Even keel symptoms and conditions

I'm on Lamictal for minor bipolar, with Adult ADHD, OCD and anxiety. I went on Lamictal around 2005. It has been 4 years. At first I did not like how it made me feel. It made me feel like euphoric almost like all my emotions were caged up inside, both good and bad. When I say good I mean, the normal emotions of happiness and sadness were gone. I became more or less numb. I no longer cry when it is appropriate to cry, and I am no longer a happy outgoing person. Yet the "bad" emotions is what I mean by it holds in the extreme moodiness, outrages, anxiety and depression. Now my attitude is more like, yeah whatever. I accepted the good with he bad because this medication has helped me enormously and I would rather go without the good normal stuff than to have the extreme back. I am not a zombie, I am not high strung or low strung.....just a even keel which is how supposed to be how Lamictal works. It is the first thing since 1994 which has worked and a wonderful doctor who is top notch knew immediately what I needed. Unfortunately I had to go through years of BS and being a guinea pig to get to this point and finding the right doctor. She is a pharma psychiatrist which is better than a psychiatrist. She is a specialist in psychiatry but also pharmacology (medicine), so unlike most doctors that know how to treat, she is a expert in understanding medications.

Side Effects - If I forget to take it I immediately get agitated and get headaches, and twitching in my eye and lip area. Do not mess with this medicine. It can help with seizures, but if you forget, it can also cause seizures! The major side effect I am having is scalp pain, itching and HAIR LOSS . After 3 years of not knowing why I am losing so much hair (and I had a very full thick head of hair), and going to doctors and dermatologists, my psych dr. told me it is Lamictal! Finally I know the culprit. I very upset about this, and I need to seriously think about if I am going to stop it. I do not want to go bald!

Please note to all of you that are new to this drug also, do not drink grapefruit juice or take NSAIDS medications - eg. things with acetaminophen in it. NSAIDS can cause Stevens Johnsons Syndrome. A deadly side effect. If you make it a few weeks up to the right dosage without signs of Stevens Johnsons syndrome you will be ok. But be aware of the signs......... ulcerating wounds. Look it up on Google and google photos. Educate yourself.

This medications has done wonders for me, but at the same time I really have not had a choice. All the other drugs that work for adhd cause a lot of hypertension - causes more agitation, and the other drugs for bipolar and ocd can have side affects like early diabetes or severe weight gain. I wish there was something else out there, without all the side effects because Lamictal is great, but I am not going to be a 37 year old female walking around bald the rest of my life.

I have been taking perocect 10's for the last 1yr or so and it is very bad when I don't have them I feel like crap. When taking just one it is like taking 3more 10 min later cause it does not work as well from when I first started taking them. When I run out I am looking for them everywhere and taking other pain meds to cover the withdrawals. Man it is so bad feeling like that the runny noise,sweating,being angry,shaking, throwing up,shiting my guts out etc. I have a chronic back problem and I'm only 24yrs old. I have a very supporting husband who is there for me when I'm withdrawing all the time and I love him for that cause if it was any other man they would of left me hanging. I advice anyone who starts this pain killer to only take it when needed cause the chemical in the pill will mess your who life up and you will have some serious problems for realist is true but how I'm going to stop I will take a week out of my life to go to the hospital for help. Also there is so many other medication that can make you sleep.(PEROCECT'S WILL MESS UP YOUR LIFE SO DON'T GO DOWN THAT ROAD, PLEASE TAKE THIS MESSAGE SERIOUS THEY ARE VERY BAD, DON'T COVER UP THE PAIN GET IT TAKING CARE OF AND IF THE DOCTOR GIVES THE PEROCECT'S TO YOU DON'T TAKE IT CAUSE THEY DON'T CARE IT IS NOT THEM PLEASE DON'T).

I had been on Yaz for almost a year. I have tried EVERYTHING!!! I went to Yaz after trying even the Nuvaring. It seemed like everything from regular Ortho was too strong and the ring was too little. I've been on birth control since I was 17 (now I'm 26) and have tried it all. I mainly stayed on because of cramping and digestive trouble I used to experience around my period. For about 3 months Yaz was great- no mood swings, my cramp pain was cut in half, and my sex drive lost on the ring came back. However, after about the 5th month, I started to notice the same side effects as other posters; headaches, night sweats, fatigue, numbness in my legs, moodiness, zero libido, and the carpal tunnel in my wrists would increase in pain by 10 fold, etc. In fact, it was getting so bad, that my husband was getting annoyed with me saying I was always tired even though I would sleep 8 hours and not have any other outside stressors impacting my sleep patterns. We almost divorced over the stupid, but outrageous, fights I would pick for no reason at all! I would get so irritated at the smallest thing. It was like a switch would flip and I couldn't turn it off! I couldn't figure out why I was so fatigued- I exercise and eat right (I'm a nutritionist)and have played sports for years!. The depressing feelings bothered me because I know that eating right and exercising keeps serotonin levels at an even keel- that's what I do for a living! Mine were way off for no reason! It got to the point that my friends noticed a huge change in my personality- I used to be the life of the party, and now I would rather stay in instead of go out and socialize with my best friends and husband! Thank you for writing these blogs. I can't wait to feel normal again! I'd rather deal with the cramps or take some homeopathic remedy than deal with this horrible drug. There is a great article on cnn.com about birth control pills and libido/ side effects. Just search for "the pill" and the article should come up.

