Herbal medicine symptoms and conditions

MAY 29th, i had a heart cath done. while on the table i had 5-7 sec MI.
was put in MICU, rest of that day and night. moved to heart ward, was put on 24 hour telemetry for 2 days. was started on LIPITOR. had never taken it prior to then.
as of April 8th, i had made a radical diet change, from a lacto/ovo vegetarian, to a "south beach"/modified Atkins NO CARB DIET.
in the period from apr 8th to may 29th, i had dropped 16 pound. i have a bad back, and with the added pounds i packed on, made walking a choir.
with the weight loss, i was walking a lot better. THEN May 29th, LIPITOR was added ............and within 2 weeks, i was having leg weakness, when standing i would feel like my legs couldn't hold me up, walking was now harder then when i had the extra 16 pounds.
sooooo....as of June 14th, I STOPPED TAKING IT!!!!! within days i felt more energetic, and could work a few hours a day. had an appointment with cardiologist June 19th, told him of problems, and that i had stopped taking lipitor. he agreed with me, said to stay on the diet, exercise more, and give it another 6 weeks and then we will check progress.
he did not prescribe any replacement for the LIPITOR. but i have been herbal and homeopathic savvy for a long time so i will continue the OMEGA-3 fish oil, 4 capsules a day, and 4 GARLIC a day.
i mihgt have to add some MILK THISTLE for the liver, if the LIPITOR did any damage.
my diet change if anyone is interested is, chicken, turkey, fish for meats, no hamburgers, or steaks or pork ribs. i STILL do a ton of
VEGGIES, mostly COMPLEX CARBS, lettuce, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, cukes, zukes, summer squash, and have found a wonderful substitute for PASTA, and its SPAGHETTI SQUASH. split it, microwave 10 min, let stand for 5 min, then take a fork and strip out the meat of the squash, cover with PASTA SAUCE as you would make for PASTA. awesome.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2001 and have been taking 10mg simvastatin ever since. Over the last six months have had severe increasing pain in right shoulder neck and arm. Out of the blue the doctor has since automatically changed dose from 10mg to 40mg. I have not taken the 40 yet as I am too scared and am using up the 10mg. Sometimes have diarrhea and nausea. I had to wait 2 weeks for xray and another 2 weeks for the result. Am to see the doctor in 2 days because I cannot stand the pain any longer. A month ago he told me to come off the simvastin as I would not have to wait long, but after 2 weeks thought I had better go back on it again. Have now stopped again because the pains are worse. wondering about taking herbal medicine instead.

Okay- A friend just emailed this site to me, my son is 4 and has been taking Singulair for about 2 years. He has seasonal allergies which seem to be year round, asthma and food allergies. He is on Singulair and Allegra daily, this in it self freaks me out. What I have noticed for at least the past year is that when he is running around or moving a lot he hold his right side and says he has a pain in it, we now call it a "stitch". it happens not from strenuous activity, our doctor just says its growing pains, that doesn't make sense. something is bothering him it happens with somewhat frequency. I am really thinking about his behavior, it seems to me he can change on a dime. from happy to very angry, outbursts and then right back to sweet, yes this could describe any 4 year old, but not any 4 year old is on Singulair. I remember saying to him where is my sweet boy? I feel like that might have been when we started the meds, i am so used to his behavior now that it seems almost normal but there was a time he acted differently. and i do remember saying that.... was it when he went on Singulair???

