Heart monitor symptoms and conditions

I was recently given Levaquin for a minor chest cold. I took four 500mg tablets and on the fifth day I was standing at my desk and had horrible heart palpitations, numbness, shortness of breath. My blood pressure shot up from 105/66 to 180/96 and I collapsed on the floor. I was rushed to the hospital and admitted for two days due to an allergic reaction to this medicine. My pulsox dropped to 54% and I had another episode causing tremors, heart palpitations and vomiting in front of the doctor and he wouldn't admit that it had anything to do with the levaquin. I had an MRI, EKG and Chest X-RAY. My blood was analyzed and they stated that my cardiac enzymes were fine but that my heart palpitations were a definite concern. I had a return episode yesterday and spent the entire day in the E.R. for the same symptoms. I am a thirty five year old peace officer in the prime of my life. I work out daily, practice karate and eat healthy. My family has no prior history of heart problems and last year I received a reduction in my life insurance premium because I exceeded their health criteria. I was feeling just fine until 45 minutes after taking this medicine. Today I have an event heart monitor on my chest and an appointment to see a cardiologist, endocrinologist etc. The methodist nurse contacted me today and stated that she has personally dealt with hundreds of these cases and has dealt with hundreds of these "reactions" to levaquin. She also stated that I would never get a doctor to admit it and that she would never take it if it was prescribed to her. This medicine is black box labeled and still the FDA allows it on the market. It needs to be stopped. I'm not the lawsuit type but I will make it my lifes mission to annoy the FDA until this poison is off the market. lilwolffy@yahoo.com

I have been taking Geodon for about 4 months now and it has relieved my bipolar symptoms remarkably well but in the last month and a half I have experienced a "Shocking" feeling to my heart that goes down my arms and legs. I was referred to a cardiologist and had a not so good EKG. I am scheduled for a ecocardiograma and to wear a heart monitor for a few days and then follow up with a nuclear stress test on Friday. The feeling is scary and recently I have not been sleeping. At first the medication was a miracle and I had for once in my life a normal sleep pattern. I guess I am worried about my heart. I take 180 mg every night along with a sleeping pill that was prescribed by my doctor. He was running out of medications that would help me. I have lost 27 pounds since being on the medication which is on the good side but is the cost going to be my heart? I will post what the doctor finds so that all of you can know what to look for or be on the watch out for. Many thanks for listening. B.

I am 23 years old and I am here to post how I'm feeling on 12.5 mlg of toprol xl. The first week I felt fine, my BP continues to be low but my headaches are almost completely gone. The second week I only had problems 12 hours after taking the pill. My heart rate goes up to 95 bpm. I try to ignore it and fall asleep. When I wake up I feel ok. Then I take the pill and same thing the next day. Wednesday I will go completely off pill. I am very nervous. I do have the cardionet heart monitor and it comforts me. I do not want to end up in the ER due to palpitations. I will keep you posted.

Has anyone had side effects pop up after 3 years? Yes, you heard me. Three years. Hair falling out. Joint pain. "Foggy headedness." Chest discomfort. Gotta be that. Please share.

