Difficulty concentrating symptoms and conditions

I just recently started Topamax and had no idea of all the side effects that comes with it. So far I have been loopy, forgetful, have difficulty concentrating and etc.. The other bad side effect that I have had is my legs have hurt to the point that I was out of work for two days because I could barely walk. I couldn't lift myself up with my legs at all I had to use my arms. My arms and hands go completely numb at night and I wake up "looking" for them. I hope these all get better as my body adjusts to the meds. I haven't decided yet if the side effects are worse than the migraines.

I have just recently started taking topamax as of 4 days ago for severe migraines. Today was the first day I have actually had a soda and I was convinced that the pop I bought was flat but after reading this I now know that I am not crazy. I have also already experienced tingling in my hands, fingers, and toes, tightness in my chest, loss of appetite, one night of extreme anger, difficulty concentrating, and some depression. I am trying to figure out if this pill is actually worth it for me if I am already experiencing this many side effects this early. I am only on 25mg right now and I am supposed to increase to 100mg of the next couple of weeks.

I have had the mirena for almost 2 1/2 years, it was not too bad to begin with although I did develop a bartholins cyst which I was told could have been due to this coil being fitted, not very pleasant I can tell you! Anyway, apart from feeling a bit tired and nauseus every 3 months or so it was not too bad for the first year, but since then my symptoms just seem to be there almost all the time. I even tested for pregnancy earlier this week because I feel so nauseus particularly on waking up in the morning, I also feel lethargic, have lower abdominal pain, difficulty concentrating, dizzy spells, constant discharge, very sore breasts, hot flushes at night and cold spells at any time of the day, I could go on. I eat healthily, train at karate 4 times per week, had my blood pressure taken in Asda this week 112/83 which I am told is good. So, I have come to the conclusion that with time this coil is making me feel unwell, I could never take the pill as it made me feel awful and I tried the injection which made me feel even worse. Nothing else for it, I have 4 children already, I can't have any more, it would not be practical or fair to my family, so I am going to be sterilised (if I can get my doctor to agree). I also need to get my doctor to agree to remove this coil, I am not taking no for an answer, I know my body and I am 99.9% sure that it is the Mirena that is causing the problems.

My doctor prescribed Levaquin 500mg as the 3rd antibiotic to treat a sinus infection that just would not go away. Unfortunately I'd taken 12 of the 14 pills prescribed before I found this site while trying to figure out what was worng with me. I'm experiencing sleeplessness, extreme lethargy, neck pain, muscle & joint pain and I'm having difficulty concentrating at work. I've stopped taking this awful drug and can't wait for that point it works its way out of my system.

I am very sorry to hear about the problems you all have experienced. I thank you for taking the time to post your experiences here so that people like me have others to turn to.

I have major bad effects from strong perfumes, more of a chemical intolerance/autoimmune response (body aches, fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating) than nasal or sinus type reaction. This gets worse as the years go by. One of my former coworkers drowned herself in strong perfumes every day. I felt like I had the flu all the time and my other co-workers could barely smell the perfume. My doctor put me on Singulair. It was like a miracle, I was almost unaware of the perfume and my symptoms were gone. I left that job at the end of Feb. 07 and stopped the Singulair immediately. Within 4 or 5 days, I was completely crippled by lower back pain, right at the top of the pelvic bone, started in one side then moved to the other. Spent most of a week not being able to move, walk, etc. I started another job mid-May and started the Singulair again due to the entire place being landscaped with jasmine, another of my major triggers. I left that job after 4 weeks, stopping the Singulair immediately again. Now, several days later, the back problems are returning and worsening. I've never had lower back problems in my life. I am thinking that the crippling back pain may be due to the sudden cessation of Singulair. Any thoughts on that, anyone? I also wish I had read these comments earlier, because during my last 3+ weeks on Singulair, I was waking up after a couple hours of sleep and unable to go back to sleep due to mind racing, was uncharacteristically unable to cope with stress, etc. It was a nightmare that I blamed on the new job and now am wondering if it was not caused by Singulair.

