Perscription symptoms and conditions

I have had no side effects!!
Well I have been taking Avelox 400mg for 5 days now, and had no side effects whatsoever. I asked my doctor to give me this prescription for upper respiratory infection, and after two days of taking it, I felt 200% better. It is now 5 days, I feel great, and not one side effect. This goes to show that what may be a terrible experience using Avelox for one person, it may be a great experience for another person. I was a lucky one that have not had any side effects at all. I have never recovered so quickly from taking an antibiotic in my life and I'm 38 years old. I do though recommend doubling up on a 30 day treatment of Acidophilus. This will help you replenish the Good bacteria in your body that was also killed off when taking a strong antibiotic such as Avelox 400mg. This antibiotic kills the bad bacteria causing the infection and the good bacteria in your body as well. Acidophilus after treatment is highly recommended. Other than taking Acidophilus after the treatment, I found this antibiotic to be the best that I have ever taken. Take care, Joe.

I'm 54, started taking lisinopril in jan 09. I took for about 3 months and noticed a decrease in libido. My pressure was pretty much in control, so I stopped taking it. I started again around 1st of Aug 09. Approx 3-4 weeks later, I began to experience severe pain in my left shoulder and arm. It began to move into my neck and back. I went in for an EKG to ensure I wasn't having a stroke. It was normal. I experience dizziness and headaches. I wake in the night and my 2 left fingers on the left hand are completely numb. The pain in my neck is now moving to the right side and some shoulder pain seems to be apparent. I noticed pain in other joints as well. I'm unable to work out at the gym as I usually do due to the pain my my left arm. I highly suspect these symptoms to be caused by lisinopril. I've been taking 20mg and was just switched to 20 mgm Hct. a week ago. X-Rays were taken of my neck and shoulder last week. Haven't' heard from the doctor as of yet. I was on Diovan before I lost my job and health benefits. As a vet, the VA put me on the Lisinopril. The Diovan worked fine for me, too expensive for us vets I guess. I am discontinuing the Lisinopril as of today 10/24/09. I feel like I imagine a ninety year old would feel with these aches and all. I havent' admitted it, but I believe I'm feeling mildly depressed as well. Let's see what a week of purging this from my system does. f. D.

I too have been part of this levoxyl war. Been on the drug for 15 years and all my doctor ever does is take my blood and change the dose. I've had 2 biopsies and I'm only 32. Im a RDH and into "natural"things. This is the only medication I've ever taken besides the pill-which I went off 2 years ago-.

I went to recently get a refill and denied b/c I needed to see my doctor. Well, I had canceled an appointment only this past week due to conflict with work. To reschedule it was 2 months out. They would not refill my prescription otherwise.

Funny how Doct tell you to never stop taking medication even if your feeling better....but what it boils down to is they're controlling me taking this med in the long run now. Seems no dire emergency to me if they can't schedule me in for an earlier appt-knowing damn well my med has run out.

So F 'em. I've been wanting off this med for years now since I've went a more holistic approach. I've scheduled an appointment to see a holistic doctor regarding my thyroid and other alignments-thoracic outlet syndrome, trapezius myalgia, joint aches, headaches, lack of energy, lack of sex drive, shallow breathing, fogged head, burning eyes, loss of hair etc etc.

Which I feel is not due to lifestyle, overall health etc-but due mostly to being on levoxyl for soo many friggin years. I eat a lot of fish-balanced-I take herbal sups-researched for years-and I walk-there is no excuse for feeling this shitty.....time to do my own experimentation-be my own guinea pig...aside from seeing what a holistic doctor may have to say.

Wow, I decided to google nuvaring and leg cramps. I haven't had a charlie horse in 11 years, but I had one two weeks ago and I have noticed my legs are always achey. I have rheumatoid arthritis and my other joints don't even hurt this bad. After reading this I took it out. I rather have long periods than leg cramps. Guess I will call the doctor on Monday and let her know. I can't take oral pills because it goes through the liver. This sucks. I just wasted 35.00 after getting the mail order people to drop the one prescription from 67.00 to 35.00. I am anxious to see if my leg cramps go away. :-)

My son has been taking Keppra since his first seizure last year when he was 18, starting out with 500g. He kept having the seizures (all grand mal) off and on and because he was planning on going into the military, he was told that because of the seizure disorder, he could not serve. Given a medical discharge and coming home, he still had them, but the cause was because at times he forgot to take his meds or he worked out over exerting himself, stuff like that. From the end of April until July 6th, he did not have a seizure (his Keppra was increased to 3000g a day), and that seizure was not as bad as the previous ones he had.

