Fluid retention symptoms and conditions

Severe peripheral lower extremity edema with increased fluid retention in cellular tissues, so far I'm up to 12 pounds of fluid retained in my body.

My mother took lisinopril and she developed the persistent cough many experience. It was so severe that she went to the ER. While she was there, they told her she had fluid retention in both lungs and didn't link this drug to the fluid retention. Instead, they told her to get a biopsy for the possibility of lung cancer. More money in their pockets for tests and biopsies? Definitely!
I definitely see the link between the drug and the cough and the fluids in her lungs. Now,she's not on that medication but she is still dealing with side effects and I feel that all these medications they tell her to take are just making her worse. Has anyone just stopped all the conventional medications of high blood pressure and perused alternative treatments with success? I'm hopeful to find out what options i have that can cure her situation instead of leaving her at the same hopeless stage of dealing with terrible side effects.

How interesting that I find this information out now. I had my third child at 39 in 2005 and have always suffered from bad periods. I was talked into having a mirena inserted and thats where my story begins. I was told that I would have spot bleeding for about 3 months - after 9 months of continual periods I was well and truly over it as was my partner. I went to my gp who order an ultra sound. This showed it had moved and was sitting sideways and would have to be surgically removed. The side effects were herendous for me and still are after having it taken out two years ago. Not only did I have my periods for 10 months non stop, I had continual nausea, migraines (which I had suffered previously but not to the extent I was having them), massive weight gain, fluid retention, the worst pms which was constant and so so aggressive towards everyone I came in contact with. My sex drive went out the door and my relationship started to fail. My hair also started to fall out in handfuls and still does to this day and my skin was always so dry. I was also constantly tired and had very little energy. Two years ago I went in to to have the mirena surgically removed and at that time I also had an oblation and my tubes tied. The oblation worked for about 6 months but my periods are worse than they have ever been and thats because now Im told Im pre-menopausal!!! I still have the occasional migraine, my hair still falls out in handfuls and my skin is still really dry. My sex drive is starting to come back (thank god). I thought all these crazy symptoms would go away once this horrible mirena was taken out but it seems they're here to stay. I now see a psychologist every week trying to get my aggression back under control which is working well. I wish I had known about all these symptoms prior to having the mirena - I might still be with my partner instead of being single. My advise to anyone wanting permanent contraception - get your tubes tied and stay right away from mirena.

i have been on the nuvaring for about five years, at the start before i put it in had sever acne and fluid retention, i started on the NR and i did get nausea and breast/nipple tenderness the week i put it in for about three months then i loved it, skin came good and the weight came off. in the last maybe year or two i have been had these problems, anxiety, heart palpitation, diarrhea like IBS symptoms with cramps and pelvic pain, bladder pain, stomach upsets, dizziness and yeast infections continuously, also the total loss of libido like im a dead fish!
i have since decided to go off it, im a week off it now and i have had spotting and some dark brown bleeding, bloated, aching muscles and pelvic area, nausea, and sleeplessness with a raised heart rate at rest. the main problem at the moment is the tiredness, i just cant do anything! im struggling to get out a bed and even when i do i feel lik im falling asleep and my body and limbs are lik rocks..
i hope this doesn't last long its taken over my life!

I have lost an ovary to ovarian cysts and was put reluctantly on Yasmin to save the other ovary.

Since going on Yasmin my hair loss, PMS, skin have all improved and I get no more large cysts but still a lot of pain in the ovary which radiates down the leg and across my back.

However, today I went to my GP regarding a bill payment and he just routinely took my blood pressure which was 160/98, I've been sent home with a heart monitoring machine and given urine and blood tests (still awaiting results). Six months ago, just before going on Yasmin it was fine. I now have a suspected issue with my kidneys and have very dark urine, hot flashes and fluid retention.

I'm now officially off this drug as from today but the doctors are pushing Yasmin and claim it's the only drug that will work for my hormone imbalance. If there is an alternative to Yasmin (combined pill) for my hormone imbalance I would be only to glad to know about it as doctors keep telling me how wonderful Yasmin is.

