Resolve symptoms and conditions

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!

My 15year old daughter has just stopped taking Yasmin due to severe depression, anxiety attacks, uncontrollable crying, suicidal thoughts and chest pain with erratic heartbeat. I thank God that we figured out the connection to Yasmin. She has been spiraling down so quickly, I thought I was losing her. While she does not relish the return of heavy, long periods, she is so ready to have her sanity back. Her counselor and gyn confirm the strong likelihood of these being side effects of the Yasmin. I was ready to put her on Prozac and sleeping pills because the situation was so desperate! While I was on Yasmin for years with no adverse effects, there ARE people who are desperate because of this pill! The hundreds of posts are too numerous to ignore the REAL truth. Is is worth it to "just try it out" for a boob inflation? You are taking a serious risk, sweetheart!

My son, who just turned 14 this month, was on Singulair for over 2 years.
He was diagnosed with reactive airway disease and possibly Asthma--and prescribed this awful drug-even back in 2004. The doctor said how wonderful this med was and prevents any further attacks.. So, for 2 years-every night, he took this mood altering, destructive drug. He lost all interest in school, his athletics-soccer, skateboarding, biking..in fact became almost a vacant , very unhappy, child-had stomach aches, joint pains and reflux--why--I brought him to the doctor and Pediatric center so frequently--all they kept saying his --his asthma is better, much be other issues...Even after the March 2008 suicide--his doctor said-that is just an isolated incident-just monitor him--It is a good drug. Right, month by month his behavior escalated to wanting to die, no reason to go to school-he said he was stupid and a failure and why don't I understand there is no reason to his life. A usually happy fun-loving boy -my son- didn't want to live. Nothing made him happy-I started to believe what the doctors said--maybe something or someone at school (bully, pedophile??) caused this change. Terrible nightmares and vivid dreams...Until this past July, I asked him want to go to the library for some books or dvd's...he went ballistic-threw everything off his computer desk and tried to break his chair. He is not an aggressive boy but this behavior was becoming a daily issue. Along with everything flying off his table, was his bottle of Singulair pills. It then dawned on me..I have been poisoning my only son. The child I know and love and gave birth to returned within a few days--although I am worried sick about further asthma attacks --all the doctors can prescribe is a steroid drug-asthmex or Pulmicort.. I cannot understand nor comprehend why this drug is being prescribed for children and young adults. The guilt I live with is terrible as my son has lost 2 years of his life--
and thought there was something really wrong with him-At least we woke up---in time--how about some other parents..thinking it's just normal adolescent behavior for their child or their fault???

I wouldn't try the patch because of skin sensitivity, shots just seem really wrong to me, but I have been taking different oral contraceptives for nearly fifteen years. Fortunately I haven't had a pulmonary embolism which was definitely a risk because I was a smoker the whole time. Every time I switched pill brands, it was because of insurance copays, it would be non-preferred. However, I was still diagnosed with endometriosis and had one ovarian cyst removed laparoscopically and one ruptured on its' own. Endometriosis is less common in women on the pill because of the ovulation regulation...so I imagine things could have been so much worse. I was able to ask to take the pill continuously, meaning I'd skip the sugar pill week. Oh heaven! Without the pill I have severe cramps, PMS, heavy bleeding, pain and numbness in the crotch area, diarrhea, and was emotionally unstable. Although I suffer from depression, I don't feel that the pill has affected that much at all. I've recently quit smoking, and now am on the Nuvaring because of drug interactions. I've been spotting for 10 days now at least, and been on the ring for a month. I know there is a transition period, but this is not acceptable. My request to my doctor is to get back on some sort of pill on my insurance's preferred list. I'm starting to break out too. I want my pill back!

Cipro turned my daughter into an invalid. These side effects can be permanent, or they can resolve quickly. they are not rare, and may come on at any time within the first year after use of cipro. It is likely the most dangerous drug on the market. there are many web pages on the side effects of cipro and its class of drugs. Specifically see http://www.fqresearch.org/ and http://www.fluoroquinolones.org/

I am a 34 year old and have been taking Yaz for almost a year.

I had some minor side effects until this past month when everything came apart at the seams. I do not know if yaz is the culprit - but the number of women with the EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS as me listed here SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME.

My "minor" sude effects were the following:

* No period for 5 months
* No sex drive (was not the case before taking Yaz)
* Panic attacks / anxiety (no history fo this. My doc has now put me on Zoloft.)
* Bloating / weight gain
* Brown blotches (like age spots) on one side of my face

This is NOTHING compared to the last month of my life. Basically my life has sucked for the last month. Roughly a month ago my symptoms started with a red rash on the left side of my face and pain in my left ear that led to a migraine that has not gone away at all. (The pain level goes between a 5 and 10, but never lower than a 5.) The rash went away in 2 days, but my ear still hurts today (a month later).

