December 20th
2008
10:49 PM
I have been on Topamax for about two years for migraines, and was very pleased that after the first month or two, most of the noticeable side effects (dizziness, flat-tasting soda, etc.) disappeared, and the Topamax has been very effective in cutting my migraines in half. However, I've recently begun to question whether other health problems I've been experiencing are actually Topamax side effects and I just didn't realize it.
The first is intermittent stomach troubles that have been ongoing for the last year. Starting last January, I started experiencing diarrhea, stomach pain, and other persistent gastrointestinal problems, and through online research, I decided that it was probably either a spastic colon or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I lost 15-20 lbs. in the spring and summer, but the problems would always recede before I took them to my doctor, then resurface just long enough to irritate me before disappearing again. It never occurred to me until recently that these could be Topamax side effects.
The other possible side effect that I assumed was an unrelated problem is interruptions to my sleep pattern. I have been experiencing some occasional bouts of sleep paralysis, and which researching this, read that in normal sleep patterns, one is supposed to enter REM sleep (when dreaming occurs) after about 90 minutes. I frequently enter into dream sleep in as short as a 20-30 minute nap, which does not seem to be normal. Again, researching this, the only two explanations that came up were narcolepsy, which I obviously do not have, and that my normal sleep patterns are being interrupted "by medication." So I'm back to wondering if it's the Topamax. Has anyone experienced similar sleep symptoms?
-- By mjd | Reply | (3) replies | Private Message me
October 23th
2008
9:22 PM
I have been on Seroquel for three days now...tonight will be my third night taking it and so far I've had severe persistent sore throat, stuffy nose ] and my eyes have been so itchy. I'm pretty sure it's just a cold going around but those are also very important side effects and I've already called my doctor about it and he also said it was just something going around. I have noticed I've been hungry, hungry, hungry and I eat A TON already as it is. I'm 110 lbs and I eat like a horse, I always have, even before I started the medication. I'm 5'1" and now I'm worried I'm going to blow up to the size of a house! I can't monitor how much I eat because I eat so much as it is. I do, somewhat, somewhat remember eating a block of cheese last night before bed time. I know why they say to take it before bedtime!! It knocks me out. Which is bad because I have a 17 month old who still wakes up around 4-5ish in the morning. His bedroom is right across the hall from ours and we have his door cracked open an inch and we leave ours halfway open so we can hear him. I am usually a light sleeper but last night I noticed that it sounded like he was across the street, I could hardly hear him. I'm surprised I even made it out of bed, got him and brought him back to our bed without running into something or dropping him. It's scary. It really is. My doctor is giving it to me to treat my mood swings. I'm hoping they don't do diagnose me with bipolar disorder like they've talked about when I was a teen. I have had some tachycardia but I also have a heart problem I was born with that has been pretty messed up for over a week--I started having premature ventricular contractions, but this was before I started the medication. I am actually wearing an EKG-like monitor during the day to record this...this has nothing to do with the medicine but I thought I'd through it in there in case they decided it is. I talked to my cardiologist today and told her I was on this medication. Well, it's about 8:17 here and I need to go take the medicine and hit the sack...goodnight.
-- By tricial | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
May 5th
2008
9:31 AM
Today I decided that I am not taking Lisinopril anymore. I was sick with flu like symptoms about 2 months ago. I went to my doctor and and was treated for a bronchial infection. I was prescribed and antibiotic and also a blood pressure medicine. My blood pressure was high and had been for some time. The illness did leave but now I have new problems. For some reason the first bottle was a white pill, then changed pharmacy, and now a small peach colored pill. The side effects were worse on the white pill, less but still life altering on the peach pill. Since taking the medicine here are some of the things I have experienced.
- severe coughing, so bad that my neck back and head where killing me;
- loss of bladder (not sure if from coughing or additional side effect);
- hair falling out;
- tightness in my chest;
- difficulty breathing (using inhaler multiply times a day vs. when sick or 2 or 3 times a year);
- muscle pain;
- memory loss (small black out periods with no recovery of the memory for that time);
- feelings of dread; some intermittent periods of severe, some mild confusion;
- sleeping so soundly did not hear people in my home all night, loud music, doors opening and closing, in my room standing next to me talking (normally a very light sleeper);
- confusion for 15 to 20 minutes upon waking, did not know what time it was, where I was, what day;
- falling asleep at desk of if parked in my car;
- digestive issues, severe gas, intermittent watery stool and constipation;
- short tempered, inability to cope with my normal ability to function in high stress level on job (I actually left my job of 8 years on a week ago);
- strange feeling in the middle of forehead and intensifying to almost a muscle kind of pain just in the center.
- the worst was the yesterday, I felt like I did not want to live...just like quitting, thank GOD my children love me so much that they kept trying to keep me engaged in conversation and stayed with me all afternoon until it finally passed. I did not take the medicine yesterday or today. I called my Dr. to have my chart updated today that I will NOT be taking this medicine anymore. I will walk everyday and get on a diet that is fat and salt restrictive, I want to live and do it sanely.
August 30th
2009
1:46 PM
I had the mirena inserted in Oct of 2008. I since then have had a couple times of spotting... very light if anything. Which I loved! But now periods not even spotting. I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I have become such a light sleeper since I had my son. Anything will wake me and once Im awake Im awake. The last few nights I have only slept a few hours and I feel like Im going to kill someone. I haven't felt PMS this bad since I was on the Patch. Once a month for about a week I'll go through a small depression. Crying all the time, and locking myself in doors. I thought it was just because I was sad my husband is away and out of town for work but it happens every month. And Ive been having some pretty intense cramps lately. I have no idea if this is connected to the mirena. But after reading some of the posts here, Im starting to believe it does.
-- By cynthiarathbun | Reply | Private Message me