I can remember symptoms and conditions

I have taken Estrostep Fe for as long as I can remember. I have always experienced pretty much all of the symptoms I have read here since I began taking it. This was the first and only birth control I have ever tried.

From what I'm reading though, it's hard to tell if what I have been experiencing is normal problems women have when their hormone levels change (anytime you change a birth control or start taking one for the first time this WILL HAPPEN guaranteed-it's a product of being a woman) or if the problems are caused by the pill.

I have however noticed through the years that certain things make the symptoms worse. Mostly dietary changes, things you eat during hormonal changes, among other environmental things actually contribute to the problems.

I'm wondering how many people that have posted here about their problems started on the pill for the first time using Estrostep Fe and also how many were just reaching the age where that wonderful gift of getting a period arrives?

A lot of teenage girls don't realize that BOTH the pill AND your period (even without the pill) cause big changes in hormone levels...and starting both at the same time, well.....if that's the case, then a lot of these posts make sense and seem to be completely normal.

FYI-to anyone frequently switching birth controls and not waiting at least 3 months in between to let your hormone levels stabilize..you can expect hair loss and/or facial hair, migraines, weight gain, and a host of other problems.

My point is, you can read things in these forums and think WOW I HAVE THOSE SYMPTOMS TOO!! DOWN WITH ESTROSTEP! without stopping to think about these things as well:

1. Women always have and always will be known for their mood changes, and bouts of depression. You also have to remember that during menstruation your body goes through a little phase that closely mimics that of being pregnant according to many doctors..PMS is a common thing. not just caused by birth control.

2. It is normal to have sore/tender breasts around the time of your period, before during and even after it. Look it up on any medical website!

3. read the side effects of the stuff BEFORE you decide to switch. they are put there for a reason.

4. the pill warns against taking it if you have or could have certain medical conditions. don't just blame it on the pill, go tell the doc EVERYTHING no matter how embarrassed you feel about it (trust me, they hear and see worse all day long)....don't be surprised if you find out you have some underlying condition you didn't know about. also, if you are overweight..taking most birth control pills is NOT a good idea for many reasons..the risk of blood clots (that can lead to stroke/heart attack goes WAY up)-also if you smoke..but did you know that if you are overweight your chances of getting pregnant on the pill DOUBLE (if your BMI is over 27%)..

My point is, keep an open mind, and for those of you just becoming a woman-learn more about how your body works because you'll need to be able to differentiate throughout life between the normal aches and pains and the ones that require a Dr. or hospital visit.

good luck!

you need to let HEALTHCARE CANADA know about these side affects ( or the health care monitoring body of your country)

they log these side affects to see if its bad or whatever.

i'm a 22 year old female. SINGULAIR has cleared up my allergies better than anything else that i have tried.

HOWEVER, now i am extremely paraniod, can;t sleep, and i feel like i am high on drugs or something, in that i do not feel like myself (i feel smaller than i am and sometimes i feel like i am floating instead of walking). i see shadows in my periferal vision.

one positive side affect, is that i have now a razor sharp memory, lol in school and work i can remember minute details of things that i read once!!!! (don't know if that's worth the other side affects though!)

:(

thank you merck frost for making us your guinea pigs :(

after reading this site, I decided to get off the NuvaRing and see if any of my medical problems would change.
The weekend before I decided to take it out permanently, I passed out twice from ambiguous lightheadedness (much like anemia but definitely tested negative for that).
It's only been 2 weeks, and I feel so much better already!
NOTABLE CHANGES:
-I have a SEX DRIVE again! I'm only 21 and when I was on the ring I never wanted sex with my long term partner (or anyone, even my self, for that matter). In the 2 weeks it's been out I've felt my libido come back to life.
-I haven't been napping! I used to come home from school and sleep 3-4 hours every single day. I feel much more awake now, even after 2 weeks.
-I have developed a minor daily headache. I think this might just be my body adjusting to the lack of hormones.
-I'm actually losing weight! I gained about 20 pounds on the ring, and even when I worked out regularly I couldn't get rid of it. In the past 2 weeks I've already lost 3 pounds, on the exact same exercise plan that did nothing for me for the previous 6 months.
-My dreams are significantly more realistic and I can remember them- I take this as an indicator that my general mental state is much better. I honestly feel like I've been re-introduced to my imagination which has been in a NuvaRing hibernation or something.

