Medical care symptoms and conditions

I too have been experiencing the same side effects listed by most of you. I have also been seeing a gastroenterologist for about 9 months now because of stomach issues. All symptoms point to gallbladder disease but the tests come back normal. I called my gyne today and they seem unconcerned with what I have told them and advised me to continue to take my pills until my annual visit in October. I'm done with this pack on Saturday and am thinking of going sans pills for the next month until my appt. Any advice on what pill I should switch to when I do see my dr.?

Hello everyone. I too am experiencing the same problems described here from Lisinopril. On January 1st of this year, ( 2009 ) I was taken to the hospital emergency room and admitted into the hospital under the assumption that I was having congestive heart failure. After a barrage of tests it was determined that I have diabetes and I was already taking hydrochlorothiazide ( 50 mgs ) for water retention. I was prescribed Lisinopril ( 10 mgs ) and told to cut my hydrochlorothiazide in half. Everything was fine for about a month and then it started...
I had noticed on the bottle of Lisinopril that the one side effect in some patients was a dry cough but disregarded it since it didn't seem to be affecting me. After being on Lisinopril for a month, I began having this awful dusty feeling in my throat. It actually feels like someone has a bellows filled with dust which they've placed in my mouth and released a spray of dust which caused me to have this feeling of needing to cough almost to the point of choking. I don't have this cough all day long. It only happens intermittently throughout the day. Sometimes when I am standing or sitting but mostly when I am laying down in bed. I've also noticed that it seems to have somewhat of a consistent schedule. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I would take the pill every morning around the same time. However, I've stopped taking it about a week and a half ago and still seem to have somewhat of a pattern of when the coughs occur. Strange.
Another thing I noticed is that I've seemed to have an excessive amount of saliva which would also cause me to choke at times. Have any of you experienced excessive saliva with this medication?
I've been trying to lose weight without success and I'm wondering if Lisinopril has something to do with that as well. After reading all of these comments on this forum, I am wondering if doctors as well as The American Medical Association should take a closer look as to whether the side effects of this medication out weigh the benefits and/or what this medicine is supposed to be helping the patient with. So far I see no positive effects from this medication.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, age 53. I had excellent medical care at NW Cancer Specialists, Dr. D. G., Portland, Oregon. I endured Chemo (8 treatments) I had a lumpectomy and 36 radiation treatments. I also took Arimidex from 2004 - 2009. My doctor suggested exercise would lessen the side-effects and he was right. I followed everything my doctor told me to do, it was very difficult at times, but we are talking about my life and the quality of my days, his suggestions worked. I began a regime of walking, up to 3+ miles a day, water aerobics 3 times a week and I joined Curves. I also took vitamins: Costco multiple vitamin, vitamin E & C, Calcium + D(Viactive), Melatonin (natural sleep aid), probiotics, and fish oil. I also drank up to 6 glasses of water a day. I am now "cancer free" and not taking any RX.

My daughter was 16 when her GYN started her on Yaz. She was 5 ft 3 and 100 lbs. Non smoker. No risks. She went on the pill because she was having heart palpitations and extreme fatigue that correlated with her menstrual cycle. The idea was to level her hormones and see if that would level off the physical problems. Within 6 weeks she suffered from a pulmonary embolism. Because she was young, everybody though it was just pneumonia or inflammation of the lining of the lungs (pleurisy). Then her leg swelled up and turned blue from a clot (DVT). I found it fascinating that everybody at the first hospital, during the helicopter ride and at the second hospital all had EXACTLY the same reaction . . . They all said, "you just started taking the pill, didn't you? Probably one of the new ones like Yaz." Apparently, these new 'third generation' pills are worse than the old ones when it comes to clots. It turns out that my hubby's history of blood clots should have been a clue that my daughter has a common clotting disorder and YAZ triggered it into action. The clotting disorder affects up to 10% of Swedes and that is where my hubby's family comes from. Up to 5% of all Caucasians in the United States have Factor V Leiden as well. I notified the FDA and highly encourage everybody else to do so as well. The doctor are not required to file a report unless a patient dies. My daughter is doing better now. If any reporters are reading this, please contact me. B. A. ***** If you have ANY family history of problems that might be due to clots, avoid the third generation pills.

I had my mirena taken out on oct. 15 (placed on aug. 8) and my doc, like many of the other posts, behaved as though i were simply a hysterical female and said that NO ONE complains about it. I told him that i'd had lower back pain, loss of sex drive, fatigue, swollen breasts, nausea, stomach poking out, terrible smell, weight gain, mood swings, headache, achy feet, numbness on my face and dizziness. here's what's so sad, we are all so brainwashed by the current state of medical care in our country that we don't even think it's strange to be ignored for a flurry of symptoms. i mean, if he was so convinced that it WASN'T the mirena causing the problems, then why didn't he address the problems?! what's worse, it took me several days to even realize that my symptoms had been completely ignored! anyway, i'm still having the back pain and my cervix was sore when having sex the other day. i'm having weird abdominal cramps and am still very tired and moody and eating us out of house and home. i am hoping this will stop by thanksgiving.