I am a 62 yr old lady that was started on Topamax a little more than 2 yrs ago for migraines that were getting worse as I was aging. After the first "weaning on" period I have been taking 100mg a day at bedtime for the entire time. Initially, I had a lot of tingling in my hands and feet, but it subsided somewhat and never seemed like a big deal. The Topamax brought my migraines to a grinding halt. However, more recently I've noticed quite a number of new increasing symptoms that are bothersome and scary. Difficulty concentrating, a certain amount of confusion, and some eye pain that sometimes feels like pressure and my vision is blurry. My balance does not seem quite normal. I'm not really dizzy, but I have "missed" a step too many times lately. My mind functions do not seem all together "there". Normal functions like spelling, counting change, answering questions, like my address and phone number, aren't always easy especially if I'm under pressure or get upset. Backaches and joint pains are present, but since I have Degenerative Disc Disease it is hard to distinguish the source of the pain. The problem is I cannot determine if this is from the medication or if I am experiencing another kind problem. ? Most medications have side effects; however, if the benefits out weigh the (negative) side effects, it is worth it.

I´ve been taking Warfarin for about 6 years now after being diagnosed with TVP (venose profound trombosis) and TEP (pulmonary trombosis). Side effects include: lethargy, difficulty concentrating, sudden extreme headaches, memory loss, oily face, red toes, hair loss, dry eyes, yellow hands, it completely changed my hair.. I had wonderful hair , shiny and straight, and now I have it curled up, dry, and broken. The worse thing is that I have to take warfarin for my entire life.

I am tired all the time, short of breath on exertion (ie. climbing stairs, running, etc.). Have cold feet and hands, especially at night. Also, either feel overheated and too warm or cold and it can change instantly. Have difficulty concentrating, am extremely tired in the morning upon awaking and can hardly get up. I take .05 mg of levoxyl. My TSH tests come back normal, but I haven't felt right since my thyroid surgery for removal of a nodule and 2/3 or thyroid about 3 years ago. I was also diagnosed with sleep apnea shortly after my thyroid surgery. I am not overweight.

I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease over thirty-one years ago. I have taken Predisone many times over the period of my illness. My Crohn's Disease has been very aggressive and I have lost all but 250 cm of my bowel. Prednisone has been the only drug that has been able to help but at great cost to me. I am now disabled from the disease and the side effects of the drug. The most devestating side effect is the weight gain. I am now 80lbs heavier than when I was diagnosed. The moon face is very difficult to deal with. Everyone says they know it's from the meds but that doesn't help when I look in the mirror. The fat deposits in my abdomen are very embrassing to me as well.
The sweats, blurred vision, nervousness, hyperactivity, exhaustion, acne, slepplessness, shaking, joint pain (so bad I can hardly walk when I am on the meds), mood swings, depression, swelling (water retention so bad I can hardly bend my legs), the muscle wasting in my thighs, the conective tissue damage making it hard to heal from surgery, difficulty concentrating, bone weakness ( I break ribs very easily) and so many more...all this is too much to pay to control a disease.
They really need to find better drugs now. If you can try something else instead of Prenisone I strongly recomend that you do. It should always be a last resort.

I am 48. Family history of Cholesterol problems. Tried a change of diet with some success, but, according to my Doctor, not enough. Doctor strongly encouraged me to take Lipitor to lower cholesterol. I had never been on any meds, so I was reluctant. I asked about niacin as opposed to a statin. He said no.

for 2 years, I've been on Lipitor-10mg/day. I was informed to look for side effects related to liver and muscle. I have never experienced any of the muscle aches/side effects described in the postings I just scanned, with the exception of mild lethargy. Liver tests have always been normal.

However I have been experiencing what I consider significant cognitive decline. I have experienced difficulty concentrating, short-term memory loss (e.g., did I take my medication, or only THINK I took it). I feel inept when trying to carry on conversations, helping my kids with homework, reading an article in the paper. Ask my age--I have to think about it. recalling words to put together a complete sentence--challenging at times. I also have experienced occasional feelings of dizziness/floating.

For a long time, I blamed much of these symptoms on stress and a preoccupation with a variety of family problems, however when these problems subsided, and the symptoms persisted, I then assumed that they might be menopause-related.

Until a week ago, I didn't realize there might be a possible link between Lipitor and cognitive decline, until I read an syndicated medical advice column in our local newspaper.

My annual check-up was 4 days ago, and was prepared to discuss with him, my concerns/fears about my cognitive decline in relation to menopause or early-onset alzheimers. Instead, I asked him about a connection between Lipitor and cognitive decline. He acknowleged a link, but minimized it in relation to the studies performed. Never-the less, he agreed that I go off lipitor and come back into the office in 2 months for a recheck. I have been lipitor-free for 3 days.