i was skeptical that the NuvaRing was the cause of my problems until NONE of my bloodwork (and I had TONS done) turned up any other possible reasons for my chronic fainting.
In the 2 weeks since I've been off the NuvaRing, I've already seen an incredible shift.

I was hesitant at first to acknowledge this, because when I first got on the ring it felt like a godsend- lower hormones meant I was less depressed than I was on orthotricyclin and i felt healthier all around --- at FIRST that is.
After almost 2 years of being on the Ring I almost feel back-stabbed by it... I'm not sure what changed but I am definitely willing to attribute my medical and mental problems to this drug.

Be careful, and be aware of your body.
If something feels wrong, figure out what it is, and don't risk your health.

within two days of first taking this medicine my life changed. i had pain in my hip so at times walking was difficult. i couln't sleep without a strong ambien (actually I was awake for more than forty hours before I decided to take an ambien), and strangely enough my blood pressure was reading 124/72, the lowest I can remember. It's that now, a week later. I've continued taking the Januvia.

I am a 60 year old man who has had allergies and asthma as long as I can remember. I've tried most of the medicines out there at one time or another. I hate the side effects of most asthma meds (especially broncodilator inhalers) and have learned to avoid them and manage my symptoms more through lifestyle (diet, exercise, clean environment) than drugs. I decided to try Singulair starting about 3 months ago to see if it would help with the mild night time chest tightness I would often still experience. I have to say its the best asthma med I've ever taken. I am about 90% free of asthma symptoms, and can sleep through the night without ever waking up with constricted bronchia. I don't use inhalers at all any more. Occasionally (2-3 times a week) I'll take a Claritin if I start to feel allergic symptoms breaking through. The only side effect I've noticed from the Singulair - and I noticed this from day one - is extremely vivid dreams. Luckily, I kind of like this side effect so I'm OK continuing with the Singulair. Also luckily, I've never experienced the aches and pains, weight gain, or other symptoms descibed by others on this site. The one thing I worry about is that this drug may be hard on the liver, as the liver metabolizes it. But since I don't have any symptoms of liver problems, I guess I won't worry too much.

I just started taking Topamax about 2 1/2 months ago -- am up to 50 mg now, and had hit 75 when the side effects became so bad that I went online and discovered that my neurologists had been pretty lax with their advice. They told me that Top. was "a great drug for migraines" and that I might "lose a few pounds," and have "some memory issues at first" but that was it. I believed them and so didn't research further.

20 pounds later (I HAD been on a diet, and thought I lost the weight myself) I started experiencing sore throat in the morning and stomach pain (acid from Topamax). I thought I had appendicitus. So I hit the boards. Weight loss was from theTopamax (and my diet coup goes out the window) Appendicitus --probably not. Oh, also I can't be relied on to remember words or sentences or thought structure; or how to move thoughts into words. And it's not like the words are on the tip of my tongue, etiher. They are gone, as if they never existed. The oddest thing! Professional hell. Hair has yet to fall out. I'm going to have to wean myself off, I suppose, and get ready to ream out the neurologists. If I can remember their names or where they practice....

Has anyone had any sleep disturbances with Mirena? I have had horrible nightmares and wake up feeling really shaky and horrible, and still really tired. Maybe this isn't caused by the mrens, but I can remember when I was younger i used to get pre-menstrual insomnia, the night before I got my period...just wondered if there was a link with all the progesterone/progesterin. Also, people who have had mood swings, have you noticed if they are particularly bad at one part of your cycle? Mine I would have to say, are really bad a few days before bleed and 3 or 4 days into the bleed, when I feel suicidal.