We ended up switching doctors because the original doc did not want to do an eeg on my son, so with my husband and my decision plus our primary care physician agreeing, we starting having my son see a new doc. This doc seems to really care about his patients, and after talking with us, he gave my son a prescription for Depakote, 500mg three times a day along with the Keppra. A day and a half after taking the drug (the first day he took it at night then taking it as prescribed daily), he started vomiting. He would eat, later on lay down, wake up EXTREMELY nauseous, and start throwing up. This happened for four and a half days, and the doctor told him to stop taking the meds immediately. He did blood work again and said that his Depakote serum levels had dropped drastically and he wanted to put my son back on the Depakote, but at half strength; 250mg three times a day. Our answer to that? HELL NO!!! My son was miserable; he has a job and hangs out with his friends and not being sure if he would start throwing up again, he minimized going out except to go to work. It is frustrating as all HELL, took that crap for six days and four and a half of those days he was vomiting, unsteady on his feet, eyes were red looking like he was a zombie, and had starting messing with his memory in ONLY SIX DAYS! Yes we all want him to be free from this demon, and so far for these past few months of this year, (from end of April to July 6) he has had one seizure. He has not had another one since that day. As far as we are concerned as his parents, he will never take that crap again, I don't care WHAT this doctor says. And I am going to say that I believe that my son will not want to take it again either, even at a lower dose.

I took the time to call the company who manufactures the Depakote, and one of the reps I spoke to said that even if my son took a lower dose, it could still have the effects of vomiting as with the higher dose, and her concern is that when he is throwing up, he is also throwing up the Keppra which could cause him to have a seizure. NOBODY wants that!

I've had numerous side effects from Synthroid, but the ones that finally scared me off the drug were the thoughts of death, dying and suicide.

These thoughts came as casually as thoughts of what I'll wear tomorrow, which was more frightening. They also came unbidden. First, I was thinking about death generally. About a month later, I began thinking about dying, and the whole process of dying. Then, when I started thinking about just walking in front of a train, I got on the Internet and did some research.

Synthroid was the only medication I take daily, so I stopped taking it at once. And about a week later, the thoughts of death, dying and suicide stopped. My doctor refuses to prescribe natural thyroid, so I'm out of luck until I find a doctor who will help me.

Hi, I am a 47 year old female. Last month (June 2009) I went to the doctor because I had a bad migraine that wouldn't go away. After a week of suffering I went to my Doctor and my BP was high, so she put me on Benicar. I took it for 3 days and then I refused to take it anymore. After taking it I couldn't hardly get off the couch, and I was dizzy, and had a tightness in my chest with chest pains. The doctor changed my prescription to lisinopril and the chest pains got worse along with that deadly cough. I went back to my doctor and told her that I wasn't going to take lisinopril any more because of the chest pains and the caugh. She said that she didn't think it was the medicine and she gave me an EKG and I failed it. I went 2 days later and had a nuclear stress test and failed it too, then I had a heart cath and the cardiologist said that my heart was perfect, it wasn't my heart. Needless to say it was the meds that the doctor had put me on, those nasty side effects. Now I just moniter my BP and I'm to scared to take anything because of the side effects. I wished I could make the doctor pay for all the test I had to take. She should have just listened to me when I told her it was the meds. After failing 2 test, I thought that I may be really having a heart attach, Very scary. Just listen to what we are saying " DON'T TAKE LISINOPRIL" Oh yea after heart cath I called my doctor and told her that I was not taking Lisinopril any more because that was what was causing my problems not my heart and she said just to let all meds get out of my system and come back in a week and we would try something else. yea right. She's not getting any more of my money. I've come to realize that every thing has side effects, so before I take anything else I will look it up first. Be careful what you take!

I am happy to find this site. I was given Levaquin for UTI. A few weeks prior to getting this prescription I was given a sulfa based drug (generic for Bactrim) and started feeling some pain in right wrist and hand. Dr. prescribed Levaquin since this sulfa based drug didn't clear up infection. Took 2 doses of 250mg and the reactions hit - both hands swelled, joints ached, both knees swelled and both feet and ankles swelled. Went to ER and admitted and spent 3 days in hospital on morphine and started prednisone treatment of 20mg a day with Aleve to also help with pain. This Levaquin is NASTY stuff. I can't believe doctors prescribe this medication. I am still not well. How long does it take to recover? I still am stiff and ache. I too am very active runner and finding myself frustrated in the slow recovery.

