Glaucoma symptoms and conditions

Started taking xalatan 3 month ago. I have very poor sleep and was wondering if xalatan had something to do with it? Also dry eyes, more than before I started taking xalatan. Also my vision is more blurred than before. And my eyesight is diminished some. But I think one should ask the question: "Maybe my psycological situation is also effecting me". If you get glaucoma and start with eyedrops, it could also make you think: "I am really having a problem", and then you start to sleep bad i.e.

So happy to find this site. I never noticed My son never had an eye tick until last month, ironically we started giving him Singular on a daily basis about the same time. My son just turned two and is has also been waking up screaming 3 times every night. Have others reported this same problem...also he is on Pulmicort too, have you read that it is linked to Glaucoma and Cataracts? Do you think that this could be causing the tick? Please HELP! I want a parent's opinion before bringing this up to the doctor...they are so quick to jump to more drugs it makes me sick! Thank you! Any other children with eye "ticks" like really quick consecutive blinks?

4 yr. old son on Albuterol and Pulmicort for asthma triggered by allergies and colds. He is off of both during the summer, once he goes on the medication for the allergy season he experiences mood swings, violent tantrums, is confrontational, basically his personality changes. We have tried reducing the dose and cutting out one medication or the other with the same effect, the symptoms persist. We feel we have no choice because of the severe asthma attacks.

Am in my second month of taking Metoprolol to control atrial fibrillation. Have been increasingly dealing with disturbingly vivid dream, headaches, slight nausea, abdominal discomfort and overall achiness. What is an alternative med to treat atrial fibrillation? I have glaucoma and a cardiac pacemaker for complete heart block. All suggestions welcomed. I'd like to dump the Metroprolol but appreciate that since starting to take it, I've had no problems with fibrillation (which my pacemaker isn't designed to control).

Very bad back pain from the waist up after being on it for three weeks. It took five days to go away after I stopped the Xalatan. I had narrow angle glaucoma which was zapped. It is now two years later and I can see just fine without taking any meds. I would never take it again

Thank you so much for your website. I cannot begin to tell you what this drug has done to ruin my life.

I had been on it for over 4 years on a misdiagnoses (Never should have been on it) and was told
“It was no worse than Tylenol.” Ok I thought as I was suffering from a few swollen joints every
now and then but was fine otherwise.

Then one day I was working and someone noticed my face was swelling. I looked in the mirror and
low and behold my face was rubbing my glasses. I asked my doctor and he said “it will go away soon.”
I am very athletic so I continued to run and work out as I slowly went from a 30” waist to a 50” inch waist!!
People at my office thought I was on a food binge like no other. My wife was stunned on how fast this
happened as was my family. Now the problem had gotten much worse. Constant body aches and swollen ankles.
After a year I went from jogging, to walking, to using a cane to using a walker…how sad my family felt
for me and no friends insight. my company then laid me off as I used the walls as a walker and simply could
“perform up to par.”

Next came the extremely high sugar, blood pressure, Glaucoma and I suddenly noticed I was having problems
seeing. Went to the eye doctor and was told I was getting cataracts but it would take a couple of years to form.
90 days later I could not drive and could barely see in both eyes, now I was almost blind.
Now 80lbs overweight almost blind with Glaucoma, high blood pressure, diabetes and cataracts. not to mention severe depression and mood swings that were unbearable, and yes still using a walker from severe muscle pain.

Well the time came where I lost my health insurance and was unemployed. I was out of Prednisone
one day and called my doctor. He said come in for $320.00. I said I didn’t have it and pleaded for them to call
in a 30 day supply, I was told that they “weren’t a charity” and “go to the emergency room” click!! My wonderful
doc was gone. Well I went to the emergency room the next day and was told “they don’t give refills.” I had been
off prednisone for a day and as some people know if you stop that high of dose for that long you may die from
adrenal crisis. So I stood in the emergency room for 12 hours waiting to go into this crisis! Finally a nurse convinced
a doctor to see me for 30 seconds, gave me a refill and a list of welfare clinics and booted me out the door. They
hated my appearance and hated me for no cash.

