Decent shape symptoms and conditions

I am a 31 year old male, in decent shape (play basketball, volleyball, workout at least 3 times a week) but I have a family history of high blood pressure and have had it myself as long as I've been tested. Went to cardiologist as a check up on my slightly enlarged heart, long story short, ended up on Metoprolol (25mg) beginning of 2008 and have been fine but no real help with bp. Then was put Lisinopril (5mg) a few months ago and my blood pressure was great at last checkup. However during that time I had a couple of weeks where I was very dizzy, that sort of feeling your brain is taking a second to keep up with your head as you get up, along with a fogginess and what seemed like sinus issues but I chalked it up to weaning off of a small dosage of Zoloft I had taken for over a year. I also developed "the cough" everyone refers to, but since it is winter in New England I chalked it up to dry heat, even though it was a choking cough unlike any I've ever had before. Also during that time I seemed to completely lose my sex drive, again figuring it was just something to do with the Zoloft or general anxiety. Then in the past week I started getting a constant headache, having really interrupted sleep, very foggy and out of it, tired, dehydrated, constipation, nausea, all things that I would normally associate with allergies or some kind of sinus/flu, but yet I couldn't really pinpoint anything that would be causing it.

Then I finally started looking up things about the meds I was taking and came upon this site, and guess what? Everything and every way I was feeling was described in hundreds and hundreds of posts on this site. I don't think my side affects were quite as strong as some have experienced (for instance the cough is very infrequent, like twice a day) but I have only begun my journey with Lisinopril. So despite the warnings, I decided to stop taking it a few nights ago, and almost instantly I began feeling better the next day and since then.

I have since called my cardiologist and he has recommended I switch to Diovan, basically saying that based just on the cough symptom alone, he wants me off of Lisinopril as this is a known side affect. Now I am left debating whether or not I want to continue down this path of trying different combinations of pills to poison my body in order to lower my bp. It seems like others have noted marked differences between taking Diovan and Lisinopril, where the Diovan has been much more tolerable than Lisinopril (with a great decrease in any side-affects) but I'm 31 and although I know it will be very difficult to reduce my bp on my own (believe me, I've tried) maybe I'm too young to start with the "last resort" of these toxins. Just reading about the possibility that Lisinopril was robbing my body of zinc or other minerals, so that my immune system is greatly weakened, likely being the cause for most of the symptoms, is enough to ward me off of pills altogether. It's a sad statement on the state of health care in America when I am left to basically make such an important decision on my own, because I can't trust that my doctors aren't just working in the interest of the drug companies to boost their income. I don't want to have to choose between a silent killer and a horrible existence filled with "side-affects".

In the end, based on some of the reports on here, I think starting on 40mg of Diovan will be fine, but I will certainly be VERY wary of anything unusual and immediately find other options.

I got a shot in early January for a severe tonsillitis infection. I was so sick at the time, that I consented to the shot because I thought it would relieve the swelling. The doctor never mentioned any side effects. Unfortunately, the shot did not help at all. Even worse, I noticed a few months after I received the shot, that I had developed a dark indentation at the site of the shot, on my butt cheek. Since then, I have noticed that the dent has gotten bigger and uglier. I'm very upset about it. I went to a dermatologist/cosmetic surgeon, and she advised that I do nothing. She said it would fill in with time - 6 months to a year. We will see.....it doesn't seem to be getting any better.

The worst and most distressing side effect, is this month I had two periods, two weeks apart. I've never been on birth control, and my periods have always been very regular. I had been reading about this side effect a few months ago, and was relieved that at least my periods had not been affected.....well, I was wrong. 4 months after the shot, I've been affected. I had noticed in the past several months, that my periods had gotten shorter, lasting only 2-3 days as opposed to 3-5. They have also gotten lighter, except this most recent irregular period which was a bit heavier.

Along with the dent and irregular periods, I've been experiencing back aches, extreme fatigue and some nauseau - all symptoms which I've never experienced before. I'm a runner and in pretty decent shape and good health. Now I feel like my body has deteriorated due to one small but devastating shot!

I'm very upset and distressed about these side effects. I'm afraid of what other side effects I might not know about yet.

I contacted a lawyer that I found on this website, who is helping a client with these symptoms. I want to join a class action suit. This is unacceptable!

Hi there, 35 y/o male, in decent shape (though have moderate to severe allergies and get reoccuring sinus infections). In Mid-Nov '04 was diagnosed with acute bronchitis and was perscribed a Z-pak and 500/50 Advair diskette. Symptoms improved some, the wheezing I was experiencing subsided. So after a few weeks of taking the Advair I started to get this deep phlem, in my epoglotis/trachea area. Seemed I was always having to clear my throat, was getting very annoyed and concerned. So I went and saw a Ear, Nose & Throat MD who diagnosed me with GERD. Put me on a very restrictive diet, non dairy products, no caffiene, alcohol, sleep w/head propped up at a 30 degree angle, and yada yada. Also perscribed Protonox for acid reflux. Well, it seemed to help some, but now that I think about it, it kind of coinincides with my Advair perscription running out. Then I started getting the slight wheeze back, my doc put me back on Advair 100/50 2x/day. The whole time though I've had this persistent annoying phlem issue, I thought maybe it was still atributed to the GERD, but now after reading all of your posts, I'm beginning to think it might be caused from the Advair. Long story short, seems I've had this phlem issue, dry throat, some dry cough and I'd say a 10lbs weight gain in the four (4) or so months I've been on Advair. Am I going nuts, or could the phlem issue really be caused by the Advair? Feel free to email me at ****** if you have/are experiencing the same/similar symptoms. Bye the way, I'm going to ditch my Advair today and see how it goes.