Flight of stairs symptoms and conditions

I am a 37 year old woman who was prescribed Avelox for acute bronchitis and sinusitus ( unconfirmed bacterial) . I ended up in the ER after taking only two doses with severe shortness of breath, pounding and fast heart beat, heaviness and tingling in my legs, feet, and hands, mental confusion, going from freezing cold to hot, tremors and more. The ER could not diagnose this and told me I was having a "Panic attack" even though I have no history whatsoever. I kept questioning if it may be an adverse reaction to the Avelox and they told me it was doubtful and that Avelox was widely prescribed and safe. After about six hours I got better but had vision problems, short-term memory loss, mood swings, depression, bizarre suicidal thoughts, joint pain, muscle pain, heart palpitations, and more for days afterward. I still have memory loss, mood swings, mild depression, and I have since had two more episodes of rapid heart beat, chest pain and shortness of breath for unknown reasons that come out of nowhere. I can't even walk up a flight of stairs or lightly exercise without major fatigue, chest tightness and pain, and shortness of breath. I have since been referred to a cardiologist after having an abnormal EKG at my primary care doctor. Last week I had an Echo Cardiogram and a heart CT scan among other tests and will find out the results on November 30th. This has been stressful and scary for my whole family. I fully blame and believe the Avelox adverse reaction is to blame. I did have a random "fluttering" in my heart for about a year prior to taking the Avelox but never experienced any trouble like fatigue, shortness of breath, or chest pain until after the Avelox. I am a single mom of a twelve year old and this has turned my life upside down. There have been at least two times that I wondered if I would ever make it home from the ER to see my precious child again. Hopefully whatever the heart trouble is will be minor and easily treated and I can get back to normal. I now warn everyone I know about the potential danger of Avelox and the Fluoroquinolone class of drugs. Take care all and thanks for listening.

I am feeling such relief right now- I'm not alone. After having EKGs and Cardio-pulmonary stress tests, CAT scans of my lungs and chest, an abdominal ultra sound, and stress echocardiograms (all of these were normal or negative, mind you), not to mention months of anxiety, I finally started talking with a cardiologist to see if I had done/started anything around the time my symptoms started. I realized I had switched from an oral (orthotricyclen) to nuvaring birth control about two months before I started my symptoms of no sex drive, difficulty breathing, exhaustion, and severe anxiety. To elaborate- I was a national champion soccer player, I've always been in great shape, and I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without being exhausted. I couldn't hold a five minute conversation without chest tightness and difficulty breathing. Everyone kept saying I was stressed (new job, new house), but I know I wasn't doing anything that unusually stressful. I love my job, and my house, and while I realize they may cause some stress, I shouldn't CONSTANTLY feel like this.

The most pressing issue, of course, was the breathing stuff. The doctor suggested, even though he wasn't familiar with the nuvaring side effects, that I take it out to see if there was any change. After reading what all of you have written, and after being off it for two weeks, and beginning to feel a change, I'm pretty damn sure it was Nuvaring. I already remember that my husband is sexy, and I'm able to go on dog walks without getting winded. I also am happier, and feel more awake, than I have in a year.

THANK YOU ALL for posting. I'm going to warn my girlfriends of this stuff- I wish my doctor (who is no longer my doctor) had said more than "there really aren't any side effects except some discharge- nothing different than the usual pill side effects".

I have not had good experiences with various statin drugs through the years. I was on Zocor a few years ago. I suffered from a tripping gait at times (seemed as if the bottom of the toe area would stick to the sidewalk and I felt as if I was going head over heels and balance issues), so much so that I was referred to a neurologist. My internist poo-pooed my symptoms at the time until I mentioned the formation of cataracts. That did it. Zocor stopped. On to Crestor. Crestor was briefly tolerated until I was walking up four flights of stairs. While on the second flight, my legs literally locked. I could not raise my legs (thigh muscles had tightened so badly, that I had to stop, regroup, and start again. Next course after a brief respite, Lipitor. I am taking between 5 and 10 mg. as tolerated.

