Magnitude symptoms and conditions

I am a 38 year old male suffering from a combination of occipital neuralgia and migraines. For 20 years, until a year ago, i would endure pain that was only manageable with narcotic pain relievers (imagine all the gamut of such kind). I would have neck and head aches typically 3-4 times a week, accompanied by vomiting, dizziness which would put me to bed for the entire day. Work and family suffered in magnitude comparable to my own suffering. So then I finally saw my GP for that. The pain meds went up the roof, imitrex, maxalt was added to the equation with only marginal side effect. I saw a neurologist. He had me do an MRI and put me on Topamax starting from 25 mg, which I upped to 200 mg within 6 weeks. Past the initial side effects, the headaches subsided, the frequency reduced and i was able to enjoy weeks at a time with no episodes. Stayed at 200 mg for 5 months. In the meantime, the MRI came back positive for some brain inflammation. False positive they said, does not fit the clinical picture. Second MRI, same positive, this time proceeded with LP, which was negative. Third, MRI still positive; making the neurologist uncomfortable. While dealing with MRI results, the topomax had yielded positive results as far as pain management was concerned. But little by little I noticed that I was becoming more irritable, more impatient and more forgetful. Someone would have to remind me of something several times before it would even register in my mind. I empathize will all the posts that mention feeling like having Alzheimer's. I didn't care in the meantime. As long as I didn't have to deal with the pain it was ok with me. But the situation became worst and worst. I couldn't concentrate on anything, the mere task of remembering to do something was insurmountable. I would wake in the middle of the night and find myself staring at the bathroom mirror for no reason. I would have terrible panic attacks which i control with valium. But yet i continued on with topamax convincing myself and being convinced by other people around me that i just had a "personality disorder". Finally, work begun to suffer. I was loosing track of meetings, deadlines and when this happens someone knocks on your door (boss) telling you that something just doesn't click, something just doesn't feel like a personality quirk. Other people playing doctor would slap on my face that i just had ADD, that I should take something for that and get on with my life. But something was wrong. Pain or dizziness or lack of concentration etc are all electrochemical processes in your brain. It turns out that topamax was helping my headaches but it was not slowly deteriorating other cognitive abilities. Finally, the neurologist decided I should wean of the topamax, stepping down from 200 - 150 and then we go to 100 and so on. I dread the re-occurrence of the headaches. I am waiting for them to happen again at some point as I drop the dosage. But in the end of the day, I'd rather be in pain and in control of my life rather pain free and absent minded.

NO SIDE EFFECTS: POSSIBLE HELP WITH SUPPLEMENTS had very serious sinus infection. two weeks of anit-biotics with no result, symptoms got worse, before taking levaquin for an additional two weeks. within three days was back on my feet. i previously have taken the supplement MSM for continual joint pain in past years, and was pleased to find a wide array of other health benefits from taking it. Having two kids, building a home and busy work schedule led to neglect of my heath supplements. (not smart) Resulting in immune dysfunction, chronic sinus infections over the last two years. After realizing that my health was was in ruins, i decided to start taking my supplements again around the time of my course of levaquin. started taking my multi's again and more importantly my MSM ( similar to chondroitin or glucosamine) Note: I recently read that MSM has been proven to help the body fight infection, as it is required to be present for the body to fight infection. MSM is simply (organic sulfer) found in everyday food we eat. with processed foods and preservatives this element is removed. To make a long story short, after first taking levaquin, I did have some minor joint and back pain (among other things) started taking MSM and effects were diminished, and then gone. After reading what others went through, i made the correlation between the two, and with my previous history of joint pain i would think that i would be a prime candidate for these symptoms. It worked for me, it may work for you, and the worst case scenario is that is doesn't work but you become stronger and healthier from taking it. Brief History. I use to love to play basketball. after joint pain and swelling could only play once a week, and couldn't even walk up stairs the next day. after taking MSM continually for a couple of weeks i was able to play daily, for as long as I wanted. a true miracle. The good news: its at the health food store, it's really cheap, and its a completely natural supplement. take 1000 mg daily with meals or without. its worth a shot for no symptoms.

