Excruciating symptoms and conditions

I am in tears reading everyone's Lipitor experiences because I can relate to so much of what you all are saying. I am a 48 year old female. Was on Lipitor for a little over a year, and stopped taking it about 6 weeks ago. My symptoms included excruciating neck and arm pain, leg muscle pain, knee pain, tingling arms and elbows, hip pain. I blamed my neck problems on a previous injury. I did chiropractic treatment, acupuncture, massage. All helped temporarily, but it always came back. I assumed it was something I would have to live with for the rest of my life.

Then i started having the strange leg muscle pain. It felt like a Charlie horse but in weird spots like my ankles, my shin as well as my calves. Then the knee pain started. I can not sit any length of time without my knee aching. I also have a hitch in my hip...I guess that's what you'd call it. I feel pain when I walk, but can usually walk through it. I was also tired all the time, day after day. Sleeping was miserable because of the neck, knee and hip pain. In combination with the tiredness and the aches and pains, I thought I was just getting old, maybe arthritic!! And this from someone who has always been active....walking, weight lifting, always on the go.

I started getting suspicious when I started listening to the Lipitor commercials on TV that stated "...report any muscle pain or weakness to your doctor as this may be a sign of a rare, but serious side effect..." or something like that. Maybe that's a new "warning" that they didn't use to say on the commercial? Well, I went off of it on my own and I could not believe how much better I felt after only a few days!!! My chronic neck pain has basically disappeared...I still don't have full movement like normal folk but the pain is gone! I have so much more energy, and my leg cramps are gone. I still have a problem with my hip and knee.

Since being off Lipitor, my cholesterol has gone sky high....actually higher than when I first started! My total cholesterol began a little over a year ago at 247, got it down to 190, now after being off the Lipitor for 4 weeks it's a whopping 298!!! My ldl started at 162, got down to 128 and is now 206!!!!

So in addition to all the problems I had being on the Lipitor, it appears going off of it has worsened by cholesterol!!

I am now taking ground flax seed - 2 T daily. I am also going to try cholesterol Off by Nature Made. I will NEVER subject my body and spirit to statins again.

I thank all of you for posting your problems with Lipitor. I wish you all luck, and maybe we'll get to meet each other someday....in court.

Day six of weaning off the Toprol. Had been taking 50mg when I was told to change medications. I took 25 mg for 4 days and since have been taking 12.5 mg daily. Chest tightness is excruciating at times, shortness of breath off and on (more ON than off) - headache, and tons of anxiety, barely sleeping because chest tightness makes breathing difficult. And all this with taking 80 mg of Diovan to help keep the rebound effects down. This is such a HORRIBLE experience. I hate it. Wonder when I will start to feel better.......

I am a 47 year old female and started using Lipitor (10 mg) about 4 weeks ago. In the last two weeks, I have been experiencing numbness, pain and weakness in my extremities. The numbness and pain is excruciating from my neck to the tips of my fingers on my left side. I am also weak and my muscles ache throughout my entire body. My joints hurt and are extremely stiff from my feet to my shoulders and I was so tired yesterday (November 26, 2007) that I could not go to work. I was about ready to go to the emergency room today thinking I have some undiagnosed illness, but since reading the side effects of others, I am calling my Doctor to inform him of my problems and I have am refraining from taking anymore Lipitor. I just want to know if the symptoms will go away after the medication is completely out of my system.

I was prescribed 42 pills (20 days) of 10 mg Prednisone which I am to take beginning with 4 pills for four days and steadily decreasing every four days down to four 1/2 pill the last four days. I took my first dose yesterday and was told to drink lots of water. I do not wish to gain weight nor have a moon face. My doctor does not feel this will affect me in that way, but may have water retention (swelling). I am 73, and this regiment of Prednisone was prescribed to decrease inflammation due to a possible siatic nerve problem, which is causing extreme pain in my left leg. The pain is excruciating when I get up in the morning but eases down by mid morning with some pain all day and some nights if I move just the wrong way.Does anyone have a suggestion for the best foods to eat and what to avoid? I read that grapefruit juice may be beneficial.

