Herbal supplements symptoms and conditions

I am a 48 year old female. I have been on lisinopril for about 7 months. When I first started taking it, I experienced seasonal allergy symptoms. I considered allergy tests, etc., but decided to tough it out. The cough started and persists. I have had the symptoms and they have finally subsided. I went to a N.D., and am taking herbal supplements along with a decreased dose of the lisinopril to wean me from it all together. I have had a horrible rash on the side of my face and neck for months. If I go outside, with a hat, long sleeves and sunscreen, the rash gets itchy and my whole face feels like prickly heat. I am an outdoors person. Today is the first day I haven't taken my decreased dose and I don't feel very good. I hope this is the right thing to do.

Wow..this makes me feel a lot better reading all of this. I have been off of Yasmin for about a year now but am still feeling the side effects. When I was on it I felt fine at first & was extremely excited about finally being on BC. Then about a month into it I started getting extremely bad heart palpitations and tingly body and arms. My heart would race and I thought I was about to have a heart attack everyday. I consulted my gyn/ob about this and she stated it was "normal side effects of the pill." I told her I was concerned that I had a blood clot or something else extremely severe. She convinced me it was all normal & I would be EXTREMELY ill and in the hospital if that was the case. I told her it was interfering with my life on a daily basis but she didn't seem to believe me. My boyfriend had also noticed I had been acting extremely anxious, moody and depressed and became concerned. It got to the point where he couldn't even touch me when I was at home since I was having STABBING chest pains on a daily basis. I couldn't even move & I would have really bad heartburn all the time. I went to the doctor a couple of times because I thought I was seriously having a heart attack...Stabbing pains- tingly arms and legs, extreme anxiety...my heart was pounding so hard I couldn't breath and then my heart felt as if it would pop in and out when I took a breath. My doctor said it was normal side effects as well so I told myself I was just the crazy one once again. I went to the doctor about a month later when things got worse..this whole time thinking that Yasmin had nothing to do with it and found my blood pressure was 160/90!!! My doc said it should have been about 120/70. I started blood pressure medication but the heart palpitations did not stop so eventually I stopped with Yasmin. Things have gotten better but it has still left me with permanent damage. My anxiety is still a problem and my blood pressure is still sky high...even on meds. I never had any problems before any of this...now I have major problems for life because of this drug. I know they warn you of issues prior but NO medication should do this to ANYONE. I also gained about 20 pounds when I was on the pill and when I got off I lost about 15 pounds in 2 days..I lost equilibrium in my body and felt sick with all of the sudden weight loss....Is anyone considering a Class action lawsuit against this company? & why are the doctors covering up the side effects of this drug? I know they get paid for referring people to certain drugs but this is SCARY...keep me updated.

Just reporting back with some information.
I've been off of Yasmin for over a month now. Overall I've been better but there have been a few "relapses" where I've become so dizzy/lightheaded that I hard-core started to panic. Those days can be disheartening.
I've read some previous posts from an RN who said that Yasmin in particular, suppresses your androgens (testosterone) which causes many of these symptoms. This also explains why sometimes it takes a while for these symptoms to "catch up" I know I was feeling great when I first started.
I'm a lot better now that I stopped Yasmin, but I know it's going to take up to six months to get back to normal. Have your doctor check your hormone level. Even if it's " low normal" that isn't healthy for say, a 20, or 30 year old.
For herbal supplements I would suggest Ashwagandha. It's supposed to help production of your androgens. Also keep hydrated and have plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids.
What I also encourage is to talk about your situation. Once you open up, you'll never know who you'll find that had the same issue. We women can be a very helpful resource for one another.
I'll keep you posted on the progress and I hope the best for all of you.

Predisone is the only other alternative for antibiotic therapy. Predisone has been known for years to have a lot of side effects. Always keep in mind you must be weined from the medicine never stop without consulting your doctor and if your doctor gives you a dose that does not require weining please also consult your pharmacist and the pharmacist really knows the drug compared to your doctor. Doctor's typically only know what the medication reps tell them whereas the pharmacist has extensive medication knowledge and will also know your current medication conflicts. Be sure that your doctor is aware of all medications including all herbal supplements and other the counter medications. With predisone you really have to out weigh the symptoms verses the side effects then determine are they really worth going through to eleviate your symptons. Keep in mind Predisone is a steroid a very potent anti-flammitory and reduces the inflammation so the infection can heal.

