Flu like symptoms and conditions

I started taking 20mg of Simvastatin on 10/17 due to high cholesterol. Five days later I came home from work feeling very tired and fell asleep. I woke up feeling severe flu like aches and pains in places I didn't know could hurt and then got the chills. I stayed home from work the next day and it's a good thing I did. I awoke with a severe cramp in my upper right thigh. I have always been prone to calf cramps so wasn't too concerned. However I stopped the meds on 10/22. This continued on a daily basis and I went to the dr on 10/27. I had an x-ray done which showed a bulging disc and some uncushioned discs. She put me back on the meds BUT with a COq10 am and pm and cut the pill in half. Do you think she knew it could be from the med? I foolishly restarted and by 11/4 took myself back off, had an MRI and such severe nerve pain in my right leg that I thought I would die. It was a bolt of lightening starting at my upper thigh and coming out the bottom of my foot. It felt like a hot poker running down my leg. The episodes were on a daily basis, would come every two hours, and could last as long as 45 minutes with no relief. I am now going for pain management and had an epidural a week ago which got rid of the nerve pain but I am still numb down my right leg to my right ankle. I have been healthy for years and feel that this was all brought on by Simvastatin. Any idiot can figure out that your nerves are running through your muscles. I am angry to think that this could have caused me permanent damage.

I have had COPD for years and treated with daily prednisone and Foradil but I wanted to come off prednisone so used Symbicort and Spiriva and was doing good until a new doctor put me on Advair 250/50 and my body went to h... I had terrible bronchitis with hacking cough for 5weeks, noise when on exhaling, severe leg pain, blurred vision, flu like symptoms and harder to breathe. Came off off Advair and felt better the next day. Saw another doc who yelled at me for stopping it but by the weekend I couldn't walk 5feet and this was using my oxygen machine. Stopped Advair and saw my regular doc so I'm back to my original meds and recovering. Yes, I think doctors get a kick-back and yes, there should be a class action suit.
Everyone......take charge of your own body!!!!!!

I was prescribed medrol by my GP due to an ongoing rash that needed to get under control. I believe I had the 40mg dose/wein pack. The first two days I felt as though I were on speed. Day 2 at the grocery store I stopped to take my blood pressure because I was sure my heart was racing out of my chest. Thankfully, it wasn't and happened to be palpitations that I was having. I had hot flashes where my face and chest would get red like a sunburn. There were the sweats and the leg weakness/soreness. I did have sporadic headaches but, nothing a Tylenol wouldn't alleviate thank goodness. I've read here that numerous people had very bad headaches. My last day on the meds I started to experience the fatigue. Today is my first full day off and I certainly felt flu like. Sporadic lightheadedness, weakness and fatigue that would all come and go throughout my workday along with sporadic energy. I'm glad that I found this site so at least I know that this is normal and will subside in a few days. Other side effects I experienced were worsening of my post nasal drip along with a funny taste in my mouth, mood swings, insomnia, hyperactivity and muscle aches.

I was taking Ultracet for about 3 months for arthritis in my shoulder--usually 2 to 4 pills a day. The pills gave me a pleasant feeling and did help with the pain, but they definitely can become addicting. Be careful if you ever want to stop taking them--withdrawal effects are not pleasant! I had a delay in getting a prescription refilled which resulted in my stopping the pills abruptly for about 3 days. On the second day, I had flu-like chills, sweating, restless leg syndrome at night (the worst!) and a general feeling of uneasiness. That was enough for me--bye bye Ultracet.

Tearful within hours of inserting the ring. Since, a constant sense of dread; dark thoughts, foggy, sluggish thinking, no motivation (and I'm a go-getter in a highly competitive profession), contact lens intolerance/changes in vision, vaginal dryness (UGH!!) irritability, fatigue, flu-like aches and pains with chills from time to time. Puffy like the Michelin Man. Yuck. Just threw the damned thing in the trash and couldn't be happier. Paragard, here I come. No more synthetic hormones for me. I quit.

A constant sense of dread; dark thoughts, foggy, sluggish thinking, no motivation (and I'm a go-getter in a highly competitive profession), contact lens intolerance/changes in vision, vaginal dryness (UGH!!) irritability, fatigue, flu-like aches and pains with chills from time to time. Puffy like the Michelin Man. Yuck. Just threw the damned thing in the trash and couldn't be happier. Paragard, here I come. No more synthetic hormones for me. I quit.