I have been on this med for about 2 years. Until about 2 months ago, I had zero problems and it was great! About 2 months ago I started having SERIOUS issues. I had never had a palpitation or chest pain in my life and then I started having heart palpitations, chest pains, shortness of breath - sometimes it feels like I'm not going to be able to take the next breath. I was in the ER - they said it was my thyroid and gave me synthroid - that made everything worse so they gave me a beta blocker to cover up those symptoms. I quit taking ALL medication! I am not a pill taker and it doesn't make any sense to take a med and try to cover up those side effects/symptoms with the next med and so on. I can't find a good Dr. who will actually listen. I have been on the heart monitor and it found I was having PVC's all the time. I was then referred to a cardiologist - after a one thousand dollar visit with only an EKG he said my heart is fine - go home. I told every Dr. about Yaz - none of them could connect the dots! I thought I connected them....only by chance. I forgot to take my pill for a couple of days in the middle of all of this and stopped when I finally remembered to take one a couple of days later. I thought to myself.....hey - I've felt a little bit better the last couple of days. I was near the end of the pack so I QUIT taking them!! Best decision I ever made! Within 2 weeks my symptoms had pretty much disappeared! I thought I had it solved. I am 43 years old and in really good health. A few days ago my palpitations are back - but they are different this time. Before I had a "normal" heart rate but it felt like my heart was going to thump out of my chest. Now I have that PLUS a racing pulse! Chest pains are a part of daily life. Mornings and nights are the worst but I think it's going on all day - if I'm moving around I just don't notice it as much. These symptoms reappear a few days before I'm supposed to have my first period after quitting Yaz. I'm wondering if it's hormonal or menopause or if this stuff will just stick around for a while. I'm scared! I've read about people dieing and it's traced back to Yaz! I have a 6 year old precious daughter that I kiss good night and pray like heck that I get the next day with her! It's just not fair - I really wish I could find some answers. Anybody out there got any? Thanks.

I'm 25 and I've been on NuvaRing for almost 4 weeks now. I went in the the emergency room today due to an irregular heart rhythm that has been plaguing me for 2 days. I have headaches as well, but having heart palpitations took the cake. They ran an EKG on me and noticed the palpitations I was having. Tomorrow I get hooked up to a heart monitor for 48 hrs. This irregular heartbeat is very frequent, very uncomfortable and very SCARY! I didn't point the finger toward the NuvaRing until reading everyone else's symptoms and realizing this is serious. I just removed the NuvaRing and am not putting it back in.

February 22nd
2009
My side effects (Charles Clark)
3:00pm

It started with diarrhea after a couple days treatment. Then my hand muscles starting to contract on there own. Then I started having high blood pressure up to 212/118 and high heart rate and anxiety beginning to set in. My wife wanted to take me to the hospital but I refused to go (I wish I had. They might have taken me off Doxy then, but no, I was still taking it). I then started having problems breathing (like something was stopping me. Not like hyperventilating). My wife called the doctor and she said to stop the Doxy and come in. At the visit, she gave me meds for high blood pressure and ordered a heart monitor and stress test as she believed my problem was more likely with my heart. I didn't start the blood pressure medications as I needed to have the tests done in a week and a half. I had a panic attack before the stress test. There was a patient there who stated her granddaughter had developed panic attacks after she had taken Doxy for Lymes disease. What a coincidence. That weekend my blood pressure and anxiety increased and my wife called the doctor. They convinced me to start the blood pressure medicine as all of this might be caused by High Blood Pressure. I returned to the doctor 4 days later and she took more blood work as well as tested for Lymes disease again. Everything was normal and NO lymes disease. So what was causing all of these problems. That night when I came home from the Doctors I started feeling like someone just sprayed me like you spray a wasp/bee. I started to shake and twitch inside like I was dying I could feel my stomach convulsing and getting cold. Now at this point I had been off Doxycycline for a few days. My wife called the doctors emergency line and they called in a prescription for Xanex. I took it and it put be out. I woke up the next day feeling like I was on a bad rollercoaster ride going over the edge and trying to climbing out of my skin. I was unable to even take care of myself at this point. I started getting muscle twitches all over my body. I could not control my thoughts and had a hard time talking; my skin was so hypersensitive to the touch or movement. The only way I could deal with it was just lay down and not move. I felt like was going to die. More symptoms came: my middle finger on my left hand went numb; I was so nauseated I had a hard time eating; depression set in with sever panic attacks/anxiety, ears ringing, slight pain in my chest like I was having a heart attack and was becoming bed ridden and afraid of everything at this point. That next week I returned to the doctor and she noted how it seemed a struggle for me to walk into the office. She felt that I should begin meds to decrease the anxiety that was paralyzing me. She suggested seeing a psychiatrist and stated that if I got worse my wife should take me to the emergency and be admitted to the mental health program. So I began to take Paxil as well (I hate medications, but I was desperate). I was terrified that I might have side affects from these meds and I couldn't be alone and I was afraid to go anywhere, afraid I would have an attack or worse, stop breathing all together. I was terrified and my family was getting very worried about me and unsure what to do. Thanks to my best friend, my wife, and my family for taking care of me. If it were not for them, I would not know what to do. My dear mom even came in from Virginia to help take care of me. I can not express my thanks enough to my family! I have been off the drug now for almost seven weeks now and all my side effects are slowly, very slowly, dissipating. How come the Doctors don't know about this? Thank GOD for this site and the ones that took the time to post there experience with this drug! THANKS EVERYONE GOD BLESS YOU!