I have been taking 40mg lipitor for over 9 years now.

I have had back issues since an injury to one disc (L4?), and had microdiscectomy in 2001? Took about two years to actually get close to normal.

The last few years, I have had multiple issues with shoulder pain, wrist pain, elbow pain, lower back pain, Upper rump muscle pain , and now both hips are killing me (the shoulder, upper rump muscles and hips are by far the worst). And I am now so weak in my lower back muscles, that it feels like I will (and do) pull out my back.

I have seen NO many doctors I can't even name them all. I have had operations, multiple injections (cortisone) taken pain meds, etc. Nothing has helped and in the last year and a half, I have gotten steadily worse. To the point where I can't really do much of any activity. Sleeping at night is painful. Can't lie on left shoulder, and can't lie on either hip for more than a few minutes. If I fall asleep on my side, the pain wakes me up. When I try to walk, 80% of the time, I end up with a pain in my upper right rump (sacroiliac area), that I MUST sit down to get the intense pain to go away, which it does. But comes right back when I walk again.

I have had x-rays, MRIs etc, and never reveals all that much. Disc issues, yes. NOt much else.

Recently, I have begun to get a nasty clicking (catching) on my left jaw (joint?). Not really painful, but something definitely wrong. My dentist sent me to his Chiro. I went and liked him right away. I had gone to another chiro for years and I believe in them. But this one is the best I have seen.

Anyway, one of the FIRST things he suggested, was that it was POSSIBLE that the Lipitor is causing all of my problems. Put me on COQ10, and doing multiple adjustments and treatments. I will be seeing my regular doctor 5/26, and my chiro wants me to see if he will take me off lipitor and put me on Niaspan instead.

I guess my question is: Can Lipitor be fine with me for so long, and then in such a short period of time, turn me into a compete wreck from the pain and wasting away of my body/muscles? I've told doctors for over a year now that there is SOME connection as to all these issues and pain. One Doctor, of course, gave me the "you are getting old" bull. Yes, I am 56 yrs old. But I understand the process of getting old, vs the complete failing of ones body.

Also, IF it is the Lipitor, can it possible all go away? Or should I expect some damage forever?

One more thing, the last ortho I went to the other day for a second opinion, wants me to do a EMG, to see if there is muscle damage. I was not planning on doing it, but wonder now, should I? He was not doing it because of lipitor, as he never even talked about that to me. I had shoulder operation and have not had the results I feel I should have had.

I have been on advair for 2 years and am starting to experience headaches that last the entire day. It helps with my breathing difficulties and I am unsure if I can just stop taking the medication. Its really difficult for me right now and I'm starting to feel depressed about it. I'm not sure how I'll get through this.

O my!!! Here is my long story short, 2 yrs ago was put on synthroid, after a routine physical. I didn't even know I had a problem, gained 20-25 pounds, tried to diet, NOTHING, started breaking out on my face, actually leaving scares, etc...........10 days ago I ran out of my prescription - no refills - forgot about appt. and I actually have lost 3 pounds without even trying. AND my skin has no new blemished!!! I am staying off to do a trial on myself!! Good luck my friends and goodbye synthroid!!!!

I have had Type 1 Diabetes for many years (54) without any complications of the disease - until I had a mild stroke. Which didn't affect me. Now my doctor makes me take Lipitor. From the very start of taking 10mg Lipitor per day, I got muscle cramps and leg twitches whilst in bed; muscle weaknesses; I even got Plantar Fasciitis and now I limp slightly in that foot. Before I took Lipitor I used to sleep like a baby. Lipitor has made me from a relatively healthy person despite having Diabetes to what feels like an old lady at aged 55. I know it is Lipitor as when I stop taking the drug all unpleasant side effects mentioned above cease. The trouble is my doctor won't give my Insulin without Lipitor and I need Insulin to live, of course. So I am forced to take Lipitor. I find that exercise such as a good long walk during the daytime helps; without it (eg in bad weather when I cannot get outside) the effects of Lipitor are much worse. My cholesterol readings and blood pressure are always good (even before the stroke) so why should I have to be almost crippled by Lipitor?