I have been on Lisinopril for about 10 months. I have really not felt well the whole time and have developed some side effects that i have gotten use to and just lived with and couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I had fatigue, problems concentrating, headaches, chest pain, blurred vision, body aches and overall didn't feel like doing anything. I also noticed a small rash on my stomach/chest when i would get out of the shower but figured it must have been soap or something. I even tried not using soap and it would still be there. Friends and family started telling me I never feel good etc. So about 3 weeks ago I got really sick with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chest pains etc. Kept thinking i had a virus or something. A few times i was so sick I layed on the floor wondering what is wrong with me. Finally got into my doctor today and he also said it was a virus. A few people said they thought i was my blood pressure pills including my chiropractor. The doctor ran a sleu of tests today and i should get the results tomorrow. I have also had itching all over my body and a vaginal infection so i thought that would not go away. From reading all of this I realize everything is a reaction to the medication and I did not take a dose tonight but 2 benadryl instead. I always noticed throughout this that i always felt better towards the evening of course because that was when my medication was due. I will not be taking anymore of this and I am not happy that so many people are being given this everyday without any knowledge. Thank goodness people are responding and telling their stories so we don't think we are going crazy and hopefully feel better and maybe save a life!

I am 20 and have been on Yasmin a year and a half now and to be honest I am still not 100% completely convinced that Yasmin is the root of all my evils. To all of you who are having horrible side effects after a few days, give it time. Your body is trying to adjust to all the hormones you are putting into it and it’s doing its best to get back to normal. My first month was semi-bad, some nausea here and there and a little tenderness, but not enough to stop my life over. My doctor recommended taking the pill right before I went to bed so I could hopefully sleep though the nausea, which I usually did. After the first month I was perfectly fine and back to my normal life. I then switched to taking my pill in the morning so it was easier for me to remember. After reading countless “horror stories” on this website even I started saying, “oh my gosh, I have that….i have that too….and that!...its all because of that horrible Yasmin!” But then I had to take a step back and realize Yasmin is not to blame. Sure, I have panic attacks sometimes, but I have had those way before I started taking birth control and sure I get depressed sometimes, but what woman hasn’t at least once in their life? I didn’t lose or gain weight, my acne perhaps got a little better, and my breasts didn’t change an inch. My only questioning factor is that I don’t really have that big of a sex drive, but then I realized I never have. Now, before you all start yelling at me, I am not calling you liars in the least, I believe you and I feel sorry for all of you who have experienced bad things because of this or other birth control pills. For those of you who are thinking of taking Yasmin and are scared after reading all of these articles, remember, every body reacts to pills and medication differently. Thousands of people die every year from taking Tylenol and aspirin, but does that mean we should take these medicines completely off the shelves? Of course not. All I am saying is for every one Yasmin horror story there are thousands of very satisfied customers. Give it a try, you only have three months of your life to lose and so much to gain.

Comment: What is behind the ignorance and denial found within the medical community regarding the true safety profile of the fluoroquinolones?

An editorial in response to the FDA's recent addition of "Black Box Warnings" to the fluoroquinolone class.

Written by the Director of the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation, Mr. David T. Fuller.

The Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation continues to collect post-marketing reports regarding the non-abating nature of the severe and crippling adverse drug reactions associated with fluoroquinolone therapy via the Internet. Ever since the research forum went on line, the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Forum hosted by Yahoo has received thousands of reports, including numerous associated fatalities. The homepage for the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation, www.fqresearch.org has accumulated over 4000 medical journal entries, newspaper articles, post marketing reports, lawsuits and other such supporting data the clearly shows the rampant ignorance and denial within the medical community regarding the non-abating nature of such events.

For more than forty years, since the introduction of Nalidixic Acid in 1962, the victims of fluoroquinolone toxicity have been denied the medical care they so desperately need as their physicians have routinely failed to recognize, treat and report such events. Peripheral Neuropathy, spontaneous tendon rupture, severe and non abating joint and tendon damage, resulting from such toxicity, are all known, listed and published adverse drug reactions to these chemotherapeutic agents, commonly referred to as fluoroquinolones or quinolones. Yet the victims continue to be told by their physicians "it cannot be the drug".

Numerous news stories since the anthrax scare back in 2001 have documented such injuries, with the most recent being the death of the daughter of one member of the research forum, whose death was the direct result of such careless scripting of these toxic and dangerous drugs. Another forum, the quinolone adverse drug reaction forum, hosted by Yahoo since February 14, 1999, has accumulated over 57,000 such post regarding the damage this class of chemotherapeutic agents can and will do. The law firm of Sheller, Ludwig and Badey, one of the largest class action and medical malpractice firm in the Northeast, had filed a class action lawsuit against Bayer AG, the manufacturer of Cipro. This suit was filed on behalf of all those who have suffered such damage including the Capitol Hill Staff, the Washington Postal Workers, and the employees of the American Media who were exposed to Ciprofloxacin as a result of the Anthrax Scare. This suit was later withdrawn alleged to be the result of the astronomical cost of such litigation.

