Dietary changes symptoms and conditions

60 year old male on zocor for approximately 10 years. taking 80 mg daily.
only recently (within the last 18 months) i noticed some changes going on.
first i had joint pain in my feet, both feet, same areas. the foot pain went away but then the pain traveled up to the back of my legs, behind the knee,
when the muscle or tendons attach. every time i sat for awhile, then got up, the pain was brutal. that lasted about 3 months. later the pain shot up to the joints in my hands. both hands, same place on both hands. when i rotate my thumb or move it, the knuckle area of the thumbs, same place,
hurt bad. i will confront my health care provided at the va on these issues.
she disregarded my previous remarks and said arthritis, hands and feet and perhaps i overextended something at the gym on my behind the knee issue.
i think she is wrong. recently i had a severe cold and did not take the zocor for two days. the thumb pain subsided substantially. i resumed and the pain came back. now it feels as if the pain will travel back down to behind my knees again as i am beginning to feel a pull. any others out there with these issues???

About eight years ago I felt heaviness in my chest along with some pain/discomfort when doing hard physical labor and occasionally in the hot-tub. Following my doctor’s advice and an angiogram, a stint was placed and medication administered – Lipitor and plavix I also went through a 6-month program for cardiac recovery including dietary changes and a proper exercise program. About six month following that I gradually just stopped taking my Lipitor and plavix and returned to my old eating routine and other life-style. I don’t smoke (never did) and don’t drink or otherwise indulge in any recreational drugs. I’ve never been hypertensive with blood pressures typically at 115/68. I maintain a trim and healthy appearing body just naturally or genetically. I eat lots of red meat, not a lot of vegetables, drink gallons of orange juice, and eat much more junk-food than I should. About six years after that (near heart attack) event I was given a “stress test” by my physician… I was then 61 and tested at the level of a 38 year old! Two years after that I had a significant heart attack out in the middle of nowhere! It took almost 6 hours to get me to an emergency room in Spokane, Washington (that’s a story of its own). That was on a Thursday – I was back to work full-time the following Monday (four days later). This time around with more drugs than I could swallow in one gulp! Lipitor, Plavix, Coumadin, aspirin, and carvedilol. The combination or amount was more than I could tolerate and I was weaned off all but the Lipitor and aspirin within a year. My heart has returned to nearly full-function and I have no physician imposed restrictions. All that said, I’ve been gradually developing muscle soreness (pain, actually) in my fore-arms and legs. I’ve been growing more lethargic and tired with each passing month. I’m now 65 and feel that the Lipitor is inhibiting my health… I want to get off it and be “normal” again. Or is it just being sixty five? Can I just quit taking the drug? Leaving only aspirin for blood thinning and the hope of a better diet for cholesterol control.

Some good news re: my concerns in my Drs. note (posted the other day) "some buildup" and why such a high dose 40mg. of this poison?. I actually received something from the cardiologist on Fri. which made me feel much happier. 'NO SIGNIFICANT ABNORMALITIES - MILD CHOL. PLACQUE BUT NO SIGNIFICANT BLOCKAGE SEEN' so you can imagine how much better I felt - I had already made the decision to not take the Statins, but that report absolutely convinced me. If you haven't already had a doppler on your carotids, do so, it can ease your mind, since we're always being told we're clogging up our arteries with just about anything and everything, we're gonna have a stroke, etc. all these scare tactics. It's not an expensive test (about $80, not sure what will be added to that, as to cardio. reading the results), but worth it. Read up on the Red Yeast Rice - I've read several articles from several well known medical websites - it seems it actually can work better than Statins! Get off this stuff people, more risk than having a stroke!

Several years ago I saw a doctor at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics in Iowa City, IA and was diagnosed with a chronic disease. Although most researchers and scientists will tell you lifestyle and dietary changes are essential when diagnosed with a chronic disease, my doctor, Dr. Anne L., told me they don't matter. In the spirit of "Do no harm," dietary and lifestyle changes are often the first things doctors recommend their patients change.

Instead of harmless lifestyle changes, I was put me on a lot of dangerous prescription drugs. One of those dangerous drugs was prednisone.

