September 27th
2008
7:23 PM
I have two experiences with Prednisone to share: I am a 52 year old woman, married, no kids. One year ago I came down with a serious case of shingles on the top and inside of my left eyelid. What started out as a bump that looked like a pimple or a bite on a Friday afternoon (and I don't have acne), spread across and under my eyelid by Mon, morning, up into my eyebrow and down the side of my nose. My eye felt like there was glass in it every time I blinked. I got to the doctor on Mon, the dermatologist on Tues and the opthamologist on Wed. All confirmed shingles. I have never felt anything to excruciating in my life! The dermatologist prescribed a 3-week descending dose of Pred starting with 6 pills a day. I was also given Gabapentin (a nerve blocked), Acyclovir, a muscle relaxant, pain medication and two separate eye drops, one of which was also low-dose Pred. After the 3 week course of treatment was done, I had to continue for another week, but with lower doses.
Side effects: I did not notice any side effects except that my appetite was seriously jacked up! I ate anything and everything -- and then some! Food was my best friend and I hogged everything in site! In hindsight, when I try to assess myself and any changed, I guess I do have some attitude issues in that I am quicker to anger, quicker to react and respond and seem to "snap" a lot quicker.... Oh yeah I am also on antidepressants.... I now have one droopy eyelid due to the nerve damage from the Shingles and permanent damage to the cornea and tear ducts.... However I am not really sure how much of that is due to the Shingles and how much is due to the Prednisone.
My 89-year old mother was hospitalized in August for emphysema and chronic lung disease, she was down to 81 lbs. They treated & released her and she was on a descending dose of Prednisone for a week. She needed to gain some weight & gained 3 lbs! This was very good.... She is still smoking and her doctor will NOT insist she quit (I think they have given up). They put her back on a 2-week course of Pred again last week. Her appetite is back up Yeah! but she has some serious attitude and anger issues. We are only 1 week into the 2 weeks and I don't know how our family is going to stand taking care of this evil old woman during this Prednisone treatment, and afterwards. I'm sorry I ever let the doctor put her back on it--- however she is gaining weight and getting (falsely) stronger, which she needed.
-- By nomoreshingles56 | Reply | Private Message me
September 19th
2008
5:59 AM
my 11 y/o daughter has a chronic headache condition (NDPH), a non-stop headache since Oct.29,07. She had a supraorbital nerve block, occipital nerve block using Kenalog. Her first injection was only the occipital nerve block, then 2 weeks later, repeated the occipital nerve block and added the supraorbital (above eyebrow) nerve block. This was July 2nd. On July 10th, she started her first period...it lasted 19 days! Then, she had a week off, a week on, a week off, a week on, a week off........now, it's been 2 weeks since her last one. NOW.....I am seeing that the period was probably brought on by Kenalog and that the irregularity was too!
The other thing: She developed INDENTIONS across her forehead, they showed up on Aug.6th. One if very significant, the other 3 are smaller. There is some discoloration (greyish) and there is scarring at the injection site. We took her to the pain mgmt. doctor who did the procedure and she had researched it, after our call, and told us SALINE INJECTIONS would help to plump the indentions back up. She sent us to a Cosmetic Dermatologist b/c she'd not seen this or treated this before and he had. We saw him and he is waiting to talk to our pedi-neurologist to find out if she is a candidate for Saline Injections without effecting the nerves that are already messed up from the NDPH.
I am very upset about the side effects....we were NOT informed this could happen!!!!! The indentions are VERY TENDER! They are already at the site where her headache/nerve pain was severe..now you can't even touch across it! Hopefully her periods will regulate and stabilize! What a way to start your first one!!! UGGGHHH!!!! No one told us that could happen either! We had a doc fixing to put her on hormone therapy (BCP's) to regulate her! We are now waiting to see if it stabilizes.
My daughter has a great attitude about it, she has bangs and just said, "I'll just keep my bangs long enough to cover it up!!!"
I would NOT have taken the chance on this and do NOT recommend anyone with a child to take the chance with it! It wasn't worth what we ended up with!!!!
-- By bgcmom | Reply | Private Message me
September 18th
2008
10:04 PM
My daughter has Aloepecia Areata. Has anyone taken Kenalog to grow hair back. My doctors saying this may work and did mention about the dimpling effect. Not in the detail I read here, though. He made it sound like it would just be a dimple. I did not get the shot in his office, wanted to research some more. By the way, she is only a 11 yrs old. Not sure whether to try this stuff after reading all this.
