Liver damage symptoms and conditions

That's it!! I have had it. A couple of years ago, Dr prescribed Lisinopril HCTZ for my high blood pressure. 6 months later, 'Hey your cholesterol is really high.' So she prescribed Crestor. Then 6 months later, 'Oh Crestor can cause liver damage, we'll need to check your liver.' I know doctors mean well, but they seem to all be trained to simply prescribe a pill. The average senior citizen takes 12. Daily! I have had it. I refuse to take the lisinopril any more. Last night: zero sleep due to the cough. Hacking and coughing, trying to 'hock-up' the crap draining down my throat. The wheezing at the top of my bronchial tubes. Unable to inhale enough air to cough. Peeing in my pants. Disturbing everyone else in the house. This is just bullsh--. Hey, how about another tip: Did you know the HCTZ can cause artificial inflation in your cholesterol numbers?? Guess what: after switching 5 months ago to the lisinopril plain, not with the HCTZ... you got it cholesterol went down. Down by 80 points, too! I made no other change during that time, not in my diet, exercise or anything else. So effective today: (1) No lisinopril (I'll check my BP daily), (2) increase my Kelp and selenium for my thyroid, (3) stick on my insulin-resistant diet, (4) reduce my caffeine intake. I'll keep this site posted on my progress.

Thank God for the posts here. I thought I was either going crazy or had been poisoned, or both, after my first dose of Avelox. Through the 6 days I took this drug before throwing it away I kept thinking the side effects, to numerous to list, would go away - they only got worse. I know all the usual disclaimers are listed on the prescription literature, including possible liver damage, but if the manufacturer is wise they will broadcast the possible side effects more emphatically to physicians and their distribution chain (pharmacies).

I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis at the end of 2007 and have been on prednisone since then. I started on about 105mg a week and am currently trying to reduce it but it is really hard as the moment the dosage goes down I lose all mobility and cannot even get out of bed. I am only 23 years old and really feeling the disease to the extent that I cannot even cope with my life. The prednisone has really taken its toll on me and the side effects are crazy! I just want to go back to my old self as I am finding it sooo hard to get through a single day. My side effects include:

Insomnia, tooth sensitivity, depression, anxiety, mood swings, moon face (my face is so swollen that I cant stand looking in the mirror anymore, dizziness, temper, feelings of uselessness, nightmares, night sweats, water retention, and to top it all off the arthritis is getting worse and I am in constant pain. Is there anything anyone can suggest then please help me!

