Prozac symptoms and conditions

Hello... I started taking Levothyroxine last July for slight hypothyroidism. I felt great for the first 6-7 months, but then in January the problems started for me. I was getting severe anxiety which the doctor said was stress and he also thought I was depressed. I knew I wasn't, but he put me on Ativan and Prozac. The week I took prozac was the worst week of my life. I thought the effects I had were from the prozac, but now I know now it was my thyroid spiking, which the doctor never checked my levels during this period. My heart rate doubled, I had insomnia, was gagging, sick, felt like my body was on speed and wanted to die. I was prescribed a beta blocker for my anxiety previously which I had never taken, but decided to take when my heart was racing, which helped me feel a bit better for the week, but I knew something was wrong. I had this happen again recently for about a week (and I was on nothing but levothyroxine). I know what anxiety is and I have never had anxiety or depression my whole life until these episodes that happen when taking this medication. By the time I went to the doctor to get labs done, I had been feeling a bit better and he said my levels were fine. I am now wondering if it's side effects from the meds or if it is spikes in my levels making me hyperthyroid instead. All I know is that I cannot live like this!! I have a 3 yr old and I need to be happy and healthy like I used to be before this medication... no more heart racing, racing thoughts, anxiety, and insomnia. Please help!!

I've been on Wellbutrin for about two months. I notice that I am quick to anger, and seem to suffer memory loss. I was beginning to think I was in early stages of Alzheimer (I am 45) as it runs in my family. I couldn't remember names and it terrified me. The doctor subscribed it due to the weight gain I experienced on Prozac, and I have lost weight on Wellbutrin. I have been diagnosed with mild to moderate depression, due to excessive crying that I could not control (especially at work). The Wellbutrin has helped keep my crying under control when crying would be inappropriate. But still feel it is excessive when I am in a more relaxed atmosphere. Prozac was certainly my "happy pill".

I had mine taken out today for all of the same reasons. I've also had horrible headaches daily for at least two months. My headaches, nausea and depression have started getting worse every week. Fortunately, I only had Mirena three months before now when I started putting things together. I've never had a problem with birth control pills and I've taken all of them. I used to get heavy and long periods- it took a while to find one to regulate my period. I love, love, love my OB. He told me the same thing today he told me when I got Mirena- that it has less side effects than any birth control pills because the amount of hormones released is lower. Nonetheless, he did agree that it should come out to see if it has been the cause of all of my misery.

I hate to think about the women out there with Mirena who are feeling tired, sick, and depressed and don't know why. Honestly, I don't know how I put it together for myself because I thought, IUD- NO SIDE-EFFECTS, it's just a device right, thrown in with a tiny bit of hormones, but at first I thought maybe I wasn't taking good enough care of myself and that was why I felt so bad all the time. Then the headaches . . . I thought that was sinuses . . . had a CT scan, came back okay . . . thought it was migraines . . . went to the neurologist, had an eeg, treated for migraines . . . still having headaches with nausea.

I almost didn't realize how depressed I was until my husband said something to me. He told me, "you've been depressed for three months now". Eureka!! I got Mirena three months ago. Plus, I am always under the treatment of a psychiatrist who monitors my medicine and am currently taking high dosages of prozac and wellbutrin. I've always had depression/anxiety problems and actually had to continue taking my meds while pregnant, just at half dosage. I had NO problems with post-partum depression (which was very much planned between my psychiatrist and medications). If I were to have problems arise with depression I certainly think it would have been closer to post-partum. I really don't think that my meds just quit working either. I realized that nothing gets me excited. I exert all of my energy into being a decent human being by going to work, taking care of my child, and trying to keep a somewhat-neat house. There is never time, energy, or desire for anything else.

I'm anxious to see how the next couple of weeks go . . . keep posting your progress and I will do the same. I certainly hope my symptoms start to subside . . . if not, I'm in trouble because I know that something is wrong with my body!!

