Different story symptoms and conditions

Crohn's Disease. I took 80 - 100 mg of this double-edged sword of a drug for over a year. I never noticed the side-effects (moon face, mood swings, permanent fat tissue swelling). I was so very ill from the Crohn's that nothing else existed.

Prednisone worked wonders in the short term, but trying to get off of it was an entirely different story. This drug plays an integral role in the body and touches critical systems and weaning off of it is awful. In the past 10 years, it seems that doctors are more careful about prescribing it, but too often I think people find themselves on the other side of it and seeing how the long-term effects and side-effects have severe impacts on their life.

If you haven't started taking prednisone, make sure you read and research it before you do. It took me at least a year to get used to living without it, and I needed surgery to remove the fat-tissue under my eyes because it was so swollen.

okay ladies, I'm not sure what you all are experiencing since I'm not a doctor. But I will tell you that a huge amount of your symptoms can either be age related or post baby related. I have four children ages 15, 6, 5, 3.
The beginning stages of the Mirena granted are not pretty and can last for months. I was having a terrible time with my periods and was out of commission for the first three days of every cycle each month. I have had my Mirena for almost 2 years now and am going on 41. I had to wait it out for about 6 months before seeing any huge improvements. I will tell you this, over eating and NOT eating a healthy diet of fruits and veggies will aggravate bloating and mood swings. You could have these with or without the IUD. I never lost my hair unless I was 3-6 months post partum.
A diet rich in potato chips, bread, meats and cheesy pizza will show on your hair skin and nails. The typical American diet will leave even your special guy moody. As we age the expectation is that we will always feel 18 and I have had to come to grips with how my body ages and how I take care of it. A new baby whether it is your 1st or 4th will cause unwanted fatigue. I still struggle with fatigue because not everyone sleeps thru the night including my hubby so my sleep gets disrupted a lot. There are several things you can do to help your Mirena work for you and not scare you. I NEVER lose my sex drive unless I fail to exercise even a little each week and have fought back with a super charged diet. I'm not perfect at it but boy does it ever help. Sugar has a HUGE impact on your hormones and fatigue level. Limit it. Got to bed as early as you can and avoid late night TV. Don't give your precious zzz's to some silly show that won't help you be a better person any way. Get moving and add a little (or a lot) of weight training to your days- your sex drive will soar and your body will thank you. Pray for wisdom. God will help. Sometimes he uses fatigue to slow me down and focus on what is really important. Granted not everyone can handle an IUD. But if you try a little self care and be patient you might find that it works for you. I had heavy bleeding and at my age the doc said I got it just in time because from 40-50 I could expect more of the same. I am grateful for it because I felt like I was dying every time I had a period. A little fatigue is worth the benefits. Keep in mind that even your little ones get tired. They need naps and they are kids. We need rest in the afternoons too. It's okay to stay off the phone and rest a little if you can. My energy drainers are TV, negative people, talking on the phone too much, eating too much especially when I'm not really hungry, the wrong foods when I do eat, and not getting sleep or exercise. Start small and see if over time it doesn't make a big difference before you throw in the towel. Blessings to all and especially the new mommies.

I've been taking Wellbutrin XL for almost a year the highest dose you can take which is 450 mg. When I first started taking it, the side effects were horrible, first with the memory loss, nausea etc. A few months into the perscription I could notice a change, but as time went on I began to feel not so good anymore. I started getting bad twitches right before I was almost asleep. They became so bad that I would wake myself up because my body would jerk so bad. The ringing of the ears had occurred along with an appetite increase. I felt that it stopped working within the last couple months. There is no point to be on a medication that is not working. Also suffering hair loss and my hair is blond and fine to begin with. I just find it alarming that so many people who are taking this have horrible side effects from it. Side effects are suppose to subside overtime, but not in this case. Besides I was also taking Yasmin which is a whole different story because it could of been causing the anxiety that led to me to have to take this medication. So I'm stopping everything because I feel my body is telling me to let be it free of meds. I strongly believe in medications, but not when one med causes a sympton that leads to another med that causes other problems. Like everyone has been saying listen to your body and don't ignore it. I'm tired of being sick and tired! A medicine that is suppose to make you feel better is only making me feel worse. I'm just going to start from scratch again and see what happens perhaps I never really needed anything at all which upsets me. Since the time I began Yasmin up until The Wellbutrin Xl, I've been living quite the miserable life. I don't want anyone to have to go through this ever. I lost out on alot of time with my daughter and I can't get that back. A lesson to be learned perhaps, study up on meds before taking them or combining them with others, we are fortunate enough to have the technology to do so. So think about how you're feeling and whats going on with your bodies. GOD BLESS!

