Devastated symptoms and conditions

Hi, I was on yasmine for 4 months then switched to ortho tri lo. A month arfter taking yasmine I started loosing large amounts of hair. I had long hair with long layers down my back and now I have extremely short layers and shoulder length hair without ANY hair cuts. I came across this site and see that alot of people on yasmine has had the same problem. I'm going off all birth control to see if I can get my hair back to normal. Has anyone had any luck regrowing there hair?

have had most of the side effects from taking this drug for only 10 days but has anyone out there ever had an awful metalic taste in their mouth

I was a very healthy 23 yr old female. I cant believe that I finally found someone going thru almost what I am going thru. My name is Liane and My life changed on July 7th, 2007. I went to the hospital for frothy urine. They told me it was a UTI and gave me Levaquin for 7 days. I took it for only 5 days cuz ( I was allergic too) then were gonna start me on macrobid. Mean time my hands,face, and bottom half began to swell up. Me thinking it was from my period but this was different. I work in a jewelery store and once my rings that are a size 6 DID not fit at all I panicked. I had extremely bad back pain, high blood pressure. I did not feel same. On July 13th (Friday) I went to a hospital here in southern california and talked to a doctor and she said.."sweetie u don't have a UTI, I don't wanna scare u but I think that U have a Kidney Disease called Minimal Change Disease"!!!! WHAT!!!! Am I gonna die? She says no but come Monday u need to see a specialist and confirm. Now here is a Lasix pill to help take some of the water weight that u have gained away. Its already about 1:30am on Saturday the 14th. She says u will not sleep cuz u will be urinating all night. I said well anything to help me, i had went from a very healthy 5' 7" 155lbs woman, I worked out in the gym 5 days a week with my boyfriend who is a Police officer and bodybuilder for fun, so me swelling up and devastated me. I took the pill. and went to sleep. Nothing happened to me. That meant something was wrong. Later that day Saturday I felt BAD. My face kept swelling, blood pressure kept going up, heart racing. I went to E.R and told them I felt like I was gonna die, I think I have minimal change disease I need a specialist now. They admitted me for 5 days. My specialist came in and saved my life. I had a ultrasound and kidney biopsy and they confirmed what I already knew. I had Minimal change Disease. I ended up being allergic to Dilaudid, and compozine in the hospital. I was released on the 20th of july. and now began my treatments. 3 x's a day of Prednisone at 20mg each, simvastatin 20mg once a day for high cholesterol now, lasix 20mg once a day, and omeprazole 20mg once a day to prevent ulcers from the Prednisone., I hate the Prednisone. I broke out so much on my face. And its not pimples it bumps. I wake up every morning at 5a.m with nasty heart burn. then wake up every 2 hours after. Doctor told me to take all my meds at once and it helped a bit but still not completely. I too feel bloated in the mid section. I still suffer from edema in my legs down to my ankles. During the day gets worse but once I put my feet up and elevate them I'm OK. I have bad mood swings I don't know how my loved ones put up me. One minute I cry, 20 minutes I'm happy and wanna go out for a walk. This drug is gonna help me but then Do I really need to put myself thru this? But there is not other way. Just thought of sharing my story.

My 56 year old son. Jim, is Bipolar. He was taking three medications, one of them being Topamax. The Dr. that prescribed this medication died and the new Drs. thought Jim was doing fine so they continued on with the same medication. Jim became fecal incontinent. We did numerous medical tests to see if this had any basis. None was found. Over a years period (Jim's third year using Topamax) Jim began losing his memory. This doesn't sound too horrific unless you know that Jim has 160 IQ and total recall memory. He never had to read anything more than once and he could quote verbatim almost anything from any page. Total recall of phone numbers and names, etc. At first the Drs said this was early onset of Alzheimer’s. He was being cared for by this time with a battery of Drs. Neurologists, medical, psychiatrists and doing some very extensive testing. Finally it was judged that no, Jim does not have Alzheimer’s. However he continued to quickly decline. He by now was both urinary and fecal incontinent. His speech was slurred and he was unable to bath himself. He required around the clock help. He would ask me questions like, did I go to school? Did we live as so and so town? Then he asked, is my name Jim? This was hard to hear but then he quit talking altogether, was staggering and would respond to telling him walk this way or sit here but little else. Finally the Neurologist told me he was almost certain that Jim had a rare brain disease and it was always fatal within a year. He determined that Jim was in the advanced stages and probably had 2 to 6 weeks to live. I was devastated! Jim was sitting in the office when the Dr. said this and he made no recognition that he heard or understood anything.

