Some odd reason symptoms and conditions

PLEASE READ THIS WARNING ABOUT TOPOROL.

I was prescribed Toporol XL 50 in May of 2007 for premature atrial contractions. I was given no warnings about this drug. Within 3 weeks I was in a severe clinical depression. I went through hell for the next four months seeing numerous physicians, underwent numerous exams, was hospitalized several times and was suicidal. In my interactions with a number of psychiatrists, I learned that depression is a common side effect of Toporol and all beta-blockers. I also learned that, in particular, persons who have any history of depression should not be prescribed a beta-blocker because they have a high likelihood of re-entering a depression if they are given a beta-blocker. I had a history of depression and it was clearly documented in my file. Nevertheless, the doctor who prescribed Toporol for me did not make me aware of my high vulnerability to re-enter a depressive state with a beta-blocker. Had I been warned, I would have certainly declined this medication and saved myself from several months of indescribable misery.

PLEASE BE WARNED THAT THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL LIKELIHOOD OF ENTERING A DEPRESSION WITH TOPOROL OR ANY OTHER BETA-BLOCKER, PARTICULARLY IF YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF DEPRESSION. IF YOU ARE TAKING TOPOROL AND ARE SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION, NOW YOU KNOW WHY. DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOUR DOCTOR FEIGNS BEWILDERMENT IF YOU TELL HIM YOU'RE DEPRESSED BECAUSE OF THE BETA-BLOCKER. MINE DID, AS WELL. FOR SOME ODD REASON, DOCTORS DON'T LIKE TO CONCEDE THAT BETA-BLOCKERS CAUSE DEPRESSION. THEY WON'TN WARN YOU AND THEY'LL DENY THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE BETA-BLOCKER IS THE CAUSE OF YOUR DEPRESSION. DISREGARD THIS. GET OFF OF THE BETA-BLOCKER AND GET TREATED FOR DEPRESSION. YOU WILL BE VERY HAPPY YOU DID.

After reading so many of everyone’s stories, I feel I got off easy, but not without some agony. I developed a double whammy of acute bronchitis and pleurisy in my left lung. If you are not familiar with pleurisy, it feels like hit with a baseball bat in your ribs each time you attempt to take a normal breath. I was completely uninformed of the condition and it is now burned in my memory forever. I was prescribed azithromycin and Prednisone for a month. I started with two 20mg (40mgtotal) tabs for 7 days and then tapered off in the following manner. 1 ½ tabs for 7 days, 1 tab for 7days and then ½ a tab for the last 7 days. I have read many of the users who have been on Prednisone for years at a time and my heart goes out to each and every one of you. I experienced a large number of side effects for being on it for such a short period. My wife was ready to attach the ole cinder block to my ankles and drop me in the lake, but she stuck through it. The first side effects began within the first week. My appetite went through the stratosphere, my heart felt like it was going to erupt out of my chest on some nights and finally, my memory just went to (for lack of a better work) shit. After coming home from the grocery store on multiple occasions, I left the house key in the key hole on the outside, only to find it the next morning on my way out the door. My short term memory was just misfiring constantly. There are too many funny stories to tell. For some odd reason, I did not gain near as much weight as I should have given the mass quantity of food I ingested. The total weight gain was only around seven or eight pounds. The most prominent side effect was my mood swings. I am a laid back person my nature, but not for that 30 day period. I had to make a conscious effort to not put myself in a position to disagree with another individual. When it did occur, it was just not a pretty site. A few of the other side effects were lack of sleep and profuse sweating. I would wake up every morning and my pillow was drenched. I live in Austin, Texas, so the AC was pegged and 67 degrees and no one was allowed to touch the thermostat without grave consequences. I broke out the winter pajamas for the kids and my wife wrapped up in multiple layers of clothing, while I was spread eagle under the ceiling fan (Highest setting of course) in my birthday suit, and was still only the in the moderate comfort range. More side effects included swelling of my ankles and hands. I was not on it long enough to get the infamous moon face or the hump on the back of the neck. The side effects after stopping the dosage were no less entertaining. I took my last dose seven days ago. The three main effects have been rashes on my ankles and under my arms, severe energy loss and heartburn. The worst of it all has been my energy level, or the lack of. My energy level crashed so hard I have had to literally peel myself out of bed each morning. If I did not have a two year old daughter and a four year old son, I would probably still be asleep right now. It has been getting a little easier each day. I have started walking each morning now and hopefully this will end soon. I have also been drinking large amounts of water. That has seemed to help me out. The heartburn was easily treatable with some Pepcid AC. I hope my experience offers some solace to those in a similar situation and fair warning to those who are about to embark on this medication.

hot flashes, hair loss, memory loss, bone and joint pain, seizures, hand and foot twitches, crawling sensations in arms and legs, accelerated facial aging, and chronic insomnia. I would rather deal with the pain of endometriosis than the HELL of Lupron!

I was just diagnosed with Crohns 7 days ago. They started me on 125 mg of Prednisone for 2 days over IV and now 60 mg a day. So 20 mg 3 times daily. I'm severely tired but I think that is just from being in the hospital for 2 weeks and not being able to sleep and I am just now getting home. The main problem is after I started the steroid I have all this white stuff in my mouth. Like the plaque you get on your tongue but it is all over my tonsils, cheeks, back of my throat and my mouth feels really raw. I cant eat because everything burns. The GI siad to gargle with mouth wash but nothing is working. Is the thrush from the high dose of steroids? or because now I have no immune system so I have a yeast infection in my mouth??? Any help would be great. Has anyone notice rapid weight gain with in the first couple of days of being on th ehigh dose????

hi kim123.
i am not sure if b12 drops would make you more anxious or not. i take it in a b complex. it is so hard to know what will make us worse or better. i just tried taking a high dose fish oil for a few days but that seemed to make my physical symptoms worse. ie palpitations,agitation,racing heart and mild diarroea,not sure why that should happen as epa is meant to be very useful for anxiety and depression but it just goes to show how different we all are. i have tried many "natural remedies" that have given me an upset stomach or other mild symptoms. i used to be able to tolerate most things but cannot now,i don't know why. anything containing pseudoephidrine gives me really bad anxiety for some odd reason. i have taken it for years prior to yasmin. i agree with dejay that our brain chemicals have changed in some way as different drugs affect the 4 different receptors in our brain responsible for mood,sleep.body functions etc. oh joy!!!!!!! i hope that the natural balance can be restored naturally in time. i am going to give accupuncture a try and also maybe some hypnotherapy,i figure it can't hurt at this stage in the game. please have faith kim. i know it sounds easy to say but it will get better,the one thing we all have is time,devote some to your recovery and i'm sure you will feel better soon.

sarah