Grocery shopping symptoms and conditions

Just to start of, I just got out of the emergency room for heart attack symptoms which I later found out were caused by my cholesterol med that I was just put on 2 weeks ago, Litportal. Well after looking this up on google and found out many people had the same affects I figured well if that made me have so much pain maybe I should look up Lisinopril w/ body pain. OMG, was I speechless. After reading the blogs I was sure that the Lisinopril was causing all my pain which doctors had diagnosed as Fibromyalgia after 8 years of testing. I was put on Lisinopril 8 years ago after my reg brand was not covered by my health insurance. Didn't think much at the time because it was suppose to be the no name brand of what I was taking. Well, it started off with weird things happening. Pain in my ankle and wrist like I sprained them. Shooting pain in arms and legs. Vision problems, numbness on one side of face, stomach pain, just feeling like crap. Months past then other weird things happening, not feeling like I slept at all even though I did for 8-9 hours, body aches all over, anything I did made me hurt. Then years past and it was everyday, wake up with pain and go to bed with pain. Not able to do simple stuff like play with my kids or go grocery shopping knowing I was going to hurt even more and that percocet was all that would relieve it. After 8 years of this I am totaling drained. Just cleaning my house kills me. Everything got even worse after the years and still gets worse. Going to the doctors knowing they think I am crazy and it's all in my head. Family members questioning my pain. I would always say, if you could be in my body for one day, just one day, you would know the hell that I have been through. But today, a new life came into me, after reading tons of blogs on the side affects of Lisinopril. I am just hoping that this is what it is caused from. I am 39 years old now, my 30's completely wasted, and do I mean wasted. To think that this has all been due to a little pill taken daily for 8 years. I thank everyone who has posted on this blog, because if it wasn't for you, I would have no hope. Now I do. And I am schedule for an appointment in 3 weeks to change my meds. What I thought I would have forever may soon be gone. Or at least some of it. Thank you.

I am so happy I found this site! I have only had the Mirena in for a little over a month but I have HATED this damn thing since the day I got it. For the first week I could feel the strings and they were so itchy! To the point where it was embarrassing to be in public because I would have to wiggle around a little bit to get comfortable again. I have bled non-stop for the month and a half I have had it and the cramps have been awful, despite my gyno telling me they would only be bad for the first day or two. I am exhausted all the time- I had more energy when my son was sleeping 4 hours a night- now he is sleeping 10 or 11 hours every night straight through and I am always so tired all day long. I am having panic attacks and I constantly feel like I want to pass out. The blurred vision and brain fog is terrible! I am literally scared to leave my house by myself with the baby because I am nervous that I will pass out when I am out alone with him. I have to do break up my grocery shopping into 3 small trips each week because if I am in the store too long I start to panic and get dizzy. Having the Mirena put in was the WORST decision I have ever made. This should be the happiest time in my life - I have a new baby, just graduated college, all in all life is pretty good right now. But instead I am MISERABLE! I have my annual exam in 2 weeks and I am having it taken out-if I can wait that long. I wish I had found this site before...I never would have gotten Mirena!

First I want to say, after reading several posts, that it seems a lot of you are taking Topamax without food, which may be causing your "spaciness." My doctor suggested always taking it with food, even though it says with or without food, and I only experienced spaciness the few times I took it at bedtime without food. Once I started taking it with breakfast and dinner, that never happened again.

