Provocation symptoms and conditions

I'm 22 years old and have been on YAZ for 1.5 years. I was originally on Yasmin and was fine but my Gyno suggested that for my body type and slight anemia I was taking more estrogen than necessary, so I agreed to try YAZ. I was excited at first, hoping it would help with my mood swings (which were not as severe as experienced with those who have PMDD). Everything was fine (clear skin, light periods, etc) until I noticed that in the past few months I was getting severely emotional (which is the complete opposite from the kind of person I am). For a while I thought it was just a phase and something that would pass but it has gotten progressively worse, to a point where I have become overly sensitive, crying with out reason and was experiencing anxiety. All out of the ordinary and very scary. Since I am an active healthy individual with no other medical concerns or on any other meds I realized that I may have been suffering side effects from the YAZ. The mood swings were particularly worse on days leading to the placebo pills and into the first week. I have been off of it for the past three days and will talk to my Gyno on Monday to either go back to Yasmin or try something new. Of course it will take up to a month for the YAZ to be processed out of my body.

Honestly it was a scary experience and it was good to know that my sudden bouts of sadness and anxiety wasn't all in my head. While YAZ may not be for me I know people who have not experienced any side effects while on YAZ. So if you are considering it I would suggest giving it a try but keep track of any changes in mood or side effects.

I have also noticed that people who were actually suffering from PMDD have like their experience with YAZ and women without PMDD have seemed to experience it while on YAZ, of course this is simply an observation and nothing else.

I am 21 years old and have had the Mirena for 19 months. For the first couple of months i absolutely loved it! I had light periods that only lasted 1-2 days and no other side effects. January 2008 was the last period i had. That was 14 months ago and the side effects have slowly been getting worse since then. I have been depressed, lethargic, withdrawn, paranoid, anxious, not to mention very low libido & a lot of weight gain - about 50 pounds in the last 19 months, despite dieting & excersising. I have severe mood swings which I never had before. I have always been fun & easy going and now I have sudden outbursts, especially towards my husband with no provocation. I almost never want to kiss him, let alone have sex. We have been married for less than 2 years and its killing our marriage. I have severe migraines & cry a lot. I have only been married for 18 months and my marriage is suffering because of everything wrong with me. I dont even recognize myself anymore. We don't want to have kids for another couple years, but I think I am to the point where i would do anything to be myself again.

I had some really odd-ball side effects from Lyrica. I was on 150mg twice a day for fibromyalgia, and it seemed to work initially. I was feeling pretty good, and thought I, too, had found an answer to my aches and pains. After about two months, I noticed that my hair was falling out and turning gray (I was 39 at the time). I hadn't had a menstral period that second month, either. I told every doctor I saw about these strange symptoms, but was prompty ignored.

The third month, I began to gain weight like crazy. I ended up gaining a little over 20lbs during the year-long treatment. My skin was dry and thickening around my thumbs and heels. My energy level began to really go down (it was never that high to begin with). My fingernails became brittle and broke with the slightest provocation. The grayer and falling out hair was coarser, too. I also was either sleeping all the time for days, or then couldn't sleep at all for days.

By the sixth month, I noticed that my wounds were also taking longer to heal. Being diabetic for the last 29 years, I thought that maybe neuropathy was starting to set in. Up to that point, I had never had any signs of neuropathy, and always was in good control of my blood sugar levels. Now, I was beginning to get worried.

The eighth month forward brought cracked heels, cracked toes, cracked fingers and thumbs. I began to have pitting edema, which I immediately informed my Rheumatologist about. I have chronic renal insufficiency, though not diabetic related. It was a gift from my OB/GYN during pregnancy when I became eclamptic. The edema was so bad that blisters appeared on my ankles and would not go away, no matter how high up I rested with my legs. My skin hurt all around my legs, and soon started to notice my face also swelling. Still, no comments from any of my numerous doctors.

After a year of all this strange stuff, I took myself off of the Lyrica. It was a hard choice, as the meds helped to silence the strangling pain in my muscles. Within a month after discontinuing the drug, my period came back. Three months later I noticed that both my hair and nails were stronger, and my hair wasn't falling out as much.

Six months later, and I notice now that my wounds heal like they used to. My hair isn't as coarse, and my nails are much stronger. My sleep schedule is still not right, and I still have the deep cracks and crevices to my thumbs and heels, but it is much better than it had been. I have also since tried Lamictal, but am having tachycardia and shortness of breath, along with a marked rise in my blood pressure. This, too, I discontinued and am feeling somewhat better. The muscle aches and pains and fatigue are back with a vengeance, but I will put up with them as long as I can. I am on so many meds anyway, that my body is probably kissing my toes in thanks!

Luck to all who are on this drug, and hope it works for you without all the weird side effects I put up with!