OK, So me and my husband decided to get Mirena b/c we got married in 05, a year later had our daughter, and a year later had our son. I feel like for us, if left to our own discipline, will just keep having child after child after child. Seriously, for us, it doesn't take long to get pregnant. I sympathize greatly with women out there who long to have babies but can't, I do... but I am just not one of them. Both of my pregnancies were so pleasant! No morning sickness with either child, about only 20 lbs of healthy weight gain, etc. For me, being pregnant is a blast. However, the aftermath that pregnancy has on my body is not so pleasant. I can safely say that I will NEVER wear a bikini ever again and I'm surrounded by friends who "bounce back" so quickly and are in bikini's two months after having their baby. In 05, the year my husband and I got married, at age 22, I was hospitalized, put on life support and had liver damage. I was jaundice, and my liver enzymes were through the roof. My doctors almost put me on a donor list. They couldn't figure out what was wrong with me but eventually concluded that I picked up a virus from a recent missions trip to Macedonia and that it would eventually flush itself out of my system. It did, to the glory of God. I get blood drawn yearly to check liver enzymes, and since I've been pregnant (thank God with healthy pregnancies and deliveries) I just figured I've been healthy. My husband has since graduated college and is starting a small business, and with a 2 year old and a 4 month old and the economy, we just DO NOT want more kids right now. Getting on Mirena seemed to be the best option for us. I read the pamphlet, asked around, and made my decision fairly quickly since my husband and I were already back at "it" 7 weeks after my son was born. Not smart, I know, but what can I say. I can say this: Mirena has not effected my sex drive. :) Insertion was not fun! I had bleeding for about 2 months, but my son was also exactly 8 weeks when I got it so my body wasn't exactly acting normally anyway. I heard to expect bleeding. No big deal. It eventually went away and now I've had it for about 3 months. The first couple weeks I was a BEAR! Has anyone seen the SNL skit for "Annuale," (or something like that)? That's exactly what I felt like. But that went away. My son is four months old and I feel like I am gaining a lot of weight. My husband and I picked up everything and moved across country for his job and that's been stressful, so I figured weight gain was due to that. I haven't had any depression or laziness, but I always feel exhausted. I figure it's from having a toddler and a newborn. I'm sure that's part of it. But I have a membership to Lifetime and I had a session with a trainer and they gave me a nutrition regimen and core exercises b/c my belly just doesn't seem to be going back down. I'm a petite person, but I have A LOT of body fat, since during my hospitalization I had severe muscle atrophy. This is not healthy! Mainly I don't want any more kids, at least for a while, b/c I want my health back! I want to be around for my kids! Lately I've been experiencing twinges and pains around where my liver is at and I can't seem to lose ANY weight. I feel like I'm only gaining. I know excess weight, especially in your core, carries with it a lot of health risks. I finally googled weight gain and liver side effects with Mirena and found this website. Reading all your posts I'm strongly considering getting Mirena taken out and making an appointment with an OB-GYN and a hepatologist (liver doctor) just to make sure everything is OK. I need to lose weight! But I really don't want to have any more kids! I'm afraid to get off of it. I'm afraid to stay on it. I don't know what to do. Any suggestions??

I have always had and currently have the side of effect of extreme fatigue associated with the use of synthroid and now Armour thyroid replacement as well.
Whenever my tsh reaches normal levels I become increasingly fatigued. Now I an hardly stay out of the bed and yet my levels are normal.
I have Hashimoto's Disease and am menopausal with severe insomnia to cloud the issue. But the fatigue associated with thyroid replacement is longstanding and has occurred for about 15 yrs. For many years, I would stop taking the medication because of it. My doctors do not believe that the fatigue is related to Synthroid which I find utterly frustrating. Will be looking for another endocrinologist soon. Has anyone out there experienced this side effect of extreme fatigue?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

OH MY GOD!!!! I thought I might be imagining things. I was prescribed Levaquin and clyndamycin on December 15 2008 for a urinary tract infection that appeared to have gone systemic. After 2 days my right knee swelled up. I went back to the Dr the next day and he looked up both antibiotics in his little book and said the clyndamycin could cause joint swelling and pain. He told me to stop taking the clyndamycin and take 600 mg of ibuprofen for the joint paig. His little book said nothing about levaquin. Well I kept taking the levaquin and the pain spread literally to every joint in my body. I could not walk and had trouble even holding a coffee cup. The pain was unreal. I completed the 10 day course of the levequin as instructed. The joint pain was getting worse. I called the Dr. again and they did blood work to rule out arthritis and stuff like that. He put me on prednisone which has significantly helped with the pain. He said it may be a coincidence that I have developed arthritis and that it had nothing to do with the UTI. Well as I was watching TV last night I saw a lawyers commercial for a law suit against levaquin and cipro. Then today got on the internet and found this site. I am going to call the Dr. and tell him to update his little book he looked up the levaquin in. My fear is how long after you stop taking this poison does the joint pain end? I wish I would have known all of this sooner. I will never take this drug again.

