Naturopath symptoms and conditions

Hi all i have been taking Yasmin for about 3 years now and am so glad i have now discovered this site. Initially Yasmin worked well for me but in the last 2 years or so i suffered the anxiety, panic attacks and depression(which i was then given Zoloft to treat) and decreasing eyesight and weight gain, diarrhea, bloating i never thought it could be related to Yasmin! i have tried to come off it but experienced the most terribly painful periods. i recently went to a naturopath and was given herb tablets(vitex agnus-catus)
to stabilize my hormones whilst coming off the pill. I urge other women to really think about the side effects before taking YASMIN and ask questions if you have any of these symptoms.i hope i get back to normality once ive stopped this pill and hope everyone else does too!

Against my better judgment, I received my first shot in Oct 07 and my second in March 08. I will absolutely will not get the third. I was suspicious of the vaccine, but was convinced by my doctor to get it. I should have listened to my gut. Within two weeks of receiving the first shot, I experienced flu-like symptoms, fever, and such severe vaginal discomfort that I went to the emergency room. I was diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis. It cleared up, but my health felt off - worse digestion, I started getting heartburn, feeling fatigue, started seeing floaters in my vision and getting terrible headaches, and my menstrual cycle started becoming more irregular. I had always been like clockwork. I started losing weight, which was unusual, as I had always been overweight and had a hard time losing weight. I began feeling more and more irritable, but made no connections to the Guardasil shot. In March, immediately after receiving the second vaccine, my arm hurt terribly, I felt lightheaded, woozy, and had hives appear. Within 1 week, I started experiencing vaginal irritation again, fever, and had flu like symptoms. Over the course of the next month, I started to feel such severe fatigue, stomach aches, and uncontrollable diarrhea, that I went to my doctor. She told me I probably just had acid reflux. Two days later, I experience debilitating stomach pain, which lasted for nearly 1 month. I had an endoscopy, a CT scan, allergy tests, and blood work for thyroid disorders and other imbalances, all of which have come back reasonably normal and regular for my body and system. I did have some esophageal damage from acid reflux, and was put on Prevacid. Receiving no answers from the Western Medical community, I cut out gluten, corn, soy, dairy, eggs, caffeine, alcohol, yeasts, and sugar from my diet and started working with an acupuncturist and naturopath. Stool sampling showed signs of Candida Yeast overgrowth in my intestines and parasites, which I am combating naturally with help from my naturopath. I a got off the Prevacid successfully with her help, and am starting to feel stronger. However, since January, I have lost 50 lbs, have experienced hair loss, fatigue, eye itchiness, emotional upset, headaches, joint pain, tingling/numbness in hands and feet, lower body temperature, disruption in my sleep, decreased strength, muscle loss, continued gastrointestinal pain, alternating diarrhea/constipation, persistent Bacterial Vaginosis, and have not had my period since I received the second shot in March. While I do feel I am becoming stronger, this road is long and the journey is slow. My health is not what it used to be, my diet is restrictive, and I am taking multiple herbal and natural supplements, vitamins, and probiotics. The appearance of overall, chronic symptoms with the timing of the Guardasil shots makes me believe that I, like so many other women, am a victim of Guardasil. Don't get this vaccine.

Lately my wife has been experiencing of depression, lack of energy, muscle cramps, nausea, enlarged and soar breasts (nipples are hot also), headaches, insomnia, vaginal discomfort and sourness with and without physical contact, constipation, and other symptoms, which I cannot as a male, properly describe. Is this accumulation of symptoms normal or should we look in another direction for birth control (besides condoms)? A concerned husband, Kenny...

My wife started on 6.25 dosage for her inability to sleep properly. It helped her sleep. However, the 6.25 stopped being responsive and her MD prescribed her a higher dosage. Once she started taking the higher dosage, her thought process was impaired and had extreme pressure headaches along the head, face and neck. Her mind was so screwed up that she started to have suicidal thoughts and intense feelings of fear that she would start to have panic attacks. I do not know how these drugs get FDA approved. Went to a naturopath who did a hormone test and found that her hormones were unbalanced. Went on bio-identical hormone replacement therapy and she is herself again. She is also able to sleep properly.