i am a 42-year old woman diagnosed with chronic angioedema and it has become life threatening. the doctors say that it's idiopathic--can't tell what's causing it--and don't seem to know how to treat it (or me for that matter--my primary care doctor no longer wants to treat me, wasn't even kind enough to refer me out, the allergist most condescendingly said that in 20 years he's never seen or heard of someone so affected, and my dentist won't touch me because of my allergy to lidocaine.) i've been living with a daily minimum of 75 mg. of benadryl for the last four years but sometimes i've got to up that dosage to round-the-clock so some days as high as 450 mg. i'm allergic to meat protein, sea food, dairy, sodium and most spices, and certain fruits and vegetables. about 3 weeks ago i had a vegan meal at an indian restaurant and the spices accelerated my condition so on the drive back from the eatery my throat began to close and swallowing and breathing became difficult. i have had about 8 such episodes since then and twice have had to call 911 for emergency treatment to get things under control. on my first visit to the er about 2 weeks ago, in addition to the shot of epinephrine, i was given an iv in which they put a shot of benadryl and a shot of some sort of steroid. the doctor gave me a script for prednisone which was on a sliding scale (low dosage, one week.) i ended back up in the er about 4 days later and was given the benadryl and same steroid (think it started with an "s") again, and pepcid (doctor said it was for g-i and would help to limit the histamine being released into my system. since then, i have gotten the swollen belly side effect which i believe is from the prednisone (the angioedema causes blood vessels to swell beneath the skin but i don't think any swelling of this magnitude can be attributed to that). i have yet to find out if this swelling can be reversed with treatment or will go away of it's own accord. i've tried reading up on the reversal of the side effects but just hear more about how horrific they are--you all are truly in my prayers, keep your heads up!!!--so if anyone has experienced the dissipation of the side effects, please let me know and how soon after discontinuing the drug i can expect this disfigurement to go away. i too am dealing with depression for which i am prescribed but i dare not take the meds--far more too many side effect which with to deal and like some others here, i have no support system. i am the mother of the most wonderful 10-year old girl -- she is my heart and my world--but i dare not have her live with me because of this life threatening/altering/controlling condition.

sharing and hoping for good feedback.

blessings.

-vanessa w.

It`s very important to educate yourself when it comes to medications.

When I saw people close to me suffer I had to find out why and I am quite sure that it had to to with side effects.

I started to do my own "research" in 2003 and it continues to this day.

One of the groups of medications that I have looked at is quinolone antibiotics to which group Levaquin belongs.

Most medications in this group have similar side effects. For more information go to:

Please visit www.fqresearch.org and www.fqvictims.org (?).

Also search on Google for "floxed" or "floxies". That´s what people call themselves when they suffer from side effects.

I would also recommend Stephen Frieds interesting book "Bitter Pills".

Medications are needed sometimes, but not to the extent that they are prescribed today!

i started taking yaz a couple months ago and developed a blood clot in my lung, a pulmonary embolism. i was hospitalized for a week in may of this year. i have visited many websites to see if other women have developed blood clots due to yaz and i have found a startling number of women that have developed blood clots, and a couple girls who even lost their lives. the side effects of birth control are explained to us before we start taking them, and it is expected that some women will experience the side effects, and this is normal. however, when a disproportionately large number of women start having serious health problems due to yaz, then something is not wrong with us, something is wrong with yaz. i have seen many women express an interest in starting a class action lawsuit and i am trying to do so. i have worked in a personal injury law office for the past 2 years and know an excellent lawyer looking to take on a case of this nature and magnitude. if you or your loved one has developed a blood clot, lost their life, or have developed another serious health problem due to yaz than please email me at ****** with your name and an email address i can reach you at. A class action lawsuit requires a large number of plaintiffs. I have already gotten a few emails but need many more before we can make this happen. please email me... help me and yourself.

Hi guys.... Well I'm quite interested in this drug and I do prescribe it to my patients however I am surprised at the magnitude of side effects listed here. I am based here in south-east Asia and I do prescribe Yasmin to my patients and I rarely here of these side effects. Perhaps this can be contributed to the fact that it is available here under a different brand name however consists of the same chemical composition. I am interested in the ones available in the U.S. Does anyone know how I may go about purchasing them. You can contact me personally on ****** thank you.

