Hypochondriac symptoms and conditions

I was prescribed sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim for 10 days, for a cyst that wouldn't go away. I took the first dose in the morning with breakfast. By the afternoon, I noticed my eyes were bloodshot. On my way home from work, I noticed that my actual eyeballs "hurt" and I could feel a headache coming on. Because it only hurt in my eye region and I thought I felt sinus pressure, I believed it was also due to nose blowing. I called the Dr. and he said,"No, those wouldn't be side effects from the meds." At that point, I too felt like a hypochondriac. I took an additional pill as prescribed that evening, and this morning I STILL feel horrible. (and I drake tons of water throughout the process) After reading the other testimonies, I KNOW it is this medication. I WILL NOT be taking another pill. Ya know, we trust doctor's to help us and make us well...I know everyone's body's are different, but this is unreal. I've gone to the same doctor for probably 10 yrs, and unfortunately, this is something that will make me change physicians. I for one, do not have time to be someones lab rat...and that's what this feels like. I hope my testimony helps someone else. Everyone listed here helped me. Thank you so much.

I'm so glad to find this website. I'm 21 years old and I've been on a dozen different BC's over the past 5 years because of my irregular cycles and PCOS. I switched to Yaz a little over a year ago because the military didn't carry my previous BC (lo-estrin24 which I liked). A few months into it, I started having these weird side effects, but just blew them off because they seemed small and I didn't want my new husband to think he just married a hypochondriac! Plus I see those lawsuit commercials about Yaz every day and I didn't want to be the type of person that freaks out when they see something like that.

The first thing I noticed was nausea on a daily basis. It's not bad enough to where I actually vomit, but enough to where I notice it and it affects my day to day routine. My cycles while being on it have been "normal", as normal as they will get for me.

However, over the past few weeks I have been getting the worst headaches/migraines, bad enough to where you can't function on a day to day basis. I thought they were because we just moved up to Alaska and the weather change was getting to me. (We've been here for almost 2 months) It's been over 3 weeks now and I still get them on a daily basis. The doctor told me they are from stress, but I've been stressed my entire life and have NEVER had a problem with headaches. I've had to resort to taking Excedrin every day (which I KNOW is NOT good for me but I can't function without it). Like others have said, I experience the vaginal dryness, lack of desire, but just assumed it was my body/lifestyle changing and that it was nothing to worry about. I also feel like I'm getting..for lack of a better word..dumber..and I can't remember anything that I did the day before, much less a week or month before. I honestly don't know if I'm any more moody than I was a year ago without asking my husband, and I don't think I actually want to know lol. My mother (who is in the medical field) swears to me that it's the BC causing all of this.

Thank you so much everyone for your postings, I will be scheduling yet another doctor's appt next week and will make sure I'm switched to another BC this time.

I have been on Yasmin for over 5 years, and just thought that I was a hypochondriac. After starting Yasmin I experienced severe nausea and unrelieved hunger pains. I saw a gastroenterologist who performed an EGD and Colonoscopy at the age of 20. It was normal and I was placed on Protonix to help with the GI issues. Also I have severe joint pains in my knees, hips, elbows and shoulders. I have been tested for everything from Lupus to Rheumatoid Arthritis, and it was all negative. I get headaches, have little sex drive if any, my skin is not clearer than usual and nor has it been since starting Yasmin. Thanks to all those people who have voiced their concerns and shared their stories, it makes us feel less crazy. I threw out all my birth control pills last night and I am going to try another form of contraceptive. I mean my headaches and chest pains have gotten so bad that they have forced me to go to the ER on several occasions. I DO NOT THINK THE BENEFITS OF YASMIN OUTWEIGH THE RISKS ASSOCIATED.

