Internet research symptoms and conditions

I am a generally active and fairly healthy 77 yr old who had been taking 10 mg of Lipitor for over 12 years with no obvious adverse effects. Recently I started having pain in my right leg, severe enough to wake me at night. This was followed by a significant weakness in both legs, and for a while, accompanied by a lightheartedness. The doctor had me take a series of lumbar and leg x-rays which didn't show much of significance. He wrote a prescription for physical therapy, which I did not follow.
I did internet research on my own which made me aware that Lipitor could be the cause, in spite of the fact that I had tolerating the drug for so many years. I told the Doctor of my suspicions and we agree to stop the Lipitor for at least 6 weeks to see. A few days later, all my symptoms were gone. So be cautious, adverse effects from Lipitor can occur anytime.

DO NOT TAKE DOXYCYCLINE IF YOU HAVE ANY HISTORY OF DEPRESSION!!!

I do and doxy has sent me over the edge for about a month AFTER i stopped taking it.

I was given doxy by my doctor for a sinus infection for a week and stopped taking it just under a month ago. This past month has been absolute hell for me.

The day I stopped taking it I went from feeling fine into a 5 hour crying fit with suicidal thoughts in less than 30 minutes. During the fit I became convinced that this was how my life always is, that I was depressed, that I had always been depressed and that I needed anti depressant as I spend all my time crying. That was on 2nd Feb.

The next day I was shaky and felt very up and downy but went back to feeling normal pretty quickly and after I did some internet research on Doxycycline (the only change in my diet/lifestyle) assumed it was that. I read some pretty bad stuff on the internet about other people’s experiences which were very similar to the one I had had and I thought that must be it.

So I decided to drink lots of water and have been taking Milk Thistle to cleanse my liver.

Then this Saturday past I had exactly the same thing. I had another one of these 5 hour crying fits and more suicidal thoughts and I became convinced I was bipolar. This time was much worse in a lot of ways.

I felt it again felt like a panic attack and to me the change in my physiology was really noticeable. The noticeable dip in my mood – very sudden from feeling fine to feeling a little bit irritable and then withdrawn with some anxiety – and wanting to be reassured but also being a little aggressive in communication almost like trying to find a fight, then a change in breathing and heart rate and then plunge into dark thoughts and sobbing.

When I went to see the doctor on Monday my mood was still swinging up and down and I just felt crazy so I mentioend to him the doxy and he dismissed this without even asking a question about when or how much I'd taken.

I ask to be referred to a psychiatrist as I do get that I may have underlying issues and these mood swings were so bad and so strong and so by the time Wednesday came with my in and out moods I had convinced myself it was probably to do with my childhood and the difficult heart stuff and repressing how I really feel

Whilst I do have my fair share of childhood stuff and issues of the heart I think I’ve become so self aware and so careful with myself and I think I talk to my inner child so much and check that I am okay with things and I deal with things really well. so this has all come as a bit of nasty shock as I thought I was okay with everything. In fact I know I’m okay with everything as I write this.

But during these mood swings I am definitely not okay. I do not feel like myself. I become convinced that I have been lying to myself about being okay, that I have never been okay that I am mentally ill and that is why I am having mood swings and I start really analyzing everything and linking everything back to the past and trying to make links with things that are happening today and things that happened in the past. I haven’t had any change in my heart situation that this could be a reaction to, its remained the same for a number of months and I don’t have a problem with it but when I have this mood swing I blame that situation and my childhood together. I start wanting to blame people. I start thinking I have two personalities and I just start trying to find reasons and I have no idea what I feel, who I am or what I want, if I’m telling the truth of if I’ve ever told the truth. I start doubting everything and everyone. My head hurts, I get in a state of confusion and I become a little mean to people. I start trying to blame events and situations, anything I can find. It’s an absolute nightmare. Then I get confused about what I have and haven’t said and agitated that I need to say more to make myself understood. I might be stable for hours or even a day but it happens very suddenly and it’s a really physical sensation, first the dip in mood, the irritability, the breathing will change, I will feel anxious and can really feel my heart beating, like when you are really scared about something – that fight or flight feelings. I then get a really strong sense of insecurity and nervousness and will become really awkward at communication and almost aggressive and rude in my communications and then rueful.

The crazy thing is my mood is just absolutely all over the place in a way it has never ever been before, even in my days of deepest darkest moments when everything in life sucked and people were horrid to me. I don’t understand why I would, after all my years of learning how to deal with this and cope with this be even worse when my situation is so much better. It just doesn’t feel like its actually real. I don’t feel like anything I’ve said when I’ve been in these moods is actually a true reflection of how I feel when I am out of the swing.

