Difficulty breathing symptoms and conditions

I've only been on Yasmin for one week. Three days in I started having chest pressure and difficulty breathing and exhaustion. Its been getting worse, the doctor says it is most likely not the Yasmin, but I just have a bad feeling about it, and after reading this, I think its time for me to bail out!

I started NuvaRing 3 weeks ago yesterday after having the Mirena IUD removed (kept in all 5 years). I removed it yesterday as planned. 1 week ago, I felt a terrible pain in my right side under my ribs. I started having very slight trouble breathing, pain when laughing or coughing, etc. I applied heat and the pain subsided over the weekend and I could breathe easily. On Monday, I decided it best to go to the doctor since I had trouble breathing, I didn't want to assume it was nothing. I went to a doc in the box (bad idea) and I was told that I had a swollen rib cage (the cartilage). I'm certain I was misdiagnosed because the dude didn't even do xrays, even after I explained that I had just started NuvaRing. I wanted them to be aware of everything. The doctor dismissed it.

On Tuesday night, I was in so much pain and my difficulty breathing was worsening that I cried myself to sleep. Wednesday I went to work and was in so much pain that I was in tears and headed to URGENT Care, as my primary care physician could not fit me in. They xrayed, ran a urinalysis, a CBC to check my white blood cells and found nothing except for a bit of what appeared to be constipation, though I have regular bowel movements. My white blood count was slightly elevated, but distributed normally. I was prescribed a laxative and Lortab for the pain, which was excruciating. The doctor told me to come back the next day (today) to retest my white blood count. It went down a tad, as I had taken the Nuvaring out yesterday evening. The doctor seemed puzzled, but gave me my CBC results and urinalysis just in case I developed a fever or an infection of some sort, but told me that she thinks I am having side effects from the NuvaRing. She asked me to not put it back in.

On a side note, I had called my OBGYN on Wednesday before I headed to Urgent Care and explained the situation and they advised me to remove the NuvaRing as well.

I'll have to bite the bullet and pop the daily bc, such as Ortho Lo.

I was first prescribed 2 a day for seven days for a knot on my arm
Days 1 &2 ok
3rd night heaviness and tingling in arms legs,hot flashes uncontrollable shaking,hot one minute then cold the next,severe panic attack(it lasted 4 hrs.,nausea,rapid pulse hands and feet cold and blue
4th thru 6th days shaky weak feeling,fatigue, extreme depression ,VERY JITTERY,STARTLED EASY,my penis got extremely sensitive and turned purple
7th day chest pain,shoulder pain, back pain,tightness in chest, difficulty breathing, it got so bad i went to the ER they found nothing but my pulse ox was low
I started feeling normal again 6 days after I finished the round
I then went back to the doctor for the knot again, they drained the knot and he put me on Sulf. again only this time 4 a day for ten days
I got 2 doses in (4 pills) and noticed a lot of the same symptoms returning . I have not nor will not take this drug again.

I am feeling such relief right now- I'm not alone. After having EKGs and Cardio-pulmonary stress tests, CAT scans of my lungs and chest, an abdominal ultra sound, and stress echocardiograms (all of these were normal or negative, mind you), not to mention months of anxiety, I finally started talking with a cardiologist to see if I had done/started anything around the time my symptoms started. I realized I had switched from an oral (orthotricyclen) to nuvaring birth control about two months before I started my symptoms of no sex drive, difficulty breathing, exhaustion, and severe anxiety. To elaborate- I was a national champion soccer player, I've always been in great shape, and I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without being exhausted. I couldn't hold a five minute conversation without chest tightness and difficulty breathing. Everyone kept saying I was stressed (new job, new house), but I know I wasn't doing anything that unusually stressful. I love my job, and my house, and while I realize they may cause some stress, I shouldn't CONSTANTLY feel like this.

The most pressing issue, of course, was the breathing stuff. The doctor suggested, even though he wasn't familiar with the nuvaring side effects, that I take it out to see if there was any change. After reading what all of you have written, and after being off it for two weeks, and beginning to feel a change, I'm pretty damn sure it was Nuvaring. I already remember that my husband is sexy, and I'm able to go on dog walks without getting winded. I also am happier, and feel more awake, than I have in a year.