I have taken hydrochlorothiazide for years and was told it was safe and worked well with blood pressure meds. I noticed that my weight gain would be 4 pounds on and off for no apparent reason. I also noticed my breasts felt like it did when I was nursing my babies when the milk came in. While on this med my potassium was off so I was on 3 fat potassium pills a day. Then I became light headed and became depressed and my mind was really awful. I knew I didn't have Alzheimer but knew something was wrong. Doctors thought I was a hypochondriac I am sure. I saw in Best Pills Worst Pills that you can have mental confusion as a side effect. I found out that when I went off of the pill for even a day the mental problems were gone and when I went back on the problems came back. After ingesting too much salt at a meal I ended up in ER. Doctor on call told me to quit my waterpill and also the potassium supplement, Since that time my weight has not fluated one ounce, my breasts no longer hurt and the mental chaos is gone. Such a relief to not have to worry where my potassium level was and never thought I would feel good mentally again as I was talking suicide. Meds they prescribe can kill us and we have to research all side effects ourselves it seems.

))REMOVED IN APRIL 09, STILL HAVING SYMPTOMS, ANYONE ELSE PLEASE CONTACT ME..I THINK I'M GOING CRAZY(((((

To spare everyone of a very long read of the SAME symptoms as everyone on here, I will list:
Dec08 inserted
PAIN PAIN PAIN CONSTANT PAIN
BLEEDING
Cramping so bad I had to stay in bed
Insist something is wrong
Dr. says all this is "normal"

April 09 Removed
PAIN CONTINUED CONSTANTLY
Dr. Says all this is "normal" be on you way

May 09 switched to new Gyn
US revealed retroverted uterus ( I knew previously)
Cyst on rt. ovarie
A small amount of fluid in cul de sac ( Dr. states that the mirena perforated my uterus & now the fluid is sitting there)
Given 2 antibiotics & a pain reliever (did nothing)

June 09 Went back to new Gyn
States that " I don't know what to do, I have never had a patient with these problems, you may want to get a 2nd opinion."

August 09 (now)
Continue to have same daily, continuous pain & pressure in uterus & rectum area.
Sometimes feels like a bowel issue as well?????? Some sort of connection here.
Pressure, heaviness down into my upper legs & knees feel swollen
Sharp knife like pains in breasts
Nausea that wakes me from sleep
Tearful, sad, becoming depressed, feel like Dr.'s think I'm crazy!
Spending money we do not have on$50 copays and GETTING NO CLOSER TO THE ANSWER!

WHEN WILL THIS STOP??????????????????????????????

Contacted Mirena, they just jotted down notes & said hope you feel better.
Blood work some white blood cells, but nothing major.
I eat Advil like PEZ candy, if a friend can give med a pain med I get a days relief then it's just right back the next day. I don't dare ask for meds from Dr.'s they already think I'm nuts!
I have wasted so much time with this, I am missing my infant experience life, my 4 yr old needs me as well! My husband can not take another minute watching me in pain & crabby all the time.

Seriously, enough already, I get it, I made a mistake.

Contact mee if you want to chat.... ******

Not doing well .....M.

THIS IS SUCH A RELIEF!!! Oh my lord, I really started to think I was a damn hypochondriac. I had my Mirena put in March of 2008. The first 6 months I had bad periods, but my doctor told me they should start to lessen, which they did. Between the 7th and 12th month, I really liked it. I had no problems. Light periods. Low maintenance. I lost 10 pounds, and my boobs even got bigger! I loved the Mirena. I've now had it in almost a year and a half, and i've never felt so unhealthy in my entire life. At times, i'm so lethargic that I can barely stand. I'm always tired. I've never been one to sleep in, and now i'm sleeping in until almost 1 o'clock every day. Sometimes after I have sex, i'm in the WORST pain. I'm having real difficulty eating certain foods. If I eat at night, i'll be up all night in pain. I have horrible mood swings, and my hair is more thin than its ever been. I have an appointment on friday to get my Mirena taken out. What are some effects of having it taken out, besides your period going back to normal? I much rather have a week long period than suffer as bad as I am now. Mirena is AWFUL!!!

I've been debating on taking this medicine for 2 days already, and I'm flat out refusing. My doctor said that I was being a hypochondriac and that Aspirin has worse effects. If they really give us this med to get more business, that's just sick. I refuse. Don't feed deer in the forest and fall and have the top of your foot cut.-boo. :(

WOW! I have to agree with most of you, i recently got the MIRENA in March 2009, and my FREGGIN VAGINAL DISCHARGE had an odor to it, which i came down with BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS! UGH! i thought i received an STD when my discharge started to stink. But i went to the DR, and got treated for it. THANK GOD it was JUST Bacterial vaginosis. BUt now i noticed a creamy freggin discharge, almost chalky color. and i HATE IT!! TOP THAT OFF, i was spotting for a WHOLE month AND A HALF!