I'm 46 years old male. I am very active. Water Ski, Snow Ski, Weight Lifting, Hockey etc. I was on Simvastatin 40mg per day for about two months. Although I have a bit of arthritis in my knees and shoulders I couldn't believe how horrible I felt on this drug. I felt so weak and I had joint pain that was incredible. I walked around feeling like I had the flu or something. I ached every where. My knee swelled up really bad and I didn't know what to think. So I called my doctor and he said to go off it for now and I can't believe how good I feel again. The scary thing is he wants me to take a two week break then go back on it. According to him, he has read stories that statistics show if you go off this drug for a few weeks then go back on it ,that most of the time people don't experience the same side effects ever again. If anyone has been off then back on it without side effects I would like to hear from you. I really don't want to gamble with this again. It was horrible.

I have been taking Fosamax for about a year. I take the 70mg once weekly dose every Sunday morning. This past Sunday after my regular dose I noticed a pain in my lower right leg. Monday not only did my leg hurt but I had pain in my entire body from the neck down, chills, sweats, headache, stomach upset and my neck feels loose somehow and cracks like never before. It felt like I was coming down with a severe case of the Flu although I know now that I do not have the flu. It is Wednesday and I am still in pain, the chills have subsided somewhat today but the sweats have not. Previous to this I had been put on Boniva and experienced these same symptons after one dose and stopped immediately. I cannot stress how badly I feel. In between doses of Tylenol I feel terrible (8-10 500mg per day). I will now stop Fosamax and will never take another drug like this again. I just hope that this drug has not done permanent damage to my body or liver damage from all the tylenol. I too think the drug company has a lot to answer for.

15 years ago, at the age of 35, I had a major heart attack. After testing, the doctors decided I needed a quadruple bi-pass operation, followed by Lipitor, among other things. I was taking 20mg (the doctor ordered 40mg), but due to financial reasons I took only half. Everything was just great for 15 years. During a routine annual physical this year, my doctor noticed that my liver enzymes were off the chart high. He immediately had me discontinue the Liptor, but stay on all of my other medications. One month later, my liver enzymes were normal, and so was everything else; however, my cholesterol had climbed to 204, and I eat no meat, eggs, or other dairy products. They say my liver damage is permanent. Having had 4 lumbar surgeries and 1 cervical surgery to fuse disks in my spine, I have always attributed my back and other muscle pains to that. Now that I have been of the Lipitor for 3 months, I have not noticed in decrease in pain in these areas.

I have some of everything above and am in so much pain that I feel as if I am dying a slow, painful death. I am on heavy pain meds and even with those I have severe abdominal cramping. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have this pain relief. I am very worried as to what is happening to me internally. They are scheduling cat scans and I am awaiting a phone call to get something diagnostic done. This all started 8/15 and not only are things not easing up, but I think this is getting worse. I also have a urethral discharge, UTI, and alternating constipation and diarrhea. Initially, I had a 102 degree fever and now my temp is low, only 97.1! my husband plans on calling a lawyer today, 8/26. One day I passed brown urine and it shocked me! I'd appreciate hearing from others as I feel so alone in this horrible nightmare which is unfolding! FYI, my doctor feels that my muscle tissue is breaking down...has anyone heard anything like this from their doctor? The stomach and abdominal pains are like labor!

MY HUSBAND HAD A HORRIBLE REACTION TO AVELOX AFTER TAKING 4 DAYS OUT OF TEN, HE CALLED THE DR. COMPLAINING OF MUSCLE/TENDON STIFFNESS AND PAIN. THE DR. DIDN'T SEEM TO CONCERNED SO HE TOOK IT FOR 3 MORE DAYS AND STOPPED AFTER DOING SOME RESEACH ON-LINE. (THANK YOU MEDICATIONS.COM OR HE MY HAVE TAKING THE FULL TEN DAYS.) NOT ONLY DID HE HAVE THE MUSCLE PAIN, HE ALSO SUFFERED FROM, HALLUCINATIONS, EXTREME MOOD SWINGS, WEAKNESS, TEMPORARY HEARING LOSS, LOSS OF APPETITE,(LOST OVER 20 LBS.), CONFUSION, PARANIOA, EYES WERE DISTANT(ZOMBIE LIKE). I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO DIE! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY HE WAS PRESCRIBED AVELOX, HE HADN'T EVEN BEEN ON AN ANTIBIOTIC IN OVER 15 YEARS. HE DIDN'T NEED ANYTHING THAT STRONG, AS HE 'S BEEN A HEALTHY 58 YEAR OLD MAN. I TRULY HOPE IT HASN'T CAUSED ANY LONG TERM EFFECTS SUCH AS LIVER DAMAGE. IT'S ONLY BEEN A MONTH AND A HALF SO TIME WILL TELL. BOTTOM LINE NEVER TAKE AVELOX. 08/16/2008