Also, a Naturopathic Doctor told me to take Evening Primrose and it should aid in getting my hormones back to a natural level more quickly.

After 2 years and 7 months, I had my Mirena removed on 5/4. I had it inserted 3 months after the birth of my first child in 2006. At the time, it seemed like my best option due to problems I’d had with the Pill. I was on the Pill for 6 years, the first year or 2 weren’t too bad, but things gradually got worse. Because it was so gradual, it took me years to realize the cause of my problems. My blood pressure slowly got higher, my heart would often race, and I had anxiety and mini-panic attacks to the point where I never wanted to go anywhere. (My heart rate got up to 160 while waiting for the Dr during an appointment and my blood pressure was up to ~145/99) I also started getting migraines that got more and more frequent. I had an EKG and stress test and everything came back normal. I stopped taking the Pill and within a couple months felt a million times better and my BP went back to normal. I had no idea how much it had affected me and it still makes me sick to think of the years I lost because I felt so awful. I didn’t take anything for 6 months before we started trying to get pregnant and they were the best months in a very long time.

After I got Mirena, I thought it was great. I bled for about 2 months, then never really had periods after that (just some occasionally spotting). Three months after it was inserted, I lost the final 10 pounds of baby weight just by dieting. If I was emotional or moody during the first year, I just thought it was my hormones after having a baby. Slowly over time, I began to get more and more irritable. Everything and anything would enrage me. Rage is the best word for it. It would take a split second for me to fly off the handle. Everything irritated me, particularly anything my husband did. The more it happened, the worse it got and I began to worry if I would eventually lose control completely. Meanwhile, I slowly lost my desire to do anything. I’ve never been a big housekeeper, but our house has become a wreck and I have to force myself to get things down when people are coming over. If it weren’t for family coming to visit frequently, we’d really be living in a mess. I just never feel like doing anything and I’ve lost my passion for everything.

I’ve always had bad skin and have taken everything made for acne, including Accutane. My skin was the best it’s ever been the weeks after my son was born. Over the past 2.5 years, it gotten worse and now it’s as bad as it’s ever been. As my 30th birthday approached, I began to wonder if I’d have zits when I’m 70, then began wondering if the IUD might be causing it.

Also in the past year, I have begun to struggle with my weight. It had slowly started to creep up even though my diet hadn’t really changed. The past 6 months have been the worst. I constantly have a desire to eat and crave anything sugary which I’m sure has contributed to my weight gain. I’ve tried dieting and exercising more than ever before and couldn’t lose anything. Then I gained 10 pounds in 2 weeks. If I diet and workout, my weight stays the same – if I eat normally, I gain weight, just as many others here have mentioned. I’d say 80-90% of my excess weight is on my stomach and I’ve been asked twice in the last 6 months by strangers about being pregnant. I now weigh what I did when I was 7-8 months pregnant (25lbs over my pre-preg weight) and I look 6-7 months preg.

All of these issues have gradually gotten worse over time, but significantly so in the past 6 months. My fits of rage began to scare me and I would feel like my head and/or chest were going to explode when I would yell. I started to realize from my previous experience with the Pill that my blood pressure was going up again. I had also begun to get migraines again which I hadn’t had since the Pill. Then I began to feel like I was living in a depression medicine commercial. I’ve never dealt with depression before even when my husband was gone for months at a time in the Navy. Yet all the sudden I felt like I could check off all the symptoms for depression. I started having irrational and scary thoughts that I had no control over and they would go as quickly as they came. I began to get frightened because I felt like I had no control over myself, my thoughts, or my emotions. For whatever reason, I decided to look up Mirena and depression and couldn’t believe what I found - pages and pages of people describing exactly how I felt with all the same symptoms. I had been contemplating it anyway, but I decided then that I was going to get it removed. I went to the doctor and my blood pressure was higher than I expected. She gave me BP meds and offered me meds for everything else. I got the impression that she probably thought I was blaming too much on the Mirena. I would have agreed if not for my experiences on the Pill. She had never removed one, so she referred me to an OB/GYN. They couldn’t see me for over a month and there was no way I could wait that long because I knew it would take a while for my body to get back to normal. Amazingly, I found someone who got me in 4 days later. I was so excited! As everyone says, it’s a lot easier coming out than going in – just a pinch that lasts a second. So far, I haven’t noticed a huge difference (it’s been about 3 days). I felt less bloated the second day, but it seems to have come back a little yesterday. I have been very thirsty since the evening after I got it removed and have been peeing as much as I did when I was pregnant. I slowly feel like my desire to constantly eat is going away and I am not craving sugar as much.