I have had issues with Lipitor as well, despite the 'pediatric' dose. I have felt occasional ankle tweaks, and most recently over this past weekend, upon going down a flight of stairs, my left knee buckled. Thank goodness I did not fall, but the weakness was there for the day. I have not taken Lipitor since last Friday night. My cholesterol level (off the statins) had reached a high of 357. As of the last testing (my first after being started on Lipitor), it was 255 - my LDL was 137. I know that if I stop the medication that the numbers will start to rise. This yo-yo effect is very frustrating but my overall well-being is of my utmost concern. Both parents had heart disease. My father passed away at 63 years of age (heart attack, recuperation, then massive heart attack 22 months later), and my mother had angina pectoris, bypass surgery and recurrence of blockages, only to die from multiple myeloma at the age of 89. My newest symptom is pain in the right side, outer portion of the rib cage area. This started two days ago. I had this when I was on Welchol as well.

1 minor heart attack 5 stents placed over past 6 years thru 4 angio episodes. each hospitalization plavix and statins prescribed each time the side effects started within 2-3 weeks, some times sooner . same crap as most...serious leg fatigue, joint pain, skin is tender to touch. But my FAVORITES are the chest/heart pain that mimic heart attack 'feelings' and the 3AM sweat and anxiety/panic attacks.......3 different statins all the same results symptoms
so intense that i have been admitted 3 times for heart cath, ALL false alarms
S-O-O-O DOC what the hell is going on????? ANSWER: must be reflux, must be stress, must be ANYTHING BUT THE STATINS!!!! each time i quit the statins soon after rehospitalization and each time the symptoms went away......last episode was Friday July 31st. i was really bad....constant chest pain and pressure, legs so fatigued that 1 flight of stairs felt like 10 ...shortness of breath...body aches like you feel when first getting the flu etc. etc you guys all know the crap
they rushed me in to the Cath Lab....nothing wrong...must be stress!! must be reflux!!! bullshit. I quit the Lipitor that day
Today is Tuesday.....I am WAY BETTER each time the same thing, on the statins ...feel like crap, get off the statins and feel almost normal within a week
I will NEVER take a statin again
I am lucky that I have been recovering quickly

Oh my this page has made me feel like I am not going crazy. I have been on Zocor for almost a month the leg cramps started one morning with a cramp in my leg I couldn't walk the hole day. Then I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without stopping to try and relive the cramping I am a flight attendant and I thought it might have been the pressure of the plane but it continued when I wasn't working.It is a God send that I started to search this drug since this was the only thing that I could think of. There must be a kick back from the drug companies.

I was on Nuvaring for 3 years. During those 3 years I developed the following symptoms that at the time I just blamed on old age, being in my upper 30's.

Asthma like symptoms--After my breathing problems got progressively worse over the last year on Nuvaring, I went to a pulmonologist. I'm a non-smoker that couldn't even walk up one flight of stairs without loosing my breath. I had tests, MRIs and CT Scans. They couldn't find anything that would cause my breathing problems. I tried Advair and inhalers. No medications helped. The Dr. decided to take me off Nuvaring just to see what would happen with my breathing. After quitting Nuvaring, my breathing is back to normal. I can exercise and walk up steps again without feeling like I'm fighting for air.

Arthitis like symptoms--pains in my hands, knees, waist. I never did go to the Dr. for these symptoms, simply because the symptoms went away after quitting Nuvaring. Some days I couldn't even sit still because of the hip/pelvis joint pain. I thought I had carpal tunnel because I couldn't even grasp a cup or throw a dart.

Hair loss--I had some thick hair before Nuvaring. The only thing I can blame my hair loss on is Nuvaring.

I've been off of Nuvaring for 15 months now. Yes, it's convenient and affordable. But you can't put a price on a healthy life!