Hi guys.... Well I'm quite interested in this drug and I do prescribe it to my patients however I am surprised at the magnitude of side effects listed here. I am based here in south-east Asia and I do prescribe Yasmin to my patients and I rarely here of these side effects. Perhaps this can be contributed to the fact that it is available here under a different brand name however consists of the same chemical position. I am interested in the ones available in the U.S. Does anyone know how I may go about purchasing them. You can contact me personally on ******thank you.

Hi guys.... Well I'm quite interested in this drug and I do prescribe it to my patients however I am surprised at the magnitude of side effects listed here. I am based here in south-east Asia and I do prescribe Yasmin to my patients and I rarely here of these side effects. Perhaps this can be contributed to the fact that it (Yasmin) is available here under a different brand name however consists of the same chemical position. I am interested in the ones available in the U.S. Does anyone know how I may go about purchasing them. You can contact me personally on ****** thank you.

Hi ladies... I'm not surprised that you folks comprise most of the posting population considering the fact that this drug is prescribed to you. Well I'm quite interested in this drug and I do prescribe it to my patients however I am surprised at the magnitude of side effects listed here. I am based here in south-east Asia and I do prescribe Yasmin to my patients and I rarely here of these side effects. Perhaps this can be contributed to the fact that it (Yasmin) is available here under a different brand name however consists of the same chemical position. I am interested in the ones available in the U.S. Does anyone know how I may go about purchasing them. You can contact me personally on ****** thank you.

I was prescribed Effexor while attending Uni. My depression was negatively effecting my academic performance and on the edge of getting my scholarship withdrawn, I continued (as a requirement from the board) with Effexor despite its side effects. I advised my counselor but he insisted I continue as it would "get better." On the contrary my self-esteem took a dive, I became way more suicidal, I felt like there were an army of ants crawling under my skin, I was "emotionally numb"....more like I could feel so many emotions at once and in such great magnitude, I felt like I was going to explode....and I did....through slashing my forearm and wrists. I felt like I could breathe when I did that....then I would just return to my bed and lay there....lost.

I finally decided to stop medicating, I gave up my scholarship and returned home. The moment I set foot on home ground I didn't know where to start or even if I was going to get a job; but I did, a great job for someone without any degree/diploma....for starters anyway. One day I sat down looking out to the sunset and recalled my days of depression. I beat myself up inside with the realization that I had ALLOWED myself to go be depressed. I realized that it is beatable, it really is in our control; mind over matter! I'm not going to lie, it does creep up at one time or another and I do still feel an imbalance in my emotions, but I find the critical step is to just STOP whatever I'm doing, go out for some fresh air, and remind myself that I have come so far without Effexor and other anti-depressants I've been prescribed with, and I remind myself that I CONTROL what goes on in my mind, and thus my body.

Again, it is still challenging at times, but I have decided not to let depression rob me of a happy and fruitful life, and its been great so far.

For the first time since my doctor perscribed Lupron for me, it has been terrible. The heavy bleeding, the anemia, the hair loss, the aches and pains, the headaches. I never had this problem in times past when I've used this before and it did not affect me to this magnitude. I have a history of endometriosis and fibroids, with 7 "lap scopes" and a myomectomy. I cannot explain why I've had such a terrible time with the injection this time.

I have been taking Lexapro for depression and Maxide for high blood pressure. I would get extremely anxious when I went to the doctor(White coat syndrome). Hence, the diagnosis of high blood pressure.Keep in mind that for all of my life my b/p was always low-usually 90-98/50-60. Being athletic,this was normal. After taking Maxide for a few months, I developed an itchy back. My dictor attributed this to dry skin. I have always had dry skin, but never a problem of this magnitude. As the months went on,I developed severe itching and rashes EVERYWHERE! This included my hands,feet,ears and scalp! I stopped taking the Lexapro as I felt that that was the culprit. The itching,of course remained,and without my antidepressant, I felt worse than awful. I scratched myself bloody at times and couldn't sleep because of the itching! Imagine being my family! After reading about Maxide and some of its side effects I decided to stop that instead. Results and relief were immediate. I had a little bit of swelling,but I just pushed fliuds and stayed active. Funny thing is, at home my blood pressure is fine and back to normal. I am not saying to try this without your physician's advice. This is just my experience.

taking 50 mg prednisone since yesterday - 2 doses only so far. very flushed face and neck, hot from the inside. They are treating angioedema, possibly underlying lupus.