-M.

my daughter received her first shot in August of 08. Within 2 weeks she had a terrible bout of thyroiditis which translates into hypothyroidism;very tired and fatigued. A few months after that severe dizzy spells, racing heart and seeing stars in the middle of the night. Then migraine like headaches. Now chronic nausea and tingling and pain in her chest, shoulder and arm. Recently diagnosed with Parsonage-Turner syndrome which produces neurological impairment from "viral infection". The impairment is supposed to improve over time. She has had a hellish year. How is it that a 19 y0 girl who was healthy and a runner has turned into what doctors now think is a hypochondriac?

I have been on Yaz for 8 months and up until reading this website I thought I was either a) falling apart physically or b) a crazy hypochondriac!
I have had severe GI issues (gas, bloating, constipation, diahrrea etc.), headaches, neck pain, irrational irritibility, depression, anxiety, dizzy spells, unexplained weight gain (about 10 pounds, especially in the belly area), COMPLETE loss of sex drive, vaginal dryness, lack of ability to become aroused and if I do delayed orgasm (20-30 or stimulation before I can climax), fatigue and insomnia, skin rashes, shortness of breath, decreased immunity etc.
I am stopping this pill tonight after reading all of these other entries confirming the fact that I am not crazy!

It's great to read all these side affects to put things in perspective. I've been on the ring for about two years now and am finally getting off it and exploring my options, which is how I got directed here. Things that now appear to be symptoms and not me getting old (at 26) and falling apart: moodiness, in that I shut off completely to my partner and feel very blank in general; depression; major digestion problems that run the gamut; cramping in my side, migraines; nausea; sensitive breasts; chest pains...Man the list goes on and so many of these have been listed here. Good to know, and I wish I had read this site two years ago instead of feeling like a hypochondriac or an over-sensitive nutcase. Thanks to everyone who's posted, but also: what do you use now, those of you who've stopped? This is the only birth control I've ever been on, besides condoms etc.

I had the mirena put in sept 06 six weeks after my 2nd child. And I have had it in 2 and a half years now and its been a slow progression of side effects until I am ready to just get this thing out!! I started getting acne on my face,back, and arms which bothered me but it has progressively gotten worse. Its like I have cysts under my skin and they take forever to go away. But the final straw is that my hair has thinned to the point that I can't afford to lose anymore or I am going to have spots of my scalp showing. I do hair for a living so this is not an option. And the last thing is I have started to notice A LOT more facial hair.EWWW so that is when I started to think ok this is not normal and started to research the mirena. Thank god I found this web site and a couple others where I realized that I am not going crazy or turning into a hypochondriac. I understand that this works differently for everyone and have a couple of friends who have no problems but I think that if your going to be putting something into your body you should definitely do the research and then decide if its right for you. I will be calling tomorrow to have it removed. Will let you guys know how it turns out.

Wow. I have an appointment to go get my blood work done, because I couldn't for the life of me figure out why I feel the way I do. Until my friend asked me if it could be the Mirena... duh. I've had it now for almost a year. (It was put in after my second baby.) It hadn't even occurred to me before that it could be the culprit. I wake up every morning feeling like I just got hit by a bus. Anything but refreshed! I can be happy one second and then TICKED OFF the next. I never ever in my life would even THINK of swear words in my head. Now, it's a rare occasion when I DON'T freak out and kick walls and say every swear word I know. My vision is blurry. My neck is super stiff. My lower back always hurts. I get so depressed. People who know me are starting to notice that I'm not the same old me. My husband calls me crazy. My kids pray that mommy will stop being grumpy. I keep wondering why I hate my life, when everything is just what anyone would ever want. Hmmm.... something isn't right.