I started taking Levaquin for a sinus infection. On the 3rd day I started getting heart palpitations and felt very tired. By the fifth day I woke up with excruciating pains in both shoulders and very limited movement of both arms. I went to my primary care Dr. He stopped the Levaquin and gave me pain pills and an anti-inflammatory. I was sent to an Orthopedic Surgeon who injected both shoulders with steroids. I then went through a series of acupuncture treatments which helped somewhat, but finally admitted that I needed more help. I went back to the Orthopedic Surgeon and had surgery on June 11, 2007 on my right shoulder. At first this Dr said that there was no possibility that this could have been caused by the Levaquin, but after the surgery he admitted that he was starting to see other patients with the same problems from Levaquin. I can’t afford to have the left shoulder operated on but the pain has lessened and I still have limited movement of both arms.

Do Not Take YASMIN. I do not want any other woman having to go through what I have and by the sounds of it, hundreds- thousands of you already have. I, like many of you was a bubbly, warm and happy person who loved life and with the addition of YASMIN a SEVERELY debilitating depression followed. I never stopped crying. I woke up crying, I went to bed crying. Anything at all would start rivers of tears that never stopped. I was ridden with excruciating panic attacks on a constant basis and almost drove myself to the hospital about 3 times a week. Heart palpitations, or what felt like that, were not unusual and my heart was constantly racing. So fast that I felt constantlyyyy anxious. I was not myself. I knew my true self, and this was not it... so what did I do? STOPPED TAKING IT.. immediately. just one day i threw the rest of the cycle in the trash and I have not looked back since. YASMIN is what is causing these same symptoms in you and you can get back to your normal self with just one.. easy.. step. ENDING your attachment to it. Good luck to everyone, just be strong, you'll be alright.

I have been taking Advair 100/50 for about 4 years and in that time I have gained 15 lbs, have shooting excruciating pains in various body parts and have numerous bouts of swollen glands in my neck/chin area. I never attributted it to the advair until I found this post. Forget weanning.....I'm stopping NOW!!! Thanks, all, for the insight.

I had a Mirena coil fitted about 3 years ago. It was brilliant. I had it fitted because I suffered terribly with painful periods. Not heavy though. I had it for about a year, then had it removed to try for a baby with my partner. I already have a 19 year old son. I didn't get pregnant, now, I believe a good thing, and I had a second Mirena fitted. Let's put it this way, it's not acting like the first one did. I get headaches, hot flushes, bloating, depression, crying, muscle ache, especially arms and hands. I have dizzy spells, and can't stand around for a while as I feel faint. I am overweight, and always intend to do some exercise, and control eating habits a bit, but when your mind isn't right, how can you? It's a vicious circle. Obviously I appreciate that some of how I feel is my weight issue, but as I said, it's hard to do anything about it when you can't get the incentive because your mind is working overtime! The bleeding though, is basically the same as the first coil. It stopped near enough straight away, but at this moment I am having what isn't really a period, but is stranger and little heavier than spotting! I also get sharp pains now and again at the moment, and am very bloated. Doctor said about a month ago, that the coil could still be settling! We will see! Any replies would be great, I hope I haven't rambled on!!! Ha.. Pauline, Gloucestershire

i'm glad i found this site. I had fluid in my ear drum. went to quick care and they gave me a prescription for levaquin 750mg. On the fourth day i woke up not able to close my hands. The pain and stiffness in my joints was severe. unable to hold on to anything. I also have pain in every joint in my body or it feels like it. What can i do to get this stuff out of my body? I ache all over. Need some feed back, please help if you have info on this.

I was up late last night, doing some research on my current birth control method, because I haven’t been able to sleep very well for weeks. I am constantly restless, when I do sleep it is an unfit sleep.

I am irritable, at all times, at best.

I am also having migraines that are now exceeding well into three weeks in length. Then I get one day free of pain, and they are right back again. I can hardly function with them. Granted, at first I thought there could be any number of reasons for my migraines, I have been suffering from them since the young age of twelve, although, I also learned how to treat them within a reasonable amount of time and over the counter methods available for such. But, never, and I must stress this NEVER, for this severe nor long, without any relief from the methods available to me, without having to go to the doctor for some help.

Not to mention, dizziness, nausea, bloating, stomach upset, the constant spotting, and/or bleeding - outside of my normal period window of time, so to speak.

Intercourse is painful, no matter what position, and/or methods I, and my husband try. And, pardon me if this is to much information, simple masturbation is excruciating as well. That was certainly never a problem before.