One day I decided to end this nonsense and tread everything I could from sources I hadn’t read that were very old
regarding what was wrong with me. I went on self imposed diet of 1000 calories a day and lost 60 lbs…yes!!
I stated weaning from the Prednisone and took a ton of supplements I had read about. I got down to 7.5mg every
other day. Yes, suffering tremendous total body aches, severe mood swings, dizziness, severe hunger and
confusion but I plowed though. By the way I don’t recommend this but I couldn’t get a refill for a prescription from anyone
because I ‘had made to much money.” So I turned to the Internet for everything. I bought 500 5mgs for $23.00 screw the doctors I don’t need their prescriptions. I am now totally off for 6 weeks I do have some bad stiffness, muscle aches and mood swings but after 4 years of pure hell I am truly thankful to be off this dangerous drug, it ruined my life.

So I went to a new Doctor finally and my diagnoses was a food allergy and simply had a small stint of bursitis a total mis- diagnoses from my first Doctor! Doctors aren’t gods so take it from me trust yourself first and do your research.

My prayers to all who suffer from this drug. Damn the incompetent doctors who wrongly prescribe it!

Dan

PS Does anyone know how long these severe body aches last after completely stopping. Its been 6 weeks and its just a little better. My doctor told me to fight it out or get back on pred. NO WAY!!

Thank you so much for your website. I cannot begin to tell you what this drug has done to ruin my life.

I had been on it for over 4 years on a misdiagnoses (Never should have been on it) and was told
“It was no worse than Tylenol.” Ok I thought as I was suffering from a few swollen joints every
now and then but was fine otherwise.

Then one day I was working and someone noticed my face was swelling. I looked in the mirror and
low and behold my face was rubbing my glasses. I asked my doctor and he said “it will go away soon.”
I am very athletic so I continued to run and work out as I slowly went from a 30” waist to a 50” inch waist!!
People at my office thought I was on a food binge like no other. My wife was stunned on how fast this
happened as was my family. Now the problem had gotten much worse. Constant body aches and swollen ankles.
After a year I went from jogging, to walking, to using a cane to using a walker…how sad my family felt
for me and no friends insight. my company then laid me off as I used the walls as a walker and simply could
“perform up to par.”

Next came the extremely high sugar, blood pressure, Glaucoma and I suddenly noticed I was having problems
seeing. Went to the eye doctor and was told I was getting cataracts but it would take a couple of years to form.
90 days later I could not drive and could barely see in both eyes, now I was almost blind.
Now 80lbs overweight almost blind with Glaucoma, high blood pressure, diabetes and cataracts. not to mention severe depression and mood swings that were unbearable, and yes still using a walker from severe muscle pain.

Well the time came where I lost my health insurance and was unemployed. I was out of Prednisone
one day and called my doctor. He said come in for $320.00. I said I didn’t have it and pleaded for them to call
in a 30 day supply, I was told that they “weren’t a charity” and “go to the emergency room” click!! My wonderful
doc was gone. Well I went to the emergency room the next day and was told “they don’t give refills.” I had been
off prednisone for a day and as some people know if you stop that high of dose for that long you may die from
adrenal crisis. So I stood in the emergency room for 12 hours waiting to go into this crisis! Finally a nurse convinced
a doctor to see me for 30 seconds, gave me a refill and a list of welfare clinics and booted me out the door. They
hated my appearance and hated me for no cash.