I'm a 44 year old female, and I have been taking 40mg. of lisinopril for over a year now. I also take omeprazole 20 mg. (a sub for prilosec) every day. Before taking lisinopril, I did have high blood pressure, but since taking this medication, I have had more problems than that. I have an irritating cough all the time and phlegm in my throat so thick that I feel as if I am chocking to death. I also have a severe rash all over my body and on the bottoms of my feet, and on my hands. I am depressed all the time, have no interest in sex whatsoever, and basically feel like crap all the time. I have a very bad pain in the left side of my neck that I know is not a result of sleeping the wrong way. I have to say, I never felt this way before taking this medication, but today I got to the point that I wanted to look up side effects to see if what I'm taking is hurting me. After reading some of these posts, I believe I know what my problem is. My husband was also on lisinopril, but 20mg and had such a terrible cough that we thought he had pneumonia. He is off the medication now, and his cough had disappeared. For me, the rash, and depression is the biggest thing. I have decided to take myself off this medication on my own, and try to find another way to deal with my high blood pressure. If you know of any herbs, and/or foods that help with blood pressure, I would love to hear about them. Thank you all for the information you have posted here. I'm sure it will help others think about what the doctors and pharmaceutical companies are trying to do to us. Seems the more medications they prescribe, the worse side effects we endure. Thanks again everyone!

I'm 29, have been on birth control pills for 10 years, and switched to Yasmin about 2 years ago. I a small varicose vein in my right within 2 months of switching, but didn't think a relationship between my vasculature and the pill existed. I can now trace the entire vein from my right hip to my ankle. In the 2 years since starting Yasmin, my ankles and lower legs swelled heavily...but at very random times. It often began at the start of the 7-day sugar pill regime and finished by the time I started a new pack. I assumed that the estrogen withdrawal going into the sugar pills was too much for my body to handle and that the diuretic effects of Yasmin were obviously absent during that time. I also noticed leg cramping, heart palpitations, and I started waking up in the occasional hot sweat in a drenched bed.

So, after making sure that my heart and kidneys were healthy, my gynecologist prescribed continuous hormone Yasmin and claimed it as the "ultimate solution". For 4 months, I have skipped the sugar pills for each pack and started new packages immediately. I have not had a period since, and the edema has continued (still at random) and has become exponentially worse. In the last few weeks alone, the vein in my right leg has become massive, my legs are so distended by the end of the days on which they swellI that I can't fit into pants which are otherwise loose, I am noticing other large veins "surfacing", little veins are breaking everywhere, and I can now see most of the blood vessels beneath the skin in both legs. My primary care physician told me I have chronic venous insufficiency...a diagnosis I'm not okay with. I'm very worried...the changes and ensuing damage have happened way too quickly to be venous insufficiency. I am going to ween myself off of the pill, but don't know what the next step should be. Endocrinologist? Another OB/GYN? Anyone have ideas or similar experiences to share....

Hi All,

Happy to find this site. I have had a mirena over a year and three weeks ago started experiencing constant nausea and headaches. It's really terrible. I feel like I am in the first trimester of pregnancy.

I went to my primary doctor and she prescribed me medication for headache and nausea and did some blood tests. That was a week ago. I called her after I found this site and wondered if my nausea could be from the mirena; she said she wanted to treat it with stress reduction first. I am incredibly annoyed by this; I don't need any stress reduction, I'm doing just fine.

Then, today I called my ob to see if the nausea could be caused by the mirena. She said that nausea usually occurs when it's first placed, that this is too long for it to be caused by it. I mentioned this site and she said she would research it again and get back to me.

Now I just contacted my naturopath and hopefully I can get an appointment with her this week.

I'm inclined to get the mirena removed but it cost so much to get inserted ($700, not covered by insurance) that I'm reluctant to get it removed until I know for sure what is causing this nausea.

Please let me know what you all think.

Thanks.