I am a 48 year old woman, prescribed Topamax in September of 08 for migraine associated vertigo without headaches, with facial numbness. The first thing I noticed was I immediately had headaches, which to me indicated it was dehydrating me as that is the only time I get a "normal" headache. So I knew I had to drink a lot of water. Soon after starting Topamax I developed a dry cough that lasted the entire time I was on the med. I did not relate it to the drug at the time, however. It never even occurred to me. After about two months on the drug I started having trouble breathing with extreme dryness in my airways. I was prescribed an albuterol inhaler which did not help. I was then prescribed a corticosteroid inhaler which also did not help. I thought the trouble breathing was from taking Nadolol which I was prescribed for occasional heart fluttering - the neurologist said this was a normal side effect of Topamax. I stopped taking the Nadolol but the trouble breathing continued. I also had more migraines with vertigo and facial numbness than before I started taking the drug. I hoped it would eventually stop and the drug would kick in to help the vertigo, so I stayed on the drug. I had very minor tingling in my feet, but it was tolerable. I became very stressed out, had trouble sleeping, depression, my face started breaking out in November (and still is), I lost interest in everything that I normally enjoy - reading, photography, following politics in the news (sort of an obsession of mine). In December I was so depressed that for the first time in my 11 year career I started canceling appointments and eventually took three weeks off from work to "re-group." In January the neurologist decided that we would increase the dose from 100 mg to 150 mg for one more month, and if it did not get rid of my migraines with vertigo, we would discontinue the drug. The first day on the increased dose I had a killer headache, and I drank 150 ounces of water before it went away. That night I did not have to go to the bathroom during the night, unheard of for me. That's a lot of water to drink and not have to pee. Within two days of increasing the dose, my cough became much worse, and within three days, the breathing became more difficult. Within five days, I was having trouble speaking because my airways felt so dry. I called the doctor the next morning and he said it was not the drug, but if I wanted to, stop taking it. So I went off it cold turkey, per his instructions. I had rebound migraines every day for a week or two and my heart was pounding, sometimes for three or four hours at a time. Eventually the cough and trouble breathing went away, however, I had to continue drinking lots of water or I would notice that I didn't have to urinate, sometimes not at all. Again, unheard of for me. I saw a cardiologist at the neurologist's urging and they said the heart pounding was just anxiety. I disagree, as did another doctor of mine. We both believe it was withdrawal. I have now found out (by getting copies of my medical records) that the neurologist is now attributing all of my side effects from the Topamax to "somatization." In other words, psychosomatic - not a side effect, but just a way of getting medical attention. I am seeing a few people on this board who have also experienced a dry cough and trouble breathing. Can I have the same side effects as other people and have them still be psychosomatic, even though I had no idea those side effects could occur? I don't think so.

I have a theory that Topamax interferes with hormones which causes a lot of the side effects like lack of concentration, memory loss, anxiety, depression, insomnia, acne, and hair loss - all symptoms of peri-menopause and menopause. Ask any woman in her 40's or 50's if she has these symptoms and most of them will say yes. My face has not been this broken out since high school! My hair is falling out at a rapid rate. I won't even bother mentioning these to the neurologist. He'll just say it's not the drug.

I'm very frustrated and not sure what to do at this point. The neurologist has me taking a supplement called Migrelief now, but I think it takes three months to kick in, so I have no relief at this point.

Has anyone else experienced the trouble breathing with dry cough? I don't believe for a moment that it was psychosomatic.

For the first time in 10 years I chose to go to a medical doctor instead of my usual Homeopath to receive treatment for a UTI. 2-3 weeks after taking Cipro My knee would suddenly give out while I was walking (no pain, yet). A week or so later the tendon behind my knee starting hurting. Another week the front of my knee hurt. Another week and it’s as if my muscles & tendons in my calfs completely froze. I could not walk. Excruciating pain at even resting feet on floor...could not bear any weight or pressure. Also swelling, strange crawling sensations, pinching pains, dull ache in leg bones, stabbing pains, tearing sensations in calfs...it seems to be a little different every day. Also some insomnia and anxiety, shortness of breath, and a strange sensation that my throat or tongue was swollen so I had to sleep in a raised position because it felt like I was suffocating when I laid down. Now 8 months later...only very slight improvement. I can grocery shop for about 20 minutes before I’m so exhausted and in so much pain that I’m sweating. Cannot lift or carry anything that’s even slightly heavy because it puts too much strain on my legs. When I can walk, I walk funny - kinda like Frankenstein’s monster (straight-legged) and also limp. I never thought at the age of 44 that just grocery shopping would be enough to wipe me out for 2 or more days. And yes...depression too. Who would’nt be? If you have any advice please share it with me.

Got it placed October 2007 and have had extreme acne every month. Deep in the cheeks and near the chin. Nothing will rid it even antibiotics or retin-A. Had cramping, bleeding at first but that subsided. Now I just have a lighter period about every 6 weeks. But I'm getting it removed come my annual pap as the 3% risk factor of acne is probably a lot higher than that. I'm one that had maybe one zit every month growing up with my period to having probably 10-20 at a time. They are so deep they're not even poppable!