In spite of the overwhelming evidence of the non-abating nature of such injuries, the FDA continues to approve new drugs within this class together with new indications for those already on the market. Ignoring the 9,711 reports that include 806 associated deaths and 39,128 total reactions found within the AERS reports for Levofloxacin. (Levaquin Nov. 1997 - May 30, 2007) In 2004 these numbers were 5,276 reports, 473 associated deaths and 19,792 total reactions respectively. Together with the 8,766 reports which include 837 associated deaths and 40,395 total reactions for Ciprofloxacin found within the AERS reports as well. (Nov. 1, 1997 - June 5, 2007) Where as these numbers were 4,995 reports, 480 associated deaths and 20,890 total reactions in 2004. As well as the following:

Floxin: Nov. 1997 - May 30, 2007

Total reactions: 13,495

Total death outcomes by case: 311

Total individual safety reports: 2,962

Proquin (ciprofloxacin) Nov. 1, 1997 - June 5, 2007

Total reactions: 40,151

Total death outcomes by case: 831

Total individual safety reports: 8,688

Tequin: Nov. 1997 - June 5, 2007

Total reactions: 15,494

Total death outcomes by case: 196

Total individual safety reports: 5,307

Factive: Nov. 1997 - June 5, 2007

Total reactions: 1,979

Total death outcomes by case: 7

Total individual safety reports: 1,108

Avelox: Nov. 1997 - June 5, 2007

Total reactions: 30,160

Total death outcomes by case: 337

Total individual safety reports: 7,391

Almost fifty percent of such chemotherapeutic agents have been removed from clinical practice or their use severely curtailed, due to toxicity issues. Yet, Mr. MacCarthy, the 2001 Vice President of U.S. Medical Science at Bayer's West Haven facility stated in 2001"If you are telling me that someone had these effects and they were persisting, long term, months to years after treatment I would be surprised."

The members of the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation had been telling Mr. MacCarthy's employer exactly that for years prior to him making such a statement to the press. Those within the media who have an interest in interviewing those who "had these effects and they were persisting, long term, months to years after treatment" are welcomed to visit our website and forum. For we state unequivocally that Mr. MacCarthy was being less than forthright in the statements he had made back in 2001. Such documentation has been made available to the firm he works for year after year. The adverse reactions experienced by the members have shown to be both persistent and non-abating, "year after year", contrary to what Mr. MacCarthy had stated publicly. As one member of the forum so eloquently stated, "Mr. MacCarthy is mistakened"(sic) as we have the documentation as well as hundreds of such victims to prove all that we state here which is available for public scrutiny.”

Those within the media who have an interest in interviewing those who “had these effects and they were persisting, long term, months to years after treatment” are welcomed to visit this any one of the thousands of such websites found on the Internet as well. Mr. MacCarthy apparently could not be bothered to take the time to do so prior to making the comments that he had in 2001, in my humble opinion.

Here we are SEVEN years later, and we still continue to hear such denials from the manufacturers and the medical community even though these numbers have increased dramatically. Levaquin has been reported as having the most numerous, non-abating and severe adverse drug reactions associated with its use on Mediciations.com

A review of the online adverse drug reaction reporting forum: www.Medications.com (October 2002 – February 2004) revealed that Levaquin was associated with approximately 17% of ALL adverse drug reactions being reported to this site, irregardless of the drug being reported upon. Medications.com started receiving such reports as of October of 2002. Medications.com is an Internet community that allows people interested in commonly prescribed drugs to interact so that they can discuss the implications -- both positive and negative of using these important tools in modern medicine. Medications.com list over 4,500 drugs in common use to date, users have posted thousands of side effects and messages about many of these drugs.

The total number of adverse reactions, regardless of the drug mentioned, as of 2-11-2004, totals approximately 4,469. Levaquin, by far, received more such post than ANY other fluoroquinolone drug listed on this site. Of the 774 adverse reactions reported for all of the fluoroquinolones listed, 752 were for Levaquin. The only fatality listed for a fluoroquinolone was for Levaquin. 97.5% of all adverse reactions to the fluoroquinolones were reported for Levaquin. As such reports are received anonymously the verification of such reports was not feasible nor did we attempt this. But one can assume that receiving this many reports over a sixteen-month period that the majority of such reports are indeed valid. This study also lacks the necessary controls required to present the above as fact and as such should be viewed for debating purposes only.

A review of the side effects posted on Medications.com (October 2002 – February 2004) for the fluoroquinolones used in clinical practice in the United States revealed the following:

Avelox 8 post

Ciprofloxacin 7 post

Floxin 5 post

Levaquin 752 post w/(1) fatality

Tequin 2 post

The predominate adverse reactions reported for Levaquin are as follows:

Nuerotoxicity

Tendon Damage and or rupture

Insomnia

Non abating injury (multiskeletical)

Peripheral Neuropathy

Gastrointestinal

Anxiety and Panic attacks

Vision Problems

Rash, sweats, taste perversions, hearing loss

ALL of which those who suffer such reactions are being told by the treating physician to have no association with fluoroquinolone therapy. This trend is repeated on a number of adverse drug reaction forums dealing with the adverse drug reactions as they relate to the Fluoroquinolones. As the above data has not been verified other than visiting this site and doing a physical count the absolute accuracy has not been determined.

Since the time that this analysis was performed the numbers have increased so dramatically to the point that it is no longer feasible to even attempt such a comparison today. And yet the NUMBER ONE drug with the most adverse reactions, as well as the most severe adverse reactions, continues to be levaquin on that site.

In spite of the overwhelming evidence presented at that 62 Meeting of the Anti-Infective Drugs Advisory Committee that the fluoroquinolones cause irreversible joint damage in the pediatric population the FDA has recently added the use of Ciprofloxacin in the pediatric population, Treating children as young as one years of age. We are currently faced with a clear and present danger regarding these drugs as the FDA, ignoring the tragic results of such careless scripting, has now authorized this use knowing full well that the physician will continue to abuse their discretion.