I am so relieved to know that I'm not turning into some crazed basket case!
I've been on nuvaring for over 2 years. In the beginning, I couldn't believe the product...it was phenomenal! Put it in, and forget about it! Also, skipping periods was never so easy! I never spotted...just inserted a new ring and went on my merry way!

Well, that all changed about a year ago. I was planning my wedding, so I chalked my moodiness and depression on this huge event (of course! makes sense, right?). Time went on, and the feelings have not dissipated. I have always been a very emotional "in tact" female...a tuff Texas girl! I've had management jobs where my even keel disposition has been key to my success. Now, I'm afraid I'm going to breakdown at work...that would be BAD...really bad.

Also, my weight has been a thorn in my side. Although, I am not a big girl (135#), I'm bigger than I'd like (used to be 125). And, what's up with the belly pooch!? NEVER in my life have I had a belly that pokes out like this! I work out 4-5 x a week and eat healthy (yes healthy, you skeptics). My breasts have blown up like the Macy's day parade which my husband is all for, but I'm, quite frankly, getting a little scared of them:)

I am taking my nuva out on Sunday, and I CANNOT wait!! I want to go back to my fun, happy-go-lucky self.

BTW!! - To you men reading these entries with a girlfriend or wife that has recently turned into a crazy loon...stay strong for your lady. My husband has been an amazing man. I know he's wanted to get in his car and run away a couple times, but he has stuck by me. And I'm about to rock his world with my new and improved sex drive (when it decides to come back).

Best of Luck and I'll see you lovely ladies on the other side!!

I'm so glad that I found this site because I was beginning to think that something was seriously wrong with me. I started taking Nuvaring almost 2 months ago. 5 more days and I can take it out...FOREVER!!!!

At first, I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread...and then the weight gain began. My husband said maybe it was just that I was eating junk. Maybe...so I started back on Weight Watchers. I can not lose a single pound, and when I have counted points in the past the pounds fell off the first week or two. I've gained 15 lbs since I started Nuvaring. The strange thing is that it is all just around my stomach. It is like a big spare tire. I've gained very little in the rest of my body.

I also noticed pretty bad cramping after I put it in. It was pretty much all the time, not just during certain parts of my cycle.

Then I started to get headaches. Not little headaches, but debilitating migraine headaches. The sensitivity to light is almost unbearable when I have one of these. Many times I find myself going to bed at 8 pm when I put my son to bed. Pretty much all I ever want to do is sleep. Sex? Nope, not interested. (Very different from how I was in the past.) Huh, I guess it works as birth control because it promotes abstinence!

The worst part is that I am soooooo depressed. Like major depression. I have usually been a pretty even keel personality, but since starting Nuvaring I find myself wondering what I have to live for. I've come to the conclusion that if it weren't for my husband or son, I'd rather just be dead. I've even found myself thinking about how I would want to die. It has gotten so bad that I haven't been to work in almost 2 weeks. I have so much anxiety that I actually feel scared to go. My husband finally called a doctor for me on Wednesday and I start therapy on Monday. I hope that the side effects will go away soon after I take the ring out, but I am very afraid that I might be like this for a while.

I question how so many of us have these HORRIBLE side effects and yet no one in the medical profession has even questioned whether something is amiss. It seems to me that I better just have another child and then have my tubes tied so I don't ever have to mess with all this awful birth control stuff again. (I was bad about taking pills on time, so I ended up having spotting most of the month, which kind of defeated the purpose.)

I'm thankful that I found this site and now I know that I am not alone!

I have had the Mirena for 16 months now. Being close to 50, I thought this was the way to go without being on birth control pills, diaphragms, condoms or any other birth control methods. I have had irregular bleeding the entire time. Last month my period lasted 18 days. I probably only have about a week where I don't have any sort of bleeding at all. I have noticed extreme fatigue, weight gain, achy joints and muscles, and terrible mood swings. I have always been an even keel person, but the last 6 months or so I get depressed, and cry for no reason. I thought it was because I was starting to go through menopause, but now I am wondering if my Mirena is causing all of this. Last month I started having a lot of pelvic pain. I thought it was just ovulation, but it lasted 5 days. I am going to have an ultrasound done tomorrow to see what is going on. I think I want to have the Mirena taken out, but I don't know what other birth control to use. I have heard of ablation, where they basically burn the lining of your uterus so you don't get your period anymore. I don't think it is a method of birth control though. Wish me luck!