THANK YOU ALL for posting. I'm going to warn my girlfriends of this stuff- I wish my doctor (who is no longer my doctor) had said more than "there really aren't any side effects except some discharge- nothing different than the usual pill side effects".

Heart Palpitations, Unable to Concentrate, Bloated Face and Abdomen, Bad Acne, Menstrual Periods that Last for Weeks, Weakness and Difficulty Breathing with any Exertion, Anaphylactic like Reactions to Citric Acid & Citrates leading to Digestive Troubles and Muscle Weakness, Heavy Painful Muscles especially in Arms and Legs, Throat Swelling from Strong Smells, Insomnia, Lip Swelling, Painful Raised Spots on Tongue

OMG, I don't even know what to say 66 pages of comments about the "oh so wonderful Mirena, (sarcasm totally intended there). I had Mirena put in 7/28/08 and here i am almost a year later and multiple symptoms are popping up. Depression including suicidal thoughts, mood changes, tightness in my chest, difficulty breathing, night sweats, spotting - which has never been a problem until now - weight gain, constant nausea, starting to get numbness and muscle spasm in my hands, the list goes on and on.
Heck i was at work today and i felt like i was having a heart attack...no joke...I'm only 22 years old. It is a relief to know that there are so many others going through the same thing. It is also a relief not only to know that I'm not alone, but now my husband and I are doing better. My mood swings and depression were causing serious problems, and we were on the brink of divorce. I'm really nervous about taking it out though for a couple reasons - what if i found out it really has nothing to do with all the changes i'm going though and also what if I go and find out that this stupid things has actually caused more severe issues to me. I don't know, I just know that something has to change.

About 2 and 1/2 months ago I went to an urgent care facility since I felt like I was suffocating. I am a long time smoker (30 years) and have not had any problems with breathing accept for the occasional morning cough. Long story short, the doctor after hearing my breathing and taking 2 xrays said "you have a pocket of infection in your lung and COPD". I didn't realize it was that quick and easy to diagnose COPD and thought there were more extensive tests to prove that, but I went along with the doctor. The doctor prescribed Advair, an antibiotic, ProAir HFA (albuterol pump rescue inhaler), a decongestant and prednisone. I thought that was an extreme amount of medication but the doctor said she was being proactive. After a couple albuterol breathing treatments and a shot of steroids at the urgent care center I was on my way.

I finished the treatments of antibiotics and steroids as prescribed, but I never took the decongestant (did not want to over-medicate myself). Immediately after starting Advair my joints ached and I felt over all like I had the flu. With my 1 weeks checkup with the doc I mentioned this and she just smiled. About a week after that the achy joints starting easing up, but I started cramping in different muscles. For instance one week I would have a dull cramping in my leg that was persistent during the day and worsened at night. Then the leg stopped cramping, then the lower part of my back started in to a point it was hard to get out of bed, walk or bend over. Then when that stopped something else started up. Then during the last two weeks that I was on Advair I was having periodic chest pains, tightness in my chest, (once again) difficulty breathing, and my vision started to go (blurring)...that with the lower back pain. I am almost 50 years old and have been in excellent health my whole life, and honestly I have never felt as bad as I did while on Advair.

I stopped taking Advair 6 days ago. No, I did not call and ask the doctor's advice because I knew what the doc would say. The first day after quitting Advair I had restricted breathing so I used the rescue inhaler once. The breathing issue became better during the remainder of the day. Slowly the cramping in my body and chest eased up. Today (6 days later) my vision is back to what it was, no chest pains, occasional restricted breathing and will use the rescue inhaler during those times.

I think it's too early to know the long lasting affects of Advair, but at this stage in my life (unless I am worse off with my breathing than I am right now) I don't care to use the medication.

I have 21 years of age and my experience with the drug Kaopectate was appalling, I had a strong Diarrhea for two days and usually fix the problem with Pepto-Bismol but this time it does not work without result so I decided to try for first time Kaopectate and with a single dose caused me a problem of constipation strong after three days without going to the bath or a night awoke feeling that my stomach would explode, difficulty breathing, nausea and pain three months I have this problem I have spent thousands dollars and all this time has been a nightmare I could not eat or even drink water, I could stomach inflammation causing pain and nausea my normal weight was 140 pounds and lost 15 pounds in three weeks, now slowly improving and I am Kaopectate opinion is a very strong medicine and I think that is a danger that is available without prescription.