I have been taking Wellbutrin Since April of 2005. My doctor prescribed it to help with overall stable moods (but I was not depressed and I told my doctor this) and for help in losing weight. I started with 150mg and experienced the following side effects:
Dizziness
Feelings like I had an urinary track infection.
My libido stinks anyway but it didn't seem to help or complicate anything sexual aspects.

I began taking 300mg about a week later. All of the above continued but the dizziness and urinary track infection feeling went away about a month later. However, these are the things I notice now that may be attributed to the Wellbutrin XL:

1. Extreme fatique that increases as the day goes on-I take my pill in the morning.
2. Difficulty concentrating and focusing. Mental clarity problems. I feel this affects my ability to work because I do a lot of writing. Memory problems. One example: left my keys in the car running until my husband noticed.
3. Sensitivity to light.
4. No wieght loss (as this was the reason I am on it), I feel like I am eating more and more often.
5. Physical weakness.
Among other things.

I must say that I am unsure as to whether all this can be contributed to the Wellbutrin XL. I had blood work done because of all the fatique and mental concentration problems. I was told that given the blood work that I might have arthritis, then I was told that I have a reactivation of MONO. Then I was told that I may have Lyme disease. Do I think it is the Wellbutrin XL? Right now I am weening myself off the drug. Taking half a pill until I reach my doctor to discuss this. Since taking less of a dose, I feel much better with more energy (not completing my self) and I feel I can concentrate.

We will see if the above side effects are in fact the Wellbutrin.

Good luck to all. For me, I am better off not taking Wellbutrin.

Regards,
Beth

I've been taking Yasmin for 2 days now and am experiencing nausea (especially directly after I eat). I have also been experiencing some slight difficulty concentrating, but this could be a side effect from nicotene withdrawal from trying to quite smoking. After reading everyone else's postings I'm not sure if I want to continue taking this medication! I was so excited to get onto birth control again but now I just don't know if this is worth it! I guess I'll wait another month to see what happens.

Started Levaquin after contracting a cellulitis infection...I feel worse since taking the antibiotic. On the brights side killed the infection...but not sure this was the right antibiotic for me considering the side effects

Difficulty concentrating
unrestful sleep
skin hypersensitivity
no appetite
mood swings (no history of mental illness)
dry cough...difficulty breathing

I would like to know if anyone is experiencing or has experienced the following side effects:
I am 28 yrs. old and have been on levothyroxine since April 2004. I started graduate school immediately following my body scan and RAI treatment(5 days after when I was no longer radioactive) in August 2004.
After immersing myself in classes and field placement, I found myself having difficulty concentrating on my work and I had little to no motivation to get out of bed to go to class. My grades dropped and that made me even less motivated to continue on with school.
I went to my dr. and after telling him about my side effects: lack of motivation, difficulty concentrating, emotional instability, he just said that he does not believe that it is from the meds.
I have dropped out of school for the time being because I just can't get enough energy to go every day.
Has anyone ever experienced these symptoms? If so, do you believe they are an effect of the meds. or having gone through cancer , surgery, etc.?
Feel free to email me. I'd like to get some feedback. Thanks.
Amy ******

I was prescribed Doxycycline in the form of Periostat for a periodontal problem I was having in November '04. (20mg 2xdaily for 3 months) The first few days on this drug I experienced some low level nausea with some loss of appetite. Within the next couple of weeks the nausea declined but my appetite continued to deteriorate and I was starting to lose weight. By the end of the third week I had virtually no appetite at all and found it extremely difficult to eat anything. I found I was also becoming dehydrated. At this point I decided I had better stop taking this drug. But even 2 days after I stopped taking it I began experiencing periods of dizziness, difficulty concentrating, and feeling disoriented. I also started to feel extremely cold at times and even began shaking. My mouth was extremely dry, with cracked lips. I began to notice some depression with crying spells also. It took me 2 weeks to recover from the side effects of this drug and I still don't feel 100% yet. This was absolutely the worst drug I have ever taken. The side effects were horrendous. At such a low dose I had no idea I would ever experience these type of side effects.

