Spinal tap symptoms and conditions

I'm a 56 year old male. I'm taking pred as a trial therapy for CIDP, which can be described as MS "lite". The treatment has been three days of one gram per day methylprednisolone infusion, followed, for the rest of the month, by 20 mg prednisone a day. Then another three days of infusions, etc. It's called "pulse treatment." Side effects have been a bit of insomnia, mainly during the three-day period of infusions, feeling a little hyper, slightly hoarse voice, huge appetite. I seem to be able to control these rather well, and haven't gained weight, so far. I'm told I look a little flushed, but don't have a Barry Bonds face, noy yet anyway. The two side effects that have been problematic: Flatulence. Ever read Confederacy of Dunces? I feel like Ignatius O'Reilly. The most problematic has been the urge to pee, which is most intense a couple of days after the infusions are complete. It's really intense for two or three days, then subsides a bit, but still makes me get up in the middle of the night, something that I've only rarely experienced before. Tests for urinary tract infection are negative. Will do this treatment for a few more months and then get spinal tap and EMG test to see if there's an improvement. Haven't noticed any so far, but that's expected.

I have had two AWFUL experiences with Reglan!
First time, I was in the ER with high blood pressure and a very bad headache. To treat the headache, I was given a combo of Reglan IV and "unknown". Right away I started sweating and freaking out! The only thing i could focus on was leaving. I felt this overwhelming desire to pull out my own IV and go home! I was so tired but couldn't rest... my mind just raced with depressing thoughts. They discharged me in this state... I didn't argue... I couldn't get out fast enough. However, I hardly made it home. I can not believe I was allowed to drive home in such a state.
Not knowing what meds caused me to have such a reaction... it happened again last week!
I was in the Emergency Room having treatment for a spinal leak from a spinal tap a few days prior. I complained of back pain (no kidding) and was given meds in my IV. Same thing...all over again! This time my mother witnessed the horrible reaction. The nurse only gave me a cold towel for my head and it took 2 days to start feeling back to normal... NEVER will I have this medication again.

Thank you so much for all your posts guys!! I just googled Mirena side effects today just trying to check ANYTHING that would explain my recent experiences. I sat her bawling while calling my doctor to insist it's removed immediately.

I had it inserted in December after having baby #3 in October. I finally got my girl after 2 boys and a few miscarriages and wasn't certain what to expect. I am only 25 and didn't want something permanent or really any drugs put into me on a consistent basis. When the doctor pushed Mirena I happily said okay! Sounded like a god send. I have extremely high blood pressure and his strong sale point would be that it would remove the need for meds. Liar! My regular doctor flipped out when she found that he had removed me and of course, I went back on meds a few weeks after having it inserted, after 4 readings 200+/110+... amazing he didn't cause me a stroke. That should have been red flag #1 but I figured it was just an error in judgment on his part.

I felt no pain with it going in and didn't cramp at all.. spotted for a few hours then it was over.. My first cycle lasted 2 1/2 weeks and the next started a week later.. All side effects I was warned of so didn't really concern myself.

I started having phantom kicks (uterus contractions) and stabbing labor pains back in February which I figure was it doing its job trying to get my system on track. I had numbness and pain down my left side and would constantly find myself hunched over in pain.. The bleeding had slowed down so much that I was so grateful and just kept popping pain pills like candy hoping it would go away soon.

These last few days have been a flu from hell. Can't leave bed, can't speak, constantly throwing up, loose stools followed by extreme constipation, achy muscle tingling skin.. you name it!! Went to the bathroom earlier and when I wiped, had a small bout of black blood.. Old blood that sometimes you will find at the end of your cycle! I checked the calendar and had indeed finally skipped a cycle.. The cramps and pains have been there as though I was going to start, but no bleeding for a week now.. So apparently to skip a cycle I'm going to be bed ridden with the flu.. I have a 5 year old, a 2 year old and a 7 month old who can't have mommy sick. This has been hell..

I too have experienced
terrible headaches, stomach pains, DEPRESSION, short fused tantrums, sitting and crying for hours on end, no passion for life, numbness of limbs, tingling skin, sinus infections, yeast infections, temporary blindness and now spots in my eyes which aren't regaining vision, 5 months ago I dyed my hair and it came out by the chunks, now that the dye is gone, I'm still losing hair and have bawling spots which I blamed on the dye.. Now I wonder..I also look like I'm about 6 months pregnant and people keep asking.. I HATE IT!! its been devastating to my self esteem. I lost so much weight after my boys so I blamed the weight gain on having a girl.. Now I wonder about that too.. The weight is only about 10 pounds but ALL in my belly..

I wonder so much..

I got about 5 posts into this horrified before I called to insist it will come out.. I have to wait 4 weeks.. but I can't wait to find me again.. I'm gonna just stick with condoms until I get my body back.

Thank you so much for speaking out on this.. I know the doctor is going to insist that it's not to blame.. but I now know better.. Thank you so much for helping me find answers.

I had Mirena put in the end of November and was thrilled with it. I instantly regained my sex drive. I had a lot of spotting for the first few weeks but hardly any bleeding since then. About two weeks ago I noticed that the right side of my body was numb but brushed it off as I have previous neck problems and thought it might be a pinched nerve or something. The numbness is constant, from just below my ribs down to my toes, worst in the hip/groin area. I now have very little sensation during intercourse. My doctor has run blood tests and was mentioning testing for MS but after reading these posts I think it may be the Mirena. I have also had painful joints and started seeing a counselor as I have been feeling very depressed (she has recommended anti depressants). I have also had a lot of bruising, not sure if this is related, and am sick more often (have spent a total of 38 days on antibiotics since I got it put in, hadn't needed any for years before this). Making an appt today to talk to doctor!!!

