Light sensitivity symptoms and conditions

Hello to All
I'm 33 yr old female who began taking Topamax 2 years ago, after diagnose with Pseudotumor Cerebri,(elevated intracranial pressure),doctors still don't know why i have PTC, it is common overweight women, certain medications, secondary to disease, which all did not connect with me as I was not overweight, have never taken any medication, other than OTC allergy or pain relievers, and all secondary diseases I was tested, and nothing, with a history of migraines headaches, that suddenly became unstable, with vision disturbance I was put on diamax, it lowers elevated intracranial pressure, finally help for this horrible headaches, , I had a side effect it elevated my glucose levels to dangerous levels, due to elevated intracranial pressure I was hospitalize, undergoing several lumbar punctures and eye surgery for decompression of my optic nerve, doctors still unsure of my diagnosis, but telling me I must have surgery for a spinal fluid shunt, I was terrified, I decided to try and consulted with another neuro ophthalmology who had a totally different opinion, I switch doctors and this is when I was prescribe TOPAMAX 25MG to start, now I'm taking 250mg daily, at first the fact that I was going to be OK, that I can continue my life without shunt, no more lumbar punctures, the fact I was not loosing my eye sight, I can go running, rock climbing, after been told I couldn't, I was convinced TOPAMAX was a miracle. The 1st side effects constipation; decreased sweating, drowsiness, dry mouth, loss of appetite I lost about 20 pounds, family friends were really concern, after a while I gain it back, numbness, tingling, I was ok with it, because I no longer had debilitating headaches, had perfect vision, surgery was out the question. and I was stable, but then I suddenly experience seizure, 3 different occasion, no explanation, severe joint leg pain, trouble with speech, bruising, light sensitivity, severe acne, irregular menstrual cycle, vaginal issues, anxiety, heart palpitations, and the worst one yet, the reason I began to search on line mood swings, I'm in the medical field and the people that I work with tells me I'm just getting older, depression, 1st sings of menopause, I'm very active healthy women, with normal daily stress 2 children and 16 years marriage, I have seen my family doctor, had blood work done, and all normal. I have told my neuro about my experiences, and he says is not topamax, my ob says take birth controls it might help, im just lost any one suggestions?

OMG I have never felt so bad on a drug as I have on Biaxin. I have taken it for 6 days now and am going to stop taking it because I just can't stand the headaches anymore. My cough has gotten worse instead of better, I have the bad taste in my mouth too but the worst is the debilitating headaches. I can't do anything because my head hurts so bad. Feels like a migraine, with the light sensitivity etc.

I hate this drug and will NEVER go on it again!! Just hope the side effects go away reasonable quick.

I was given solu-medrol for an allergic reaction to something unknown. I was given benadryl just prior because of my itching hives.
Immediately after the RN injected the solu-medrol into my IV I started choking, I couldn't catch my breath, I felt as if I had a rush of adrenaline but at the same time it felt like my heart was fluttering. My blood pressure and my heart rate jumped up considerably. I was unable to speak and had a hard time swallowing. My vision was effected and I had light sensitivity, everything suddenly seemed very bright. My thought process was very distracted, I would try to speak and within a second forget what I wanted to say. I had to concentrate extremely hard just to get out a single word.
I also had slight numbness or loss of sensation in my hands.
I don't want to know what would have happened if I hadn't been given the benadryl first! I felt as if someone was inducing brain damage onto me and instantly turning me into a vegetable.

Oh my HELL!

Here's my story...

Well, first of all I am SO happy to read all of these posts.

I have been on the NuvaRing for about 8 months now... At first, it was GREAT! I had no side effects, I could maintain my weight, even my skin cleared up... But I don't know what all the sudden triggered it but here goes the list...

Nausea
Heartburn
Diarrhea
Headaches
DIZZINESS - and this is scary people, especially for someone like me who's never experienced anything like it
light sensitivity
ANXIETY - this also freaked me out... I'm a singer, I do all kinds of stuff on stage, but I'm SCARED!? all the sudden??? this makes no sense!!!
loss of sex drive
mood swings
fatigue
dry mouth
sore joints
acne worse than when i was 18

And the thing is, it worked, WELL, for a long time. But now, I'm convinced. The NuvaRing is Satan... even if it seems to work in the beginning... don't be fooled... I won't use hormones ever again. Ever.

