Chronic sinus symptoms and conditions

I took Ambien for 2 years. I had all of the common side effects: hallucinations, memory problems, loopiness, nightmares, etc. However, I eventually started smelling smoke all of the time. Since Ambien was the only drug I was on, I stopped taking it. After a couple of weeks, the smoke smell faded. Life went on as usual, and I became pregnant and gave birth to a beautiful boy. That night I couldn't fall asleep even though I was exhausted. I tossed and turned all night, and the nurse started showing concern for me. She asked if I wanted to try a sleeping pill, and contacted my doctor. They ended up giving me an Ambien that night, and that night, the smoke smell returned for a few days. Fast forward several months after giving up Ambien completely. I developed a nasty head cold that gave my sinuses a pounding. That was when the smell returned. I began to piece things together, and went to the doctor. I asked him if he thought the Ambien damaged my sense of smell and if sinus conditions like congestion, allergies, and sickness exacerbated the problem. He did first check me for a brain tumor, but agreed with my assessment. He has seen thing like this happen to people, although not specifically with Ambien since it was a newer drug. He thinks a combination of the drug and sinus problems permanently damaged my olfactory nerves. He told me to try Flonase, and within a week of smelling smoke, it goes away. seven years later, the smoke smell still comes and goes, but actually cues me to what is going on in my sinuses at the time. I know when my sinuses are congested or irritated, and I take Flonase for relief within a few days to a week. Not saying everyone will have this problem, but it is something to be aware of...

I have taken Avelox before with only minimal side effects nausea and diarrhea were the only ones I got but they were enough. I have been suffering from chronic sinus and ear infections for going on two years now. My doctor gave me samples again of avelox on Monday. Last night I had to be rushed to the hospital. After throwing up all day I got a severe headache. I felt dizzy and out of sorts all day but when I couldn't take the headache anymore I tried laying down. With this medicine you can't take any pain relievers so I thought if I just went to lay down maybe it would ease up some. Well it didn't, and before I knew it I was shaking uncontrollably with tremors and could no longer put sentences together. My head hurt so bad I just wanted to stab myself to make the pain go away. At the er they gave me an IV with something to help with the headache.Anyway after taking a Ct scan and not seeing anything on there the er doc gave me the ok to go home and gave me a script for pain meds. I was having hallucinations, anxieties, and could not speak correctly. I am still having trouble making sentences, I am stuttering, which I have never done before. And I can't get words to go together to make a sentence. The Er doctor wants me to follow up with a neurologist. My tremors still haven't stopped and now I sound like the guy from rain man when I am trying to make a sentence. This is pure torture and I feel like I am in someone else's body.

You people are freaking me out. I just started today with my first dose of prednisone for my first bronchitis diagnosis. I've been sick for 3 months and thought this would be a good med for me to rid the coughing. I'm starting to reconsider taking any more if all I can expect is long term adverse effects. I took this once before years ago for a severe skin allergy. I got the psychosis initially but then adjusted the dose. Then, I would get euphoric and full of energy, like being on a stimulant. I had no idea the round face thing was due to this, I thought I just ate too much while I was home sick for 2 months. I think I'll try the herbal alternative route. If it works, I'll write again and let y'all know. Thanks for all the comments.

I have been on lisinopril since January 07. I had a drug eluting stent put in my heart Feb 05, and after a bad experience with Beta Blockers had to go off of them, and try to find natural ways to help my heart/pulse rate. The lisinopril has helped with the pulse spikes, and lowered my bp, but the past three months I have been experiencing really bad cramps on the left side of my body and in chest. Very frightening and uncomfortable, wake you up in the middle of the night. both legs, and kidney area. Cannot carry my purse or anything heavy on left side. Also had bad cough in the morning. It got so bad this weekend thought I was going to have a heart attack. I awoke this morning realizing that maybe, just maybe it is the BP medication. Would not be the first time I have had problems with the poisen doctors hand out. I want to find a natural supplement that will lower my bp, without the lisinopril it was about 150/90, not great, but not too crazy. I think I won't refill the lisinopril and see how it goes....any ideas out there?

I can definitely relate with guest #33291 and his experience with Singulair. Except my experience happened on the very first night I took Singulair. Went to doctor for sinus complaints. Gave me a decongestant and suggested I try Singulair since I have chronic sinus, thought maybe I had an asthma component, I guess. Supposed to take it before bed, which I did. After I took it I stayed up for a while and tried to wind down and watched T.V. After a while I, too, started to feel like I was having trouble breathing. Thought maybe it was in my head, stress, etc., and tried to go to sleep but couldn't. The breathing got worse and I felt like someone was sitting on my chest and like a tight band was closing around my throat. It was horrible. Luckily my son takes inhalers so I grabbed one of those which helped but not much. At 4:00 in the morning I found myself in the emergency room. Had to have labs, chest x-ray, steroid shot, iv fluids --- all to just conclude that this was an adverse reaction to the Singulair!! I actually thought I was having a heart attack at the time it happened as I am 34 years old and it was a possibility. I feel like complaining to the company as my free sample of Singulair cost me close to $500 out of pocket in the ER!

Reading some similar situations here leads me to conclude that Singulair is a nasty medication. I know that it works wonders for some, but for me it was horrible. I was actually looking for my 3 year old son. He was on Singulair for almost six months before I was. I had to take him off of it eventually because he was having ADD symptoms, restless and irritability. After experiencing what I did and my heart pounding, now I often wonder if his heart was racing too and feel awful!

Side effects from 100mg one a day for long term treatment of chronic sinus problem; after 7 days: profound fatigue, appearance of pink rash to both hands that burns, painful feet, headache, and a feeling that the heart was too tired to pump, feeling very cold despite warm weather.

Chronic sinus infctions. They started out occuring every so often, nothing to be alarmed about yet right before I stopped taking singulair I was in at the doctors at least every 4 weeks for sinus infections. I was on antibiotics for almost one month before I stopped taking it and it was a factor in my coming down with bronchitis. I have stopped taking the drug when I realized it was making me sick. It's been 8th months and I have been to the doctors for a regualr check up and one infection. It feels great to have figured out why I was so sick. I had undergone CAT scans and saw an ENT and I was about to undergo more tests and see another specialists. I have researched online about possible side effects and infamed sinuses and respiratory infections are listed as side effects. The ironic part was I was taking singulair to prevent the sinus infections which my doctor and I thought were caused by my severe allergies when in reality it was actually making me sick. I cannot describe how much I loath this drug and feel that Merck does not do a proper and good job in making all the possible side effects know. My life health wise was...I don't know how to describe it- I was constantly sick and missing school and work and feeling terrible- I guess the word would be terrible. I strongly reccomend a person who is new to taking this drug to research it and know all of the nasty side effects.

My 14-yr-old son was prescribed levaquin for a chronic sinus condition. He just finished day 2 and started suffering extreme muscle cramps in his legs. We're taking him off this medication....