Medical advice symptoms and conditions

In reference to my Sept. 20th posting, I have been asked to describe the
"warning signs" of oncoming seizures that I have. To review, I was struck by lightning while serving in the Marine Corp in 1977 and have had seizure disorder and myoclonic jerks and inner ear problems since that time. As I stated in the post on the 20th, I have been tried on "all" of the seizures control medications and they all make it difficult to function as an educational administrator. The best medical advice I ever received was to keep a diary of everything I could remember leading up to a seizure. This included any activities I had been doing, what I had eaten, what time of day it was, any stress or problems that I was having. We are all different and probable all have different triggers. In my case, I learned that as a seizure approached, I would become more light headed or dizzy (I have inner ear problems all of the time secondary to being struck by lightning, I just recognize when they are getting worse) The ringing in my ears increases, (I also have tinnitus all of the time also from the lightning, and over time you get use to it, but I can notice when it increases) When these signs start, I stop what I am doing regardless of what I am doing, If I am in a meeting, I take a break, if I am driving (I drive locally or with someone with me) I get off the road. (In 30 years, I have never had a seizure while driving and actually have never had a traffic ticket in that period, I try to be very carefully with what driving I do, knowing that one occurrence will cost me my licenses.) I try to rest and be quiet, if the dizziness and tinnitus continue, I take two ten Mg Valium tables and lay down. If I am by myself, I will call some and let them know where I am and how I am doing. The valium probable stops the seizures about half of the time and I believe that it always make them less sevier. I have warning signs once or twice per week, and have to take valium on the average of once per week, and will have a gran mal seizure once or twice per month. With Lamictal, I believe the seizures are less frequent and less sevier as long as I keep the dosage low enough to not block my warning signs. I believe everyone's seizure disorder is different and some may be like mine and be able to learn warning signs by keeping good records of what you can remember leading up to the seizure. Always do everything under the direction of a Dr. that you trust and have faith in. The more information you can give your Dr. the better your individual treatment can be developed. If you can develop warning signs, the seizures are much easier controlled and you can live a much better quality of live.

Okay, here is my story.
I went on Ovcon when I was 19 (in 2000 I think) and took it nonstop for about 8 years. I finally went off of it this past April 2009. When I first started I did get all the normal side effects (5 pound weight gain, breast tenderness, etc) but after 3 mos it resolved. When they switched to Balziva I noticed those same mild symptoms that also resolved. I finally made the decision to go off of it when I broke up with my boyfriend, since I had been wanting to for a long time. I noticed over the last 4 years my hair had been getting progressively thinner and thinner. I can't believe how much thinner my hair looks now compared to when I started, looking at pictures from when I started was always a shock. I know there is no real evidence for this but BC has been loosely connected with gum recession, ligament laxity, etc which I have also been experiencing. Don't know if that can be attributed to BC or not, but it just contributed to my concerns with being on the pill for so long. After 8 years, I barely got a period, it was more like a day or two of clumpy brown crap, I'm sorry I know that is gross, or no period at all. Honestly the period part of it was a plus since it is never fun to be on your period.
So, I was very worried about what would happen, especially with my hair when I stopped taking the pill. Let me tell ya, it wasn't pretty. Starting a few weeks after I finished my last pack of Balziva, (I didn't stop mid pack in order to keep things as normal as possible) my hair started falling out in handfuls in the shower. I actually sat and counted 300 hairs in the hair catcher after one shower. This went on for about two months. I bought Nioxin #1, and it didn't make much difference with the amount of hair falling out. I told myself I would not seek medical advice until my periods regulated again. In my mind this would mean I was back to normal and on a normal hormone cycle. Yikes my hair got thin, but with the Nioxin, did start to grow back. It took about 4 months to get my normal period back, or what I think is a normal period, its been so long since I had one. I was happy about this because my nurse practitioner said it could take up to a year to get your period back. I'm not completely regular now (September) but it seems to be approximately every 5 weeks. But it wasn't really regular before I went on the pill if I remember correctly. Anyway, even though my hair still looks very thin, I am noticing short, growing hairs all over my head. Which is such a relief! I really didn't want to have to go on any more synthetic hormones to take care of my hair problem. I will probably get my hair cut short so it doesn't look so bad till the new hairs grown in. The Nioxin I bought ran out about a month and a half ago and I am back on normal (cheaper) shampoo and the hair that falls out is much less. Although I do still notice my hair all over the place, its not as extreme as it was. We shall see if it ever gets back to pre birth control thickness again. Just a note, I did use the three step Nioxin package, cleanser, conditioner and the spray that is supposed to stimulate hair growth. But again I only bought it once to give me a boost.
Hopefully this is informative for anyone worried about going off the pill. I just really wanted to be all natural again. And condoms aren't so bad :) once you get used to them.
Oh and I have been trying to maintain a healthy diet including lots of greens like kale and spinach, less meat, and lots of fruits and veggies!