To those of you questioning whether to keep your IUD because of what it costs: In my experience, the symptoms did not go away, they got worse and worse.. until I was so depressed I didn't want to live anymore... my jojnt pain was so bad i thought I had some kind of disease or horrible arthritis... all my other symptoms indicated peri-menopause, but bloodwork came back normal. It doesn't get better, you just think you're going crazy, and people around you think you're a hypochondriac.
Would you keep a $500 pillow if you found out it was made of asbestos?
(sorry for the cheesy analogy, but it's all I cold come up with)

I've been on the mirena for 2 months now and within the past month I've been noticing this constant vaginal discharge that has a not so pleasant odor. This too had made me very self conscious when being intimate. I thought maybe it was some type of vaginal infection like bv or something but all my test results come back normal.
Migraines that hurt so bad I feel like I'm gonna die. Irritability with my fiance and daughter. My sex drive is not quite what it used to be (I'm only 26)!!!!!! I already have a history of anxiety but it's been controlled with the use of medication. I started using the mirena and now I'm starting to have more anxiety attacks even on medication with had never happened. They keep increasing my dosage but I'm starting to think that it's the mirena that's making it worse. I'm scared of birth control pills because I am very forgetful but I think taking a pill everyday is way better than nasty discharge and constant migraines.

Just had laprascopic surgery to remove a borderline ovarian tumor the size of a 6-7 month baby yesterday. I've been taking Lisinopril-HCTZ 10-12.5 for about 2 years now and have posted on this site before regarding my symptoms. Since this med works on the kidneys/adrenal glands and adrenal glands regulate some hormones I am wondering now about the possible connection between this med and my sudden cyst/tumor. The tumor was actually my left ovary enlarged to that size! Although benign, my very first symptom of this cyst started exactly when i began the med. It grew pretty rapid over a two year period. I have found no proof or mention anywhere and every doctor looks at me like I'm crazy, but my entire life I have NEVER had issues with my menstrual cycle or even much pain. After I began this med, I HAD to use ibuprofen every period. I began my cycle at 11 and not until 34 did I have issues - same time I began Lisinopril/HCTZ. Are their any women who are having female problems since taking this? Of course, the heart palpitations, arm and leg aches (like those of growing pains when you were a kid), dizziness, anxiety, depression, irregular sleep habits that I cannot break, increase appetite for mostly meats and proteins, some mild hair loss, abdominal cramping/tingling, hands and feet numbness, shoulder/neck pain, overall achyness, sudden/rash emotional extremes, even suicidal thoughts I know are side effects of this med.

OMG I am so glad I found this site!!! I have been taking YAZ for 4 months. I have been on/off several birth control pills, some with no side effects and some with. These are the worst!!! I felt like I was going crazy until I found this site. At first all I noticed was moodiness, instead of having PMS a couple days before my period I had it all month except for before and during my period. Then about 2 months into it I started feeling fuzzy headed, unable to focus, started having tingles in my arms and legs like when your foot is asleep. If I take the pill at night I have horrible night sweats and if I take it in the morning I am tired all day and have horrible dreams. The worst of it was I was having severe episodes of vertigo, the room starts spinning and I have to grab hold of stuff. It was really scary, I am a single mom and was scared that I might fall at home and my toddler would be unable to go for help. I thought maybe my iron or blood sugar was low so I went to the doctor and had a full work up on my blood - everything came back fine. The doctor wanted to send me for a CAT scan and I didn't want one as I had started wondering if it could be the pill. I am calling my gynecologist today to get it switched. Thank you so much for all your posts! Me, my family, and my job all were thinking I was going crazy or just a hypochondriac.
On a side note - I do have 3 teenage cousins who take this pill and have no side effects. However I have always been very sensitive to medication. This pill may work for some, but not for me.

I will never take this medication again! I read all the side effects on the pharmacy print-out and didn't see any of the same effects I have been experiencing.

I am hypothyroid and I also take medication for depression so I thought perhaps my meds were not intermingling nicely together. It was a relief to see that I wasn't alone.

I began to panic this weekend, knowing that Thanksgiving is this Wednesday, wondering HOW the heck I was going to muster the energy to pull it off. Plus the mere thought of food makes me more nauseous than I already am.

I just called my doctor because I noticed the pills said '1 refill' on them. Thank God he told me I didn't need to refill them. I promptly told him I wouldn't have anyway, and why I wouldn't. He didn't seemed surprised. I just wish he had let me know this could happen.