I challenge the FDA to explain to me how they expect a child who cannot even walk or talk yet to register a complaint of joint and tendon pain. Numerous studies have indicated that such use in a pediatric patient runs the risk of crippling the child for life. One such patient has undergone numerous surgeries to repair this damage and remains crippled to this day. Yet additional clinical trials continue aided and abetted by the FDA, for other drugs in this class other than Ciprofloxacin. A disaster that is detailed within the 62nd meeting of the Anti-Infective Drugs Advisory Committee where it was so eloquently stated:

“…when we talk about the issue of arthropathy that potentially includes a number of things, ranging from simple effusion, for instance, of a knee joint, which might rapidly resolve after the conclusion of therapy, to a more permanent disability. ..” (sic)

“…in September of 1997 there is now a ciprofloxacin suspension which is available, and although it continues to have the same warning statements about arthropathy in juvenile animals and the potential concern in pediatric populations, obviously, the issue of off label use will extend over to pediatric populations in this formulation….”(sic)

“…An important safety question is, what adverse events should be monitored, and Doctor Goldberger alluded to this earlier. This is some of the examples I present. One is permanent lameness, reversible lameness, joint effusion, joint pain, and even latent articular disease or damage that may occur months or years following drug exposure, and there may be others….”(sic)

“…And, data submitted to the Agency, as well as data from the scientific literature, indicate that these lesions don't appear to be reversible…”(sic)

“…Doctor Stahlmann in Berlin is working on an idea that it may be an effect between the endocrines, the magnesium and the matrix and the quinolone. And that data is just coming out now. But as to the exact mechanism, I think you're right. I don't think we have a handle, as far as I know, on the exact mechanism. If there's anybody else that does, I'd sure like to hear it…”(sic)

“… Relating your personal experience, I was wondering about the potential for a delayed effect that in fact one might have a patient who had some histologic changes that would not be manifest clinically for many years. Is that a potential?” (sic)

“… I think it is a potential…”(sic)

“… In trying to assess toxicity with a very sensitive assay, obviously you've got tissue that you can look at in your animal models. There is some human data that were collected by Doctor Urs Schaad using MRI scanning in children and I'm wondering if you can correlate some of your histopathologic findings with MR in the animal model to give us an idea of how sensitive it would be sort of as a follow-up to Doctor Klein's question is the MR something that will be able to predict long-term outcomes, even if there are no clinical symptoms during therapy….”(sic)

“… That I don't know. I'll just be perfectly frank. I don't know. But on the slides I've seen from the animals from the chronic study, the repaired articular cartilage that is there is principally fibrocartilage yet it will provide the same joint margin and it has a calcified base and when we stain it with safrain O screen there's no proteoglycans there so it's going to make it an extremely chondromalaistic area and beyond the one year I can't tell you what the results will be…”(sic)

“…Anyway, it was by a group in Vienna where they looked at the articular cartilage of postmortem specimens of articular cartilage from kids with cystic fibrosis that had been on quinolones for a period of time and they found that there was damage in the chondrocytes….”(sic)

“…There were no deaths reported in U.S. pediatric zero to 18 year old cases where a flouroquinolone was reported as the suspect drug. However, there are eight deaths in the whole cohort of suspect and concomitant flouroquinolone drug reports in the system. Five of these deaths reported ciprofloxacin as a concomitant drug and not the suspect drug. These five were U.S. cases with ages ranging from seven months to six years. The remaining three deaths were all foreign, all 18 year old patients with either ofloxacin or norfloxacin reported as the suspect drug….”(sic)

“…There are 14 reports of arthropathy or arthralgia in the pediatric zero to 18 year old flouroquinolone reports. One report of a 14 year old girl had both ofloxacin and lomefloxacin as the suspect drug so there is an extra count because of the two flouroquinolones on this one report. This particular report indicates that a pediatric orthopedic surgeon diagnosed femoral anteversion as the cause for the girl's arthralgia, therefore you see it listed twice, and not the flouroquinolones. Most of the reports indicated that either an involved knee or elbow with or without other joints was involved….”(sic)

“…One interesting case which is not included on this slide for arthralgias was a 15 year old boy who received ofloxacin IV for an emergency appendectomy and had not grown more than his 70 inches in height over the last year. The 15th percentile for height for a 15 year old boy however is 66.5 inches and the expected growth rate is about two inches per year…”(sic)

“…Three patients had their seizure after the first dose of flouroquinolone, one on ciprofloxacin and the other two on ofloxacin, one of which had received ofloxacin several months earlier…”(sic)

“…The 15 psychiatric reports are a loose grouping of reports which include events ranging from euphoria to psychosis. The ages range from five to 18 years with the median at 15 years. There were two suicide attempts, one on ofloxacin and the other on norfloxacin, three reports of hallucination, one each on ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and norfloxacin, and one report of aggressive behavior with confusion in a patient who had a psychiatric history and was on norfloxacin. The seven cases of photosensitivity were reported with lomefloxacin with one case on ciprofloxacin and two cases on ofloxacin. …”(sic)