Then I come back to feeling more like a version of myself but not quite and then I swing again very quickly and go from very hyper and laughing to almost the polar opposite in a very short space of time.

This is the first time in a week that I’ve felt like I am completely normal again. Right now I feel very calm and grounded and rational like I have been feeling for a very long time and I feel very clear in my head that I am completely fine and this is a reaction to some chemicals in my body affecting my mood rather than a psychological issue.

I am fully prepared for another full scale attack of mood swings and totally losing the plot again though.

I am lucky in that I have a good friend who called a doctor friend of his in the US and the first thing the doctor friend said when asked about Doxycline was 'don't tell me, you know someone who's had anxiety attacks and suicidal reactions'. According to this doctor this is VERY common and very well documented. There should be no lasting effects or permanent damage and now the doxy is out of my system I should not be experiencing these moods swings.

HOWEVER - he thins that because I have a history of depression due to my childhood issues the doxy has basically destabilised me and driven me to the edge again.

I did some really lengthy research because I really feel like this is a brain chemistry issue rather than a psychology issue and knowing I've dealt with everything and I just don't get why these issues would re-arise. I'm going to go get some therapy no matter what but I just wanted to know the brain chemistry.

Obviously if my GP doesnt even recognise that doxy can have this affect there is going to be no interest in helping me figure this out so I will figure it out myself.

From what I can understand Doxy decreases some amino acids in the brain which is important as simply put, amino acids get converted into neurotransmitters which play a critical role in your brain. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals which help your brain cells 'talk' to each other. Low levels of certain neurotransmitters have been associated with depression and anxiety.

I feel like I am 'back' from the Doxy but to be honest, I have no idea what it has done to my brain and I doubt there has been that much research into it...if so why on earth would they prescribe a drug that does this to people?
Particularly people who have a history of depression.

I am going to try taking amino acids to see if that helps - it can't hurt.

If anyone else is going through the same thing please get in touch and let me know!
This site totally helped me!! Thank you everyone who has posted on it. It really makes a huge difference to know that there are other people out there going through the same thing. I have felt like I am absolutely crazy! Thank you so much :-)

I set out this morning to do some internet research on women's hair loss and I am SO glad that I ended up here. My hair has been thinning slowly but surely - most noticeably right at my hairline and I'm pretty distraught. I have no history of baldness on either side of my family and I know this isn't a genetic issue. Anyway, I ended up on the American Hair Loss Association website which lists birth control as a culprit (never considered this - I'm 28 and I've been on the pill for 12 years). This made me decide to look into the side effects of my birth control which just happens to be...AVIANE (I didn't even know the name - that's how aware I was.) This is starting to sound like beating a dead horse, but I was on Alesse for 10 years with NO problems whatsoever. From 2006-2008 I was put on a generic form because I was under military healthcare. They basically gave me whatever generic they had "in stock" that day so I didn't even stay on a consistent generic birth control, which is bad news. I just thought I was turning into a crazy, emotional bitch who hated life because I moved away from my home and family for my husband's military career. I actually learned to make peace and manage it...until the hair loss. Call it vanity but that's where I draw the line. This part is key: I didn't see the consistent hair loss until I got on a steady stream of AVIANE. Once my husband got out of the military, I went to a regular obgyn but opted for the generic form of Alesse (so the say) just to save money (at the time I still haven't put it together that it's the bc that's been making me unhappy.) I've been on just AVIANE since July 2008 and started noticing hair loss around September 2008, have seen no regrowth and I think it's getting worse. That search led me here and I am so glad it did - on top of the balding, the last few months I have been moodier than normal, have small fits of rage (that fade quickly, thank god), have been mildly depressed and unable to really enjoy life, I've gained about 5 pounds without a lifestyle/diet/exercise change, I've had more cystic acne (although daily exfoliation has helped this immensely) and lo and behold, 2 days into the placebo week and I feel GREAT. I have one more week on this month's pack - I'm making a doctor's appointment on Monday and I am DONE with AVIANE.