P.S. please reply on what you did to get rid of the side effects, how long did it take for them to go away and did your Doctor believe that the Doxycycline caused them. because I can't find a Doctor that thinks the Doxycycline can have these side effects.

I am so thankful I found this website. I started taking Yaz in May of '08. By the middle of June, I thought I was going crazy! Tightness in my chest, uncontrollable crying and thoughts. It ruined my whole summer with my girls, I became withdrawn and depressed. By the time I realized that Yaz was the only thing that I had done differently, I was having major heart palpitations, talk about scary. Here it is 6 months later, and I'm wearing a heart monitor for 21 days to capture these heart palpitations, that I am still having. I have been going around telling everyone that will listen to me, DO NOT TAKE YAZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was put on Yasmin not for birth control but for the beginning of fertility treatments. I was on Yasmin only 1 months. After about 2 days I started getting symptoms. I called the Pharmacist and my fertility doctor and they both told me the pill wasn't the culprit. But after the 20th day I just couldn't take it anymore I went off of it. After starting Yasmin I had TERRIBLE Panic attacks, Anxiety ( still have to this day two months later), Heart Palpitations, leg cramps, boobs hurt, breathing trouble ( still to this day), HORRIBLE thoughts, adrenaline rushes all hours of the day, tingling in my hands and feet, my mind feels fuzzy, no appetite, no sex drive, depression, crying fits for hours, I felt like i was going insane.... You name it I had it. I stopped the pill two months ago and I still have the horrible anxiety/attacks, feel like i cant breath properly, OCD about my breathing.

I went to the hospital and got checked for blood clots in my lungs, legs, Asthma test, EKG, blood tested, was put on heart monitor all came back normal. I have started seeing a therapist, on depression meds and none of it is working. I feel like this pill has ruined my life and i wasn't even trying to stop life i was trying to help create it.

Here i am two months after stopping the pill and yes some of the stuff has went away but i still suffer with Anxiety from the time i wake up in the morning till the time I go to bed at night. And sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with anxiety. My head is getting a little clearer and I am not as depressed as before. But I am just praying that this anxiety goes away. I have NEVER been a person who can't handle stress or gets anxiety/panic attacks and since it started it hasn't stopped. I am so very weak, muscles ache so much which i think is from the anxiety attacks and the muscles tightening.

So if you have this... you are not alone! I am suffering with it everyday. It is so debilitating I cant do much. Has anyone else had this months after stopping Yasmin?

