September 6th
2009
4:01 PM
Well, I've finally figured out how it is that Mirena works as birth control: if you're not having sex, you can't get pregnant. The first few weeks after having it inserted (about 2.5 months ago), I was fine - spotting pretty regularly, and having significant cramping, but nothing I couldn't handle. Then slowly I began having other side effects: dry, brittle hair that falls out in handfuls, dry skin, irritability, depression, fatigue, lack of motivation to do anything physical, extreme bloating through my mid-section (I am too terrified to get on the scale to see how much I've gained, but it's been about 4-6 dress sizes), swollen hands, migraines, and no sex drive. I mean, ZERO. My husband and I had a very active sex life which has now gone down to a couple times a month if I'm not too tired at night. I was a runner up until this summer (used to do 4-6 miles three or four times a week) and now I can't go more than a mile without becoming completely exhausted. I absolutely intend on getting it out, but ironically I'm so brain-dead tired all the time I can't seem to remember to make the phone call.
I did my research prior to getting Mirena, and read page after page of women who had extreme side effects from the hormone, but somehow assumed I would be one of the blessed few to escape them. That was big, fat, giant mistake. Bad pun intended.
June 29th
2009
3:32 PM
I'm only 18 and I've been using nuvaring off and on for a while.
I took it out the first time because it was making me gain weight, decrease in sex drive, anxiety attacks, painful sex and i had been crying for no reason. I feel so bad for my boyfriend because I'm just now realizing that my lack of sex drive and painful sex is most likely related to the nuvaring. We've both been confused for so long and he's been feeling so bad about himself thinking its his fault :(.
This is the 2nd week I've had it in since the first time i took it out months ago and I've gotten what seems to be a yeast infection...but like someone mentioned earlier, my yeast infection tests come back negative...as do std and sti tests.
This is my second time with yeast infection symptoms and im only 18...
so, already that seems a little fishy (no pun intended).
Ive also been tested twice for all stds and sti's both times negative.
My doctor and mother don't believe any of this has anything to do with the nuvaring and tell me that i shouldn't believe what i read on the internet because most of what im reading is "rare"..but i believe it and i believe its happening to me.
im taking it out right now.
This website has been very helpful!
April 15th
2009
1:53 PM
I have been taking flomax for a long time, i have had 5 operations due to my colon, when i became able to walk again i would loose by breathe just walking to the mail box in front of my house, and have ringing in my ears, i have been checked by a hart doctor and a pulmonary doctor as well, i am 100% in those areas, no one could find out why i had shortness of breathe, then i ran out of flomax. 4mg 1 daily, then my breathing rapidly unproved till i had no problem. no one ever thought to look at the possibility that it was due to the flomax until now.....
-- By terry_49 | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
September 2th
2008
11:45 AM
I read the article by the AP,what i find interesting is Mercks acknowledgment of some minimal brain crossing in rats of the drug....no studies were done in humans to see if it crossed the brain barrier....there is a way to find out if this happens designed by Columbia uni..fairly easy and inexpensive...and the FDA dosnt require the drug companies to do it What part of the big picture did they miss is this not a no brainer
-- By flindy | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
August 14th
2008
8:22 PM
I am a 55-year old woman. I was first diagnosed with paroxysmal svt at age 7. It has never been much of a problem, but as I have aged, I have worried enough about it to make sure my doctors are all aware of the condition. I have had many ekgs, echos, worn a holter monitor, had every kind of stress test, but it wasn't until April that the svt was actually seen on an ekg. My internist freaked out, wanted to put me on Toprol immediately, but I resisted, since I knew that my irregular heartbeat could be back to normal by the time I reached the parking lot. I did heed her urging to see a cardiologist (two in fact), which led to an ep study, with the hope of a radio frequency ablation on August 5. I have been taking a full strength aspirin since April to decrease the slight risk of stroke during an svt episode. The ep study showed that the electrical problems in my heart were in places that made an ablation too risky, so nothing was done, but the doctor advised me to try Toprol (25 mg) for a month "and see how I liked it." I had my first dose in the hospital on Tuesday, August 5, and proceeded to take it as prescribed. By Thursday afternoon, I felt oddly on the verge of tears. On Friday, both of my knees were hurting, by Saturday evening, I was in bed feeling like I had the flu. Every joint in my body was aching. Sunday morning, I felt even worse. I found this website and decided to stop taking the medication at that point. Today, Thursday, August 14, is the first time I have felt vaguely like my usual healthy self. After stopping the medication, I had 2 episodes of svt, lasting about 10 hours each. I have had excruciating stomach cramps, headache, inability to sleep, depression. This is after taking it for 5 days!! My heart (no pun) goes out to those of you who suffered for months on the drug and then even more months off of it. I know it helps many people, my mother included, but thank goodness that those of us who have a bad experience have a place to realize that we're not crazy.