Same thing here. I have a sinus infection and pharyngitis that just wouldn't go away for 3 weeks. I was prescribed the generic version (Clarithromycin) 500Mg twice daily. The antibiotic does seem to work. I have had a bitter taste from it almost from the beginning. I took the fourth dose on an empty stomach in the morning with little fluid and 10 minutes later started to eat. 20 minutes after taking the antibiotic I had experienced an uncharacteristically severe panic attack. My heart just instantly started racing, confusion set in. The whole time while I am taking it I have difficulty breathing which eases off as dose wears out. Luckily for me I had some lorazepam laying around which I took to suppress this reaction. I skipped my 5th dose in the evening but my infection is still an issue. Now I am unsure whether to continue taking it or not. I am about to see my ENT today so I think I will not be taking it until I see him.

Hi and please feel free to email me. I was on Lipitor for quite a while (20mg)without any issues. Due to insurance etc I was switched to 40mg of simvastatin-(Zocor-generic)--with in a short time i noticed i was waking nearly every morning with a mouth full of junk requiring a deep throat clearing. Then a low level sore throat that persisted for more than two weeks. I went to my doctor who agreed that it may be related (though I think she doubted it) and had me stop. Now i have been off for 5 days and still my throat is sore (though not sore to swallow) and mouth generally feels "messed up".

If any of you have had any sore throat experiences etc please let me know. Also how long did your side effects last once you came off the drug?

First of all, a big thanks to all of you who have shared your experiences. I am a biochemist, with a background in pharmaceutical research...I chose the Mirena IUD after careful consideration of it's active ingredient, Levonorgestrel. The side effect profile seemed pretty acceptable...until I started to experience nearly ALL of them...I am 33 years old and had the Mirena IUD placed in October of 2008 after the birth of my second child in June of 2008. The initial reaction was to be expected...cramping, a little spotting etc...nothing to be alarmed about. I still have yet to have a period (which I really don't miss so no problem there) I never gave a second thought to this until now...for the past month or so (coinciding with the weening process, since I have been nursing the entire time, I believe the side effects were not as noticeable) I have been experiencing the following (that may or may not be related to Mirena as my OBGYN has so adamantly pointed out, but after reviewing your posts I'm willing to bet they're connected) and are in order of occurrence: Major, but temporary, hair loss after 2 months or so; Major respiratory infection lingering over a month with difficulty breathing, tightness and pain in the chest at around 6 mos; And in the past month, several instances of motion-like sickness/ nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, major impatience/ mood swings, loss of appetite (pregnancy-like symptoms...yep, I was thinking man I'd be pretty pissed if I was that 0.01% pregnant statistic), and as of this past weekend, my first aurora migraine with tunnel vision and serious nausea and vomiting, to the point where I went to Urgent Care...who referred me to the ER...who wants to perform a battery of tests including a head CT. I have an appointment with a trusted GP tomorrow to discuss possible root causes...but it is to coincidental that so many women are experiencing these same symptoms! I am certainly leaning towards having this removed. CAN THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE HAD THIS REMOVED PLEASE RESPOND IF YOUR SYMPTOMS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED OR WERE RESOLVED!!! THANK YOU!
These side effects seem to go well beyond a 5% rate of incidence according to all of you who have reported. I will investigate further and keep everyone posted. As someone who is highly experienced in the pharmaceutical industry, you bet your a$$ I'm going to get to the bottom of this! Good luck ladies!