I was on Lipitor 20 mg also for about a year. During that time I experienced breathing problems and muscle aches. The Doctor told me to take Co Q10 which helped w/ the muscle aches. But I ended up cutting the pills in half, to help w/breathing a lot. When I told my my Doc that-she said go back up to full dose, I tried for 3 days and was so short of breath I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs.
I stopped and went out and got a $129 heart scan instead. The insurance co. won't pay for it, but the 129 will be made up in three months of not buying this horrid pill. I've since rec. two letters from Lipitor saying they noticed I'm not taking my pills as prescribed.....nice

I had surgery in August, 2006 for Endometriosis, and a Lupron injection 2 wks later. That one injection changed my life. Even though it was a year and a half ago, I'm still feeling the effects. Which is what brought me to this site -- I'm searching for an answer.

These were/are my symptoms:

-- I experienced immediate and increasing hot flashes that lasted for nearly 6 mos.

-- Extreme fatigue and the "activativation" of Epstein Barr Virus. I started sleeping 18-20 hrs/day and lost my career job because of it.

-- Cognitive dysfunction, memory loss, loss of concentration, etc.

-- Blurred vision (and I have otherwise perfect vision!)

-- To date, I have gained 40 lbs that will not budge no matter what my diet!

-- I have severe muscle weakness and burning (such as if I go up a
flight of stairs). Muscle atrophy and stiffness.

-- My joints (hips, knees, feet) hurt and I have a lot of back pain.

-- I have TMJ quite badly and it causes my arms to go numb.

Last year my doctor ordered a hair analysis for heavy metal poisoning -- and my levels were off the charts. I've read that Lupron is suspended in thimerosol, or mercury, and that raises a host of issues that I'd like to research, if anyone has info on that.

Today, I am doing much better in terms of being out of bed and active, but I am unable to lose the weight, despite an organic, all natural, gluten/dairy/sugar/corn/soy/caffeine/etc. free diet! My belly is always bloated and big.

I am really active, but I tire easily and still haven't been able to get over that "hump", as it were, and really exert myself. Before my surgery and the Lupron and the EBV, I was an avid dancer. It is my passion and I can hardly do it at all now. I cannot swim a full lap in a pool without my leg muscles burning.

I have read of some people having good experiences with Lupron, but I have read far more horrifying ones. Part of me doesn't want to accept that Lupron is the cause of what I'm experiencing...could it really be that simple? And part of me is happy to shed the burden of guilt that "I must just not be trying hard enough" in exchange for an outside cause. I guess research and knowledge is the best medicine in this case. =}

I am a 41 year old male that has BP averaging 140/90 and spikes that were extremely hi 190/125 (which landed me in th ER). Lisinopril 10MG was prescribed last Friday. My BP came down immediately yesterday 111/75 today 109/69. That is the only good thing. I have a headache, dizziness, feel disoriented, had urges to urinate and nothing would happen. Yesterday while trying to walk, wash my trailer, or even chew a piece of gum whatever muscle I was using became soar immediately. They felt as if I had run a marathon or something. Today after one flight of stairs to get to my office I was short of breath and my leg muscles hurt. I had to go lay down at lunch because this stuff makes me so tired. It is like I have been poisoned. As I'm typing my fingers hurt and the metal taste in my mouth has me thinking I want to trash this stuff. The doctor says they haven't herd of these side effects and and they said to cut the pill in half.

I am a 45 year old male. My bp at dr's office was 144/90. He prescribed Lisinopril 40 mg once a day and said come back in a month and see how I'm doing. I tried it and immediately experienced dizziness with headache and lack of energy, then later I noticed I was getting winded with little exertion along with fatique. I could hardly climb a flight of stairs with out resting. Also would get out of breath just talking to people. Isn't this a high dose to start with? I stopped after a few days and tried later with same symptoms. I am 5'8 155 pounds in fairly good health except for borderline high bp. Should I keep trying to take this med.....or reduce the dose?

I was just wondering...I've been weened off Prednisone the last month or so and today is my last pill. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
However, I've noticed that my joints hurt and my feet oh the pain. Is this normal. I feel like my muscles are weak. walking up a flight of stairs is painful. Anyone know how long this will last or if this is something I will have to live with.