I also wanted to mention, I started the blood pressure meds the day after I got them. I will say that it has helped my irritability a little and I no longer feel like I’m going to explode when I get angry. Now that the IUD is gone, I’m sure it will go back to normal on its own in month or 2. It’s frustrating because I got Mirena because of my BP problems on the pill. I was under the impression that there wouldn’t be any side effects and now I’m back to where I was when I stopped the Pill. I lost several good years with my husband because of the Pill and now I’ve lost almost 3 more and the first 3 years of my son’s life because of this stupid IUD. If it weren’t for our son, I don’t know that our marriage would have survived the last 3 years. I just pray that I will get back to being me and will be able to be the mother that my son deserves.

A few other side effects I’ve noticed after reading all these posts that may also be related are greasy hair and skin, hair loss, facial hair, memory loss/lack of concentration, and the strange odors and various infections that others have mentioned. I used to not be able to wrap my fingers around my ponytail. Now I can almost wrap them around twice. Like most of the other side effects, I blamed it on aging, stress, etc. I’m interested to see if it starts coming back now.

I know this is a really long post, but I wanted to include as much info as possible in case it might help someone else. I probably would have gotten it out sooner, but I didn’t think there were any side effects. For now, I am not going to take anything. I want to know whether the side effects go away and not have to worry if something is caused by a new birth control. I may try something else in 6 months or so, but we’ll see. My husband doesn’t want me to take anything ever again, but I really don’t want to get pregnant. I don’t think I want any more kids, but I’m only 30 and not ready to do anything permanent yet. My new OB/GYN mentioned Implantation, which uses a different hormone, but I don’t have much faith that it won’t have the same effects. I will probably just try different pills and keep an eye on my blood pressure. I plan to post updates when I can to let you know if things get better. I hope that my story helps someone else.

First of all, a big thanks to all of you who have shared your experiences. I am a biochemist, with a background in pharmaceutical research...I chose the Mirena IUD after careful consideration of it's active ingredient, Levonorgestrel. The side effect profile seemed pretty acceptable...until I started to experience nearly ALL of them...I am 33 years old and had the Mirena IUD placed in October of 2008 after the birth of my second child in June of 2008. The initial reaction was to be expected...cramping, a little spotting etc...nothing to be alarmed about. I still have yet to have a period (which I really don't miss so no problem there) I never gave a second thought to this until now...for the past month or so (coinciding with the weening process, since I have been nursing the entire time, I believe the side effects were not as noticeable) I have been experiencing the following (that may or may not be related to Mirena as my OBGYN has so adamantly pointed out, but after reviewing your posts I'm willing to bet they're connected) and are in order of occurrence: Major, but temporary, hair loss after 2 months or so; Major respiratory infection lingering over a month with difficulty breathing, tightness and pain in the chest at around 6 mos; And in the past month, several instances of motion-like sickness/ nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, major impatience/ mood swings, loss of appetite (pregnancy-like symptoms...yep, I was thinking man I'd be pretty pissed if I was that 0.01% pregnant statistic), and as of this past weekend, my first aurora migraine with tunnel vision and serious nausea and vomiting, to the point where I went to Urgent Care...who referred me to the ER...who wants to perform a battery of tests including a head CT. I have an appointment with a trusted GP tomorrow to discuss possible root causes...but it is to coincidental that so many women are experiencing these same symptoms! I am certainly leaning towards having this removed. CAN THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE HAD THIS REMOVED PLEASE RESPOND IF YOUR SYMPTOMS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED OR WERE RESOLVED!!! THANK YOU!
These side effects seem to go well beyond a 5% rate of incidence according to all of you who have reported. I will investigate further and keep everyone posted. As someone who is highly experienced in the pharmaceutical industry, you bet your a$$ I'm going to get to the bottom of this! Good luck ladies!