I'm going to be fitted for a diaphragm and that's that. I can't wait.

Thanks for all the support!

First morning of being off the Bactrim and I'm still experiencing the same side effects in my previous post, however, I see that I failed to mention the extreme light sensitivity in my eyes and the chills, sweats, and all over muscle pain and joint pain. Last night I felt like I was dying or something. I was able to work with the UTI...but not able to make it in today w/all these side effects still happening. Again...if at all possible please avoid taking this medication!

I saw my family doctor on May 16th for a new onset UTI. I hadn't had one of these in about 8 years but I knew how bad they could get if you didn't get them treated right away. I did the over the counter URISTAT for 2 days until I got an appointment. After doing the UA dipstick, they confirmed my UTI because of the high leukocytes and gave me sample packets of LEVAQUIN 500 mg. b.i.d. for 5 days. I went home thinking, "Hey, this will be easy and I will feel great in a few days." I WAS NEVER SO WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING IN MY WHOLE LIFE!!!! I took my first dose that evening and went to bed. I woke up the next morning with a headache so bad that I almost passed out when I lifted my head off the pillow. The UTI went away after a few days, but the migraine stayed for over 2 weeks. The left side of my neck felt like I had been hit from behind with a baseball bat and my scalp became so sore from the pain that I couldn't even use a blow dryer on my hair. I made 2 more trips back to the doctor complaining of the horrible migraine headaches, light sensitivity, neck pain and joint pain. He put me on IMITREX, PROPANOLOL, APAP, and FLEXERIL to control the migraines. I MAXED OUT THE DAILY DOSAGE ON THESE MEDS EVERY DAY WITH NO RELIEF! I went back to the doctor again and he decided to run some lab tests. The next day, my headache had started to get better but I noticed a lump under my left armpit (large pea size) and that I had significant joint pain in my right middle and index finger. My middle finger would hardly bend in the mornings when I got up and the stiffness in my neck was still there. Later that day on my way out for a mini vacation with my family, my doctor called to tell me that my ANA had come back positive and he wanted to send me to a Rheumatologist to rule out things like LUPUS, RA, etc. Needless to say, I was totally freaked out for the remainder of my trip until I went back to the doctor to review my ANA Titer. My titer was high at 1:160, but he keeps telling me not to worry because this happens all of the time and an ANA and high titer is not definitive. I want to also note that one of my friends and my husband have also had very similar experiences. She was convinced by the physicians that she had Lymphoma because of her ANA and titer and my husband was certain that he had RA. Both are negative!
I am still concerned about all of this even though I am feeling better and it may be that I have permanent side effects from this. I was a totally healthy person and there was nothing going on besides a UTI until the LEVAQUIN was introduced. It has been almost a month since I took this drug and the things I have been reading online are horrible. I am sure that I will never take one of these antibiotics again. My advice to anyone else is to READ< READ> READ! There are some excellent websites out there and of coures the blogs are great for information from other patients. A good site for information about positive ANA's is:
http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/fana.asp
Also, read up on LEVAQUIN and the other FLUOROQUINOLONES. I did not know that these are the drugs that will be used to treat people in the event of a biological war. It's pretty scary....

Anybody concerned about their pill symptoms, look up CANDIDA. It is related to so many symptoms and my latest thoughts are, The pill causes candida and candida causes the symptoms. This means your body may not go back in check after stopping the pill.

I have had
Mood "problems" we'll call them,
headaches mostly as a soreness in my temples,
Dizziness,
Sore feet,
Random cramps in legs,
Flu like aches and pains,
Chemical sensitivity,
Fatigue,
Stomach problems
Decreasing ability to concentrate,
Severe and sudden beer intolerance, meaning taking only 2 beers to get a wicked hangover,
Sudden noise and light sensitivity,

To keep it kinda short here, I just kept telling my doctors, I feel like I'm getting old. I'm 27! I think this pill gave me a great breeding ground for candida and candida did the rest. Look it up!