The Health & disability commissioner in NZ has received my complaint of criminal negligence re my former doctor. They have now asked my former doctor for a please explain his version of events. The police have written to me saying they are seeking medical advice re criminal/negligence/failing to carry out professional duties complaint. Whilst I agree with everyone's feelings on big pharma, it is my very firm opinion that the doctor is the "retailer" and it is the doctor's direct responsibility to us the customer/patient to monitor and inform us of all safety concerns. Big pharma in covering their butts have warned the doctors to warn the patients. Of the 8 doctors including an anesthetist I have spoken with socially and in consultation, not a single doctor could name any adverse effects with statins beyond mild muscle pain. Given the warnings from pharma on the labels that is wholly shameful & negligent. An effective way to help others avoid being maimed like us, is to fight back from the bottom. The FDA and CARM in NZ take no notice, litigation is expensive and drawn out so neither really helps future innocent victims. I encourage everyone where negligence is fairly on the table to take your complaints to your country's police and medical discipline bodies enough of these complaints will soon have the doctor's "reading & obeying instructions" which would go a long way to preventing more tragic victims.

Major hair loss (even my eyelashes have thinned out. Talk about upsetting), nausea, seriously bloated stomach, gassy, bacterial vaginosis (the second in my entire life), 2 week periods, breasts grew a half size so far, foggy headed, vision seems off when I drive (focusing it harder).

I posted some of my side effects last week. Today I got Mirena removed! I was sweating it b/c it hurt bad during the insertion 2 months ago, but it wasn't that bad. Hurt a little but it was quick and easy. They used long tongs to pull it out. I'm bleeding now a little bit but I've been bleeding for 10 days already from being on my 'extended' Mirena period, so I don't care. I'm just glad it's over with. My doctor said I didn't have to explain why I wanted it out. It was my choice. I mentioned again to her anyway the hair loss (probably a third of my hair in just 2 months), and the bloating (I look at least 3 month pregnant and I haven't really gained but like 2 lbs. I think it's from progesterone. Progesterone has to be causing this gas too b/c I had that side effect years ago when I was on progesterone). She said it's all possible side effects and that everyone is different. Some women do well on it and some don't. I'm just bummed b/c I could never have sex anyway b/c of the long periods and the case of BV in between those. These past 2 months have been a big waste of time and energy/worry. I can tell my husband is glad this saga is over with. With 2 young children I need to focus my energy on them and be clear headed. Good luck! I won't recommend this to my friends.

July 8, 2009
I took Lisinopril for 2 months and began noticing soreness and stiffness cramping in my legs. Joint pain and general muscle weakness. Biggest indicator was my inability to ride road bikes (bicycle) nearly as much as normal. I did not have the muscle strength or stamina to ride like before. On one ride I had such sever cramping I had to get pick up, first time in 18 yrs of bicycling. It also states to not use sodium or potassium supplement while on this medicine, which I was doing for cramping. Also because I was borderline hypertension I did not notice any decrease in BP while on this. I have stopped taking this medicine. nn

I had a terrible cough and rusty sputum. I was given 2 rounds of Z-Pak with no help. Finally I went to an emergency center (Doc in a box kind of place) I got a chest x ray and was TOLD I had pneumonia and given Levaquin. No info was given when I filled the prescription at the only pharmacy open that time of night-that should have been a warning but I was too sick to realize. 10 days of vomiting, diarrhea and SHOULDER pain in the side I had rotator cuff repair last year. My shouldr pain is pretty bad but not as bad as some of you describe. I also have a pacemaker on the other side, so when I went to my cardiologist the next week he said I had NOT had pneumonia, but a bad bronchitis according to the radiologist who finally read my x-ray.