It didn't help my disease, but its side effects have been devastating and debilitating. And these side effects are particularly annoying because I was told this was a drug that didn't have side effects. (And when I learned about the side effects, I wanted to stop using it, but my doctor told me I'd die if I did. So I had to keep using it. Once you're on prednisone, you can't stop taking it abruptly. It really can kill you. So before you take it, you need to be informed. If you later found out its a drug you don't want to take, you can't just stop.)

But this is what I really wanted to say.

Look, prednisone's a bad drug, and most doctors don't prescribe it so casually anymore, but under the care of a good MD, its effects can be managed. Most docs will tell you right away when you go on prednisone about the side effects that most people are concerned about, like weight gain and acne. The fact is, those things actually matter not just superficially, not just for self-esteem, but in terms of people's overall health and even for managing the chronic disease for which prednisone is likely prescribed. If one becomes depressed, this not only affects one's overall general health, but for many chronic diseases, it can cause the disease itself to relapse. And because prednisone itself carries a risk of depression, managing such side effects, side effects that are likely to make a patient become depressed, is paramount.

Certainly most doctors will readily prescribe either topical acne treatments oral antibiotics for cystic acne which prednisone often induces. For the weight gain itself, ignoring the chronic disease for which prednisone is probably being prescribed, doctors often recommend a different diet to the patient.

My point is just that prednisone isn't as evil when you have an average or mediocre doctor.

Now, on the other hand, prednisone really is a bad drug to begin with. So under the care of a bad doctor, it's almost inevitable that you're going to experience permanent side effects and yes, under such incompetent care, this drug could easily ruin your life. That's what happened with me.

So make sure you have a good or at least mediocre doctor if you're using this drug.

And as far as dietary and lifestyle changes, I've been able to manage my disease solely with dietary and lifestyle changes. So I didn't need prednisone in the first place. Regardless, I would never take this drug again and I would not recommend anyone else take it unless you have exhausted every other possible option, unless you know you're doctor is competent, unless you know about the risks and side effects and what to do when they occur.

I never would've taken if I knew about the side effects. It's really quite stupid to use this drug as a first-line treatment, which is how it was used in my case. It should only be used as a last resort, if at all.

If I had never taken prednisone, I would be perfectly healthy today. My chronic disease itself doesn't influence my daily life at all anymore. But every single day the side effects of prednisone are evident and debilitating and will be for the rest of my life.

I got a Mirena because after laparoscopic surgery to determine if I had endometriosis (none was found) and a D&C to check my uterine lining, my periods did not "reset" the way I was told (I was 42 at the time and they told me that I was not releasing an egg every month so the endometrium was shedding erratically). What I really wanted was a uterine ablation, but my doctor was so enthusiastic about the Mirena and had been the first physician to even contemplate endometriosis was a possibility that I went along. The first day was fine, but the second day I had such stabbing pain in my abdomen that I could not stand up straight or take a deep breath. It resolved before I decided to call the doctor or go to the er. Months followed of checking off that little calendar that I had had menstrual flow that day (MONTHS. I think I started actually having a WEEK without a period sometime after 12 months of having this thing in me). I did not go back to have it removed at that time because my husband had lost his job and therefore our health insurance. In the meantime I still have the symptoms I had before I'd gone in to see the doctor the first time (stabbing pain near my right ovary during my heavy days), PLUS constant bloating, fatigue, my hair has started falling out so bad I can see the thinning at the top of my forehead, acne no matter what treatment I use, and weight gain (~20 lbs, some I can say is probably my dietary changes since DH lost his job, but even with increased vegetables/no caffeine/decreased breads, no measurable weight loss). I had attributed loss of sex drive to the fact that I have almost always been bleeding since this was put in. In fact, I went for a thyroid test yesterday because I hadn't found this site yet. I'm sure it will come back normal. Once it does, you better believe I'm going into the doctor and have this removed. I am so angry. I used to weigh over 250 pounds and worked so hard to get down to the weight I was when this was put in and am so mad that I inadvertently did this to myself.

I just took synthroid for the first time last night, and had some intensely weird nightmare dreams, which is why I am here, googling "synthroid" and "nightmares" - has anyone had this experience and had it subside? Please respond if that's the case, I certainly don't want my sleep to be like this every night.