I suddenly had high blood pressure. I was put on a heart monitor for 21 days because I was experiencing frequent palpitations. I was given 25 mg Metoprolol ER the genic for Toprol XL on June 6, 2008. I had the usual symptoms extreme fatigue, headache, constipation,swelling, weight gain for the first month. I am 59 yrs. old.
The second month I started to have horrible nightmares, and headaches that would not go away. On Aug.12 while driving home I started to hear voices, had blurred vision and hallucinations. I was driving fast and screaming to make the voices stop.. I ended up in a parking lot. I was crying and for a minute I had a bit of reality. I called the cardiologist office and told the nurse what was going on. She said to immediately stop the meds because I was having a rare serious side effect. I sat crying for awhile and was able to call a friend to pick me up. I stayed at home for 4 days. The entire time my hands shook and my headache was horrible. It was one week before I was able to function properly.
I called my pharmacist and she told me that this drug affects the central nervous system. 2 % of 100,000 people have this side effect. I told her that it was not written on my paper with the prescription. She said that because it is so rare they do not have put it on. She printed out the side effects for me from her web site. A site that is only accessible to pharmacists or Dr.'s. My Dr. wants me to try Cardizeim now and I do not want to because I am afraid. I told him that the BP was down to normal but he still wanted to because of the palpitations. I was given the option of the Cardiziem or seeing and Electrical Man at the Cardiology office. As of yet I have not taken the Cardiziem. This is the first time I have read this web site and I hope that this information may help someone. I finally feel good again except for the rapid heart beat and glad to be alive.

I think it is interesting the symptoms that you mention here. I have been on birth control pills since the age of 19. I am now 28. Over the past year I have had similar symptoms. I have been on so many different BCP's that is is hard to keep count. They don't seem to work the way they claim to. The last BCP I was on was orthotryciclen. While taking these I began to experience severe heart palpitations. So bad that they would wake me up at night. Because I wasn't sure if it was an anxiety attack or just being in my head I decided to ignore it. Four months passed by and it seemed to get increasingly worse. I had enough and decided to go to my PCP. She wasn't really much help either. Although I was tested for Mitral Valve Prolapse, which I was told affects younger women my age. There was nothing found. What I thought was interesting is I really felt that it was the birth control pills, but I couldn't find it as a side affect on the information that was provided in the box. The tech who was doing my echocardiogram began to tell me she also experienced the same feelings and found out it was her BCP. Once she confirmed what I thought was right, decided to stop taking them. After three months the symptoms began to disappear. I figured it was just the particular brand. I began to take loestrin 24. I started to feel the same symptoms again, just not as severe. I would feel my heart beat when I would like down in my back and my stomach. My heart rate would reach 90 to 100 sometimes. I know this is not normal. When I visited my gyno yesterday she told me it was impossible that it was a result of the BCP. Maybe it was just anxiety and or perhaps I should get checked out by a cardiologist. That is serious stuff when you are talking to a young person about getting there heart check out. I think if there are any other women out there who are experiencing any similar symptoms should speak up. So these doctors won't keep telling us it is all in our heads and help to take care of this problem.

I am a 37 year old female that went to the ER 3 days ago for chest tightness & extremely high blood sugar. I have had high blood pressure in the past years but as of a year ago when I was diagnosed as being diabetic my blood pressure has been normal about 117/75 so I go to the ER and they give me 2 EKG's and a heart monitor for 24hrs and put me through a stress test,they also give me this little pill and say it will help me, well not feeling well and wanting to feel good again I take the pill no questions asked. I have never felt so tired in my life. I thought well chest pains will do that to you so I dismissed it. I know they were making sure I do not have a heart attack but, my blood pressure seems to be going lower and lower and I am more tired by the minute, they released me from the hospital and gave me a million RX's including toprol and lisinopril both of whch lower blod pressure ??? do they want me to pass out? so yesterday I took the toprol only and felt like I was sinking , my thinking seemed foggy and my legs felt rubbery. I am sooooo glad I found this site because I will not take this drug ever again I already suffer weight issues being diabetic I don't need anything else. I would prefer to be interested in sex and be able too function this drug seems like it is more negative than it is worth. I think I will stick with the lisinopril, and why would they give me two blood pressure meds when my blood pressure is already normal??? If anyone has a comment please let me know I am very scared about this whole thing