I cannot in good conscience, blame my mood swings on Mirena, as I am bi-polar to begin with. However, I have noticed the swings of my mood are more erratic, to be certain. Although, do I think that Mirena has something to do with the severity and quickness of fluctuation? Yes, I do. My moods may shift on their own, but they have gotten progressively worse since having the Mirena inserted. And, I do know how to treat my bi-polar for the most part. I am very aware of my body and mental state, in most cases.

The clumps of hair coming out, that was something I just recently read. My husband was teasing me, saying I was going to be bald before he was! Of course, even though he meant it in good nature, I cried, uncontrollably for at least an hour. I feel for those ladies who are suffering from that!

Acne isn't a problem that I have suffered from, but then I was graced with rarely having that problem, even as a teenager.

I do have facial hair growth, that is a new one. It is completely embarrassing to say the least. I can grow a goatee like a pubescent boy! That is certainly not on the warning label!

I think I may have a cyst on my left ovary, maybe a few more on my uterus itself. I am unsure as of yet. I just know I am in pain constantly, be it from one end of my body, or the other. Some days, the pain is so intense, I see flashes of white and nothing more, right before my very eyes.

Ladies, for those considering getting this method of birth control, please, I urge you, DO NOT DO IT. Granted, there are women that it works beautifully for. But the pain and suffering for a "What if," isn't worth the losing your entire means of being a well functioning woman, in your home and society.

For those of you looking for the possibility of a class action lawsuit against Berlex, the manufacturer of Mirena you may wish to contact,

The Law Offices of Kris J. Balekian, P.C.
8330 Meadow Rd., Ste. 104
Dallas, TX 75231
Tel: (214) 828-2800
Fax: (214) 827-9671
Email: kris@kjbattorney.com

Ask for information that she needs. Currently she is still looking for potential clients so that she can take this to court. I honestly do believe that there is something severely wrong with this product.

I have only used the ring for one cycle and a few weeks in there were a few days of excruciating nausea and lower intestinal pain. Otherwise, just general discomfort a couple of times a week. I removed the ring last Friday and have been having continuous nausea and abdominal discomfort since last Thursday. No pain relievers that generally do the trick are working, not even my failsafe Midol. Besides being worrisome about my health, it's wearing having to put up with all of this. I've only been married for a few weeks and it's already putting a damper on things as I have no drive.

I have had extreme charlie horselike pain in my calves and behind my knee. I have stopped taking lipitor about a week ago, so far no improvement. I was told by my doctor I could go off of statins for a month and see how I do. I am hoping I can get rid of the leg pain soon, it is chronic right now.

I started having sex for the first time a few months ago with my boyfriend, so I decided to go to the Obgyn and get on birth control for the first time. Before I went to the doctor I did quite a bit of research to decide what type of birth control I wanted to get. I got to the doctor and she suggested NuvaRing. I hadn’t considered the option much but from what she said it sounded very convenient and simple. I liked the fact that you could just leave it in and not worry about it. She told me that she had many patients who really liked it and didn’t list many side effects that sounded too unbearable. I decided to start it but regretted it very soon after. The first week went fine and I didn’t notice any side effects at all. Then about a week after ending my period, I started another one! At first I thought it might just be spotting because it was listed as a side effect and the bleeding wasn’t heavy at all. I kept waiting for it to go away but it kept on coming, and getting worse! Three days into it I was bleeding more than I do during a normal period. I keep waiting for it to stop but I just keep bleeding and it’s now been going for seven days, four days longer than my periods normally last. It also smells really bad and has a brownish color that is not usually present in my normal periods. I am extremely annoyed and don’t really know what’s happening. I feel really gross all the time and have absolutely no sex drive. Although I haven’t even had sex since starting the ring because of this never-ending bleeding, any other type of sexual activity I engage in either hurts or just doesn’t interest me at all. I have also had cramps and lower back pain persistently since I started using the ring. These pains haven’t been excruciating, but they certainly have been annoying. I thought these were the only side effects until I found this site and started reading. I have been considerably more moody and irritable lately and never really made the connection until now. I don’t usually have too many fights with my boyfriend but lately we have been constantly fighting for really no reason at all. He seems to avoid me and we have been spending a lot less time together and it’s making me quite depressed. I am irritable and impatient at work and everything and everyone seems to annoy me. I am uptight and have trouble letting lose and having fun or finding joy in simple things. I recently had a close friend die, and I just figured this was the cause of all of my emotional problems, but after reading all this I’m starting to think it is NuvaRing that’s causing all these problems! I also read some things about women getting cold sores because of this product, and guess what? I’m getting a cold sore! I’m definitely going to start looking for a new birth control option. I’m very disappointed because at first I thought NuvaRing was a great, simple, convenient option but it’s not at all worth all these side effects.