ive been on aviane for about 8 months after switching from yaz because it made me SUPER emotional (crying everyday for no reason) and previously ortho tricyclin (made me feel flu-like symptoms the week before my period). the first month on aviane wasn't great, i was spotting and had cramps every time i took the pill. i decided to wait it out because it typically takes your body about 3 months to adjust to a new birth control. im glad i waited because i have no complaints now other than a loss of appetite. i lost close to 15 lbs (which is not necessarily good for me bc im 5'8 and now only weigh 110 lbs) and i went down a cup size (i miss my full C that yaz gave me hah). otherwise, my sex drive has increased drastically. before i barely even touched my boyfriend, poor him..but now i cant keep my hands off him. i don't really PMS too bad, so thats good too. i have some joint pains but i don't think it has anything to do with aviane.. all in all i say try it and just wait it out, the first few months may not go smoothly, but its not likely to with any new BC you try. give it a shot

I must admit I am very surprised by all of the side effects of Advair. I have been taking Advair 250 for years and have NEVER had any problems. I'm 28, healthy, thin, and happy. I exercise several times a week. ALL drugs have side effects. I don't think it's fair for anyone to say "don't take Advair, it's a horrible drug" because it works for some of us. I was taking Flovent before but it didn't work for me. I needed a rescue inhaler several times a week. Since I've been taking Advair I don't even fill my prescription for my rescue inhaler! All drugs have side effects, but they don't effect all people!

I have taken pred. on and off in the low dose packet thru the years, but for poison ivy and it works. I trusted it. I got bronchial pneumonia about 5 years ago and was given a higher dose, with no tapering period. Never even thought about it and just took until the prescription was gone. To make a long story short, I went thru severe withdrawals. It also caused a physiological destabalization due to a built up allergy over multiple uses. If you have any mental health history or family history do not take this. Do not let a family member take this. If there is any history at all ask your doctor on all medications, I'm sure there are others out there that could also have the same results. I had other side effects also, but they have been minor compared to having my life as I new it totally destroyed and having to take other medications for the rest of my life. Why this drug has not been pulled off the market is beyond me! Especially after reading all the other inserts on side effect.

I have to say first of al, Quasense is the generic for seasonal, not seasonique, the are different. Seasonique is over $250 where seasonale is only around $160. They generic Quasense is around $115. How people figure that is any more expensive than your old pills is beyond me. haven't they always cost around $30-$40 a month?? Yes, as someone on the pill for 10 years, they have always cost that much and unless you're used to getting them for free from a clinic you shouldn't be surprised.
That being said, I started with seasonale then they actually switched it to quasense on me and I didn't even know i was getting a different prescription. I'm sure it's because it just came out, I started this in 2005. I am in absolute heaven. In the beginning I had some spotting and It'll happen every now and then, but it doesn't affect anything for me, it is very slight. When I do have my period i seriously go through about 6 tampons for the whole period. I don't wear one at night because it would always be dry in the morning, and I don't have to put one in until after I get around to showering. It lasts about 2.5 days. This pill is a life saver for me. My fiance says he would be happy to get a vasectomy, but then I would have to start having periods every month again if i went off the pill. NO THANKS!
I cant believe I used to live my life having 3 months of bleeding every year! Now I bleed for maybe 12 days a year. I have had absolutely no weight gain, no mood swings, no discomfort during my period other than a slight cramps. Everybody is going to react differently to the pill, that is why there are so many of them of them to choose from. I say at least try this pill. Talk about liberation!!!!!

There may be no way to get Levaquin out of one's body except time. But I wanted to at least try to speed it up. I don't know if it will work for me or others, only time will tell. There is genetics involved since each of us has a unique tolerance for Levaquin. But here is what I am doing:

1. 8 glasses of water daily with fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
2. Lots of fiber - a tblsp of wheat bran 3 times a day with more water.
3. Plain yogurt with live active cultures 5 times a day.
4. A hot bath with epsom salts once a day.
5. Magnesium, Calcium and Iron, a couple of times a day.
6. Vitamins B and C a few times a day.
7. Body Cleanse and Liver Cleanse from the drug store, as directed.

I took 7 Levaquin pills and stopped 10 days ago. Some symptoms have improved. Notably, my appetite is better, the bloated stomach is gone and food moves through normally, anxiety spells are gone, the brain fog is still there but maybe a slightly better each day.