I got the Mirena inserted about 5 weeks after having my baby and have had hell ever since! Almost immediately after having it inserted I had a feeling like something was in my vagina, kind of like feeling a tampon in there so it was tough to get the thing off my mind. I also started having panic attacks about something being in my body (the Mirena) and it freaking me out. After only 2 days of this I had enough, I could tell my body was telling me this wasn't right. I had it put in on Mon the 3rd of this month and taken out on the 5th! I felt great until Thu morning (the 6th). I got flu like symptoms that hit hard. Nausea, no appetite, diarrhea, which soon led to weakness, tiredness, and off and on anxiety also bleeding like a period. I was so ill that I could not care for my kids (the new baby and a 3year old) only lie in bed miserable while others cared for my children. I made a Dr. appointment the next day and she said it was just the flu so to eat when I can and call on Mon if I still felt sick.
On Mon I still felt sick, I went back to the Dr. and this time she ordered blood tests and thought it may be from the IUD but could not confirm and had never heard of effects like this before from the IUD. She said to just keep doing what I was doing. The sickness lasted until the following Wed then let up although there was still some depression/anxiety feelings on occasion then all of the sudden on Sunday night I got nausea again and have been "sick" again ever since. This whole time (except the 3 or 4 days I felt OK in there) I have not really been able to eat much and have lost 11 pounds- not healthy! I have also had to pass off my kids to others to have them cared for while I can't which is totally depressing in its self. My husband is at his wits end with me pretty much disabled for no apparent reason so it is certainly putting a strain on our marriage too. I know my friends and family have tried to help as much as they can but I also know they are getting tired of the situation too. ANYONE ELSE HAS THIS EXPERIENCE? HOW LONG BEFORE I GO BACK TO BEING NORMAL??? I just really want my life back and of course I would never recommend the Mirena to anyone and if I could go back in time and not get it I SO would!!!

It seems that everyone is having similar symptoms. I have been on Doxy for about 14 days now and I'm feeling worse every day. I am on it because i had been bitten by a tick and contracted Lyme disease. I don't know much about the disease but it has me freaked out. I started taking the antibiotic 2 weeks after being bitten; losing my balance and almost falling to the ground. I also had a couple of dizzy spells after eating. I seemed to feel a little bit better the first week of taking it but started feeling the side effects. It started out with the occasional dizzy spell then came the exhaustion, anxiety, depression, lower back aches, soreness in the back of my eyes, stiff neck, headache in the back of my head, flu like shivers, racing heart, and complete body aches. I also found out the hard way not to go out into the sun while on Doxy. Felt like the tops of my hands were being pricked with a million needles and burning. I wish I could stop taking the drug and be done, but I am already scared about the outcome of the Lyme disease. I hope I can feel normal again soon.

Took Limbrel in the morning. Developed the sudden onset of violent chills at night with fever, body aches and nausea. Symptoms subsided over the next 24 hours or so. Assumed it was a regular flu-like viral illness. Took Limbrel again after a few days and the same thing happened. I thought it might be the Limbrel and the other comments posted convince me it was.

I've been taking Yaz for about a year and a half. I also take lexapro to help even out extreme mood swings I would get (2 weeks before my period). For a while, probably the first year, I just felt more tired, which I thought was because of the lexapro. In the past 6 months though, I have been getting a stomach flu type illness every month, 3 days after I start my new pack of pills. I also have a very sensitive stomach and get sick easily. I recently lost 5 pounds (from 125 to 120) without making any lifestyle changes. Also, this year I've had low iron levels, and noticed my stools are black from time to time. I went to the doctor today to have my blood checked and also submitted stool samples. Could this all be from Yaz? I have been getting the flu (or flu like illness) way too much this year, and my boyfriend never catches it from me. I am worried about going off the medication because the yaz and lexapro have really controlled my mood swings, and my skin gets much worse without birth control. I'm just worried something more serious is going on here. I am 26 and a healthy eater, so I don't understand all the stomach problems! Does anyone else have these issues? Especially after starting a pack of pills (I feel fine the week of my period)...

I'm in my 5th month of taking Yasmin, and in my 4th month I developed rashes on my face and all over my body. They look like inflamed skin with heads of pus, and very itchy. I first thought it was some severe skin reaction unrelated to the pill because I've taken bc before (ortho-tricyclen) for many years and that never happened. But after reading this forum, I think the cause is Yasmin. I've never had any skin issues like this before, and what's worse is that my immune system has been weakened and I got a bad flu-like illness with high fever in my 4th month of taking this pill. In fact, I'm experiencing my second rash reaction right now, and I'm in my 5th month. This time I'm heaving as well. I think I will stop this drug tonight. I'm so glad you are sharing your experiences on this forum because reading this helped me figure out why I've been so sick. From what I'm hearing, this drug is awful! Nobody should risk taking it because it is even worse than high dose pills, in my experience.

