June 10th
2008
10:10 AM
Folks, Lipitor is the most widely prescribed drug. People are blaming their various problems on lipitor. They should see the appropriate specialist to address their specific symptoms vs self-diagnosing and blaming it on lipitor.
-- By borismcfly | Reply | (3) replies | Send Private Mail
June 6th
2008
5:24 PM
I am a 41-year old female with allergy induced asthma, who has been taking Singulair for almost 1 1/2 years now. I was diagnosed with depression about 5 years ago (after my sister's death) and was taking 100mg of Zoloft daily, which my doctor upped to 200mg around the same time I started Singulair for allergy problems. I did not know about the Singulair/depression warnings until searching today on Google for drug interactions on the meds I take in hopes of trying to find a reason for my overwhelming depression. For the past 1 1/2 years, I have lived like a zombie, numb to the world and my family, gave up a $72K job, gained alot of weight, have the weirdest and most vivid dreams, and am tired all of the time, only finding rest after 10-15 hours of sleep per day. I am a working professional, have a Master's degree, and have always considered myself a rational objective person, and not a "lemming" that follows the rest over the cliff. However, the side effects I am experiencing ARE NOT NORMAL and ARE NOT IMAGINARY. I do not know if Singulair is causing my symptoms or not, however, I am going to stop taking the medicine today, and switch to something else. For me, QUALITY OF LIFE is the major issue. While Singulair works great to help me breathe comfortably, I can find other meds to do the same thing. However, what I cannot take is a medication possibly responsible for taking my "life" away.
-- By luv2surf | Reply | (1) replies | Send Private Mail
June 2th
2008
12:40 AM
HI,
As with many others I found singulair to be a miracle with asthma. No more rescue inhalers. I am not sure which of my current meds is causing the very vivid, often gruesome dreaming I have been having as THREE of them show this as a side effect. I am referring to Cymbalta, Xanax and Singulair. It may be that the combination of the three is just too much and is causing brain toxicity of some sort. I started cutting down the cymbalta, and also the Xanax days ago. I found myself still waking up remembering vivid dreams that I would rather forget. I remember them all like they just happened in living color and detail, days and weeks later. At first I thought it was interesting, but now I just want to FORGET THEM, anyone have ideas???? Help!!! ( I also developed depression and anxiety after being on singulair for several years which is how I ended up with the two additional meds.
May 29th
2008
11:42 AM
I am approaching 8 mos on Topamax. I take it for Epilepsy vice Migraines so my situation is less discretionary. Caffine is a definate no-no on Topamax, it makes you feel confused and crappy immediately after you drink / ingest it. That is the first lesson I learned. Drink plenty of water, that helps your kidneys work through the medicine. I take 75 mg in the morning around 7:30 and my heavy med time is around 11:30 (lunchtime) and then 50 mg at night so I am asleep during my evening heavy med time. Topamax is a miracle and has kept me seizure free for 8 mos. Side effects are light, I just plan accordingly. I would never take Topamax if I did not have to. I just take plenty of notes to overcome my high med times / confusion and seem to be doing pretty well. The big one is CUT OUT CAFFINE. Man, caffine will make you feel really bad.
-- By shanfelt | Reply | Send Private Mail
May 26th
2008
9:12 PM
Ok, with all psych drugs, you're a damed zombie for the first 6-8 weeks. I know that & am willing to accept a little nausea, being a box of rocks mentally, and not being able to find my shoes for the first 6-8 weeks. If things continue after that point in time, I drop the med. Well, I dropped abilify, and this is why:
tardive dyskinesia
The disorientation, & nausea wore off by week 8. I was still not as sharp as I normally am. But, no big. I'll take a 2 point drop in IQ to not drive away the people I love with my bipolar. But, the tardive dyskinesia messed me UP. I was using it in conjunction with Lamictal. I had increasing motor function difficulties. I had to give up my fine detail painting and needle point. Fine, again, willing to sacrifice to keep those I love near. But, the tics got worse. Facial twitches, then severe feet & arm twitching. It got so bad that it became dangerous to drive. I couldn't deal at that point. I stopped taking it cold turkey. I had a blazing migraine & nausea for a week & a half, then my tics stopped, the headache stopped. I was back to how I was before on just lamictal.