Will turn you into an emotionless, lethargic, drunk, apathetic zombie that has no more creative or human spark than a turnip does. Throw this crap in the garbage - NOW! I was prescribed this devil spawn drug from a PAIN MANAGEMENT doctor who told me it would help potentiate the Tylenol 3's he gave me. Drink a case of whiskey and smoke a crack rock the size of a buick and you'll essentially reach the point I was at after one of these pills. I started saying crazy things to my Girlfriend, started rearranging the refrigerator, slept for 10 hours (and I normally only sleep 4-6 hours) and woke up with these thoughts in my head like "What am I doing with my life? Nothing is going right, Everything I touch turns to hell". By about 10:30 in the morning at work, it finally started coming out of me and I started waking up and realized just how bad it was. DO NOT take this medication unless you are so severely psychotic that you simply can't make yourself stop killing squirrels. Why the hell a DOCTOR would prescribe this evil in pill form for Pain Management is so far beyond me, it's like wiping before you poop, just don't make no sense.

I posted on here a few weeks ago complaining about my excessive hair loss to the point of seeing through my hair. I went to my obgyn after reading this forum. He said he is not surprised....that anything containing progestin causes hair loss. Also any traumatic experience....to expect hair loss to start from 3-6 months post trauma....I had a baby, a mirena, marital separation, and 2 d&c, along with a bad delivery and severe blood loss, ALL in a matter of 4 weeks. So, it could be all or one....either way he was not scoffing at my claim of the mirena being the culprit of the hair loss. We agreed to give it a few weeks and see if the loss slowed, if not I will return to have it removed......I also put on a quick 10+ ponds which I am not happy about, but my appetite is raging. I am still breastfeeding too, so I don't know which one is the cause. I also lost hair and gained weight last baby....so who knows. I will keep everyone posted.

Staci from SC

WOW Where to start. My 15 month old Daughter was put on it for "SUPPOSED" allergies which she don't have... But that's a totally different story. Anyways she was put on the granules. After taking if for about 5days I noticed VERY Significant side effects IMMEDIATELY. She would NOT eat for anything in the world which is odd because my 25lbs 15 months old (Mind you she was only 5lbs 4ox @ birth) was a Pigglet lol She also became VERY Winey & Clingy...She also began to have "Night Terrors' and when I say Night terrors I mean the full blown ones last about 20 minutes or so and the first one scared me to death I thought my little baby girl had went blind. The terrors started about Night 2. We took her off the Singulair before I found any of these Side Effect write ups and of course AGAINST Doctor's advise however I put her back on her Claritin. Her nose is drying up and Congestion is gone after rushing her to the ER with 104.2 fever and got her on Anti-Biotics & Albuterol. (Still another story lol) We noticed the next day a HUGE Difference is her personality and she was sooo HAPPY again. The first full day off the drug she slept through the night in her own bed WITHOUT a terror or even a bad dream. IT'S A MIRACLE I proclaimed that I had enough common sense after only 4days to get that mess out of my Daughter's Body. Needless to say she is a piglet again here only about 5 days after taking her off the med. and happy as a 15 month old should be lol