WOW, has this site been a life saver!! I was put on Yasmin 3 months ago, because I had a 4 inch cyst on my ovary. I also was told I was peri-menopausal because of the hot flashes. I thought all of these symtoms I was having was from the menopause....until reading all of these testimonials. I immediately went off of Yasmin one week ago. I to had horrible side effects:

- Frequent spotting
- Extreme mood swings
- Irritability
- Low self-esteem
- Headaches/Migraines
- Heart palpitations
- Lightheadedness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Severe bloating and weight gain (even with diet and exercise!!)
- On edge all the time
- Breast pain
- Toe pain (as if I had broken them)
- NO libido
- Rash/itchy armpit

I had been suffering severe hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, severely dry skin and uneven tone AND pigmentation
- Terrible mood swings and PMS, much worse than before yasmin, and depression
- dry skin over ALL of my body
- restless sleep
- forgetfulness
- cellulite looks worse
- enlarging of pores on face

My periods used to be 2 or 3 days and very light... with Yasmin they are were very clotty with severe cramping that would wake me from my sleep. I used to have headaches the first 2 days of my periods before....now they are worse and lasting a week!! They have prescribed me Flexeril and 800 mg of Ibuprofin, which doesn't do much for the headaches either.

And to think I was blaming this all on Menopause!!! I will do an update after I am off of Yasmin for a few weeks.

Has anyone else had soooo many symtoms??

Thank you to ALL of you for sharing your experiences!!

I took lisinopril for high blood pressure for 3 months. During that my physical condition gradually but steadily deteriorated. As I write this, I am off the lisinopril now for 3 more months and very slowly recovering.

My symptoms included cough, shortness of breath, loss of stamina during exercise, frequent stomach and intestinal cramping and burning sensation, sweating, severe acne break out on the chest and back, difficulty concentrating, loss of sleep quality, and weekly spells with low grade fever.

The symptoms started appearing gradually, and I first noticed them about 2-3 weeks after starting lisinopril. The cough was mild at first. It never got that bad really, but I found there was a cycle. If I coughed in the morning, I'd generally feel better, and when I didn't cough for a few days, some of my symptoms (shortness of breath, loss of stamina) would increase. Then I'd finally cough again and be a bit better for a while. As time went on I started having more bad days than good.

After quitting lisinopril for 3 months now, the symptoms have faded, except I still have the occasional cough (yes three months later, though its finally almost gone), and some shortness of breath. My energy level & stamina are very slowly returning, but still not normal. I am now finally having more good days than bad. Within a week after quitting lisinopril, the symptoms all faded noticeably, and have been slowly going away with time.

It seems to me that there is something seriously wrong with this medication.

About me: I am 42, male, generally good health. I took the lisinopril because my doctor felt my blood pressure was too high. After complaining about the various symptoms listed above, my doctor recommended separate additional medications to treat the individual symptoms, not recognizing all of them together as side effects. I finally figured it out myself as things just kept getting worse. Since I have quit, I have started jogging to help with my stamina. My blood pressure has gone below 135/85, and am now not taking any medication for blood pressure (or anything else).

Immediately after quitting, my blood pressure went quite high (160/95) and stayed that way for a week, I think that was due to quitting the drug quickly. Still, for me personally, I'd rather have done that then take one more dose of this so-called medicine.

I am 32 years old and I've been on Yasmin for a little over two years. My doctor recommended this bill because of my irregular periods and horrible PMS symptoms (bloating, cramps, headaches, etc.). Initially, I was very pleased as Yasmin helped to regulate my periods and alleviate my PMS symptoms. After about 6 months, my periods because slightly less regular - not quite as irregular as before - but I was no longer getting them every 4th Sunday as I was when I first started taking Yasmin. I also noticed that I started experiencing some PMS symptoms again.

What I don't like about Yasmin is the toll that it seems to be taking on me both emotionally and physicially. The following are some of the symptoms I've been experiencing, which seem to be getting worse:

- Extreme mood swings (happy one minute, crying hysterically the next)
- Irritability
- Low self-esteem
- Headaches
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Insomnia
- Constantly fatigued, even when I do manage to get a decent night's sleep
- On edge all the time

I've experienced minor depression in the past and have been stressed out at work, but these mood swings are starting to scare me. The other night I got lost while driving to a co-worker's party and became so hysterical thinking my life was awful and that no one would care if I died that I had to just turn around and go home, where I called my brother who managed to calm me down. This isn't the first time I've been crying hysterically and thinking irrationally and just didn't quite feel like myself. I mentioned this to a friend who said she had to stop taking Yasmin because it was making her "psychotic".

