Potassium deficiency symptoms and conditions

I have been on 100 mg of topamax twice a day now for over three years. Most of the early side effects have worn off like soda tasting bad and the memory loss. I never had any hair loss. Also the weight loss has stopped and I did gain it back which really stinks. Anyway, the reason I was looking, was that in the last several weeks, I have been suffering horrible body aches and joint pain. My hands and knees hurt very badly. I am 39 years old and hate to think that arthritis has set in so quickly. And I know that I can't have the flu with no other symptoms and so often. Does anyone else have these symptoms? Also I wonder why these could have started after so many years of taking it.I have tried to wean myself off in the past and the migrains came back full force.

I was having a problem with my right ankle swelling and my blood pressure was rising - going from fine to high in a little over 6 months.

I have been taking Maxide for almost a year now. My head was swimmy and I had depth perseption issues with my vision the first few days which faded with only occasional episodes now. My kidneys frequently hurt, especially in the morning and I have to drink alot of water or my output goes way down. I found that soda, tea and coffee aggravate the situation. I find that I am extremely light sensitive now. Mowing the lawn at 4:00pm resulted in a mild sunburn. I seldom go to the beach with my family anymore because I get horrible burns there now. Until now, these are the only symptons I attributed to Maxide.

I have muscle stiffness after sitting for 30 minutes or more, especially in the ankles and knees. I have the same problem with pain in the hips and shoulders from laying at night and often wake with feet or hands numb. I've been visiting a chiropractor regularly for the past year. This makes me feel better, but doesn't appear to solve the problem.

I discovered the potassium deficiency and started taking a suppliment to correct that.

I've had strange rashes that seem to be poison ivy when I couldn't recall any exposure to it.

I've had blurred vision problems that my eye doctor couldn't explain.

I'm only 42, but I feel like I'm a cripple old woman. I had no idea these other problems could be attributed to Maxide. My last DR visit was the day after we got back from Vacation out of the country and my BP was high again. My Dr wanted to double my 25mg perscription and I refused. I found this searching for other ways to get healthy.

Update: I went to the ER last night and was pretty surprised when I received the results from my labs and the doctor's interpretation (diagnosis). My X-rays were completely normal and free of alignment problems or visible fractures which was expected. But, my blood work told the entire story... General inflammation indicator was slightly elevated and my uric acid concentration was through the roof. This indicates that I have developed Gouty Arthritis over a period of three-four days and have inflammation in my joints, the latter of which is improving or not severe enough to scare anybody.

I am just wondering if anybody else with sore, numb, and weak feet, ankles, wrists, and hands after/during the course of Levaquin has had a similar diagnosis? I have never experienced anything like this before, but hate to think that I may have aggravated it by drinking in order to alleviate some of the pain over the weekend.

There is no family or personal history of Gout for me. I must note that potassium deficiency and dehydration are side effects/warning conditions of Levaquin and am wondering if I was just dehydrated to begin with and my muscles were in pretty bad shape from coughing and aching for 5-6 days, then the antibiotic worsened it to this point. Either way, I will never take one of these drugs again and plan on considering this as an allergic reaction in the future.

FYI: The ER Dr. recommended Ibuprofen for the pain because the aspirin that i was taking could have been aggravating the condition. I also awoke just before four again this morning after having only slept 4.5 hours and experienced very vivid dreams and was unable to return to sleep. I'm beginning to believe that this is never going to end.

Muscle weekness, swelling of the ankles, potassium deficiency (don't ask me how, it says on the information packet that you should not use Yasmin if you are on potassium supplements0, plus depression.