I know this drug combo is a miracle for some. And, if it is, that's utterly awesome & I congratulate you on finding something that works for you. But, this very much did not work for me.
May 19th
2008
12:34 AM
WOW Where to start. My 15 month old Daughter was put on it for "SUPPOSED" allergies which she don't have... But that's a totally different story. Anyways she was put on the granules. After taking if for about 5days I noticed VERY Significant side effects IMMEDIATELY. She would NOT eat for anything in the world which is odd because my 25lbs 15 months old (Mind you she was only 5lbs 4ox @ birth) was a Pigglet lol She also became VERY Winey & Clingy...She also began to have "Night Terrors' and when I say Night terrors I mean the full blown ones last about 20 minutes or so and the first one scared me to death I thought my little baby girl had went blind. The terrors started about Night 2. We took her off the Singulair before I found any of these Side Effect write ups and of course AGAINST Doctor's advise however I put her back on her Claritin. Her nose is drying up and Congestion is gone after rushing her to the ER with 104.2 fever and got her on Anti-Biotics & Albuterol. (Still another story lol) We noticed the next day a HUGE Difference is her personality and she was sooo HAPPY again. The first full day off the drug she slept through the night in her own bed WITHOUT a terror or even a bad dream. IT'S A MIRACLE I proclaimed that I had enough common sense after only 4days to get that mess out of my Daughter's Body. Needless to say she is a piglet again here only about 5 days after taking her off the med. and happy as a 15 month old should be lol
-- By mrssgtbullock | Reply | (1) replies | Send Private Mail
May 14th
2008
7:14 PM
I am a paraplegic and have experienced severe nerve pain in my legs and feet since my spinal cord was severed in 2002. After going through a stringent pain management program,(two months of evaluation, psychological testing, spinal cord stimulation, nerve blocks, etc), my Pain MGT Physician at UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, began prescribing me Lyrica. Lyrica was just beginning to be prescribed by physicians. We gradually ramped my dosage to achieve the most pain relief for me. After experiencing excruciating nerve pain for three years, Lyrica was a miracle working medication to me. Finally, finally, I had found some relief in the burning, squeezing, and exploding shocks in my legs and feet. I take 600mg, 5 times a day. After every four hours, I can feel it wearing off and the same screaming pain comes racing back. Nerve pain is so difficult to control. I can't say that I am completely pain free, but at least it is a manageable animal.
-- By brmart | Reply | Send Private Mail
May 12th
2008
10:06 PM
What side effects? I have taken Lamictal for 6 weeks. I am on a steady dose of 100mgs. I started out with severe depression (unipolar), and have also been diagnosed as bi-polar and borderline personality disorder. So who knows what I have other than to say that I have felt like a train wreck for 3 yrs. All the other meds I have taken did not help my constant cycles of severe depression. I felt like I was in a fish bowl and the world was going on around me, I could see it but was not a part of it. It was hell on earth. Other meds would help somewhat on certain symptoms, but nothing ever brought my life back to a level where I could say I felt joy and was truly happy until I started Lamictal. 2 weeks into the start of Lamictal (50 mgs), I woke up to a miracle. I realized I felt joy, I was laughing without trying to. I felt refreshed and prepared to go out in the world and face the day with a positive outlook on everything. My side effects so far have been nil. Not one thing...no pain, no headaches, no weight gain, no memory loss, no dizziness, no hairloss. Am I the only one? I know these meds effect people differently but wow, I am in heaven. I hope all of you eventually find something that works for you because I really felt ( before Lamictal) that I would never feel good again! Hallelujah! I do! bless you all!