I HAVE BEEN ON YAZ FOR 3 MONTHS NOW, AT FIRST IT WAS OK LITTLE SIDE EFFECTS LACK OF CONCENTRATION, MOOD SWINGS ALWAYS MAD EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BOTHER ME BUT SINCE 3 WEEKS AGO I'VE EXPERIENCED A SEVERE CHANGE I STARTED FEELING SHORT OF BREATH, CHEST PAIN, HEAVY CHEST AND PROBLEMS BREATHING, FAST HEART PALPITATIONS, NUMBNESS IN MY FACE CHEEKS HANDS AND THE BOTTOM OF MY FEET. SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE IF I WANT TO PASS OUT, SO I WENT TO MY PRIMARY PHYSICIAN I HAD A CHEST X-RAY, EKG, LUNG SCAN(PERFURIN AND VENTILATION SCAN) AND A VENOUR DOPPLER ON MY LEGS AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST BLOOD TEST, EVERYTHING CAME BACK PERFECTLY NO CLOTS OR EMBOLISM, MY PRIMARY PHYSICIAN SAID I AM IN PERFECT CONDITION SHE ADVISE ME THAT WHEN I FEEL THIS WAY TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IT HAS PAST 3 WEEKS AND I STILL HAVE THE SHORTNESS OF BREATH, NUMBNESS, HEAVY CHEST, AND ALL MY DOCTOR SAYS IS GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM BUT IF SHE DID NOT FOUND ANYTHING WHY DOES SHE WANT ME TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM ANY WAYS I DON'T THINK THEY'LL FIND ANYTHING WRONG (WELL SHE DID NOT FOUND ANYTHING) BUT THE THING IS THAT SHE TOLD ME I COULD STILL KEEP ON TAKING THE YAZ PILLS. AFTER READING ALL THIS COMMENTS NOW I KNOW IT MIGHT BE THE YAZ BUT THERE IS ANOTHER ISSUE I HAVE HAD SEVERE DIZZINESS FOR 3 ALMOST 4 YEARS NOW I HAVE BEEN TAKING MECLIZINE 25MG FOR THE SEVERE DIZZINESS AND SINCE I STARTED YAZ THE SEVERE DIZZINESS DISAPPEARED I AM NOW SEVERE DIZZINESS FREE. SO I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO I AM WONDERING IF THE SHORT OF BREATH AND NUMBNESS IS GOING TO GO AWAY IS IT JUST THAT I HAVE TO ADJUST OR WHAT? AS I SAID I HAVE HAD FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS NOW SEVERE DIZZINESS( I GET REALLY REALLY BAD THAT I DO NOT KNOW WHATS WORST FOR ME NOW THE DIZZINESS OR THE SHORT OF BREATH AND NUMBNESS). I AM GOING TO MAKE A APPOINTMENT WITH MY OB TO SEE WHAT SHE THINKS. HAVE ANYONE OUT THERE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS I HAVE? WILL THE SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND NUMBNESS GO WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS? DO I HAVE TO GET ADJUST TO YAZ? PLEASE SOMEONE OUT THERE IF YOU HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU DID TO FEEL BETTER? SHOULD I JUST STOP THE YAZ PILL? THANKS AND SOMEONE PLEASE ADVISE ME

I was put on Yaz (same as Yasmin but with a smaller estrogen dose) due to irregular periods and a presumed hormonal imbalance. That was in September '07. Four month later, on Jan 1, '08, I went to the ER with breathing difficulties, and weakness in my arms and legs. I had been having muscle cramps/ charley horses in my right calf, but that was the only other health problem I had experienced. I thought I was having an asthma attack. So did the ER - at first. After I did not respond to the breathing treatments, and I became completely out of breath and exhausted after walking across the hall to the restroom, the ER doc checked my D-Dimer level to see if I was at risk for blood clots. He said if it came back over 500, he would have to do further testing for clots. It came back 4500!! I was sent immediately down for a CT Scan which showed mulitple clots in both lungs, mostly small, but several of significant size. I was immediately put on oxygen and a heart monitor, and an IV drip of heparin was started. I was in the hospital for 4 days, had to learn to give myself shots of Lovenol in my stomach until my pill form of blood thinner had time to kick in. I am now taking Coumadin blood thinner every day until July, when my D-Dimer will be checked again. Depending on the results, I may come off the Coumadin, or I may have to commit to it for 3 years. However, I was tested for all the hereditary blood clotting disorders and all came back negative, so my doctor feels as though the cause has to be the YAZ! Everyone tells me I was very lucky and that I could have easily died, especially when I was just thinking I was having an asthma attack and put off going to the ER for a few days. If you are taking Yaz or Yasmin, and you begin to have difficulty breathing, any kind of leg cramps, weakness, or tightness in your chest (I had also been having severe heart burn) - go have yourself checked out!!!!!