I was on Orthocept pills for 10 years with no problems. Short, light periods, no PMS. I can have a temper, but it was when I was younger and in the middle of a fight. That being said...I gave birth to twin daughters in November 2005. 9 months later, I stopped breastfeeding and had to go back on birth control. My old pill didn't work and neither did 3 others (included Yaz). I bled almost the entire month. I was crabby and irritable, but mostly frustrated. It was a horrible 1 1/2 years. 6 months ago I was put on Nuvaring because it should produce no side effects for the most part. Besides heavy discharge (which I could live with if I wasn't bleeding all month), I had heavier periods. I also noticed I was starting to get some nasty PMS, which I've NEVER had in my entire life. I was moody and irritable and cried even more easily than normal. Lately, I've been lashing out at my sweet girls and yelling at them. At first I thought it was because they are going through the difficult "2's" and mealtime is a struggle. I thought, they are more challenging so my patience is worn a little thinner. My husband has a different story. We've both noticed nasty mood swings and it's gotten to the point in the past month that I feel bi-polar. I really feel out of control. My doc said to go off it for a few months to see how I am. This is my "period" week and all of a sudden I've had a little period. I haven't been able to get my hormones under control since giving birth and it's frustrating. My husband wants his wife back and I don't want my girls to remember me yelling and crying for no reason. THAT'S enough to make anyone depressed on their own. I'm not sure what we are going to do for birth control at this point (condoms I guess...which is no fun when you are used to not using them). I will see what happens. I hope it's not the Nuvaring, but after seeing these posts, I feel a little better knowing I may be able to get rid of some of my craziness over the next few months as my body goes back to "normal". Good luck to the rest of you as well. I love being a woman, but boy, we get the short end of the stick sometimes!

I just had Mirena put in on Friday, Feb. 8th and as soon as it was done I started experiencing crampiness, and some dizziness. Once I got home it was a different story. The crampiness got even worse and then I began throwing up and having hot flashes. I felt more miserable than I ever felt when I got sick during each of my 4 pregnancies. Last night I had a throbbing headache and I have been tires more lately and have been a lot more moody than I am usually. Even though I have only had it for 3 days, I already cant tend to my 4 month old the way that I use too. I'm sooo scared that I am going to drop him one day because I keep getting sharp shooting pains in my vaginal area from the Mirena and I keep feeling like I feel the device when I bend over. Its unpredictable. I don't know when I am going to have the sharp shooting pains and I don't want any of my children getting hurt when I am holding them because the pain takes all my energy away. The pain is unbearable. Not to mention that I cant even sit in an upright position because of the pain so it makes it harder for me to be able to nurse my son. I did a lot better on the depo and had no problems with that. Now I'm mad because now I feel like I messed up a good thing by thinking that the Mirena was going to be better for me since I wouldn't have to worry about getting the shot every 3 months. Id rather go through natural, drug free childbirth all over again than to go through what I have been experiencing for the past 3 days. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. After reading everyone else's responses. I'm really having seconds thoughts about having it removed. I'm too scared to be intimate with my husband and I don't even want him to touch me and everything was great before I had the Mirena put in.

I am so glad that I found this site.In Aug 07 I went to my doctor with complaints of headaches and severe allergies.Next thing I know a nurse comes in and tells me she is going to give me a shot and that she is best on the right buttcheek.My only answer was "ok" there you have it! It wasn't any more painful than any other shot I have received in the past.The next day was a different story.It was very painful to sit down or to put any pressure on my right side.Then in Oct I noticed a very small indent.Just like someone else had posted, I just figured It was coming with age.Now in Feb 2008 it has progressively gotten larger is discolored and aches.I have been very worried that there is something seriously wrong with me so to find this site was a little comforting although I do not wish this upon anyone!!

OMG! I'm so happy to have found this site. I HATE the NuvaRing. I liked it at first because it seemed easy. after being on it for a few months I have gained 10 pounds, I'm a rather small girl, I have random migraines and worst of all I'm very very depressed, irritable, anxious, tired. I have had emotional issues in the past but never have i cried this much or been so sensitive. My boyfriend thinks I'm loosing it and now I know why. DAMN THE NUVARING