I started talking to friends about this and one of them said call her friend a paralegal nurse practioner. I did and she asked me "Why is Jim taking Topamax"? My answer I consider rather stupid now but then it was the truth, I answered "because the Dr. prescribed it". She said, titrate him off Topamax and then call me. I went to his Dr. at the time and the Dr. was most reluctant to take Jim off this medication. He accused me of "playing Dr" and was most insulting. I persisted and said if he wouldn't I would change Drs. Later I understand he took Jim off much too fast and we did have really serious side affects. We halved his dosage every two days and in 6 days he was off Topamax. Jim went into a catatonic state for several hours at a time about four times. There was about 4 days and nights that neither of us got any sleep. He had repetitive thoughts that nearly drove him crazy (His words). The sixth day Jim started talking but then would go into these catatonic states for hours. When he came out of them he would talk and explain some things, then he would quit talking again and he later explained the thoughts were going so fast in his head this was the only way he could preserve his sanity was to just "blank out".
After about two weeks of this intense illness and no help from his Dr. and Jim refused to go into the hospital, in his talking moments he said they would just fill him with sedative drugs and he wanted to get as clear as possible from these. To make a very long story short this was one year ago, three Doctors ago and Jim was relieved from his repetitive thoughts by Fluvoxamine, but that spiked him into a manic phase and eventually he went into the hospital. He is on a complete new regime of meds now but we always research any new med BEFORE taking it. It will never be just "because the Dr. prescribed it" again. By the way, Jim was taking lithium at the time Topamax was originally prescribed and gaining a lot of weight. His original RX was for weight control~! It didn't work but it nearly killed him. I called the paralegal back to thank her but she had left the law firm and no one can locate her. Our Guardian Angel????

Over one year now and my 55 year old body is still devastated.

I have posted here before. I was given Levaquin in capsule form ( 2 capsules) first night in ER for beginning bronchitis and flu and fainting from low electrolyte imbalance and smashing my nose and face full weight and knocking myself out with bleeding for a week.

I was sent home after 3 hours against my frantic ojections and fainted again within 5 minutes into the ride home.
ER doc said it was a vagal response. They put me in a recovery room and next day gave me more levaquin ( called "the Big Gun" antibiotic amongst doctors and nurses when it first came out ).
They discharged me later that day and gave me 5 more days worth of this stuff. First night home my body "exploded" in symptoms so horrible and unprecedented...nothing like the flu. Nightmares, paranoia, shoulders burning ( got torn roator cuff ) arms burning, down to hands then hands would get numb and ice cold. Stomach going crazy with noise and weird wincing pains. Bladder all weird, cold like never before then hot. Itching arm and elbows and scalp. Other crazy terifying symptoms too like popping in ears and joints.

Next morning tried to eat piece of toast and my body went into shock. Raced back up to ER in ambulance. Told them I felt like I was dying. Did basic tests, never found anything. Did this several times that week. I was crying it was so terrifying and suffering. And I was 54 years old! I kept telling the ER staffs I was taking this "Levaquin" They never once told me to stop so I didn't and I never got any warning pamphletts when they gave this to me nor did any doctor tell me what to look out for in reactions. And you get different docs every time you go to these ER's anyway.

Couldn't eat for months. Lost 35 lbs. So weak and shaky and feeling paranoid and like I was going to die for months...still do feel this way half the time.

Went to ER's 15 times last year. Heart pulse rate down in 30's for months. Passed out in hospital, had 3 and 1/2 "pause" one night with heart. Still having complete body breakdowns to this day one year and one month later. Wake up so sick. Have fractured vertebrae, leg pain and weakness ankles and knees especially. Shoulders and arms hurt and so weak. Prickly nerve haywire feeling inside and out. Feel so sick and weak just like one year ago. Anxiety is out of this world...depression too. Take Lorazepam but fight this as long term use does other bad things to you.

Today is another nightmare day. Moaning in total body haywireness, weakness, nasea and sadness about reaching the end of the line with doctors who say there is no more they can do for me. THAT is about the worst hope crushing thing now. No place to go. Everybody's done what they can. Nobody will send me to one of those Univeristy hospitals. If I was rich, I would say, take me and keep me here until you find out what has happened to me here.

But on the contrary, financially ruined now. 70,000 in debt. And can't declare bankruptcy now with new Bush passed legislation that makes this so hard it just isn't worth killing myself with courtroom stress and tons and tons of paper work and attorney fees.