I am a 48 year old male. Was placed on Zocor last year. Since the day I was placed on it, I have felt weak, no ambition, no drive, feel like a zombie. I eventually had pain in my legs so severe that I had to take Hydrocodone so I could sleep. The skin on my thumbs and two first fingers peels off. I haven't had a good nights sleep since the second day I was on this crap. I haven't been taking it since June and still have a lot of problems. I still am very weak, no energy, tired all the time, skin is still peeling off my fingers, can't think, can't keep a straight thought. I have pretty severe pain in my hips that started when I was on Zocor. Also, my knees are very weak, and they pop every time I get up. At the time I stopped taking it, I was unable to make it up a flight of stairs.
My doctor constantly denied any link between any of this and the Zocor, but amazingly, after I stopped taking it, some of the symptoms reduced. I still suffer from many.
I was a small business owner with 7 employees and have since lost everything. I have been unable to find a job now for almost a year. The doctors are all "programmed" to think and tell you that these are good for you.

I am an asthmatic and with Diovan, my asthma is worse. I was well controlled on Singulair but now I have to constantly use my rescue inhaler of Albuterol which raises the blood pressure that Diovan supposedly drops. I was a runner but I can not longer run. I can't walk more that one flight of stairs without shortness of breath.

I just started taking Topamax about 2 1/2 months ago -- am up to 50 mg now, and had hit 75 when the side effects became so bad that I went online and discovered that my neurologists had been pretty lax with their advice. They told me that Top. was "a great drug for migraines" and that I might "lose a few pounds," and have "some memory issues at first" but that was it. I believed them and so didn't research further.

20 pounds later (I HAD been on a diet, and thought I lost the weight myself) I started experiencing sore throat in the morning and stomach pain (acid from Topamax). I thought I had appendicitus. So I hit the boards. Weight loss was from theTopamax (and my diet coup goes out the window) Appendicitus --probably not. Oh, also I can't be relied on to remember words or sentences or thought structure; or how to move thoughts into words. And it's not like the words are on the tip of my tongue, etiher. They are gone, as if they never existed. The oddest thing! Professional hell. Hair has yet to fall out. I'm going to have to wean myself off, I suppose, and get ready to ream out the neurologists. If I can remember their names or where they practice....

Hi. I just wanted to let everyone know what has happened since I stopped taking Yasmin 4 days ago. (I only took it for 2 months.) I'm still having heart palpitations, feeling of a lump in my chest, and still a bit dizzy at times. My ears kind of feel like when I'm on an airplane coming in for a landing when the dizziness comes around. I'm also still having an occasional urge to cough. I still have shortness of breath and it's very noticeable when I'm talking and saying a long sentence. I thought the symptoms would really decrease but it seems to come and go. I feel the palpitations more frequently during the evening hours. I don't know why that is though. All of this makes it really hard to concentrate a work. I was reading one blog that said to take extra magnesium and zinc. Has anyone tried that and is it effective?

I am a 38 year old female and was put on Toprol XL for anxiety/rapid heart beat/stress. I have experienced weight gain, hair loss/thinning, tiredness, walking up/down a flight of stairs takes all the energy I've got and I need to sit and catch my breath, memory loss, loss of sex drive, gas/bloating problems, lack of activity due to fatigue. After I began reading these comments I can't believe that all the symptoms I'm having is due to this medication. As I was reading everything was coming back to me and I kept saying to myself, "That's exactly how I feel!" Just like most of these people! I'm not alone! Thank God for these posts! I'm going to stop taking this medication, gradually of course. I'll have to deal w/my anxiety/stress in other ways.....Prayer!

I'm 31 and a recovered cancer patient (in remission since 2001). I've been trough it all. Surgery, chemo, radiation, BMT's, you name it. I currently suffer from three separate sleep disorders, as well as hypothyroidism. As you can imagine, I've grown to become very in tune with my body. And, having gone through everything I have over the years, and having taken all kinds of medications, I have never experienced such dissatisfaction and such a high level of negative side-effects as I have with Toprol XL.