I had the Mirena inserted in October 07 because of very heavy menstruation problems. I have never tolerated the pill so I was nervous about the possible hormonal side effects of the Mirena, My GP and Gyno both played the side effects down and maintained that the dose of hormones was so small and only released "locally", whatever that means. The first month was ok, I spotted daily and did not experience any other serious side effects, just the occasional cramping. The first day of my Mirena period I had a massive vertigo attack, spinning out of control for a couple of hours. I was due to catch a plane that day and had to cancel my weekend away with my husband. My GP maintained it had nothing to do with the Mirena and that I had an inner ear infection. From that day on I experienced chronic dizziness, and increasing symptoms of heart palpitations, nausea and anxiety. By the end of the second month, I felt I was loosing my mind, becoming extremely irritable and very anxious for no apparent reason. My body felt like it was in a constant state of alert. I decided to have the Mirena removed and experienced almost instant relief form the dizziness and chronic anxiety. I "crashed" 9 days later for about 4 days when all my symptoms came back with a vengeance and it felt pretty scary. 6 weeks post Mirena I feel chronically fatigued and have achy and weak legs. I have consulted a naturopath who has given me a cocktail of vitamins, minerals and instructed me to be alcohol free, caffeine free, wheat free and cow's milk free. I try to walk my dog once a day and eat extremely healthy food and sleep. I have had to stop work for a month.The Mirena experience has been a disaster for me and I am still waiting to get back to my normal self. Reading this site does give me support in knowing that others have experienced similar debilitating symptoms. I have felt very let down by the lack of medical support and understanding of what Mirena can do to you.

Ive had mine out for about 5months now and although most things are back to normal- I don't even get pmt anymore, compared to for about 2weeks of every month when I had it- I still have acne and its not horrendous, but its a pain in the ares and I never had acne before I got the Mirena. I feel disgusting. Its on my chin and back especially. I had one spot that was there for a whole month and was massive and painful and its only just healing up and will probably scar. I am lucky that I got it out when I did- who knows how bad the side effects could have gotten. I had mine taken out after around 2 years.

Meant to say, actually, I am taking a degree in herbal medicine and one of my lecturers was discussing the contraceptive pill with us and she said that it is a known fact that if somebody takes the pill and finds that it interferes with their sex drive, it may cause permanent loss of libido because of what it does to your hormones, your testosterone esp.

Kind of worrying.....I'm never going to take the pill or anything hormonal again. You just don't know the damage that your doing. Yes I'd like to have sex without using condoms but it isn't worth the risk to me, my mental health, my skin, my lack of sex drive.

Hi Sophie!

Different than the last post I don't think that your life is really in danger... Don't worry (sounds very weird, I know.....). But, YES that's exactly the way I felt, too, under and even about 3 - 4 MONTHS AFTER Yasmin!! And so much times I was really about to call 911 (well, though here in Germany it's 112 ;).

The Valerian you can get in every pharmacy / drugstore. It's a herbal medicine which helps you to calm down a bit. In my worst times I had them with me every day. It's not as dangerous as all of the chemical antidepressants or sedatives, which I would refuse to take, if I were you, as long as I could!!

And if the panic attack gets that heavy, that you think you REALLY can't bear it anymore, there's always the chance to call 911 to perhaps give you a slight injection or such to just help this one attack.

You should always keep in mind, that those attacks won't be there every day of your life!! I swear they will get lighter and lighter every month, I definitely KNOW what I'm talking about!!! Today I'm nearly free of them (well, I feel a change every few weeks, when my period "should" come or so, which is because of the hormonal changes a body goes through within a month!!)

Sometimes it helped me also just to hear some music, that I'm really keen on or just read a little bit or even watch TV. You should try to not stress up yourself to much with other things (doing your household or anything). Everything is unimportant besides your health at the moment!!

And you're definitely NOT bugging me, Sophie!! I see which phase you're in and I'm feeling so much with you, because I remember me sitting in the same sh.... as you do now about one Year ago!! And I know that the only thing that can help a bit at the moment is someone who understands you're problems and someone you just can talk with about that agony!!

And another thing, which I guess you are feeling, too: I always thought, I will never get through this and this is the way things will stay for the rest of my life and I always was afraid to completely loose my mind over all this!! And look at me now: I didn't loose my mind and everything is nearly completely gone!! I'm working again, going out again, today my husband and I will do a little shopping tour, which I thought I would never be able to do ever again in my life!!!

Sophie, if I could I would like to give you a big hug right now (My thoughts send you a big hug right now!!) and tell you, that it's just a phase you have to go through now until that Yasmin poison has completely gone out of your system and you're hormones finally get back in balance. And I swear, the sun will shine again for you, too, in a few months!!