My husband was hospitalized with pneumonia on July 14, 2008. He was given Avelox via IV in the hospital and a 7 day pill prescription when he came home. Even in the hospital, he complained of muscle aches, but no one keyed on the antibiotic as an issue. When his breathing was better, he assumed he should try to do physical activity...but when he tried to play some golf one day, and do a little deck staining another, he payed for it with severe joint pains...even then, no doctor said anything about the antibiotic. He has lost over 25 lbs since this began, and has lost absolutely all muscle tone in his body..

He's stopped trying to do anything, but the last month has been terrible for him...every joint in his body hurts--he can hardly walk, there were days he couldn't lift a fork to his mouth with one hand... I brought him back into urgent care on Aug. 9th...that doctor was the first to mention that it could be a side effect of the Avelox he had taken 3 weeks before...

Since then, we have been to his primary care doctor, who doesn't think "the Avelox has anything to do with it. Now that I've googled it and seen the new FDA warning, I can't understand any way it wouldn't be at least part of the problem!

He's been give Vicodin for the pain, and they're running more tests, but I intend to go into the doctor with every thing I've seen on this..I don't have a problem with them using this medication for his pneumonia, but am so frustrated that they didn't tell warn us of this side effect--especially when he's tried to tell them what he's feeling.... I just think he would have been so much better by now if they would have switched him off of the drug as soon as he noticed the pain..

Have been taking Zocor for a month. I am about to give it up starting tomorrow. Calling my doctor. I rather try flax seed in my diet. Have had normal cholesterol for life, however the last couple of years it has been hovering around 230-260 esp. since menopause. So, the last check up the doc put me on 20mg, I don't like how I am feeling. Very tired. Low level of energy, and my skin tone appears to be changing yellowish color. Has anyone else experience the dis-coloring of their skin? I am nervous.

Do NOT take Avelox! As a result of taking it for a sinus infection, I now have acute hepatitis. On Feb. 14, 2008, Bayer Corp., which makes Avelox, notified its doctors in Europe that dangerous liver damage and/or skin rashes can occur in "rare cases." U.S. docs weren't notified. My doc prescribed it to me along with prednisone. Gastric problems began almost immediately, but I didn't make the connection. I thought I just felt so bad because of the sinus infection. My urine turned orange and I became deathly ill. Tests revealed non-viral hepatitis (not contagious, in other words). My liver counts were in the thousands! They are slowly going down, but I have lost two months of my formerly active life so far. I lost 15 lbs. in a week. I am weak and still have problems eating. I was healthy as a horse before. My life was hell for the first month--sweating, itching, dry eyes, dry mouth, couldn't sleep, diarrhea. I still have no energy can can't eat enough to gain weight. You don't want to mess with your liver. I feel lucky that a GI doc has been watching my counts and guiding my care. All you can do is rest and try to eat and stay hydrated. I have a long way to go, but at least I'm not on the liver transplant list--it was that bad before. I am angry that U.S. doctors weren't warned. The side effects listed for Avelox don't mention what happened to me. I am trying to get info on a possible class action suit against Bayer for knowing this drug causes liver failure and not telling U.S. doctors.

My son was prescribed Strattera for ADD. 25 mg for three days,
but when the dosage increased to 40 mgs, it was a nightmare.

This was the worst medicine I have ever had my 12 yr old son take. He lost his appetite, had insomnia for several weeks and behaved like he was in a stupor when he was awake.
I would NEVER EVER have him take this drug again and I do not
recommend it to anyone else.