I have been on the NuvaRing for my 3rd month now. I seriously just went into the bathroom and took it out! I have been having some intense anxiety, and I swear my hair has been thinning out, and feeling depressed. Not to mention I've been gaining weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I looked at the NuvaRing website and seriously I have experienced almost every single symptom. I have not felt like my normal happy go lucky self the past 3 months and was wondering if it was just me. Now I know it's just the nuvaring. I also experienced extreme extreme headaches. My head feels like it will explode, for hours on end. The only way to get rid of those headaches is to sleep. Also I have never been so chubby in my life, I've always had a nice stomach and now it's getting flabby.... like seriously.... this is not even worth it. I'm so glad that I read this website and that everyone is experiencing the same problems with this as I am. I think I'm going to just stick to condoms bcuz that's going to be so much healthier for me! Too bad if my hubby doesn't like it.... I just can't take all these crazy changes... or else I'm going to go crazy! I've also been kind of crazy like totally filled with anxiety or feelings or resentment. Sex kills with the nuvaring! It hurts so bad. I'm not sure why, but it burns like heck. I've also felt fluid retention, big time! And my legs are super achey. Does anyone else have achey legs? And oh my gosh, my boobs hurt so much from the hormones NR injects into me. I feel like their getting like too big. Also over the past three months I haven't had any appetite, which would make you think that you would loose weight... right? WRONG! I have actually been gaining weight! So dumb! Take my advice and don't go on the NuvaRing, it's a waste of your time... and your life. Your life will change when you go on it, and you won't recognize it at first... but believe me, it will. I've also experienced the brown discharge for the first month, and changes in my menstrual cycle. & on my honeymoon I got a yeast infection bcuz the NuvaRing!!!!!!!!! That was pretty much the worst!

I had Mirena inserted about 3 months ago and have been consistently gaining weight since then. I initially wrote it off as anything else besides this drug because the pamphlet is very clear that weight gain is not a side effect and I talked to 2 gyns and they insisted the same thing. So I had my thyroid checked and started eating better and increased my exercising, I am a personal trainer so I already do these things pretty intensely, but I have stepped it up to slow the weight gain. I am up 8 pounds in three months which makes me crazy. Yet I am hesitant to get it out since it was so insanely expensive and not knowing for sure that it is the mirena. So any of you who have had it removed could you comment on if your excess weight that you did put on has come off or not. Besides this frustration, I have loved it, but it makes it difficult to build my business as a personal trainer if I am gaining weight.

Was in the hospital receiving IV and inhaled steroids for breathing problems. Sent home with 10mg prednisone twice a day. It was even worse. ---puffy face, no sleep,and extreme weakness in my thighs--hard to even walk up stairs. Had a CAT scan of my lungs and my dr. was alarmed---said for a 112 pound woman,my stomach was the size of an obese person! now I'm going to have a stomach emptying test to see if that or the steroids is the problem.

I don't have any of the side-effects that are mentioned. The drug is designed to reduce blood pressure and heart rate. If you do not exercise or are over weight, your days are already numbered if you have had a heart attack. A persons has to exercise appropriately and get their heart back into shape or they will remain unhealthy. One person mentioned that their BP was 129/142. That is a very high BP. Yes it reduces you ability to do the same rigorous exercise. Reducing the drug (breaking it in half), taking it after your evening meal helped me. The pronounced effect is for about 8 hours after taking the drug. Taking it at about 5-7:00 PM or right before you go to bed works well, because it reduced your Heart rate and BP. Taking it in the morning after taking coffee is a mess-up. A number of drugs should not be taken when you want you most energy. The lingering effects are reduced. Certainly everyone is affected differently. I am 59, I have my heart attack at 56. The exercise, weight loss, and salt reduction are very important for anyone. Fluid retention increases blood pressure. If you are on Lisinopril and eat a lot of salty seasoned foods, your body will not react normally and you will feel terrible and have the combined effects of excess sodium on the systems in the body, especially nerve responses. I can not explain the coughing and gagging. I have GERD and keep it under control with Acidifex; however, after loosing about 10 pounds, (I weight 187 at 5'11'') I do not seem to need the drug.

