Half of the day symptoms and conditions

I'm 36 and have been on this med for about 1.5 years. I've had some mild sporadic side effects on going but thought they were just my failing health! Chest pains, tingling in my hands, arms (my left arm bothers me more and scares me of course), my legs and even feet. I have insane muscle spasm/cramps. I have twitches and spasms in places I had no idea were even muscles. Backaches, head and jaw aching, blurred vision, feeling hung over and drugged, tired and require at least 9 consistent hours of uninterrupted sleep if I am to feel okay for half of the day. No energy otherwise, pain in my feet now when I walk, heart flutters and twitches and neck spasms and pain all over my body. I've been in the ER a number of times with them unable to find me ready for the heart attack I think I'm having. I've even been depressed and suicidal with feeling this bad. These symptoms increased in discomfort and My bladder/uterus are enlarged/swollen and morning urination especially is painful even if I have not much to evacuate. I noticed that these symptoms grew more frequent and stronger and the past few months I literally thought I was going to checkout any day. I was just waiting. I thought, oh well, you're on meds for bp, but you got on too late. Your time is up. I noticed also that right after I take my pill I feel worse. So I feel the best (which is not really at all) right before my next pill is due. After reading everybody elses problems with this med, and that it's actually made from snake venom, I am going to as safe and painless as I can, wean myself from this junk. Who in their right mind would give snake venom to people? If you get bit by a venomous snake, these are exactly the things that are effected. Your nervous system, your heart, breathing, blurred vision, etc. My only fear is that having these symptoms now for this long have done permanent damage. I pray not.

I have been taking Nexium for over 7 years. I started on Prilosec but when that became available over-the -counter my doctor switched me to Nexium, 20mg once per day. Not long after that I started seeing a new doctor. I was still taking the Nexium, 20mg, one per day. But I was still having a little of that burning pain just below my sternum. I told my new doctor about this thinking he would probably increase my dosage to 20mg twice a day or switch me to the 40mg capsules once a day. Instead he switched me from the 20mg Nexium to the 30mg Prevacid capsules. I had horrible side effects immediately. I would have sudden and unpredictable loss of appetite. Not just loss of appetite but the sight of food would actually make me feel queasy. I lost over 10 pounds in a week and wasn't even trying. But the worst, and most frightening, side effect was the severe shortness of breath. I was in the Navy for 10 years and kept myself in pretty good shape. At one time I was even running 3 miles a day. Immediately after starting on the Prevacid I got so short of breath I could not climb a flight of a dozen stairs. It made me feel like I was 80 or 90 years old. And I was only 48 or 49 at the time. My chest would heave up and down. Air was going in and out. But it felt like my lungs weren't getting any oxygen from the air that was going in and out of them. I wanted to trust my doctor but I was actually becoming afraid of going home from work and taking the Prevacid. I got back in to see my doctor as soon as I could and he put me back on Nexium. Not long after this he took a job at another practice/clinic to be closer to home and family. I had to find another doctor. When I went to see my new doctor (the 3rd I've had since the reflux started) I told him about the Prevacid and the shortness of breath. It wasn't as bad since I stopped taking the Prevacid but I still had some shortness of breath and burning pain in my chest when I exercised. He said he had never heard anything about the Prevacid and breathing problems. He sent me to the hospital for the treadmill stress test to make sure it wasn't my heart. It wasn't my heart, but then again I knew that. Even after complaining about the shortness of breath during several visits over the years he never said or did anything about it. About 2 years ago I had a bout of bronchitis. My doctor was busy all day so I took an appointment with another doctor at the same clinic. (I've had to do this several times) While seeing this other doctor for my bronchitis I mentioned to him the whole shortness of breath story. He said I should consider having a pulmonary function test because "you're not too young to have emphysema". Then early in January, 2008 I had to see another doctor at the same clinic, again for bronchitis. I told her about the Prevacid and the shortness of breath. Finally someone sent me to the hospital for the pulmonary function test (PFT). Two weeks later I had an appointment with my PCP for an annual physical check-up. I asked him about the results of the PFT. He said he hadn't seen them but he would check on it while the nurse was giving me and EKG test. Some time later he comes back into the exam room and says "yep, you have a little emphysema". The nurse-practitioner who sent me for the PFT had already started me on Advair. Besides that my doctor seemed to have little to say about my newly discovered condition. I'm not sure if the Prevacid or continued use of Nexium had anything to do with me developing emphysema. But I do know that after complaining to MY DOCTOR of shortness of breath for 3 or 4 years it shouldn't have been someone else that discovered that I have emphysema. Anyway, I guess my real question is has anyone else had a problem with SEVERE shortness of breath on Prevacid, Nexium, or any of the other PPIs?

I really don't think anyone too young should take this product. I have only taken it for about 3 days (I know I probably sound like a hypocondriact because I haven't waited long enough to see if the side effects subside) but even in the first couple of days I felt really weird. I felt like I was sick with mono or something. I felt really tired for the first half of the day and then at night I was awake. My change in mood has made me feel a little out of it. Also my acne got much worse just in 2 days. Instead of it just being a bad it was like every new pimple was beneath the surface of my skin. I also take doxocyclin with yasmin but it doesn't seem to do much. I also feel really lathargic and odd. Very tired and my head just seems to be floting.

I know I have only been on this for 3 days but, I have work to do and I can't let this pill bring me down in that. I have to be alert and know whats going on in order for me to do my job. I don't want to be someone who still has side effects long after just starting to take this pill.

I can't say much else but I that I don't want to risk my sanity for this. I really don't think I need it now. I am only 15 and I just want other young people to be aware of the side effects. Although I was not perscribed Yasmin for pregnancy reasons, just know that taking this so early may cause problems. Anyway, good luck to all and I hope whatever BC you choose it is right for you and your body!

I've taken Ambien for a few months. My family tells me of my strange bevhavior at night, and it is frustrating that I dont remeber any of it. Last night I rode my bike around the yard, crashing into trees. I had complained of double vision. I also BBQd steaks at mid-night. I have no recollection of it- am embarassed to have to ask my wife and kids what I did last night. My kids said I was acting drunk. I had double vision the next morning for the first half of the day. I wonder if I ever really sleep! I am sometimes tired the next day. As for the high - you dont remeber it anyway!