Omega 3 fish oil symptoms and conditions

I have been on BP medication about 4 years now. I was on Avalide and recently switched to Lisinopril HCTZ. About 3 years ago I had hip surgery. The evening of the surgery my back was hot and beet red, the next morning the rest of my body looked like I lay in the hot sun and was very burned. The docs and I felt it was pain killer. Last year I had another surgery, indicating I was allergic to pain meds, codiene, morphine, percocet, all of which I had with the firat surgery. Again, the same reaction. Last week I had another surgery, no pain meds as indicated, again, same burn reaction. I peel horribly, my face swells, around my eyes swell, I was a mess. I wonder if the BP meds caused it. No one said to d/c them as they did the supplements of multi-vit, omega 3 fish oil, aspirin. Prior to being on BP meds, have had several other surgeries with no reactions. I feel it is the BP med. causing this. Anyone have any such reactions? HELP.

I also started taking Welchol, two in the morning and two in the evening. I started noticing that I can not get an erection, and I know it's the medication. Can someone out there tell me if i am the only one or is someone else having this problem due to Welchol?

Hello all,
I'm a 45-yr old Air Force Major (Male) recently diagnosed with asymptomatic chronic Atrial Fibrillation (As in I have it and was walking around not knowing it). When I went to see the cardiologist, my B.P. was only 120 / 74 (Which, until they changed the rules, used to be normal)and he puts me on Diovan 80mg once a day plus Coumadin 5mg. Well the Diovan almost made me faint and I had numbness in both arms, plus a funky rash, kind of like chicken pox showing up on my arms and thighs.
I went online and read horror stories of Diovan so I stopped taking it immediately (I had only taken four doses and never had any horrible symptoms until after I took the meds!). Then the Dr. put me on an Event Monitor and it showed I was indeed in A-fib all the time, plus at night, my heart was racing briefly to 200 a minute while I was sound asleep. So he puts me on Toprol XL 100mg once a day.
Immediately I had trouble sleeping (Which I never had before, ever!) with crazy dreams and tossing/turning. My B.P. dropped to 88/65 and my fibrillating heart rate was 64!!! I was so mad because I actually felt better before the meds. I found this site and saw what everyone was posting and immediately took myself off the Toprol XL.
The day after stopping the Toprol I had slight chest pains (Like angina or gas bubble) but they went away on their own. I slept fine the next night.
I'm having an Electro-Cardiversion done on the 21st July to see if I can stop the A-fib and get in normal rhythm. I know the Dr. is going to be mad at me for stopping the Diovan and Toprol, but I'm sorry, I'm convinced there is a better way to beat all this (Namely exercise and eating right). Being in the service means you have to be Mr. Physical and Mental "perfect" all the time. I cannot afford to be diagnosed with depression in my line of work! Thanks to all on this website and I wish you the best.
PS. for those who think I'm being ignorant of my medication, I have a nice fat insurance policy and Power of attorney for my wife and kid in the event I keel over!!! I may be medication intolerant but at least I took care of my family.

I was taking Lovastatin until the VA told me that it was not on their formulary any longer and I had to take Simvastatin. Within a couple months my feet started burning and a numbness began creeping up my legs. I began falling, staggering and lost the ability to walk without two canes. I thought I was in the early stages of MS or ALS and feared I was dying. My fiance' did research on the internet (Spacedoc.com) and discovered that the symptoms I was suffering from were the result of Statin Poisoning (don't take my word...look it up) I took myself off the Simvastatin at the doctors request and began taking 4 1000mg of Omega 3 Fish Oil, 2 50mg CoQ10, 1 50mg L Carnitine, a multi vitamin, and 1 81mg coated aspirin per day. I still have numbness in my legs and some burning in my feet one and one half years later. My Neurologist has told me (and written a letter to the effect) that I am permanently disabled...that this will never go away. Statins (all Statins) are poison...don't take them....the pharmacutical companies only push them to make MONEY they don't care about you or your health. If you need more information contact me anytime and I'll be happy to share any research I have. ******

Question for you all. I have been on levaquin for 6 days 750 mg. For the last 3 to 4 days my hands have been killing me and it is getting worse, my knees, and shoulders hurt now. After reading your remarks I am calling doc first thing in the morning. Please let me know if you have any advice for me.