My daughter is a chronic asthmatic and has been on Prednisone for over one year. Since then she has experienced headaches, nausea, sleeplessness, depression, extreme anxiety, mood swings, blurred vision, aching... just about all of the side effects listed. Of particular concern to me are the mood swings, which at this time we are considering having her evaluated. I didn't realize that this drug could do soo much in terms of her behavior. Please help me to understand what is going on with her. She is 12 years old.

Ive been on Zoloft for 2 days and the first day I took it I had bad Diarrhea and my teeth hurt they feel like I had them clenched all night long and I can barley eat. Ive been getting gas,nausea, and I feel faint and like I'm going to throw up. I'm on the Zoloft for Anxiety, is this normal or could it not be related to the Zoloft and I have something other than the anxiety????

13 year old daughter is on lamictal for seizures. Hse has experienced the loss of memory and the muscle aches in her legs, another side affect that she has had was anger and aggitation and one day she actually got so bad she started to hit kick and bite me
anyone else have that side affect?
good luck all

Hello All - I have been on Paxil for about 3 years now. I'm a 31 year old male who suffered awful for years before Paxil with anger issues, constant depression, trouble sitting still & rushing through everything, not being able to feel "normal" - I had constant stomach aches, afraid of everything ect.

I have to say I have not one complcation from using Paxil - No issue with sex drive - no sweats, i sleep great, work at a normal pace, can hold friendships and foucus on everthing, small amount of weight gain but i"m very active and have a ton of energy so I stay in shape. I really cant find anything i dislike about taking Paxil, the other thing i find is that I'm in a constant state of ---------it's hard to explain, the line i typed is sorta how i feel, just even keeled, nothing gets me really excited much, and i dont get mad either - It's all just a feeling of ------ haha - anyone feel like that too? I tend to find myself being alone, and i have a big social life, but sometimes i rather be left alone.
Sometimes i feel like if i never talked to anyone, had a relationship, friends ect i would not even careless - It's normal to cry and get excited and mad and that's the only part that I dont enjoy, otherwise life is awsome but I guess it could be alot worse!!! and trust me it was!

I took Levaquin for the 5 days, and yeah, my muscles ached a bit - but they do that anyway with Hep C, so it's not like there was a real difference. It got rid of the infection, anyway. For those of you suffering side effects: go to the doc, and don't leave until he/she figures out how to help. And while you're at it, don't take antibiotics for every little infection. I suspect that is what is at the root of a lot of these reactions, we're too stuffed with medication.
Try more natural remedies, if possible. Echinacea is one, but there are a lot that help to keep your system on an even keel to try to avoid health issues

I have been on Yasmin for almost a year now and I love it! The only side effects for me have been a clearer complexion and firmer boobs. I had some tendency towards headaches around the third and fourth month, and also am inclined to pee more, but that's it. As far as anxiety goes -- I feel that the pill actually HELPS me to stay on an 'even keel.' I say this as someone who was treated for depression continually throughout high school and college. It has done a LOT to help abate very icky seasonal affectation symptoms that I've had for years.

I am surprised by what I'm reading here but all I can say is that -- each pill effects women differently. I sypathsize with people who might have had ill effects but, if there's a class action suit, I sure as HECK hope it doesn't push the pill off the market, cause I LOVE it.

I have been on Paxil (20 mg/day, taken in the morning) for 18 days now, and I am feeling way better than I was before starting it. Before, I was weepy, depressed, prone to panic attacks, quick to anger, and wondering why I was alive.

Now, I am thinking much more clearly. I do not feel depressed. I have not experienced any panic whatsoever, even during times when I usually had panic episodes before. I feel moments of normal happiness, which I had gone a very long time without experiencing.

I have experienced a slight sensation of detachment since starting the Paxil, but it's not awful. In fact, it is probably best for me, anyway. My emotional instability was pretty bad before--crying at the drop of a hat, freaking out at my poor husband for something minor--and the Paxil has put me back on an even keel again.

The only "bad" (note the quotes) side effects I have noted are night sweats (actually, increased sweating overall), insomnia (particularly bad the first week of taking Paxil), and teeth grinding in my sleep.

My doctor prescribed me a short course of low-dosage Xanax for just the first few weeks, so I pop two 0.25 mg pills before bedtime. This has helped the insomnia, and I am no longer grinding my teeth during the night. The longer I stay on the Paxil, the lesser I notice or experience the bad side effects.

Overall, for me at least, the good outweighs the bad with Paxil. I feel like myself again!