Jackie

I was prescribed Cipro for a UTI on 1/25/08. I took 500 mg for 7 days. About day four I began to experience intermittent "little pains" in my hands and feet. I thought it could be a side effect of Cipro but no big deal and would subside when I finished the prescription. Boy was I wrong. It has been two months and every week that goes by I feel worse. I have pain and mild cramping in my arms, hands, legs and feet on and off all day. The muscles in my neck and the back of my head tighten up and I get very lightheaded. When I get up in the morning I am extremely stiff and do not feel like myself most of the time. I have read many comments by others who have used this drug on several websites and I am quite worried at this point. Can I expect these symptoms to gradually subside or am I on the road to becoming an invalid? Sorry to sound dramatic but this is very upsetting. Has anyone found anything to help with these sort of symptoms or does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

I had the Mirena inserted in October 07 because of very heavy menstruation problems. I have never tolerated the pill so I was nervous about the possible hormonal side effects of the Mirena, My GP and Gyno both played the side effects down and maintained that the dose of hormones was so small and only released "locally", whatever that means. The first month was ok, I spotted daily and did not experience any other serious side effects, just the occasional cramping. The first day of my Mirena period I had a massive vertigo attack, spinning out of control for a couple of hours. I was due to catch a plane that day and had to cancel my weekend away with my husband. My GP maintained it had nothing to do with the Mirena and that I had an inner ear infection. From that day on I experienced chronic dizziness, and increasing symptoms of heart palpitations, nausea and anxiety. By the end of the second month, I felt I was loosing my mind, becoming extremely irritable and very anxious for no apparent reason. My body felt like it was in a constant state of alert. I decided to have the Mirena removed and experienced almost instant relief form the dizziness and chronic anxiety. I "crashed" 9 days later for about 4 days when all my symptoms came back with a vengeance and it felt pretty scary. 6 weeks post Mirena I feel chronically fatigued and have achy and weak legs. I have consulted a naturopath who has given me a cocktail of vitamins, minerals and instructed me to be alcohol free, caffeine free, wheat free and cow's milk free. I try to walk my dog once a day and eat extremely healthy food and sleep. I have had to stop work for a month.The Mirena experience has been a disaster for me and I am still waiting to get back to my normal self. Reading this site does give me support in knowing that others have experienced similar debilitating symptoms. I have felt very let down by the lack of medical support and understanding of what Mirena can do to you.

I was prescribed to take 30mg/day (Prednisone) to try to reduce the inflammation brought upon by Ulcerative Colitis. I have taken Prednisone before....up to 60mg/day, when I was first diagnosed with UC. I don't really remember all of the side effects I experienced, but I do remember my calves and feet swelling, a bit a of moon face and very little weight gain due to the UC. Does anyone have any suggestions to how/and when I should take the daily dose of Prednisone (early morning, with food...what kind of food)? Also, I would love to hear from anyone with Ulcerative Colitis and how they are coping with the disease. From their diet when in remission to during a flare-up! Thanks...

I took this yesterday after suffering with asthma problems off and on the past couple of months. After two trips to the doctor, the final consensus was that I had a sinus infection, and that the continuous dripping into my chest was causing the chest congestion.
Anyway, within one hour of taking avelox, I had a full-blown anxiety attack ....I was dizzy, lightheaded, my head felt like it would explode, had diarrhea, couldn't breathe, and thought I was dying. I almost called 911. After about 4 hours of this I took half of a 1 mg lorazepam pill to calm down. I continue to feel completely unwell all evening, shaking and anxious. I finally took a hot bath, and a full lorazepam, which allowed me to sleep. I am telling you that the whole afternoon and evening was a harrowing experience. I am also wondering if the side effects were exacerbated by the Astiliin (nasal spray) I took, since this morning that drug made me feel extremely groggy and tight in the chest.
I will NEVER take this drug again,and now I am so afraid that I am scared to take the zithromax the doctor prescribed in place of Avonex, even though I have used zithromax in the past with no side effects.
At this point, I am ready to consult a naturopath or acupuncturist to help with my condition - most of these new-fangled drugs seem to cause more problems than they "cure".

