Social security symptoms and conditions

After being on Lotrel for several years and doctors adding a pill for every side effect I got (14 prescription pills a day), I had to retire from construction at 47 yrs old due to muscle damage and weakness. After witting lotrel and getting on a different blood pressure pill I've been able to quit 10 other pills including arrhythmia pills for my heart! I'm 53 now and can't sit upright, stand, or walk comfortably for more than 1/2 an hour. I wish I had figured it out sooner. I used to b e able to lift 300 lbs and now can't lift more than 20 :

My side effects: slow but severe muscle loss, lethargy, severe coughing particularly at night to the point of separating ribs, muscle cramps, difficulty swallowing/choking, severe tachyarrhythmia. It is a dangerous drug, fortunately I figured it out before it killed me! I was on it for eight years and and my health deteriorated. I had to quit working 4/2003. I had gotten so bad that I qualified for Social Security 6/2006. After testing with neurologists and against my doctors recommendation, I quit the Lotrel 9/2005. I appear to have permanent muscle damage, but my energy level has increased with some increased strength, coughing/choking stopped, arrythmia is almost completely gone (was able to quit two dosages per day of Rythmol for arrhythmia, muscle relaxants, pain killers), and the swallowing/choking problem is completely gone. The side effects came along over a period of 8 years and have devastated my health. Doctors kept prescribing pills for every side effect not realizing they were caused by Lotrel. I was at a point where I spent at least 20 hours a day laying down or asleep. Now, although I have lost 90% of muscle strength, I am fairly active most of the day.

Has anyone had the experience of previously taking Levaquin without side effects, then when taking it again, developed severe headaches, joint aches, muscle pain and weakness, etc? I am currently going through this. I've taken Levaquin before probably 2 or 3 times due to upper respiratory problems and not noticed any side effect but this time, I've taken 5 days worth, 3 in hospital 2 as outpatient dose and can hardly move. I had the same experience in 2004 with zithromax. Had taken it without side effects, then suddenly when taking it again developed such bad chest pain, I thought as did my doctor, that I was having heart attack and spent a week in hospital before figuring that one out.

hi all. thanks for writing your comments here. it has helped me today, another HORRIBLE day of prednisone hell. i have been seriously ill for 8 months been told ever other week I'm likely going to die from lung disease (i'm 35) and after a painful lung biopsy have been told my lung problems are almost all reversible... after a year on high dose prednisone. i was on 40mg a day for a month a while back and was so out of control from rage and crying and insomnia and panic/suicidality, ravenous appetite, that they lowered me to 30. then after biopsy they said i should be on 100mg to cure me, we settled at 60mg. it's been 24 days. The moon face started about one week in. i've gained 8 lbs. i am an emotional wreck. i have at least one rage filled attack per day where i am screaming and want to kill somebody or destroy something. some days i am so filled with hopelessness and worry i just want to die. my body changes (after just losing 30 lbs and being a work out fanatic my shortness of breath makes it impossible to walk up 2 flights of stairs without resting) face changes, acne, excess body hair (oh my god please make it stop i'm like a chia pet and i'm so afraid it is going to get worse) double chin, puffy eyes and cheeks, absolutely uncontrollable emotions and mood swings, inability to be logical or reasonable. i don't want to leave the house, i'm panicked and scared all the time. i never sleep. ambian gives me minimal relief (just started taking it) i feel like i'm losing everything, except my lung functioning is returning and i'm not going to die from this illness (they assure me THIS week) i understand light at the end of the tunnel, but living like this is unbearable most days, almost impossible the rest of the time. am i alone with the severity of this? or are all the others like me too busy hiding the sharps and crying in a corner to write on this board? thanks for listening :)

figures, forgot to mention what HELPS. no eating after 8 (7pm is better) no salt, no sugar, exercise, even just a walk every day, anything physical, i walk like a grandma on the treadmill but i still do it, sometimes it is the only thing that stops my crying. no alcohol, support and understanding from loved ones, it's not you, its the drugs. good luck.
figures, forgot to mention what HELPS. no eating after 8 (7pm is better) no salt, no sugar, exercise, even just a walk every day, anything physical, i walk like a grandma on the treadmill but i still do it, sometimes it is the only thing that stops my crying. no alcohol, support and understanding from loved ones, it's not you, its the drugs. good luck.