He also said the Levaquin given me was most likely the cause of my symptoms. He said Levaquin is being massively over prescribed like all newer drugs and is becoming ineffective towards more and more infections. I wish I had known then what I know now. Go to a REAL doctor-not an intern moonlighting and get REAL medical advice. My shoulder is better with Tylenol and Omega 3/7/9 Fish Oil capsules. Ibuprofen is not as effective for me.

I feel so grateful to have come across this website, I had mine inserted almost exactly 2 years ago and I take responsibility for the fact that I did not do adequate research at the time but relied on by gynae...I have never really experienced side effects from any medication I have been on so I though this would be the case with the mirena as well...well not so...

I too have battled incredibly to lose my weight since the birth of my son in Jan 2007, despite the fact that I have NEVER been this healthy in all my life, have been running now for the last 6 months and just recently completed a half marathon - so its not like I'm just being a lazy bones, have also given up my chocolate fetish since his birth.

The worst has been my skin problems. Not only to I have acne ALL the time, there is never a day that I do not have a pimple, they are deep-seated pimples which are swollen and hurt like small boils.

Also experience bloated tummy and thought it was too much carbs, have gone a more natural diet route where I avoid combining carbs and proteins and still my tummy is bloated...

Itchy feet drives me crazy, no amount of scratching relieves it!

Low sex drive...definitely

Also aggressiveness which is not like me at ALL to the point where in the last couple of months I have really considered going to seek medical advice.

It now all makes so much more sense and I will be making that appointment to have it EXTRACTED ASAP!!!!!

My wife (66) was using salbutamol inhaler for the last 10 years being a bronchial asthmatic. Even prior to that, she was being treated with a combination of theophylline, cortisones . In 2001 she was diagnosed to be suffering from OCD and citalopram 20 mg was prescribed. With significant improvement, the dosage was reduced to citalopram 10 mg, though we lowered the dosage only in December 2007. However, during the last month, when she had to be admitted in the hospital for a stomach virus the doctors prescribed MONTELUKAST SODIUM 10 MG combined with lEVOCETIRIZINE 5 MG. .
Dramatically,montelukast had a dramatic effect in that my wife never used the salbutalmol inhaler for well over 2 months, about which we were very happy.
But the worst was yet to come.
During the last few days, she again showed symptoms of the dreaded OCD once again, and she suffered like anything. On contacting a well known doctor, we were advised to stop MONTELUKAST and asked to continue citalopram (though escitalopram instead of citalopram ) along with clonozepam 5 mg to be tapered down every week for about a month.
I would like to be advised from a doctor whether (a) discontinuance of Montelukast will be able to bring back normalcy from OCD of course with citalopram or escitalopram. and (b) whether montelukast can be abruptly stopped. For the time being, we have reduced the dosage of montelukast from 10 mg to 5 mg.
PLEASE ADVISE US.

I have hypothyroid. Have been taking Synthroid for about a year, 0.075MG a day. Had my levels checked 3 times since on the meds and still have never gotten to normal, but a lot closer. I have gained 20 pounds that I can't get rid of, which for me, is crazy. I have never had a problem dropping weight, and for the past month or so, I have started losing my hair. Not just losing it, but the texture and everything has changed. No matter what I do it looks dry and flat, and even when I condition it and also use a leave in conditioner, it still knots up and tangles. I have NEVER had a problem with tangles. It's coming out in handfuls. Im not taking any other meds, so I imagine it has to be the Synthroid. My problem is..What else can I take? I mean, I have Hypothyroid, so I can,t just leave it untreated, But I have no wish to be fat and bald either. Please...anyone know of others meds without these side effects?

I wanted to update people since my last post. I have taken YAZ for a month now, and at first I had some killer side effects. I hate the bouts of depression, extreme anger, cramping, breakthrough bleeding, etc. Now, all my side effects have gone away, and I'm the same old mean. I suggest those of you having problems SEEK medical advice from your doctor. Don't rely on the internet (this is what causes us, myself included, to panic) everyone is different. Everyone reacts differently, especially if you are starting on a hormone. Go with what your gut tells you, not what the internet tells you. If you feel that you shouldn't take it, stop immediately, but I suggest you give it a little try and a little longer to see if your symptoms go away. If they do not, then YAZ is not the right choice for you. :) Good luck ladies

Changed the texture of my hair, now it's stiff and breaks constantly. Also falling out- FAST! Most hair is gone. Unable to digest food and pain in right side of head. Doctor won't believe that any of it is from the Lisinopril HCTZ and won't try something else. Have limited ability to pay for medical treatment due to disability and can't seek other medical advice so am stuck with this due to high blood pressure. Any suggestions?