-- By nancboutique | Reply | (4) replies | Private Message me
September 17th
2008
9:07 PM
I got a couple of kenalog shots in 2004 and 2005 following a surgery that left scar tissue on the bridge of my nose. I never had any bad side effects. I wanted to follow up and get more but the cosmetic surgeon that previously gave me those shots what not accepting my insurance any longer so I went to another plastic/cosmetic surgeon. He told me that I would need a revision and a Kenalog shot would not be beneficial. I pointed out another area on my face that I was concerned with and he agreed to inject the kenalog into a scar on my eyebrow which caused an indentation on my forehead! He won't admit this is a side effect from the kenalog shot. He even tried to convince me it was a frown line, but I know better. I have it all the time even when I'm not making expressions and it's only on the side of the injection.
-- By nas33 | Reply | Private Message me
August 3th
2008
9:54 AM
I've been on 300 mg's of Lamcital since last December. Great drug, really helps my mania get under control. Lithium wasn't cutting it for me with my depression, in fact the side effects were making me even more depressed. My pdoc decided to try out Geodon (at 100 mg's). In the most part, it has been great. I feel alive and like myself again for the first time in years. But...
I wonder if making me so stable has also given my mind way to much time to over- analyze what I see and do. I see things out of the corner of my eye all of the time. I had something appear right in front of me the other day. I can no longer sleep past seven in the morning. And I have three facial twitches: my lower lip, the arc in my left eyebrow and the very top of my forehead where the first of my hair follicles start on my widow's peak. Those drive me nuts.
I am also on 40 mg's of Propranolol (Anderall) and Cytomel for my thyroid. For having such a severe case of BP, it's nice to be on so few medications. Geodon has been a lifesaver and has given me back my creativity and my marriage. I'll take seeing things and facial twitches any day for those.
July 30th
2008
12:41 AM
Exhaustion, joint pain, headache, ankle swelling, shortness of breath, persistent (cold) sores in my nose…
I am 52 years old and have taken Lisinopril for approximately 7-8 months. During the past two weeks, the majority of my joints have suddenly begun to ache. My fingers, especially index fingers, and one wrist are extremely uncomfortable. Other than the side effects listed in the comments on these pages, has anyone lost their eye brows? Sounds crazy doesn’t it but I first thought it was a side effect of hormone replacement therapy. I gradually stopped taking the HRT (ugh!) but continued to lose my eyebrows and now I notice my eyelashes are thinning. After trips to two dermatologists, neither had an explanation and both denied the HRT drug would cause the hair loss. I was and am extremely frustrated. I am not sure what made me research side effects for Lisinopril again but I finally saw something on an internet site saying that ONE percent of people could suffer hair loss. I’m sure my doc will be disappointed that I want off this medication. The only meds I take regularly are Lisinopril and Dyzaide (low dose). I have taken the Dyzaide for several years.
-- By debbie914 | Reply | (7) replies | Private Message me
February 22th
2008
5:26 PM
I have been taking Wellbutrin SR for the last 4 years for PMDD. Things were going so good, I thought it was gone. The first of the year, I went to get my script refilled, and I was told that my insurance company would no longer cover the name brand - only the generic. I said fine, I take generic drugs for a lot of other things and have no problems. After the first day, I didn't sleep but for a couple of hours every night, (which I never have a problem with). I was VERY irritable, short tempered, very depressed, and plain mean. I noticed that I was grinding my teeth and was constantly on edge. Then, I realized that I had had a sharp pain behind my right eyebrow for the last 10 days. When I started to cry over a card game, I knew something was wrong. I got on-line to see if I could find out what my problem was. Low and behold - After reading up on this drug, I realized that the problem was the generic. Of course, my insurance company won't pay for the name brand, so I paid the $198.00 for the name brand, just to see if it worked. I can't believe the difference. I can sleep all night, no headaches, no road rage, no signs of any depression, etc. My insurance company told me that there are 24 other brands of generic and I had to try more that just one. I can't believe that they are telling me that I have to go through those 10 days again. I can't do it.