I am 16 and soon will be turning 17 years old. I have been on 10 mg. Singulair for about six weeks. I am already having side effects. I am on Prozac already, this med was to help calm me down, especially about my dad who will be having his fourth brain surgery. At first, I was really nervous and we thought it was because of my dad. After taking Singulair, things went downhill. It made me feel worse and I've had two sinus infections in these 6 weeks. After 2 weeks of starting this medication, I became really nervous and began to pull out my eyebrows. I haven't stopped and now I hardly have an eyebrow,I wear eyebrow pencil to cover it up, but it feels as if I can't control it, if I don't do it, I'll get really grouchy and irritated. I already have to go to a doctor for my stomach and Singulair has just made it worse. I don't care what my doctor says I WILL NEVER take Singulair again!

Unfortunately, as with all drugs, including the lowly aspirin, there are a myriad of side-effects. There is not a single drug on the market that has no side-effects and almost all have multiple side-effects. Additionally, Western medicine is designed to treat symptoms, rather than treat the cause of the underlying problem. The Western medical establishment, and pharmaceutical industry in particular, profits from illness and has no incentive for patients to receive proactive care or treatment. With that being said, there are often many holistic, homeopathic or ayurvedic treatments for many of society's ailments. This is the thorn in the side of the big pharmaceutical corporations, such as Pfizer, Merck and others. They are working hard to have herbal and other supplements regulated by the paid-off FDA. The big pharma companies spend billions per year in FDA fees and enforcement activities to protect their investments and to prevent others from cutting into their market share--this is why they are so determined to regulate herbal supplements or even have them banned from the marketplace altogether. The other problem is the absurd scare tactics used by the FDA, FBI and the big pharma companies. What they fail to tell uneducated Americans is that companies like Cipla, Ranbaxy and Dr. Reddys have FDA-approved facilities both in the U.S. and in India. Furthermore, these companies supply a vast amount of American drugs, both generic and brand name. These drugs are not "counterfeit," but they may be "misbranded," under certain conditions. Think about it--India is a country with 1 billion people--more than three times the U.S. population. Do you think a multi-billion dollar company like Cipla would compromise its quality or even exist if their drugs were of inferior quality? This company thrives because of stringent quality control which produces superior products that surpass even those of Pfizer's or Merck's.

About a month ago, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure (160/101). I am a 46 year old female in pretty good shape. I exercise weekly, eat pretty good, and I am not overweight or stressed. My doctor said it is hereditary, and he put on Verapamil and a diaretic for one month and my pressure did go down, but never went to the normal level (120/80). I was finally begnning to feel better and get back into my normal exercise routine. My doctor decided to add the Lisinopril and take me off the fluid pill along with the Verapamil. I took my first pill (Lisinopril) yesterday, and within a few hours, I started to feel nauseous and weak. By the time I got home from work I was feeling lightheaded, and sluggish and wasn't breathing normal. It was to the point that I didn't feel like going to my exercise class. I even struggled to walk my dog--moving a little slower than normal and got really overheated and it was 40 degress in my areaa. Then, later on that night, I woke up with this bad pain/cramping feeling in my upper abdomen that I have never felt before as well as diarrhea. I couldn't figure out what the problem was. It didn't feel like heartburn or gas and I usually don't have stomach issues. It keeped me up all night to the point I had to get up and walk around and sit up in the chair. So I took some pepto bismol because that was all I had, but it didn't help. I woke up this morning and felt a little better except my throat was beginning to feel dry. I took another Lisinopril, and the pain in my stomach immediately came back in my stomach. I will not be taking another one. I put a call into my doctor to give me something else because I don't like how I feel. I will see what he recommends, or I will take some herbal supplements to help balance my blood pressure with the Verapamil. I usually don't have problems with most durgs, but I noticed a big difference in this one. At first I was thinking my body has to get used to it, but after reading your emails, I would rather try something with a little less side effects. My doctor did tell me that if I started to get a dry cough to discontinue the Lisinopril, and call him immediately. I can feel my throat getting dry already this morning so I am not going to wait until I get a cough that I can't control. Just remember to consult your doctor before stopping your meds. I wish you all the best.

I am a 47 year old female. I had superficial blood clots in my left leg in Dec 05 and Nov 06. Developed a DVT in left leg and a superficial clot in right leg in June 07. Now taking 9 mg of warfarin (coumadin) a day. Suffering from extreme fatigue, heavy periods and I just discovered the hard way that warfarin makes you sensitive to the sun (got a severe sunburn on my face, forearms, hands and the top of my head, all places that I do not normally burn). Called the pharmacist and she said sun sensitivity is not a side effect. Went to several websites before I finally it upon one that did say that sun sensitivity is a side effect. My doctor did not tell me this and it is not a warning on the prescription label. Please be careful in the sun. Also, if you are a cranberry lover, I found several websites that said no cranberries in any form, juice, dried, herbal supplements, etc.