-- By pinknitter | Reply | Private Message me
July 31th
2008
10:47 PM
I am a 39 year-old man who has been on warfarin for just under three years. To date, there have been no adverse side-effects for me that have really jumped out as being due to the drug. I have noticed that my memory is not as sharp as I once remember it being (no pun intended). One thing most of the posters have to remember is that once you are over age 25 or so, then things really start to go on our bodies. I feel horrible for people suffering from side-effects, but don't forget, not only are our bodies starting to show signs of aging, but most of use have gone through a major illness (which stresses the body) that forced us to be on warfarin in the first place. My illness was a DVT, which I thought was a leg cramp, that became a full-blown PE which almost killed me! I am surprised and thrilled that I haven't had the same side effects as many of the posters here. Don't forget to look at some of the positive things people have written too.
-- By coarepard | Reply | Private Message me
July 4th
2008
1:56 AM
It`s very important to educate yourself when it comes to medications.
When I saw people close to me suffer I had to find out why and I am quite sure that it had to to with side effects.
I started to do my own "research" in 2003 and it continues to this day.
One of the groups of medications that I have looked at is quinolone antibiotics to which group Levaquin belongs.
Most medications in this group have similar side effects. For more information go to:
Please visit www.fqresearch.org and www.fqvictims.org (?).
Also search on Google for "floxed" or "floxies". That´s what people call themselves when they suffer from side effects.
I would also recommend Stephen Frieds interesting book "Bitter Pills".
Medications are needed sometimes, but not to the extent that they are prescribed today!
-- By swedish | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
May 2th
2008
11:43 AM
I have been on Lamictal for approximately 7 years. The product initially seemed to work a bit on controlling my seizure activity, and did provide a bit more confidence in social situations. At this point I was taking 400mg per day, and had little side effects other than the absent mindedness, and occasional problems with vertigo.
Briefly, about a year ago, I began having an increasing number of partial and general seizures, and was brought up to a dosage of 700mg per day. It was at this point that I began noticing what could only be called "hard-core" side effects. These included days where I was just totally confused, paranoid, suicidal, having an unrelenting feeling of not being able to breath, feeling bloated in my abdomen, and regularly being struck with a very irregular, very scary, rapid heart beat.
At this point, I am taking 600mg per day, and am still having most of these side-effects, but in decreased frequency. My neurologist never mentioned any of these possible symptoms, and doesn't seem overly concerned about any of the problems that I have mentioned in the past. With this in mind, it is somewhat relieving to see that there are others out there who are noticing similar effects.
If anyone can explain the difficulty breathing thing a bit more, it might help me wrap my brain (no pun intended) around this whole mess. I'm not sure if it's related to a decrease in blood pressure - I've been monitoring mine and haven't seen any irregularities. Or if it's related to a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the circulatory system due to the drug itself, or as a side-effect of the shallow breathing I have read about in other posts here.
August 24th
2005
9:16 AM
Hey voicesi,
My internist is a super doctor. when I didn't get my period and I went to my gyno, he denied the fact that it's due to the bc and came up w/ all sorts of excuses. He sent my with my thyroid results to an endocronlogist. Luckily I checked w/ my internist before I spent all that time and money at the endo. He said my thyroids are perfect, and the minute i said i came off b/c he said it takes 6 months to detox-its absolutely normal how i feel and that i shouldn' take vitex but provera.
I understand you totally with the weight issue. I was also a dancer and how do you expect me to go on stage with that disfiguring-figure, excuse the pun.
I will definitely update you on how that pill is going. I have two close weddings next week and nothing fits so I'm all the more desparate. Keep posting voice, i'll definitely be back w/ an update.
Take care,
Sherry
Lamictal (2) Yasmin (1) Warfarin Sodium (1) Flomax (1) Levaquin (1) Singulair (1) NuvaRing (1) Toprol-XL (1) Mirena (1)
October 6th
2009
12:17 AM
BTW...also have had major weight gain with Lamictal...loss of sex drive, tired all the time (there could be other things that affect this but)
I also take high BP med, acid reflux med but I don't feel they contribute to this problem with Lamictal. I've been on those meds way longer than L so...I think I just would like to "start over" and see how I can feel better.
I used to think L was exactly what "the doctor ordered" (no pun intended...again, glad I can sorta laugh at this but...) BUT I DON'T FEEL GOOD!!
Another doc prescribed me Provigil and didn't really explain what it was. She said I needed it bc I was tired all the time. I actually went there bc I thought I had Fibromyalgia and all I got was a 'script for Provigil and sent on my merry way. Got it filled, took my first 200 mg pill and thought I was goin' out of my freakin mind!! OMG!! Told my psych doc and he was like, "P not good for BP patients" so...BUT I did cut the dosage down bc it was SO nice to have energy to make it through the day but still, I do not suggest taking the stuff.
Anyways....just thought of this after I posted walla go...tx!
ps Im not sure the L works that great on the depressive side of BP
-- By kittykittysno | Reply | Private Message me