One day I decided to end this nonsense and tread everything I could from sources I hadn’t read that were very old
regarding what was wrong with me. I went on self imposed diet of 1000 calories a day and lost 60 lbs…yes!!
I stated weaning from the Prednisone and took a ton of supplements I had read about. I got down to 7.5mg every
other day. Yes, suffering tremendous total body aches, severe mood swings, dizziness, severe hunger and
confusion but I plowed though. By the way I don’t recommend this but I couldn’t get a refill for a prescription from anyone
because I ‘had made to much money.” So I turned to the Internet for everything. I bought 500 5mgs for $23.00 screw the doctors I don’t need their prescriptions. I am now totally off for 6 weeks I do have some bad stiffness, muscle aches and mood swings but after 4 years of pure hell I am truly thankful to be off this dangerous drug, it ruined my life.

So I went to a new Doctor finally and my diagnoses was a food allergy and simply had a small stint of bursitis a total mis- diagnoses from my first Doctor! Doctors aren’t gods so take it from me trust yourself first and do your research.

My prayers to all who suffer from this drug. Damn the incompetent doctors who wrongly prescribe it!

Dan V

Unfortunately my lawyer told me that they do not want to take our case because of the lack of evidence that Singulair has caused our daughters problems. :(

Does anyone out there have a pending class action lawsuit that We may be able to get in on? I have tons of proof that Singulair has caused our daughters problems and loss of almost 5 years of her elementary school career!

My phone number is *** and my email is ****** if You email me please put "Singulair" in Your subject line so I know it pertains to this posting.

Thank You in advance,
Chuck & Brenda
Jamestown New York

I am so glad that I found this site. I was put on Toprol in January and Just recentky i have panic attacks, chest tightness,tingling and numbing sensations in hands and feet, and i am deperessed. I also have some difficulty breathing. My Dr. told me that I am depressed and these side effects are from depression and not the medication so she gave me Zoloft, which I am not taking. I am not crazy i know that my symptoms are from the meds. i am going to wean myself off and pray i can be "normal" again. This is the worst time of my life and I pray that I can do this.

I have been taking Advair 500/50 for about two years ( I am now 60 years old,) to help control my allergy related asthma (that only presented itself when I had to take steroid eye drops for glaucoma.) While I had the hoarseness, dry mouth and occasional mouth sores, they seemed livable compared to uncontrolled asthma.

One morning about a month ago, when I was taking my normal AM puff, I suddenly felt as though a giant sledge hammer banged down on my head - pounding me into the floor - almost losing consciousness. Then, I experienced pounding, racing heart that felt as though it might jump out of my chest. I turned white and gray - my family and I thought I was having a heart attack.

I was terrified to take another puff - thinking it might be my last. Two days went by, when, I decided to experiment by taking a very light puff, barely taking any into my lungs. (I had been further scared by warning about suddenly going off steroids.) My doctor was out of the country and no one wanted the liability of advising me.

One hesitant puff of Advair caused the exact same pounding - heart jumping and racing reaction. I decided right then that I did not need further evidence to "pound into my head" that Advair was now toxic for me.

The odd thing is that my doctor seems to discount my experience by saying I am the only person this has ever happened to (implying there must be something wrong with me!) When I asked about the dangers and appropriate process for suddenly stopping steroids, she pooh-poohed my concern saying there are no side effects from inhalers with steroids. (Several nurses recently told me that was not necessarily true. Who knows what to believe!)

I have stopped Spiriva and Advair and have scheduled an appointment with a doctor and nurse practitioner who use diet, exercise and nutritional supplements to help treat asthma. A friend has gone to them for several years and is now off all asthma medication, has lost about 50 pounds, has improved health and looks 10 years younger! I can only hope this works for me!

I am also writing Advair manufacturer with my experience;copies to FDA. I can only wonder if there are others as 'rare' as me? If so, let it be known. thanks

I

I've been on Topamax about a month now for nerve pain. It really hasn't helped my pain much, but the side effects have been incredible. I've worked up to 150mg and have had side effects from the beginning. Unfortunately, I haven't lost weight, which I need to do and the Doctor said it was probably because I don't drink sodas.

Here are the side effects I've had:
memory loss, "can't find the right word", confusion, difficulty breathing, eyes burning when looking at computer and tv, trouble reading & spelling, slower movements, dry mouth and ears vibrating.