Has anyone had the Mirena taken out and immediately replaced with the copper IUD? I'm having this procedure done on May 20, 2008 and I'm really scared that doing this will further hinder my weight loss effort. I've had the MIrena for a little over 2 years, and like many many women I only have very recently started to connect Mirena with side effects I never imagined. It was inserted Feb. 2006, and immediately I turned into a horrible, moody, extremely emotional basketcase. I never even thought twice about the Mirena being responsible. My husband and I thought I was postpartum depressed. I lost everything, meaning my husband, my home, my life, and my mind within 3 months of insertion. I had already had one child, and after she was born I had PPD, but not to the extent of attempting to kill my husband and turning his mother in to Social Security. This was a horrible time in my life and I wish I had known that it wasn't just postpartum behavior. Recently I've noticed the increase in my weight....a problem I never had before and I don't like it. My skin is a big oily blemish nightmare, also a problem I never had before. I'm always nauseated, I am depressed still and now summer time has become dreaded because I can't stand to look at myself and it's too hot to cover all the way up. I'm terrified of removal because I have read many stories saying that you go through a worse emotional roller coaster to get the hormones out of your body, but I suppose I've done it once, I can do it again. If anyone has had the Mirena removed and replaced with the copper one, can you please tell me what to expect??

Has anyone had the Mirena taken out and immediately replaced with the copper IUD? I'm having this procedure done on May 20, 2008 and I'm really scared that doing this will further hinder my weight loss effort. I've had the MIrena for a little over 2 years, and like many many women I only have very recently started to connect Mirena with side effects I never imagined. It was inserted Feb. 2006, and immediately I turned into a horrible, moody, extremely emotional basketcase. I never even thought twice about the Mirena being responsible. My husband and I thought I was postpartum depressed. I lost everything, meaning my husband, my home, my life, and my mind within 3 months of insertion. I had already had one child, and after she was born I had PPD, but not to the extent of attempting to kill my husband and turning his mother in to Social Security. This was a horrible time in my life and I wish I had known that it wasn't just postpartum behavior. Recently I've noticed the increase in my weight....a problem I never had before and I don't like it. My skin is a big oily blemish nightmare, also a problem I never had before. I'm always nauseated, I am depressed still and now summer time has become dreaded because I can't stand to look at myself and it's too hot to cover all the way up. I'm terrified of removal because I have read many stories saying that you go through a worse emotional roller coaster to get the hormones out of your body, but I suppose I've done it once, I can do it again. If anyone has had the Mirena removed and replaced with the copper one, can you please tell me what to expect??

I have been on Topamax since October of 2007. I currently take 150 mg (split in AM and PM) for migraines. The drug is working wonderfully for the migraines but I am finding that I cannot do my job anymore due to the side effects and am not considering filing for disability. I am so fatigued all the time I literally cannot keep up with my work load. I have the tingling in my feet and hands, the funny taste of soda, the forgetfulness, and the "cannot find the word" thing. But the biggest problem is just that I cannot get everything done that I used to be able to get done due to plain old fatigue. I am so tired all the time. I find myself crying all the time due to constant stress of not being able to do what I used to. It took me a while to admit to myself that I couldn't to it anymore ( that nasty ego was in the way) but I finally had to admit that I couldn't keep up like I did before I was on the Topamax. I don't want to give up the Topamax and go back to the daily migraines and if I find a different job I lose all my retirement. I'm a teacher so I don't get any social security so my only alternative is to go for disability due to my having to take Topamax. I may have to hire an attorney to help me but after fighting migraines and trying to work my entire life, I surrender.

Within 5 days of beginning course of Geodon, 40mg daily, doc doubled my dosage to 80mg, began to have problems. Intensely manic, easily frightened, insomnia, terrifying dreams. I decided to get out of hospital ASAP and decide if to quit taking Geodon.
On day six already my face was twitching, was irritable and manic, pacing, increasingly manic throughout day, decided to skip evening dose, keep total dosage same as before, 40mg. Began tripping around midnight and it was all downhill from there. Sleepless all night, by morning I had convulsions, increased heart rate, fear and anxiety, psychosis, uncontrollable crying. Had another seizure 12 hours later. Slept a little with help of Valium. Next day developed Parkinson's like symptoms, had my father not been there to help me, Lord knows what would have happened to me. Still awake in day 3 of withdrawal. Hoping the worst is over.