Grandma symptoms and conditions

I visited (accidentally) this web site a little over a year ago...it was a total blessing and, I feel, a life saver!!! Our grandson Trevor was totally out of control and talking about killing people and himself at the age of 4 yrs old.
One phone call away from calling a therapist, I saw this and we took him off the Singulair immediately. He has been 1000 times better and not depressed anymore. This is a totally true story and I'm so glad to spread the word. T***'s Grandma

I am deeply saddened to read all of these posts! I have a dear relative of mine who is suffering due to Lupron shots as you all are! Same symptoms same everything!

I did not know much of Lupron until she contacted me. My family knows that all my life I have struggled with health issues so they call on me for advice. It caused me to research Lupron for months. I am so glad it did, bc I was not aware that Lupron was so MUCH like Synarel was for me in my youth (I am 44 now).

I was prescribed this new unheard of Synarel for endo. It medical induced menopause-shrinking my uterus to the size of a walnut. I didn't care much about all that bc I was in pain w endo & cysts and was having way too many laps done. So I took this Synarel! You sniff 1 shot in 1 nostril am, and 1 shot in other nostril in pm. Suffice it to say that day built up and led me to 2002 where I had my oophorectomy-salpingo total hysterectomy.

I am in surgical menopause - and ladies so are you!! That is why all the terrible, terrible side effects! Losing hair, arthritis, hip fracture, hot flashes, insomnia, no libido, prolapse, etc. Just look at your mom, grandma, great grandma - you are experiencing their (age) symptoms. And doctor are saying that's a "normal" side effect of Lupron. Well of course it is your in Menopause!

THE GREAT NEWS is that there is help, answers, and health you just have to find it. I have been "finding" it since 2002 from all the resources I blog about and list on my blog (books, authors, doctors, pharmacies, websites, etc.). I am NOT a doctor just a woman who has been seeking answers to a life-long battle and who is FINALLY finding answers from those who have paved the way for me!

I would be honored if you would visit my blog and perhaps empower and arm yourself with the same information I have spent years researching!

I wish you all health, happiness and peace in these terribly difficult times you are going thru - there is light at the end of this tunnel - DON"T GIVE UP!

K.
******

I had a lap done last year in May and my doctor removed an adhesion that was hanging above my uterus. Also a fibroid (3 cm) was found in the muscle and is located right against my bladder. My doctor could not remove the fibroid because of its location and because of a risk that I might have scar tissue and could be a problem to get pregnant. He also said that I could have some other complications, like lose a lot of blood. I feel like he is not being straight with me. I also have ovarian cysts which is common in the women in my family. Since a teenager, I always had really bad cramps and heavy bleeding. As I got older, it became worse. Before I had the lap done, I bleed for 6 weeks straight. I was changing pads every 30 minutes. Then my stomach extended so far out that I looked pregnant. I could not sit or stand. My husband had to take me to the E.R. An ultrasound was done and found that my uterus was enlarged (9 cm). I was put on Nothridone to control the bleeding and to treat endometriosis. After taking 2 months of this drug my doctor did a vag lap and abdomen lap. Everything was good that is what he said. I believed it. I was doing better. I was working and had no pain for 8 months. Then it all changed for the worse. I started to have really heavy menstrual bleeding and lots of blood clots. I felt week all the time and sick. The bleeding went on for 8 weeks and finally my doctor said that I had to take Lupron injections. I asked my doctor if he could just do a myomectmy and he said no because that was should be the last result. I could no longer stand the pain and I asked him what kind of side effects come with this drug. He made it sound like it was not bad and that there are very little side effects. He gave me a some information about the drug and I read the information and I did a lot of research. I was terrified but I had to make a choice. I was calling in sick because I could not work with the pain and worrying about embarrassing moments when my pads failed to keep me from overflowing. So I took the 1st shot in May along with add-bak therapy which is Nothridone. The bleeding tapered off slowly and the pelvic pain decreased. I did not feel any side affects right away until the second week. I started to forget things and would just stand in the middle of a room feeling confused. I always had headaches since a child but now they are pounding headaches, which I cannot stand any noise. I also can't stand the light. I have body aches like I have the flu and have problems with my right hip all of a sudden. I had a x-ray done because my doctor thought I might have fractured my hip. There was no sign of a fracture but my pelvis id tilted. I have some arthritis in my spine which I do not understand how that happened. Sometimes I cannot walk and I have to use crutches to get around. I cry all the time because I am extremely sensitive and confused. I use to be a very strong person and now I just cry all the time. I called my doctor to tell him what I have been experiencing and he said its all normal. I have already had a total of three Lupron injections and the symptoms just get worse. I have been spotting here and there, sometimes I have a pinkish discharge, and now the pelvic pain is back. My doctor knows this and he just says its normal. I requested for another ultrasound because I am worried something is wrong and he said that I have to wait until I get the 6th injection.I feel like my doctor is insensitive but he is supposed to be the best GYN doctor where I live. I also want to say that I have gained 20 pounds in three months. My sex drive is gone. My hair is thinning. I lost my job because I ran out of FMLA. This has been a nightmare! I am losing trust in my doctor. My poor husband and family are having to put up with what I am going through. I pray all the time to help be stay focused and think positive. I just do not know what to do anymore. Is there anyone out there that can give me some advice?