I have the same head and neck problems and I was thinking about a brain scan. I am switching to quinapril because my pharmacy doesn't carry metoprolol anymore. My head feels almost like it has a band around it and I am extremely tired all the time with nasal drainage and flu like pain in my muscles. I never had this when I was on Topril but I can't afford it. Thank you for relieving my anxiety.

I was diagnosed with pneumonia in Nov 2008. When I was released from the hospital, my doctor prescribed bactrim (2pills 3x daily).
After a short time I had noticed body aches and my legs and joints felt as if I had been hit with a bat.
The primary side effect was a rash like skin irritation all over my body.
What started as itchy red marks, began to dry up and my skin was flaky and hard (back, arms, chest, legs, stomach, neck, face and ears).
I was admitted back into the hospital.
The rash and itchiness cleared up. Yet, now my body is full discolored with dark blotches where the rash was (back, arms, chest, legs, stomach, neck and face).
I'm totally humiliated when I'm in public because the discoloration is clearly visible and it looks as if I have a disease.
In addition to that, I can't even wear most of my wardrobe anymore because I hate to expose my skin.
Looking at my before pics is a sad reminder that I've been scared for the rest of my life.
I've consulted an attorney who quickly told me that I had no legal recourse.

HA! And I just thought I was allergic to the crud. I was given Levaquin for head and chest congestion. The first dose of 10 days didn't seem to help. I felt so bad from what I had I didn't notice anything else wrong. So my doctor gave me a second round of it. One day before it was gone, I realized that flu like pain all over my body should not still be there, and was terrified to find I could barely swallow. My husband rushed me to the emergency clinic, and my doctor there told me I was allergic to it and going into anaphalactic shock and that I was lucky I didn't die. What I thought was me getting sicker from the sickness, was actually me getting deathly ill from the drug. My throat was beginning to close off. This is a deadly drug.

I was prescribed this medicine after having a cold/flu like symptom.Just to show you how powerful this medicine is all I took was my first dose (2 a day) and for the next 7days I have never been the same.I had to go to the ER 3 times, I vomited several times and passed out on one occasion, my blood pressure dropped, was given IV, could not sleep for several days thought I was going insane, did not feel safe by myself, sudden weakness, constant cold feet, diarrhea.Blood work showed nothing but I was given anti-anxiety medication to calm me down and make me sleep.Please take my advise NEVER EVER TAKE THIS MEDICATION IT SHOULD BE BANNED a good doctor should not prescribe this medicine

I was put on Bactrim for a UTI and was fine for the first couple pills but then developed flu like systems,headache,fever,painful joints throwing up and felt like crap. Then after a week of feeling like crap i had a red rash from head to toe front and back and stinging and itching at the same time. I am currently taking Benadryl to help with the rash and itch.

Flu-like symptom persisting over 3 months. Cough AND stuffy nose along with wheezing.

And this was a change from Lisinopril, which gave me more of a sore throat/cough but no other symptoms

Time for something else...

Hi, I'm a 24 year old mom of one. I got the Mirena in December of 08. Which was about two weeks ago. I haven't felt the same since. No Joke I have gained 7-8lbs since then. I also haven't stopped bleeding. And a foul oder has been added to it. I'm also having some serious chest pain, Feels like heartburn. But I know its not. I recently moved from the state that I had it put in. And now have to wait till my medical kicks in. I was told that this was the best birth control out there.. But found out thats its just an abortion over and over again. I'm a Christian women and have my beliefs on that subject. I feel sick all the time. Not like being pregnant.. Just flu like. And my poor child. I don't think I have ever lashed out on her the way I have been. Can anyone explain to me why my body is changing so much so fast. I was also told that there was NO hormone in this. Its just an unsafe place for sperm to be.

mood swings, short term memory loss, extreme sleepiness, edema, light flashes, constant ringing in ears that varies in tone, depression, stomach pain, flu like body ache, headaches, ear ache, continual nasal congestion, weight gain, constipation, dry & flaking skin & hair

Heart skipping beats, and fast heartbeat. All over flu like body ache, bloody sinuses, knee pain, eyesight not quite right. I didn't catch on at first, I thought I was close to a heart attack. First day off Januvia, none of these symptoms so far.

