Massage therapist symptoms and conditions

I've been on Advair for 12 years.I'm 27 years old and fed up with all this medications that doctors prescribe.We are so brainwashed into thinking that we misbehave if we don't see a doctor.Let me tell you what: The majority of the doctors, only know to prescribe medication.They get bonuses from the pharma industries every time they prescribe their "new discovered"medicine.
Advair is supposed to be preventive, what you don't know it's for how long.Exactly!!!.....'cause it's not meant to cure Asthma, it's meant to keep you hooked for the rest of your life.
My worse symptom is a very fast heart beating.I'm a martial artist and every time i exert a fast burst of energy(while i'm sparring for example), my heart goes into pumped up mode.It beats very, very fast and i have to stop because it hurts.Sometimes i keep going no matter what and feel like i'm exercising for two people.When i stop, i breath very deeply for 5 minutes and all of a sudden it stops and beats regularly.
It's not fun, and one more thing: I'm from Argentina and my mom sends me the medicine from there cause it's way cheaper, sometimes i run out(i procrastinate sometimes), i'm left off with no medicine for a few days and boy.....I'm a wreck.The time you stop you go right back to where you started.I've been researching about an alternative to this "S***".I'm afraid 'cause i don't want to feel discomfort with my lungs anymore, but i strongly believe that there should be a natural alternative to all this laboratory drugs and i'm on a mission to find it.

wow- glad I found you guys! I'm female, 54, thin, healthy, have always exercised and watched my diet. cholesterol went up to 280 a couple of yrs ago- tried more diet/exercise but it only came down to 250, so since then have tried 4 low-dose (40 mg) statins (crestor, lipitor, zocor, and now pravastatin), all of which after 2-6 months made me feel like I was jumping out of my skin and caused chest pain and palpitations that stopped almost immediately when I discontinued them. Also, I've always fallen asleep quickly and now take an hour or more, and recently my fingers have started falling asleep/tingling. I'm stopping the pravastatin today! Maybe 250 isn't so bad, if this is the alternative. Does anyone have any remedies to suggest besides low fat/low sugar diet? I just read that we should avoid reduced-fat milks (I drink 1%) because they contain oxydized cholesterol, which irritates the artery wall.

I am so happy I came across this site! I have been experiencing all these symptoms as well. I am 22 years old and I have been on the ring about a year. I have noticed that I gained weight in the past year, but just attributed it to getting older. I have always been a petite woman, and so are all the women in my family, so the 8 pound weight gain in the first couple months was a huge shock. I have tried working out, and eating right, but the weight always comes back and my cravings are unlike anything I have ever experienced. I have also noticed extreme irritability and I seem to cry a lot more than I used to, over simple, stupid things. I am in the best relationship I have ever, I have a great job and school is going great, but I seem to get extremely sad and irritated sometimes, especially the week before I take it out and the week after I put it in. I have never been like this crazy, emotional person I seem to be now. I also seem to have no energy and being active is at times a lot harder than it should be, especially for me, as an active, on the go type of person. I also have noticed my leg is always numb, my doctor recommended a massage therapist, which helped, but it always comes back. After reading symptoms of leg pains, due to blood clots, I am even more skeptical.
I have read up on side effects on other websites, but like other readers, it says some women experience these signs. Maybe a lot of women are like me, and have never posted anything. I have not put the ring back in after my last period and I am not going to. I dread it every time I put it in, but until now I thought it was just in my head. I am not getting back on the ring, lets see if I can get rid of these horrible, hormonal symptoms.

I am 50 years old. Two years ago was diagnosed with very high LDL and low HDL. I told my doctor then that I did not want to go on statin drugs, but 3 months of Niaspan didn't help the cholesterol, and I hated the hot flashes and flushing that could come at any time after taking a dose. So my doc put my on Zocor.

Two years later I my bad cholesterol is within normal limits but my good cholesterol is still too low, even with fish oil and borage oil taken regularly. Almost immediately after starting the Zocor I started experiencing light-headedness and dizziness that would last for up to a minute--even lying down in bed! My doctor prescribed Meclizine for the dizzy spells--more stinking drugs! I get migraines at least twice a month. For the last six months now I have been experiencing increasing muscle pain, joint pains in the knees, elbows and fingers, and now have been having stabbing pains in lower back around the kidneys. I would wake up in the middle of the night with shooting pains and stiffness in my left knee and cramps in my calf muscles. The first joint of my middle finger had become extremely soar so that I could not make a fist or grip tightly. I have had a recurring stabbing pain in my chest under the left pectorals muscle. My feet and toes are soar--especially my left foot. When I exercise even the slightest or do some long walking or outside work, my muscles in the arms and legs get very soar and tender, then stiffen up. I had to see a massage therapist to loosen up my legs last week! Six months ago I would be up at the crack of dawn, ready to start my day, but recently I have become very lethargic and tired with little zeal for any physical activity. I have had intermittent pain in my left testicle. We recently moved and I started seeing a different doctor. After a physical exam, he brushes off these symptoms.