I forgot to fill my prescription and it's a Sunday morning, so I am cutting my dosage in half. I hope decreasing so rapidly doesn't cause any kind of reaction and I will have to see how I feel as to whether or not I continue at the lower dose. I probably will. My husband does not like me on this drug. It makes me quite stupid and slow, and it doesn't even help my pain.

The eye pain is what worries me the most. My Doctor warned me about glaucoma. I don't want to take a chance and over the last week or so my eyes have started hurting more and more.

Good luck to everyone.

I was prescribed Topamax with Wellbutrin in combination by a Psychiatrist to aid with an eating disorder. He told me how this was an "off-label" use of the drug and warned me about side effects like the tingling hands and feet, but assured me that drinking plenty of water and making sure that I get enough Potassium in my diet would be enough. He never once mentioned anything about my eyes.
When I picked up the medication, the Pharmacist went over the information and asked if I had questions. He did not once say anything about my eyes, vision, or glaucoma.
I started with 25mg on Dec 18, 2007 and went up to 50mg on Jan 9th, 2008. On Jan 26th, anytime I would stand up from a sitting position, I would get an intense pressure in my head, ears, and a very forceful pressure behind my eyes, and also rainbow circles popping up in my vision when I moved my eyes around. If I stood still and waited anywhere from 30seconds to 2minutes, the pressure would go away and I could function just fine until the next time I sat for more than 10-15minutes.
I called my Psychiatrist and he recommended that I drink more fluids and take a multi-vitamin. No mention of glaucoma.
The next day (yesterday), the same "head rush" was happening only it lasted longer and felt like a mini-migraine. I started looking online and WOW, there is info everywhere about the side effects.
I did not take the Topamax last night and this afternoon I have an appointment to see my eye doctor. I will also be looking for a new Psychiatrist. The way doctors are bribed to push meds is frightening.
The drug combo he prescribed really did help the way he said it would, but I would never have risked my eyesight!!!!!

I was on Topamax for 10 days with a few minor side effects but nothing serious enough to quit it. My husband and I went to the library about 6pm. I am 46 and never wore corrective lenses but was noticing that the shelves farther away were blurry, I didn't worry too much since I had been having ongoing thyroid problems and figured my eyes were swelling (though that normally happened only in the mornings). By the time we got home and were sitting down to dinner I noticed that when standing in the kitchen the people in the other room were completely blurry. By 11 pm I could only see clearly within 18 inches of my face.

I awoke at 2 am with a severe headache and almost complete blurriness, I had to hold the pill bottle very close to my eye to be sure it was correct and even then could not be sure. My husband gave me the meds and I went back to sleep. I didn't wake up until 1pm!!! When I awoke all light was painfully bright and I could see NOTHING clearly! I was rushed to the hospital and was diagnosed with acute angle-closure glaucoma caused by TOPAMAX!!!

Thankfully the docs were able to reverse the symptoms but said one more day I would have been permanently blind. My eyesight has never returned fully, though I can function just fine and do not feel depressed about it.

Please, be very careful on Topamax. The stuff is dangerous to many people though a life-saver for so many others. Also, may I suggest to those with the tingling that you get your calcium levels checked as this is a classic symptom of low calcium. I just wonder how Topamax affects the other body systems, such as the adrenal and parathyroids.

I have only been on Topamax for a couple of weeks now and it seems I've had every side effect known to man. It is not a boring drug. I've had all the ones you hear about--the fuzzy tingling/numbness in my feet and fingers, stomach cramps/nausea/disinterest in food that comes and goes, and sleeplessness. Sometimes I get this bizarre, creeping sensation that a hair is on this one part of my nose and I can't get it off, a bad weighted, heavy, weak feeling that comes over me about an hour or two after I take the pill, some dizzy moments and even some balance issues. I've had insane cotton mouth since taking the pill and just the last several days my eyes have been so dry it feels like tiny shop vacs are attached to my eye balls. I'm relieved this is maybe a common symptom because I had not read that one and I'm overly paranoid about my eyes because my doctor scared me to death talking about all of the potential rare side effects, such as glaucoma. I have no idea how to know whether what I am feeling is an early symptom of glaucoma versus dry eyes but I believe it is simply dry eyes. It seems logical is you have cotton mouth you'd have dry eyes. Does anyone know how common this is and does anyone have a great drop?