2 weeks ago I was happy and full of energy...today, I'm at work wondering how the heck I got here...and how am I going to explain to my husband that, once again, I am going to bed as soon as I get home.

Oh yeah....I almost forgot the headaches . The headaches are doozies...the kind that make you grab on to your head and wait for the pain to subside. I seriously began thinking I may have tumors . This medication is awful... and it makes you feel like a hypochondriac because there are no warnings and the effects don't make any sense at the time.

Thanks to all who posted here!!! You saved me from myself. At least I now know this too shall pass. :)

I am a healthy 58 yr old woman. On May 20 2008, I went to the dentist to have two small fillings done. At the time of the shot I experienced what felt as though I had received an electrical jolt because the shot hit my nerve. This jolt radiated down to my ovaries. I complained to the dentist instantly. Right after the visit I started noticing that my hair was thinning. On June 17, 2008 at my normal hair appointment I commented to the beautician that my hair was thinning. On June 27, 2008 at the second visit to the dentist I experience the same problem from the shot and again told the dentist of problem. By July 18th I noticed some extreme hair loss in two locations on my scalp. I pointed out my hair loss condition to the Dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic on July 18, 2008 he referred me to a hair loss specialist. On September 2, 2008 I meet the specialist she stated that the hair loss was caused by some extreme stress to my system. I told her about the dental work and my reaction to the injection. She said that could have been the catalyst that started this problem. The doctor said if there is some "shock to the system", as many as 70% of the scalp hairs are then shed in large numbers about 1 to 2 months after the "shock". This sudden increase in hair loss, usually described as the hair coming out in handfuls is called acute telogen effluvium. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

I have tried the NuvaRing off and on over the past year. My journey started because every pill I tried gave me mild to severe headaches for 3 to 10 days a month. I have not had headache issues with NuvaRing -- yeah!!

BUT -- here is the kicker. I take Zoloft too. When on the pill and taking Zoloft, my anxiety was under control. When I use the NuvaRing and Zoloft I spin into anxiety mode again, almost as if the Zoloft doesn't work at all.

I am 39 and my spouse won't do something permanent. I feel really trapped.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

okay ladies, I'm not sure what you all are experiencing since I'm not a doctor. But I will tell you that a huge amount of your symptoms can either be age related or post baby related. I have four children ages 15, 6, 5, 3.
The beginning stages of the Mirena granted are not pretty and can last for months. I was having a terrible time with my periods and was out of commission for the first three days of every cycle each month. I have had my Mirena for almost 2 years now and am going on 41. I had to wait it out for about 6 months before seeing any huge improvements. I will tell you this, over eating and NOT eating a healthy diet of fruits and veggies will aggravate bloating and mood swings. You could have these with or without the IUD. I never lost my hair unless I was 3-6 months post partum.
A diet rich in potato chips, bread, meats and cheesy pizza will show on your hair skin and nails. The typical American diet will leave even your special guy moody. As we age the expectation is that we will always feel 18 and I have had to come to grips with how my body ages and how I take care of it. A new baby whether it is your 1st or 4th will cause unwanted fatigue. I still struggle with fatigue because not everyone sleeps thru the night including my hubby so my sleep gets disrupted a lot. There are several things you can do to help your Mirena work for you and not scare you. I NEVER lose my sex drive unless I fail to exercise even a little each week and have fought back with a super charged diet. I'm not perfect at it but boy does it ever help. Sugar has a HUGE impact on your hormones and fatigue level. Limit it. Got to bed as early as you can and avoid late night TV. Don't give your precious zzz's to some silly show that won't help you be a better person any way. Get moving and add a little (or a lot) of weight training to your days- your sex drive will soar and your body will thank you. Pray for wisdom. God will help. Sometimes he uses fatigue to slow me down and focus on what is really important. Granted not everyone can handle an IUD. But if you try a little self care and be patient you might find that it works for you. I had heavy bleeding and at my age the doc said I got it just in time because from 40-50 I could expect more of the same. I am grateful for it because I felt like I was dying every time I had a period. A little fatigue is worth the benefits. Keep in mind that even your little ones get tired. They need naps and they are kids. We need rest in the afternoons too. It's okay to stay off the phone and rest a little if you can. My energy drainers are TV, negative people, talking on the phone too much, eating too much especially when I'm not really hungry, the wrong foods when I do eat, and not getting sleep or exercise. Start small and see if over time it doesn't make a big difference before you throw in the towel. Blessings to all and especially the new mommies.