I was recently put on Yasmin, I've just finished up my first pack. Some of my friends told me to read the blogs on it cause it's not all that it's cracked up to be. I was originally put on it due to PMDD. I get hellacious PMS and i was told that this pill can help. I also take antidepressants to treat mild depression, so the low/single dose hormone is essential for me. Throughout the past month I've had two migraine headaches which is unusual. I do get headaches but not like these. I can't even open my eyes, eat, or have any noise or light around. It's really awful. I do have the dizzy spells and some gnarly pain in my lower abdomen and in between my shoulder blades. It feels like cramps but I'm not having a period yet. I'm hoping these side effects will go away as my body adjusts but frankly, from these blogs I'm really leery to keep taking this pill. Any recommendations for a girl who needs a monophasic pill and need extra help staying sane during PMS? Any news helps. Thanks and best of luck to us all.

I got my Mirena put in August of 2008. I still have it in, but I am contemplating having it taken out. I also started prozac around the same time, so the weight gain i caulked up to that, but I switched medications and was STILL gaining weight. Since August I have put on about 40ish lbs. My fiance is not liking the way I look now. I am just kinda sad about getting it out because I have enjoyed NOT taking a pill every night and it was SOO expensive. But I hate this weight gain thing!!!

I just had my iud removed this Friday. I gained 20 pounds during the ten months I had mirena. I also was extremely moody - given prozac - and felt like I had an inertube around my tummy. I had no interest in sex, lost my hair - ugh! So, I had it removed at 2:00 on Friday, slept almost all of the weekend and woke up today (Sunday) feeling really good...have already lost three pounds.

First night, first pill, just happened to find this website. I'll keep you apprised.

Me: White male, 43. Also on prozac.

hi Everyone, I have been on the mirena for four years and have very important information. Since my second child five years ago I had the mirena inserted. Since the insertion I have also started prozac for such bad anxiety. I never correlated the two until I have been recently doing my research. My biggest complaint with the mirena however has been my ACNE. I feel like crying when I think how this robbed me of the last five years. I spent most of my time in the bathroom trying to remove these huge cysts from my face. Thousand of dollars later on products and peels I am left with scars. Nothing helped and everyday there was a huge new cyst. It was awful, It effected my relationship with people, I was embarrassed and could not figure out why at 40 I was having such acne when I didn't suffer have this before. I am so mad for not researching this earlier. My other symptoms were headaches, extra fat around my midsection and feeling of nausea on some nights. needless to say after doing my research I wanted it removed. I called my docter and she only could see me in 3 weeks so I called planned parenthood. They removed it the next day. The doctor said the same side effects happened to her and that the company was looking for a new formula for the mirena but it was not out yet.

Good News. 10 days later my face is clear for the first time in 5 years!!!!. My headaches are gone, nausea gone, and I have lost 5 pounds around my middle.

Please girls take this out, I guarantee you are not imaging these symptoms the doctor confirmed them for me. No birth control is worth this. I feel like I have my life back. Good Luck. If you need any other info please post back and I will fill you in on more details, right now I have to get the kids to school.

headaches, nausea, stomach pain, headaches, dizziness, tiredness and insomnia.