I've been taking 25mg toprol-xl since December 07, Went to Dr one day for something not heart related and he told me I have a heart murmur, after several test I found out my tricuspid valve was regurgitating. My BP has been a little high but nothing out of control. I have gained over 20lbs since Dec, I ve been extremely tired, swelling in hands and feet. Aches and pains in joints and muscles. I just recently stopped taking zocor thinking that was the culprit and probably was, but now I think it could be the combination of the two. I am going to take myself off of the toprol (monitoring my BP of course) and was wondering how. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I suffered with gastric reflux for a number of years not paying the attention i perhaps should have done. My reason for seeking medical advice that i found it increasingly difficult to swallow food. I had put it down to a psychological reaction. I reasoned that an episode some years ago caused a fear of food getting stuck in my thought, the thought sometimes seemed to trigger the response - ie the throat closing and quite literally stopping the food halfway down. The phenomenon became more and more frequent occurring almost every mealtime and making social eating a nightmare. Visited a specialist, had an endoscopy and found that the reflux had over a period of time caused a build of scar tissue in the throat, creating a ring of tissue which dramatically reduced the diameter of the throat. Specialist mad incisions into the tissue so it was flaps rather than a solid ring. sounds a bit grim but didn't feel a thing and a lunchtime sandwich a few hours later slipped down a treat.

it has been liberating being able to eat normally again. I am on these tablets or at least similar for the rest of my life so that the reflux does not burn my throat and build up scar tissue again. I do suffer from some of the side effects mentioned, - gas, blurred vision - which i hadn't realized was fairly common and put down to overuse of computer, tiredness. I guess there's no perfect remedy but I'd have to give it my vote. Strangely, before taking the drug i also suffered fairly regularly with dizziness and nausea - put down to labyrinthitis. It would seem the reflux and the connection between the throat and ear was the cause as the condition has disappeared. Sorry a bit long winded but a good site and good to know one isn't quite unique and suffering alone