I've still not taken it out yet. Maybe 'm being a bit stupid, but I'm so scared of getting pregnant-I'm still at uni-and I can't think of any non-hormonal contraceptives....cept maybe something I've heard of called the 'sponge'. Has anyone heard of this or used it/know where I could buy it in the UK?I'd appreciate any replies! Thank you

I was put on a 7 day prednisone regiment for sudden lower back pain. I have had chronic neck pain finally diagnosed as arthritis from a diving accident 35 years ago. I felt wonderful on this drug! No neck pain at all, for the first time that I can remember. Lower back pain disappeared immediately and has not returned. My mood was calm, I slept great. Only "adverse" reaction was that my face looked tan. Very smooth looking skin. I wish I could take it again! I hope you are all well.

Hello,

I was prescribe Biaxin 8 or so days ago for a rather severe infection of the sinuses. Two pills a day, which I took both at once, I have stopped after the 7th day for the following reasons. Here I will discuss the worst side effect of the drug for me so far. Along with paranoi and anxiety, and an in general spaced feeling, Im having the worse insomnia of my life.

Ive always had sleep issues ever since I can remember, but on this stuff I got NO SLEEP AT ALL for two days. After that I quit the medicine altogether as the doc said it would be ok. My last dose was yesterday, its 2:28 AM now, I couldn't sleep so I got on the computer to look for reports on this drug.

Hopefully since I quit the meds this insomnia thing will lift. God I hope so. Anyway, If anyone else has had this kind of terrible insomnia from Biaxin post your experience please.

Thanks,
Me

My daughter is 5 years old and has been on singulair for 1 week. i have already noticed a dramatic change in her behavior. she has become irritable, mean, nasty, and emotional. she has had me in tears on a daily basis. she has turned into a monster. we will be calling the doctor in the morning!

Hello again, I also wanted to let everyone know that I as far as I can remember, I haven't ever noticed any side effects from Yasmin before! I wasn't sure if side effects can suddenly appear like this or if I need to check into other possible problems. Also, this may seem like a ignorant question coming from a 23 year old, but would anyone suggest that my boyfriend and I use an extra form of protection in addition to the Yasmin? I had never thought one was necessary, as the reason people begin taking BCP is to protect themselves from pregnancy and that another form of protection shouldn't be necessary. Anyways, thanks for your time in reading this!

Hi I have been on zoloft for 3 months and the very first side effect I can remember was being really freaking tired. I mean like very weak. My mouth got really dry. I had loose stools for awhile. I would steady shake and feel tremors in my hands. I would get really scared. My anxiety attack during the 1st month got worse. My sleep pattern was wonderful for the 1st month. I lost my appetite for food for about a couple of weeks. I didnt notice the fog coming until like my 2nd month. Sometimes you mind would get foggy and you would stare in one place and you would snap out of it. On the end of my second month i noticed i was getting happier and my anxiety went away just a little. You would experience tremors when you take your pill on a empty stomach or miss a pill. I noticed it makes you smile quite a bit but you still remain in a fog like state. My 3rd month now it seems to elevate your moods so you can feel a little symptoms and then you feel it go awy from time to time. I know ccrazy and vivid things run in your mind. I also notice you are sensitve to sunlight and your sensitivity increases. aNYHOW i will let you know more later.