Well, I stopped taking the Zocor a week ago, and already my fingers are much better, although my knees and elbows are still soar. The dizziness has gotten worse but I'm hoping that after my body re-adjusts and flushes the simvistatin that that will subside, too. I have drastically changed my diet to drop 15 to 20 pounds and lower the cholesterol with better eating habits and swimming exercise; hopefully that will help alleviate the pain, too.

I was 54 at the time (2007) and in good physical health, however, after having my first round of chemotherapy as a result of breast cancer, I developed a severe throat yeast infection and my white blood count plummeted. I had ceased taking my many vitamins that have kept me in reasonably good health for the past 25 years because of nausea and generally just not feeling good. The doctors prescribed Levaquin.

Almost immediately, I developed heart palpitations and continued to have fever, nausea, and a rushing feeling throughout my body that was draining me of all energy. I could tell I was fading fast. Upon calling the doctors I said then that I thought it was the Levaquin but they insisted I stay on it otherwise they would put me in the hospital.

After the 4th day on it and with my blood pressure sinking (80/30) my husband called the doctor and they said to go to the ER. I again said to the ER doctor that I thought it was the Levaquin and he scoffed at that. After several hours and many tests, the ER doctor released me and said I could stop taking the Levaquin and he prescribed something to help me to sleep.

By the next day, I already started feeling better and within 3 days I was back taking my vitamins and feeling much better. I never took chemo again after this experience. Unfortunately since then, I have experienced severe ankle and leg cramps in the middle of the night, muscle spasms in my legs. I don't trust my ankles, they feel weak. I assumed it was linked to the chemo and never guessed it could be tied to Levaquin.

I went to my internist doctor who prescribed Flexeril which has helped with the cramps. My massage therapist has noted many times that my tendons and ligaments seem twisted and she has to really work on them which ultimately feels better. I never thought any of these symptoms were tied to Levaquin until last night when I saw the ad on TV regarding Levaquin and tendinitis. I will show this info to my Internist the next time I see him. How does one know if what I am experiencing is linked to Levaquin.

What a rotten drug. The past seven months have been hell for me. I am 42 years of age and put on this crap last November. I have suffered from bad headaches, leg cramps, Insomnia, Plantar Fasciitis, mood swings and the list goes on. After seeing this site and all your responses I believe the best thing to do is get of the crap. I will write in 2 weeks to give an update.
cheers from Down Under

I just got mine out about a 1/2 hour ago. It wasn't that bad, but the doctor who inserted it cut the strings very short and it made for a bit of a difficult removal - but all in all less painful than the insertion. The pap smear I had hurt more.

She tried to talk me into keeping it. She said that the hormones are not systemic and therefore could not cause all of the symptoms I had - just like all the ones that a majority of the women here have. She thinks it is all in my head. Nice. All I can say is that I will not be going back to this office anymore.

I just don't see it. How could the hormones NOT affect the rest of your body? Can someone explain this to me? She said that the hormones stay local to the uterus and makes it so that the endometrial lining does not form. That they do not affect anything else. I guess that being a massage therapist, I know that everything in the body is connected. If something is out of whack, it affects the body in many other ways that you would not traditionally expect. Everything is connected.

Anyway - I feel just fine. I don't feel "full" in my pelvis. I feel a bit dizzy, but I think that is from all of the anxiety I had over a painful removal.

I am looking forward to having my body hormone-free and back to it's natural state. Hopefully some fo these 20 pounds I gained in the past 18 months will shed off. Cripes...

I am soooo glad I found this website.

I had mine inserted in March of 2006. I was so uncomfortable for about three months after. I swear I could feel it bonking around in there and nearly had it removed then.

Since the insertion, I have been slowly gaining weight - with a majority of it in the past year. I was down to my fighting weight in December of 2006 and have packed on nearly 20 since then. The odd thing is - I eat a very healthy diet and I exercise. I'm a massage therapist, so I am always busy and on my feet. There is NO reason for the weight gain. My ring size is smaller than before I got the device inseted, my legs are slim and most of the weight is around my middle which scares the heck out of me for health reasons. I have NEVER had weight issues before the Mirena.