I am 19 years old and I recently was taken off of it 2 years ago when I switched doctors. Prior to the switch I had been on it for 16 years. I prob have some of the worse side effects. Because it causes an increase in appetite I ate but I didn't eat all the time, and I ended up gaining over 100lbs. I have a black-brown ring around my neck and for the longest time I thought it was dirt that wouldn't come off so sometimes I scrubed my neck sometimes to the point that it was raw.I have bad acne on my back and its just horrible.I cry every single night because of the side effects.I just want to know if anyone on here can help me.

I'm a 37 year old female and have severe asthma and allergies and have used pregnisone on and off for 30 years. I believe I am the poster child for the long term side effects. My immune system is shot to the point that my normal medicines for asthma (ventolin, advair) and allergies (tylenol sinus, claritan, visine A) and ezcema (elidel, hydrocortisone, etc. - - NOTHING works!

In the past 6 months, I have developed various infections that the doctors have not been able to identify. My eyes are swollen and red with large amount of white/yellow secretions. Vaginal secretions. Face swollen. Skilled covered in a rash with ezcema out of control. Sharp pains in my back and stomach. Constant asthma. Abnormal hair growth. It is to the point that it is impossible to function and each doctor just wants to prescribe more pregnisone. I feel as if my body is a walking time bomb and it is so full of all the cortisone from over the years and has just decided no more.

I admit that I too readily believed in the doctors when they would rapidly prescribe the pregnisone. Only now am I paying attention to the long term side effects.

Has anyone had tests done to test their immune system and other organs for damage? Thanks and best to our pregnisone club.

I am 21 years old and was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in my hands, fingers, and wrists. My doctor put my on 60 mg of prednisone at first and then had me slowly go down to 20 mg a day. I have since been trying to go off of it myself. I can't stand the side effects any longer. I have this constant charlie horse pain in my hips and legs, i am so hot and constantly flushed, i feel so depressed ( i am normally a happy all smiles kind of person ) i have done nothing but cry everyday for the past week because I just feel like so many people don't understand or believe anything I am saying. I thought maybe some of this was all in my head until I found this site. Is there any other medications out there that don't have all these terrible side effects? I feel as though the pain from the arthritis is far less worse than this.

I've took a very high dosage of prednisone for 6 years, from the age of ten years old. 17 years later, i still have an extreme moon face. The only thing that has ever helped me was a facial exerciser (a microcurrent devise), but those results can be hard an expensive to maintain. As anyone else ever had a moon face that wouldnt go away even after stopping their prednisone usage after a long period of time? Does anyone have any advice for me, on how i can finally get rid of this horrible extreme moonface? my face and all my facial features are swollen, including my eyelids, this has been goin on for years. I also have suffered for years from severe chronic diarrhea from an illeostomy reversal. Please help me.

My Mother was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis 30 years ago. She has been on prednisone at low doses since then. About 3 years ago she started imagining things, and hallusinations. About 2 years ago her prednisone dose went up to 60mg a day due to a stroke of the optic eye nerve. She has since been tapering down, now at 15mg a day. But tapering down makes her arthritis more painful. She has developed diabetes, loss of sleep, loss of apetite, loss of muscle tone. When she gets bumped, it's a big opened gash, rather than just a bruise. With the higher dose she was more moody & would get angry easier. The hallucinations & paranoia continue & are making me more & more concerned. I haven't read about this in any of the stories. Has anyone else experienced this side effect? I spoke with her Rheumatologist who suggest a psychiatrist to prescribe anti-psychotic drugs. She's already on 11 pills a day, does she need another?
Please let me know if anyone has experienced this as well.
Thank you.

I am 65, suufering from ulcerate colitis. Imuran kills my lever, I had to take a strong dose of prednisone.up to 60 mg. now after ten days I am on 30 mg.
it helps for colitis but I am not sleeping. I took sleeping pills, I can sleep about 2-3 hours in 24h.
Who could help me to be able to sleep again ? What kaind of sleeping pills or tranquilisers are recommended ?
Thank for answering also directly to my Email ******

Thank you.