have had asthma for as long as i can remember. i am now 35. i started taking ad-vair about 3 yrs ago. i have since gained alot weight and have tried dieting,exercising to no avail. i also have phlegm all the time, at first i thought that advair was the best thing since sliced bread but now not so sure. i have the " moon face" always sleepy, always coughing, gained weight, moody, tender skin, if i do skip a dose i get sore on my behind just like with prednisone. it has the same side effects as prednisone i don't care that the dr.'s say it has a low dose of steroids i can't tell it and neither can my body. also have noticed my spine curving, numbness in my hands, fingers and arm for no reason. it is like when you bump it in just the right place it has the numb feeling but i didn't bump into anything. if i had i would have had a bruise, because i can barely touch something and bruise. i have tried getting off of it but then i wheeze and can't hardly get out of bed because i can't breathe so i need decide if the side effects are worth having, or if i can get over the withdrawl effects. if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

hi dejay78,
i am so sorry that you feeling so bad,i really feel for you,i made me so sad to read your post as i can remember feeling that i would never be well again and that i just wanted my life to be over. please do not feel bad about taking the lexapro,if it will help you then that is all that matters.do not feel that because other women survived without taking anything it makes you a weaker person ,it does not! i have no idea if taking a medication would have made my recovery easier or not but i was sooo terrified of taking another medication that i thought i would take my chances without,it does not make me a stronger person that you at all,all that matters is that you get well again and that you can cope with your children again and that you can sleep again and that you can smile and enjoy your life again.it does not matter what you take or don't take as long as you recover,each of us that has been affected by yasmin have had different symptoms and imbalances and different medications or vitamins etc that have helped us,hopefully the lexapro will give you enough relief from your symptoms that your system and your mind will be ready to fight back, we all need a little helping hand now and again, it makes no difference what works as long as it does work. if you need moral support you know where we are, all the wonderful ladies here will always answer your questions or give you support when you need it.

my heart goes out to you and your family.i really hope that the lexapro will give you some much needed rest from your symptoms. i did have twitchy legs at night,they would jump and fidget but that seems to have stopped now (8 months off yasmin) keep the faith that you will get better,tell yourself everyday that you will and are getting better,i know it does not seem like it now but it will happen little by little and day by day.

sarah

I just took my ring out last night after using it for 3 weeks,and I don't plan to go back on it.I have been on and off different types of bc pills and depo for years,and as far as I can remember never had any side affects from any of them.However in the last 3 weeks i have completely lost my normally very high sex drive,felt tired all the time,crying for no reason, depressed,and had trouble sleeping.Maybe it's just in my head but since taking it out last night i already feel better.I wouldn't say don't try it,but it certainly isn't for me.

Really hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toe's here, but... the big thing that everyone here is worried about is the effect that topamax is slowing down their sex life, along with train of thought.
Not everyone must have migraines as bad as mine, or as often! Mine are everyday , and bad enough that well it's hard to say how bad they are. Anyway mine bother me enough that they effect my thought's, what I can remember (or not), And I feel like a somby with the migraines! Oh and well let's see, sex? hmmm I wake up in pain and go to bed in pain, do I feel like sex? NO ! Thank God my husband is worried about me felling better more than sex.
We own a small business, I try to do the phone and running part of the work. With the migraines as bad as they get, I have a hard time remembering who I was talking to on the phone when I got off. I have to take note's (bad one's at that) just to remember what went on in the blurr of the day. And I have had these for many year's off and on, till the last 4 to 5 months then it's become a everyday non-stop thing. I can NOT live with the migraines. My girl's help me as much as they can and my husband also, but it's hard. Each day we all just pray for help and that I can reclame my life again.
All being said, I have only started the topamax for 9 day's now and am startting to see a tiny little help. But would like to ask those here that are upset about the lack of sex and train of thought, was it better with the pain of migraines? And if so then my thought's are that maybe the topamax is too strong for you, and you should see another doctor for a 2nd outlook on your type of migraines. Beacuse there are so many types, and mild to strong.
Like I said in the start, I'm sorry if I did step on your toe's, but just not undrestanding. Don't mean to hurt feeling's at all, just my feeling's.