In 1998, my father died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage. I was only 33. This was devastating to me being a single daughter who still had aspirations of having him walk me down the aisle and all. I became extremely depressed and cried all the time. I was prescribed Paxil by my GP in this state of mind. No psychology or counseling offered first. And nothing was said to me about it being an addictive drug that would be next to impossible to stop taking. Nothing was mentioned about the long-lasting side effects. It was only a few weeks into it though that I realized if I missed a dose or didn't take it on a scheduled time each day, I would experience these "brain lapses" or "shock type feelings" in my head. I couldn't think a thought through without confusion. Having a conversation was like being a walking-talking robot that was short-circuiting. My other symptoms from this drug was the weight gain (about 30 lbs by the end) and the total absence of libido (not that I didn't want it but that I was totally numb in parts that I wasn't before), which was not normal for me. It was like many of you have stated... sort of a no-feeling zone ... and I decided this drug was NOT for me.

It took me at least 4 months to taper off 20 mg of Paxil. The side effects included severe trouble thinking or remembering things, anxiety attacks, more gain weight (which I attribute to low energy or enthusiasm for most things), angry outburst, easily tearful, then the feet swelling. At first it was just my left foot that would swell up and I attributed it to maybe a hereditary condition and dismissed it being any part a Paxil withdrawal symptom.

Another blessing I feel is a result of my Paxil is a very sensitive stomach. I have GERT (or acid reflux) most of the time. The GP put me on Protonix which helped the acid problems but then my hands and feet would go to sleep at night. I didn't think that was a good payoff so am not taking that either.

The edema increased to an almost daily occurrence for both feet. Sometimes they are so swollen I cannot bend my ankles and my hands and face are swollen too. Over the past 7 years, my GPs have prescribed varying kinds and doses of diuretics to help elevate the fluid in my system, which at first helped some, but now it doesn't even effect the edema in my feet. The only thing that helps really is to wear a closed shoe (like a tennis shoe) or -- which instead forces the fluid up into my ankles. Just yesterday I was told that compression hosiery is the only fix beyond maybe losing weight (I am not obese but am about 45 lbs overweight at 185) and that the diuretics were really not necessary.

When I exercise on an elliptical machine both feet go to sleep after only 15 minutes. I am much more active now and play tennis 3-4 times a week and when playing my hands and feet get numb.

Ten years later, I have chronic (almost daily) edema in both my feet and in my hands and face sometimes. I am way more active and exercise regularly by participating in sports (tennis and other running sports) but I do not lose weight. I still get the numbness in my hands and feet when I exercise for any length of time.

In the past 3 months I have had my blood tested for any and all problems - diabetes, low B12, high sodium, cholesterol, heart Doppler exam, CT of abdomen, and more. I am healthy as a horse from the results, but I am still having daily edema in my feet. I was told by a friend living in Italy that they prescribe a drug called Daflon for circulatory improvement. It seems this drug is not available in the U.S., probably because it is known for having no adverse side effects. I did find that a natural plant extract called Pycnogenol is supposed to help with circulation and other inflammation. It is also known as a Vitamin C "action-helper."

The reason I am sharing my side effects from Paxil, is that before I took this drug, I had no known problems with my circulation and I feel it is what caused it. I also have the ongoing trouble of remembering things. I feel this drug did a number on my body and I was only on it maybe 8 months. I can't imagine what someone on it for years will face. Thing is, I was sad about my father; I wasn't suicidal. They prescribe something that has long lasting results to someone that is in a weak state of mind and then don't warn you that there are so many serious repercussions -- no. 1 being that this drug is chemically addictive to your body's delicately balanced system. NOW because of deaths and Paxil-related murders the FDA has questioned this drug's safety.

You have to wonder if the doctors are really thinking about the patient or if they are just promoting the latest new drug for some personal gain of their own. I feel like a live guinea pig and there's no solution to the side effects I'm left with.

I want to encourage those that are thinking of getting off this drug that the side effects will wane some over time -- you can't do it cold turkey or you will pay the price -- but don't take it any longer than you have to because the long-term effects are not worth it. Better to learn how to deal with your emotions and find something that will be a boost for you in a healthy, non-drug related way (or at least natural), than let this Paxil industry continue.

