Yasmin (1) Loestrin 24 Fe (1) Ventolin (1) Levaquin (1) Sulfatrim (1) Liothyronine Sodium (1) Levoxyl (1) Potaba (1) Mirena (1) Seroquel (1) Lipitor (1)
October 20th
2009
9:45 PM
My daughter is about to turn 5, she was prescribed SMZ-TMP a few days ago in order to prevent another ear infection.
-- By isareid | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message meShe has been having terrible diarrhea, which is obviously normal, but along with that she started vomiting, she is now vomiting every time after taking the medication. She has a loss of appetite and has barely ate anything in the past 3 days! The poor thing has been battling diarrhea while throwing up at the same time along with terrible stomach pain/cramps. I am calling the doctor first thing tomorrow morning to discuss discontinuation of medication etc.