I started using the NuvaRing in 2003. I am still on it and now really having second thoughts. When I started usign the nuvaring I was already taking the anti-depressant Lexapro (not sure if it's spelled correctly). Since I started taking both of the medications around the same time, I could not decipher which symptom went with what medication. I was experiencing numbness in my face, hands and legs. I was also very fatigued, had a candida related rash for 6 months, and gained weight.

Yet, through these symptoms my period was easy, painless, and short. So I quickly assumed it was all related to my anti-depressant. My doctor prescribed me Prozac and most of the symptoms I had been experiencing went away. But for the next four years I had numbness in my face and hands the week after my period, the first week I had a new ring in. During that week my doctor prescribed me to double the amount of prozac and it cured most of the numbness and nausea. Yet taking more prozac seemed to really affect my short term memory.

Last November 2008, I decided to ween myself off of the anti-depressant. By January I was totally off of Prozac. It is now February 16th 2009 and it is the week after period and just got a new ring. Today I am experiencing major numbness in my face, hands, and legs. I am having terrible headaches, vision problems and have no energy. After reading all the posts tonight I realized that all these years I have been on the Nuvaring I have mistaken its side-effects for other medications side-effects. I am really trying to cleanse my body of medication b/c my stress level and lifestyle has changed.

I want to go to the doctor and discuss other alternatives since I feel terrible and have been on this for so long. If I hadn't had gone off the other medications I never would have associated my symptoms with the NuvaRing. But now it all makes sense.

Hello ladies! I am happy to say that after about 6 years on Yasmin, last night was the last Yasmin pill I will EVER take. I can't believe I have been on it this long... very scary. I was put on birth control at the young age of 16 because I had cysts on my ovaries. At 17, I found out I had endometreosis. I don't have it bad, but to control it, my Dr. put me on Yasmin and had me taking it constantly for 3 months, then off 1 week. I do have to say, it helped me a lot at first... I guess I didn't really notice side affects at the time except for waking up in the middle of the night feeling very sick to my stomach and I had headaches a lot. It made my periods shorter, less painful and it was amazing only having a period every 2 to 3 months....

I actually didn't notice any side affects until recently. I will also say, I am not 100% that it is the Yasmin to blame, but either way after reading all the side affects people are having and not every reading them before.... I wish I would've stopped taking this horrible medication sooner.

I have felt just fine over the years until recently. I was leaving work one day and had a sudden feeling come over me. It was panic and anxiety and I freaked out to say the least. I felt like things looked weird and like I was going to faint. That was followed by more panic attacks, and feeling "detached". I saw a Dr. and he wanted to give me prozac, I didn't like that idea so I went to acupuncture. After being miserable everyday, I decided to go to another Dr. she prescribed me Celexa. I have been taking it for a couple weeks, but decided I am going to stop the Yasmin and see if I feel any better.

I definitely have mood swings, I get really mad sometimes, I cry more than normal, and now the anxiety. I HATE IT!! I want my life back!! I am taking a new BCP starting next week, but I'm also considering stopping BC all together. Unfortunately, if my endometreosis get worse, I will hurt my chance of having a family.... so I kind of feel like BC controls my life. :(

Thank you all for sharing your stories. They have truly helped me!

Hi Ladies,
I've had the mirena in for about 3 1/2 years. I have in the past recommended it. About 4 months after it was put in, I had no periods and according to my ob/gyn, this was absolutely normal for the mirena. I loved it, having 4 children, who has time for a period. I have always struggled with my weight and I've always been able to control it, but recently within the last year it has gone way up. I started exercising my butt off and dieting, I'm finding very difficult to lose weight. Only losing an pound or two just to gain it plus two the following month. I am 39 years old and my GP keeps telling me that once I hit 40, it would be more difficult for me to lose weight. Out of pure desperation, last Friday, I decided to look up the side effects of the mirena . (Cuz you know my ob/gyn said "there wasn't any side effects except the initial cramping. and absolutely no weight gain like the pill.") I would of never thought that it had so many side effects! ... And I've experienced almost everyone. I blew off most of my symptoms due to high blood pressure, which runs in my family, and the stresses of work, two teenagers, a 5 yr old and a 4year old. I would say if I had to pin point when the symptom started, it would be about 2 years ago. All those years of insomnia, anxiety attacks, dizziness, head aches, bloating, weight gain and yes even depression, that I was prescribe prozac for, could be due to the mirena. I immediately made a doctors appointment to get in removed. Well, that was this Monday and the Nurse Practioner couldn't find the strings. Two ultrasounds later, I still have it in and am waiting the "what are they going to do now, and my next appointment this Friday." I Just want this thing out and wish I never got it in the first place!!"