Still no better one year later and more symptoms than I have mentioned. Just picked up bronchial asthma, sinusitis, and scarring in left lung...all new in last six months. Get rashes on legs and scrotum. Popping in ears and joints. Shakey, tremors...pain in intestinal areas all the time. B-12 reading is 175. Testosterone level so low now must rub gel on back to try to raise this. List goes on and on.

Called manufacturer of Levaquin, Ortho-McNeil and a product complaint lady heard my story and told me that Emergency Room should have never given me this antibiotic when they knew my electrolyte levels were low. Is she inferring that this "Big Gun" antibiotic is so powerful that someone with a low electrolyte balance could be damaged by it? Guess so.

But, no attorney will even stay on the phone with me for 5 minutes about my case. They bluntly say ( I'm serious) that if I had died or my liver had failed...they would take my case. Anything else isn't good enough for them to risk their time and money especially since G.W.Bush has capped medical malpractice awards to $250,000. And I guess you do have to be dead to win one of these cases. Great working man and woman respecting and protecting country we have here.
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The corporaations come before us with these right wing republican guys.

Guest 33599 and 33598 and others.
I have been reading your postings.

In Dec. 2005 I was given a weeks worth of Levaquin. Withing first hour of first two pills I passed out on ride home from our local ER. This may or may not have been a reaction to the Levaquin, it may have been what the ER doc says was a "vagal" response.
But first night home after another dose of this Levaquin next day my shoulders and arms burned so bad and hands went numb and cold and insides went haywire with shooting pains and bladder feeling haywire and twitching all over, itching, complete insomnia with extreme anxiety and a few quick little nightmares. Scared out of my 54 year old male wits.

Next morning crawled to couch, ate half a piece of toast. Within minutes abdominal insides started to get sore and this intensified to point of holding stomach . Then body started getting weak from already weak feeling of flu before this. I felt like I was going into shock. I WAS going into shock.

Couldn't even hold hands up from laying down position. Started to see spots, freaking out, called ambulance agian. Went to local ER agin. Told them I felt like I was going to die. They did blood, urine, heart tests. Found nothing. Gave me atavan and when this calmed me down ssent me home.
Starting right then and there I was physically devastated. Went back to ER one or more times again that week.

Each time I would tell them I couldn't walk, eat, sleep, nerves fried...pains in shoulders arms. Soon they were calling in Psyche ward. How humiliating.
EACT TIME I TOLD THEM...the only medicine I was taking was this Levaquin. They NEVER ONCE said to stop taking this. Not knowing anything I kept taking it for next 4 days. 7 days total.

I didn't put the two together. I didn't know. Trusted them completely. Trusted them to know if I should stop taking this poison. And they were told each time I went there that thiswas the only drug I was taking.
Looking back, I think they were completely uneducated about this drug. Maybe the actual Docs in ER knew only about the "immediate" reactions to this drug and not the systemic ones that showed up in different ways within forst day or two such as burning shoulder and arm pain, nerve system problems etc. Gastrointestinal as well.

To this day every doctor I mention this too angrily denies Levaquin could have done this to me.

On top of so many tearful truths about the suffering I have been through...is this wall of denial with these doctors.

Here on the internet ( right there for these not wanting to know doctors to see ) are "thousands" of testimonials about the "same" symptoms by all of us soon after ingesting this poison.

The FDA would not have issued that warning in 2004 to pharmacies etc. if they didn't know something like what we are all screaming to the world we know. Tragically.

I could print up a 6 inch thick binder full of reports ( including the FDA one ) and studies and testimony from thousands like you..throw it on the desk of a denying doctor in any field and they will not even look at it.

It's like this information about Levaquin doesn't exist and they do not want to look at it when it's placed right in front of their face! What kind of a tragically sick injustice is that?

I wish we could prosecute every doctor who keeps saying Levaquin doesn't do the things you and I know it does. You and I have done more research on this drug than they have!

Of course a certain percentage of these reports may not be totally accurate...even the most stringent scientific studies have flaws. But the sheer number of these Levaquin reports and the basic similarities in them are staggering in their obvious implications.

You don't dismiss tens of thousands of complaints by sufferers. And I guarantee you that for every person that has a computer and has reported the same scary symptoms suffered after taking Levaquin, that there are 10 other people out there at least who don't ever go on a computer and don't know where to go to report this..and many like me for months...who didn't even know that Levaquin may have been the cause of all my medical maladies.

What you are seeing here on the computer is the tip of the iceberg!

This could turn into a national scandal if it were properly reported and the true numbers of victims could be traced.

Vioxx killed 50,000. They know this. And it should have been a crime that the makers of that drug and the professionals who kept prescribing and selling this drug even after they were hearing that thousands of patients were complaining about it...kept pushing and using this killer drug.