“…I will mention that there were 152 U.S. cases aged zero to 18 years in the U.S. AERS system suspect flouroquinolones in the WHO line listing. The country with the most pediatric reports in the WHO foreign reports is the United Kingdom with 177 reports followed by Germany with 72 and France with 71. The rest of the countries had 20 or fewer reports….”(sic)

“…And with regards to muscular-skeletal events, 21 percent of the patients had an event in ciprofloxacin…”(sic)

“…We have focused our analysis on joint disorders and pefloxacin. 79 cases were reported and consist mainly of arthralgia. I don't know the pronunciation of hydrarthrosis -- 49 persons. It involved the knee in 52 cases, the wrist in 20 cases, the elbow in 20 cases, the shoulder in 6 cases, the ankle in 5 cases, and the hip once. It is associated with a functional discomfort in all cases, and when the duration of this discomfort is known, it can persist more than one month in 61 percent of these cases. But the outcome was favorable in 58 cases without discontinuation in two cases. …”(sic)

“…There have been sequelae in three cases with knee effusions persisting one year later in one case with discomfort following 8 months later in the second case. The third case is articular. It is a 17-year-old patient who experienced arthropathy and the drug was not suspected and the treatment was continued two following months. It leads to destructive arthropathy of the knees and the hip and prothesis was performed three years later. He was treated for a cerebral abscess. The outcome was unknown in 18 cases. In 9 cases, there was no follow-up. In the 9 last cases, we had a follow-up three months later and patients were not -- were still with disabilities and after we have no evolution….” (sic)

“… It is my understanding that one of the children had a joint replacement, is that correct?”

“ Pardon me?”

“ One of the children with the complications had an artificial joint replacement?”

“Yes.”

“…If an irreversible cartilaginous lesion can occur, it is very likely that is going to cause problems down the line and we can't even anticipate what they are like…” (sic)

In spite of the following proven horrendous side effects:

Permanent disability

Permanent lameness

Joint effusion

Joint pain

Latent articular disease or damage that may occur months or years following drug exposure

Lesions that don't appear to be reversible

Potential for a delayed effect that would not be manifest clinically for many years

Damage in the chondrocytes

Eight deaths (five of which involved Ciprofloxacin)

14 reports of arthropathy

Seizures

Stunted growth

Suicide attempts

Hallucinations

Photosensitivity

Knee effusions persisting one year later with destructive arthropathy of the knees and the hip

(And with regards to muscular-skeletal events, 21 percent of the patients had an event in

Ciprofloxacin)

As one member of this advisory committee stated “…If an irreversible cartilaginous lesion can occur, it is very likely that is going to cause problems down the line and we can't even anticipate what they are like…”

As such the FDA has no idea what risk these children face nor how to treat such events once they occur.

Yet in conclusion this committee stated “…We clearly want to encourage development of these drug for use in pediatrics…”.

Within the newest package insert for Ciprofloxacin we find peripheral neuropathy being added as a severe, non-abating adverse drug reaction. A disease state in which the peripheral nerves are so badly damaged the patient will spend the rest of their natural life in severe, non-abating pain for there is no treatment protocol available for such a disease state that offers any relief. But we see no “Black Box Warning” concerning this. Of additional concern is the fact that there are also ongoing clinical trials regarding the use of other chemotherapeutic agents within this class involving pediatric patients as young as six months of age.

For more than forty years since the introduction of Nalidixic Acid in 1962, severe and permanent injury to the patient has been documented. Not one year in the past twenty six has gone by without additional articles being published in the leading medical journals documenting the horrendous damage these drugs can and will do since the introduction of Nalidixic Acic. Now the FDA has given their blessing on the use of chemotherapeutic agents within the pediatric population.

The use of these drugs will NOT be restricted to the approved indications either. The FDA has stated “…obviously, the issue of off label use will extend over to pediatric populations …” So now a child with a minor ear ache or sore throat will risk being crippled for the rest of their lives and the FDA will continue to turn a blind eye to such abuse for it is NOT within the legal rights of the FDA to control how such drugs are used once they have been approved. The FDA has no say in the manner in which a physician chooses to utilized a drug once it has been approved.

As such we now look forward to a whole generation of pediatric patients being destroyed by the careless manner in which such drugs are utilized and the treating physician will continue to fail to recognize, treat and report such events. Just as they have been doing for the past forty six years. Numerous forums now exist on the Internet in which the adult patients have been reporting such severe reactions since 1999. We can all now look forward to the distraught parents of these children joining such forums as a direct result of this total and complete failure of the FDA to protect the health and welfare of the pediatric population. Ignoring their own research and the findings of their advisory committee, they have approved a proven dangerous and toxic drug for the use in children.

The Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation continues to collect post-marketing reports regarding the non-abating nature of the severe and crippling (and at times fatal) adverse drug reactions associated with fluoroquinolone therapy via the Internet. Since one of the first such forums went on line back in 1999, over nine years worth of horror stories regarding the damage these drugs can and will do have been forwarded to the FDA. In spite of the overwhelming evidence of such severe and at times fatal adverse reactions, the FDA continues to refuse to take action. In a letter we received from the FDA, (circa 2004) Frances T. Gipson, FACHE Office of Executive Programs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, stated that “…we will weigh all risks and benefits associated with Fluoroquinolone Class Drugs prior to taking any additional action…We will continue to monitor future adverse events reported to us.” To add insult to injury regarding such inaction by the FDA, Gipson also states “…It was also noted that the majority of those adverse events reported are well-known side effects of the Fluoroquinolone class of drugs…” Three years later (circa 2007) Public Citizen received a reply from the FDA to their petition seeking Black Box Warnings stating the very same thing almost word for word. So did the Attorney General of the State of Illinois in response to their petition filed a year earlier.