So nice to see that I'm not just imagining the adverse reactions. I've been taking Advair 250/50 for about 3 weeks now after being diagnosed with asthma/chronic bronchitis. I went back to my doctor the following week because I was still having chest pain, back pain, felt as if I still wasn't getting enough oxygen and mentioned that I was having a lot of difficulty with being jittery. He evaluated my breathing with a peak flow meter and since that seemed to be OK, he wanted to do an EKG - which he did and seemed to see something that warranted a referral to a cardiologist. So far the cardiologist has not seen anything out of the ordinary.
I'm thinking more and more that there is nothing wrong with my heart and that this is all being caused by the Advair. Has anyone else been referred to a cardiologist and found out nothing was wrong?

Hey, I was on this pill for 3 years and over the last year and a half I have had chest problems, developing into heart palpitations over the last couple of months, I had to have a heart monitor on for a week and had the results today, my heart is perfectly healthy it was in fact the YASMIN tablets!!
So today my doctor has changed my pill and said I should notice a difference in the next month or so.
Not only was I having chest problems and heart palpitations, I have been told I was so snappy and grumpy, I was tired most of the time, always felt weepy and generally down in the dumps.
My advice, try this tablet as it may be different for you but a lot of people on here have had similar symptoms.
GOODBYE YASMIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back in May 2007 I screened to take part in a clinical trial involving advair diskus. apart of the screening involved giving me a dosage of the drug. I was given a heart monitor to wear for 24 hours I was snet home and told to return tomorrow. The same day I left with the heart monition, I felt tired through out the day, very sick and nauseated. I didn't make it into the trial for whatever reason, but as the days went on my symptoms got worse, they included: severe constipation, heart burn, burping (GERD like symptoms), BLOATING, I experienced energy dips and dives throughout the day, headaches and dizziness. This went on for months, then I began to have pains in the middle of my upper back...then the chest pains started, after realizing it had to be more than muscle pain, I decided to go to the ER. I told them my symptoms, they did an X-Ray and CAT SCAN. the conclusion of the two test was an enlarged heart(Cardiomyopathy), and it remains so today.

I have recently learned that chemicals in some drugs can damage/weaken the cardiac tissue..which has to happen before the heart can enlarge.

My diagnosis for needing this med was taccycardia, irregular heart beat, and now very slightly evalated blood pressure (that seems to bother me more than the DR says it should )I have been trying to find a new drug that doesn't interfer with my COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease...in other words trouble breathing) Most of the heart meds add to your symptoms causing thick phlegm to build up, or wheezing. Most of the side effects for Betaxolol did go away eventually. I had horrible anxiety that seemed to ache from the inside out - that has finally dissipated. Itching & irritability also went away. I don't sleep well on this med at all - find my self waking in the middle of the nite and can't get back to sleep. To reduce the breathing problems this med causes for my lung condition I have tried taking the drug every other day and I experience my heart bouncing around in my chest, squeezed throat, serious trouble breathing cause my lungs don't work when my heart rhythm is wacky. Of course nothing shows up on the 30 day Event Heart Monitor they put me on so I might as well talk to the moon. Boy would I love to hear from anyone with asthma, COPD, emphysema, etc that needs BP meds and what works for them!