I have struggled with depression and severe anxiety, I have hair growing on my face, I have no energy, a low sex drive, I have tingling in my hands and feet, I'm moody most of the time, and now I think I am starting to get ovarian cysts. I was doubled over in pain about two weeks ago and that is what prompted me to do some research.

I'm making an appointment to have the Mirena removed.

I just started Omeprazole two weeks ago and am having headaches, extreme blurred vision, upset stomach, gas and constipation. I was depressed all day today which is also unusual for me. I will be asking my doctor to take me off this drug - unfortunately I do need something to treat the acid reflux so I will be researching nexium.

Good luck to anyone who has to take this - oh and I too have had the nightmares and can't sleep.

To this day, I am not sure if Nuvaring is the cause of all my problems. But after reading about the side effects and finding many commonalities in my own experience, I took it out today and will not continue using it.

I've been on Nuvaring for the past year. Just before I started using it, I had an episode in the gym where my heart started racing very uncomfortably and I felt like i was going to faint after running. Two visits to the ER and numerous specialists' visits later, they concluded I have generalized anxiety disorder.

Over the past year since that incident, I've become much more anxious than I ever remember. I've gained about 20 pounds. I get headaches all the time. I'm CONSTANTLY tired, to the point where it doesn't matter how long I sleep, I still don't want to get out of bed. Most of the time, I don't want to have sex. I have spells where I feel like I'm about to faint (but never do). Of course, the doctors attribute this to my anxiety, and I'm pretty sure that's what it is since it doesn't seem to be anything else really serious.

Like I said, I don't know if the Nuvaring has had a hand in putting me through this ridiculousness, but I'm not taking any chances. I read somewhere the Nuvaring isn't good for people with anxiety problems because it just makes these problems worse.

At least if these symptoms continue for a while after I've stopped the Nuvaring, I'll know it may not have been it. However, every month I feel my best the week of my period. Coincidence???

I was diagnosed with Diverticulitis and put on the usual regime of Levaquin (500mg a day) and Flagel. The case turned worse and was admitted to the hospital (they thought I had a blockage but turned out did not) and was put on IV of the same medication. Released from the hospital 4 days later and stayed on the Levaquin as prescribed. When I ran out, I called my regular doctor who sent in the renewal prescription. However the his aide made an error and the bottle read 500mg 4 times a day…nobody including the pharmacy caught it. So for 3 days I was taking 2000mg a day of Levaquin. When I started getting worse (truly thought I was dying), I got to the doctor and he said I had taken turn for the worse and could not figure out why. He asked if I was taking the meds and I said yes 4 times a day…his face when white. I had the bottle with me and he panicked. They apologized for the error and I was told to stay off my feet, no heels, they ran ekg’s that day and the following Monday, blood work to check the kidneys etc.

Subsequently, I have had extreme pain in my joints and muscles – everyday, all day. Some days I just cry it hurts so bad. If I bend down I can hardly get back up because of my right knee. I have talked with a doctor I happened to run into about this and she said that Levaquin dosage has saturated my body and gotten into the joint and muscles and takes a long time to work it out. I can hardly lift my arms above my shoulder without severe pain. Stabbing pains in my knees, shoulders, arms and hands.

I have not gone back to the doctor because when I mentioned the pain the when I was in that last time…he just wanted to give me more meds! I have been seeing a massage therapist who specializes in deep tissue restoration and repair. It helps some, but he as well says this is going to take a lot to time to work out.

I have depression to the point of feeling like I am a nothing and what good am I to anyone feeling like this. So like snoop45...that is exactly what i feel like!

dawn62

J.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I thought I was totally crazy and something seriously wrong with me: Absolutely No Sex Drive, Horrible acne all over my face (really bad under the skin huge ones) and on my chest, neck and back, back depressions and mood swings, bloating, upper back pain, and weight gain! I am an active person and have been on dance teams for years now and I have never gained weight the way I do now. I have also always had energy to do everything! And I don't have any to even get up off the couch right now! :( I thought that my upper back pain was just from everyday/coaching stress but my massage therapist says that the tenseness in my back is unlike anything she's ever seen! I feel like my stomach is going to explode after I've eaten the smalls meal and then my digestive system doesn't work like it used to before my IUD. I've become a completely different person than before I got my IUD! I am going to call my doctor today and make an appointment to go talk about options. I REALLY LOVE NOT having a period and not having to worry about taking a pill or using a condom. My husband likes that aspect too so we will see what the doctor has to say and if they have any advise or suggestions on what to do. I will keep you all posted!!!!