I am a 34 yr old woman who has suffered from migraines for 13 yrs and chronic head pain for most of my life. I have had sinus surgery, my vision checked, TMJ corrected and anything else I could think of to alleviate my headaches. I took various anti-depressants to treat for chronic pain. About 3 yrs ago I began taking Topamax after my grandmother & both my sisters went on it for migraines. We all have experienced success in treating the headaches and both sisters lost weight. Grandmother and I did not. We all still have migraines occasionally and my youngest sister cannot miss a dose w/out having a headache. My grandmother has had to discontinue Topamax because it was effecting her memory, speech, and concentration so badly. All of us experienced the "loss of words" problems at first, but learned to adapt and became used to it. But grandma is in her 70s and its not as easy for her. However, in the past month, I have been experiencing the same thing--memory loss, calling a place or object the wrong name, and poor concentration. I feel like I can't even read today. I was taking 150mg and thought I was pregnant so I started decreasing my dose down to 100mg to wean off. I'm not pregnant and I'm thinking of discontinuing the Topamax anyway. It's bad enough when I can't remember things at home, I can't work like this. I have always raved about how great Topamax is and that if it kept my head from hurting, I would take it forever. Now I feel like I'm in the early stages of dementia.

I was diagnosed with SLE (lupus) when I was 14, I'm 21 now, and I've had to be on prednisone all this while. The dosages alternate between 60mg (the highest) and 2.5mg (the lowest), I just went for a routine check up today and found out that my protein level in my urine is at an all time high. So the doctor is pushing me back up to 30mg of prednisone. Its 2 am, and I am sitting in bed crying because I don't want to have to go through everything again; the weight gain, the moon-face, everything. I know I may sound shallow, because ultimately, the medicine is keeping me alive, but the side effects are terrible. Very few people understand that its not fat that you're gaining, and the remarks that I know I am going to get are enough to drive me insane.Is there anyway the water retention or the weight gain can be stopped or decreased?

My 2 year old Grandson was put on Singular and Nasonex after having tubes placed in ears and adenoids removed. His nose continued to run all the time he would not nap and wake up all thru the night and I would have to plead with him to eat or drink anything, his behavior was out of control and he was irate at times , not the same little boy at all. I got online and did some research and I stopped the medications.. It has been over a week and he is his sweet little self again, and his nose is not running at all , he eats and naps and sleeps all night. I would not recommend this medication for anyone, especially a child. Concerned Grandma In Indy

Finally went to the ER and no mention of Lisinopril was made as a poss cause of throbbing to stabbing pain below left rib cage. EKG normal; all numbers normal range in blood panel. Interesting, I work in an ER and no mention of Lisinopril ever made as poss cause of chest pain. I do not smoke or drink and exercise daily. No explainable reason except that this problem all began around the time I started on Lisinopril 20 mg. Am going to DROP this med and am mad that my primary doctor did not field this med as a poss cause of something that has worried me to death these past few months. Bless you all and would enjoy hearing more from you!