Stop taking the drug and you may die, taking drugs off the market because a few people have problems is stupid. More people have died from tobacco and excess alcohol than all acidents, wars, murder, and the like, and we have done very little in comparison to deep pocket drug companies.
I understand how the drug works and how it doe3s not work. If you don't do what the doctors says....everything, especially dieting properly, exercising, and reducing stress,

I am a 43 year old with two children (18 & 21 years), happily married for the past 23 years. I had a Mirena inserted in April 2007 following a year or so of extreme pain, irregular bleeding etc etc. Polops discovered as a result of testing etc which I was told could be the cause of my problems. Gyno suggested Mirena as a new treatment plus removal of polops, decided to give it a go,
Now in June 2009, I still have spotting (sometimes bleeding) 2 - 3 weeks of every month, incredible tiredness, aching, headaches, sore joints, bouts of depression (we call it sadness) for no reason, reduced sex drive (sometimes zero), difficulty concentrating, some memory loss (may be aging), spots have appeared on my face, bloating, increased fluid retention and my breasts have gone up 2 sizes (along with my clothes).
Before Mirena I had lost 80lbs and attending gym everyday (running up to 11klms per day), in the past 2 years I have gradually gained 30lbs with no diet change (although lately I have given up and eat too much) and I only go to gym when I am feeling guilty.

I have had many appointments with my doctor with countless blood tests all apparently normal. I think my doctor thinks I am nuts (hypochondriac). No longer know what to do!!
My husband has made an appointment to see about having a vasectomy (we don't want any more children) so I can have the Mirena removed.
Would love to know which countries other women are from? I am in Australia.

PS forgot to mention I often feel sick and describe my condition as "never actually feeling 100% on any given day".

Thank you so much for all your posts guys!! I just googled Mirena side effects today just trying to check ANYTHING that would explain my recent experiences. I sat her bawling while calling my doctor to insist it's removed immediately.

I had it inserted in December after having baby #3 in October. I finally got my girl after 2 boys and a few miscarriages and wasn't certain what to expect. I am only 25 and didn't want something permanent or really any drugs put into me on a consistent basis. When the doctor pushed Mirena I happily said okay! Sounded like a god send. I have extremely high blood pressure and his strong sale point would be that it would remove the need for meds. Liar! My regular doctor flipped out when she found that he had removed me and of course, I went back on meds a few weeks after having it inserted, after 4 readings 200+/110+... amazing he didn't cause me a stroke. That should have been red flag #1 but I figured it was just an error in judgment on his part.

I felt no pain with it going in and didn't cramp at all.. spotted for a few hours then it was over.. My first cycle lasted 2 1/2 weeks and the next started a week later.. All side effects I was warned of so didn't really concern myself.

I started having phantom kicks (uterus contractions) and stabbing labor pains back in February which I figure was it doing its job trying to get my system on track. I had numbness and pain down my left side and would constantly find myself hunched over in pain.. The bleeding had slowed down so much that I was so grateful and just kept popping pain pills like candy hoping it would go away soon.

These last few days have been a flu from hell. Can't leave bed, can't speak, constantly throwing up, loose stools followed by extreme constipation, achy muscle tingling skin.. you name it!! Went to the bathroom earlier and when I wiped, had a small bout of black blood.. Old blood that sometimes you will find at the end of your cycle! I checked the calendar and had indeed finally skipped a cycle.. The cramps and pains have been there as though I was going to start, but no bleeding for a week now.. So apparently to skip a cycle I'm going to be bed ridden with the flu.. I have a 5 year old, a 2 year old and a 7 month old who can't have mommy sick. This has been hell..

I too have experienced
terrible headaches, stomach pains, DEPRESSION, short fused tantrums, sitting and crying for hours on end, no passion for life, numbness of limbs, tingling skin, sinus infections, yeast infections, temporary blindness and now spots in my eyes which aren't regaining vision, 5 months ago I dyed my hair and it came out by the chunks, now that the dye is gone, I'm still losing hair and have bawling spots which I blamed on the dye.. Now I wonder..I also look like I'm about 6 months pregnant and people keep asking.. I HATE IT!! its been devastating to my self esteem. I lost so much weight after my boys so I blamed the weight gain on having a girl.. Now I wonder about that too.. The weight is only about 10 pounds but ALL in my belly..

I wonder so much..