-- By nickimouse42 | Reply | (3) replies | Send Private Mail
May 10th
2008
11:31 PM
My doctor put me on prednisone for pain and inflammation and I have never felt better in my life. It's a miracle for me right now and I'll take my chances with the side effects for being pain free. I'm a happy lady for now.
-- By barbara57 | Reply | (2) replies | Send Private Mail
May 7th
2008
10:53 AM
These posts do help a lot! I was looking at these because I am also on LOESTRIN 24 FE and have been for about 3 months and after having a very light but normal period, I had heavier bleeding and cramping during the first week of the white pills as well! I do like these pills because of the short period and little cramping but I have experienced some PMS symptoms like irritability and moodiness...I cry right before my period and that gets annoying for me and my boyfriend but I think every pill will have its own side affects. I switched to this pill because I was on OVCON 35 and have had terrible migraines for about 5 years until I figured out it was all the estrogen in my pills. After switching I haven't had a single migraine! MIRACLE!!!!! but I like this pill for the most part!
-- By kbr | Reply | Send Private Mail
May 6th
2008
9:24 PM
May 2006 I stopped taking Yasmin after being on it for a few years. I was having bad sinus congestion, sinus pressure, headaches and post nasal drip but never thought it was because of Yasmin. I went to a ENT doctor and the tissue in my sinsus cavities was so inflamed he recommended surgery. I also had a deviated septum and bone spur which were corrected. After the surgery (August 2006) I felt great. I exercise A LOT and it was now so much easier because I could breathe without all the fluid buildup. I kept thinking what a miracle the surgery was. March 2007 I started taking Ortho-tricyclen and quickly gained 10lbs in 2 months. I also had mood swings mostly feeling down. But I was still able to run and exercise more than I had in many years. March 2008 I went in for my annual exam and after mentioning my side effects from Ortho-tricyclen my doctor recommended going back on Yasmin since it had worked before. Two days after starting Yasmin my sinus problems and headaches returned. I was so low on energy and my chest felt tight. The only good thing is that I lost my appetite and in one month I lost 7 of the 10 lbs I gained on Ortho. I stopped taking Yasmin this past weekend in the middle of a pack. I am feeling better and have not had a headache this week. I was also able to run yesterday which felt so good. I hadn’t exercised in a month because of my lack of energy and difficulty breathing. Had I not been on it before I would have thought this was just a bad allergy season. I am convinced Yasmin was the cause of all my sinus problems and headaches.
-- By emilyas | Reply | Send Private Mail
April 17th
2008
3:52 PM
I've never written on a blog in my life, and now that I've just read this, my stomach is doing flip flops and my blood is runnung cold. I have an 11 year old son and a 9 year old daughter. They have both been on singulair for quite a few years. My son has been on ADHD meds now since about a year and a half after starting Singulair because we tried to avoid them. Every few weeks he tells me he has this empty feeling inside him that makes him really sad and he doesn't know what it is. It just feels empty. I'll usually read with him or play a game or walk our dog with him to help him feel better.
As for my daughter, she exhibits all of the symptoms I have read about. She talks about life being terrible( trust me, she has it pretty good), she has been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, OCD and Tourette Syndrome. Every psychiatric medication we have tried has made her worse. She was always a confident, outgoing little girl, and then she just changed. She's had stomach aches, which the docs always thought were in her head. She gets headaches. She is extremely sensitive, won't let me even brush her hair or touch her. She has extreme mood swings and gets upset over the most miniscule things, then writes about them, even saying she realizes her anger was too much for what the situation was! I will stop Singulair immediately and see what happens. What a miracle it would be if all of their symptoms disappeared.