I got the mirena approx 2 and half years ago, i never knew until last Friday that mirena could be causing my depression, anger, mood swings, insomnia, joint pain, sore back, sore neck, brain fog, exhaustion and probably loads more that i cant quite remember at the moment.
i did some internet research on the Saturday and cried all the way through your stories as i realized i wasn't mad, insane, depressed, and just complete miserable cow to be honest.
I made an appointment at my doctors and had it taken out this morning,, i felt really tired after so came home and had a nap, i woke up really hungry after an hour and had what tasted like the best sandwich i have had in years... does anyone think that thier tastebuds could have been affected??
anyway, after my lovely sandwich i cleaned my entire house, it wasn't sore to bend over, i wasn't completely exhausted at the end of it, i remembered what i was going up stairs for, it felt so easy...
my breathing and muscles feel more relaxed..
i will keep posting on my progress here as i would love to hear your feedback and also to help me when/if i have the mirena crash..
Mirena stole my life for 2 years, it nearly cost me my relationship, thankfully i have the most wonderful fiancee who has been my constant support and never once called me crazy even though i was..
good luck to all of you going through this ordeal too..

Monthly wicked migraines, right before period starts. Sometimes lasting on and off for 2 1/2 days. I had one so bad I had to go to the ER. I've never had problems with migraines before in my whole life. A few were very bad and makes me not want to do anything all day. I went to the neurologist just to get a pain medication for this.

Also was diagnosed with allergies last summer because I had 2 bad sinus infections.

Recently I have started to have acid reflux every night and now sometimes in the mornings. This sucks!! I am getting this removed.

I did several internet searches over the past several months and all these symptoms are caused by progestin (levonogestrol). This is not worth it.

I've had this thing in for over a year now, but all these symptoms appeared after getting this thing in.

Ive also been very moody around the time of the month, super irritable and bitchy.

My gyne suggested to take another drug to counteract, (basically prozac with another name) but that's like taking speed to counteract a downer. No thanks!!!!!!!!!!

I got this thing put in because of heavy periods, but it is totally NOT WORTH IT!! My health has suffered because of this.

After doing a little internet research I found this interesting bit of information regarding Lisinopril:

Lisinopril was developed by Merck & Co. and is marketed worldwide as Prinivil or Tensopril and by AstraZeneca as Zestril. In India it is marketed by Micro Labs as Hipril. Like other ACE inhibitors, it is derived from the venom of the jararaca, a Brazilian pit viper (Bothrops jararaca).

I've been on Zocor 40 mg. for 9 months. After being on it 4 months I began to have symptoms. Dizziness, vertigo, tingling in hands and on scalp, stabbing pains in head and chest, eyelid and finger twitching, throbbing of arteries above each ear and head tremors. Went to ER when vertigo and tremor got unbearable, they found nothing. Been to several doctors and not one of mentioned that these symptoms could be from Zocor.
Internet research enlightened me and I stopped taking it yesterday. Will advise if symptoms decrease.

My 16 year old son took Singular for three days. Almost immediately after taking the first dose, he starting having increased blood pressure, rapid heart beat, tiredness, depression, thoughts of death, muscle soreness, tingling in his arms and legs, numbness, weird dreams (when he was actually able to sleep) and decreased appetite. He seriously thought that he was going crazy. It was not until I did some internet research that I finally linked all of his symptoms to this horrible drug. He stopped taking it on Friday of last week and each day since has been feeling better. He is not 100% back to normal yet, but each day seems to be better. It was a scary three day period while he was using this medication. Hopefully it will only take another day or two to get out of his system completely.

Trying to figure out if my back pain is like others. The pain is in the lower left side and groin area of both hips. I have trouble reaching my feet to put on shoes and socks. Ive been on Lipitor 20 for about 5 years and have never had a problem before. This started about 6 months ago and even with heat and stretching it seems to get worse. It hurts when I stand for any length of time. It hurts to walk or run. It hurts very badly if I try to straddle something like an ATV or a horse. When I sleep (if I can) I sometimes have to put a pillow between my legs and lay on my side because it hurts a lot to bring my legs together. Feel free to email me at ******

I'm glad I thought to check to see if Wellbutrin might be causing my hair loss. I had some natural thinning at my temples before and started using Rogaine for women with great success. Then after my mastectomy and breaking up with a guy I went on Wellbutrin. I am currently taking the 150mg three times a day. I am losing so much hair it's scaring me. It comes off my head all day long. Like others have said I also have a handful in the hour, another handful in my comb and then it just continues to jump ship all day long. I have lost at least half of my hair.