I have been taking Lisinopril/HCTZ now for approximately one month. Since then I have had several side effects very similar to those I have read on this website. Thank goodness my husband decided to check this drug out because I have not been myself lately.

First of all, I have been experiencing sporadic leg pain with the sensation of getting cramps on my left calf that have kept me up at night. I have not been able to get a good night's sleep because of it. This started about 1 1/2 weeks ago. I didn't understand why my leg was bothering me so much until I finally went to the doctor and he told me it was a side effect from the Lisinopril/HCTZ drug I was taking. He told me that the drug was a diuretic that acts like a water pill. It makes the kidneys work harder to get rid of the excess water in our body. When that happens, we lose minerals that cause the leg cramping. He suggested that I buy over the counter vitamins that had a lot of calcium and magnesium in it, as well as increase my levels of potassium. So, any of you that are having this problem, it is a side effect of this pill.

Other side effects that I have experienced are: stomach bloating and gas. Yesterday, my stomach bloated up so much I looked like I was six months pregnant carrying triplets! I have never looked this way before and it really depressed me. I looked absolutely awful! Furthermore, I noticed I am beginning to gain weight and inches. Although I am overweight, I was not putting on any weight or inches at all. I have been maintaining my same weight or less for years. Yet, since I have been on the drug for about one month, I have noticed the weight gain and my clothes are fitting tighter all over.

Finally, I have been more irritable and feel run down. Probably from the lack of sleep from the leg pain at night; but also from the hot flashes I have been experiencing within the last week or so. Although I am 50 years old, I have not experienced any hot flashes until now. They are so bad, I feel like I'm burning up inside. I have to open up the window or turn on the fan at night although it is cold in the room. This is also a new symptom I have never had before.

After reading other people's side effects on this website, I am convinced that I am going to stop this drug cold turkey. I was fine before and why try and fix something that doesn't need fixing? Doctors tell me that it is a preventative measure to getting a stroke or heart attack. I believe many doctors scare us into believing that we can die someday if we don't take it and that is pretty scary. But check things out first.

Thank God my husband did some research on this drug and found this website. It convinced me that I wasn't alone and this drug is really bad for you. I plan to go back to normal and watch my weight, eat healthy, exercise, and monitor my blood pressure instead. Not to mention, my blood pressure is only borderline from being normal. So, why risk it?

Martha G.

I reported what I thought might be side effects on 25 Dec related to Lipitor. They included many of the aches and stiffness that have been reported here. I stopped that day and now have been going clean for just over three weeks and all the pain has gone. I tested low for cholesterol three weeks ago also but it was also due to exercise and diet that I think that I can keep it low with this drug. I cannot believe how I struggled with this for so long feeling old and sore when it was Lipitor. My liver test also showed elevated enzymes from the drug which is another side effect which can cause liver damage. I feel like a new person. My recommendation is if you experience these pains, get off this drug and find other ways to handle the cholesterol.

This drug should be removed from the market.

Lipitor reduced my Cholesterol from 280 to 140. But... after only 4 months on the drug I developed pain in my legs. After several visits to the doctor I was told to get off the drug. One month later my health had deteriorated to the point that I could hardly walk. After another doctors visit and many tests I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy with the symptoms of leg pain, muscle loss and nerve damage in both legs, feet and hands. Also numbness in both hands and feet. Inability to move any of my toes. Liver damage. Of course with the problems with my feet I have poor balance. Additionally I have memory loss. Because of the neuropathy I can not get health insurance without paying a much higher preminum than normal. I am taking Gabapentin 1200 ml 3x day.

My condition has improved gradually but I still have the P. Neuropathy and there is no cure for it. My balance remains poor and the numbness, pain, nerve and muscle damage remain.

This diagnois is from a family doctor as well as a neourologist.

My recommendation is stay away from the statins.