After using Topamax for a week and two days for migraine prevention, I pretty much went blind. I went from having 20/20 vision to -6 in a matter of hours. I was diagnosed with Acute Induced Myopia, a "rare" side effect of topiate drugs. It was prehaps one of the most frightening experiences of my life. While this side effect is widely documented online and in numerous neurolical and other health journals, my neurologist failed to mention the possibility to me. From what I've learned, this is a fairly common, yet reversible side effect, and is found mostly in women ranging in age from 25-50, if topamax isn't stopped immediately, it can result in permanent glaucoma. In 2001 the World Health Organization released a warning describing this side effect and urged medical professionals to discuss it with their clients prior to taking the drug. Apparently my neurolgist missed that memo. Now, three days later my vision has returned to 20/20- much to the surprise of my new opthamologist (never needed one before). I urge everyone who takes Topamax to pay very careful attention to their vision and stop taking the drug if any decrease in vision or blurrieness occurs. I'd hate to see anyone cause themselves permanent damage.

I am a 19-year-old female pre-med student who has been taking this nasty drug for exacly 1 year now.... The amount I am on continues to change, for my disease keeps returning and leaving remission. I finally get down to 10mg from 40mg, and have to go back up when symptoms return!!! This is SO discouraging. The worst part is, no one understands the physical and emotional agony this drug brings on. I'm 19 and feel like I'm 90. My body aches, my weight is constantly fluctuating, I bruise from simply being poked (being a clumsy person, I look like I am beat!!), my bones feel as if they are about to break, and I am SEVERELY despressed. Being in college and taking rigorous classes, this is just too much for me to handle anymore... My 5-year relationship with the love of my life/best friend is falling apart because of my horrible mood swings.. don't blame him for leaving. I feel as if this drug has ruined my life more than the disease itself...Does ANYONE know if one's body and mind returns to "normal" after FINALLY being off this drug??? I pray to God the answer is yes... I would appreciate someone's reply and/or insight, because my Dr. fails to tell me about ANY side effects until I mention something. PLEASE REPLY!!!

I am so glad to read all of this information. I am a 40 year old female. I have suffered 2 PEs. I have varied from being on 10 mg of warfarin to 25 mg a day. This is the first time I got to go 1 month between INR checks. I'm on 11 mg/day with INR of 2.1. I am having SEVERE recurrent headaches, sleepless nights, feeling tired all the time, and problems with my memory. Drs tell me they don't know what this is from and there are no side effects to warfarin. I have a vena cava filter in and I'm on the medicine for the rest of my life. Glad to hear I'm not losing my mind (just having horrible side effects regardless of what the doctors say!)

You know, it's very irritating when people post "STAY AWAY FROM THIS OR THAT" etc ... just because *they* or someone they know had a problem with it. I've been on Topamax for about 4 months now - up to 300mg/per day, only side effect is the metabolic acidosis if I overexert in the heat (which is damn annoying) - I haven't yet reached tharaputic levels because the weight-loss hasn't kicked in, so I'm liable to get close to the 800mg per day dosage. All this AND I'm prone to kidney stones to begin with! So please stop all the screaming about how freaking dangerous it is just because it didn't work for YOU, hell, pennicillin KILLS people too but you don't hear people screaming about how terrible it is, do you?