I got about 5 posts into this horrified before I called to insist it will come out.. I have to wait 4 weeks.. but I can't wait to find me again.. I'm gonna just stick with condoms until I get my body back.

Thank you so much for speaking out on this.. I know the doctor is going to insist that it's not to blame.. but I now know better.. Thank you so much for helping me find answers.

I had a several small PEs in my right lung 2 weeks after cosmetic surgery. I just turned 37, run every day and in great shape. I was put on both lovenox shots for 5 days and Coumadin for 6 months. After 6 weeks the side effects with Coumadin were so severe (weight gain 14 pounds in 6 weeks, joint pain, tiredness, hair loss) that I took myself off cold turkey and started on NATTOKINASE. I am doing great! I would recommend searching the natural approach like Nattokinase, vitamin E, cayenne pepper, etc. I have stopped gaining the weight and it's starting to come off. All of my other side effects went away too. I've been off 4 weeks now. All of the doctors were mad and scared me when I went off of Coumadin. I had to do my own research and listen to my body.

On less than a week of Medrol Dosepak 4mg, swollen glands under jaw/chin area, neck, back and sides pain (fluid retention). Did not finish dose pac (left 3 or 4 tabs without taking). Increased appetite!!!, weight gain of 6-7 lbs! (in less than a week), dull headaches, increasing to a migraine even after not taking them for 3-5 days! Depression, tears flow out for no apparent reason at all. If any natural alternative med did a quarter of what this one does, the FDA would be shutting them down gestapo style in no time.

Yasmin has been great in fixing up my acne problems. I have not gained any weight but my mood swings are atrocious! I feel like I am in a dark tunnel at least once a month (around the sugar pill time), I keep spotting brown mucus. This just started in the last fortnight. I will go a day or so with no problems then it starts again. I am going to the doctor on Monday to find out what is going on. I am getting married in one month's time and I dread to think of my honeymoon night! Spotting brown goo! But I don't want my skin to break out. I went on the Yasmin because of the fact it has a mild diuretic in it which helps me because I have fluid retention issues at times. Has anyone else experienced spotting on and off?? I also have a lot of leg cramps and back ache on a regular basis!! Thank you!

I've known several individuals that have been on prednisone and they changed their diet to counter the side effects of "moon" face & weight gain. In short this is what they did: males, reduce caloric intake to 1500 cal/day by eating five 300-calorie meals a day (every 4 hrs), limiting carbohydrate intake to 30g "net" carbs per day, and limiting sodium intake to 500mg per day. Females, reduce caloric intake to 1200 cal/day by eating four 300-calorie meals per day, limit carb intake to 30g "net" carbs per day, and reduce sodium intake to 500 mg/day. The idea behind the diet is that the frequent small meals will fight off hunger and weight gain while limiting sodium will counter fluid retention.

I have been on Toprol XR generic brand metoprolol since February 2008. No side effects originally. My blood pressure wasn't extremely high but enough that I needed something. Just recently, my BP has sky rocketed. Dr. upped med from 25 mg per day to 50 mg per day. In the last month, I have put on 18 pounds. I am lethargic, not sleeping well at all. Mostly 2 hours a night. I don't have nightmares, just can't sleep. I want off this drug. It isn't controlling my bp anyway. I have a doctor's appt. in a few days. I don't look forward to the withdrawals but it has to be better than the alternative and staying on it. I am afraid of CHF. My legs, hands and face are swollen from fluid retention. I have pitting edema in my legs. I am not having trouble breathing but I don't want that to happen before I decide to go off of it. The website has helped me to realize it is the meds and not me. Thanks for the support.

I was put on PredniSONE for my asthma. On day two of taking it I started to feel really awful. I couldn't lay down, sit down or stand without feeling like I was going to explode. So hubby took me to emergency. My blood pressure was sky high. 201 over 90, they put me on a fluid retention iv drip. I had retained way to much fluid and it made my blood pressure go skyhigh.