Yaz blows. I started taking it on Day 1 of my period. That was 2 weeks ago today and guess what? The pill that is supposed to give you shorter periods still has me bleeding...two weeks of constant bleeding!

I was happy at first because my period was WAY lighter than normal. I was expecting it to go away after 4 days. It did not. I was expecting it to go away by at the very most, day 7 (my periods are normally 7 days). It did not. I expected 'breakthrough' bleeding that would occur at random times in my cycle. What I have gotten, however, is two straight weeks of bleeding. Enough for panty liners changed out a few times a day, not enough for a tampon (this bothers me, I'm a tampon kinda girl!)

Also...about 2-4 hours after ingesting the pill, I get severe nausea for the next 8-10 hours. I'm talking like, the kind of nausea you get when you are pregnant.

My mood has been TERRIBLE. I get VERY angry at the drop of a hat, without provocation. I do not like the rage I have experienced since starting this drug.

I've also developed insomnia since starting Yaz.

I will not be refilling my prescription next month. At $45 a month for a drug that doesn't come in generic, the price, as well as the consequences, is too much. I started Yaz to get rid of my periods, not to have a constant one all month long.

After visiting this web site everyday for the past four weeks, I feel the need to share my daughter's (and my families') experience with singulair. My 8 year old daughter was put on singulair aprx. 2 years ago in addition to zyrtec to treat her allergies. Shortly after starting the drug, she developed stomach pain. After a few weeks of chronic pain, I pursued help from our pediatrician. After visits to two different pediatric GI doctors, an allergist (to test for food allergies), and an orthopedic surgeon ( because of sudden leg pain), the results were inconclusive. During this time my daughter also became very sad, angry and fatigued. She also completely lost her appetite and refused to eat much of the time. I attributed all of these symptoms to her stomach pain . In addition, she developed difficult sleep patterns and would often wake-up exhausted in the morning. Over time she also began to have more and more "melt-downs", breaking into crying spells over the smallest provocation or challenge. I recently contacted my daughters pediatrician to discuss what other testing or direction we could take to help my daughter. In the interim of making that contact, a friend told me about this web site. As I read page after page of other parent's experiences, I was in tears. I felt as if I was reading about my own family for the past two years. I say "family" because when one child is living through this kind trauma, everyone in the family is negatively affected in some way. My husband and I felt completely frustrated and unable to help our daughter. Our older children began to resent the great amount of time and energy I spent on behalf of our daughter. My younger daughter who had always looked up to and loved her older sister was sad and confused by her sister's anger and impatience.On March 29th I took my daughter off singulair. Unbelievable. Within 2 days, my daughter's appetite returned. On the second day, she came home from school and requested a corn dog and then some ice cream. She suddenly wanted to eat breakfast again. She started smiling and laughing again. She has suddenly become capable and responsible for doing her homework and chores. She is going to sleep more quickly and waking up happy. The best part is having our daughter back...the sweet, wonderful, happy six year old who I feel like I lost for two years of her life! As a side note-the return call I got from my pediatrician was that he wanted my daughter to see a psychiatrist. That's how close we were to taking another (completely unnecessary) path to helping my daughter. I also recently spoke with my daughter's allergist about our experience. At first he was somewhat dismissive. I asked him to listen to me parent, to parent for just a moment. He seemed to soften and said he would take a second look at singulair and its side effects. I encourage every parent who's child has been so adversely affected by this drug to be proactive. First, please contact the FDA to report your experience. Second, talk to your children's physicians and share, with confidence your experience. Third, share this web site or a similar one with everyone you know. I have been astounded how many children are on singulair just within my own small circle (school, church and play group). I really believe one voice can make a difference. I have to believe that for the sake of all the children still suffering.

Wow. I can't even express how blown away I am by all of this.My son is 7 and has been on singulair since he was 2. He was moved to the 5 mg last year in March. The only difference between my son and all of your stories is that when he was in kindergarten we discovered a rather large arachnoid cyst in his brain that had to be drained. It was easy to blame some if not all of his behavioral problems on the location of the cyst. It is in the left temperol lobe. Having something in that region of the brain can cause behavior problems. His cyst was also big enough to push on his pituitary gland making him think he needed to use the bathroom all the time. He had a slight case of diabetes insipidus. During all of this he was complaining of headaches, fatigue, leg pain, the boy could not walk from one end of the mall to the other, he would melt down at the slightest provocation and turn into an angry little monster at around diner time. We attributed it to low sodium levels messing with his head, but his blood work never reflected someone who was THAT bad. After his surgery he had some normal depression, but in March, four months after, he became a different person. He was full of rage and anger and almost got kicked out of school. He broke things at home and lashed out at people, he said awful things. He was put on Tegretol, (that made him very sick) and Wellbutrin. Since he couldn't tolerate the tegretol they switched him to abilify. He still takes this. The one time we tried to take him off he went completely nuts again. Same kind of aggressive behavior, lashing out, no self control, crying all the time, very moody, saying things like "nobody loves me." My son is the sweetest person you will ever know. Before all of this, he would melt your heart with his kind words. Now he has been diagnosed with ADD, Aspergers, and has all of one friend at school. I go every day to eat lunch with him so he doesn't have to sit alone. I completely understand that my son will continue to have problems once this medicine is out of his system, because he does have other issues, but this morning the first thing he said to me was, "Mom it's weird, I don't know why but I feel so happy."
He has been off the Singulair for 6 days now. I called his allergist and he was VERY interested in all of this and wants to meet with me. He has always been so heartbroken by how my son has struggled. Don't think all doctors are bad. This one isn't. He is going to help me report all of this. He is really upset too. Of course he is older, been around for ever. I don't know. He cares about his patients. His receptionist said she thought they would be getting a ton of calls about this and I was the only one. Hang in there everyone. Alone we are quite together we are LOUD.