Took my Boniva pill on a Saturday morning, like it said, empty stomach big glass of water, by 10pm that night, I was doubled over, cramping, wanted to puke but couldn't, I would have sworn I had the flu but no fever etc. The next week, I could hardly walk, I hurt every place, my chest and upper back were really bad, if I didn't know better I would have sworn I pulled a muscle or was having a heart attack, I had very bad jaw pain....it took several weeks to feel better, I felt like a grandma and I am only 45 y/o, with osteopenia, and a history of stress fractures...I would rather have my skin peeled off then ever take this again! I am eating yogurt like crazy and munching on tums. I found another website with HUNDREDS of complaints, of the drug along with complaints of all the others like this...I do not understand how they even still have this on the market....honest to god I want to sue....trying to find a class action suit...not for money..I just want this off the market!!!!

I'm a 25 year old female. I received my first shot August '07. I had noticed an increase of nausea but blamed it on stress. In October '07 I was hospitalized for a week! I had SEVERE nausea/vomiting and horrific pelvic pain, on my right side only. I received the 2nd and 3rd shots, and none of it connected for me until my grandma asked me if all my health problems occurred AFTER the shots began. Since the beginning of the series, I've been in an out of the ER with severe pain and nausea/vomiting. I had an exploratory laparotomy last November. My Ob/Gyn said she found "spots" on my right ovary and under my uterus. She biopsied 1, said it wasn't endometriosis, but gave me the treatment (Lupron) for it anyway to try it out to see it it helped. Lupron effectively shuts down your reproductive system. I was on the therapy for 9 months, and for 8 months I was essentially pain free (yay! right?) But the pain is back now, worse than before. My Ob/Gyn thinks she misdiagnosed me now. Awesome. I'm taking a combination of Indocin, Ibuprofen, Relafen and when I have it, Vicodin, to help with the pain. I stopped the birth control pills, they've been no help. So now its time to try and find a way to fix me. I hope there is a way. I do believe this is all because of Gardasil.

I have been on YAZ for a month & one week. So far, the only thing I experienced was sadness, but every now & then, over normal things, but just a tad bit more often. Like my grandma passing & such. But, last night my boyfriend & I tried to have sex, but I couldn't get wet. I think that may be from the pill? If so, there's no point in being on it, Why have a birth control when you can't even have sex?

I thought I was going crazy. I have pretty much the same problems as everybody else. The pain that shoots down my legs that sometimes make it hard to walk. I now have really bad back pain that I first chalked up to a bad mattress but now I'm not so sure. I have always had migraines but I now have SUPER MIGRAINES!! I have about 4 or 5 a week that leave me in so much pain I can hardly stand it and no amount of drugs work to ease the pain. I now have to see a neurologist for the migraines because my PCP doesn't know what else to do for me. Nobody including my OBGYN told me that if you already get migraines that this might make them worse and maybe I shouldn't use it. I'm on the verge of being alone because of my massive wild mood swings. I feel more depressed than ever and can't lift the black cloud that I feel is always around me. I have no energy or sex drive and my 2 kids want to live with grandma because mommy is CRAZY!! I think it is time to have this taken out and hope my life returns to normal.