My vertigo began roughly 5 days after the onset of my rash and ear pain and has been non-stop since. I've taken phenergan, valium, etc. - but they are not working. I get spinning/dizzy every time my head moves (up, down, left, right) and with up and down eye movement. It seems like my migraine pain intensifies when my vertigo hits me. If I lie completely still - I have no vertigo - but my migraine is still there. To make matters worse, I have become very disoriented, like I am in a fog all of the time. I am only 34 years old and feel like I am losing my mind. I cannot remember simple words at times and have a tough time completing sentences.

All of these symptoms coincide exactly to the day I began a new packet of the birth control pill called YAZ (Yasmin). I had taken this brand of pill for a year, and though it has worked (not pregnant) I have had some minor side effects up until the last month. The biggest side effect is that I have not had any period at all for the last 5 months. I have also had anxiety (no past history) and have no sex drive (not my normal self.) I stopped taking the pill about a week ago - after reading literally thousands of people with the same side effects I am experiencing on a website called medications.com (My neurologist also told me to stop taking it.)

I am NOT having ringing in my ears or loss of hearing. I mention this because I know other ailments have these as symptoms.

I have already been seen by my dentist, physical therapist, ENT, 2 neurologists and a gyn. So far - they are not helping. I have even been hospitalized for 5 days and all they really did was try and dope me up to sleep and had me take a very potent anti-migraine drug called DHE that must be administered over a 36 hour period via IV. Guess what? It did not work.

The most scary thing is that even though I get severe vertigo any time I move my head (even to the point of waking me up while I sleep) - NOT A SINGLE DOCTOR EVEN MENTIONED I MIGHT HAVE BPPV ( BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO) and they did not test for it at all. They were all interested in treating my month-long migraine with anti-migraine drugs. They all swore up and down that my vertigo was related to my migraine. They also said my fogginess was because I was "tired and sick" and many migraine sufferers are that way.

After my husband and I searched the internet and found dozens of websites, we are pretty much convinced that I have BPPV. We are going to get in front of a vestibular specialist ASAP.

So you know, I have been through a CT scan, two different MRIs, basic blood work on my white cell counts, thyroid levels, potassium, etc.

They have ruled out a sinus infection, brain tumor, pituitary tumor, stroke, blood clots, etc. They have simply treated me with anti-migraine medication - and it has been worthless. I have taken Topomax, Frova and DHE (the drug mentioned above) and my migraine is still there. These drugs have not helped one bit. My neurologist swore that the DHE would do the trick. Guess what? He was wrong.

I discharged myself from the hospital yesterday and am now at home.

I just want my normal life back. I cannot drive, work, take care of my family, etc.

My two biggest questions are:

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF BPPV CAN CAUSE MY MIGRAINE? The reason I ask is that the doctors all think that the migraine is causing my vertigo. All along they have been treating my migraine (with zero success) and have been giving me valium and antivert to simply mask my vertigo (no success there either.) No one has tried to really diagnose and treat my vertigo. Is it possible if I get my vertigo fixed my migraines will disappear?

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL PILLLS CAUSING BPPV? I saw woman after woman on medications.com have the same symptoms of vertigo, migraines and brain fog while taking the birth control pill Yasmin. I also know that my avalanche of symptoms eerily coincided with my first pill from a new pack. If they are related, I am most interested in what to do to get my hormones back on track in an effort to stop my vertigo.

This is all driving me crazy. A month ago I was absolutely normal. Now I am 100% disabled. I just want my life back.

Please help!

Been taking 10 mg of Lisinopril for about 3 months now for BP that was 160/70...Last reading was 130/70...BUT for the last 5 weeks I have experienced stomach upset followed by an Upper Respiratory Infection whcih took 4 weeks to resolve followed by muscle weakness in my arms and legs followed by urinary issues (too much urination, too little, urine color change, etc. Before these episodes I had not even had a clod in years...Any connection to Lisinopril???

I have also had Kenalog injections. The only side effect I seem to have is the atrophy at the injection site. It suddenly appeared one day about 4 months after my first injection. It was only dime sized and stayed that way for about a year. I thought it was a funny strech mark from having lost a lot of weight. I had another injection about 1 year later and noticed 4-5 months afterward the crater started expanding. It now seems to keep growing and I finally went to the derm and he said it was a side effect from Kenalog. I am using the OTC product Mederma to see if it helps the appearance of the area. Sorry to hear all of your terrible side effects.

Ativan can very easily ruin your health and your life. Anyone taking this drug (or any of the other benzodiazepines) is playing with fire. Everyone becomes addicted eventually and that's when the nightmare starts!!! Some people become addicted in a few weeks, for others it can take longer. The debilitating effects of addiction can take years to resolve!