I started taking Lipitor 12 years ( 1997 ) ago as my Cholesterol was at 315. I was always athletic but had a crappy diet. My Cholesterol dropped to 200 within a year. However, in 2001 I ruptured my left Achilles playing tennis. Thought nothing much and that I hadn't stretched enough. Recovered from that and started playing tennis again in 2002. Within three weeks of playing again, I ruptured my RIGHT achilles! At that point I started to question the effect of Lipitor on muscles/tendons with various medical "professionals". ALL said it was nothing to do with medication. I quickly developed a tingling/numbness in both feet that doctors said could not be happening but it WAS!

I've had MRI's, nerve conduction tests, wondered if it was diabetic, alcohol, etc. Finally found sites such as this where real life experiences validated my concerns over this statin. I told my Dr. I was quitting Lipitor last Monday, she had no problem with that. This is Saturday night and I'm sitting here with a NOTICEABLE decrease in my numbness/tingling in both feet that I've had for the past TWELVE YEARS!!

I hope that the statin did cause my "mild sensory polyneuropathy" as was diagnosed in 2002. As of right now, it seems to be getting better in less than one week! I can flex my toes with NO pain and my feet don't feel like dead weights.

I WILL NEVER USE A STATIN AGAIN!

I just started using Yasmin 15 days ago and in the second week of taking it, I started experiencing leg cramps. I was just laying in bed and my leg started feeling really weird... I just thought it was because I hadn't done any yoga for a few days. So I did yoga and walked for a while to see if I could loosen it up and nothing. It continued for the whole week so I started taking baths to soften the muscle, thinking that it had to do with lack of exercise, still nothing. I even had my massage therapist husband try and massage it out and still nothing. So I thought it may be early pregnancy symptoms, but the test was neg. I've been researching my symptoms for a week now, and I stumble across this sight. Thank you I will stop taking it NOW so that I don't become as ill as most of you, though I will still have the leg cramps checked out asap. Again thank you.

In 2003 at the age of 31. I had been taking singulair for over 2yrs. I started experiencing muscle weakness and I got to the point I could not sit or lay down. I was extremely in a lot of pain and taking large amounts of pain medicine. It went on for several weeks. I went to the doctor because I was having muscle spams or what I thought was a ruptured disk. I had a MRI done and it didn't show anything. I was sent to a back surgeon and he checked me out and wanted me to list all my medications. I began to tell him about zyrtec and singulair. He asked me how long I had been on singulair? I told him almost 2 years. He told me to get off of it right now because it would kill me. He said the singulair was deteorating my muscles
and causing me to have muscle spasm. I had no muscle tone. He sent me to a massage therapist 3days a week for 6 weeks and I came off of the meds. The doctor told me he had at least 10 patients that had happen to them.That was a wake up call. The doctor also told me his wife was on it 6 months and started throwing up blood and took her to the ER. All because of singulair and my kids have been on it for 3 years and have not had one problem. They are 10 and 7.
My husband is a pharmacist and he had not heard anything bad about it. He filled out a card about the side effect. It only happens in 2% of people taking it.

I started Topamax in November of 2007 the usual 25mg and worked my way up to 150mg. I have always had pretty thick hair and now have hair loss in the widows peak and top part of my hair. Needless to say I am devastated. I have cut myself down to 50mg in the am and 50 mg in the pm. My Neurologist states that she has not heard of hair loss but even this web site and the drug company states that it can cause hair loss. I have with the help of a very good massage therapist determined that my migraines are cervical so I am seeking a second opinion and taking myself off this drug. Not worth the hair loss if I don't need to be on this drug.

I have been on Topamax for 2 1/2 years at 250mg for migraines and have decided to get off because of side effects. I have had all mentioned: mood swings, dehydration, not sweating,tingling, dizziness, loss for words, short term memory loss,numbness, fatigue, GI problems, anorexic weight loss,rage... And this all began from the starting 25mg dose!
The migraines decreased from 24 a month to 12, at best down to 6 or 7, but I seemed to hit a plateau then back to 15.
I saw three different doctors and all wanted to simply increase the Topamax or add another med (Depakote, beta blocker, etc.)
Finally, I found that a problem with my neck may be causing the headaches and treating that has reduced them enough for me to try and get off the Topamax. I still rely on the Relpax to get me through the bad days, but I'm hoping I can get free of the Topamax for good!
I just encourage anyone thinking of starting Topamax to investigate all possible migraine causes before starting!! Topamax doesn't cure the migraine, it only blocks the pain! And the side effects are not worth it if you can find another way to alleviate the problem!