I have taken Estrostep Fe for as long as I can remember. I have always experienced pretty much all of the symptoms I have read here since I began taking it. This was the first and only birth control I have ever tried.

From what I'm reading though, it's hard to tell if what I have been experiencing is normal problems women have when their hormone levels change (anytime you change a birth control or start taking one for the first time this WILL HAPPEN guaranteed-it's a product of being a woman) or if the problems are caused by the pill.

I have however noticed through the years that certain things make the symptoms worse. Mostly dietary changes, things you eat during hormonal changes, among other environmental things actually contribute to the problems.

I'm wondering how many people that have posted here about their problems started on the pill for the first time using Estrostep Fe and also how many were just reaching the age where that wonderful gift of getting a period arrives?

A lot of teenage girls don't realize that BOTH the pill AND your period (even without the pill) cause big changes in hormone levels...and starting both at the same time, well.....if that's the case, then a lot of these posts make sense and seem to be completely normal.

FYI-to anyone frequently switching birth controls and not waiting at least 3 months in between to let your hormone levels stabilize..you can expect hair loss and/or facial hair, migraines, weight gain, and a host of other problems.

My point is, you can read things in these forums and think WOW I HAVE THOSE SYMPTOMS TOO!! DOWN WITH ESTROSTEP! without stopping to think about these things as well:

1. Women always have and always will be known for their mood changes, and bouts of depression. You also have to remember that during menstruation your body goes through a little phase that closely mimics that of being pregnant according to many doctors..PMS is a common thing. not just caused by birth control.

2. It is normal to have sore/tender breasts around the time of your period, before during and even after it. Look it up on any medical website!

3. read the side effects of the stuff BEFORE you decide to switch. they are put there for a reason.

4. the pill warns against taking it if you have or could have certain medical conditions. don't just blame it on the pill, go tell the doc EVERYTHING no matter how embarrassed you feel about it (trust me, they hear and see worse all day long)....don't be surprised if you find out you have some underlying condition you didn't know about. also, if you are overweight..taking most birth control pills is NOT a good idea for many reasons..the risk of blood clots (that can lead to stroke/heart attack goes WAY up)-also if you smoke..but did you know that if you are overweight your chances of getting pregnant on the pill DOUBLE (if your BMI is over 27%)..

My point is, keep an open mind, and for those of you just becoming a woman-learn more about how your body works because you'll need to be able to differentiate throughout life between the normal aches and pains and the ones that require a Dr. or hospital visit.

good luck!

I am a 34 year old and have been taking Yaz for almost a year.

I had some minor side effects until this past month when everything came apart at the seams. I do not know if yaz is the culprit - but the number of women with the EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS as me listed here SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME.

My "minor" sude effects were the following:

* No period for 5 months
* No sex drive (was not the case before taking Yaz)
* Panic attacks / anxiety (no history fo this. My doc has now put me on Zoloft.)
* Bloating / weight gain
* Brown blotches (like age spots) on one side of my face

This is NOTHING compared to the last month of my life. Basically my life has sucked for the last month. Roughly a month ago my symptoms started with a red rash on the left side of my face and pain in my left ear that led to a migraine that has not gone away at all. (The pain level goes between a 5 and 10, but never lower than a 5.) The rash went away in 2 days, but my ear still hurts today (a month later).

My vertigo began roughly 5 days after the onset of my rash and ear pain and has been non-stop since. I've taken phenergan, valium, etc. - but they are not working. I get spinning/dizzy every time my head moves (up, down, left, right) and with up and down eye movement. It seems like my migraine pain intensifies when my vertigo hits me. If I lie completely still - I have no vertigo - but my migraine is still there. To make matters worse, I have become very disoriented, like I am in a fog all of the time. I am only 34 years old and feel like I am losing my mind. I cannot remember simple words at times and have a tough time completing sentences.

All of these symptoms coincide exactly to the day I began a new packet of the birth control pill called YAZ (Yasmin). I had taken this brand of pill for a year, and though it has worked (not pregnant) I have had some minor side effects up until the last month. The biggest side effect is that I have not had any period at all for the last 5 months. I have also had anxiety (no past history) and have no sex drive (not my normal self.) I stopped taking the pill about a week ago - after reading literally thousands of people with the same side effects I am experiencing on a website called medications.com (My neurologist also told me to stop taking it.)