My primary care doctor, who is also a cardiologist, put me on Toprol XL to treat an elevated heart rate -- as a result of all my past health issues, my auto-regulatory system is, as he puts is, “just messed-up now.” He started me on 50 mg a day. Immediately, I experienced trouble breathing: I woke one night and felt as though I was drowning. Over the course of about 8 months, he's lowered my dose to 12.5 mg a day. And, for a while, that seemed to be OK. But, recently, the trouble breathing has returned.

I'm at a point now where I'm afraid to go to sleep -- the moment I lie down, I find myself gasping for air. All day long, I have a constant wheezing. I can't go up a flight of stairs without needing to sit down and catch my breath -- I feel as though I'm about to faint from loss of air. I spend most of my day with a sensation of being suffocated. I cough frequently, but it gives me no relief.

I have noticed other side effects. Notable is the weight gain. I've never in my life weighed more than 145 lbs. I’m 163 now. I was blaming the weight gain on the thyroid, but I'm on a fairly high dose of that medication, and I've yet to experience any loss of weight. I'm gaining, despite only eating one meal a day. I attribute this weight to the Toprol.

Also, I have been experiencing moments of extreme anxiety -- this is very unusual for me. I also want to say that never once during all my dealings with cancer did I ever experience depression, and that right there should give you an indication of what type of person I am. Yet, now, since being on the Toprol XL, I find I lack the energy and desire to do much of anything anymore.

My doctor seems very quick to dismiss my concerns, telling me, "you need to give this medication a chance." I think 8 months of my life is enough -- I have lost all patience with this medication, and I'm just about losing it with him, as well. I didn't survive cancer and all the other complications that came with it just to have my life brought to a total standstill by a single medication. This is so infuriating.

I'm making an appointment to speak with my doctor right away. If he continues to insist I stay on Toprol XL and ignore my concerns, I will tell him I no longer feel comfortable with having him as my primary care physician. I want my life back.

My main problem with Lisinopril is the coughing. Coughing, coughing. coughing. I will be fine for 2 to 3 hours and then start with this awful cough. People will actually turn away from me if I am out shopping and a cough begins. I presume they believe it is contagious. Sometimes I end up vomiting and I cannot catch my breath. Coughing at night is really a problem because of lack of sleep. Doctors believe my cough is due to allergies because I have post nasal drip. However, none of the medications they have given me stop the coughing. I never had this problem until I began taking Lisinopril. Lisinopril is my first Blood Pressure medication.

I have been taking Lamictal for just over a year. Some of the side effects have been noticable for a few months, but others seem to just be appearing and getting worse. I have loss of balance and coordination, my vision is gettng worse, I have a hard time concentrating and finding the right words, I forget how to spell common words, I have short-term memory loss and feel spacey. I can always figure it out, but it takes longer. I began doing Pilates every day about 3 months ago and still cannot get the routine down and it is just as hard for my muscles as it was in the beginning. I can't seem to lose weight and have horrible acne on my face. I had 2 seizures before beginning Lamictal and am suppose to be on it for 2 years before trying to go off. Without insurance though, I am unable to do follow-ups w/ my neurologist and she seems unconcerned and unsypathetic to my situation, not giving me the time of day. She never even told me all of these side effects could develop, much less that they might begin long after I started taking Lamictal. Has anyone had these side effects after having taken the Lamictal for so long then stopped taking the Lamictal? Will these side effects go away after I stop taking it??

I just started the Nuvaring 4 days ago. For the first two days I was wicked paranoid and believed my boyfriend was cheating on me. I didn't think much of the paranoia at first as I have had similar problems with other birth control products.

Now however, I have woken up the past two days with a crippling migraine, extreme dizziness and shortness of breath. I can't even walk up a flight of stairs without getting dizzy and winded. I keep in pretty good shape but the past four days I have felt like total crap. In addition, I have been having intestinal troubles with everything that I eat and my hunger has actually decreased. I have to force myself to eat and then I feel nauseated afterwards.