Stay strong and hang in there, you have the strenght to get over this, I know!!!

Big hugs and god's bless to you!!

Feel free to E-Mail me or post here again if you're in need for help!!!

Silke

Hey Denise!!

I understand so much how you're thinking and feeling now and what you're going through and to read your post nearly makes my cry again!! Exactly one year ago I was sitting within the same sh... as you do now! I had to stay the first week of 2005 in the hospital, taking such things like xanax (in germany it's called "Diazepam" or "Valium"), every day, because I thought I couldn't bear those weird feelings of anxiety without it any longer!!

And after getting home again (they gave me enough pills for about 1 week longer or so...) I immediately went off that shit again, because I was afraid of every med and especially very afraid of getting reliant to that stuff, too!!

Well, I know that sounds hard, but you will get through your attacks even without that xanax meds I promise!! The only thing that I had been taking when I felt very anxious again was "baldrian", sorry, I don't know how it's called in usa, but it's a herbal medicine which calms down and helps you to relax again just with natural ingredients. Either to mention that it doesn't help that much and as fast as the chemical meds (like xanax), but it calms you down a bit and helps you to get through the attacks by yourself more easily!! During the hard times there was a package of that medicine just right by my side, even when I had to leave the house for a doctor's visit or such I took the pills with me and a bottle of water. Even just to KNOW that I COULD take it, if I thought I had to, helped me to calm down a bit, when I got anxious!!

Today I'm even afraid of taking some vitamines or such, just because of my experience with that Yasmin sh......!! Sounds weird but that's the way it is. I never want to get there again where I was for very long 1 1/2 years (with about 6 very hard months!!) and still not feeling 100% back to normal again!!

I would wish to be able to give you a big hug right now and tell you, that everything will be fine again and you'll get through this!! Anb believe me, I know what I'm talking about!! All you need right now is strenght, patience and the help of your family and friends around you.

If there is any way I could help you, please post again or write me an E-Mail, I and many other lovely women come around here everyday with an open ear for your problems, no matter how weird you thing they might be!!

Greetings and god's bless to you!

Silke

Tomorrow should be my last day of prednisone until I start weaning off it, so I will take my last batch of 8 tablets in the morning 5mg each and then wean off them. I forgot to take them this morning, I swear by this afternoon I was REALLY DIZZY, until I remembered to take them and about an hour later I was fine, that kinda scares me, your body shouldn't get hooked so quickly. Anyway I am going to see my homeopath on Wednesday and swopping over to herbal medicine. I like to put natural things into my body thank you :)

Bronchitis has gone YAY! but just a bit of a wheeze.

On Tuesday this week I will have stopped smoking for 2 whole weeks!! Best decision I have ever made!!
Will never touch another cigarette ever again.

Have a wonderful week everyone and remember that u are not alone if you are struggling with Prednisone. HEY who knew I was a poet!!

Hi Ladies, it's Joodles with a 60 day update.....

To Guest #12137:

I can offer an answer to your question about insomnia.

I too suffered from terrible insomnia while on Yasmin and I also had sleepless nights off of Yasmin. It has been 60 days off Yasmin and just last week has been the best week of sleeping through the night! It will get better!

I still have feelings of being anxious while the hormones are readjusting. I have lost 7 1/2 of the 10 pounds I gained going off of Yasmin so at least that is resolving. I no longer retain water in the ankles, no more racing heart, the blood pressure is returning to a more normal level, dizziness is subsiding and my fear of being alone is subsiding. I still have episodes of being afraid but I have to pull myself together and remeber that my body is working to get well and back to a more normal function. I have issues with my skin though; acne like I was a teenager again and hair loss.

Little did I know how Yasmin would effect me mentally and physically.

On August 2nd I have my 2 month follow-up appointment with my GYN. Boy, do I have something to tell her! I am going to try herbal medicine to get my body back in balance. I will let you know what I am taking and how it is working.

We WILL get better now that we are free of Yasmin!

Take care ladies and know that you are not alone!

Joodles