I am 25 years old. A mother of 2, and i have now been on the NuvaRing for 5 years. I got on the NuvaRing the day of my postpartum check up after i had my second child.. I loved the NuvaRing at first thought it was the best thing in the entire world, hell all you had to do was put it in leave it for 21 days days leave it out for 7. Go on your period and other then that everything was great. About 2 months into using the Nuvaring i started having HORRIBLE HEADACHES that would last 3-5 days at a time without letting up. I could not stand to be around noise, light or anything that had a strong smell or it would get my head pounding to where i just could not take it anymore. So i called my doctor and told him about the horrible headaches that i have had. Explained to him that before a bad headache would come on i would have this horrible burning sensation in my head that would make you want to die.. And the doctor told me just hang in there and give the Ring time to work, so i did and then as time went on i started having other side effects along with the headaches.. Such as BAD ACNE that scars after clearing up which has made my completion not so good. Breakouts on arms, back ,chest. So i got some neutrogena soap to help with that and it has worked.. But then i got more side effects such as BREAK THREW BLEEDING right after my period was suppose to be over and after intercourse.. Then i totally HAD NO SEX DRIVE which caused lots of problems in my marriage cause my husband began to think i wasn't sexually attracted to him anymore.. And i began to think that also. Cause i had lost my sex drive didn't want to do it, the thought of it made me cringe. After being on the NuvaRing after so long you began to develop this THICK DISCHARGE that is annoying then as time goes on you get another type of discharge that is thin WATERY DISCHARGE that is aggravating cause it almost feels as if you have peed your pants a bit almost feels like a yeast infection with out the smell. Which brings me to my next awful side effect which is the Yeast INFECTIONS and the number of UTI's i have had while being on the NuvaRing never had a UTI or a yeast infection before the nuvaring. Not having a sex drive because you cant because intercourse is too PAINFUL sex it hurts like FRICTION and STABBING because of the DRYNESS the Nuva Ring causes. So i called the doctor he told me that i would have dryness at first and to just use lube so i tried that. Didn't work still had pain from the dryness so i called the doctor again and told him about the pain so he wrote me a prescription for a numbing jelly that you use right before intercourse and that was suppose to help with the pain.But that didn't work either just made everything numb till where you couldn't feel rather anything was out or in so i quit using that and hoped to god that my body would adjust to the Nuvaring. Still today after intercourse it causes STOMACH CRAMPS similar to the ones when your on your menstrual cycle,and PRESSURE similar to the pressure you have when your 8-9 months pregnant. Going to the bathroom after intercourse is a total NIGHTMARE i have had times it has burned so bad that i have pinched my stomach as i peed to take some of the PAIN AND BURNING away.Dont always work! Another side effect that i have had is DEPRESSION i have noticed that i have been unhappy and just got to where a lot of times i don't care about things that matter to me because i don't feel that i have the energy to do so.. I also have ANXIETY ATTACKS which i have never had until i got on this NuvaRing. CHEST PAINS that i thought the first time i was having a heart attack it hurt so bad. I had to take little breaths to breathe which would then lead into a PANIC ATTACK cause i felt like i was unable to breathe like i am suppose to.. So yet again called the doctor who told me that i need to be on prozac to handle this. Never got on the prozac just delt with it hoping that it was just a little side effect and that my body would adjust to the NuvaRing, but guess what NO never did.. Another side effect that i always hate is getting SICK AND THROWING UP caused by a medication, guess what i still have this after 5 years i get to cramping so bad and headaches tied onto being MISERABLE and BLOATING and DIARRHEA and DRY MOUTH so bad that you cant stand it seems no matter what you drink to get rid of dry mouth nothing can quench your thirst and this is all hours of the day. So i would take Midol which would only help for a few hours and then i was right back to square one with the B.S caused by the NuvaRing. So i call the doctor and get told "well you will have that." the side effects will be less obvious the longer your on the NuvaRing." So stupid me stays on the NuvaRing hoping this is true! Which i have found out is not. The only good thing that i have noticed is the NuvaRing is easy to use and you don't have to remember take a pill everyday! I never had any weight gain or loss while on this dang thing. Pretty well maintained the same weight as i have always been. I have tried to get off the ring several times, but always get back on it, Because while the ring is out for 7 days i am miserable mostly with a headache that last 3-5 days untop of the TERRIBLE MOOD SWINGS that i get. i truly think that my body has been on this hormone so long that i have HORMONAL WITHDRAWALS when i don't have the ring in. Cause i am fine after the ring is inserted again. People can say what they want and say that this is a issue and that they haven't had problems and that is understandable and different people adjust to hormones in different ways but the time that i have my ring out i always get my sex drive back 1-2 days before i start my period. I am not asking anyone to believe me about any of this and if the ring works for you then great, i thought that it was going to work for me also but it didn't. . I have taken the nuvaring out this last past Sunday and have no intentions on putting another ring back in.. Yet again i have had 3 days of a SEVERE HEADACHES some thing that i believe is HOT FLASHES or NIGHT SWEATS,BLOATING,DEPRESSION,CHEST PAINS,ANXIETY ATTACKS,YEAST INFECTIONS, and BAD MOOD SWINGS and i am hoping that all this will pass and my body will go back to the way it was before the NuvaRing came along... I would not suggest anyone to get this as a form of birth control i would actually tell then that the pill is better off to have in the long run.. This has caused me nothing but a miserable life that i have tried to deal with and i am just not going to do it anymore. I hope to see in the near future the NuvaRing go off the markets and not able to sale anymore.. The only reason that i was put on the nuvaring is because my doctor had a hard time finding a birth control method that my body would accept I was on Ortho- Tri- Cyclin and got pregnant and had a girl... My postpartum check up with her i was given the Orthra- Evra patch and i got pregnant with my son. Tried IUD and my body rejected it. So the doctor says" lets try this new birth control"you insert yourself leave in for 21 days leave out for 7 and have your period," the longer your on this NuvaRing the lighter your period will become and the side effects which aren't many will fade also.". "So how bout it." Well i thought this NuvaRing was a dream come true, BUT IT WAS A NIGHTMARE WAITING TO HAPPEN..