To make a long story short (I think). Taking Celexa (20 mg) for more than 4 years definitely caused decreased sexual sensations (numbed nerves), though it did change my life. In October Switched to Wellbutrin XL. Withdrawal from Celexa was not easy but Libido is definitely back. Problem is I am angry ALL the time at my husband. In fact, I've been angry almost from the get go from switching to Wellbutrin. I have also been puzzled by slight hair loss in the back of my head at the hairline. I have of late experienced abrupt halts in thought processes and my periods, though I am 45, have suddenly become irregularly. Frankly I didn't realize that Wellbutrin could likely be the cause of these symptoms until I read some of these posts. I really would like to wean off of this drug (was prescribed 300 mg but have taken 150 mg due to feelings of being 'wigged' out on higher dosage - did up the ante for just over a week to see if that would help but didn't seem to matter)...Nevertheless, I really think Wellbutrin is causing me to feel deep resentment toward my husband. This is not a usual emotion for me and it pretty well started immediately after I began taking Wellbutrin. I really could use your opinions(s). IS THE WELLBUTRIN causing the anger??? Did the Celexa simply MASK existing problems??? Is it a combination of both. Is this depression again or am I in the process of slipping back in??? (anger was not a previous symptom of my depression though black clouds, low esteem, doom and gloom and sadness were) Also, aside from anger and sheer resentment, I feel as if I'm spinning my wheels, that I'm in rut and that no matter how I try to move forward, I can't - I really feel lost and am so angry at my husband and see him in such a different way that it is almost to the point of being ridiculous). THANK-YOU so much for your replies.

I'm on the NuvaRing (hormones), 20 MG of Prozac every night (cause it makes me sleepy) and 10 MG of Abilify every morning. My question is this: Which of these medications are causing me to wake up at 4am, be too tired to do anything all day but not tired enough to go back to sleep!! I've even tried taking Ambien at night to sleep through the night but I still wake up at 4am every morning!!

Hi everyone, I just came upon all this yesterday and can't believe it! I have been thinking I am going crazy and have been going down a shame spiral! I have had the Mirena for about a year after the birth of my twins. When I first got the Mirena I really didn't seem to like it...I had weird bleeding, cramping, headaches but my doctor told me there were really no side effects except for the on and off again bleeding so I didn't think much of it. Soon, I started having heart palpitations and weird panicky feelings when I would be out places which I have never had before. I wrote it all off due to the rough twin pregnancy and moved on. Soon, I really started worrying something was wrong with me because of all these weird things, the headaches and heart palpitations and panicky feelings, also I started feeling foggy like I was walking around feeling out of it and sometimes a little dizzy or something just having weird head feelings. We always had in the back of our minds that it could be the Mirena but never really took action. Just for the past couple of months things have gotten much worse. Those panicky feelings really got worse and combined with anxiety and sad and crazy depression thoughts and feelings. I also have been feeling this weird nervousness.....even in my quietest moments of my day. This is so out of my normal character and I feel like I can't even remember what I used to feel like. I have been to my PCP who gave me medication for anxiety and have had a hard time adjusting because I just can't believe all of this craziness and I just keep thinking is the problem really my IUD? Then my mom came upon this because she just felt that me feeling this way is just to weird and I feel like I relate to all of your stories! I have truly been feeling like I am going crazy...and I have never felt this way before...ever. I called my doctor yesterday to talk with her and I am going to have this removed...although I am a little nervous about the after effects. I just keep thinking a year ago I was fine.. and now look at me...I am on anti-depressants...how did this happen?? I know that I have stress but there is no reason for me to be feeling this way. I would love to hear about anyone else who felt this way and got the IUD removed and how that went. I know that I probably won't feel better right away...but I am hoping with time I can forget all of this and move on.