For more than forty six years, since the introduction of Nalidixic Acid in 1962, the victims of fluoroquinolone toxicity have been reporting such “well-known side effects”, only to be denied the medical care they so desperately need as their physicians have routinely failed to recognize, treat and report such events. Peripheral Neuropathy, spontaneous tendon rupture, severe and non abating joint and tendon damage, as well as fatalities resulting from such toxicity, are all known, listed and published adverse drug reactions to these chemotherapeutic agents, commonly referred to as fluoroquinolones or quinolones. Yet the victims continue to be told by their physicians “it cannot be the drug” and the FDA continues to “monitor future adverse events.” It surely does not get any sicker than this.

Numerous sites continue to be added to the Internet dealing with these reactions in an effort to draw media attention to those of us who are left outside the city gates, like lepers to be pitied and ignored. On any one of these sites you will find tens of thousands of case histories, posted in the very words of the victims themselves, which describe the horrific suffering they or their loved ones have endured as a direct result of the FDA’s failure to prevent such carnage. You will also find postings regarding those who have forfeited their lives due to the rampant ignorance regarding the adverse reactions associated with these chemotherapeutic agents.

The recent addition of this frivolous “Black Box Warning” only emphasizes the fact that such adverse reactions experienced by such victims have shown to be both persistent and non-abating, “year after year”, contrary to what Mr. MacCarthy had stated publicly seven years ago. The comments made within the video presented by the good doctor from John Hopkins emphasizes the fact that NOTHING has changed since then either when it comes to the rampant ignorance found within the medical community.

Since 1999, over nine years ago, we now have added over fifteen different sites to the Internet that deals with these issues. All dealing with what Mr. MacCarthy claimed to have no knowledge of. Perhaps he may wish to read the postings under “In Fond Memory Of” on the fqvictims site. It has been stated that “dead men tell no tales” but thanks to the efforts of those involved with bringing this new site on line; they have been given a chance to do exactly that. For you will find post after post detailing the horrendous manner in which such fatalities related to the careless and thoughtless use of these dangerous drugs, have occurred. No doubt Mr. MacCarthy has no knowledge of the permanent nature of such reactions either. Over a thousand documented fatalities, forty thousand severe adverse reactions, four thousand medical journal entries, fifteen new adverse reaction websites, nine years worth of post marketing reports, and the FDA continues to state that they intend to “continue to monitor future adverse events reported to us”. The victims continue to report the carnage, yet no one is listening. Perhaps with this “new” warning, somebody, somewhere, will. But somehow I rather doubt that we will find that they work at the FDA.

You would also note that Internet sites that published this new warning and allowed people to post a comment have been overwhelmed with patient’s complaints. I rather doubt that this would be taking place unless the drug in question is truly defective. People have far better things to do with their time I would imagine.

Mr. David T. Fuller

Director

Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation

www.fqreseach.org

fqresearch@aol.com

davidtfull@aol.com

About the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation

The foundation is a non profit organization consisting of those who have suffered irreversible and non-abating injury as a direct result of fluoroquinolone therapy. The foundation is dedicated to presenting the research regarding these issues in the hope of preventing such injury to others and to make such research readily available to those who have shown a prior interest. We strive to present accurate and up to date information to the victims of such scripting abuse so that they may be in a position to receive the medical care such rampant ignorance has denied them. Such documentation is readily available via the forum or the homepage www.fqresearch.org

The author of this Editorial has NO financial ties whatsoever with anyone found within the legal or medical field. There are no known conflicts of interest to disclose, and the Foundation has never accepted any donations, of any kind, from any person, corporation, or special interest group since it's inception.

Levaquin is a wonderful drug and one of a very few that help men with prostatitis. If you have ever suffered with a prostatitis infection you know what i mean. No problems here with Leviquin.

Here is an example of the fact that the medical community recognizes that there are gene based drugs. Because Singulair is modeled to be a receptor antagonist to the cysLT1 receptor and the cysLT1 receptor is a gene, I'd say that Singulair should be described as a gene based drug. I don't really care how anybody wants to play with the definition. CysLT1 is a gene with known variations. Why isn't there just an "across the board" warning for all gene based drugs that unexpected side effects are possible???? And, that doctors should watch out for individual reactions.

WMJ. 2005 Aug;104(6):61-6.Links
Gene-based drug prescribing: clinical implications of the cytochrome P450 genes.Musana AK, Wilke RA.
Department of General Internal Medicine, Marshfield Clinic, WI, USA.

The Institute of Medicine recently mandated an increased effort to improve patient safety and reduce medical error. With the description of genetic polymorphisms in the drug metabolizing enzymes, the field of pharmacogenetics may improve medical care through a reduction in both therapeutic failure and adverse drug reaction. Investigators at the Marshfield Clinic in central Wisconsin are piloting the process of gene-based drug prescribing in a variety of contexts. This paper reviews the field of cytochrome P450 (CYP) genetics and explores factors that impact the utility of this information in clinical practice.