I will be watching my body for any signs of tendon pain in the 12 - 18 months ahead. No pain so far, but Levaquin is capable of doing damage with the pain not felt until later. I will ease back into exercising very slowly over the coming months.

I will be posting updates periodically over the next couple of years. I am a 50 year-old man.

Good luck to all and God bless.

Someone, please tell me how long this coughing will last! I took Lisinopril for 4 weeks. During that time I had many of the same symptoms that I'm reading now, but didn't realize what was causing them. But after 3 weeks of a constant dry cough that led to gagging more often than not and cough attacks every hour on the hour even at night, I turned to the Internet to research tickling coughs. I too was sure I had throat cancer after experiencing lung cancer just a year ago. After reading all of these experiences from all of the people on this site, I was relieved yet furious. I called to inform my doctor of the side effect of the coughing that was keeping me from going anywhere but work (I'm a teacher so you can imagine how difficult that is). I was consuming 10 - 15 cough drops a day and night which was not helping my weight issue. She prescribed Toprol which I researched and read that it should not be taken if you have had a history of lung issues. Needless to say, I'm not going to take that either. My blood pressure is pre-hypertension so I believe I can control that myself with exercise and diet. It's been 5 days since I stopped taking the Lisinopril and the coughing has not subsided at all. I was up every hour on the hour last night and that was with taking a sleep aid.

I started 20 mg Lisinopril in May 2008 shortly after catching a cold/sore throat in the doctor's office. Previous to this I had minor post-nasal drip, nothing serious. But this time It took over a month to get over the cold, with continuous coughing and congealed phelgm in my nasal passages just above my throat. The coughing never really subsided, and started again in September with a vengeance. I purchased an Orek air cleaner, TB tests turned out negative. The doctors prescribed Claritin to counter the phlegm production, it didn't stop it only made it so thick I could barely swallow, and a asthma puffer to counter the wheezing. Now I'm stuck between trying to swallow all day like a thick motor oil is in my throat, or medicating it with a nasal decongestant which starts it flowing and a return to coughing. I have never smoked and have avoided smoky conditions for years religiously. The connection between Lisinopril and the onset of coughing is too strong to ignore. After reading the other posts on this site I will try to get off it ASAP.

I am a 30 year old nurse and know first hand how birth control pills are individual. I was on many before Yasmin. 6 months ago I started Yasmin because it was the new hype in birth control medicine since it reduces length of period, flow of period, and reduces acne.
I don't think the ingredient drospirenone that's included in Yasmin (a potassium sparing drug, and diuretic, another form of the same type is Spironolactone) works for me.
Ever since I had experienced these symptoms:
Anxiety-heart palpitations, suspiciousness, racing thoughts.
Headaches-tension, leading to muscle spasms in neck and shoulders.
Dizziness-Vertigo type spinning sensations
Ear fullness-popping and cracking without losing hearing.
Fatigue-no motivation, especially for an early riser and a person who works 12 hr shifts.
Chest tightness, lump in throat feeling, could be due to increase in stomach acid (HCl).
If anyone else has vertigo, or dizziness, I would love to know!
Thanks,
Good luck with trying a different form of birth control.

I am not using this yet, i got it from my Doctor this week, and wanted to look up information on-line before i started using it, from all the women use use it now and have stopped using it, do you think a women should start this RX, or try something else for the problem? I never wanted to use any kind of estrogen product, but my doctor said this one is ok, i would like to hear from the women who take it or have taken it .Thank You

Today is Christmas day 2008. And a Merry Christmas to me ha!!!!!!!! I was given a prescription for the drug Levaquin on the 19th of December for a suspicion of pneumonia. The x rays done at the hospital found no evidence of pneumonia but my doctor wanted me to take it anyway because since I have asthma and my lungs sounded so bad I was told that I was at risk for developing any secondary infection that was out there. My husband filled the prescription on the 20th which was Saturday, took the first one of a seven day supply 500 mg tablets. About 4 hours after taking just one pill was awakened by severe and agonizing pain in both of my feet and my knees that I was writhing in pain. Since I have nerve damage in my feet anyhow I know what the pain that I normally experience feels like and instantly knew that this was not normal for me. When I thought that I finally might be able to walk I hobbled into the kitchen and dug the list of side affects out of the garbage (stupid me had not read them first.) I discovered that it was one of the side affects. Called the on call doctor in the morning since it was on the weekend and he stopped it immediately and put me on something else. I only took that one pill and since Saturday night every night I wake up in agonizing knee pain and I have never had pains in my knees before. The pain is so bad that I feel like I am ready to go on a morphine drip, or cut my legs off above the knees. Six days now from one pill, how much longer can this go on? I really feel bad for the people that contined to trust their doctors and continued with the full course of the medication and I realize that what I am experiencing is minor compared to what others are going through. This drug should come with a handout that says: Take this drug at a risk to your health!!!!!! Last night the pain lasted all night and I cried all night. Have to get through this day am entertaining for the holiday and have had no sleep. Actually getting afraid to go to sleep at this point.............D.

