December 20th
2008
4:19 PM
I had to stop taking AciPhex because of side effects such as sleeplessness and heartburn. Sleeplessness normally causes heartburn too. So that would only make matters worse. Every afternoon I would get heartburn. Duh.
I think FDA have put their IQ on mortgage to approve medications such as this.
December 11th
2008
5:57 PM
I just started taking Toprol XL 50 mg about a week ago. I feel a little confused though on the doctor's judgment. I have a slow pulse (tends to run in the forties) from running a few miles a day and have mild hypotension. I was dizzy, lightheaded, fainted a few times, blurred vision, shortness of breath, chest palpitations and chest pain. My pulse would go from 35 to 170 just by standing and walking ten feet. The doctors determined I have what is known as POTS Disease, even though i suffered some of these symptoms lying down. Although the Toprol is helping with my palpitations and chest pain, it makes my resting heart rate and blood pressure even slower. Doesn't that seem dangerous, seeing as it's already low for even an athlete? My symptoms seem to be remaining the same besides that (which I guess is good seeing as Toprol can cause my symptoms, therefore I thought my dizziness, etc. may get worse). It's causing trouble sleeping, vomiting, cold feet and fingers.
-- By rbauer2 | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
October 6th
2008
12:31 AM
I have been on Lamictal now for 10 months, and I mostly love it.
But my IQ went down about 20 points. The first few months were very bad--I could hardly complete a sentence without forgetting one or two words. My short-term memory was scary bad--almost like blackouts where I wouldn't even remember events when reminded.
Those things have abated somewhat, but I am still having to adjust to a lower ability to think. I must make lists, I must repeat instructions and directions. Perhaps this is more about slowing down what was a hyperactive brain, but it is a side-effect that is hard to accept.
I am noticing a new side effect, though. I drop things all the time. I recently dropped a book I was reading--how does that happen?
Has anyone noticed this dropping, or any other clumsiness like this?
-- By marimac | Reply | (5) replies | Private Message me
September 7th
2008
9:59 PM
I felt extremely hyper after receiving a dosage of Reglan. I was in the hospital after suffering a terrible bout of food poisoning and I became extremely nauseated. The physician gave me this medication in order to control the nausea. After about 10 minutes, I felt worse than before going to the hospital. I felt extremely hyper and could not sit still. I felt extremely terrified and did not know why...I felt like I wanted to take off running and throw myself in front of the nearest car or jump from the roof of a building. I started crying uncontrollably. I told my doctor how I felt and she stated "some people experience this feeling...about 1 in 1000 people". I began to wonder why such a drug was on the market if this is what happens. I'm wondering how many people have felt similar and actually acted on their feelings.
The scary thing is this...I believe the estimate of 1 in 1000 people suffering side effects is wrong. While at the hospital a nurse told me there was another patient who experienced the very same experiences on the morning my dosage was injected.
I have never felt so awful in my life and I'm hoping there will be a class action lawsuit for this drug.
-- By pdc1 | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
August 13th
2008
5:12 AM
Hi, I am 25. I have taken omeprazole 20mg. for 4 months for my GERD, and after the fourth month, I started having these abnormal heartbeats. I am really worried if these are side effects of omeprazole, and if this medicine may cause permanent damage to the heart. So I decided to see my PCP and requested a change in medication, so he prescribed me 6 month-refills of Aciphex 20mg. It’s my second week now, and I feel this weird itchy feeling inside my chest. I feel like I am always tired, and breathe hard than usual. Id this a side effect of Aciphex? Should I stop taking Aciphex? And does achiphex damages the heart muscle, or cause CAD?