I am 20 years old and have been on Yasmin for PCOS/mood swings/irregular periods since I was about 16 or 17. This past December, I was out with friends when I suddenly had this awful, all-over terrible shaky feeling, thinking I was going to pass out, die, or vomit. I had pressure all over and my tongue felt thick in my mouth, lump in throat and had to go home immediately. I thought I was getting some kind of flu. Weird feelings kept continually happening to me every day since then and the symptoms change over time and last for different lengths. I've mostly experienced tightness/strain/pressure in my throat, lump of pressure caught there, almost numb pressure sensation under my tongue, jaw, and up into my ears, an ache/pressure in chest and sternum. I stopped taking Yasmin, switched to Aviane which made me nauseous constantly and have been off BC over a month now. I have been told it's anxiety constantly by two different doctors, gone to ER, had blood work, thyroid checked, ENT stuck scope down my throat, everything. I was given Klonopin which never seemed to do anything to me, was given meds for acid reflux which did nothing. Even after getting off BC my emotions have also gone haywire and I feel at an all-time low and this is ruining my life and my relationship with my boyfriend. I finally gave in and tried Xanax. The first two times I've taken it, I felt great for the rest of the evening and slept well. Today was the third day and I felt fine for about two or three hours and the pressure in my throat and under my jaw is back again. Does anyone think this could be anxiety or something else, or does it truly seem to be Yasmin?? I'm at my wits end and would like to go back on the pill for my emotions/periods if possible but I'm so afraid in case that caused my problems. I feel helpless and always in pain and discomfort.

I just started it yesterday, 3 doses of Advair discus in combo with methylprednisolone to treat this "post viral asthma".
Every time I take these meds, i experience tightness in my chest, difficulty breathing and a constant tickle in my throat leading me to cough a lot sometimes so much that i almost vomit.

Cannot handle this anymore. Need advice. Thank you

I have had shooting electric pains in my head, hands, ankles. Constant tension headaches, tightness in my jaw, difficulty breathing, tension, neck pain, panic attacks, leg cramps, dizzy, fogginess, heavy head, tingling in the tongue, in my arm, chest pain. Do I have to keep going?? It's been 3 months and it's only getting worse, not to mention the continuous bleeding. Tomorrow it's coming out! Hallejulah!

I was on keflex 500 mg every 8 hours. After four doses, I experienced dizziness, difficulty breathing and syncope. I also had palpitations, high blood pressure, ice cold hands & feet and continued to have dizzy spells while lying flat on my back. None of the labs done in the ER could explain this. It's the keflex. I have taken penicillin before without any adverse reaction. I will never take Keflex again.

I'm so glad I found this site. I was prescribed doxy for a rash I got in the Dominican that they thought lead to some sort of infection. The first couple days were fine but one night I took the medication before bed and was up all night with the worst chest pains. I have been nervous ever since that when ever I take the pills I'm going to get the same reaction. I have had chest pains the past couple days and I've been really careful with what I take them with and have been making sure I drink at least two bottles of water with each pill. But today I feel so weak. The last week on the medication I've been so tired I want to take naps when I get home from work which is unusual for me. Today my head feels heavy and my leg feels like it's about to twitch but it doesn't. I've felt some tingling in my left leg and my left arm. I thought this was from whatever infection I had since the rash was on my left ankle, but I think it's from the doxy instead. I've also been feeling a dull pain in my thigh every once in a while. I normally have some anxiety but a couple days after I started the doxy I put myself into a panic and spent the entire day at work researching tropical diseases on the internet because I thought I had one from the rash. I've also had some shortness of breath. I have asthma but it feels nothing like that. Also the doxy made my birth control stop working and I started my period. I thought I just had bad cramps but I'm starting to think they were more stomach aches from the doxy. I've had diarrhea also. And I feel so light headed that I'm going to pass out but I don't. I'm definitely calling my doctor today to get a different antibiotic. Thanks everyone for your posts!

Okey-dokey. I guess they deleted my post because I included my email address. So here it is again...

There is a class action lawsuit in the works against Bayer pharm. regarding Yaz & Yasmin. There are many women you have had heart, lung and/or thyroid problems, myself included. If you are interested in more information I can put you in touch with the firm conducting the lawsuit. Please send me a private message.

I can't believe I didn't find this sooner! I was on the Nuvaring for about 4 years and just last month traded it in for the Mirena.

At first, I was thrilled to find the Ring as I have a very hard time taking pills because I've always had a sensitive stomach. The patch was messy and sticky so I was excited to find the ring. For the first couple of years, the only problem I had was keeping it in place (it would continuously fall out) so I just got used to having to push it back into place every time I used the restroom. Every. Single. Time. But it was worth it because it made my periods much, much lighter and more manageable (i usually am down for the count for a few days). I also did the ring continuously without taking a week off because I still had some pretty terrible periods.