Have been on Cymbalta 30mg daily for a year. Started on Wellbutrin 50mg daily about 6 weeks ago to help with attention deficit. About 4 weeks or so ago I started having occasional muscle cramping in hands and feet. Yesterday I started with twitching of left eye. Last time I had the eye twitching it was the beginning of an allergic reaction to Prozac. I'm thinking even the low dose Wellbutrin may be too much. anyone else had this experience? I'm also starting to notice an increase in anxiety. Not sure if it's due to worrying about the cramping and twitching or the Wellbutrin itself. Any thoughts?

Hi ladies, i have had mirena coil since august 2003 and was supposed to have it removed august 2008. Due to a crap childhood i don't like anyone coming near me and my doc will not let me get it removed under general anaesthetic, but i so want to get it removed.
I have had the same problems, weight gain, depression (which doc gave me prozac for, and still taking), pains in the stomach, hair loss, mood swings (felt really sorry for the person on the other end of them), stringy brown blood (old blood),poor concentration, really bad memory and so on.
I put all my problems down to an under active thyroid which i do have, because some of the symptoms are the same. I am so glad i found this site and to know i am not the only one.
For anyone reading this site and considering having a Mirena coil fitted, i strongly suggest you think about it long and hard, i know some people have no problems at all and think it's the best thing since sliced bread, they are the extremely lucky ones.
Good luck everyone

My side effects: Humiliation and Anger.
I take the generic form of Ritalin. I started taking it in 5th grade. Then decided that I was too embarrassed to have to go to the nurse to take my meds at school and stopped. I had a C average and teachers constantly complained of my lack of attention all through my elementary, middle and high school years. My parents allowed me to choose for myself whether I wanted to be medicated or not and I thank them for that. Wanting to ready myself for college and real life I again began taking Ritalin my senior year of High School and achieved my first ever straight A report card. At that time I had a conservative doctor who seemed convinced all I wanted Ritalin for was for recreational use, she was not an ADD specialist and only prescribed it to me after insisting I try various other drugs including Prozac! Eventually she gave in and prescribed it for me since I had been diagnosed by a specialist in the past. She was not happy to help me and I was always made to feel extremely untrustworthy and insignificant by her. Needless to say once I graduated college and got a job with my own health insurance I got my own doctor and haven't had a problem with any of my doctors since her. However, the stigma of taking this drug and the shame which comes with it is something I have never been able to escape. Regardless, I have been taking it ever since my senior year of high school at the same dose. 15mg in the am and 15mg at noon. I am 31 now and the only side effects I have had is a feeling of anger anytime people who don't know what it is like to have ADD voice their "expert" opinion or insinuate that it doesn't exist. I also get frustrated with people who like to say "Oh I am so ADD" after they do something dumb. I am humiliated by these types of people and afraid to let anyone know or see me take my medicine to this day. I understand that the same treatment for every person is never the correct treatment and some people may have negative physical side effects from this drug. For this reason everyone should be treated as an individual and a diagnoses of ADD should not be handed out by anyone but a specialist over a long period of study. My teachers and doctors began taking notice of my problems in Kindergarten and I was sent to many doctors and psychologists before they finally came to a diagnosis in 5th grade. It isn't easy to walk around with your head in the clouds only hearing the random insults tossed your way in moments of painful clarity when your inattention has drawn so much attention. It is equally painful to walk around knowing that in order to perform at the level at which you are expected to you must take a drug so stigmatized that you choke on the bitter pill every time you have to lie and tell some one it is just Claritin, when you would much rather tell the world that what you are really allergic to is their intolerance and insensitivity.