I am a heart patient (dilated cardiomyopathy) who did a long breast cancer walk since my bi-ventricular pacer gave me a new lease on life. However, I wound up with infections in my toes and blisters all over my feet so the foot dr. prescribed levaquin, after discussing with my PCP. After a week, I could not get out of bed, I felt dizzy whenever I stood up, and could not (and cannot) even do the simplest of things. No motor movement ability. I am completely bedridden. I have not had any appetite and am getting extremely thin. I also had severe pains in my kidneys during the night and had to lay in the fetal position most of the night on several occasions. I stopped taking the levaquin 3 days ago but have yet to feel relief. My heart doctors ran a long string of tests on me and all lab work came out negative, which means it had to be the levaquin causing all of these things. I stopped taking the levaquin but still feel constantly nauseous and no appetite. It is the most horrible feeling I can remember having. I feel like a vegetable and am scared after reading the above comments that these side effects may not dissipate any time soon.

When did the dizziness and vomiting start for anybody here?... The only side effect I've found so far--and I just took my second dose a few minutes ago--is paranoia. And this paranoia AND anxiety seems to be about the drug itself and side effects. Normally, I don't gie these things a second thought and have never had side effects to any antibiotics before.

Just wonderig when these things set in and any early warning signs of them.

hi everyone,

i've been taking yasmin for almost two weeks now and i have experienced the worst fatigue, mental fogginess, and overall depressive thoughts that i can remember. i desperately want to stop taking them today, even though i am mid-pack. i'm unable to reach my doctor to get the OK, but i cannot think of any other solution than to stop immediately. has anyone else done this? side effects? although i don't know what could be worse than the side effects i'm experiencing now...

thanks!

Hi... I've been on Yasmin since July of '05. I was in the hospital in June, with what I thought was appendicitis. They said no that it could be something else, like gas or an ovarian cyst...they sent me home with some meds and said to come back if the pain doesn't go away. It went away, so that made me think that I had a problem with cysts. I saw my gynocologist, they recommended birth control, for that random, non-diagnosed pain I had, and also for those monthly cramps that were so harmful I couldn't move. Well, the cramps don't come as painful and my period has been starting to shorten, like 3-5 days now. So, I figured Yay for Yasmin. Yeah, well...not anymore. I've had a problem with Insomnia pretty much since then. (P.S. I'm 21, went away for school in August. Oh, and in September, I had to get my appendix removed.) I didn't think anything of it, since as long as I can remember, I've always had a problem sleeping, even when I was about 5 or 6 years old. Anyways, I saw my doctor a few weeks ago for my not sleeping, and he mentioned that this problem could be linked to the birth control I'm taking, but didn't go in depth about it. He was quick to say that I was depressed and that he didn't think anything was physically wrong. Well, the guy was an ass, but that's besides the point. He said come back in a month so we can talk more. It's like he was so anxious to go party for St. Patty's Day! So, he made me take some blood tests to confirm that I didn't have any thyroid problems, anemia, or whatnot. Test results: normal. I have a follow up appointment in a few weeks...I stormed home and cried, because I cry easily, because the doc said I was depressed. I don't want to be. I got the idea from my father, yes, my father, about looking into the birth control idea. I found some things for PMDD, but also that Yasmin is supposed to reduce those symptoms of it. And after reading all these posts from you gals, I'm almost freaking out. I can't sleep, only sometimes when I take sleep aids, which I've been taking almost every day for the past 3 months, because I get so frustrated that I can't even breathe! My heart rate speeds up, I have to take a walk down the hall and try to catch my breath; I am very, very irritable, random mood swings almost all the time, not just around my period; no motivation, some appetite changes, anxiety, stress, feeling of always being overwhelmed...and another strange thing: my boobs have grown almost 2 cup sizes since November!! It's so strange, I get freaked out by myself sometimes...usually once a month. My poor boyfriend, I get mad at him right around when my period is due, cry to him, scream at him...he shouldn't have to deal with that when he does nothing but love me. Sounds corny, but it's true; he's still with me and just lets me scream at him and cry and moan and complain and all those nasty other things that are going on in me. And this post is going to be long...almost starting to sound like one big ass complaint. I'm sick of feeling this way, but don't want to think that Yasmin is what's causing it all. Unfortunately, it's now in my head...I can relate to most of these symptoms everyone here has explained. Everything else with Yasmin has been fine with me... it's helped with cramps, with acne, with the overall regulation of my period... not much weight gain other than my breats... it's just the whole other thing...those emotional problems... Yes, I'm in a dorm room...I can't sleep most nights...the hall is noisy...I'm at a school that's located in the Boondocks, so there's nothing to do most of the time...I don't feel like doing anything anyway... I'm pissed that I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated that I'm moody. I'm moody because I can't sleep. I can't sleep because I'm irritable and sensitive. I'm irritable and sensitive because I don't sleep. It's just one big ass cycle... I hate cycles. That cycle and the cycle of being a woman. That's enough for me. I feel the Tylenol PM kicking in. I vent to everyone I meet. I'm crazy, I just know it. If it's not the pill, I'm crazy.