PMID: 16218319

Visited new physician, blood test showed recent spike in LDL level (+60 points). Test was non fasting, and not repeated. At follow-up visit, doc directed me to take Lipitor, and when I expressed concern about taking drug before trying diet and other tactics for lowering LDL, doctor brooked no discussion. I specifically expressed concern regarding dizziness, as I had had very severe neurological problems after taking a high level of an OTC at a doc direction for an unrelated problem. My concern was dismissed out of hand (I've never seen it in 20 years.) No return visit was scheduled at this time to check on efficacy. (A medical student was in the exam room, I never spoke with the doc alone, and the doc left the room and I never saw her again.

Without other immediate options for medical care, I filled the prescription for 20 mg of Lipitor. At about the second week, I began to experience severe neurological problems (dizziness, sense of no orientation of my body in space, trouble keeping upright, etc.) I received a card for a cardiology appointment shortly after the visit, and decided to hang on until the visit. The cardio doc said to me, "why are you here?" I told her that the appt. had been scheduled by the other doc's office, but told her what I knew. She took bp - told me it was fine (actually, it was prehypertensive), and then told me my high LDL was genetic, and I'd have to be on drugs for the rest of my life (56). Did not ask for family history, and ignored recent severe leg infection as a possible cause for the spike in LDL.

Having been offered no alternative, I decided to stop Lipitor on my own after 19 days on it. (I decided I would rather drop dead than feel as I did.) Not much improvement immediately. It took 30 days off it to have a day on which I felt well. I am into my second week since then, and have an occasional bad spell, but I am hopeful I'll have a full recovery from the neurological problems. I've been on my own low fat diet for the LDL, but don't know what effect that is having, and have no intention to visit a doctor to find out.

Interestingly, the FDA's Medwatch only allows reporting of severe side effects, and I didn't stay on Lipitor long enough to meet the definition (become disabled).

As a pediatrician I write for Singulair every day.
The medication is for allergies.
Allergies cause a cascade of event that I will describe:
adenoidal swelling, leads to snoring + sleep disturbances. Poor sleep makes the child tired the next day leading to less attentiveness, hyperactivity and eventually acting out.
Almost 4 out of five kids with allergies have those subsequent symptoms, and more.
Over the years the child poor behavior his parents, teachers and peers respond of criticism/ ridicule, and punishments, cause the child to feel inadequate, embarrassed, frustrated and eventually depressed and suicidal.

Yes, Singulair does cause behavioral change but they appear within the first couple of pills, the rest is due to allergies and lack of medical care, i.e. sleep, Singulair, and Zyrtec deficiency.
Allergy shots cause 4 times the incidence of suicidally than Singulair, and Ritalin 10 times more.
Check it, it's true.

As a pediatrician I write for singulair every day.
The medication is for allergies.
Allergies cause adenoidal swelling, which cause sleep disturbances which makes the child tired the next day with makes him over weight, less attentive, hyper and eventually act out.
This in turn makes the child experience parental, peers and teachers criticism/ abuse, with leads to the child feel inadequate, embarrassed, frustrated and eventually depressed and suicidal.

Yes, singulair does cause behavioral change but they appear within the first couple of peels, the rest is due to allergies, lack of medical care, i.e. sleep, singulair, and zyrtec deficiency.
Allergy shots cause 4 times the incidence of suicidally than singulair, and Ritalin 10 times more.
They say in hebrew "once a stone is thrown into a well, thousands of smart people won't find it".
Check it, it's true.

My doctor prescribed Armour Thyroid to me to help me lose weight; he did this without taking a blood test. My thyroid was perfectly fine when I began taking it. I took it for three weeks, but didn't like the palpitations and weird things happening to my heart so I stopped. Since then, about two weeks ago, I have had horrible muscle cramps in my upper back, neck and shoulders. I also have pain in my right arm which I am assuming is a pinched nerve from the muscles. Any ideas what to do?? I can't take the pain much longer.

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.

hi chris35.
sorry to hear you are still not doing well,i would not know whether it would be a good idea to go back on yasmin or not,i personally chose not to take anything at all but it is a question of trial and error i guess. it must be awful for you having bipolar disorder and having to cope with hormones making your moods fluctuate to. i am guessing that any test you have done you would need to pay for if you have no insurance? i don't know how it works as i live in the uk we have the national health service so do not pay for medical care. maybe you could ask your health care provider to run a hormone test to see what is going on? sorry for being absolutely no help but i just wanted to assure you that i have read your posts (and replied to a few i think?) and will continue to read them in the future incase i can help answer a question for you.
sarah

Guest 31792
Give it some time, your hormones need to adjust.
When we take synthetic hormones we shut off our body producing hormones which take their place and then when we go off the pill the faucet has to turn back on in our bodies and replace the synthetics, this takes some time usually they say 2-3 months but it seems with yasmin it can take longer depending on the person. The hardest thing is patience. Just hang in there, eat well (organic seems best) get plenty of sleep, and take good care of yourself right now. K. Best wishes BitterRN