I wish I read this page before getting Budeprion. When I heard about my sister's weight loss and her rise in energy with Welbutrin XL I had to try it out for myself. I have been on Zoloft for the past four years for OCD and depression, but my depression was getting worse. I asked for XR but I ended up with Budeprion SR. The first few days were really great and I was less depressed and I could get out of bed. That't the time when you don't want to hear about the side effects. It's there. I had the nausea, stomach cramps, constipation. I just thought if I could get over the side effects it would work, but it only gets worse. My stomach is in knots and now I've developed sinus problems. This is quits! Every time I find a new drug for depression, and every time I get knocked out by the side effects.

terrible ab swelling bloat and pain swelling in different part of body but every thing seems to be on left side.Feel compression of all inside organs in abdomen.making wheezing and breathing not right.Depression - my Prozac didn,t seem to work any more now that I look back on it. I started taking lisinopril about 8 yrs ago.Lately started with headache but that went away as soon as i stopped drug. Luckily over the holidays I ran out of pills and stopped taking and about on the second day (three days after one of my emergency visits where they never find nothing even though I feel like I am dying.) I felt like my old self again .I felt normal. I was so happy Yet so mad at doctors. For getting treated like I was crazy after awhile.I found out about intestinal angioedema fro my pharmacist when on a whim asked about lisinopril .My stomach area is all still sore but not all swelled up .Oh I also had urinary problems Which I still Have off and on But I take Flomax even though i am female. Im going to get bladder scope next week and I know it has to do with compression for so long from angioedema from the lisinopril.

Hello All,

I have had the Mirena since July 2007, and I have in fact experienced some of the side effects mention by other posters. Severe depression, inability to focus, mood swings, irregular bleeding and don't forget the VAGINAL DISCHARGE AND FOUL ODOR - Argh! My doctor recently prescribed Prozac for the depression but I opted not to take it and instead prayed for some relief and then I realized that I was fine, except for heavy periods - before the Mirena and then I researched it and found this site and read the other post. I immediately felt better and made the decision then to have it removed..so I am scheduled to have it removed this week!!!! I thank God for coming across this site.

I just had mirena inserted about a week ago....i don't have any kids and was told it's easier and less painful if you've had kids....the first day was horrible....nearly fainted after they put it in,had horrible cramping, over the next few days the cramps continued...i have prescription pain killers for cramps that did not work....still getting cramps and now, i am extremely extremely tired. It doesn't say that mirena causes tiredness....has anyone else experienced this tiredness...i fall asleep at the snap of a finger...

I have been asked about my Wellbutrin experience by another member and want to post my answer to the group in case it is helpful to others. I originally posted some of this information earlier in the year. Here is my answer.......

It is the most difficult drug reaction I have ever faced but slowly the hair started growing back. It may not be quite as it was before (I have always had fine thin hair but I did have hair!!!) but it is so much better than when I finally realized what was happening to me while I was on the meds. The top of my head and temples had thinned alarmingly. I have been off of Wellbutrin since March 2008 and the regrowth started within a few months time. It is a slow process but at least you can feel hopeful when it begins.

Be sure to take the Biotin available from health food stores and shampoo and condition with Nioxin products and use the foam treatment every day no matter how tiresome it seems. I went with the starter kit. See description for products at http://www.folica.com/brands/nioxin_183.html

And to help you right now, I can offer this advice. While I was waiting for the regrowth, I used a hairpiece which helped to heal my spirit a little faster. There is also a scalp make-up product called ShaBo that helps to disguise bald spots amazingly well and Bonnie, the inventor, will personally work with you to get just the right color. Check the website for more information.
http://www.shabocosmetics.com/

Best of luck and yes it will get better!