April 14th
2008
3:40 PM
Hi guys,
I came to this forum after a client at our firm told me to check out whats happening with singular. I am not a lawyer, but I am a secretary for a med mal firm and I can tell you that we have already started taking these cases. I saw a few questions posted about whether you had to wait 9 months for the investigation to finish, but that doesn't stop you from filing suit. If it were my baby boy, I would switch meds, but if you can't--make sure you journal EVERYTHING. Take videos of outbursts, etc. We have one client who's son is self mutilating after using singular. If thats happening to you, try to document the episodes. Like I said, im not a lawyer, but I work for some so I can answer a lot of questions and I would be more than willing to help. I am so disgusted by what I have read. Please email me if you have any legal questions, etc. If i can't answer them, my boss will and if its a medical question, we have a staff nurse so I will give her a call. Again, I am so sorry for what everyone is going through. I pray to god I can help in some way.
April 10th
2008
5:40 PM
Follow up to my post earlier today...
I took the my son to the doctor this morning and he was somewhat dismissive of the recent reports on Singulair...says he's had a lot of kids on the drug and never heard a peep about side effects until last week when the report on suicidal tendencies showed up. He did advise that when these kinds of behavior changes happen after a new drug is started he would recommend that we stop taking the drug no matter what it was, but I still felt uncomfortable with his response to us.
I felt like he was accusing me of making it up or only coming up with it because of recent news and message board posts. In fact, I made the appointment BEFORE I saw the posts. I was worried about his behavior BEFORE I saw the posts. It's just that seeing the stories from everyone else basically confirmed my suspicions that it might be the drug causing the problems.
I feel like I definitely wasted OVER AN HOUR waiting for a doctor to spend five minutes making me feel small.
Last night was the last time my son will take the drug, and I don't care what the doctors think of me.
-- By adschimek | Reply | (10) replies | Send Private Mail
April 7th
2008
1:08 PM
I received a shot on the 21st of march and was told by my dr that the side effects were minimal and I have now been on my period for 18 days straight called my dr and they said thats not normal call your ob dr. Now that I have found this web site I see that I am not the only one who has had this problem. I have always thought it was a dr responsibility to worn you about side effects like this but I guess NOT. And to top it all off the shot didn't even work for me I am stili in alot of pain in my back. THIS SUCKS
-- By turtle949 | Reply | (2) replies | Send Private Mail
April 4th
2008
6:08 PM
Hey all. Reeces mom. I posted April 1. We went to the Dr. yesterday and she brushed off the singulair issues. She said that she was not convinced that it is the cause of his probs. She did state that she understood if I wanted to try claritin. I respect her and she is a great dr. but in my heart I feel that singulair was the cause and time only convinces me more. I can see it in his eyes and feel it from his hugs. To even get a hug from him is a miracle. He has been off the meds for 1wk. today. He is pleasent to be around.!! I don't know what else to do if anything, except I want EVERYONE to have the info and make their on minds about it!!!
-- By pawla36 | Reply | (1) replies | Send Private Mail
March 28th
2008
6:06 PM
I had been on singular for 10 months and have gained 40 lbs. and retention of water in my calves and ankles. I spoke to my doctor but that fell on deaf ears. He told me that they are not side effects of singular. My eating habits are the same, if anything I have never eat better due to the weight. I had been thin all my life - maybe too skinny. I am 49 years old. Also, due to the weight and water retention I have started a health club with no weight loss. I went off the singular 3 weeks ago, my calves are back to normal, but still have the 40 lbs. Anyone have any advised. MK
-- By mod1227 | Reply | (2) replies | Send Private Mail
March 24th
2008
2:41 PM
Wow, I must be one of the very few lucky people out there that had a good, no awesome experience with Lupron. After graduating from High School in 2005, I moved on to college. It was here that I started gaining weight, having blurred vision, moody, bad periods, intense cramping, and just general unhappiness. I just wanted to be normal. After gaining 100 pounds in 2 years, yeah thats right, I went from a #1 Volleyball player, Im tall, who weighed in at 150 pounds to a 250 pound unhappy woman, I decided that I needed help, I wouldn't eat for days, and I would gain 10 pounds. SO, off I went to the doctor. Well, after 43 blood tests, 9 xrays, 5 ct scans, 2 ultra sounds, 10 trips to the ER and so many bills I was in debt, I had an answer. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. My only question, Thats IT?? Well now, a surgery could cure that right?? Ha, so I had surgery and that is where they found Endometriosis lining my insides, wonderful, how much more lucky could I get? haha. That is when my doctor said I could try Lupron. She explained side affect, and gave me info, and said it was up to me. At this point I just wanted to finish college, so I went for it. Best decision I have ever made!! I finished my first 6 month treatment in October 2007, and have been pain free for over a year now, a few hot flashed and headaches were worth it for me, I have never felt better. Now Im married and trying for baby no 1, and I have never been happier. Goes to show the miracle of how each individual is different, and you never know whats going to happen in the future.