Silke
Me again, sorry about the rushed answer, I wanted to write more but didnt have time. So yeah, I think your levels have been trying to come up, but may have for some reason dropped- Have you been exercising more since that heavy period, or more stressed out? The body will use more testosterone during these times (to recover your muscles with exercise.) to support the body with stress. This would have caused a decline perhaps in the reserves of testosterone you may have built up then. (This is just a theory based on what I have read and talked with my doctors and experienced myself Silke, I am not trying to diagnose you okay? Im just trying to point you in the right direction for medical care) So anyway, if you had a decline then that may explain the spotting the next two months, especially with the virus, the drop in testosterone may have caused the lowered immune system allowing you to catch the virus and then your body is really going to have trouble fighting it caused it is already in an unbalanced state. Even though it seems your body was starting to recover and you were menstruating though Silke 1 year and a half seems a long time for this recovery (though I think it may have to due with the amount of time you were on the yasmin as well) but when I read that your periods returned I was so happy for you but then in the next post you wrote the next month you had mentioned just spotting and that is what prompted me to see how you were now because I had a feeling that it may not have fully returned as it had the previous month (the one with the heavy bleeding) did it seem normal? If you had continued to have regular bleeding the next two cycles and continued to feel better than I would have thought oh good her hormones are balancing out, but when you said that you had only spotting AND that you were starting to feel bad again, I think that maybe your body is trying to fight an uphill battle and It cannot quite seem to fill it up to the reserves that it needs to be at. In other words you cannot make testosterone as fast as your body is demanding it leaving you on empty or quite near it . Do you understand where I am coming from? This is why I think you should consider getting your hormones tested, but only from a doctor who understands hormones particularly bioidentitical hormones(natural hormones.) That is why I gave you the name of the doctor in Spain, he specializes in this kind of therapy, but more importantly he can test your hormones and read them correctly. I tried to google doctors in germany who specialize in bioidentical hormones and I could not find anything which suprises me because I read an article that they started practicing this therapy first in europe in 1935! So maybe you could find someone. I understand what you mean about going to another doctor for useless information (I went through 3) and spent lots of wasted money! Its aggravating I know.
Please, I hope you do not think that I am being pushy and please remember it is your health and your body and you know what is best for it. I am curious to see what will happen on the first of Nov. as well, maybe your menses will return fully and you will start feeling better again. I hope so Silke, I really do.
Also I had a few more ?'s if you dont mind, how is your memory/concentration as compared to before? How about your sleep?Any trouble? Do you feel aged just overall?
One more thing, I wanted to give the website of that Dr and procedure (which Im not saying you need) it just has interesting info. on it. Its Sottopelletherapy.com

Ok I better go. Volume 10 is complete!!! :)
Take care Silke
BitterRN

Silke,
Hi bitterRn

I took topmax prescribed by my Veteran's Administration physician for Migraines. Stepped from 25 mg to 100 mg over 3 weeks. I also take effexor. I already have aphasia and the side effects increased those symptoms and it seems from reading here every other one but eye problems. At the strong suggestion of my "back" surgeon, I have quarterly caudal blocks, I stopped immediately. Anyone who must use the VA for medical care knows getting in touch with ones primary physician is problematic at best and nearly impossible often. The worst is I suspect I was let go at work due to the side effects. I am an accountant currently studying for the CPA exam and could not work well and accurately with the side effects. The only reason I tried this med was to prevent waking up in the middle of the night throwing up with a migraine and losing time at work due to migraines.

From now on I will simply use the injectors of imatrex that may be a major pain, literally and leave me losing a day when I must use it from knocking me out. It seems that I always get every bloody side effect from every med I take. Botton line is, I will never take this medication again.

I am a female, age 60, in good health, but have had adult asthma. I was put on Advair 500/50 when it first came out by physician in a different area than where I live now.

My symptoms which were very bad, because much better, however, I have had horrible side effects, and am not tapering off of the drug.

In 2 years and 5 months, I have had three leg injuries that have seriously torn my skin (it has become very thing, and fragile, and was never like that before). The medical care, due to poor healing has been over 10 months total.

My voice gets very hoarse, have gained abdominal weight, had rapid heartbeat, the purple bruises, and I rarely have a good night's sleep.

I took all the information to my current physician, and he said "let's get off of this"..........so I am going on 250/50 for a month, and then the lowest does for another month. I will say my rapid pulse was down to 80 from 110 in just two days.

Glad to have found this forum.

I was put on Effexor xr 75mg for depression, didnt help much, doctor upped my dose to 150mg per day & all I can say is it has saved my life, I think I must have been depressed my whole life cause I feel so great on this drug, the only side effects I have noticed are that I sweat alot & am generally hotter than everyone around me (but who cares, small price), and I also bruise very easily,but if you gave me a choice between these and the complete state of mental breakdown I was in before this drug, I know I would choose Effexor every time, to all those who swear against this drug I say to you, don't frighten others off it cause everybody is different and I am sure there are plenty of people out there who have been helped dramatically like me, I wake up every day now & love life, love my husband & my baby & I thank my god for this second chance. Sure I will probably go through withdrawal symptoms when I feel ready to come off this drug, but I am just so grateful now for how I feel, & that I live in a country(Australia) where I have access to such wonderful medical care, imagine the depression experienced by those living in third world countries,where they cant just slip down to the pharmacy & pick up their perscription of Effexor , I am sorry for those of you who have not been well matched to this drug, may you all find the peace of mind that I have,but Dont bag Effexor just cause it wasn't right for you.