I'm diabetic, have underactive thryroid, hypertension. On several meds including 20mg Lisinopril. I was put on 40mg twice a day beta-blocker last week after my umpteenth time complaining about exactly the same stuff as I see on this website. Have been in the hospital twice in the past year for these problems (they said I was dehydrated)...wore the heart monitor, all that. Heart is fine they say. Just beats weird now and then. I'm now goung to have to talk to Dr. about this drug. Sounds like it may be my problem. I, too, have wondered, "Am I trying to have a heart attack".

My Side effects: major heart palpitations, numb/tingling hands almost every morning upon awakening, fatigue, thinning hair, bloating/weight gain. I am 43 yrs old, not overweight & in good health other than my BP. I was on atenelol for about 8 yrs & switched to lisinopril aprx 5-6 yrs ago. HBP & heart attack run in my family (dad & brother both had heart attacks at age 40). The heart palpitations (I call them summersaults in my chest) have caused me to go to the urgent care & doctor more than once. Have had EKGs twice in last 3 yrs, wore heart monitor, etc. Said I have irregular heart beat, but nothing to really worry about. I started on 5mg, but BP continued to increase. Raised to 10 mg, but same thing. Now up to 20 mg & BP is finally better (but not low) at 120/86. I HATE being tired all the time as I'm the kind of person who is always going. I'm going to talk w/Dr. & see about switching to something else again... Thanks to all for sharing!

I have bipolar, and for a year I was willing to attribute my symptoms to that illness. I started the lisinopril when I moved and made a bunch of life changes, so I didn’t connect the onset of the symptoms with the med. Every night, though, I would get sick around 5 or 6 PM (I took lisinopril in the morning): nausea, headache, body aches, extreme lethargy, shortness of breath, fluttering feeling in my chest. These symptoms were so bad that twice I went to the emergency room. (Unfortunately, I presented as a bipolar patient with anxiety, so my treatment was less than comprehensive.) I swapped out all my bipolar meds to rule out drug interactions, but never touched lisinopril because I thought of it as a “safe drug”. My PCP (who prescribed the lisinopril) referred me to a cardiologist who did a battery of tests. I stopped the 30 day heart monitor after 3 weeks because every time I had cardiac symptoms, I checked out fine. The only option left seemed to be that the symptoms were psychosomatic, which scared me because I had no idea how to tackle that. I finally decided to investigate lisinopril and found this site by accident. It was amazing to read all the posts that were similar to my experiences. The day I discontinued the lisinopril in the morning, that night I did not get sick. I waited until I had been well for a week before concluding that the symptoms were indeed side effects of this med. It’s been a couple of months since I discontinued the lisinopril. And I have not been sick once, though I do struggle regularly with the bipolar. (I do monitor my blood pressure regularly: there’s a reason why everyone tells you to do that!) I feel stupid for not suspecting lisinopril earlier (I’m the kind of person who has a PDR and quizzes doctors on pharmacological modes of action) but I just thought that someone would flag it if there could be a problem.

I think those of us with a chronic illness tend to try to make symptoms fit within the framework of our known disease models. I’m writing a book and would welcome input on any aspect of bipolar or about dealing with chronic illness in general.

This site is a blessing. Congratulations on finding it!

