Feeding tube symptoms and conditions

My dad is 73 years old and has been in the hospital, rehab, nursing care, back to hospital, currently back in rehab since August 3, 2008. He was on Flomax which he was taken off of the first week in August after arriving to the hospital with low blood pressure and leg weakness to the point of being unable to walk. He had been taking it for years so doctors did not think Flomax the cause. However, once they ret'd him on Flomax he was unable to hold his head up when sitting in wheel chair (drooling) and very unresponsive. He also vomited and just stared at it, unable to respond to try to clean himself up. They took him off Flomax with some improvement. (He could hold his head up and respond.) His weakness declined to the point that he can no longer pee/poop without a diaper, can't swallow, can't speak (due to weakened vocal chords), and has no energy. He has a feeding tube. To date, they have not been able to pin point what dad's problem is. I noticed that on October 10, 2008, they returned him to Flomax. He again is sitting in wheelchair with head hanging down. No energy to do rehab. I have requested they take him off Flomax and LEAVE him off. I don't trust this drug. I think his long-term use of this drug could be what's killing my him.

My mother in law has been told that she not only got yeast in her lungs (aspergillus) from Advair but yeast was also found her gut, and her pylori valve stopped working and she almost had to go on a permanent feeding tube and everything made her sick. When they cut her open to insert the tube they found the yeast. I have something going on that includes terrible headache, nausea, vomiting and loose bowel. I can't say at this point for certain it is the advair but I have been taking it for over 15 years daily. These symptoms occur 2-3 times a month and wipe me out for a full day.

My sister was prescribed Avelox on Tuesday, March 11, 2008. Within 15-20 minutes she began having breathing difficulties. Because she has asthma her initial thought was that she was having an asthma attack. She tried asthma treatment and it didn't help. She soon was unable to breath. Her husband called 911, they responded quickly but had to intubate her in the ambulance. They know that she was without oxygen to her brain for at least 3-5 minutes. This caused seizures that lasted 20 hours before I.C.U. could get them under control. Unfortunately it caused brain damage leaving her with no higher brain function (vegetative state). As she has worked in the medical field for over 14 years she did not wish to be kept alive by artificial means. On Tuesday, March 18, 2008 her ventilation tube and feeding tube were removed. It is now Thursday, March 20, 2008 and she is in a wonderful Hospice House awaiting her death.
She had taken the same class of antibiotic in the past with no reaction. Really not sure what caused this one. She was going through chemo for breast cancer, but had just finished and was scheduled to start her radiation treatment. Her chemo doctor told us that since her reaction, they have had another patient who went into anaphylactic shock after taking Avelox.
My sister is only 43 years old. This medication should be taken off the market.

Thank you all for all your posts. They help me feel like I am not alone in all this junk. I have been on Prednisone since mid July when I was diagnosed with Dermatomyositis. Even with all the side effects, primarily the weight gain and bloating, I feel better than I did in June. I could hardly walk. My sleeping is actually better now than it was with the pain of DM, and I have always been hypoglycemic so the elevation in blood sugar has helped me.

With that said, I have always been an extremely healthy and active person so the weight gain is killing me. I also prefer to be holistic. My biggest fear has always been long term medication, but here I am. My pred. level was just increased 2 weeks ago to 60mg / day. Within one week my face has become very round, and I look 4 months pregnant. I am very hopeful that someone will find that miracle diet/exercise regime to help balance this side effect. I work out at least 6 days per week. I eat healthy, but have recently gone back to a yeast & sugar free diet. All this with no success. I just started taking Methotrexate 2 weeks ago so I hope maybe it will give me the success Liz has seen in that area.

Other side effects: I am very happy to have my energy level back, but my strength isn't back so I get very frustrated and irritable. I have issues with blurred vision. And I have trouble concentrating. My thoughts often wonder while I am in conversation.

I hold you all in my prayers and hope that you will find ease as you go through this challenge. If we can all stay positive we'll get through it.

Best Wishes,
Elizabeth

7 days into my Levaquin I began suffering panic attacks, severe dizziness, tinnitus, severe muscle pain, visual problems, nausea, difficulty walking, huge mouth sores, severe body aches and pains, sweating, insomnia, night terrors, seizures, and on and on. One year later I am still suffering from some of these.

My mother-in law was given Reglan after surgery to increase the motility of her bowels. After 4 weeks, she cannot speak, or swallow and she has a blank, mask look on her usually very expressive face. She is 78 and has a history of stokes, the loss of speach was originally atributed to more TIA's but the loss of use of muscles to swallow was so severe, they want to put a feeding tube into her stomach. The speach therapist researched the side effects of Reglan and found it could produce pseudo Parkinson's..which we are hoping it is the Reglan, and not a stroke. Only time will tell, but this poor woman has gone through hell for four weeks before any one had any idea it could be related to Reglan.

Have disc degenerative disease, Paget's disease, osteoarthritis and restless leg syndrome. Prior to my hospitalization of 6 weeks, the ultraset helped with the pain but did cause some insomnia. I was on a feeding tube in the hospital and since returning home, I am still not eating or drinking as I should. I have noticed that the Ultraset makes my restless legs worse, I am now itching, and have insomnia. My legs raced for almost 10 hours last evening.