My daughter is no longer on advair, but when she was I thought she was a hypochondriac. She had asthma since age 3 and by the time she was in 4th grade she was put on advair. She gained weight in her face and stomach. She would have trouble concentrating on her school work, stayed moody. She would lash out for little or no reason. She always had some ache or pain. Almost every day either her head hurt or her stomach hurt. It was would last under an hour each time

She started having muscle pains. had to be in a walking cast twice for soft tissue damage to her ankle. She would have no idea how it got hurt. If she crawled on her knees playing she would get fluid on her knees. She would have knee pain off and on for a weeks at a time. All the time we were at one doctor or another. Every one of them said her asthma medicine would not cause this. The last straw was when in 6th grade her shoulders would pop out of place if she tried to do push ups in gym. She had to have physical therapy three times a week for three months. Even though the doctors told me not to she has been off of advair for 4 years now. All of the side effects went away with the except for the problems with her shoulders. She has to do exercises a few time a week to keep the muscle's strong to hold them in place.

ok so reading all this just CAUSED me to have a panic attack. i've been having bad depression and mood swings and anxiety and today i was having really really bad stomach cramps and bloating and i can't concentrate and now i'm freaking out. i'm a pretty bad hypochondriac anyway, and now i'm afraid i'm going to have a stroke or something.

i'm sorry if this is really rambly i just wanted to go ahead and post something while i was freaking out to give an example of the anxiety issues caused by this....
:(

i've only been on it for a month and a half now and only have a week left of this pack but after that week i'm quitting. just to make sure my period timing is normal...

oh by the way about me: i'm 17, i've been with the same guy for almost a year, nothing has changed drastically in my life , i'm not as big of a moron as i seem like from this post, i have normal bodily functions , i exercise regularly, i'm pretty healthy, and i normally don't have nearly this bad of emotional issues and don't cry as easily as i have been.

I'm 34 and my children are 3 and 5 years old. I had my Mirena coil fitted on 12 Sept 2007, so have now had it just over a year. During that time, I've had bouts of intense abdominal pain, almost constant vaginal discharge, bleeding after exercise or sex and a curious sensation in the region of the uterus that feels like when a baby moves inside you. My doctor dismisses all my symptoms as being nothing at all to do with the coil, but having read the other posts on this site I'm not so sure....
I'm also constantly exhausted and get spots. I am a coward though, and having the coil fitted was so excruciatingly painful that I'm not sure I can face having it taken out so (relatively) soon. I'm off to see the female GP at my practice next week so it will be interesting to hear her take on things.

i took cipro for a UTI over 10 years ago and have had floaters, neuropathy, tingling, and numbness in my hands and feet ever since then. it was not until THIS YEAR that i stumbled upon information on the internet about CIPRO and its side effects. but immediately following my use of the drug i went to a doctor who insisted i had carpal tunnel and i asked then why is it in my feet? then a neurologist who found nothing and patted me on my little college girl head, told me it was "just stress," and prescribed me narcotics to calm me down. i threw the prescription in the garbage on the way out of his office... then was tested for diabetes and briefly thought i might have MS. eventually, after many docs finding nothing and my family thinking i was a total hypochondriac, i just decided to ignore the symptoms. pain in my joints, floaters in my eyes, numbness and tingling in my hands and feet. after years i figured if i wasn't dying from whatever it was and it wasn't getting any worse, then i would just live with it. one day when it was particularly uncomfortable i did an internet search and came up with CIPRO info. there was a class action law suit at one time because right around the time i took CIPRO, it was a new drug and had not been sufficiently clinically tested. there's no recourse for me now, but i feel better having solved the mystery.

i am appalled to see so many people still suffering in 2008 and this drug still being prescribed. i'm sorry you're all going through this. i tell everyone i know not to ever take this drug. i feel lucky to be still functioning. i am very healthy, just have the annoyance of these symptoms that never go away.