See www.benzoisland.org

I cant believe this I just got married two months ago and thought i had post marriage depression..I havent enjoyed my time married at all.I dont want to have sex, I have no energy, my hair is falling out, i have vaginal dryness, im in a cloud, i have been eating more than my husband with weird cravings. all my husband (who i dated for 6 years) tell me is im not myself, im mean have mood swings, i dont want to go out with our friends..because sometimes sitting in a chair is just an effor for me. He got so worried he sent me to the doctor last week..their testing me for everything under the sun...so I do a search thinking it may have something to do with the BC..i cant believe all these side effects.. How long do they last for and what can you take to help resolve these issues..I was ready to see a shrink because my entire family is worried about me..but I feel exactly like this..Im not taking my dose tonight and ill call my OB in the AM

I was prescribed Levaquin for a possible bacterial infection. From the first day, I have experienced severe muscle pain and fatigue, as if I spent the previous day at the gym lifting the heaviest weights possible. It started in my biceps and forearms and has rendered my hands somewhat useless. I can't even open the prescription bottle. Woke up day three to new pains in my legs, quads and calfs. I decided to skip this morning's dose and stop taking this drug altogether. This drug is scary. Hope these problems resolve.

Has anyone had any Positive (besides decreased blood pressure) things happen on this medication? My doctor just prescribed it to me, and he said It was a wonderful drug, but now i dont even want to take it after reading all these. It doesnt seem worth having other health issues to resolve one problem. I could deal with dizziness and light headedness because i already suffer from vertigo, but I've lost 30 lbs in 6 months and that was hard enough, Ill be darned if I gain it all back and suffer from coughing,diarrhea, pain and worse headaches. Email me @ ****** if anything positive has happened

Used to take Lipitor but my immune system went down and I blamed the statins.
Dr. at Lipids clinic changed medication from statins to ezetimibe and since using that I wake in the morning with stiff hands and arms up to the elbow. Difficulty making a fist, also have extreme lower back pain, difficult to walk or bend first thing in the morning. Also noticed bad calf muscle pain. Symptoms usually resolve after I have been up and about for about an hour. Not sure if it's the new drug but I am stopping it to see if these symptoms go away.

Hi everyone -

I'm brand new to this site and I can't tell you how glad I am to have found it!

I'm 41 years old with no history of any serious health problems. In February of last year, I started feeling run-down, depressed, etc. (first time ever). By April, I went to my gynecologist and was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and put on Yasmin to help it resolve. After the cyst cleared up, I stayed on the Yasmin because I liked how it worked for birth control (never used BCP's before this). At the same time, I was diagnosed hypothyroid. A few months into treatment for both, I started having tachycardia/palpitations/pounding heart, severe depression, anxiety attacks. These were all written off by my docs as related to the hypothyroidism. My doctors and I kept thinking once we had that under control, the symptoms would resolve.

Well, the hypo has been under control for about three months, but the heart and anxiety symptoms continued to get worse.

I decided to dump the Yasmin about 7 weeks ago, because I couldn't figure out what else could be causing all the symptoms. My heart started feeling better in about 3-4 weeks, although the depression and anxiety lingers on (but are both improved).

I am not a very patient person and the idea of "waiting this out" is awful - but your postings have given me a lot of hope that all of this will eventually go away.

I would like to suggest that everyone spend a few minutes reporting their side effects to the FDA. If you go to www.FDA.GOV, there is a section where you can report adverse reactions yourself - without having to convince your doctor to do it for you. Under the section "Let Us Hear From You", there's an option to "Report a Problem with a Product". It takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. If enough people file complaints, they'll have to do SOMETHING, won't they? ;-) And just the act of "ratting out the makers of Yasmin" is very satisfying....

Good luck to everyone!

Julie

I have been using Seretide (Advair) for around 6 months and like a lot of you thought the drug was wonderful with how it was controlling my Asthma. I am usually a fit and well person but over the last couple of weeks have been feeling so tired and lethargic, even the smallest task wiping me out. I thought nothing of it really, just stresses and strains of modern life. Then I started to get frequent palpitations and every time I fell asleep my heart would miss a beat and I would wake up. This would last a couple of hours and obviously over a matter of weeks I was getting more and more exhausted. I talked to my Doctor and she said that Seretide could cause abnormal heart rythyms, and along with the frequent oral thrush and dry mouth I have decided to give up on Seretide, hope it hasn't done any long term damage and resolve to using my salbutamol more often. It was great to find this site and discover that these side effects are not uncommon amongst others.

Following a bout of pneumonia that would not resolve after 2 courses of treatment with Augmentin, a bronchoscopy was done and large amts of pus were washed out of my lungs. I was also diagnosed with a chronic case of sinuisitis. My pulmonologist prescribed BIAXIN XL, 2 x 500mg daily, as followup to my lung problems and to treat the chronic sinuisitis. I am supposed to take Baxin for 6 weeks. Yes, I repeat 6 weeks!!! After the first week of treatment, I developed severe leg cramps. I informed my doctor and he prescribed quinine sulfate for my leg cramps. The quinine seemed to help the leg cramps at first, however, I have now been on Baxin for 3 weeks and the leg cramps are recurring, but worse. They have caused loss of sleep & I seem to be quite restless Since I haven't had leg cramps in the last 5 years, and since they began once on Baxin, I can't help but believe this side effect is due to the antiobiotic.