Nephrologist symptoms and conditions

I was just placed on Cellecept last week- 500 Mg 4 times a day-
for my autoimmune muscular myopathy- I was a body builder 6 months ago- now I can barely make it across the Target parking lot.
I am sure the myopathy is Statin induced as I was on Lipitor-)rather than Prednisone as my doctor said less side effects.
He said I should see improvement in about 6 weeks- is any body taking Cellcept for autoimmune disease?
Thank you.
PS; So far- side effects seem to be weakness- more shakiness-

I am a 25 year old, who was perfectly healthy prior to recently when I was diagnosed with Nephritic Syndrome and Minimal Change Disease and possibly FSGS (kidney diseases) I was put on 60 mg of Prednisone for 1 month then I was lowered to 40 mg for one month and I am then dropping to 30 mg. I am also taking Fosamax for my bones and a Vitamin D pill because my last lab test showed low vitamin D levels.

I am dizzy constantly and can not live a normal life, I can not drive or do any activities that I had previously done. My chest is so tight and constricted all of the time, my heart rate is so fast and pounds at my chest. I have no energy to do anything, I can barely open a door at times. I am beginning to grow unwanted hair on my face. My abdomen is always bloated. I have pain in my rib cage, and shoulders. I feel very sore throughout my entire body. I do not really sleep at night, so I look very tired all the time.

I have actually lost weight, I have no appetite at all. I am down 10-15lbs.

Now for the Pro- my Kidney Diseases are currently in remission and this has happened much faster than the Nephrologist had thought.

I am very anxious to getting my life back to normal and getting off the Prednisone.

Has any one else experienced increased heart rate, chest tightness, or rib pain?

I wish everyone the best in their roads to recovery!!

I have been taking Lisinopril 40mg.for about 4 months now for high BP. It works very well for the BP issue. Since I have started taking it I have had the dry cough, but its not so bad that I would have change anything because of the fact that it IS helping my BP. I have also noticed that I have been getting the numbness in my arms mostly my left. My Nephrologist mentioned that its Steal Syndrom caused from my Fistula Creation (dialysis access). After reading these posted side affects I think its from Lisinopril. ALSO, in the past 2 months I have been getting acne. First thought it was from my diet, but I have not changed anything in my diet. Its almost like my body is trying to get rid of something in my system. This is not the ordinary acne problem, this is on my face, back of my neck(hairline), on my shoulders and back. The "acne" gets very bad and when I get something out of the sores it has a very strong metallic type smell. Also, I am experiencing the itching, which has been getting worse the past few days. As of today I will NOT be taking any more Lisinopril. I am certain Lisinopril is the cause of all of my problems. Has anyone experienced acne from this product??

Thanks,
Shawn
36yo, Minnesota

BE VERY VERY CAREFUL WHILE TAKING THIS MEDICINE. Get regular blood tests. I have Chron's disease. This is the drug I was supposed to have been taking to keep me in remission once I got there. (I took it while I was trying to get into remission as well- actually not into remission yet.) I landed in the hospital for what the "DR.s" say was "unrelated severe back/flank pain." Aside from it being the worst hospital experience I've ever had (they told me that nothing they could see was wrong and that the ER was only for life threatening conditions. ) After mixing up every conceivable test they possibly could, the ER dr came in with blood results and said well we have to keep you in the hospital because your KIDNEYS ARE SHUTTING DOWN. I was freaked because he made it sound like they were already almost gone. Luckily a nephrologist came to see me quickly and explained that it had lost 1/4 of its function but that she thought it could be fixed. After an exam and talking she determined it was the PENTASA that had done this. She said that I had to immediately stop taking it and that if that was the problem as she suspected my function would come back up to the reasonable range. It was the Pentasa and my function did come back. What was trying was that all the GI doctors and hospital doctors other than the nephrologist hadn't even thought about Pentasa as a possible problem because they say that "there is less than a 1% chance that Pentasa would shut down your kidney function." None of the doctors in their time had actually seen someone who it had happened to. If I hadn't landed in the hospital for back pain my kidneys would have shut down completely over time without me having a clue and the consequences of that are scary to think about. I'm just glad that I had at least one doctor that looked at the overall picture and examined the "less than 1% chances."

My nephrologist (kidney doctor) put me on Lisinopril 20 mg/per day, I have been taking it for about 2 months now because I have stage 3 kidney disease due to Diabetes as well as high blood pressure 150/90. For about a month now I have been itching like CRAZY! I cough to the point of throwing -up every morning, very dry cough! I told my doctor about the itching and cough but he just didn't say much about it.I didn't know about these awful side effects before taking it, Thanks to this site I know that I'm not the only one having these episodes and will contact my doctor to see about a change, I wish I would have known this before taking this med. YUCK!