My doctor started me on Mevacor a few months ago at 40 mg - I could hardly stand up to walk - my back was killing me! Then she put meon 5 mg of Zocor - okay for the first few weeks, and my cholestorol went down so she told me to double it to 10 mg - then the leg cramps started. I stopped taking if for a few weeks and restarted at 5 mgs (again) last week - now my legs are aching and my ankles are swollen big time. Also noticing fatique and some blues/depression. I told my doctor today that I am not taking it anymore! Not asking her, TELLING her.

I have been on lipitor for a little over two years now. I experience extreme joint and muscle discomfort. I am also picking up weight at an alarming rate. No matter what I do to lose the weight, it's not working. I've had several blood tests, but all come back fine..but I know I don't feel well and I'm having trouble remembering things....

I am just out of hospital after 7 days from Rhabdomyolysis brought on by dehydration after playing tennis on a very hot day. There was the possibilty that my heart and kidneys suffered damage. When i think back I was waking up in the morning with lower back pain but I attributed that to being a weekend athlete that had really stepped up my activity. My wife also swears that my memory is terrible and when i stop to think about it (what was I thinking about again????) she is right. The hospital doctor took me off simvastatin and the pain while in the hospital and my first night home was gone. I was being treated as a diabetic but once in the hospital my blood sugars were all normal and my metformin was stopped. I was told that what happened could have killed me not to mention heart and liver damage. Watch that muscle pain carefully!!

I had been taking Zocor for 10 days when I woke up in the night with heart palpitations, wobbly legs, a severe headache and dizziness. Shortly afterwards, my legs began to twitch on their own and cramped up. This happened several nights in a row. Then the twitching spread into my arms and neck. My muscles became very sore, then weak to the point where I couldn't stand up long enough to take a shower or get out of bed without help. Thankfully after being off of Zocor for 3 weeks I am getting some of my strength back, but I am plagued with a constant headache and dizziness, sometimes nausea and vomiting. Tests for muscle enzymes, liver damage, etc. have all come back with normal results. I am 21 years old and Zocor has made me feel about 75. Like others on this site my doctor did not think the problems had anything to do with the Zocor, but helpfully suggested I try incorporating more fat into my diet.

Can anyone tell me from experience how long I can expect these side effects to last? I've been out of work for 3 weeks and can't go back until I stop feeling dizzy and can stand up/walk for a full 8 hours.

had two sets of injections in my neck for neck spasms. First set in March 2nd in June. after the first injections I notice fatigue, I lost 33lbs. of muscle mass in three weeks. been lifting for 28 yrs. and it's all gone. Burning sensation in legs weakness in arms, legs. Adrennal and pituary glands have shut down testosterone level dropped from 675 to 75. chronic thrush (yeast infection) on fluconazole 150 mg. once a day. Drs. do not know when this will leave the body. Now have to see infectious disease Dr. because of the recurring thrush, possible liver damage from fluconazole. Also lost at least 3/4" in height.
Thsi stuff is vicious.

It was nice to find this website, finally figuring out a reason why I get my yeast infections, headaches, naseau, pain on my left breast bone, fatigue, mood swings, etc... I always thought it was just me, but I'm now thinking that maybe it's not. I've had recurrent yeast infections ever since being on Yasmin (I've been on it for over 4 years) and my MD has never mentioned it could be the pill. I finally started seeing a connection between the two when I started tracking what happens to me when I miss taking the pill (ALWAYS a yeast infection). And it got me to thinking that maybe there are other women out there who suffer from the same thing. Also, at some points I actually thought I had serious mental/health problems b/c of my consistent headaches, fatigue, and mood swings. I used to be really active up until I was 19 when I started on Yasmin, and it went downhill from there. I guess I just thought that this was just my normal grown up self (I know sounds kinda lame). And I've totally experienced the lack of sex drive, it seems I'm only interested the week before I get my period or when I'm on it.

salty taste in mouth
kidney/liver damage
muscle ache and fatigue