I have just come across this site, while looking to find out why I have been experiencing heart palpitations for the past two months - out of the blue!!! and usually "exercise" induced. I had some tests and have been told they are Premature Atrial Contractions "PACs". I started taking Yasmin in April, after having tried others over the past year (tri-cyclen lo and alesse) which did not work for me as the progestin was not strong enough. I am in my 40s and never took the pill before. Yasmin was great, it significantly reduced my "physical" pms (severe inflamation, severe bloating, severe sore breasts) which I experience for 2-3 weeks a month. However, sometime in mid to late June, I started getting palpitations/tremors out of the blue. The first episode freaked me out and lasted for about two weeks. At first I thought it was allergy medication mixed with my thyroid med, which can happen - but I cut out the allergy meds and still got them. They seem to come about 6hrs to a day after I fexercise/figure skate and they last from 2 to 5 five days. It's very irritating and nerve wracking, and I feel very agitated. I am also out of breath more than usual when walking up stairs, a little light headed and have some tightness in the chest. My legs also are weak, which makes no sense given my exercise regimen. I then lowered my thyroid replacement from .125 synthroid to .100 - too much thyroid med can cause some palpitations. Anyone who has mistakenly taken a second thyroid pill having forgotten that they already took one will understand. Even with the lower dose I am still getting the palpilations. I am totally at a loss as to why all of a sudden this is happening to me (perhaps perimenopause??). I have had the odd flutter here and there in my live, but nothing like this. It just doesn't make any sense ag ll. Can one's health just change like this overnight?. I am otherwise healthy, slim, have "lower" blood pressure (apprx 100-90/70-60)I skate 3 to 5 times a week, I have a full time job and yes I do push myself, but this is getting ridiculous. The only thing I can attribute it to is the Yasmin, ... but my symptoms only started after a few months not instantly, whereas it would seem that most of the the women here noticed the side effects faster. I hate to stop the Yasmin because I will have to return to pms "hell", but I suppose I will give it a try to see if the palpitations subside. At this point, I have been offered a low dose "beta blocker" and have refused. I am stunned to think that all of a sudden I have heart issues, especially since my Dr has always kidded me my that I will never have heart problems with my blood pressure. I will stop the Yasmin tonight and post another message in a few weeks one it is out my system. Here's hoping it is the Yasmin.
KarenSkaterGirl

UPDATE: Today is the second day that I haven't taken Singulair and I feel 100% better. I am no longer experiencing the panic attacks, hallucinations, shortness of breath, ear ringing, leg cramps, etc. I went to the doctor on the 23rd and he was reluctant to think that any of this was caused by taking Singulair. I am now convinced that it was, since I haven't felt any of the symptoms I was having for the last few months. I am going to a cardiologist on Aug 1st and will have to wear a heart monitor to "rule out" a heart condition. I also have to get my ears checked because my doctor thinks this could be an inner ear problem. I will go through with all of these check-ups just to make sure that I don't have any underlying medical issues. Seeing how quickly my symptoms have stopped after going off of Singulair makes me totally convinced that this is what was causing this in the first place. I am greatful that I found this site and read all of the comments from people having similar symptoms!

On 4.25.07 after four days of taking YAZ i found myself in the ER havinf a CT of my head, lungs, sonogram of both my legs, x-ray of my lungs, ekg of my heart, blood & urine samples taken. All in all I spent 11 hours being poked and examined only to be told to stop taking YAZ. My symptoms were: extreme dizziness, heart palpatations, headache, tingling in my legs, partial numbness in my left check, fatigue. They were concerned that I may have had a blood clot due to the pills and that's why they were looking at my legs & lungs. If I had developed a clot in my legs I would've had to taken blood thinners for 6 months and if it would've been in my lungs I would've been admitted into the hospital that day. Now a day later I am extremely tired, have a heart monitor attached to my chest. (They're having me wear this for 24 hrs.) I've had one dizzy spell and feel a little "out of it". If I had known that such a small little pill could create so much havoc I would've never taken it in the first place.

Since starting Zocor 2 weeks ago I have been experiencing palpitations. I hooked myself up to the heart monitor at work and saw that I was having premature ventricular contractions, which is normal if they happen occasionally, but I was having 4-8 per minute! I met a lady at my gym who had the same problem when she was on Zocor....they did a full work-up on her and attributed the problem to Zocor. And altho Merck doesn't mention any cardiac problems as side-effects I believe it's in my best interest to get off this stuff! Plus I am also having blurred vision.