Potency symptoms and conditions

I have been on Topamax since August 2005. This spring I began to have odd problems that I did not attribute to the drug. In April, my doctor prescribed Lasix for swelling in my legs and feet. In August I developed peripheral neuropathy in my legs and feet and began experiencing numbness in my chin and lower face. My doctor prescribed Lyrica for the peripheral neuropathy. Also in August, I began experiencing extreme fatigue and sleepiness. I became depressed and irritable. By September was falling asleep everywhere--even driving. I was exhausted because I awoke from sleep feeling totally unrested. I had a sleep study done and they told me I spent only 25% of the normal amount of time in the two deeper stages of sleep. At the beginning of November, I suddenly became plagued with excessive thoughts of suicide one Friday evening. I decided to stop all my meds, except the antidepressant. Within 48 hours I felt MUCH better. No obsessive thoughts and no more falling asleep. I felt like a giant weight had been lifted from my shoulders. By Thursday I was feeling rested when I awoke in the mornings. I looked up all my meds, including the clinical trials with ALL the side effects and recommendations on Tuesday of that week. Lasix increases the potency of the Topamax and has many of the same bad side effects as the Lyrica I was prescribed--sleep disturbance, depression, dry mouth, etc., etc. Since stopping those medications the first of November, Topamax, Lasix, and Lyrica, I have returned to normal. Even the peripheral neuropathy is MUCH better. No swelling or sleepiness or fatigue. No more irritability or deep depression. Definitely no thoughts of suicide. I can taste food again. And none of the migraines for which the Topamax was prescribed. My doctor is pleased that I am feeling so much better and concurs with the action I took. The medications were apparently interacting with one another and multiplying the intensity of the side effects. So, if you take multiple medications, please go to the clinical studies themselves and read about ALL the side effects uncovered in the studies. On the prescription information we get at the pharmacy, it lists only those discovered at "high incidence", including interactions with other medications.

I have had my Mirena for 4.5 years and found this site when looking up info on removal...WOW, I had no idea that women had so many different problems with this IUD. The reason I chose Mirena to begin with is that I had tried many other forms of birth control...not so much to prevent getting pregnant...but I had such bad menstrual cramps that they would cause my blood pressure to drop and I would pass out. My only option left was hysterectomy, and I was only 40 years old at the time. In any case, I never really thought I had problems with the IUD other than the initial pain at insertion. I attributed my weight gain over the past 3 years to a decrease in activity after beginning a Doctorate degree while still working full time. One thing I could never explain is the constant feeling of fatigue and occasional dizziness that seems to have increased over the past year....almost like a light hangover. I have also been getting more acne and breast tenderness over the past year, but I thought this might be due to the medication on the Mirena losing its potency. I am scheduled to see the Gyn next month, where I was going to ask her to remove the current Mirena and replace it with a new one...but I am not so sure about replacing this. I would appreciate advice specifically on whether anyone went from this option to a partial hysterectomy and their experience, as this is really my only other choice at this point.

Adderall has been an excellent drug for the treatment of ADD. It took me from a lethargic, disorganized adult, to a more productive one who finally could finish her work and leave her desk organized at the end of the day. Unfortunately...
...there are many side effects to this drug which has, reluctantly forced me to quit taking it. The weight loss was a welcome side-effect as was getting rid of the lethargy I have experienced on a daily basis since the age of 11 (anti-depressants did nothing). However, my infrequent migraines became daily and excruciating after starting Adderall and its generics. My insurance could not keep up with the coverage of the migraine meds I needed. I began experiencing ear problems (primarily in my left ear) that felt like I constantly had the pressure associated with a cold. After visiting my doctor (who told me nothing was wrong), an ENT doctor, getting a hearing test, and an MRI of my ear canals and Eustachian tubes, I finally found out it was due to the Adderall. The worst side effects, however, was a gradual increase in dermatitis (dry, itchy, scaly, skin). My complexion looked sallow and my back and neck broke out in horrible cyst-like acne (not typical AT ALL for me). My eyes became so dry (not to mention the cotton mouth), that I began trying to reverse this effect with pills from a Lasik eye center (helped, but didn't solve the problem). Perhaps the worst side effect, however, has been the hair loss. Long, beautiful blond hair, has been replaced by very thinning hair (comes out tons at a time in my shower), which is now brittle and breaks all the time. I have finally decided to quit this medication despite its benefits. I only took 15mg 2/day. Once my body recovers, I hope to take on an as-needed basis for important work projects or hectic weeks where productivity is necessary. Other than that, I won't take it any more. The side effects are too severe, even for me.

I was on prednisone for four months. 40mg a day most of the time. i was taking it for an allergic reaction to a cosmetic tattoo that i had done. i miscarried a child while on prednisone. grew hair all over my body,which still almost two months later hasnt stopped. had trouble sleeping and chills. also have weird purple lines on my legs and severe muscle pain. Does the hair growth eventually stop?

This pill is wretched. The first week, I bled straight through it. The second week, I had terrible migraines and I couldn't stand up from the amount of abdominal pain I was in. Now my breasts are so tender that I have to sleep with not only my usual bra on, but a shelf bra tank top too. And I have been nauseous since I started taking them. I've lost about 8 pounds in three weeks. I'm wondering if this is normal for the upper dosage low-dose bc pills. I was on Ortho Tri-cyclen lo about two years ago but I had a lot of spotting. (even that pill made me nauseous.) Since then I've been steadily moving up the ladder of potency in terms of these pills, but how bad will these side effects become? Will they go away?

I forgot to list my side effects.

I don't think our doctors know any more than we do about this drug. It's up to us to research it ourselves. According to what I've read, there is no evidence that even taking it at all prevents fractures, and there is quite a bit of evidence that it is in fact harmful. What's more, the drug stays in your bones even after you stop taking it and has a half-life of 10 years, meaning that it takes 10 years for it to reach half it's potency!! This, plus the fact that the long-term effects of this drug are unknown!!

I have been taking Didronel, which is a weaker form of bisphosphonates for several years and was recently put on Fosomax because my bone density had gone lower according to the DXA test. I've now stopped taking it after having perused this forum, and reading an excellent book on the subject called "The Myth of Osteoporosis" by Gillian Sanson. All I can say is, I wish I'd read this material before taking any of these drugs.

A very interesting fact that our doctors do not tell us because presumably they are ignorant of it themselves, is that bone density itself is not a reliable indicator of fracture risk.

I've drawn the conslusion that our doctors are ill informed and we put our trust in them at our own (often considerable) risk.

******

I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism 2 years ago and originally I was prescribed synthroid. I was tired and cold all the time. I was switched by my doctor to Levoxyl 50 mcg about a year ago. I am only 10 lbs overweight I still have not been able to lose. Over the last 4 months I trained and and completed a 26.2 mile marathon and 3 different 13.1 miles half marathons (running) I have not lost any weight.
My enodocrinologist has recommended that I get checked again to see if the dosage needs adjustment. I have a feeling it is too high.I have recently had some symptoms such as hot and cold flashes, headaches, heart palpitations. I have more energy now than ever in my life. Other than the hypothyroidism I am healthy and should not have heart palpitations. and my endo says that the amount of running may have shocked my body into working more efficiently. I am to be tested in a few weeks. I don't know if this is true but I also heard that if you buy medications that are on the shelf too long that they lose some of
their potency.