I don't know if this is from the Nuvaring or if it's psychosomatic, but after reading all the testimonials here I am wondering if I should just take myself off of the ring. It's only been a few days so hopefully it won't cause any major side effects.

My grandma had told me about a cough she had had for sometime - completely unrelated but she told me she went to the doctor and told them she was tired of coughing. SO - I have been on Lisinopril for 3 1/2 years and have a had a eprsistent dry cough the whole time. I also have allergies so I had chalked it up to that the whole time. I went to the doctor last Friday and told them I wanted help with my "allergies" as I was tired of coughing - intermittent - dry - 8-10 times a day with a post nasal drip to follow - waking me up at night and socially embarrassing. The nurse linked it to the Lisinopril but said it is usually only a side effect for those with asthma. The doctor came in and ultimately switched me to Atenolol. In a mere 3 days my cough of 3 1/2 years has all but gone. I have had only one fit since then! I was also experience extreme windedness with the slightest exertions - i.e walking up hill or up a flight of stairs which I had also chalked up to the "allergies" - I have also noticed that is all but gone as well. I had no idea this was all linked to the Lisinopril! Thank God for my grandma who was tired of her own cough too, which encouraged me to seek help for mine. I feel so much better.

I have been on toprol xl for 3 months and am weaning myself off of it against my doctors wishes. I can feel it damaging my heart. Now I havetrouble climbing one flight of stairs without my heart rate increases like it will jump from my chest. I am very frightened because I could exercise before I got on this medicine and now I can't. I will not go back on it for any reason.

After 2+ years on Topamax for migranes (25 mg am/pm) I started to have shortness of breath. Couldn't even walk a flight of stairs, and I am distance walker in great shape. After lot's of tests Dr.'s said it couldn't be a side effect since I had been on it so long. They were WRONG!. Quit and now a week later I am about back to normal. After quiting also feel no neck/back pain. Irritability gone also. I hope my migranes don't come back. So far no problem. But the side effects are worse than the migranes. Especially the SHORTNESS OF BREATH!

I took Advair for almost 5 years and just recently decided the side effects just weren't worth it. With each year on Advair I developed more side effects. I knew I had to try some other medication and as the FDA put more and more warnings on Advair, I decided it was time to make my move.
Within the first 3 months of taking Advair I began having terrible muscle cramps in my calves which bothered me at rest, so it started taking longer and longer for me to fall asleep due to this pain. Serevent can deplete your body's level of potassium which these cramps are the result. What my doctor told me. I lived with these cramps b/c I thought the benefits of Advair outweighed this side effect. I was wrong. As the yrs went by these cramps got worse and worse and then the other side effects started showing up.
Advair had always made me hyper and increased my anxiety but the problem just started getting worse and worse. By last fall, I had horrible overbreathing like panting from any exertion even climbing a flight of stairs. My asthma was never that bad before.
I also developed a fast and irregular heartbeat, seemed to skip a beat and had hand tremors.
I recently started taking Asmanex and haven't ever felt better. My muscle cramps went away after 3 days off Advair and slowly the other symptoms went away as well.

I have been taking Lipitor for 3 years; I started having problems with my finger and thumb on my left hand. I passed it off as arthritis. Not being aware of the side effects of Lipitor. Then I started having numbness in my finger tips. My Dr said it could be a pinched nerve in my neck. However, tests are expensive with no insurance, so I bypassed the MRI. In the last 6 months I have been getting weaker in my legs, I can hardly walk a block without my legs starting to shake. Yesterday I was at work and went to walk down a flight of stairs and almost fell. I had to do a lot of walking and my knees started giving out on me. I was so embarrassed. I had to stop and rest, and let the rest go on. My husband saw a Lipitor commercial and heard the side effects one being Muscle weakness. I have stopped Lipitor affective today. I will be sending my Dr an e-mail immediately after this to let her know I am discontinuing Lipitor. I am afraid of what I have done to meself. I just hope I can get my health back.