Exactly like all of you, I had the burning pain, my shoulders, arms, even hands...my muscles, knees, ankles all hurt and still hurt and are weak. I get colder than I ever have..then kind of weird sweats. fell like I am going to faint so muc even one YEAR later. So so so sick feeling all of the time. Can't even remember all the horrible feelings I have. Financially ruined. Doctors treat me like you know what. Most doctors do not have patience as they are so booked and always seemed rushed and tired at same time. They have ways of getting you out of their care. Scheduling your visits farther and farther apart. Chastizing you hoping you will leave them. Constantly recommending psych care and anti-depressants and being short during your visit. Their tone and body language and these other things are so clear.

But they are very clever ways get rid of you as a patient without officially doing this in a way that could be catagorized as unethical...so you can't sue them.

It's like a landlord wanting you out and doing everything within the law to make you feel so miserable you will leave on your own.

Cynical? Oh, absolutely. But its' the truth in my case.

I am still so sick that even as I write this I feel like I am going to faint. I have so many other symptoms now that you wouldn't believe it. Red, itchy rashes on my legs and back of elbows that come and go. A wheeze in my right lung that I have to see a pulmonary guy about. Feeling my pulse so strong it shakes my body on left side. Constant shaking. Nerves seem actually damaged in their heightened sensitivity.
I don't even sweat right. I feel so anxiety ridden I can't tell you. Sick to my stomach constantly ( lost 35 pounds in first 3 months ) couldn't eat. Metallic taste in mouth. Swollen throat feeling...doctors dismissed this as the didn't feel lymph swelling, but GI doc looked in my mouth the other day and said "your tonsils are inflammed."

I keep telling doctors I feel like I am being poisoned. They look at me as if I am completely crazy and paranoid. Especially when their tests don't show anything.

I feel like breaking down and crying so much which I have done. And I'm a 55 year old male that never ever ever acted like this in my first 54 years. Raised a family, worked, married to same first wife for 25 years.
Never saw a psychiatrist in my life. Never a drinking, drug or smoking problem.

I have been told to lie to hospitals ( by one doctors nurse and another med professional I don't want to mention here because I am still seeing her/him) ) and say I am homicidal or suicidal to get in to the hospital because based on my tests not showing anything and a pcp who will quit believing their is anything more wrong with me besides my sanity...I cannot get any more specialized/all at once, more technical studies.

The getting in through the psych back door does not work for me because it isn't true. I am not going to lie to get in a hospital. I would think that the truth that I feel like I am dying would be enough. Once I lie and I get caught at it I would never be taken seriously again.

But I would like toxixcology tests, especially for the chemical florine, which I have read is the culprit in the Flouroquinolones family of antibiotics poison.
I would like an endocrinologist to test me in every way they can.
I would like someone who specialises in nerve damge take a look at my entire central nervous system.

I know money is the biggest obstacle as I have none. But I pray constantly that somehow, somwhere, someday, someone will find something that explains why I feel like I am dying one year after I took a weeks worth of Levaquin.
And that I can finally prove that I am not just crazy. I will tell you a truth here. I fear I will be committed as my symptoms seem to be getting worse not better. And when they don't find anything in the basic medical exams...they really go after you in labeling you mentally ill.

More and more, my complaints are met with silence...and then within minutes a person from the psych ward comes in.

Dear God. This is truly anightmare. If I was a screen wrioter it would be a great movie that would truly scare viewers.

Just imagine getting an illness and having your body go haywire and feel like you are going to die..yet no one can find anything to explain it...and so they all start the process of committing you. To feel this way physically and to also fear this shoving into the mentally ill realm happening at the same time is a real life nightmare. One that unfortunately I am living. And if you want to read about thousands of others feeling like this ... just type in Fibromyalgia and go to that big board sometime. That board is a living nightmare also. Thousands of people all looking for cures and sympathy to very similar hard or impossible to diagnose illness's that are ravaging their bodies like me.

Sorry for presenting such a bleak pictre here....but it's the truth. It is happening all over the country. Just look at how many Fibromyalgia boards and groups and meetings there are.

God help you and I.

Hey all, I have posted several times on here. I am devastated about my tissue loss in my forehead. I am trying to pursue a lawsuit against a plastic surgeon in Michigan. My doctor tried to cover it up by immediately injecting me with a filler at MY COST and telling me it would last 5 years. Well guess what, 11 months later it disappeared and I got my medical records and found it it was cause she injected me with KENALOG 40! I only have one more year to file a complaint and so far this is hard. We really need to figure out a way to start a class-action lawsuit against bristol-Meyers-Squibb. Keep calling them, every little complaint helps!