About two years ago, I started gaining weight uncontrollably, became very depressed, lethargic and achey. One day I came down with a terrible case of bronchitis and was put on a heavy duty round of antibiotics and steroids. After, I started having terrible heartburn and IBS symptoms which lead me to a gastroenterologist. Every test imaginable was performed, but nothing was found. I was told I had a nervous stomach. Unsatisfied, I got some bloodwork done and had abnormal blood glucose levels. My diabetic husband gave me a glucometer and I realized my blood sugars were totally out of range. I ended up at an Endocrinologist and all tests came back normal. I was also referred to a Rheumatologist for my achy body and joints. I found a list of symptoms of hypothyroidism and was convinced this is what I have, so I was put on a very low dose of Synthroid. At the same time, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and put on a whole mess of anti-inflammatories and pain killers.

Unsatisfied with my diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and totally unwilling to admit this is something I have to live with for the rest of my life, I began working with a nutritionist who has helped me get off all the medications (except Synthroid). But still, I hadn't slept through the night in years (getting up 3-4 times a night to use the bathroom), I was terribly achy, irritable, nauseous, constipated and still gaining weight.

Recently, my insurance changed and I decided to get the Mirena. Within a few weeks, most symptoms have drastically improved, my family notices a major change. I actually slept through the night last week, only 3 weeks after using the Ring for the last time. I haven't lost any weight yet, but the fact that I even CAN exercise is monumental. More than anything, I'm thrilled at the prospect that everything was caused by the Ring, the one constant no matter what I tried, and maybe I won't have to live with Fibromyalgia for the rest of my life.

I can't say with total certainty that the NuvaRing caused all my problems, but it is absolutely astounding that all of us are experiencing the same terrible symptoms and none of our doctors have bothered to think that it could be the Ring. I'm angry about this. Why don't they know about these side effects??

Yes these side effects are listed in the package, but they're the same side effects from pretty much every medication... and I don't know about all of you but this thing came damn near close to ruining my life. I couldn't work, sleep, eat, exercise, clean my house, etc. etc. It's no heart attack or stroke, but definitely life altering.

I think health care providers need to be alerted to these symptoms and the possibility that the Nuvaring could be causing it all. It would have saved me thousands of dollars in medical bills and despair. Patients should be warned that the side effects are very real and can be debilitating. I'm almost sorry I found this so late (after I already got rid of it!) but I'm glad I found it nonetheless.

Good luck to all of you!

I went to the doctor's office recently because I was pretty sure I had a sinus infection...and it turns out I did. My doctor prescribed me biaxin and told me that I should stay on this for at least 3 weeks until the infection clears up.. When I first started taking this medication, everything was fine....but now things seem to be worse.. I am on week two of this medicine, and my sinus infection has developed into a terrible cold.. I have a funny smell in my nose(I don't know if it's because of the cold or the medicine) I have an AWFUL metallic taste in my mouth, sometimes I have severe abdominal cramping, and for the last two weeks I've had difficulty sleeping.. I will fall asleep around 12:00 p.m but find myself awake by 4 am and then I have trouble falling asleep(when I do sleep I have terrible nightmares).. Almost every time I wake up in the middle of the night, I have this nasty taste in my mouth... I do find that when I eat certain foods it helps to stop the metallic taste.. I have adhd/ocd and I have noticed that this has gotten much WORSE since I started taking the medicine...I feel space out all the time and dizzy and my vision is blurry.. I have a funny smell in my nose right now and difficulty breathing sometimes.. I am about to call the doctor and find out if I should stop taking this, or just keep taking it for the next 5 days.. I just can't handle it anymore because I feel like I'm going insane.. I don't even know as of now if I still have a sinus infection.. Please do me a favor-if you are considering taking this medication please avoid it at all costs because it will make you feel like complete crap.. There are other medicines that you can take I am sure.. I don't even know why this is on the market....it's worse than the birth control pill!

My pharmacy switched me from Alesse to Aviane because my insurance company will only cover generic brands if available. I was hesitant at first but the pharmacist assured me that they were the same. After a week of taking them, I started to have panic attacks in the evenings, difficulty breathing, face would start to tingle and feel numb, and was very irritable during the day. I would start to feel really tense and annoyed during meetings to the point that my body felt like it was vibrating.