I love the good things about this pill - more regular periods and less trouble with PMS - but I can't deal with the mood swings. Also, the irritability and inability to concentrate are affecting me at work. My job is very challenging and requires me to deal with other people throughout the day and to always be able to think on my feet, so I can't be ready to snap at people all the time and I need to be able to focus. I'm going to try going off this pill for a while and see if it helps at all. If not, I don't know what else to do.

I am so thankful to all of you who have posted your experiences on this website. I thoght I was going crazy!!! It seemed as if my health took a sudden turn for the worse for no apparent reason. Although I told them that I was taking it, none of the doctors that I have been to have even suggested that Yasmin could be to blame. I have had chest pains and heart palpatations so bad that I had to see a cardiologist and get a stress test. I have been to an eye doctor because I temporarily lost a spot of vision in one of my eyes (floaters). I have also had migraine headaches with no prior history and blurred vision. The worst thing by far has been the anxiety attacks, nervousness, and difficulty concentrating. I am now having gall bladder symptoms ( gas, cramps in upper right side, light colored stool, etc.). This has all happened in the course of two months, the amount of time I have been taking Yasmin. I am not starting my third pack and I am afraid to try birth control pills again.

disturbing dreams, difficulty waking, exhaustion, short term memory loss, confusion, aching joints, swollen knee, muscle cramping, difficulty concentrating. Switched to Lopressor which helped a little but am still having the problems with nightmares, sleep disturbances and mental fogginess. Doesn't seem to be as bad as with the Toprol XL, though.

I began taking gabitril almost two weeks ago. I started at 2mgs a day, and got up as far as 4mgs twice a day. My tongue got extremely sore bumps on it and split open in the front center of my tongue. It continued to get worse everyday. I had developed impaired vision, drowsiness (I couldn't keep my eyes open), difficulty concentrating and forgetfulness, lack of energy, dizziness and unsteadyness and urge to urinate frequently. I stopped it five days ago. My tongue began to clear up immediately and was all better 3 days after I stopped it. I am waiting to see about the others.

I'm 40, been on 10 mg Lisinopril per day for about 7 years.
Thought I was just aging early, until I read these posts.
Will discuss with doc in January when I go.
My blood pressure is under control--feel better in that regard, and I've never had the cough. But I am much slower than I used to be, I have joint pain, stuffy sinuses, tight chest, bouts of difficult breathing (I run 3 miles every other day to combat this), no energy-really have to push myself, difficulty concentrating, memory lapse, anxiety, withdrawing, heart flutter. Been concerned. I wonder what life would be like without this--I've just been trying to accept things the way they are, but maybe I could find an alternate drug-at least for a while to see if symptoms clear. I've been taking it so long, maybe I have forgotten how I should feel. I'm checking on this--thanks, everyone, very much!

Extreme lethargy, exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, occasional dizziness, anguish, headaches after taking Warfarin for 4 months, average dose 7.5 to 8.0mg daily.

Doctor and nurse said problems might be due to Tramadol I was taking at same time (for arthritic pain), but when I stopped the Tramadol for two weeks, there was no change. Doctor and nurse said NOT a side effect of Warfarin, but when I stopped taking Warfarin for a week, the symtoms went away and my family saw right away that I was "back to normal".

I am very upset that these very distressing side effects of Warfarin are not stated on packaging or by medical profession. I know of two other cases similar to mine in the UK.

Extreme lethargy, exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, occasional dizziness, headaches after taking Warfarin for 4 months, average dose 7.5 to 8.0mg daily; doctor and nurse said NOT a side effect of Warfarin, but when I stopped taking it for a week, the symtoms went away and my wife saw right away that I was "back to normal".

Doctor and nurse said problems might be due to Tramadol I was taking at same time, but when I stopped the Tramadol for two weeks, there was no change.

I am very upset that these very upsetting and distressing side effects of Warfarin are not stated. I know of two other cases similar to mine in the UK.

Having had difficulties with birth control pills in the past, I was so excited to discover Yasmin. I had no breast tenderness, nausea or weight gain as I had with all the others. However, my excitement soon turned into horror...literally. I began experiencing shortness of breath, hot flashes, shakes and anxiety attacks. I had difficulty concentrating and remembering things. It never occurred to me it was Yasmin so I contacted a psychiatrist instead of my ob/gyn. As I was waiting for him to return my call, I discovered this web site and realized I'm not crazy! I told him about the posts concerning Yasmin and anxiety. He had never heard of the connection but was glad to be advised (as I was). I am now off Yasmin and feel better already! Thank God for sites like this.