Ophthalmologist symptoms and conditions

I am a 61 year old male and I have COPD with 40% loss in lung function. My allergist started me on Advair 250/50 a couple of years ago. As I was still having trouble with shortness of breath, my internist put me on Spiriva, also. Breathing got easier, but I was experiencing a number of symptoms.

The one that clued me into knowing something in the medicine was bothering me was bright red eyes. Also focus problems and blurry vision. My ophthalmologist found no reason for the eye condition. So I also looked at some other symptoms I had: Severe muscle cramping if any muscle was contracted; severe lower back pain after walking only 5 minutes; hoarseness; loss of voice; Extreme weight gain (55 pound in 1-1/2 years), all in my middle; bloating and tooth/gum problems that were nonexistent 2 years ago; BPH symptoms (poor urine stream, difficulty emptying and many nighttime bathroom visits with normal prostate & PSA tests). E.D.

Whoa! What’s going on here? So I began stopping all my drugs one at a time for one week. Just got to the Advair yesterday and my eyes have already almost returned to white. My hoarseness is almost gone. Was it the power of autosuggestion? Somehow, I don’t think so. This drug works, but one has to balance the side effects with the help it provides. I’m going to try just using my albuterol inhaler and stay off these steroids.

Good luck to you all!

I experienced a severe, exceedingly painful scleritis after my first dose of Fosamax. The ophthalmologist treated it as as "allergy" with prentisone drops. I was prevented from taking a second dose and the eye cleared up but recurred in full force after resumption of the medication. I accidentally noticed "Rarely, eye involvement" in the brochure that comes with the drug. But who associates Fosamax with the eye? My doctor didn't believe it until I was able to find several medical reports of such instances. The reports emphasized that the affliction did not clear up until the medication was stopped. I have not taken it again and have had no further trouble. I suppose I should try it once more,but no thanks! It hurt too much!

I had a UTI and was given Cipro. I wake up shaking and having chest pain. My elbows hurt and my toes. I had diarrhea and stomach cramps as well as leg cramps. I am almost feeling like I have a panic disorder now, because I am so nervous about nothing. I wake up every night with either the palpitations in my heart. I thought I was having a mitral valve prolapse which I had almost twenty years ago. Now I have developed a spot in my eye like spider webs which now it has turned into a flash of light on the side of my right eye. I believe all this is from the Cipro. I was fine before it.

I've been taking Aciphex for about 3 eyars. The last few months, I've noticed that I'm okay if I take it every 2-3 days. But my eyesight was faltering something awful. Everything looks too blurry and since I'm an artist, this is not good. I was about to make an appointment with my ophthalmologist when visitors told us about taking Aciphex and getting blurry vision! That was the end of my Achiphex! I'd rather have a burning stomach and see well. I don't have GERD, I just have burning in my stomach and an intolerance for acid foods. I read somewehre that eating a slice of apple will help that.

When an ophthalmologist friend heard that my PCP prescribed 50 mg/day for PCV, he warned me to watch out for depression. I experienced the typical nightmares during my first weeks on this medication. I allso experienced such tiredness that just the thought of the effort it would take to move from one room to another was practically overwhelming. I asked my PCP for permission to reduce dosage to 25 mg and later to 12.5 mg (lowest available). I understand withdrawal from this drug, like HRT, must be reduced slowly (allow several weeks between changes in dosage). I continue to experience great bouts of sleepiness during the daytime and insomnia at night. Headaches, weight gain, pain shooting from ball of feet into all toes when I walk, giving me the sensation that all toes are on fire (like blisters), wanting to claw at my skin from a sensation of itching, and periodic blurred vision are on my list of complaints. I also thought I'd made it through hot flashes but now I find myself dealing with huge wringing wet series of flashes 24/7. I don't want to forget the shortness of breath that wakes me often during the night and the dizziness that periodically comes out of nowhere when I bend over to pick up something or move too quickly from a sitting position. I can't tell you the number of times I've brought these symptoms to the attention of my PCP and each time I'm given the impression that because I'm female in the final stages of menopause (10 years and counting), it's mostly all in my head. The only other items I knowingly place in my system are B-12 time release 1000/day due to removal of several inches of my ileum (the body's manufacturing source for B-12) which housed the remains of my shattered appendix and a periodic aspirin. Go figure!

I believe this medication, Guaifen PSE ER, may have been a factor with problems in my left eye. Was on it for a week and began to see light flashes, and then floaters. Had to see my ophthalmologist immediately. It may have raised my blood pressure enough to cause this problem. Will not use it again!

My Ophthalmologist used Neosynephrine to dilate my eyes. I experienced irregular rapid heartbeat which continued for hours. After 8 hours, I then went to the hospital emergency room and was released about 3 hours later. I left with a slight irregular heart beat after taking beta blockers while being monitored.

My mother, age 89, was diagnosed with high blood pressure after cataract surgery. At the 6 month check-up the ophthalmologist found flame hemorrhages and hypertensive vessels on the back of the eyeball indicating the presence of HBP. The internist found her BP 190/90. She started taking Metoprolol 100 mg twice a day and Lisinopril 20 mg once a day. After 2 week the BP had only lowered to 160/80 so the lisinopril was increased to 40 mg per day. She now is lethargic, lost her appetite, lost 16 lbs, slightly nauseous, confused (particularly after taking the Lisinopril) and headaches. For the last 3 days she has had diarrhea pretty bad and has taken to her bed. We can't determine which of the medications is to blame. Anyone else experience these symptoms?