KIM 123:

I think one of the most important things is that you recognize it's not normal and are talking about it. Being honest with yourself and others around you is so important.

Have you tried vitamin or herbal supplements to regulate your moods? Until your body can get back to its normal self, it may need a little help. Plus, you may be going through a normal hormonal change on top of everything else. I don't know how old you are, but when I was in my late twenties/early thirties I went through a serious change, and my doctor said it was normal. Everyone reacts differently (some not at all). Take that into consideration.

You are going to be ok. Give it time.

IPJ

hi jillybean. good luck with the diet i hope it goes well for you. i have tried the 5-htp as i heard it could be beneficial for depression/anxiety. I only took it for a few days as i have IBS and it gave me 4 days worth of stomach cramps and diarreah, i also found that if i took it at night it gave me really vivid dreams. bad effects aside i did feel calmer taking it but it was just no good for me as i have a sensitive tummy. i only add this as i know a lot of us run out and buy anything in the hope that it will help (i know i have spent a fortune on herbal supplements in the last year!) i'm not saying don't try it but on some web sites it does not recommend it if you have a history of bowel or GI problems,i only found this out after i starting getting stomach cramps! for those of you taking low dose anti-depressants it could be worth trying if you want to get off the prescription meds.there have been some really good reports about 5-htp working just as well as some AD's.
(no not take this whilst taking anti-depressants,it may be worth checking with your health care provider to make sure you are ok to take it and that it will not interact with any other meds you may be on.)

keep fighting the good fight ladies and remember what doesn't kill us makes us stronger!

I do not have side affects that I know of (50 mcg/day). If I did I would take my self off of it gradually and do the natural health side of treating my thyriod problem. I am now gradually getting off of my Levoxyl and taking several herbal supplements which the doctor confirmed are working better than Levoxyl. I encourage you all to try that...side effects are not good. When you have side effects they are generally treated with another medication. Who wants to take more meds? They are so bad on your liver!

Queen of Snow: You are not alone. There are other women on this site who have been on Yasmin for just as long as you and dealing with the same side effects.

I was on it for about 7 months before I quit. Had my first panic attack 5 months on Yasmin. Then the second at 7 months. I also had the fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. Plus the sore boobs before my period.

It has now been 3 months since getting off Yasmin. I still have some bad days where I am pretty fatigued, but the dizziness, nausea, and sore boobs are gone.

So it will take some time, but you will get better.

I am also working with a nutritionist and taking some herbal supplements to help my body cleanse itself of Yasmin and all the bad stuff in my system.

Sandra

I am 24 yrs. old and have been taking Toprol XL 25 MG at night for three weeks now, doctor prescribed for Palpitations and irregular heartbeat, also have Mitrovalve Prolapse. The problem is weight gain, and I have not changed my eating habits. If anything, I have been exercising more, eating about the same. (Also started herbal supplements about a week ago, pretty harmless, just vitamins/sage/etc.) and I STILL cannot lose any weight and feel like I'm actually GAINING. Has anyone else experienced this on such a small dose? I also feel like the toprol has affected my sleeping, however I was having problems sleeping before I started taking it (something that the doctor hasn't gotten around to addressing).

Hi ladies--just an update:
after I stopped taking Yasmin, I went without any pills for a month and steadily got better. I only had a migraine once after the initial two week withdrawal. After one month, I stared Nuvaring (today, I started month 2 on it). I have not had any anxiety or panic attacks for over a month. I do feel my heart racing every once in a while still, but I think that if I managed to cut down the caffeine, those will stop as well. My BP went down significantly within a month after going off Yasmin.

I still feel fatigued, but I think now it's just my hectic schedule. I have no trouble falling asleep anymore (I would lay in bed for hours while on the pill). I feel EXTREME thirst sometimes since goinf off, like one other person posted. I can chug a half-gallon and still be thirsty, but that is gradually getting better.

To answer the question about detoxing--I went through a two-week detox after stopping Yasmin, with vitamin and herbal supplements, an immense amount of water and teas, no caffeine, no meat, etc. It helped me tremendously and it accelerated my getting better, I strongly recommend it.

Good luck to you all.

46/f here.have been taking 10 mg of this for 5 weeks......the cough is beyond crazy but my bp has dropped from 150/100 to a low of 94/70..the lowest being when i didnt eat that day..i get it taken a couple times a week where i work..has anyone been able to control bp with herbal supplements or vitamins?..i want OFF this stuff