These doctors could care less about us! I have had to be put on anti-depressants because my situation is right in the middle of my forehead. I am disfigured from a small procedure.

One surgeon I went to mentioned how hard it was to utilize Kenalog 40. It has to be diluted PRECISELY or else it will most definitely 'cause atrophy. This has to stop!!!!

There is hope for those of you with an indentation! I had an injection for severe excema, I was literally scratching my eyes out. I received a Kenalog Injection in Oct/Nov, by January I had a golf-ball sized indentation on my right bum cheek. I was devastated! It was quite noticeable, even in clothing, as I am quite petite. I was given little hope from my dermatologist, he had only seen it twice before, one corrected itself, the other still had a dent. After a year I guess, I decided to take experiment, I increased my intake of Omega Fatty Acids, and Protein. And since it was it is fat that has wasted, I tried not to excercise my glutes. Within only a couple of months I noticed a huge difference.
I don't know if it was diet, or just the waiting it out, but my dent is almost completely gone. If you've had this same reaction, try not to stress out there .... there is hope!

I was on Yasmin for 5 years. Ages 20-25. During that time, i had bed-soaking night sweats and hot flashes. I also had ulcerative colitis- a pre-existing condition which was exacerbated by this poison.
In June, after nearly 5 years, my hair started to fall out. That was it for me. I went into an extreme downward spiral of depression. Not to be vain, but I was devastated. In August 2005, exactly 5 years to the month, I stopped taking it.
I completely lost my appetite and cried for a week. Since then I have felt MUCH better but am SOOOOO hungry and have gained about 6-10 pounds. My hair is finally starting to grow back!! And i'm just generally calmer. No more sweating either. HOWEVER, i never had a zit in my entire LIFE until going off of Yasmin. I dont even know what to do with them.
I've only gotten my period twice in the 6 months since going off of Yasmin and both times, my cramps were not as bad as when I was on it. How ironic.
I plan to have bloodwork done soon just to make sure everything is ok but was told by my doctor that it can take a year for the pill to be completely out of your system.
Please let me know if anyone is having similar experiences. Anyone been off for longer than 6 months?
And why do women have to be the guinea pigs for drug companies to experiment on? I'm sure they did a lot more tests for the side effects of viagra before they would allow a man to take it.

Concerning the adverse side effects of Lipitor. I know many have had their lives devastated by muscle damage and memory impairment. One can't help but ask why. Why is this happening to so many people, yet Lipitor remains on the market.

Unfortunatley, I have the answer to that question. For the thousands of people reading this posting, lets all say it together now. IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY! Good, lets say it one more time. IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY! Congratulations. You have graduated. Your deploma will be sent in the mail.

I have been on Lipitor for almost 18 months. Initially.When I first started the med, I did not have any side effects like others. I felt absolutely fine. Recently, I had to take a epidural for back pain. Shortly, afer that experience, Lipitor began to show it's true colors so to speak. I became numb in teh genitals and impotent. My doctors could not find anything wrong. All lab test and the prostrate was normal. I had absolutely no sensation whatsoever. I was devastated since I really enjoy sex. As of today, I stopped taking this terrible drug and expect a miracle very very soon.

Disappointed

It all started on my 9th day of therapy of a 10 day treatment. I woke up and went to work only to get weak in my arms and legs. I had to leave work and my GP said it was the flu. Since Jan.12th and numerous visits to my GP I still am having problems with my arms and legs and have been off work since. Finding a MD that knows of this problem is a very big problem.
Does anyone in the northern KY or southern IN area know of a good doc who can help treat this problem?
Please e-mail me and let me know.
Good luck to all of those who have been devastated by this drug.
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i took protropin for 3 years during high school. I was diagnosed with a growth disorder and my doctors said I would only grow by taking protropin.

this was during 1990 - 1993.

Towards the end of my treatment, I started developing a bad case of acne and hair loss. Today, 2004, the acne still remains and has devastated my life not to mention permanently scarred my face. I continue to suffer from acne and I have extremely oily skin. Furthermore, I continue to suffer from hair loss and have lost most of the hair on my scalp.

Has anyone else experienced these problems? I am currently in the process of visiting several doctors and taking tests to determine if I was given to much growth hormone during my therapy. No one in my family suffers from the acne problems I have been through.

if anyone else is suffering similar problems, please contact me:

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i'm convinced i was given too much growth hormone and was improperly diagnosed. i plan to gather as much information as possible and eventually speak with lawyers to consider any legal options.