General practioner symptoms and conditions

I have only tried the pill a couple of times in my life and the side effects were too much for me to handle. My OB suggested the nuvaring. I've been on it for a year and a half and I'm glad I found this sight. I've experienced the 2 week heavy periods, fatigue, weight gain, the headaches, I had unexplained swelling in my groin area, severe depression and anxiety (which my doctor dismissed as she stated she never heard of anxiety being associated with the ring). I'm glad that I'm not the only one. I'm getting married in November and plan to stop using it then. My general practioner put me on prozac because the anxiety got so bad. I'm lucky that my fiance is a patient and loving person and that this craziness hasn't driven him away.

Dosage: 10 mg/day-swelling of affected foot and ankle, heart arrhythmia, skin rash, sensation of skin burning, exhaustion, falling asleep in the middle of a task at noon. Originally prescribed by a general practioner after a hemorrhagic stroke in order to lower BP. A neurologist recommended doubling the dosage. I discontinued lisinopril (also had to discontinue toprol prior to being put on lisinopril because of extremely low pulse rate - under 40 bpm). I use no drugs and am using low sodium, high fiber diet to lose weight and control BP.

I am a 30 year old female. I was prescribed Advair in January when I had maxed out the dosage for Azmacort (which I had been on for close to six years) and was on my second dosage of prednisone. At that time, I could not walk across the room without getting winded. I spent most of my days wrapped up in a blanket in my rocking chair. My general practioner referred me to a pulmonary specialist as he wasn't sure what to do with me. The pulmonary specialist is the one who prescribed the Advair.
The dosage I was prescribed was 500/50. I immediately cited the "increase of asthma-related death" and was told the study was flawed. I can't recall the name of the study, but I did read through it and it wasn't a well-thought out study. So I gave it a chance. I did not read the side effects flyer because I wanted to give the medication a fair chance.
My breathing immediately got better, but I've put on 25 lbs since starting the medication (had to go out and buy new pants and tops). I've also experienced nosebleeds. Sometimes I can feel them start and sometimes I can't. It's a little nervewracking because I don't know if I'm going to have one in public. I've had a lot of weird dreams over the last six months that I didn't think to be a side effect of the drug... now I'm beginning to wonder.
Another thing I have experienced since starting the drug is random blinding headaches that leave me sensitive to light. I'll go to work and have to decrease my computer monitor brightness and turn down the lights.
As a result of the weight gain, I have been watching what I eat. I've increased fruit and vegetable intake, reduced the amount of high fructose corn syrup I ingest. In all, I'm probably treating my body better than I ever did. Unfortunately, the weight has not come off.
My pulmonary specialist has brushed off any of these concerns that I have raised.

A nightmare drug. Very good at bringing my cholesterol down to 145, which for me was a record low since my first test BUT.........

From right shoulder pain to major tennis elbow pain, to cramped feet to tingling knees, to swelling ankles and cramped two fingers on my right hand it was a virtual nightmare. And, when I think back to the 1980's and my 'fun' with Zocor, it now becomes apparent that it was my reaction to statins that created all the problems.

1. DON'T DO WHAT I DID!!!! I didn't call my general practioner, who prescribed the Vytorin to me, and let her now. I went through neurologists, orthopedic surgeons and lots of physical therapy, $10,000s worth of special tests and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. My GP said she should always be contacted first no matter what the problem is. Mistake #1.

2. I didn't read any of the prescription printouts that comes with medication. I was lazy, I guess. It screams about the muscular side affects.

3. All the specialists/doctors I went to knew what medications I was on. Yet none of them 'got it.' Scary.

Getting up in the morning was the most difficult time. The more exercise I did, the better. Walk eight miles, great. Bike 27 miles, great. But fly five hours, bad. Obviously not sports injury types of muscle pain.

After three weeks off Vytorin about 92.67% fixed. Been tested for the enzyme side effects; no problems.

Good luck!

I have now been off Lipitor for 3 weeks and am feeling less fatigue and my hips and thighs are not hurting as much. Still pain when walking up stairs. I ask my General Practioner for a CPK test (muscle test). My Cardiologist did not agree with me that Lipitor was causing my hip and thigh pain and weakness. Sure enough the test came back slightly elevated. Because of a heart attack, my doctor wanted me on a statin drug. I tried 2 with the same results. My liver test always came back good so that is all He cared about. Now I have some muscle wasting. I'm not sure if that can be corrected but whatever I will never take Lipitor again.