I have fibromyalgia and started taking Effexor xr last fall to help combat fibro symptoms as recommended by my doctor. I am also prone to SAD. I have found that my fibro symptoms are worse if anything. I crave junk food and sweets. My doctor told me the drug could not be causing the cravings or the resultant weight gain. I finally five days ago told the doc I really didn't feel I was benefiting from the drug and she agreed that I should stop 'cold turkey'. Wellll! since then I am having nausea, chills, very vivid dreams, bordering on hallucination. I feel I have been sleeping for hours during the night and find it's only been two or three hours. I'm still not refreshed, but I can't get back to sleep. I find myself crying for no reason at all, feeling anxious, feeling angry at the least provocation. Chills, runny nose. While I was on Effexor my libido was non-existent. Now it's increased greatly. What is up with this drug. how long can I expect the after-effects to last? I had to stay home from work today for the nausea and tiredness and just general over emotionality.

Calgon take me away

WOW!!!. I'm in my 40s.. Ive been on various Bcp for about 10yrs due to a fibroid that causes me to bleed too much and I got anemic. I have been on Yasmin for a year-- and didn't like it so the Dr, suggested I try Yaz. So I did for 6 months.WHOA!! Major muscle tightness that got progressively worse-so much that I couldn't even bend over to tie my shoes. I ached all over, headaches and tired. I also had muscle cramps at the least provocation. I notice that the weeks I had my period and wasn't taking the pill daily, I felt much better. IM very athletic and as a former dancer was very flexible. Ive been of about a week and a half and really feel a difference already. I think Ill Detox and see what my body does. This is crazy.. Anyone else have this???

well this is the second time for unknown reasons I get an allergy attack in one eye that swells it shut. Antihistamines don't make it go away so they put me on a course of prednisone and send me on my way even though I have told them it gives me violent tendencies. I am not an angry person by nature, but the last two times I have been put on a course of prednisone I fly into rages at the slightest provocation. I practice meditation and stuff routinely, so I know a lot about mind control etc. so it's not like i can just take a breath and count to ten. I can't afford to go on vacation by myself every time I have to take a course of this stuff ;) LoL. I think my doctor thinks I'm whining, but I can't seem to convey this message that I really probably should not take prednisone. They insist all the steroids are the same and therefor prescribing a different one would not help.

Yesterday, I had another attack and had to go back and get more prednisone, this time I think my pharmacy may have screwed up because the highest dosage I was every given before was 60 mg a day then taper down for 2 weeks.... Yesterday the doctor decides that perhaps a short "burst" of pred would be better for my side effects to get it over with faster.

I came home with larger pills than I normally take. the bottle said to take 3 pills twice a day for one day then 3 then 2 then 1 for a total of 12 pills. I took 6 yesterday as directed and woke up with profuse night sweats and the shakes. When I got up this morning, I looked a little closer and each of those pills were 20mg a piece for a total of 120 Mg in ONE day... I am still sweating and shaky, and for all that my eye is still swollen ;) lol.

At least I can open it today though, so some good news. I am wondering now on hindsight did she mean 3 pills a day for two days then 3 then 2 then 1... it would still add up to twelve. I trusted what the pill bottle said and now I am paying for it. I wonder if I can take myself off this stuff, and if anyone else has had violent reactions (ie throwing things and crying) or Night Sweats that go on and on....

It takes a build up of it in my system usually before the tantrums occur, but with that high of a megadose yesterday I am a little afraid of taking it again. I am really getting frustrated by this whole process, and my doctor says an allergist would be turned down flat by my insurance because they haven't "tried everythign" yet... sheesh how much do I have to go through before my 'insurance' declares it worthy of a specialist.

It's very aggravating to me because I think an allergist could help me narrow down the cause fo these attacks and maybe know why it only attacks one eye... why do Insurance companies have the right to take away a doctors discretion? I am fed up with the establishment at this point.