I am a 19-year-old female pre-med student who has been taking this nasty drug for exacly 1 year now.... The amount I am on continues to change, for my disease keeps returning and leaving remission. I finally get down to 10mg from 40mg, and have to go back up when symptoms return!!! This is SO discouraging. The worst part is, no one understands the physical and emotional agony this drug brings on. I'm 19 and feel like I'm 90. My body aches, my weight is constantly fluctuating, I bruise from simply being poked (being a clumsy person, I look like I am beat!!), my bones feel as if they are about to break, and I am SEVERELY despressed. Being in college and taking rigorous classes, this is just too much for me to handle anymore... My 5-year relationship with the love of my life/best friend is falling apart because of my horrible mood swings.. don't blame him for leaving. I feel as if this drug has ruined my life more than the disease itself...Does ANYONE know if one's body and mind returns to "normal" after FINALLY being off this drug??? I pray to God the answer is yes... I would appreciate someone's reply and/or insight, because my Dr. fails to tell me about ANY side effects until I mention something. PLEASE REPLY!!!

Both my father (79 years old) and I (48 years old) were prescribed Lisinopril and Lovastatin in the recent past. Within a short period of time (2-3 mos), we both began experiencing excruciating Charley Horse-type cramping in our legs, and I experienced them in hands as well. My father's cramps were more severe. I quit taking the meds and he has not. His symptoms continue, mainly in the evening. My symptoms abated when I stopped taking the meds.

I don't have particularly high blood pressure, nor do I have high cholesterol, my doctor simply prescribes these meds "to prevent the onset of these problems". I am an insulin-dependent diabetic. My father suffered a massive heart attack 5 years ago.

I feel GREAT now that the meds are out of my system. Dad continues to suffer with terrible cramping in his legs and sometimes in his glutes. This can't be good for him. I assume the meds do something to his blood levels of vitamins or minerals, yet his doctor does nothing. He is going to visit a naturopath soon to see what that person recommends. He looks terrible and feels terrible.

Hello Ladies,

I haven't posted on this site for about 2 years but thought I'd re-tell my story for anyone new who is suffering the debilitating effects of Yasmin...particluraly those searching the net to try an understand what is wrong with them.

So here goes...I had been on Yasmin for a year and a half with no obvious side effects (was 27 at the time). If anyone had asked me what I thought of it during this time, I'd have sung it's praises. Then after this time my world came crashing down around me. I started having major panic attacks, vertigo, disturbing/irrational/suicidal thoughts, and depression. I lost about 7kg over 3 weeks...became a recluse...a shell of my former self. Prior to this I have always been a healthy well adjusted, and most of all positive person who had every reason to go on being happy. I had no history whatso ever of the above conditions...it is for these reasons I began researching (at the same time starting seeing a psychologist as I was sure I had developed a late onset mental illness)...My family were in great distress as there seemed to be no explanation for my sudden and obvious decline.

One day I was absolutely desperate...I prayed for help whilst I was on my computer and it suddenly occured to me (gift from above) to look up 'Yasmin side effects'...I found this website and my life changed. I still remembering crying into the screen as I read other women's stories describing in detail what I had been going through. I immediately stopped taking Yasmin. Within 4 days my depression lifted, as did the vertigo.

It has now been 2 years since I stopped Yasmin. Every month off Yasmin you start to feel remnants of your true self return. Anxiety has been the most difficult ongoing struggle since Yasmin, but that has improved 99%. I have been seeing a naturopath to help my body recover...as the other ladies have mentioned Yasmin depletes your body of so many vital nutrients. It also takes a while for your hormones to re-balance.

In the first 6 months off Yasmin I relied on reading posts from this site to get me through it. I am always heartened by the support I received from complete strangers during this tough time. I see my life as 'pre and post Yasmin' now....I am a much stronger person because of it...by far the most challenging and terrifying time of my life. But I would not wish my experience on my worst enemy. I emailed every woman I know my story and asked that they pass it on to every woman they know in turn...we need to broadcast that this pill is pure poison. There should be no debating to be done if you are thinking of or are on Yasmin...stop taking it immediately, and get help in the recovery process.

I wish everyone a blessed and healthy 2007.