I am so glad that I found this site. I was beginning to feel like I was losing my mind. I have been on Yasmin for only 2 months but have been experiencing many of the side effects mentioned- fatigue, chest pain, irregular heartbeat, anxiety, dizziness, and flu-like symptoms. I had these same symptoms when I was on Yaz last year. I wound up going to the hospital for shortness of breath and chest pain. The doctor thought it may be blood clots, but after testing he diagnosed me with bronchitis and asthma (I am 26- never had either in my life). There is definitely something wrong with these pills. I do have anxiety and currently take Xanax. But I have not had panic attacks like this since I was on the pill last year. Sometimes I need to think about breathing to catch my breath and lately it had been hard for me to sleep because my heart is racing. My periods have been lighter and my migraines less severe, but it is not worth it to continue on Yasmin.

I have been on fentanyl for about 3 years because i have a lot of spinal problems and have had 3 surgeries and this is the most horrible drug I have ever taken or could imagine. It has been a nightmare. I have lost down to 93 lbs. I have agitation, cannot sleep am awake about every 2 hours and have very vivid dreams, memory problems,flu like symptoms, trouble breathing seems hard to get a good breath and lots of wheezing, bad depression, moody, agitated, sad, itching,skin rashes, feeling of just not being there, racing thoughts, burning skin, feel like I am going crazy, get very sick if I get too hot or exercise very much. The doctor said I finally had his attention and started slowly weaning me off of them

Hi there,
I took this medication for a supposed sinus infection, which after taking Azithromycin and than Doxy I have been really sick! I guess I had the flu and I panicked (because I am prone to sinus infections) and went on antibiotics without knowing for sure- after bloodwork and an x-ray there is no infection... so... after taking Doxy for 10 days I have been very exhausted-but mostly, flu like and muscle aches, its on day three after taking the last dose so I hope these muscle aches and tiredness goes away soon. I have noticed in the past that i get the same symptoms, like with Biaxin, and Cipro is really brutal... not to mention that I am allergic to Penicillin and Sulpha... so much fun lol

I took cipro 500 mg just this past thurs Sept 25/2008 only 3 pills. One thurs lunchtime, one that evening and then another fri lunchtime. By Friday morning I was starting to experience a sore throat and flu like pains.When it came to that evening my throat had red really red blisters and swollen glands. I didn't take that pill friday night. I stayed up all that night and at 4 am realized my sore throat and swelling had subsided. I called my pharmacy Sat. morning and told them what I had experienced. They said I did the right thing. I then had to contact my doctor to get another RX for my kidney infection. I have since had pain that hasn't went away. I have had a ultrasound on sept 9 and bloodwork on Oct 1 and a CT scan. All tests were ok. I was told just now on the phone to finish the new antibiotic and then 48 hrs later get another urine culture. I had to be given pain relief patches from the doctor.

I had my Mirena removed just this past Wednesday after suffering for 2 1/2 years with every single one of the symptoms all of you have complained of. Major weight gain and inability to lose any; acne; constant flu-like muscle aches; extreme irritablity; bloated; leg, face, hands & ankle edema; random nausea & dizziness; forgetfulness; cold intolerance; eczema on my hands; elevated blood pressure; hair loss ... I felt like a 90 year old 36 year old.

After endless complaining to a very dear friend (who is 42 and was researching BC because her doctor took her off of the pill) she had come across this forum as well as the few others like this and sent me the links. It never dawned on me that it could be the Mirena, so I made an appointment to have it removed.

So, I had it removed this past Wednesday ... just a slight twinge and it was out...nothing at all like having it inserted ... and feel better already. I started my period pretty much as soon as I got home from the doctor (hadn't had one in 1 1/2 years), although I've read some women take a few days/weeks to start up again ... and for the last couple of evenings I've had some pretty intense cramps (never had them before) ... but at least the bloat this time feels NORMAL for me for being on my period.

My doctor said it'll take probably 2-3 months to get back to normal as far as everything else is concerned, but she wasn't surprised at all of all of the symptoms I had being Mirena-related, especially when I'd told her that my periods stopped completely. It's my own guess that the 20% who stop bleeding altogether are the ones most sensitive to the hormone and will more than likely have the most problems from it. I figured for me, anyway, if something is too good to be true, it's because it is. *lol*

I'm just thankful my darling husband has been so supportive and has had no problem weathering out my storm, so to speak.

Good luck to all of you that are having problems ... and listen to your bodies. This might be the perfect alternative for some women, but everyone's body is different.