I finally don't feel so alone. I got into poison ivy on June 1. On June 12th I finally went to my md to get something to take for it to go away. I had been treating it with calamine, topical stuff and taking Benadryl.... She gave me a shot which actually made it all go away within two hours. BUT, she also loves giving out pills, so she gave me the Dexpak. I took it for 7 days and my heart was beating uncontrollably. I didn't get REM sleep for 5 straight days. I took myself off. Cold turkey, yeah, I know you're not supposed to do that, but that stuff was killing me. So finally after having a meltdown in my office at home, my husband and I went back to her to see what she could do for me. She said oh, just go home, drink some wine and get some sleep.
I went home, drank two glasses of wine (which after doing research is NO combination with with high powered drug and she should have known better!!) Took a really hot bath, tried to get sleep. My husband took off work for three days to try to get me sleep.... finally we went to the ER because my heart wouldn't stop pounding so fast. The ER drugged me with some serious sedatives. I had a reaction to those and had a panic attack in the ER, so their solution: strap her down (bruised my wrist) and take her to a psychiatric unit for "symptoms of schzitophernia." So I was basically in a room with a bunch of people that can't control themselves. I did get 8 hours of sleep and regained all cohesive control. I was still groggy from the sedatives, but I knew what was going on. The nurses were the rudest people I have EVER been in contact with. No wonder the patients were in fits! After 5 hours of me and my husband (who was downstairs with my Mom) they finally released me. I talked to the discharge nurse and she said that if I sign a form releasing myself "against medical advice" that insurance might not pay for it. I said, are you kidding me? I would rather pay to get out of here than sit here one more minute with these people.

It was the worst medical experience I've EVER had. I have since fired my md. She doesn't know it though because she hasn't BOTHERED to call to check on me!! So, I am not going to a psychologist and my obgyn to make sure those steroids didn't screw up my brain or my endocrine system as we are trying to have a baby. Yeah, that was my first thought too... why would my MD who KNOWS we are trying to conceive do this to me?

Whew. Anyway, so my advice is to make sure you have someone around you at all times that can monitor your heart beat and write down EVERYTHING that happens in case you have a situation like mine. I journal all the time, so it was easy for me to explain to the shrink.

Okay, good luck out there!!!

I am so glad that I found this site. I was put on Toprol in January and Just recentky i have panic attacks, chest tightness,tingling and numbing sensations in hands and feet, and i am deperessed. I also have some difficulty breathing. My Dr. told me that I am depressed and these side effects are from depression and not the medication so she gave me Zoloft, which I am not taking. I am not crazy i know that my symptoms are from the meds. i am going to wean myself off and pray i can be "normal" again. This is the worst time of my life and I pray that I can do this.

DO NOT LET DOCTORS LEAD YOU INTO BELIEVING YOUR CHILD HAS SOME OTHER ISSUE LIKE ADHD. TAKE THEM OFF SINGULAIR IMMEDIATELY AND YOU WILL HAVE YOUR CHILD BACK. DOCTORS WILL LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE YOUR CHILD HAS SOME OTHER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE AND WILL RUIN YOUR CHILD BY PUTTING THEM ON RITALIN OR SOME OTHER ZOMBIFYING DRUG. YOU KNOW YOUR CHILD BEST!!!!!!! GET THEM OFF SINGULAIR!!!!!!!!

My daughter was prescribed singulair about six months ago when she was 4Yrs. old, after about a month on the medication she stated complaining about stomach pain, headaches, and refuses to eat. She recently started running high fevers at night and has been very emotional. The doctors only had great things to say about singulair,it makes me wonder if our childern's doctors may be getting some kind of financial incentive for prescribing these medications to our children.

I was put on Lipitor for borderline high cholesterol. I don't remember the dose. I have Type II diabetes. My A1c was controlled at between 6.5% and 6.9%. Except for the first three months of being diagnosed with DM II, my A1c was always under 7%. 3 months after starting lipitor (6 years after being diagnosed)my after meal glucose level was over 300 and sometimes over 400 whether I ate carbs or not. My A1c went over 8%. My diabetes meds were changed because my doctor had not heard of such an effect and didn't believe that it was the lipitor. So I took it for three more months. A1c still over 8%. I found a few studies on medline that say that a small population of people lose glycemic control when on atorvastatin. I told this to my doctor and told them that I refused to take it any more. They put in my chart that I stopped taking it against medical advice. My A1C was 7.2% within three months. Please make sure that if you are taking lipitor, have your blood sugar checked once in a while.