I have been on NuvaRing for a little less than a year. My OBGYN prescribed it. It was my first time using birth control. I noticed 2 things right away - I was a lot more calm/non-chalant and I had lessened sex drive. I thought the latter was due to my nervousness about my boyfriend pushing it up too far for me to fish it out again and maybe at first that was part of it. But it's gone from overactive to almost non-existent (little physical desire, mostly emotional & love desire). I think normally there such be a balance. Also it is difficult to have an orgasm now - I have to really concentrate. My calmness was great in that it balanced out my highs and lows, but now it's to the point that I mostly don't really care about anything one way or the other. Too non-chalant. I also am experiencing depression for no or irrelevant reasons - so bad that it's kept me out of work and even - yes - even the shopping mall! I have no desire to go outside and do anything - grocery shopping, shopping, shopping, walking around or anything - which I thought at first was a good thing for the shopping, shopping. Like most of the posters I could just lay around and sleep and eat all day. With the sleep - I can sleep, but I am NEVER tired. I can stay up until the wee hours of the morning without a yawn like it's the afternoon and I still wake up very early. With the food - I can eat multiple times in a row - full meals. I'm always hungry and never full/satisfied. I am constipated with hard stools. This was an issue until I got off of partially hydrogenated oils (about 2-3 years ago), however even with my altered diet I've still been having issues. My thighs have been falling asleep - weird. Also I can't remember anything from one moment to the next - which I blamed on stress and age. I discontinued NuvaRing as of today (the day I found these posts). Thank you for being so honest & for sharing your experiences. Hopefully these posts will help others in search of answers.

I was doing just fine taking 50 mg of Topamax but I was still having minor headaches. My doctor said to go to a neurologist because there may be a tumor to worry about. He doubled my morning dosage and added an evening dosage so now I am taking 200 mg. a day. I started the insanity on Friday. By Monday i went grocery shopping and couldn't remember what I was shopping for. Thank God i brought my husband with me...when I could remember that he was with me. And then when I remembered to ask him what we came for I needed to remember where it was. Upon returning home I offered to help my 7 year old grand daughter with her spelling homework. Do you how embarrassing it is to not remember how to spell first grade spelling words? Tuesday was Mardi Gras and we went to the movies so I was saved any further mind questions. Then along comes Wednesday and I returned to work. Well, I tried to get to work. I got lost. Here I was at Walgreen's trying to figure out what I was doing out at 6:00 in the morning. What day was it? The looks on other's faces when you ask them these question is not something funny. So, I get back in my car and aim in the direction I hope is work. Luckily, I remember where I habitually stop for breakfast. My memory comes back again and I make it to work. I am on time and all is well. Now, the day begins.

I haven't had a period since December. Here it is February. And no, I am NOT pregnant. I can't concentrate. I ate 2 chicken nuggets for lunch and am full (now that is a healthy lunch, huh?). I was addicted to Dr. Pepper and now can't even stand the smell of it. I can't walk and chew gum at the same time. I found a note that I wrote sometime yesterday that really scares me because I don't remember writing it. It says, " Headache @ 1:55 no known trigger jut sudden movement to pick up papers from bin over desk. Nausea as well. Need to go to sleep forever." Good feeling to have? Depression is kicking in.

I just called my doctor and he says decrease the medication down to 100 mg. Ummmm...How about I decrease it down to 0 mg and I take a Imitrex or 2 and a hot bath with a nap when I get home and live to see my grandchildren grow old! I think living with a migraine or 50 is far better than what I have been feeling this past week.

If anyone can tell me that it gets better in less than 2 weeks I will stay with it but 1 more week of this and I will be a patient in a mental hospital. I can't even play Nintendo with my grandson...NOW THAT IS DEPRESSING!

I have been on Singulair now for about 14 years. I am 58 yr old white female with Asthma. Severe enough to go to the ER every 2 weeks and get the breathing treatments, IV steroids, etc. Breathlessness is something I do not ever want to experience again.

I went to an allergist and had only a reaction to dust mites, however, my Asthma attacks were triggered by all odors, scents, pollutions from cars, trucks, and construction, (tar smelling products.) I wasn't able to go grocery shopping and go down the detergent aisle. I wasn't able to go to the Mall for fear someone would have on perfume or cologne. Funeral homes were out of the question because of the above mentioned and the flowers. I was basically home bound. Now my allergist had me on another medication, but it required blood tests every month to check the liver enzymes. So he switched me to Singulair. About a month into the drug, I noticed I no longer needed my rescue inhaler, not even at night, or my steroid-laced inhaler for prevention. I thought this drug was a life restoring miracle. Now having read all these comments, and I have almost all the same side effects,: weight gain, restlessness, restless legs, insomnia, ear infections, tinnitus. Gee, I thought these were all because of my age, and now I see it is my Singulair. I don't know if I am brave enough to try to wean off this drug, because when you can't breath, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. so .........WHAT DO I DO?