I am a loving mother of a 5 1/2 year old boy. He has been on Singulair for over 3 years. In this past 3 years my son has suffered in an unspeakable amount. He came down with Rota Virus and was hospitalized at 2. He then came in contact with Pneumonia in the hospital while he was there. They automatically put him on Singulair, Zyrtec, Prednisone, and antibiotics to treat the pneumonia. Since that day, my son has gone though more tests than I have in my entire life. He has had asthma, sinusitis, leg cramping ( to the point he cannot walk for 2 years), IBS, Acid reflux,(they gave him laxatives for a year that made things worse and addicted to them also), stomach pain, constipation and diarrhea back and forth. He also got Erythema Mulitforme TWICE, while on this drug. All of which the doctors said could NOT be caused by Singulair. He has had several Upper GI's and CT scans. Along with Barium enemas, several hundreds of blood tests, and many many pokes and prodded that were not necessary. All since he has been on Singulair. He now has frequent bathroom trips, depression, confusion, and anger outbursts. He also has to go to the restroom every 5 minutes. He has had genital swelling, and many other aches and pains. None of which his "doctor" ever said could be a result of Singulair. I am 100% sure it was!!!! He currently has anxiety and emotional sporadic issues causing problems in school The teachers and counselors say that it is so strange because there is no TRIGGER and the outbursts are completely inconsistent. His preschool teacher and director are sure he has ADHD. Well, we had him tested and he does not have any part of it. He has no learning disability what-so-ever. So that brought me back to square one. He is in a positive loving enviroment. How could he be depressed and want to hurt everyone around him? He cannot sit still. He cries and says he is 'stupid" and "can't think" like the other boys. He has nightmares and cannot sleep alone. He is scared of everyone and everything. So, as I sit here crying, I realized that this has all been a reaction of his "medicine" Singulair. He never should have gone through all of those painful tests, only to prove they couldn't find anything. So many treatments and sound full advice speeches from his doctors. How could they be so naive and selfish in the life of my son?

When I called my pediatrician of 5 years, she told me that " parents that have children with behavioral problems will LOOK for something to blame their problems on." She also said "drug companies only put side effects on their labels to PROTECT the drug companies. (as she laughed at me) They are not always valid". Then she said "if you take you child off of Singulair you will be playing Russian Roulette in his life." Then she said that all children around 5 or 6 go though this emotional time in their lives." She told me that if I take my child off of Singulair that she would no longer be a part of his health regimen for his asthma. She told me to see a Pulmonologist for further treatment.
Who is paying who? This is my son's life???????? I decided to go with my mother-gut instinct and get him off of this medicine. No matter what. He has been a different person since. He is currently going though a lot of side effects and withdrawals (leg pain, insomnia, hic-ups, emotional distress) but every day is getting better. How can the drug companies say that this is a "wonder drug?" There are more reported side effected patients then clinical studied patients! How can a "medication" that stimulates the brain not be connected to other problems? This "medication" interferes with the bio synthesis and action of LTs and has been marketed as NOVEL medication against asthma and allergic rhinitis. Who the hell is playing God here??? The pocket books of Merck or our over PAID "doctors?" Who pays the price? Our children? Or us. Thank god I found this before it was too late. I would not be able to withstand the pain of losing my son due to their lack of scientific evidence. They are lucky I am one of the smart ones. I will not settle for less than Justice for the drug companies and their paid "doctors?" You all end up in the same place. HELL

There are 18 million people on this drug. Most of them are children. Please save a life if not your own child's life. Thank You

I had Implanon inserted in June 2008, I just had it removed Sept 17 2008. The first side effect was that I gained weight. My appetite increased and I felt like I was constantly hungry. Within the first month I got an Urinary Tract Infection, the infection was so bad that it transferred to my boyfriend through sex.. After a month I started bleeding and it lasted 4 weeks, not spotting just bleeding. I lost my drive for sex, I felt bloated and was too tired ALL THE TIME!!! I was crying over everything, I felt depressed and stressed about everything, my head hurt all the time. My whole body just felt off. I wasn't myself at all. One morning I woke up with a horrible sore throat. I went in for strep test and tested negative. They said it was just a viral infection. A few days after that my muscles started to hurt. My left knee and hip joint began hurting so bad that it was hard to walk and get up out of bed in the morning.(The Implanon was inserted in my LEFT arm). Occasionally I felt tingling in my left arm and fingers. I then notice my left ankle was getting swollen and at that point my whole body felt like it was shutting down.I started to run fevers and thats when I looked up the "possible side effects of Implanon" online. As I read I realized that I had every single side effect even the uncommon more severe ones, but it seemed like my symptoms were multiplied by 100. I called my doctor and she immediately had me come in to have the implanon removed. Today is Sept 22. I have been on bed rest since the implanon was removed. It turns out that my body had rejected the Implanon, treated it like was a foreign object.