-- By max101 | Reply | (2) replies | Private Message me
May 26th
2008
9:12 PM
Ok, with all psych drugs, you're a damed zombie for the first 6-8 weeks. I know that & am willing to accept a little nausea, being a box of rocks mentally, and not being able to find my shoes for the first 6-8 weeks. If things continue after that point in time, I drop the med. Well, I dropped abilify, and this is why:
tardive dyskinesia
The disorientation, & nausea wore off by week 8. I was still not as sharp as I normally am. But, no big. I'll take a 2 point drop in IQ to not drive away the people I love with my bipolar. But, the tardive dyskinesia messed me UP. I was using it in conjunction with Lamictal. I had increasing motor function difficulties. I had to give up my fine detail painting and needle point. Fine, again, willing to sacrifice to keep those I love near. But, the tics got worse. Facial twitches, then severe feet & arm twitching. It got so bad that it became dangerous to drive. I couldn't deal at that point. I stopped taking it cold turkey. I had a blazing migraine & nausea for a week & a half, then my tics stopped, the headache stopped. I was back to how I was before on just lamictal.
I know this drug combo is a miracle for some. And, if it is, that's utterly awesome & I congratulate you on finding something that works for you. But, this very much did not work for me.
January 27th
2008
9:32 PM
I'm a 26 year old female and I've been on Topamax since March 2007. It has completely gotten rid of the debilitating headaches I experienced 3-6 times a week. It also got rid of my anxiety. I got my life back, my antidepressant kicked in at the same time. I experienced all the usual side-effects, tingling hands and feet, forgetting words, memory problems, loss of appetite, but was COMPLETELY pain-free. I still am. However, I never remember anything now, forget whether or not I did something, paid my bills, etc, lose things constantly, and I have lost about 20 lbs. Not good. I look anorexic. I have bones sticking out. Eating is hard. I forget to eat and drink all day and food is just unappealing. I feel fuzzy and stupid and slow. Not sharp like I used to be. It has killed my confidence and self-esteem. But I was wondering if any women out there got yeast infections while they were on Topamax. I've had one monthly since I started it, and my doc said it's a rare side effect. Oh yeah, I've had mild hair loss and mild to moderate acne now. This drug, it is such a 50-50. Living with chronic pain, those headaches were awful. But doubting yourself is awful too. Anyone have similar experiences?
-- By medgirl | Reply | (12) replies | Private Message me
September 11th
2007
10:39 PM
I was born without a thyroid gland so I can't compare the way I feel now to the way I would've felt with a thyroid. I've been on Synthroid my entire life (22 years), and I'm up to 112 mcg now. I am very skinny (5'5", 104 lbs) and feel constantly fatigued no matter how many hours I sleep, what I eat, and how much exercise I get. I periodically get pain in my hip joints, heart palpitations, and intense mood swings. My thoughts race but I have very little physical energy. I feel restless and gloomy almost all the time for absolutely no good reason. My doctor tells me I'm depressed but I honestly have no reason to be depressed and I wish she would see it as a symptom instead of a diagnosis. I graduated from a good college, I've got a job I like, I have friends, I enjoy life and my hobbies, yet I feel overwhelmingly sad. This does not seem like depression to me.
I find that after I do aerobics I get a tightness in my chest, which makes me worry about my heart, but again my doctor doesn't seem to think this is cause for concern. I have been irritable/fatigued for YEARS and I suspect I'll feel this way for the rest of my life. The worst of it started when I hit 16 years old and started the 112 mcg. My tests are always normal and it frustrates me that my doctor disregards my symptoms. I've tried other doctors, but they always send me away with my 'normal' test results. Can anybody help?
-- By lexlurgee | Reply | (18) replies | Private Message me
July 31th
2007
9:41 PM
I have been on topamax for 2 months, just up to 100 MG. I am loosing my hearing, have blurred vision, still have headaches and have been told that they might be permanent. Lets just say I am not impressed. Not to mention all the other BS side affect, nausea, stomach pains, loss of appetite, Mental changes, confusion, Giving me ADD and cutting my IQ from 145 to 80, aphasia, headache, depression, too many to mention. I hate the stuff and am tapering off now.