I wouldn't give anyone ant medical advice if I thought it did not work for me. For anyone who has the side affects that follow from taking thyroid meds:itching all over, muscle weakness, heart palpitations, extreme fatigue, joint pain especially in the lower back, clicking in the knee joints when walking, feeling like you are staring(in a trance), mood swings, etc... Please talk with your doctor about APO-NABUMETONE. It is for inflammation/pain. Since two months I was prescribed it , I have no symptoms. If I stop it the symptoms come back in two to three days. I am aggressively pursuing answers to why these symptoms happen, and I have tried every thyroid drug, just recently natural Thyroid. They all produce the same symptoms. My question is whether or not any endocronologists read these forums and if so do they think that our symptoms are just in our head as my doctors do. Thank you everyone for posting because now I don't feel so alone, I am not the only one.

I am 48 yrs old and have been on Advair 500/50 for a little over three years now and although it helped my asthma dramatically in the beginning, everyone around me has commented on the crazy mood swings I have been experiencing for the past two years. I have also developed a very persistent case of thrush in my mouth/throat that never seems to go away-the doctor keeps on asking me if I rinse my mouth and it's starting to get annoying because I'd be an idiot not to rinse out my mouth-I even gargle, but the thrush keeps coming back! Also,my throat always feel tight-I frequently feel like I'm choking and I get hoarseness that interferes with the important thing like reading a book to my son. Recently, I have started bruising very easily. Everytime I mention all these things to my doctor she says that I should stay on the Advair and disregards my complaints about the side-effects. I would really like to stop using it, but I stopped once for Three weeks and I had a really bad bout of tightness in my chest and shortness of breath-any suggestions on how to get off it and what I can do instead?? I forgot to mention that I have gained weight and even dieting won't get the weight off-I am very active and exercise, but the weight stays.

Discontinuing Lisinopril:

Like many of you good folks that have been taking Lisinopril, I have discontinued taking the med after 10 days usage.

ONE WORD OF CAUTION: Please, please, please, go to a local drug store and purchase a blood pressure cuff. It doesn't have to be anything fancy... the manual-inflate, analog-dial type costs around $15 at CVS. If you don't know how to take your own BP, then let either a nurse or your local rescue squad show you how.... It's really quite simple. Different people act differently to meds and there is a real possibility that your BP could go very high. You need to check it several times a day. Also, after discontinuing many BP meds (including Lisinopril), your potassium (and possibly calcium) levels may drop, causing some really nasty side effects.

I've been an EMT for 25+ years and have seen quite a few patients (including my mother) "stroke out" due to HBP.... please don't let it happen to you. Discuss it with your doctor; there are many other HBP meds out there and one of them will no doubt work for you without causing side effects. Just don't disregard your HBP.

(Disclaimer: the above is a personal opinion and not offered as any type of medical advice.)

Anyone have peripheral neuropathy on Zocor? I had shooting pains down both arms for a few days one month into taking Zocor. This stopped but is replaced with intense muscle pain in arms, hands, shoulders and back - and recently hot flashes. I stopped taking the Zocor 3 days ago AMA (against medical advice) as my doc said the neuropathy is not a side effect of Zocor.

My father started taking Zocor, after being on Lipitor for almost 3 years.(He had to stop taking Lipitor, because of the memory lapses and confusion.)After reading these testimonials, I am not expecting Zocor to be the greatest thing either. I am starting to believe that the doctors, and the drug companies are working together to make more money. If this doesn't work, I have seen some adds for lowering your cholesterol with vitamins, and I will most likely have my dad try that.(Against medical advice of course!)Since doctors seem to laugh off natural remedies.

I just started on Predisone for Lupus, and it is playing havoc with my eyesight. I am actually taking 1/2 a pill, instead of the whole p ill the doctor prescribed. Yet, I've been on it only 3 days, and the burring of vision keeps getting worse. Sorry, nothing is worth losing my vision over. I'm going off the drug, with or against medical advice.