I couldn't think of any other valid reasons as to why I was experiencing these symptoms over the past week because nothing else in my life has changed. My life is very stress free. I decided to look online to see if these symptoms were related to Aviane and was very comforted to see that a number of people experienced the exaxt same type of symptoms.

After informing my doctor of the switch, she rewrote me a prescription indicating 'no subsitituions' so my insurance company will cover them. I've never had a reaction like this to any type of medication before, I'm glad that's all it was. Thanks everyone for your posts!

After taking Limbrel for two weeks I came down with fever, body aches and chills. I got better after a day in bed and rest. After a few days I resumed taking my daily medicine which included Limbrel . Again I came down with fever and chills and went to urgent care. I was taken to Banner Hospital in an ambulance. My fever was 102. I had irregular heart beat, chills and had difficulty breathing. After 5 days in the hospital and three units of blood they let me come home. I finally made the connection that Limbrel was causing these episodes after I took Limbrel once again and experienced fever, chills, difficulty breathing, and nausea 9 hours after taking 500mgs of Limbrel.

I started Levaquin 500mg on Jan 27th for a sinus infection. Two days later I woke up and almost passed out upon standing. My heart was racing and my blood pressure dropped. I had to call my husband home from work to take me to the ER. I also started to get nauseated,chills and weakness in my legs. After being hydrated at the ER I was sent home to finish my meds which was a 10 day course. My symptoms became increasingly worse over the past week. Dizzyness,weakness,fatigue,rapid heart rate with some PVC"s, no appetite,nausea,pain in my back,shoulders and left hip. I also have a red rash on my chest and face. I experienced a heavy sensation in the back of my head, compounded by a crawling sensation. My body will flush upon standing , I get night sweats and difficulty breathing. I have also suffered with some kind of wierd sensations in my eyes that has my sight screwed up in some weird way. I have also been on this side of confusion or forgetfullness and nearly having panic attacks. This is some kind of freaky horrible drug. The day I went to the ER my left leg went numb. I have one pill left and didnt take it today. The doctor I saw today says it could be the Levaquin. HA!!!! I am praying for all on here..

My experience with Zocor was related to increased difficulty breathing; SOB was present with all exertion no matter how light. After awhile, I just stopped doing much of anything. The smallest exertion, such as getting ready for bed {brushing teeth, hair, washing face and putting on a night gown} invoked labored breathing and a pounding heart. After a week off the drug, the symptoms all by disappeared; now, 4 months later, I am up and around, walking longer walks and not short of breath. My problems may have been related to muscle weakness, but the heart is a muscle and the lungs function in conjunction with the heart.

Oh my God, where to start. The past few months I have gone through some crazy things from prostitis to having 2 cystoscopy's performed. This past weekend the scab came off the biopsy location in my bladder and blad pretty badly. It caused a large clot to block off my bladder and I could not urinate. In the ER they found a lot of bacteria in my urine and prescribed Bactrim.

Let me just say the past few months have been NOTHING last the past few days on Bactrim. First it was the crazy dreaming. Dreams that were so outlandish, yet so real it was quite frightening.

On day 2 of taking Bactrim I started to itch. It has been quite cold here in Jersey so I chalked it up to the usual dry winter skin. On day 3 I woke up (after minimal sleep) with a sore throat and chest congestion. I then found that the itching grew immensely in intensity and now was adorned with red bumps.

This rash was mainly on my upper arms and lower legs. I scratched at it so badly I drew blood, I have never felt itchy like this. This is ITCHY....EVIL ITCHY!

I woke up on day 4 the same, took another dose of Bactrim (dose #8). As I swallowed the pill something told me "Hey, I bet this pill is causing all your problems." After some research, viola! I found information online that pretty much assured me I was correct.

I went to the doc today and he advised me to take 1 Zyrtec a day and prescribed me Prednisone. I just hope this itching stops soon because I am making a mess of myself with all this scratching.

How could a pill like this be on the market and be utilized as much as it is. The testaments on this site are amazing and stunningly all similar.

Bactrim is undoubtedly the worst prescription I have ever taken or have read up on. To whoever reads this, if you are prescribed Bactrim use one of the rubber test gloves in your doctors office and slap him/her across the face with it. Dealing with the pending lawsuit would be better on you than dealing with the side effects of this drug.

used it on my neck and woke up with palpitations, difficulty breathing