-- By mgb | Reply | Private Message me
September 22th
2006
7:02 AM
Four years ago I weighed 105 lbs.; was happy, vigorous, energetic, positive, adventurous (skiied, sang, gardened, backpacked, roller-bladed, ballroom danced. Dr. prescribed Toprol for moderate/high BP (140/90). Now: 155 lbs., majorly depressed--don't care if I live or die--terrible fatigue, everything HURTS--bones, muscles, joints, irritable, never sleep more than 1 hr. any time. Sometimes think I'm going insane...fade in and out of awareness and don't even care...even having trouble concentrating to write this--like adult A.D.D. Bad case of tinnitus (high-pitched electrical noise inside my head; at one point, thought I was picking up Morse Code from somewhere! No kidding. I KNOW I'm not nuts, but wondering what's happened to me. Female, age 60; IQ 160+ and NOT a goofball, but feel like I've died and been reborn as a monster. I suspect the Toprol, since I'm not taking anything else. Is there an acceptable substitute without these ghastly side effects?
-- By cityengineer | Reply | Private Message me
February 28th
2005
8:53 AM
I had three pregnancies-gainesd same weight, carried them all the same-all uncomplicated births. Only difference is with my second-I was on Yutopar from 20 weeks to 35 weeks. This child is battling with ADD/depression, personality disorders/ addictions. Any link between these problems and Yutopar?
-- By gailmorgan | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
November 4th
2004
9:37 PM
I'm using Effexor for 2 months now for depression / ocd. In the beginning it was hard. It made me nauseous and felt malaise. This settled down after a week, then everything looked more confident, less sad, more calm. This doesn't last very long. It robbed me of emotions. Even my boyfriend said I'm like a shell of a person, despite I thought I feel like myself, he said I look very distant. "Abnormal thoughts" is also labeled as a SE. I didn't know what it meant until I realized I became more insensitive, less compassionate. So I recall some things that I said that may seem offstandish. I no longer cry when I see something very heartfelt. I listen to music but it's just like noise, I can't enjoy it. I can read poetry or watch a good film but it doesn't affect me. I'm not in love with my bf, my loved ones - just life in general. Then some days I feel flu-like and depressed and just want to stay curled up in bed all day. I have to get off it b/c it's not good for my heart. Sometimes it shakes hard like a snowglobe. Palpitations. And paranoia sometimes. I get a really creepy feeling. And gory dreams of decay.
Good side: It cured most of my ocd & social anxiety. Raised my IQ on good days, due to deeper focus to a point I can get lost inside my own head.
-- By student_cottonball | Reply | Private Message me
July 28th
2004
9:30 PM
I started my 'adventure' with anti-depressants 9 months ago.
The first was Zoloft. I began to feel totally weird and out of it, I couldnt function or barely talk. I was told this was depression and I was hospitalised and then it was changed to Effexor.
It was increased up to 300 mg a day.
I NEVER felt anything good from this stuff! all i had were the side effects
-Couldnt sleep
-awful sweating but just in the hairline.
-NO feelings
-NO taste of food (guess thats why the weight loss)
-NO energy
-felt like I had morning sickness all day.
-SCARIEST thing... it was like my IQ was chopped in half!
-I still have no retention of things I read or things that happen
-Constant thoughts of suicide. (more than when i was just depressed and not on medication)
Im trying to get off it now... slowly... and its tough. At least the sweating has finally stopped and I can taste food a bit.
I have absolutely NOTHING GOOD to say about Effexor. Its supposed to be industrial strenth for the severely depressed but I dont feel it did a thing.
I would not take it again, knowing how it was.
of course now, im supposed to be trying Wellbutrin. I dont see anything coming from that either.
-- By ldorward | Reply | Private Message me
Toprol-XL (2) Topamax (2) Aciphex (2) Effexor (2) Lamictal (1) Yasmin (1) Reglan (1) Yutopar (1) Synthroid (1) Abilify (1)
August 28th
2009
1:01 PM
My 17 year old daughter is on Yasmin and has been for over a year. She is taking it to regulate her periods and heavy bleeding. We have not noticed any side effects at all. She has a learning disability and a low IQ. She is also on Buspar for anxiety which she has had long before Yasmin. She is also on Strattera for her ADD. Now, after reading and hearing about all these terrible side effects such as stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, blood clots, etc. I am going to ask our doctor about this. I read one post that said if you were on Yasmin and you had to take Motrin you should have blood tests...what kind if this is true? She just had her wisdom teeth out and has taken plenty of Motrin along with other pain medication. This is just way too scary....scared Mom in SC
-- By violetinthesnow | Reply | Private Message me