My ten-year old son began taking Singulair two years ago to control infrequent, light to moderate asthma. I would say it is in the past year that noticeable, and extreme changes occurred in his health and personality. The list of negative changes is a long one. His physical symptoms have included:
frequent, unexplainable bouts of stomach cramping and diarrhea
Painful light sensitivity, listlessness, tiredness, inability to fall asleep, inability to wake up.

The mental/mood changes have been the most devastating. They include:

Withdrawal from friends and family.
Isolating behavior.
Unprovoked anger.
Dislike of being touched
Spaceyness/disorganization/forgetfulness
Depression
Lack of interest in school
Inability to wake in the morning (on weekends sleeping till one pm.)
Loss of interest in hobbies
Aggression
Mood swings (from placid to intense rage)
Talk of wanting to be abandoned
Loss of self-esteem
No joy ever

My son was once considered one of the smartest boys at school. He is a member of the Johns Hopkins Talented Youth program. He performed several levels above his grades in math. Last year all this extraordinary promise began to slip away. This is documented at his school. Recently a math test was given and he scored in the lower third. This may sound like no big deal, “so what if a kid performs below expectations,” but this was my child’s identity slipping away. What once came to him so easily was mysteriously vanishing. It felt like his brain had stopped developing. He no longer wanted to read, (once a favorite activity.) He began to lose interest in music, (once a passionate pursuit). I could go on and on about how his personality changed. About how his friends fell away. He once was a popular, fun-loving kid. What is the most upsetting and inexplicable was his constant sadness and dissatisfaction with life. He frequently said, “I have nothing good in my life.” And, “Why don’t you drop me off somewhere so I can live by myself on the street.” I couldn’t make any sense of comments like these. We had a happy family. Our house used to be full of laughter and fun activities. We have another son, two years younger, who would cry at the changes he was seeing in his brother who no longer wanted to go outside to play, or was even willing to talk to him. They were once best friends. If my younger son tried to make a joke he would be attacked physically. I could find no explanation and so told myself it must be adolescence come early. Friends of mine asked me if my son was sick and they told me they privately worried about his obvious depression. Nothing made sense.

The most devastating episode that happened was finding under his bed some writings where he talked about how the world was a miserable place with no chance of getting better. The only solution would be for him to die and fly away. This is coming from my sweet ten year old son, who once had such a love of life and learning. How could a boy this young be thinking of suicide? It seemed incomprehensible to me. It broke my heart. The next day (12 days ago) I saw on the evening news the report about Singulair being linked to suicidal thoughts. I WAS STUNNED. It all began to make sense. I pulled him off the drug that night and the change was immediate. For the first time in years he fell asleep before midnight. I have heard his beautiful laugh for the first time in months. He wants to go outside and throw the football with his brother. There have been many breakthroughs since he stopped the drug a week ago. I just hope they continue and my once learning-hungry, loving little boy returns to me.

Sorry guys. The post below is mine and I left out a critical part of the entry. My three year old daughter was put on Allegra (along with the Singulair and Nasonex) in mid-March which is when her sleeping patterns changed. I've researched the side-effects of Allegra and I can't find sleeplessness anywhere. Therefore, maybe it's the combination of the Singulair and Allegra causing the problem. Does anyone else have a small child on this combination of meds. that is experiencing similar problems?

J. Douglas Bremner, M.D., I hope that you google your name and will give us your opinion. We are going in the right direction. We need expert help.

I started taking has two weeks ago and I feel like crap I've never been so tired in my life, I do not recommend this pill if you have toddlers running around I have huge headaches and I've had my period for a grand total of ten days something doesn't feel right ladies listen to your bodies if it doesn't feel right most likely it is not good for your well being this tax pack is going in the trash.

Complete Nightmare. Please read...I was on Minocin for a week. I developed major CNS (central nervous system) side effects including major light sensitivity, back pain, runny nose. The worst of the lot were the mental side effects which included extreme paranoia, the inability to concentrate, depression, suicidal thoughts. I couldn't go to work, I was up all night crying, couldn't socialize properly or look people in the eye. i felt completely out of my mind and didn't know why..until i stopped taking the drug the next day.