Topamax may help some people, but for me it is poison and I've tried it twice! This second time around I tried it longer and went to higher dose. I'll just list the bad side effects that I had this time, although I had some of the same the first time. By the way, I took it for migraines. The first time a couple of years ago I was on 25 mg a day. Then, this time decided to try again since migraines were so bad thought I would give it another chance. I went from 25 mg to 100 mg a day slowly increasing as directed. The side effects started occurring right after the first couple of days, numbness in my hands, jaw area. Then sometimes numbness in my feet. Started to feel bloated in my stomach, waistband on pants a little tighter, and also noticed a little fluid retention in my fingers and ankles. I would forget a word here and there, or when typing, type the wrong word. Eventually it got so bad that I would sit there and think to myself, ok I know this is the right word but should I actually say it or type it? Friends thought I was in a bad mood when I wasn't. I would get very very quiet and I didn't want to leave the house. Thank goodness my husband was understanding. We knew it was the drug. And we knew I would stop taking it! Sometimes my back and sides would ache which is unusually for me, and I drank a lot of water. I lost my appetite completely but still did not lose weight at all like others say they do, if anything I think I gained in fluid retention. The skin on my ears started to burn and itch, then the skin on my face started to itch. I felt nauseous almost every day. I also felt like I was completely encased in cement, this is about the only way I can describe it. You just do not feel like yourself at all. You have that foggy brain feeling people mention. You know you don't feel like your normal self, but you feel so lousy you almost don't care. It's a scary feeling. This was all in one month, I figured I had given it a chance but that was it. Even with the warnings about seizures I quit taking it immediately. I would rather have migraines than have all of those side effects. Also I wonder what is it doing to your other vital organs if it can have those effects? For those who do not experience any of this, I'm glad, but I have to say very surprised.

I had mirena inserted today and I feel awful. The pain was worse then labor, and I had drug free labor and births. My husband literally had to carry from the car to the house. I wish I would have found this site before today. Do any of you know if I can have it removed as soon as tomorrow? After reading all the horrible experiences, I am to paranoid to keep it in. Thanks for any input.

I have been on 5mg of Lisinopril for about four years now. I have the cough everyone talks about. It can start as a dry cough and come from nowhere but often I know it is coming as I can hear the rattle in my chest. If I have just eaten and it comes on I often end up being sick. I have this awful clear (totally colorless and odorless) mucus that comes up. It is horrible, it is so hard to cough to clear it without being sick and I make horrid noises. If anyone is around me they all look at me with horrified expressions on their faces. My Bp is now under control since I now also take a water tablet too, but I still get horrid fluid retention around my ankles and on top of my feet and have to go to doctors now as the pain on top of my left foot is stopping me from walking - the only exercise I do, and what keeps me alive I guess) and the cough is not occasionally anymore, I get it daily. I don't cough all of the time, and it mostly gets me in the morning when I awake, but I know it is a side effect and getting worse. I guess I am putting off going to doc because I hate the thought of having o come of the drug and try something else as my BP is reading a lovely 123/79 most of the time, which is great!

I have been on prednisone on and off most of my life. I have sysyemic lupus and many other medical diagnosis--but I had a svere rash all over that didn't respond to PO steroids--even high doses--100 mg a day. I saw my dermatologist and she said the Kenalog wud clear it right up--not once did she mention ANY side effects. Now, I know me--and how I respond to medications. While on prednisone--I have to take sleeping pills, and anti-anxiety agents or I become truly psychotic. But I am telling you what--I have NEVER had such a psychotic--nervous reaction to anything. I was like a different person and taking 10 mg of valium, ambien and resperdal did NOTHING to combat theanxiety and psychosis caused by the kenalog---not sure if its metabolized differently than the PO steroids but I truly could not sit still for days after getting the injection. But I am telling ya--IT WORKED!!! In about 72 hours this horrific psoriasis looking rash was drying up and disappearing. I had no problem with it leaving a mark in my buttocks either--I just checked to make sure--but--this is a miracle medication--but the side effects are HORIYFYING!!!!!! iN FACT, i HAVE THE RASH BACK--MY pcp THINKS ITS FROM LUPUS AND ONCE AGAIN THE PO STEROIDA SRE DOING NOTHING--SO i AM GOING BACK TO THE DERMATOLOGIST TO GET ANOTHER SHOT--BUT WILL DEFIANTLY GET A PRESCRIPTION FOR xanax, valium AND ANYTHING TO MAKE ME SLEEP AND NOT GET THE PSYCHOSIS.Oh---it does causeyou to gain weight---I gained close to 25 pounds in 10 days and have yet to lose it. and I have been on steroids most of my life and not gained that much--EVER!!!!! And LASIX does nothing for the fluid retention and swelling. MY heart felt as tho it was gonna beat out of my chest--and my heart rate and blood pressure went sky high--and I am on caridzem 120, and toprol for HBP. If you can tolerate the side effects--than this medication will treat whatever ails ya!!!