I am NOT having ringing in my ears or loss of hearing. I mention this because I know other ailments have these as symptoms.

I have already been seen by my dentist, physical therapist, ENT, 2 neurologists and a gyn. So far - they are not helping. I have even been hospitalized for 5 days and all they really did was try and dope me up to sleep and had me take a very potent anti-migraine drug called DHE that must be administered over a 36 hour period via IV. Guess what? It did not work.

The most scary thing is that even though I get severe vertigo any time I move my head (even to the point of waking me up while I sleep) - NOT A SINGLE DOCTOR EVEN MENTIONED I MIGHT HAVE BPPV ( BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO) and they did not test for it at all. They were all interested in treating my month-long migraine with anti-migraine drugs. They all swore up and down that my vertigo was related to my migraine. They also said my fogginess was because I was "tired and sick" and many migraine sufferers are that way.

After my husband and I searched the internet and found dozens of websites, we are pretty much convinced that I have BPPV. We are going to get in front of a vestibular specialist ASAP.

So you know, I have been through a CT scan, two different MRIs, basic blood work on my white cell counts, thyroid levels, potassium, etc.

They have ruled out a sinus infection, brain tumor, pituitary tumor, stroke, blood clots, etc. They have simply treated me with anti-migraine medication - and it has been worthless. I have taken Topomax, Frova and DHE (the drug mentioned above) and my migraine is still there. These drugs have not helped one bit. My neurologist swore that the DHE would do the trick. Guess what? He was wrong.

I discharged myself from the hospital yesterday and am now at home.

I just want my normal life back. I cannot drive, work, take care of my family, etc.

My two biggest questions are:

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF BPPV CAN CAUSE MY MIGRAINE? The reason I ask is that the doctors all think that the migraine is causing my vertigo. All along they have been treating my migraine (with zero success) and have been giving me valium and antivert to simply mask my vertigo (no success there either.) No one has tried to really diagnose and treat my vertigo. Is it possible if I get my vertigo fixed my migraines will disappear?

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL PILLLS CAUSING BPPV? I saw woman after woman on medications.com have the same symptoms of vertigo, migraines and brain fog while taking the birth control pill Yasmin. I also know that my avalanche of symptoms eerily coincided with my first pill from a new pack. If they are related, I am most interested in what to do to get my hormones back on track in an effort to stop my vertigo.

This is all driving me crazy. A month ago I was absolutely normal. Now I am 100% disabled. I just want my life back.

Please help!

I have had asthma for over 30 years and have recently been on Singulair. I have gained 15 lbs with no dietary changes and I am active. Recently I have been experiencing rapid heart rate, tense feeling, anxious, and uncomfortable to the point of a "panic attack" type of episode accompanied by sweating and the feeling of almost passing out. I take hormones for flashes (i'm 47) and have been fine with thme but the new med is the Singulair. I stopped it for 2 days and thday is the first day with no "episode". I do not have more tha 1 cup of reg coffee but I have felt like I have had pots of coffee. This stuff is awful. I will stick with an inhaler when needed and go to the health food store for a natural asthma supplement.

You know, I almost feel guilty at being the only success story to date here. Still taking 5mg. Zestril before bed every night. I insisted on this brand with my doctor as others were causing side effects. Having said that the British National Health Service contributes to supplies so it costs me just over £6 every order which can last up to two months. Interested to read opinions that Lisinopril is not necessarily for High BP. Now, if it's any help to you at all, can I suggest dietary changes too. I have for some weeks switched to Soya Milk and ceased (nearly) all dairy products (farmers practically stuff fat down your throats in the UK!). No chocolate either. Switch to a Soya based spread for putting on bread. Fish oils are also greatly beneficial, i.e. sardine, tuna, cod (cod liver oil) etc. I took my BP the other day (12 hours after the last tablet) and it still gave me the satisfactory reading of 122/75. The highest it seems to go now is about 140/85. Last year readings were around 150/98. I'm not so sure about taking lots of Coke (caffeine) to stay alert as someone suggested - doesn't this actually RAISE BP like smoking or alcohol? Good luck, stay well.