My mother who is a registered nurse accompanied me to my dermatologist the following week to describe my experience. Let's just say he denied my claims and that there could be any connection between my side effects and Minocin, rushed me out of his office without treatment or refunding the fee that I already paid to see him, and continued to cancel my future appointments with him. I never heard from him again.

Over the following months, my mother did her own research at her hospital. Turns out,she witnessed and heard of many young women come in with the same side effects..and they were in a mentally unstable state. They were admitted to the psych ward and most were suicidal.

I know this sounds extreme and everyone's body reacts differently to drugs, but this is a true recount of my experience with Minocin and I wanted to share it.

Background: I've never taken regular prescription drugs other than anitibitocs for infections, and am otherwise a healthy person. I have no history of depression and was not going through any emotional stress at the time. I was not on the pill at the time, so my body was not bombarded with high levels of tetracyclin (which Minocin is of) although I was on the pill for a year, 3 years prior.

I've taken yasmin for 8 days, I stopped taking it 3 days ago and Im having the worst side effects ever! Im contantly nausea, light headed, extremely nervous, blurry vision, light sensitivity I cant even do normal everyday stuff because I constantly feel like Im going to pass out. I cant sleep at night, It feels like the room is just spinning. Feels like the symptoms are getting worst. Is this ever gona go away? or stay like this Cos I cant handle it anymore!

Hello Girls, I'm so glad to read that I'm not the only one to be suffering from side effects of Yasmin. I started taking Yasmin April 06 and from the beginning was having side effects, light headiness, nausea, hot flushes, blurred vision, but carried on taking it as my Dr at the time side that the side effects would settle down. But they didn't infact they got worse. I started to have numbness in my arms keep thinking I was going to pass out, light sensitivity and the worst migraines ever!! I have been off the pill since Jan and still now I have the bad migraines, nausea and blurred vision - I just hope that like some of you the time will come when my body can return to its normal self and that they obviously need to take a closer look at this pill before subscribing it to others.

i have had no side effects like the previous mentioned. I take it for acne and it has helped. I also don't drink and smoke and excercise regularly, not that this makes a difference. I have only had light sensitivity.

Hello everyone,
First of all, let me tell you how happy I am to have found this website.
I have been prescribed Doxy for a Bronchitis and the very next day I started experiencing the temperature swings, the drowsiness, the sleeplessness, the sore throat, the mild nausea, the sound and light sensitivity, the weird pasty feeling in my leggs, the loss of appetite and most of all : the chest pressure right between the lungs that varies in severity, to the point where the doctor thought I was having an anxiety/panic attack !!!
Believe me, I am not prone to anxiety or panic attacks, I have faced very stressfull situations in the past with no such thing, yet it really felt like one.
I took this med for 6 days, the 7th day I stopped it. Almost right away most of the side effects are gone, but the chest pressure, which is persisting.
If anyone experienced this before or knows of it, how long will it take to clear up ? And is there anything to help it go away faster ? as I am getting ready to take finals and it is really distracting.

Thank you for reading and I hope you all feel better soon.

Cheers-

"Suspected" case of Lyme. Began taking it on May 25th, and 3 days later my left arm and torso went numb drivin' on the road (this is on 200mgs a day). A few days later, the cold/prickly hands thing happened. I though it was just from sun burn caused by doxy light sensitivity, but after reading these others about neuropathy (weird nerve sensations) I'm not entirely sure... so, since I thought these sensations could be the from creature that causes lyme, I upped it to 400 and sometimes 600 to kill the little bastards. However, the sensations haven't gone away. It's now July 17th (like 8 weeks later) and I get numbness in my arms at night and in my face (like a "dead face,") I'm starting to think it's the medicine, and any infection, that's causing it. I think I'll try to lower the dose or stop altogether for a week and see. I'll be really REALLY HAPPY if it's just these damn meds that's caused this trouble. But then, maybe it helped me fight off an infection, too.