I have been on Yaz for three months, first two were okay, not I totally feel prego, morning sickness, sore breasts, moodiness, weight gain, odd bowels. I tried to talk to my OB Tuesday and she got a page in the middle of my appt. Babies don't wait. She said to keep taking it she'd see me in month. AHHHH I can't do this, I totally broke down to my hubby last night and he said to stop it now. I have two beautiful girls, am 26, and am crazy!
Yaz has made me feel like my gestational diabetes is back, my head hurts often, I am cramping, lower back pain, irritably, want to sleep all the time, am short tempered with my kids....this is nuts!!!! Trying to get ahold of my doctor again, might just go back to my childhood family doctor. Good luck, I was on depo before my second child and had a horrible reaction to it too, even miscarried after I had been off of it for a year and still hadn't had a period. Birthcontrol stinks, I feel like I am poisoning my body, and why, so I don't have another baby. So I am experiancing, nausea, headache, stomach cramps, depression, crazy feelings, irritability, fatigue, sore breasts, decreased sex drive, morning sickness.
Good luck with your decisions.

I would like to say something about advair that is POSITIVE. I have taken this drug, with NO SIDE EFFECTS for 5 years now and it has made a huge difference in my life.
I have had no isues with thrush (i rinse and spit) or weight gain or hair loss or coughs-

please don't condem a drug just based on your experience. reading through these comments I see a lot of times this has been prescribed fr folks who were not ashthmatic or with COPD. This drug is not for folks who don't have hyper reactive airways-but for those of us who do, it has been a lifesaver.

BTW I changed careers 2 years ago and entered the health field as a Respiratory therapist and adair has helped many many people. But its not a miracle drug-it has a specific purpose and if hat is not your problem, its not likely to be a good solution.

I was diagnosed with bronchitis a couple of days a go and was given a 5 day course of Levaquin 750mg. The doctor also gave me a prescription for the Z pack in case Levaquin did not work. Before I went to the doctor I had a fever of 102 for 5 days so I was ready to take anything. That evening Nov. 11th 2008 I took my first pill... and my last one. The onset of side effects started within 3 hours. It began with an extreme blinding headache and a very stiff neck. I finally fell asleep and had the most intensely bizarre dreams which I woke up from several times to find my self drenched in sweat. The night sweats were extremely intense and followed me through to the next day. I could not stop sweating... My head was pounding in pain, it felt as if my brain was swelling though my fever had subsided. I proceeded to turn the tv on to try to distract myself, but as I was doing so my mind was racing and I found it very difficult to organize my thoughts. My vision was very isolated meaning that I felt like I had lost my peripheral vision all together. I was unable to read silently without hearing the words in a loud voice in my head...very very strange. I had zero appetite and experienced serious diarrhea the next day. This drug felt overwhelmingly powerful kind of like dropping a nuclear weapon on a small village. I felt like my body was on fire for a moment as if i was given chemo therapy. While trying not to panic I realized that a lot of my joints were cracking. It was then I decided to go online and do some reading about this drug...WOW... I mean WOW... How do scientists manage to create a drug that can actually snap tendons... We can't cure anything but we sure can napalm the hell out of anything. That being said I decided to call my doctor and said WTF were you thinking giving me this!?! Needless to say it took about 60 hours for the one pill to wear off. I am terrified to think what would happen to me if I had finished the 5 day course. I know the one pill caused some damage, hopefully nothing permanent. I am now on the Z pac and it is very mild in comparison. Please listen to your body as I did and immediately discontinue use if you experience any side effects. I firmly believe that this drug is something you take only if you are dying and there are just no alternatives ie Anthrax.