Took Lipitor for 8 years, precribed by my physician because my total cholesterol was almost 300. (don't eat junk food or much meat, rather whole grain bread, cheese, much fruit and raw vegetables. Exercised for 40 yrs regularly.) 6 yrs ago I could not walk for more than a few steps, then had to sit down. Still did floor exercises on the mat. I weigh around 120 lbs at 5' in height.
Last Dec. 28, a sudden collapse! Could not even crawl for 3 hrs-- then forced myself up on the bathroom sink cabinet top. (It felt so good to be standing!) Could move all limbs and carefully held on to furniture.
I never took another Lipitor again, but can't stand or walk longer than minutes, before have to sit down. If I hang a dress up in the closet, I have to reach up and hold onto the rod with the other hand. Most of the time I use a cane when leaving the house, but can shop for an hour leaning on the shopping cart. I have a constant backache. With no stomach problems, I dare to take 2 aspirin tablets daily. They work better than Advil, Aleve or Tylenol Arthritis. I have osteoarthritis, but only in the spine. When the pain returns, I take a 7.5 Lortab, to be able to do simple housework in my small home. I live alone. My son is also single and my neighbor, who takes me to the doctor or grocery shopping.
In bed or sitting, I feel no pain. When I was able, I kept busy creating soft-sculpture people, small dolls and dollhouses, and wrote books and magazine articles for publication.
Now I read and play video games on my PC or the XBox., So life is still worth living. I count my blessing. If only my weakness and backache would retreat.
Years ago I trained myself in self-hypnosis. It worked. I haven't had a headache in 34 years, no pains in knees or hips. But Transcendental Meditation won't do the job on my aching back or give me strength.
Epidural steroids did not help.

I've been on Lamictal for 3 years after a brain tumor removal. I was intially on Dilantin but the side effects made me crazy. My face constantly tingled and was numb, I couldn't speak well and the dizziness was debilitating. My neuro put me on Lamictal. I started off at 100mg, once in the morning and once at night, and had another seizure. I finally figured out I was having my seizures in the late afternoon and deduced the drug was wearing off around that time. My neuro put me on 150mg 2x a day and 100mg at lunch time. I've had no seizures for 2 years and 3 months so I think we have the dosage problem licked. However, I am really dizzy in the late afternoon and if I get excited like when I'm at a party. Shopping makes it much worse and I think that is due to moving my eyes around so much. Grocery shopping can be a tough task. I don't slur my words but I frequently cannot 'find' the right word. I'm slower in everything. I cannot take a walk looking at the horizon because I lose my balance and get dizzy again. Sometimes my head tingles. Heat makes it worse and when I get hot flashes (yes, I'm over 50) makes the dizzy much worse. Sometimes my fingers don't automatically go to the home key on the computer keyboard. I have to really concentrate on things that used to be automatic, like knowing a stop light is red. I used to be able to 'see' that and react appropriately. Now I have to concentrate on those red lights so it is irritating. I feel like I'm getting old. However, I will stay on this medication. It works and though the side effects are tough to live with, I'd rather stay on a med that I know works, rather than try one that might work. I lose my driver's license every time I have a seizure. I guess that is the worst side effect :-( I'm hunting for something to combat the dizziness and am using mybraintrainer.com to see if brain training exercises will help me become faster again. It can't hurt and so far I've had a little bit of success. I'll just keep going.

I have been on synthroid for 11 years. This past year, however, after stopping birthcontrol pill, my dosage has changed. First I was too high on 125-150 mcg and now I am back to 100 mcg. My TSH is 1.72 which is within the normal range of 1-2. My big side effect right now is extreme nausea especially after any activity, not even strenuous, such as doing some errands or grocery shopping or even up-down stairs. I have to sit really quietly before feeling slightly better. Has anyone felt this way? I feel sick all the time. Perhaps a smaller dosage of synthroid would help.