I have been taking some form of Lithium Carbonate since 1972. About one year ago after taking a routine blood test prescribed by my psychiatrist, I was told my creatine level was somewhat spiked. The psych referred me to a nephrologist. After examination by the nephrologist, I was told I had 50% less kidney function and he believed to be my long-time intake of lithium carbonate products. The nephrologist also informed me that I would not regain function and perhaps suffer further loss of kidney function which would require dialysis. My psych immediately took me off Lithium and I suffered the extreme side effects of replacement meds like Carbamabazine (generic Tegretol).

I've been taking Triamtrn/HCTZ Tab 75-50 for HBP, approx 4 years. During that time I have had three occasions when my left ankle became so inflamed, swollen, and painful to touch that I could not walk. On the first two occasions this problem was diagnosis as Tendinitis. On the third occasions I have been told that the problem may be a form of gout that can be brought on by my medication. Is it true that Maxide and its generic will produce uric acid which could ultimately lead to developing gout.

I have been taking Yasmin for about 6-7 months due to abnormally long periods after the birth of my second baby at age 37. I also have a tumor in my uterus that might be causing painful intercourse, so the Dr. said to take it for three months straight and then have a period. In the meantime I have noticed severe sotmach cramps and diarriha (how ever you spell it) since October. Funny thing was that the first round I was suppose to take 2 months of Yasmin and at the end of the second month have a period, then do 3 months and have a period, but I noticed that on the 2nd month after I had my period (which I acutally stopped taking Yasmin since the white pill is only a placebo) and then started back on the next round of the 3 month cycle I started having real bad stomach cramps, etc. I am about to have my 2nd period of the 3 month cycle and I won't take the placebo and see if my stomach feels better. If it does, then I am stopping Yasmin. Another note, I take Yasmin at night and wake up at 1 am and 4 am like clockwork with stomach pain. I will keep everyone posted after the "placebo" period to see if my stomach gets better. I anyone has any similar symptoms, please let me kow. Tammy.

Just wanted everyone who has polycystic kidney disease and is on lisinopril to know that I've been on it for seven months and already my cysts are showing a decrease in size. My nephrologist said this may be the drug that turns my condition into one where all I have to do is take a pill rather than need a kidney transplant (like my dad needed). She's right. And at 10mg, I'm not having any side effects. In fact, I feel much better being on this bp med rather than the older one...I'm more active and generally feel great. Everyone's different so don't be afraid to try it.

I have been on prednisone 15mg,plaquneil 200mg,cellcept 1750mg everyday for the past 19years. I have chronic Lupus Nephritis ever since I was 8yrs old. But recently I had a major relapse so thats why I am currenlty on alot of meds. But I want to get off prednisone I don't like it.So I am going to get a second opionion from a different nephrologist. I want to go on Immuran instead of prednisone. Lets see how it goes. God bless!!

My internal medicine specialist prescribed Levaquin 500MG, one per day on 10/14/03 for lesions on right arm. Took last dose 11/07/03 when my dermatologist said I should stop taking the Levaquin and start Cipro. I checked with my nephrologist who was treating me with plasma exchanges for a peripheral neuropathy was advised they used Cipro "all the time" and it would be OK for me to switch from the Levaquin to Cipro (also a fluoroquinolone). On 11/08 I started Cipro and took only one dose before becoming nauseated. On 11/10 I left a message for my dermatologist that I was switching back to Levaquin because the Cipro caused nausea. I got no response to the message. On 11/24/03, while standing motionless beside my van, my LEFT ACHILLES TENDON SPONTANEOUSLY RUPTURED. I am now taking NON-Fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Interestingly, when I made a routine followup visit to my internal medicine M.D. on 1/20/04 and brought him up to date about my 11/24 tendon rupture and showed him literature about tendon damage as a side effect associated with fluoroquinolone antibiotics, he replied, "Oh yes, they are a known risk for tendon problems." It didn't occur to me until this moment while looking back into my journal that this is the same doctor who originally prescribed the Levaquin. The sad point of this situation is that NONE of the physicians recognized the risk of my taking fluoroquinolones. I have been on long-term Prednisone therapy for the neuropathy. The literature is filled with references highlighting the risk of tendon damage associated with the combination of steroid therapy and fluoroquinolone usage. I've been in a cast for 10 weeks and will be in physical therapy for several weeks, all of which has set back my therapy for the neuropathy and caused an overall deterioration in my condition. Does anyone think my docs were negligent?

My first entry was 12/09/09. I failed to mention that the ultrasound also indicated that my kidney was enlarged. Was referred to a nephrologist. Have not been yet.
The Gastro Dr. is having me have a hida scan done on 12/13/02. Am having right flank pain now and the nausea is occuring everytime I eat anything.