I started taking Toprol XL after being diagnosed with SVT back in May of 2003. I was only in my late 20's & was very trusting, at the time. I was recently sent to a cardiologist because I was having horrible chest pain & the Toprol XL 50 MG wasn't working at keeping the heart rate down. The GP put me on a double dose as well as Cardizem to help with the chest pain & rapid heart rate. I was already on Lanoxin 0.5MG, the highest dose allowed. The cardiologist took me off of the Cardizem right away because he said that is was too stressful for the heart to be on that much heart medicine. I went though several tests & was told by the cardiologist that I didn't have SVT & that this was actually Postural Tachycardia (POTS) & Neurocardiogenic Syncope. I was taken off of Lanoxin, but kept on Toprol XL 100 MG. He put me on lots of salt & water to increase my blood volume which would help my blood pressure when standing. That was in June of 2007. All went pretty good, I thought, until January 18, 2008 when I was working. My heart rate went up to 136 just standing or walking across a room. I called the doctor & talked to a nurse who suggested that I take another 1/2 of a Toprol. I did that & felt better for awhile, but it was short lived. I had been having chest pain, rapid heart rate, fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting, short term memory problems, rapid weight gain, hair loss, cold extremities, & other things I can't think of right now for what seemed like forever. My gynecologist & my cardiologist first thought that I had thyroid problems, but all tests have come back negative. They then thought that maybe it was from the birth control pills that I had been on for the ovarian cysts. I was changed from one medicine to another & at first I thought that was what was wrong. I am now certain that all of the problems that I have been having were & are a result of the Toprol XL. I was even told that all the problems were "psychiatric in nature". I know that that isn't it at all! I have never had anxiety problems & the GP now thinks that's all that is wrong with me & wants me to go on Zoloft. I tried it, but became so ill that after one pill, I quit. I now plan on weaning myself off of the Toprol XL without the GP's knowledge or consent. The cardiologist was planning on weaning me off at some time in the future, but I am starting without him knowing it at the time. I'll just tell him when I see him next month. Thanks everyone for alerting me to the facts about this medicine. If I had known then what I do now, I'd have never consented to starting it in the first place. My only question is, are some of the "side effects" going to be a permanent thing for me or will they eventually go away? Any advice would be welcome! Thanks again!

I didn't seem to have any side effects until the doctor upped my dose to 20 mg of lisinopril after 7 weeks at 10 mg.Then the gastro-intestinal effects started with gas,constipation and severe cramping for about 2 hours every night.I finally was told to quit the lisinopril and wait until side effects subside to try another approach.I would be interested in find a more natural way to control my HBP other than a drug derived from a pit viper's venom.

I took 500mg per day for 9 out of 10 days. On the morning of the 9th day I hopped out of bed but was SHOCKED by the amount of pain I had in my feet! I could barely put my weight on my feet or walk! It was like I was 85 years old!
I stopped taking it immediately but the symptoms continued to get worse over the next 5 days. By the 5th day I had pain in my feet, knees, hands, neck, back and shoulders! I went to the doctor; they refused to believe it was a reaction to the medication so the did blood work. I tested negative for rhematoid arthritis, Lyme disease or any other auto-immune disease. THANK GOD! The doctor still wont say it was the medication. He said it was caused by a "virus" . ya right - whatever! I didn't want to take anything for the pain so I started going to the gym 2x a day,( AM &PM) to sit in the hot tub and steam room. I also drank tons of water to flush my system. I at only foods that are known to be anti-inflammatory such as red grapes, 100% red grape juice, tuna fish, sardines, pineabble, soy milk, flax seet. I also took 1000mg of omega 3 fish oil capsules (iceland health brand) a multi vitamin (geritol brand) extra calcium with extra Vitamin D, and I switched from coffee to green tea. I drank about six cups a day in addition to about 8 glasses of water. I also gave up all foods suspected of causing inflammation such as meat, processed foods, and sugars. I also (for the first time) went to a one hour reiki session with a woman who was excellent. After about a week the pain in gone almost completely, except my feet still hurt a little bit in the morning untili they loosen up. I highly recommend trying this to see if it helps aleviate your symptoms of muscle and joint pain. Good luck.

Sucess Story:

I am a 38 yo female, I have severe endo, I had a bowel re-section because it ate through a portion of my small intestine. I just received my 6th shot today, and my doctor and I agreed that I am going to start the regiment over next month. (another 6 mths)

I have actually had an okay experience with Lupron. I have had hot flashes, night sweats, moodiness, and bone/joint pain and headaches. These symptoms seem to occur more toward the end of the month within a week or so of getting my next shot.