P03.16
Idiosyncratic Reaction to Mirena IUS A Cause for Early Removal - Case Report
Sivarajan, S; Aung, SN; Haloob, R
Basildon University Hospital, UK
Background: The discontinuation rate for mirena IUS was around 40%. The common
causes for premature removal were excessive bleeding, spotting, infection and pain.
We all are aware of less systemic effects compared to other progestational agents, We
would like to highlight the importance of exaggerated minerolocorticoid activity in the
form of increased fluid retention and electrolyte changes with spontaneous changes in
weight and generalized edema following mirena IUS which result in early removal.
In our two cases, we highlight the exacerbation of well documented side effects of
progesterone which leads to premature removal of MIRENA IUS.
In my first case,Twenty four hours after insertion of mirena IUS she noticed ankle
swelling, 48 hours later swelling involved the whole lower limb and worse over the
following few days.In addition to heavy vaginal bleeding.At the end of the first week,
she put on weight three quarters of a stone (10.5 lb).Mirena was removed at surgery
after 8 days of insertion and she developed continuous diuresis and profuse sweating
within 24hrs of removal her weight went down by 7lbs.
In the second case ,following mirena IUS insertion Three months later her periods
improved a lot , but she suffered considerable weight gain(7lb) and mood swings. So
she decided to have her mirena removed and opted for Novasure ablation.
Conclusion: Although abdominal pain,peripheral oedema,nervousness are well
documented side effects of Mirena,we couldn’t find in literature of fulminant oedema
and water retention after 24 hours of Mirena insertion. This profound acute side effects
might be due to acute idiosyncratic immune reaction of to progesterone

(extracted from:
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Thank you, Mo, for finding this info on the net!

Claudia

I'm feeling really scared now because I've had the Mirena, well 2 of them, in for around 8 years. In all that time I've experienced really debilitating back problems and I thought at one point i would end up in a wheelchair. I just didn't connect it to the mirena even though my back problems worsened after having it fitted. I've also developed swollen ankles and fluid retention generally. Over the last three years I've had migraines and throughout I've been irrational and impossible for two weeks around my period.
My skin is awful now and seems to have lost most of it's elasticity.

I am finally booked to have this thing removed but I fear it could be too late to reverse much of the damage. I'm sure that skeletally my back is just too messed up. My skin hangs now like a 60 year olds because of the excess weight I'm carrying but if I could just get some energy back I'd be so happy.

I'm 23 and I got prescribed Yasmin because I have PCOS, where I only got my period every 3-9 months (very irregular) where I suffered severe period pain and my period would go for about 8 days. The doctor thought regulating my period would decrease the pain, which it did. My period is around 3-4 days, very light and no pain since starting Yasmin. But I have had migraines weekly, constant headaches, usually starting with my vision going blurry and seeing flashing white light. I also lost my appetite for the first month, but have gained weight. I was going to the gym and exercising everyday and now I have no motivation to exercise at all, but feel bloated ALL the time. I have had trouble sleeping since taking it. I suffered from depression and anxiety attacks about 2 years ago, but since taking Yasmin I have been feeling very depressed and had several anxiety attacks, although the anxiety has only started after being on it for 4 months. After having another migraine this week and having to leave work for teh second time in 2 weeks, I decided I was going to stop taking it. (I had also had 3 anxiety attacks this week) since stopping I have instantly felt relaxed, no anxiety, and I no longer feel depressed.

After suffering all of this for 4 months, 8 day periods and 4 days of being in pain doesn't seem so bad. The depression and Anxiety is the scaries part as I haven't experienced it for so long, and don't want to!

Does anyone know how long it takes to be fully out of your system? I just want to get back to normal weight, moods, energy levels etc as soon as possible!