I was put on Loestrin 24 a year ago after I told my Dr. that I was getting more and more migraines every month during my period. (I've had them since I was a kid, now 27, but they were beginning to come more and more frequently in recent years and most often during my period.) The pill seemed to be working like magic, my migraines lessened more and more and I was experiencing less mood swings and depression than I'd had in the past near my period. My periods have been 3 days tops and very light. I thought I had found my miracle BC and felt like the $60.99 I've been paying every month (no Ins!) was well worth it. WELL.... this month is a totally different story. I got period on Monday, when I was supposed to, and I still have it today, Saturday. I have never in my life had a 6 day period until now...esp since Im on this "3-day period" pill. Mon-Wed was the same as it's been for the past yr, light and a breeze as far as periods go. Wed night I had practically no bleeding and thought my period was at it's end, like always. Well I woke up Thurs around 3 am covered in blood. I then went to the bathroom and proceeded to "gush" blood for lack of a better term. I've never experienced such a heavy flow. I've been wearing a tampon AND a pad for the past 3 days now because I'm soaking thru tampons and leaking A LOT onto pads. I hadn't experienced any pain until today (day 6!@!@#!@!) and can't believe I'm still bleeding and so heavily! I did call my Dr. just yesterday and explained my situation and how abnormal this all is for me and was told to continue taking my pills as directed and "see what happens" next month! If I'm still bleeding like this tomorrow, the 7th day, then I seriously think I'm going to go to the ER. I'm freaking out and can't understand what in the world is happening to me out of the blue. I've had normal, regular periods ever since I started menstruating at age 11... 16 yrs ago! Has anyone else gone through anything like this????

I have been on Nuvaring for 2.5 months... thank god i read this. I'm not someone who usually gets side effects to drugs but Nuva Ring is a whole different story. I'm tired all the time! I used to be able to stay up all night but since I started the ring I need to sleep all the time. I'm in college my roommate convinced me to get tested for mono beacuse I was always sleeping and couldn't even stay up to study for finals! I also have been getting horrible mood swings. I have always been the nicest most easy going person until I started the ring. I have also been having back and stomach pain (like acid stomach) as well as numbness in my hand, I'm not sure if this has anything to do with the ring but it started right when I started the ring.. has anyone else had these sideeffects.. Thanks!!!

My son is 15 months. He has been on Omnicef 2 times prior to this with only great results. Where other drugs had failed to cure his infections, omnicef wiped it out. Yet this time I have a different story. I am an RN and have enough education to know that the problem may not be omnicef at all but yeasterday I swore I knew it was. Four days ago my son begain running a temp (102/103). I don't like to rush to antibiotics everytime he gets sick so I decided to wait a while to see what happens (because this was really the only symptom he had). After about a day and a half I noticed a little sinus drainage. My sister in law who is a Family Nurse Practitioner took a look at him and said he has a bit of an ear infection and inflammed throat so she decided to put him on omnicef. The next day his fever broke and seemed to be feeling better. Of course I noticed the usual reddish colored stools but this is normal (as well as some abdominal discomfort and runny stools). Anyways after about 3 doses of omnicef he began to develop a rash on his trunk. This same rash had appeared the last time he had augmentin and thus his Drs weren't sure if he was allergic or not. The rash isn't hives or the type of rash associated with allergies so it was a bit confusing. But, after his 4th dose the rash got 10 times worse. Naturally I started to freak out but this morning I took him to his pediatrician and he thinks its roseola. After reading more about Roseola I am fairly certain this is it but I'm still quite confused about the coincidence with this rash appearing after augmentin and now omnicef. I know that there is cross-sensitivity between penecillins (augmentin) and cephlasporins (omnicef) and so I was really convinced he was having some sort of mild allergic reaction to both. After educating myself more on the signs and symptoms of roseola, I am 99% sure that it is the real culpret. I do wonder however if antibiotics such as the ones I mentioned can aggrivate it??? Anyone else out there have any similar experiences??? By the way, because I am a mother and a nurse, I find it hard to discredit other parents beliefs when it comes to things like this, but you must always stop and ask yourselves if some of these strange "behaviors" aren't due to the fact that your kids are already ill? My son kept me up all night long too and I admit it is tempting to blame the drug but who really knows. My advice is to take the severity of the situation into strong consideration. Like I said, I have had wonderful results with omnicef in the past. but just because a drug works, doesn't mean it doesn't have consequences. Its when the risks outwiegh the benefits that another option should be sought after.

