Skin infections symptoms and conditions

I am currently 58 years old and lead a very active, healthy lifestyle. I began taking 10mg of Zocor, along with 1000mg of niacin in the summer of 2004 to reduce cholesterol (251) and triglycerides (571). The therapy dramatically improved my blood tests, however, within 6 weeks, I began to experience minor chronic skin infections, both fungal and bacterial. They were easily controlled with topical over the counter type medications, but they were annoying. At no time was this new condition linked to the statin/niacin therapy by my doctor(s). The infections became progressively worse over the next 3 years, and evolved into chronic folliculitis in my scalp, neck, and face, cystic acne, and persistent fungal infections that were becoming more difficult to control. In addition, I began to get chronic eye infections. It was as if my immune system was becoming ineffective. I stopped taking niacin in December of 2007 and the symptoms immediately lessened. I stopped taking Zocor in March of 2008 and within 2 weeks, all the skin problems and eye infections completely ended. My health was restored completely and I am glad to have put that whole mess behind me! I have been taking Omega 3 supplements to control my cholesterol and triglycerides and have had results that equaled the Zocor and Niacin therapy, with cholesterol at 160, triglycerides at 91, and a favorable HDL/LDL ratio. My physician is skeptical, but I know that my body was not functioning correctly with the statin/niacin treatment. I have found anecdotal reports from others who seem to have experienced a change in their immune system, but no mention of this as a side effect by the medical establishment.

EVERYONE PLEASE READ!!!! GARDASIL HAS DESTROYED MY LIFE! I am 24 years old and a year and a half ago I was graduating college and planning to be a professional dancer and go to law school...I was perfectly healthy and energetic! In February of 2007 I received my first Gardasil shot. After a few days I started to feel as though I had a Urinary Tract Infection and was also feeling more tired than usual. The doctor gave me an antibiotic and sent me on my way.

In May of 2007 I received my second Gardasil shot and yet again, a few days later I started to feel like I was getting another Urinary Tract Infection. I went to the doctor numerous times between the second and third shot...all for bladder and urinary tract pain. For months I was on different antibiotics and they were not making the pain go away. After visiting a number of urologists, I found out that the urine cultures had all been coming back negative - showing no sign of an infection, so the antibiotics were pointless. All tests that I had run, both blood and urine came back normal. It is not standard procedure for a doctor to call you if your test results come back normal, but there was clearly something wrong, so I searched for a urologist who would believe me that I wasn't making up the pain I was in.

In August 2007, I had a cystoscopy done (they took a scope and went into the bladder to look in the bladder wall) and they concluded that I have an incurable bladder disease called Interstitial Cystitis. This is a condition where there becomes a defect in the bladder wall causing it not to have the protective mucus layer inside of it. The pictures of inside my bladder show red, raw skin, obviously showing the severity of my case of it.

There is no evidence as to what causes Interstitial Cystitis, and there is no proven successful way of treating it. The initial signs are exactly the same as a Urinary Tract Infection (painful bladder spasms, painful urination, body aches and back pain). The main difference is the fact that it is not an infection. There are thousands of people with Interstitial Cystitis who are misdiagnosed as having chronic Urinary Tract Infections.

I received my third Gardasil shot in October of 2007 and that is when EVERYTHING fell apart. The bladder pain became constant and there has not been one minute in a day since that shot I have not been in unbearable pain. This is when everything else in my body began to crash down as well. The other health problems and side effects from the Gardasil that I am having are constant sore throat, vicious migraines, vision changes, back pain, body aches, joint pain, sinus problems, vomiting, constipation, dizziness...I could keep going on forever!

I have tried all of the conventional treatment for Interstitial Cystitis and have gotten NO relief from the pain and other side effects. The doctors didn't know what to do, so they put me on OxyContin and a diet consisting of no acidic foods. That has now posed its own set of problems seeing as now my body is addicted to the narcotic, and I have gone from 5'6'' 125lbs to 100lbs over the course of a year due to the diet. I am extremely malnourished and have to take B12 vitamin shots once a week due to the severe anemia. I am 24 years old, and feel like I am 100. I can not live a normal life, I am going to lose my job from numerous absences, I lost my fiancé and am not able to have an intimate relationship anymore, I am extremely depressed, I have to have my family clean my apartment because I am too sick to do it, I can not do social activities because I am too tired and in pain. This vaccine has DESTROYED my life! I am desperately seeking out someone else who is having bladder problems due to the Gardasil so that I can contact an attorney. This needs to be OFF the market a soon as possible so that it does not run any other lives! Gardasil has caused some deaths, but in my mind, I'd rather die than live with the pain I am having. I did notice there are some posts regarding girls getting urinary tract infections... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE have your urine cultured because there is a good chance it may be Interstitial Cystitis!