I'm a 47 year old male and have been on 20Mg Daily Lipitor for about 4 years. Everything was mostly fine until about 1 year ago when I started experiencing severe hip and groin pain. I played hockey regularly up until that time and assumed the problem was a hockey related injury, though never remember any specific incident that may have been directly responsible. I told my doctor I thought it was a sports hernia because the symptoms and suspected cause held a close resemblance. X-Rays, MRI and Bone Scans were all negative. Physical Therapy was a useless waste of money. I was in agony for over a year and barely able to walk some days. Could no longer participate in hockey or other sports. Even coaching youth sports was a challenge due to the pain that greatly limited my mobility. The maddening part of it all was the doctor's had no explanation and just wanted me to continue with Physical Therapy. My wife casually suggested to me that maybe it was the Lipitor as she had heard some recent news on TV related to Lipitor and muscle pain. I told her she was being ridiculous and that's when I started to do some internet research and came across this site. It's all starting to add up. I've been off Lipitor for a week and the pain on my left hip is almost completely gone while the pain on the right side has shown significant improvement. While I am seriously happy that I think I have found the cause of my pain, I am incredibly angry that not a single doctor (I saw a total of 3) even suggested the possibility that the problem might be the Lipitor. They all new I was taking it. I know the drug has had highly positive affect on most people and saves lives but I feel that I've lost a year of my life to it.

irregular period; flushed red face (first few days after injection); acne; bladder infection; indigestion (gas, burping)

I received an injection of 80 mcg of Kenalog in my hip joint to treat pain due to hip impingement. As is the case for most of the other women on this site, I received NO warning from my orthopedist of any these side effects. She said there were virtually no side effects for a single dose, only for repeated use. The only specific reaction she mentioned was the potential for infection at the injection site, which didn't occur. She gave me no information about which medication or dosage I'd received, let alone a handout with side effects.

A week after my injection, I got my period -- 2.5 weeks early. I was unable to speak with my orthopedist's office for the next 1.5 weeks because they were closed for the Christmas - New Year's holiday. I did manage to reach my gynecologist, whose office was also closed for the holidays, but she said she didn't think my early period was due to the steroid. Since I still didn't know which steroid I'd received, I couldn't do any internet research. I was worried because I have a uterine fibroid, which could potentially be causing the irregular bleeding. Also, I know there are other scary causes for irregular bleeding.

The period lasted 8 days, which is longer than usual for me. Almost immediately after it stopped, I started feeling PMS symptoms, like I could get my period again any day.

I ended up cutting my vacation short so I could see my gynecologist. When I finally got in touch with my orthopedist's office, they told me that I'd received Kenalog, which can cause menstrual irregularities. WHY DIDN'T THEY TELL ME THAT TO BEGIN WITH??? It would have saved me 2 weeks of needless worry.

Now that I've informed my gynecologist, she says it may take a few months for my menstrual cycle to get regular.

I was given Bactrim after a laser procedure to my face. For the first seven days, my only symptom was a very red face which I unknowingly attributed to the laser procedure. On the eighth day, my face was very much improved in colour which I later realised was because I had accidently missed two doses of Bactrim. When I recommenced with the Bactrim the next morning, within a few hours my face was intensely itchy and red and I broke out in a rash all over my torso. At this point I became concerned and did some internet research, only to realise my symptoms were all Bactrim related. Apparently sulfite allergies are relatively common amongst the population, and I now know why I get a flushed face when I drink beer or wine.

62 yo female. I have been on 20mg Lipitor for a few years and the doctor ignored my complaints of thigh pain when I wake up in the mornings. When last tested my cholesteral level was still higher than she thought acceptable so the dose was increased to 40mg. I lasted on that for about 3 weeks. Unbearable pain all day rather than just in the mornings. I am back on 20mg but only taking one every second day. I am feeling so much better - less pain and much more energy (which I never associated with the meds). I am wondering if anyone else has experienced a problem with urine output. I have had this problem for a few years and after reading doing some internet research last night I am now wondering if that is also a result of taking Lipitor. I am very close to ceasing the Lipitor altogether as I think the cure may be worse than the disease!!

I am totally shocked at what I have learned about Lipitor. My physician prescribed 10mg for me over 4 years ago. No major problems until recently. Severe neck/shoulder pain for about 3 months. Dr said it was a pulled muscle. Gave me Skelaxin. No help. Went to Chiropractor--yanked, cracked, beat, etc--no help. In the past 2 weeks or so I have developed pain in my hips, back and legs. Blamed it on being 52 years old. As I read some of the experiences on here I could relate to each one. I also have gained about 30 pounds in the past 4 years, short term memory is terrible. NO ENERGY> 3 years ago-Dr started me on Wellbutrin for depression, then added Zoloft. I am to the point now I want to get off of all this and see how I could really feel. Not sure about withdrawals. Any comments on stopping the meds?