My daughter began taking Singulair in 2003 for asthma and allergies. I slowly watched her deteriorate from a lively, intelligent, and outgoing young woman to a depressed, withdrawn and self-mutilating person who said that she hated herself and everybody else in the world. She was an athlete, a straight A student who had received an academic scholarship to college, she was fluent in German and had been teaching herself Japanese, and she was a staunch supporter for equal rights for children with disabilities and gay and Lesbian teens. On February 3rd, 2007 my daughter hung herself after working at the local community center. I no longer recognized who she had become. I have a degree in psychology, my father is a retired police officer, and my mother is a retired R.N. We were all trained to recognize the symptoms of depression and suicidal thinking, but we were never able to connect it to the medication that she was taking.We must all ban together to prevent other people from suffering the way that our loved ones have! Educate everyone that you know about what Singulair can do to you. They are still prescribing this drug to people without any notification of what the side effects are.

I have been on reglan twice and both times I was on it I became so agitated that I couldn't lay down, my face got all red and my blood pressure went sky high. The second time I had it was just before surgery and when my grandma went to tell the nurse she said that I was just nervous about the surgery. I was so agitated that I couldn't even lay down as I was being wheeled into surgery. Afterwords I told my doctor what happened and he told me to make sure that I don't take it ever again and that I indeed have a reaction to it.

I am a grandma to a 41/2 year old boy named Trevor. He has been on Singulair since he was 18mos. old. I am here to tell I am furious and heartsick to think that he has been subjected to a medication that can do the things it has done to him. I have NO DOUBT that Singulair is the problem. Our daughter and son-in-law have been at their wits end with
him and was one phone call away from taking him to a therapist (they needed one too!) The phone call to me on Monday, July 28th, was out of
sheer desperation. My daughter wanted me to look up the side effects for Zirtec. After looking that up and not finding anything I happened to remember that Trevor was also on Singulair. The actual side effects listed
didn't ring any warning bells with me. Somehow I happened onto this website and OH MY GOSH I flipped out and cried through every letter written by parents with the same side effects Trevor has. The compulsion, anxiety, anger and (heaven forbid) the threats of wanting himself, or someone he loves very much to die.This is absolutely unheard of for someone his age. I'm ever so thankful I found this website. Trevor was taken off Singulair that very day and within 3 days we had the sweetest,
most normal 4yr. old, on this earth. When I think what could have happened
had he stayed on it any longer...I can't!!!

I am 22 and didn't think i needed bc because even though i had terrible periods they were so regular i thought i could just track my ovulation. I was advised to start Loestrin 24 Fe by my gyno as a bc + a period helper (7-10 day heavy periods with sever cramps, bloating, head aches, and fatigue).I am now on day 5 of loestrin and was curious of the possible side affects not listed in the info that comes with the pills. I am totally shocked at some of the things i have read. While I feel lucky that slight nausea has been my only side effect so far I have become concerned. My grandma is a retired labor and delivery nurse and has assured me that some meds are just wrong for some people if I end up with some of the terrible side effects that some have had ( b.t. bleeding, stroke like symptoms, leg cramps, stomach cramps, chest pains…). I will be the first at my doctors office as soon as the symptom hits. As for the slight nausea, I will happily endure it for up to 84 days if it means the miserable periods I have been having for 10 years will finally be bearable/ gone. I will keep my posts up every couple of days. Good luck to those of you still searching for bc. Stick with it and stay positive!