Hi
Am based in Uk,and am 47 yrs old.Was prescribed the wonder drug just before xmas 2006 for muscle inflamation.
Boy.............did i experience the worst xmas ever........was on 40mg (8 tablets a day).....besides making me hyper (where normally i can chill out) this drug made me feel i was losing it.I would have constant panic attacks,where at times i needed to get out of where ever i was and go for a long walk (which didn`t help my muscle inflamation).Felt very claustraphopbic.....everything looked dark.Lost sleep and had mood swings so far out of character that far from being the rational business man i once was i became a dithering wreck.Started having problems with my vision after 7 days and found out that the medicine induced glaucoma.
see what i mean by a great xmas!!!!!!!!!
Have been off the Drugs now for 2 weeks but still having problems with the sleep.Eye pressure back to normal and thankfully starting to regain my sanity back.No longer that hyper but still having mild panic attacks and still can not really sit and chill like i used to.My sleeping pattern is probably 3hrs a night so i am hoping that gets back to normal......... with a help of a few beers (before that is stopped)
New doctors wants to put me back on,but on a lower dose.............never.........have to look at alternatives
sunil

56 y/o female recently diagnosed as bi-polarI with dissociative features. Dr. started me out on the standrd regimen of 25 mgs. per day and today went up to 50 mgs. per day. The Dr. says that I will have to go up to 22 mgs per day. The change from 25 mgs to 50 has been noticeable. Today, I felt grumpy and miserable. She also put me pn abilify which made me eat like a termite and which titrated myself off of after 2 weeks. I probably gained at least ten pounds on that stuff. I have also been experiencing increasinly worsening vision which is of extreme concern for me since I had two episodes of narrow glaucoma using zyban/wellbutrin and have lost a good deal of my central visiual acuituity as well as a lot of peripheral vision. I abslutely do not want to lose anymore vision. I am already at the point of considering that driving may be dangerous. Two years ago I was in Mexico and used HGH. Human Growth Hormone and I felt better tha I had felt in years at the time I was taking Lexapro...was able to go off it entirely. I plan to go back to Mexico soon and will get more HGH and see how it works with the Lamictal and if it doesn't work well then the Lamical will have to go...I have yet to know anybody who has been able to maintain cconsistently on any one drug regomen with bi-polar disorder...perhaps it's because so many of usgo off the meds because of the miserable side efects.

After 10 days of using prednisone 10mg a day a have bad eye pain and headache. I would like to quit , I am 65 years old. I dont want to get glaucoma. Doctor prescribed because of rosecea.

I have ulcerative colitis and have been on and off Prednisone for 3 years. Usually about 40 milligrams and tapering. I always noticed sensitive teeth and leaky leg veins/ swelling and discolored. That was all really. Then in April this year, during a bad flare, was put on 120 milligrams (accident by Dr or Pharmacist) for two weeks then 80 mg for several weeks then 60 until I could get on Remicade and finally get off the stuff in August. I gained 30 lbs while on a strict no sugar, specific carb diet, from size 12-18, moon face, triple chin, hump on back, big stretchmarks under my arms, fallen uterus and bladder now needing surgery, lost my voice, glaucoma and cataracts, cholesterol went from 189 to 318, leg and hand cramps daily and nightly, now am experiencing intense joint pain in every joint of my body. My legs and ankles swelled up terribly and now I have to wear support hose constantly. Since getting off Prenisone in mid August til now mid October, my face and neck have been returning to normal, friends mentioned last night my face looked more normal (I was hating seeing myself in the mirror or a picture). My teeth are terribly sensitive, even room temperature wine (acid?), hot or cold.

My daughterinlaw started on it 2 weeks ago and now has blurred vision. They're telling her she has glaucoma now.

right eye nina to the right looks; like white skni tissue is enlarging could this be glaucoma?

I had to take a urinalysis test for a new job, the test came back positive for marijuana, I called my family doctor, she advised me that the Diamox (acetazolamide) caused this results, I'm trying to still get this job. I have glaucoma on my left eye and it so severe that I have to take 2 pills a day and 3 times the eye drops. I recommend all of you out there that take this medication and are working in a place where you take random testing, to advise your employer or site of testing about this medication. '