-- By nkw | Reply | Private Message me
November 5th
2007
8:09 PM
I have been experiencing very brief blackouts (fainting). I don't know if the Lisinopril is the cause but that would be my first guess. In the middle of the night I wake up with bad stomach cramps and diarrhea. When I am in the bathroom on the toilet my stomach hurts really bad and the next thing I know I wake up on the bathroom floor with my face cut open. The first time I slit my eyebrow (which had to be glued) and this time it was my chin. I am 24 years old and don't know what could be causing this? I am presribed 80 mg. which I take at night along with a sleep aid called Trazadone. The first time the doctor told me I was dehydrated and this time I have no clue. Could Lisionpril be causing these episodes and if so why didn't the doctor tell me? After the episodes I am very hot and sweaty, face bleeding, dizzy, and lots of diarrhea. I have never done anything like this before and I am very worried about this. I am also very tired of cutting my face and the scars! Please help and give me some insight. Thank you, Anna
-- By heartwthwings | Reply | (4) replies | Private Message me
August 27th
2007
7:35 PM
I've been on Advair for years. I'm a healthy 32 y.o female, active, with severe asthma. Trying to get myself off of it and have been successful at taking the medication once every 3 days or so. I am working out more and need it less often - the more I build up lung capacity. Within the last year, I've noticed that I've been losing eyebrow hair. So much of it, in fact, that I went to the Derm. for a diagnosis. They think it's "alopecia" - and I say ... it's ADVAIR. Anyone else experiencing hair loss or eyebrow loss, who happens to be on an inhaled steroid? In my case, it's only ONE eyebrow - very annoying! Hair on head is fine. Can't help but link it to the drugs, since Alopecia seems just way too far removed.
-- By minnieapple | Reply | (3) replies | Private Message me
August 18th
2007
8:12 PM
ANOTHER UPDATE:
Hi again, I posted on the 12th and the 15th I was on Yas for a week, noticed a bad change of moods etc.
well here's the time line....
I got my period on Saturday Aug. 4th and started the pill on the 5th. I stopped taking it the 13th or 14th So I was on it for 8-9 days. Well I am spotting heavily and have major cramps which all started the 17th. And while reading the new posts and seeing how people are complaining about migraines I REALIZE ME TOO! I got a migrane on Thursday night the 16th at work. At first I thought it was due to lack of sleep, work or having had taken a late lunch.... fine I go home go to bed. Wake up early still had the migrane but went back to sleep since I didn't have to be at work until late. Headache was gone when I woke up again. But I've been feeling a little discomfort in my head very slight. I's like a ball was rolling around in there and any sudden movement would hurt a little as if the ball bounced against the walls. Anyway today the migraine came back full force same place. Right side of my head like a pin has been inserted from the back to the middle of my right eyebrow. Has anyone been feeling like this? And I am spotting and have very very bad cramps. I dont know whats going on if it's me having a bad week or if it has anything to do with this damn pill. Anyway thats it, sorry if I'm rambling a bit I am having a very hard time trying to express myself with my head pounding.
Kenalog (4) Lisinopril (2) Yasmin (1) Lipitor (1) Advair Diskus (1) Budeprion (1) Mirena (1) Geodon (1) PredniSONE (1) Abilify (1)
October 19th
2009
1:11 PM
I started taking 5 mg of abilify a few weeks ago. Before that I was taking 2 mg for 3 to 4 months. I also take 400 mg of lamictal and 20 mg of prozac. The prozac was very recently added.
Anyway, I have tried many different medications and apparently my depression is treatment resistant. Abilify has made me a cold, emotionless person. I have not cried in months. It is terrible when you feel so sad inside and you can't even cry. I have also developed a twitch in my eyebrow which is very hard to control. Most recently I have discovered, on my own and with the help of my mother, that I have akathisia. Although I mentioned a lot of symptoms to my doctor before, she claimed it was just anxiety.
But this is so much worse than anxiety. This is extreme anxiety, being unable to sit or stand still, getting anxiety with just the thought of having to sit still, getting urges to kick, feeling terribly restless inside unlike anything I've felt before, feeling like something terrible is about to happen...
I hate this. I don't know what to do. I'm seeing my doctor in a couple days and I'm just wondering what she will do. Will she take me off or will I get something even worse... will this go away..
-- By disquietude | Reply | (3) replies | Private Message me