I am desperately looking for someone who is having some of these symptoms so that I can go to a lawyer and get something going before things like this happen: Numerous states are pushing to make it mandatory that girls receive the vaccine before they enter the 6th grade. We can not let this happen! We all need to stick together and somehow fight this and get out lives back!

Let me know if you are IN - and also what you thought about my post!

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Bless All of You!

*~Amber~*

I've had the Mirena b control for a year now I suffer from skin infections , back pains I have scars on my belly arms and legs. Has anyone else had this side effect?

I took this medication seven years ago. After a couple of days I broke out into hives. When the initial Hives went away I kept itching. Then, the itching began to spread all over my body. I have been turned away by many doctors who wished me luck and said they were sorry but they couldn't help me. Since then, I have become a science project for doctors. I have taken a number of medicines to calm me down and an assortment of creams and lotions. One spray that takes the itchy hives away for awhile is CLOBEX. It's very expensive. It costs me $250 a month (out of pocket). The only medicine that relieves the condition for about a week is prednisolone (another drug that's not so great for you). I now take that once a month for one week’s relief. Each night, I have to scold myself in the shower to relieve the itching for a few hours so I can go to sleep. I'm currently at a new Dermatology Clinic. Guess what they prescribed for me? CEPHALEXIN, the drug that caused the poor quality of my life I now have. Doesn't anyone listen to the patient? The only best medical friend I have is my Primary Care Physician who has greatly supported me all these years. I pray that someone may read this and I have an answer me.
If you have not yet taken CEPHALEXIN, think about it long and hard. It's not for everyone and MAY not be for ANYONE. If you've read this far in my note, I consider you a new friend.

Someone please help!!
Still Itching in New Jersey.

More common side effects may include:
Bronchitis, cough, diarrhea, difficulty speaking, fungal infection of the mouth, gastrointestinal discomfort and pain, headaches, hoarseness, muscle pain, nausea, sinus problems, sore throat, upper respiratory infection or inflammation, vomiting

I am suffering with sinus pressure everyday and it hurts.
I feel like my ears are going to pop because of the pressure in my head. Is anyone else suffer with this also. My email is darryljarod@yahoo.com. Please email me and let me know because I am tired and I just want pressure to stop.

Less common side effects may include:
Allergic reactions, appendicitis, blood in nasal mucus, bone problems, burns, constipation, dental discomfort and pain, dry and scaly skin, ear problems, eye infection, fractures, heart palpitations, hives, joint pain, lower respiratory infections, mouth ulcers or rash, mouth discomfort or pain, muscle injuries, muscle stiffness, nasal irritation, nerve problems, red eyes, runny nose, pneumonia, skin infections, sleep disorders, sleepiness, sneezing, sweating, tremors, wounds

I would like to Thank all of you for taking the time to inform others about your experience of side effects from advair. I have learned so much! And I'd like to thank Guest 4309 for making the connection between yeast infection and advair. After doing a google search for yeast infection, I found many reputable sites (Duke University, urology.org, etc.) that state that steroids and corticosteroids (that's what advair is) can and do cause yeast infections (Candida, thrush, skin infections, sinsus and ear infections/itching). I AM BLOWN AWAY THAT MY ALLERGIST TOLD ME FOR A YEAR THAT THE CONTAST ITCHY THROAT and EARS and LOSS of VOICE, among other problems, WERE NOT CAUSED BY ADVAIR! Like Guest 4309 I wish I had NEVER taken advair. I am off it now and I'm taking glucosamine and acidophilus and eating lots of plain yogurt. Let me tell you, I already feel better. ANd I have sent for the book "Conquering Candida" on www.half.com for $7.50. I'll let people know what happens to me. ANd, please let us all know what works for you!