Mydaughter is 8 and in second grade. She has been diagnosed with adhd. We have been taking adderall xr for about a month and a half. While the school day goes well for her, the afternoons and ugly for us. She is very agitated, cries for nothing and irratic for about 1-2 hours. We also have a hard time getting her to sleep. Her doctor prescribed Lunesta 1 mg, but it takes a long time for her to go to sleep. We start around 9:00 or10:00 and it takes a good 1 1/2 hours to get her to go to sleep. She does not sleep thru the night either and has never been a good sleeper. ALong with this add she also has hydrocephalus. While this works great for her attention problem in school, it is very exhausting for me in knowing how to handle her moods, outbursts and the sleep issues. Any advice on either? Thank you

I pity yet envy all of you! On the one hand, I feel so bad for all of you that have such horrible and long lasting side-effects. On the other hand, I'm jealous of most of you because you have other treatment options! I have severe chronic Lyme disease... I'm debilitated-- sick for 2 years and completely out of work for 10 months and going. About a year ago, after trying countless different antibiotic combinations for months, I finally found one that began to make me better-- levaquin, flagyl, and zithromax. It worked wonders, but I had to go off it after just 4 weeks because my gut couldn't contain the yeast build up. The levaquin side effects I had were shooting pains in my penis and sore and seemingly weak intercostal joints (I was constantly sore where my ribs meet my sternum). I know the side effects were from the Levaquin because I had been on zithromax and flagyl-- serperately and together-- without levaquin at different times and never had the side effects. Anyway, luckily, the pain in my penis went away shortly after I discontinued levaquin and, while the rib soreness went away after a few weeks, I still feel like my chest is going to collapse when pressure is put on it. Anyway, it's now a year later and nothing else is getting rid of my Lyme disease, which is so bad that I've decided to start taking Levaquin again along with flagyl and ketek (a new drug similar to but more effective than zithromax). If this combo is still effective for me, I will probably need to be on it for 16-24 weeks to totally kill my infection. I just hope that whatever side effects I get won't be permanent! I was lucky enough to get through four weeks of Levaquin without any real lasting damage (unlike so many of you who got so sick on just a few pills). 4 weeks and 24 weeks, however, may prove to be a completely different story. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Levaquin is probably one of the most damaging drugs in the market. I was given Levaquin 500mg for 20 days by a Urologist for a possible urinary infection. (It later turned out that the frequent urination for which I was given this medication had nothing to do with urinary infection and all the symptoms remained the same after completing the 20 day course, but that is a different story).

Now about the side effects. I started having on and off chest pains about a month ago and now the frequency of those chest pains have grown to almost persistent chest pain. It is getting me very nervous. I also notice my left knees are sometimes totally limp and unable to move.

Those doctors who prescribe this medication without becoming aware of its side effects and not informing the patients about its side effects should be prosecuted to maximum extent by the law and it should be considered a felony to prescribe this medication without considering alternatives.

I would like to know if anyone has noticed any of the symptoms getting better with time. I am curious to know if we can expect any of the symptoms to get better with time or worse? Also, I would like to know if anyone has been able to treat any of the side effects.

We need to get a petition together and file with FDA about Levaquin and its disastrous side effects. How can FDA approve this medication without a thorough study of its side effects?

Looking forward for any responses.

Thanks.

Hi my name is Kim. As I posted in the forums this birth control pill remains a mystery. It does different things to different people and I love reading your comments. Please keep them coming. Id love to know your experience with yasmin. This is my first low dosage birth control pill in 10 years and Ive been on it for 5 months. The first couple of months I had bad headaches but other than that this pill has made me feel great. I have never had any luck with weightloss on my other birth controls but since I started this one I have lost around 30 lbs and am amazed and thrilled over that. My sister in law was a different story though. Yasmin made her have migranes during her period and she craved food all the time and gained weight. Plus she felt uptight all the time and wasnt relaxed. Since she switched to ortho tri cyclin lo she is feeling 100 percent better. If so many people are having trouble with yasmin then looks like its only a matter of time and it will end up discontinued. Im sorry for those of you who didnt find luck with it as I did.