-- By wantingit | Reply | (1) replies | Send Private Mail
March 17th
2008
5:29 PM
I'm so happy that I found this page!!!!!I'm brazilian and until I moved to USA m starting to think that is because this Drug. After reading these statements , I came to the conclusion that my feelings regasding this DRUG were right. Thank to this web site, if somebody can send me more informations ,plese
-- By 1969 | Reply | Send Private Mail
March 16th
2008
4:49 PM
I have been on Topamax for 2 years for maigranes. I am 50yrs. old and suffered with headaches from the time I was 14 yrs. old. I used to wish I could just die to end the headaches I had all the time. Most Dr.'s didn't know how to treat me. Then I found one who read about Toapmax and let me try it. It has been a miracle for me. I take 100mgs a day. Yes, I have terrible side effects. I can't remember words, I tingle all over. I can't spell anymore. I will be talking and just forget what I am saying. By breast hurt most of the time too. I could go on & on with the side effects. BUT... MY HEAD DOESN'T HURT for the first time in years! I will gladly put up with anything so I don't have to hurt anymore. I thank God for this drug.
Sherri in Ar.
February 10th
2008
2:33 AM
In 2006 Kenalog destroyed me. I had intense shoulder blade pain for almost 2 months and an Md decided I had a pulled muscle, but he was dead wrong! He injected me with Kenalog and the horrible pain began to spread throughout my entire body. It is a long story, one you can read at ***
In the end, Kenalog disseminated an infection that did not show up on any previous blood test, and reactived 4 dormant viruses. My life has been a living hell and I have suffered so much pain throughout my entire body, I cannot even begin to describe it. Any steroid given with a bacterial infection can kill you I later learned. It is a miracle I am here today, but I struggle daily and pray on that my life will once again be normal.
January 28th
2008
8:25 PM
My husband and I found out he had Meatastic prostate cancer 13 months ago..We went to the doctor because his lymph glands were hudge.. He has been on the Lupron injections ever since.. He had really bad hot flashes for the 1st few months but that has past, but now he is very moody and angry for no reason.. He yells and gets angry over the littlest things i think he is going crazy and he is driving me nuts, he has no desire for me and is rude and acts like he don't even like me sometimes.. it is torture to me..He has depression he doesn't enjoy anything like he use to.. whenever we go try to have fun he gets all stressed and makes the fun turn into miserable..He acts as if he has no problems..He has some big rashes on his legs and crack and I am pretty sure it is from the Lupron shot also.. he has a little aches and pains. Very tired all the time..just about a week ago we found out the Lupron shot is not working very well anymore, his psa level went up to a 15..I am thankful for the shot because i know it has saved him some time to be here.. I love him so much, but the way he is now has caused me to feel like he is a grouchy roommate on his period 24/7.. There is other things like casodex to take but i heard it does not work as well as the Lupron..Hopefully one of these days they can find something that works even better then Lupron without the side affects..The lupron Shot has helped many people live longer, but what about the quality of life he is miserable but I am sure he rather be alive and miserable.. Good luck to everyone with the Lupron shot, it is a trying time when they or you go through these changes and do not understand why you feel negative and unhappy..