I took this drug for a kidney infection and now can hardly walk or sit on the toilet. The pain in my knees is excruciating especially at night. I can not turn over in bed without pain and they don"t seem to bend anymore. My doctor thinks I am nuts.I have not slept an entire night since this started. It came on all of a sudden after two weeks on this crap. Please, somebody tell me this is going to go away in a while!!!Marsh

my nose itching when i take it.

Both my father (79 years old) and I (48 years old) were prescribed Lisinopril and Lovastatin in the recent past. Within a short period of time (2-3 mos), we both began experiencing excruciating Charley Horse-type cramping in our legs, and I experienced them in hands as well. My father's cramps were more severe. I quit taking the meds and he has not. His symptoms continue, mainly in the evening. My symptoms abated when I stopped taking the meds.

I don't have particularly high blood pressure, nor do I have high cholesterol, my doctor simply prescribes these meds "to prevent the onset of these problems". I am an insulin-dependent diabetic. My father suffered a massive heart attack 5 years ago.

I feel GREAT now that the meds are out of my system. Dad continues to suffer with terrible cramping in his legs and sometimes in his glutes. This can't be good for him. I assume the meds do something to his blood levels of vitamins or minerals, yet his doctor does nothing. He is going to visit a naturopath soon to see what that person recommends. He looks terrible and feels terrible.

I have terrible ringing in my ears which never stops. The pain in both of my feet is excruciating to the point of tears every day every moment. My joints in my hands are crippling. There is pain in my shoulders and arm muscles. I have not been able to sleep through a night without waking up in severe pain. If this is how one feels with lower cholesterol, then what is the point? I am mad at myself for never questioning or doing any homework prior to beginning this or any drug but trust me, I am a quick learner and this will never happen again. I just pray I haven't ignored the symptoms too long.

For the person with excruciating back pain I have had a similar experience. I was taking it for about six months and had decreased stools then had kidney stone like symptoms so I stopped taking the medication and have not had the problem since that time.

I started taking 20mg 6 weeks ago for High Blood Pressure ...im experiencing extreme muscle and stomach cramps...excruciating low back pain....joint pain...i spent this weekend curled in a ball unable to move with elevated pulse and heaviness on my chest. I feel like im slowly poisioning myself. I am med sensitive anyway and cannot force myself to take anymore....the dr says its not the lisinopril...but all these side effects started right after beginning the med. I have no health insurance and cant afford more lab tests and dr appts. Im going to try to survive by using strict DASH diet. I hope it works.

I took a pill after having breakfast then about 10 minutes later I bent down to pick up something, everything came up including the doxy, from my mouth, nose and eyes. I have never felt such such an excruciating burning sensation, that I was almost choking. I tried to douse the pain with milk, water and after about 2 hours of horror, I now have blisters all in the back of my throat and roof of my mouth. My nose and eyes are still burning. Whatever you do, try never to let the actual medicine come in contact with your mouth or skin. It is the worst pain ever.