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in April of this year (2007) kind of by accident through a routine checkup. I had gained a bit of weight over the past two years, but that was really my only symptom. I was begun on 75 mcg of a generic brand of Synthroid, levothyroxine. Since I began this medication, I have rapidly gained another 15 pounds despite a 1,000 calorie per day diet. I retain fluid horribly. My ankles, wrists, hands and face swell daily. My muscles ache, especially my legs, upon walking across a room. I'm fatigued, short of breath. My LDL cholesterol level has skyrocketed in only three months and now I'm being told I need to be on a statin drug. I cry frequently and feel uncharacteristically anxious and irritable, but this could be due to the frustration I am experiencing with the loss of my sense of well-being. In essence, I felt much better before being placed on the medication. I may, in fact, discontinue the medication totally and see if over time I begin to feel better. Like so many other stories I'm hearing, my doctor seems totally unconcerned.

hello, was on lisinopril for about the first 3 weeks of 2007 and had bad stomach problems and could not uriniate, felt like my bladder was full. i thought i had prostrate problems, went back to doc, said it was probably a urinary infection. gave me cipro and said it would clear up in a couple of days, got worse. found this site on jan 20 and quit taking lisinopril that day. after 3-4 days i could uriniate again. doc then gave me atenolol and took it for about 10 days, have had a wierd kind of sore throat and sore around adams apple, feels like something hung in my throat and my appitite is nothing like it used to be, not hungry, and not sleeping worth a darn. anybody know how long these side effects last. driving me and my wife crazy. also hoarseness in throat and voice. i sure am glad to find this site. tommy p.s, am sure symptoms were before taking atenolol.

I started BP medication for the first time in my life last week. My age is 50, and the elevated blood pressure was just diagnosed recently.

The doctor prescribed Lisinopril (20 mg), which I have taken for the past 7 days. The coughing is NOT something I can live with. I am waking up several times throughout the night with coughing spells, and of course that wakes my husband, so neither of us get very good sleep. I have coughing spells periodically during the day, too.

I did some internet research and it appeared that Cozaar worked similarly to Lisinopril, but without the coughing side effect. I called my doctor and asked if she could switch me to Cozaar, which she did.

I took the first Cozaar pill today (100 mg) and am looking foward to the cough going away. However, it sounds like many of the people on this site had their cough persist for anywhere from a month to a year, after just taking Lisinopril a few weeks.

I will post again after I see what happens with the Cozaar. Meanwhile, I plan to lose weight, excercise and eat more nutritiously, in the hopes of getting completely off BP meds in the future.

Switched from Zestril to Lisinopril in Jan 2004 - Starting in February have had incredibly severe leg crams eleven times; numbness and tingling in arms a couple of times; extreme fatigue; dizziness and light headedness, large weight gain. Numerous medical tests have not revealed cause. Visited a dietician today to discuss weight gain, and she immediately connected my syptoms as a possible side effect to Lisinopril, and suggested I discuss the possibility with my doctor. Internet research indicates many others have similar symptoms from Lisinopril.

I began taking Zocor May 11, 2004. On June 1, I developed a rash that was diagnosed as Shingles. It is believed that the virus that causes Shingles comes from Chicken Pox and lurks dormant in the body until a suppressed immune system provides conditions for eruption. My internet research shows me that Zocor has been shown to alter immune system response. I think the medical profession needs to re-think prescribing Zocor to patients until it is fully understood whether its benefits outweigh its apparent negative effects on the human immune system. I have stopped taking Zocor and plan to look for a means other than drugs to lower my cholesterol levels.

While I am truly sorry that many of you have/had such terrible side affects from Levaquin, I just finished taking a 10 day supply of the drug about 2 weeks ago for diverticulitis, and only had very mild effects (metal taste in mouth, and very slight pinging pains in my gut the first day or so, which still was much better than the constant pain of diverticulits).

On the 3rd day I was doing some internet research on this drug and came upon this site. Even though all of these messages scared me tremendously I decided to continue with the rest of the dosage, and just pray that I didn't get any worse effects. I thank God that was the case!

Several things that I did while taking this drug that may or may not have limited the side effects: Stayed out of the sun religiously (I already had a bad sun reaction to Doryx Tablets about a month previously, so I learned my lesson from that). I also drank A LOT of water each time I took the medicine, which I'm pretty sure helped reduce the pains in my gut that I had the first day. I also was already on a soup diet for the diverticulitis, which may have helped but I'm not sure. Finally, I took the drug every day at around 5:00pm and then ate my dinner at 6:00pm which probably doesn't mean anything but who knows!

Anyways if I get prescribed this medicine again in the future, I probably will ask if I can have some other drug due to everything I've read on this site (I've looked and have hardly seen any other sites about other drugs that told of so many people with so many side effects).