The symptoms are not fun, but neither are they unbearable. I have a good quality of life and the symptoms do not interrupt that in any way.

Additionally, sorry if this is TMI, but I have had no drop in my sex drive/urges, things just take a little longer to get going. My partner understands this and is most supportive.

Every day I take:
Multi-vitamin
Calcium/Magnesium supplement: 1000 mg Calcium/667 mg Mag
Omega 3 Fish Oil: 1000 mg
Vitamin B12: 100 mcg
I drink quite a bit of soy milk also

Good luck to those of you who are either on it, or considering it. My empathy to those who are having a horrific time with it.

To Guest # 31978 that just posted on November 1st......I had 12 shots of Lupron and am pretty much a pro....I am so glad I went through this treatment and I truely feel that if you take care of your body with good diet that you can defeat Lupron and Lupron can actually do more good than harm. To help some of your side effects.....High Blood Pressure is definately associated with Lupron......your levels of stress are up when on this drug....because it is a type of drug that slows your system down and we want to go faster...so we fight it.....therefore raising our blood pressure....to reduce your blood pressure and bring it to good standing....try taking 2 tablets of OMEGA 3 FISH OIL daily....this is not only extremely good for your heart and functions, nervous system...(reduces blood pressure)...but it helps in the cognitive area (memory function), and lubricates joints and tendons which is a necessity when on Lupron. Even if you don't get side effects of Joint Pain....doesn't mean you don't have a silent damage....If you take OMEGA 3 FISH OIL...which you can find at a local drug store....or even Walmart has it....this will keep your joints, heart, and arteries very healthy. Also a Vitamin B Complex... will help reduce any stress even if you don't appear to be stressed ....Lupron treatments can be stressful in itself (hormonal changes) therefore causing a disruption in your sleep....dispite the side effects. Take Vitamin B Complex to help your nervous system and reduce Stress. Vitamins can only help you. Stay away from excess vitamins of A, D, E, and K as those are our overdosing vitamins.....you can take them just not in excess. Lastly......a vitamin called "Melatoni" will help you fall asleep but won't keep you asleep and it is all natural....you can find that at walmart to ...it is only 1mg...so completely nothing...but helps any restlessness. As far as the hot flashes go....well those are hot flashes and no way getting around that one. Hope I have helped.

Joodles here with a 4 month update OFF of Yasmin....

So far I have had 5 periods in the past 4 months but they have been lasting only 3 days.

I have lost 8 of the 10 pounds I gained off of Yasmin. My blood pressure has returned to the normal range, the heart palpatations have ended. The skin rashes that I was having are gone, the dizziness has subsided but I do still get occational spells, My knees are no longer sore at night and the leg cramps are gone. My hair loss has slowed dramatically andmy acne has cleared up.

I am on a holistic approach to hormone replacement. I take Omega 3 fish oil pill, Flax seed oil and a natural vitamin formula that has black cohosh. I take the menopuase formula of Enzymatic Therapy vitamins as I am 46 years old.

I had been on Yasmin 1 year and other types of the Pill for 24 years stright. Needless to say I was really nervous stopping the Pill after 25 years but I can't get over how much better I feel.

Ladies, we have been through Hell with the Yasmin and it DOES get better. My irregular periods are still due to the body adjusting to the normal hormones versus synthetic.

Let us gather strength from each others messages and know that we are not suffering alone!

God Bless,

Joodles

Hello Ladies, Joodles here with an update.

To re-cap, I am 46 years old, had been on birth control pills continually for 25 years, the last pill being Yasmin. I was on Yasmin from May 2004-May,2005.

My blood pressure was beginning to rise so my GYN told me to stop the Yasmin.

It has been 2 1/2 months off of Yasmin and I am slowly beginning to feel better. No more racing heart, dizziness, calf cramps, skin rash, hair falling out.

I have begun an herbal approach towards menopause. If you are interested the website for the herbs I take it is www.enzy.com. In addition to the Menopause herbs I also take Omega 3 Fish oil and Flax seed oil. Believe it or not my Female GYN suggested the herbal route versus synthetic!

It has been an awful withdrawel time. I am starting to calm down emotionally and my hair and skin are getting better. I had awful water weight gain the first 6 weeks which is almost gone. I am getting my sex drive back too!

PLEASE all of you hang in there. It DOES get better, for some quicker, some slower.

Let us gather strength from each other's messages and words of encouragement!

God Bless,

Joodles