I've only been on Advair for a week, and feel as if my shoulders are permanently welded to my ear lobes. The past two nights I've had the worst charlie horses I can remember ever having, and I don't remember having any for about thirty years. My heart is racing, my bp is up to 143/97 when it was 120/72 last week. I can't sleep more than six hours, and I'm up two or three times a night to eat because I'm constantly hungry. Yesterday I noticed hoarseness setting in. Today I'm calling the doc.

I'm so grateful for this site, and for the Internet. I don't check for side effects before I take meds, but I seem to have alot of them, and this site is the easiest one I've found to find info from other users.

Thank you, thank you.

It is my 10th and final day of Levaquin 500mg qd. I began taking it for sinusitis that became pharyngitis/laryngitis. Since beginning the drug, I have experienced decreased mental acuity, lightheadedness, food and drinks taste salty, extremely bizarre & lucid dreams -- sometimes 5-6 per night that I can remember or at least can remember how strange they were. Also, I have experienced everything from diarrhea to complete cessation of BM, bloating, and extreme nausea.

I am 34 and a mother of 5. Lists are very important to me. I forget everything however there is recall any where between 20 mins and a day or two. Drs think i have early signs of ms. I am going to boston in nov. Hope i can remember ha/ha

I spoke of weakness and breast enlargement and tenderness. I also had terrible cramps, which I hadn't had in years. I also had a spike in libido around 3 months, the same time my breasts went from a C to a D and my hips grew. After 4 months, my side effects have lessened, but the hips and breast are still big with a small weight gain. The only reason I switched to this pill was because I was having constant breakthrough bleeding the Aleese. Otherwise I loved Alleese. I had absolutely no side effects that I can remember. If I have many more side effects from Yasmin, I may try Alleese again. PS. I take welbutrin IR already for depression, so I never noticed a change in my moods and anxiety. I also have been diagnosed with elevated Mercury, which causes me to be extremely tired. So I didn't attribute the extra fatigue and weakness that I had in the first weeks to Yasmin, but now after reading all the posts, I wonder.
Kathy S.

I was given samples of Levaquin for a U.T.I. and read this site before beginning the pills. I was scared out of my wits by reading the postings and drastic and lasting side effects. I went to see 2 pharmacists, who assured me there were very few people who developed these reactions. I decided to try the pills, just taking the first one to see how I did, as I was in such tremendous pain from the infection and it was getting worse rapidly. I felt no side effects, other than a slight metallic taste in the early morning, and felt 100% better just a little more than an hour after taking the first one! I took one per day for 7 days and never had any side effects. I am now done with the pills and would recommend that people consider taking Levaquin and not being freaked out by the messages on this site- tho I realize each person is different, Levaquin worked well for me and I had less side effects than I can remember ever feeling from any antibiotic.