69 year old beautiful grandmother, Yes, I stopped taking ADVAIR... After taking advair for two years, I just put a stop to the weight gain, emotion mood swings, headaches, poor circulation in my legs and arms companied by pain. Now my Doctor has me going through test to re- evaluate my condition... I am keeping it real and listening to my body as I questioning my Doctor..
Lady D

I am 30 years old and have been put on Depo Lupron after a laproscopy to help with endometriosis. I am 2 months into a 6 month course (one shot every 3 months) of Depo Lupron and my life has drastically changed. I started feeling life altering hot flashes and night sweats two days after the first shot and nearly drown myself in sweat 24 hours a day. I experienced a little postpardum depression after giving birth 6 years ago but have found myself sunk into a sinking hole of depression and anger like I've never felt before. I bawl at McDonald's commercials and become enraged if the dishwasher isn't loaded properly! I am ecstatic one minute and severely depressed the next. I have even had thought of suicide since being on this shot. I am normally a very outgoing, athletic, cheerful, happy person - but since taking this shot, I have become a stanger in my own head. I tell my family all the time that I need to "go stick my head in the freezer" to cool off because of the horrific hot flashes. I have to carry a handheld fan with me 24 hours a day and sleep with ice packs to keep cool. Since the shot started 2 months ago, I have lost all sexual drive, am thoroughly exhausted by 9am and find myself crying at my desk at work by late afternoon because I am so tired. My family thinks I am going crazy and I've never fought more with my husband. My daughter has gone to grandma's for awhile because I'm just so tired and irritable that I feel like an awful mother. Migraines have also come full circle since the onset of the shot as well as blurred vision and shaky hands. I'm a little achy throughout the as well. I know that everyone responds to medication differently, but I'm finding a lot of people with the same side effects as myself and have to wonder why the doctors don't warn patients about these types of problems before prescribing medications such as Depo Lupron. I don't think I'll be going back for the second shot. Could it get any worse?

62 year old female, taking Lisinopril for over a year. I was at lost for my symptoms until I read this site, pain in arm, don`t sleep, itching all over, Head ache, pressure on back of head Dizzy, trouble walking,depression,loose of memory etc.( history of a benign brain tumor about 10 years ago) Pressure was so bad I made a appointment with my neurosurg) Talked to a Pharm. He suggested to not take it one night and see. I did and the pressure went away.I called the Cardiologist. His nurse really told me off and that I was not having any side effect, something was going on, but not Lisinopril as I had taken it for so long. She was just plain rude! She would not call anything else in for me either. I am titrating it and and looking for a new doctor!!

I am soooooooo glad to have found this site. I, like many, many of you, also thought there was no way in the world all my symptoms were being caused by the Mirena IUD, because all of my doctors have told me time and time again that the level of hormones being released by this thing is SOOOOOOOO tiny that it couldn't possibly be causing all that's happening. I had the Mirena inserted in February 2007... by August of 2007 I started experiencing hives all over my body that began as a burning/tingling in my hands and feet, and within a matter of a few weeks had spread to my entire body. I now have had this on-going rash (hives) that never has fully gone away for the past 9 months. My doctors all could not tell me at all what was causing it. I have been taking antihistamines like crazy to keep it "in check" but some days even those do no good. My grandma and mother kept telling me to get this IUD out, but I told them it couldn't possibly be from it due to what the doctors had told me and because I'd had it in since February and didn't get hives until August. However, I truly believe this MUST be the cause, as it's the only new thing in my life during that time period... I've always used the same soaps, ate the same foods, and NEVER have I had any outdoor allergies. It MUST be the Mirena. In addition to the hives, I CANNOT LOSE WEIGHT, have stayed at 174 pounds since having this inserted. I have tried exercise, dieting, etc. and notice NO changes. Due to the ongoing hives my body is going through a constant fight against this allergy, and as a result, my neck has a giant cluster of enlarged lymph nodes that will NOT go down in size. Probably because my body never gets rid of this foreign body so it's continually tried fighting it and just can't so they stay swollen. I had my lymph nodes biopsied and I do NOT have cancer... I am going tomorrow morning to have it removed immediately and I will be absolutely STUNNED if it turns out to not be the cause. I am THAT certain the Mirena has caused all of this. I would NOT recommend this IUD to ANYONE. It is absolutely the worst thing I've EVER experienced in my life. I plan to get in contact with the attorney mentioned in an older post below about the class-action lawsuit. I have spent 9 months of living in pure misery with burning, itching, red and swollen hives all over my body, living in total anxiety not wanting to leave my house and have others see me and think I have a disease. Not to mention all the time and medical costs that I have incurred from seeing doctor after doctor that can't diagnose me.