Good luck and big hugs xxx

Dear Silke, and all

i hear what you say about the bleeding and have had similar problems myself. Update on my naturopath visit as he confirmed my low iron and liver issues from the pill. I am now on a liverdetoxification supplement shake for dinner to let my liver try and renew itself and also a supplement called adenosine that takes you into a deep night sleep naturally to try and repair the damage done to the brain thru yasmin, i must admit i have been on this for over 6weeks now and i feel much better and he tells me that until the liver is repaired then the weight will not go so lets hope this can repair my liver enough to drop the kilos. i am also on a iron supplement as my levels are low. One month in an my period come on time and unlike last month where i had cramping,clots,pain and a 7 day bleed i have had a 26 day cycle and my period is on a 3 day and then back to no period which is great
stay in touvh
lisa

Happy New Year to all

Hi there i am officially one year and 2 months off yasmin and i can tell you all its hard and each day is hard as you go through each and every symptom and every anxiety attack and every pain that you think may be leading to a heart attack/stroke/blod clot etc, and i am still here 14months after finishing this damn pill but i can tell you ITS GETS BETTER. to the new ladies to recap i was on the pill for almost 3years and yes i went through every side effect and struggled each and every day to the point i thought i was losing it even having a heart attack and life was so hard with a job and three young children and i felt like i was going insane and then i stumbled on this site and found silke and all the girls.
the first three months were horrendosu and the symptoms were so severe and i struggled immensly but then as i approached month five it slowly began to get better each and every day and i had everything high blood pressure huge weight gain massive anxiety heart palps i had to quit my job i was not coping and yet every day i came to this site and after a long six months i was getting better and better, i just want you all to know to hang in there i took it day by day and i know thats so hard when you are going through it but guess what i have been there and its gonne be ok. I took magnesium, vitamin c, a good multi vitamin and flaxseed capsules and i think these helped immensly, I have just been diagnosed with low iron so am on an organic supplement and my liver is not working as good as what it should so my naturopath will give me something for that in late january and thats why he thinks i have massive weight gain so lets see if what he gives me helps.
take care all and remember all of us who have travelled the road and still are are here to help you to realise you are not going insane and that you are on the road to recovery even though you fell like its a battle you will never win
take care
LISA

Dear Silke and all here,

toda i had my 12mth post yasmin bloods done and the results showed that i am low in iron....suprise...and my liver is not functioning at its proper rate a side effect no doubt caused through this wonderful drug. This she feels may be why i am carrying the weight besides eating and exercise well.
Just to update the new people to the site i struggled like you all anxiety , high blood pressure massive panic attacks to the point that i gave up a great job as i thoguht i was going mad, had the floaters in the eyes and now all these symptons have slowly faded but like you all in the beginning i felt like i was destined to feel so bad like i did. It got better around the 3-5mth mark and now apart from the weight gain and puffiness i am doing 90% ok. i work again can look after my three kids great and life is returning to how it was. I take every day religiosly flaxseed oil capsules, magnesium supplements and now after seeing a naturopath i am about to take whatever he prescibes for the liver natural of course. Just remember its going to get better i thought i was going to die, i felt useless could not ever go for a walk i quit my job and now things are ok, so take note and remember its hard every day but everyday is a day closer to yasmin recovery. Drink lots of water and i listened to charles linden relation tapes for my anxiety and i too think this helped train my mnd again to laugh at these attacks as a mindless game. Charles Linden wrote noone has ever died from an anxiety attack so remember whats the worst it can do, dont feed these attacks laugh at them and remember its the yasmin doing it and once your mind believes that the cycle begins to break
take care and you can always post me as i still check in each day
Lisa

Hey guys. I can't seem to figure out what's going on here. I've always had anxiety but I've been able to control it. About 3 years ago, I started Yasmin & the anxiety raged out of control. I get very severe dizziness/vertigo. Stomach problems, backaches, severe breast soreness. I didn't even start to make the connection until recently to Yasmin. I don't take any other medications (I'm mostly a naturopath) so this is the only chemical I'm putting in my body. I think I need to get off this medication. Thoughts?