YASMIN IS BY FAR THE WORST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO MY LIFE. THIS PILL MADE ME SO TIRED VERY DEPRESSED (I'M ALWAYS A VERY HAPPY UPBEAT PERSON I'M A MASSAGE THERAPIST). I COULDN'T DEAL WITH THE WAY ANYTHING SMELL, IF SOMEONE SAID ANYTHING I DIDN'T LIKE I WOULD CRY. i BROKE DOWN IN TARGET BECAUSE THEY WAS SOLD OUT OF A SWEATER I WANTED. THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW I STOP TAKING T AFTER 3 MONTH NO WOMEN SHOULD HAVE TO GP THREW THIS. SO IF YOU WAS THING ABOUT YAZ PLEASE THINK AGAIN.THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE IMPORTANT IN OUR LIFE WHY MAKE THEM SUFFER

I have pain in my left hip flexor when taking Lipitor. I was on 40mg/day and went on a daily walk with my wife after her back surgery. My left hip flexor would cramp. Sometimes it would cramp so bad, I had to quit walking and catch a ride home.

I had a month holiday off of Lipitor and could run after a week with no pain.

I started back on 10mg/day and the pain has returned, but not as bad.

I did an experiment- Laying flat on my back, I could lift my left leg one foot off of the floor. I stopped the Lipitor for seven days and could lift my left leg two feet off of the floor.
Can anyone help me?

My husband is 46 and has been on Advair for about 3 years for COPD /asthma. I do not believe in all this medication however his doctor told him to take it so he did. We trust our doctors. He use to be an avid runner , rode horses almost nightly, good physical shape and always full of energy. I have been noticing over the last couple years he has no energy, he has chronic muscle pain ( can not even lift much anymore), hoaseness all the time, eyesight is deteriorating, weight gain ( and he has been dieting), problems sleeping at night , feels light headed , and always exhausted. Recently he has been constantly complaining, which he never does, on how much his body truly hurts all the time. So I decided to find out the side effects of all the medications his pulmonary specialist has kindly prescribed for him and guess what his problems all relate to taking Advair. So as of tonight he has stopped taking this medication because I gave him a copy of what shows on this site and how everyone else has the same side affects. I thank all of you. I did convince him a couple months ago to start going to a massage therapist weekly , He used to go monthly,to help him with his muscle pain, however the pain was so much that he has to go weekly. He just started going for acupuncture which he really seems to see a difference in his breathing. She told him the first medication she was getting him off of was Advair. How interesting.

Paula , Burlington, CT.

was put on toprol 25mgs. one year ago by my heart doctor, for tachycardia which only happened after stress. soon thereafter i developed a numbness in the toes of both feet. i saw my my intrenist who didnt know what it was from. i left the country and was livinf abroad until aug 07. while ther the paresthesia of my toes got worse and started traveling up my foot and half of my calf. saw my internist and was advised to see a neurolgist. he put me thru a series of blood test and an emg. all came up negative. went back to the internist and asked her to review my records from sept 2006. first thing she noticed was that i had been started on toprol. she told me one of the side effects is paresthesia of the feet and or hands, and advised me to cut the dose in half for a few weeks and then in half again in a effort to wean me off of it. its been only 3 days since i began to cut down and already the numbness is starting to decrease. has any one else experienced this? does it go entirely away? please write. hopefull

I don't know if what I'm experiencing is side-effects or old age (55), but I thought I had arthritis in my left big-toe (taking aleeve to help inflammation), and the toe felt as if it was trying to 'turn' my foot. Now this morning my left calf-muscle felt that it was trying to 'turn' my leg inward. It still feels uncomfortable after getting out of bed, but very disturbing. Advair was first given to me when I was using my inhaler too many times and I felt wonderful relief at being able to breathe freely, but now I'm not so sure if this is the cause of the other problems. How can you know for sure what is causing what problem?

I am just in tears reading these experiences. I took Yasmin for three months and my body just crashed. I've been off for one month and spend most of my days lying on my couch. I can't work anymore (as a massage therapist) and I have two children to take care of.
Not being sure all my symptoms were from Yasmin, I was sent to a rhuematologist who diagnosed my with spondylitis, arthritis in my spine. I believe I do have arthritis, but I think that because my body is out of balance, I got a severe flare up. I'm in pain from the moment I lift my head in the morning, usually starts with a headache, until the moment I drop into bed at night. I am so weak by the end of the day that I can hardly hold myself over the sink to wash my face. And remember, I'm not doing anything all day long.
This has been so upsetting. I cry every day wondering if I'm ever going to get better or worse?
I've seen a natural doctor as well and have researched on my own. I'm taking some supplements and may be adding Pregnenalone and Vita-C to help as well. I'm feel releived to have found this site. It has been validating.
I'll be checking in and hopefully, we can all help each other by sharing our experiences.