Mu husband was hospitalized with a severe urinary tract infection - Dec.18, 2006 and was treated with levaquin intravenously. Upon release, Dec.22nd, he was given levaquin - 500mg - to take orally for seven days. While taking the medication he had no side effects, but the day after he took the last dose he started getting pains in the jaw and shoulder, which then spread to the chest. He has a history of heart problems ( 4 angioplasties) so I gave him nitro, although he insisted this was not a "heart" pain. The nitro didn't work and the pain worsened - he was sweating and obviously distressed. I called 911 and he was admitted to the hospital where they ran all the heart tests - EKG's, echogram, chest x-ray, cat scan, etc. The pain became excruciating and they finally administered morphine which was the only thing that helped. The doctors admitted they just didn't know what ws causing the intense pain, as all his heart tests were good. I decided to check the side effects of levaquin and lo and behold, right on the printout from the drug store they list "crushing chest pain" as one of the possible side effects. I pointed this out to the doctors, but they were very sceptical. However by the time he left tht hospital, five days later, they admitted that it could possibly be the levaquin. The chest pain never entirely went away, although it was much milder. He was fine for a few days, then the pain returned again - it was severe and this time he experienced rapid heartbeat (143) which he had never had before. I took him to the emergency room and he was admitted once again and of course, they did all the heart tests again. He explained that he had been through this before and it wasn't his heart, but they have to be sure, especially at his age - 81. I once again brought up the possibility of levaquin side effects but they were sure that as he had finished taking it 10 days ago, it couldn't be that. Once again they gave him morphine and he was abl to relax and his heart rate returned to normal. When he was discharged two days later, they put on his record and notified the drug store that he was allergic to levaquin. He was given a prescription for hydrocodone to take if the pain returns. The chest pain never really goes away - he says it hurts deep inside, somewhat like pleurisy, but all lung tests are negative. He is constantly fatigued and I realize that at 81 you don't have the energy of a 20-year-old, but prior to this he was very healthy - excercise class three times a week, walks regularly and plays golf. I wish I knew how long these side effects will last, especially as in view of the rapid heart beat, they now have him on Coumadin. Before this, he took only three prescription meds now he takes nine! I know they have to use powerful antibiotics to kill bacterial infections, but they should know of an "antidote" for these serious side effects. It's all very well tosay "it hardly ever happens" but reading the dozens of reports on this and other websites, I would say that it happens all too often. If anyone has found a remedy or anything that helps - please let us know.

My 24 yr old daughter started taking Biaxin on Chrismas for sinusitis. On Saturday am, she woke up with excruciating abdominal pain that seemed to be worse on the left side, and would radiate to her back. we took her to the ER. They gave her dilaudid ( a heavy duty narcotic for pain) and that helped but didn't take it away. They took an ultrasound and found her ovaries to be normal. They they did a CT scan of her entire abdomen. They also did a urine test and CBC. All tests were fine. They gave her a 2nd dose of diauded, which again helped some, but she still had pain. Finally, after 5 hours, they gave her a big dose of anti-inflammatory and then the pain went away. They sent us home and said it was just some mysterious thing. Now I'm wondering if it could be the biaxin
kd in Ohio

Howdy, folks. Pollen count here went through the roof, over 3,000, and I was dripping, wheezing and sneezing. In addition to Advair and albuterol inhaler, doctor gave me Rx for Singulair. Since taking the Singulair (2 weeks), I have had severe sinus headache (frontal), dizziness, really bad sore throat, and excruciating muscle spasms. I do not feel sick, no fever, just have these symptoms. I forgot to take the Singular for 2 nights, felt much better, then took 1 last night, and voila!, sore throat and headache are back with a vengeance. This stuff is SCARY!. Will see doctor Monday and will definitely stop taking this medicine.

I have been on Prednisone for the past few months. I started off at 40 mg per day, and have tried to gradually wean down every few days. In doing so, I have developed excruciating rib cage muscle spasms, back spasms, shortness of breath, and leg weakness. Everytime I try to go down off this drug, I become so sick that I have no choice but to go back up. I have been told by my dr. that I will have to go down VERY gradually and it may take several months to do so. I am at 40 mg per day still trying to drop down by the week. Is this dangerous? I mean being on this drug for so long term? I already have osteoporosis from prednisone and have broken many ribs while on it. Would it be too dangerous for me to just go off of it all at one time and be done with it? I know I will be very ill if I choose to do it this way..but I don't want to put myself in a very dangerous situation either. Help! It's causing me panic attacks also. I just need to get off this medication! Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Wow. I wish I would have known that my fingers and my feet were gonna tingle if I was out in the sun. I am an avid surfer and while after the first two days I had no side effects whatsoever, by the fourth day, the burning pain in my face, hands and feet was excruciating. The prescribed me this because I had been with someone who had been diagnosed with Chlamydia so they automatically treated me anyway and by the fourth day when I found out I was negative, I stopped taking it. The burning sensation was so abnormal I couldn't sleep. DON'T GO IN THE THE SUN WHATEVER YOU DO!!!