-- By sadwoman | Reply | (2) replies | Send Private Mail
January 1th
2008
3:47 PM
I can't really say I have anything new to report. I had been taking Lovastatin for maybe a couple of years, first 20 mgs, then 40. I don't remember having any problem with that. Then about 4 months ago my Dr. switched me to Zocor, 80 mgs because my cholesterol was 240. First I started having numbness in my feet and legs, cramps in my feet and Charlie horses at night in my legs. I mentioned it to my Dr. but he just seemed to feel it's part of the aging process and not to worry. Then my knee started hurting so bad I couldn't bend it and could hardly get up and down the stairs. I went in and they said I had arthritis and gave me Nabumetone and Vicodin which I didn't want to take because of the side effects. I finally gave in because the pain was getting worse. I was supposed to take two pills bit I only took one and I only took the Vicodin if I just couldn't stand it any longer. I took the drug for about 3 weeks and I wasn't getting any better. In fact my other leg started hurting, and my elbow and two or three times my lower jaw felt numb and I thought, Oh my God, I'm having a stroke. Anyway by some miracle I found this web site and see that many others are suffering the same symptoms that I'm having. What is wrong with the doctors? I am trusting my Dr. with my life. I'm sure he's heard similar complaints before about these drugs, but he acts like it's no big deal. I told him I don't want to take this anymore and he said well sometimes people do get some muscle pain but you can take a over the counter medication, not sure of the name, CO-2, something like that.
I'm wondering what's happened to the Dr's integrity? Why do they keep pushing these drugs when they know they are harmful? I guess I have to look for another Dr. My Dr. is with Kaiser. I guess they all pedal the same poison. So sad that we are controlled by the drug companies for profit. They are killing us. Look what happened with the HRT drugs. Meanwhile I'm afraid to quit this drug cold turkey since I was on such a high dose so I'm cutting the pills in half, 40 mgs, and then in about 2 weeks I will go to 20 and hopefully by then I will have selected something natural and safe. I am 67 years old. Before this I was active and I used to walk my dog a mile everyday. I can no longer do that. Right now my leg hurts so bad I don't want to take another pill but I'm scared if I quit cold turkey something terrible will happen. It's a holiday...
December 11th
2007
10:06 PM
I am currently taking 150mg of Z. I have suffered with depression, anxiety and OCD since 1994. I have been on Celexa, Paxil, Wellbutrin, Effexor XR, Lexapro and Zoloft. The first few months on Z, I thought I felt better. No anger, frustration, suicidal feelings and it was easier to face each new day.
However now it seems that I am chasing that feeling. Even with the increases I feel like all the symptoms are returning. The one difference with Z than any of the others is the decreased/non-existent libido. I am so indifferent to this since I am not interested in anything, but it does cause more tension and guilt for me. My family and friends are understanding but I know it is difficult for them to. Maybe at the lower doses it is the miracle that some people need, but it is not my savior. K
Singulair (13) Yasmin (13) Kenalog (12) PredniSONE (8) Advair HFA (6) Ultracet (3) Lupron (2) Lisinopril (2) Topamax (2) Loestrin 24 Fe (2) Lipitor (2) Lamictal (1) Zoloft (1) Zyprexa (1) Mirena (1) NuvaRing (1) Effexor (1) Protonix (1) Lorazepam (1) Amitriptyline Hydrochloride (1) Zofran (1) Abilify (1) Levaquin (1) Aciphex (1) Wellbutrin (1) Clonazepam (1) Zocor (1) Neurontin (1) Lyrica (1)
June 20th
2008
9:42 PM
My Daughter took Kenalog in 2007 after battling pneumonia. It seemed like a miracle because she actually felt better. Now, we are learning about all the side effects and her lengthy periods...the indention STILL being there...it definitely sounds like it could be related. I'm going to do more research, something has to be done. We trusted her pediatrician...I would never have done this to my child.
-- By angelynt | Reply | Send Private Mail