Posting my experience again.

You are not alone and your children are NOT hypochondriacs (something tells me small children don't even know what that means).

My 5 year old son was diagnosed with mild asthma and put on Singulair. Within a few months he began having uncontrollable fits of rage, displayed self-loathing behavior, had night terrors, and was inconsolable during these episodes. He became very destructive and was a danger to himself and our family. He even talked about killing himself and would say things like "I don't want to be in this life anymore" and "I want to kill myself". He would threaten my wife and his siblings and told them he wanted to kill them. It was a truly terrifying experience. Our pediatrician was clueless to these side affects and recommended we have our child go through a psychological evaluation. I knew this was not my child's normal behavior so I searched the internet for Singulair side effects and found some message boards where parents just like me were telling their stories of their children's aggressive behavior. I immediately took my son off the drug and within a couple weeks he was back to his normal self. He told us that he no longer has "that feeling inside of him". Five year old children don't even know what suicide is and to see my son talk like this was extremely frightening. He is a sweet, intelligent, loving boy who had never exhibited behavior like this until he went on Singulair. We have not seen this behavior after taking him off the drug. Please use your best judgment and connect the dots for yourselves.

March 9, 2008
I posted my reactions re: Advair HFA which I had tried as well as Advair Discus over the past 3 years in Feb. of this year. At that time I said I was going off Advair HFA and relying on Spring Forest Qigong for stabilizing my breathing. I also was pretty disgusted with my Allergist because I felt I was always getting the 'standard answer' from her.
About a week later I realized this plan wasn't working. So, I reread the Advair directions carefully on using the inhaler and started using it again.
Almost immediately my breathing stabilized w/use of Advair, and I use the SFQigong in tandem with it. The SFQ also helps w/calming me down since meditation is part of it; therefore, it calms down heart palpitations as well. I'm guessing any form of prayer, meditation, deep breathing techniques, 'time to slow down' during the day would do the same thing especially if done on a consistent, daily basis. This would help depression, anxiety, maintaining a state of well-being and probably other things I haven't thought about.
While I do not like meds of any sort, I will stay on Advair HFA until something tells me I should try getting off it again. In the meantime I will do more detective work on other symptoms I have that may/may not be caused by Advair.
Chronic problems such as asthma are so tough to work with; they change with the seasons, our personal make up, and also change as we get older.
I would like to hear from others who are finding natural solutions to these problems that many of us seem to be experiencing.
Good luck and better health to all of you who read this!
Pat, the wife, mother, grandma, teacher, and other hats I wear.

I have being taking thyroid medicine since 1994. I was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism and prescribed Synthroid. It didn't work. Instruct to take radioactive pill. Now, diagnoses change to Hypothyroidism. Prescribe Levoxyl. Endocrinologist said I would lose weight, but instead I have gone from a size 8 to 16. I feel really bad when I miss my doses. Really anxious when I take it every day. I am noticing that I have moles growing out and spreading all over my body. Switch back to Synthroid three months ago. That when start experiencing a great deal of hair loss. Decide to switch back to Levoxyl but a lower dose. The hair loss has slowed down a little. But, hair is growing slowly. I am having problems focusing and some memory loss. I really don't know what to do. I have change endocrinologist twice. I really think that Levoxyl and Synthroid have bad side effects on human after long term usage. I am miserable because I can't control my weight. I know that it has something to do with this medicine. If anyone know of some other medicine that would Hypothyroidism in check without all of the side effects that I mention. Please share it with me.