My 17 yr old daughter received her first Gardasil on April 17,08 with only pain at the injection site on June 16th 08 she received the 2nd within days she started complaining of severe headaches and eye pain so I scheduled a routine eye exam thinking that her glasses may need to be updated. After her exam her optomatrist called me intot he room telling me that she had severe swelling of her optic nerve and scheduled her for an MRI before we could get that done she went to the ER for severe pain in the eye and headaches there they did the MRI and it was normal no tumors or anything that would cause such headaches. On July 3 she called me from work asking to be picked up because the pain was so bad she could not function at all she was weak, dizzy and overall just not feeling good. I took her to the ER again where they performed a spinal tap and tons of bloodwork and admitted her for pain control on July 5th she had a 2nd spinal tap and every day more bloodwork was performed so far ALL tests ran have come back normal. She was in the hospital 5 days. She seen her ophthalmologist a week after being released and we talked to her about the Gardasil and she felt there was enough "coincidence" to have my daughters pediatrician file a adverse reaction form. That has been done and my daughter has learned to live with the pain since nothing seems to help it anymore. Also the last 6 weeks she has had bad insomnia and nose bleeds.

i was a healthy 35 year old male but had high cholesterol, so the doctor prescribed lovastatin (mevacor) and tried it for a month but developed muscle weakness. months later, i'm still experiencing severe muscle spasms and my neurologist is stumped -- mri's, spinal tap, emg -- all normal. I just want to feel normal again. can anyone help? please email me!

Went to the doc's with a bad deep cough had for about a week. I was prescribed an antibiotic, eye drop, and an antihistamine. Went to local drug store found out insurance would not pay for antihistamine because it was the same thing as OTC Zyrtec and that the drug store had a generic brand which was cheaper. Started taking it on a fri. night all went well until the following Thur. night at work. Arrived at work normal time then roughly one hour into my shift I notice sweating, dizzy, and not aware of my surroundings, when suddenly I found myself passed out on a hard concrete floor flopping like a fish out of water. Taken to ER were they performed CAT scan, MRI, and very painful spinal tap.
All came back clear. After a stay in the hospital fri I was looking forward to being discharged sat morning when all of sudden it happen once again. In fact it happen three times sat. What was it you ask? My heart had STOPPED first time 5 seconds, second time 11 seconds, and the third time with my Wife watching my heart stopped for a full 18 seconds. Awoke to the sights of several Nurse's with difb in hand ready to shock me back. Rushed to ICU my heart than began racing to 170 – 180 beats a min. had to get med’s. to slow it down. Was schd for a pace maker. Final diagnosis ZYRTEC! The hospital Doc., Cardiologist as well as my PCP agreed.

I have posted in the past about my 9 yr old dd who was taking singulair for 3 yrs. Upon finding all this information about singulair and way before it hit the news .My dd was being tested for many different problems nuerologically wise. Trying to rule out depression,bipolar and ADHD. She had an eeg and labs done a few days after stopping singulair. And just today we went in for results and nuerologist says labs are normal but eeg was not . Meaning that she could possibly be having seizures. BUT NOW I AM WONDERING IF IT WAS SINGULAIR CAUSING THIS? I read somewhere that seizures can go unnoticed if they are very mild. But she did having trouble sleeping and concentrating. And at times even just stared off into space after we spoke to her repeatedly. My question is has anyone had any similar experiences with singulair ? Please respond.

My 16 year old son took Levaquin 6 months ago and had a bad reaction to it. His symptoms were severe muscle weakness (he would get exhausted walking from the parking lot to a store and back, severe joint pain (in thumbs, wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles), dizziness (he felt like the room was moving away from him and would lose balance), and headaches (a severe pressure in the back of his head that was constant and then shooting pains in his his head that would come and go for no reason). I should say he was in top shape before this and wrestling in the 125 pound category. He took Levaquin to prevent an infection after sinus surgery.

Now 6 months later, his joint pain is completely gone except for his knees. They still hurt when he does squats and they are not good enough for him to go back to wrestling, but he can walk around pain free. His dizziness is also gone as well as his muscle weakness. His headaches are still there and still constant, but not as bad as they once were; however, he has had them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 6 months. He is on Lyrica which has helped make the headaches subside.

I have taken him to more than 16 medical doctors of all specialties, had multiple MRIs, CT Scans, blood tests, spinal tap, and an MRA. All come back negative. Thankfully, despite all of this, he still remains happy and positive that he will once again be 100% healthy; it will take lots of time, but he will get better. I know the first three symptoms (joint pain, dizziness, weakness) are clearly Levaquin related, but I haven't heard much about the headaches from people. Anyone else out there that has suffered from a constant headache after Levaquin? I REALLY want to hear about headaches from others!!!!

By the way, we have filed a medwatch already. I also know that Levaquin is not approved for anyone under 18 years old and he never needed such a powerful drug to prevent an infection, but there is nothing I can do about that now except to warn others. One of his UCLA doctors wants to write a case study on him to make this more known to others and I am helping him with that.

If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask. If you have had a headache from Levaquin, please let me know where in the head the pain was, if it is constant, what it feels like (pressure, shooting, throbbing), how long you have had it, and what, if anything, helped. THANKS.

I have taken Paxil for several years for Fibro and Neuropathy. Since I am in constant pain, I get very agitated easily so I was given Paxil to help take the edge off my days. Yes it has helped.

But I have a terrible sweating problem. It has been going on for several years also and no one has ever mentioned it could be caused from the Paxil. I am embarrassed to even go out anymore because I have sweat rolling down my face and my hair gets wet. I know people are starring at me.

After reading all the side effects, which I have many but always just associated them to my other problems, I think I may also try to get off this drug and just see if the sweating stops. If I could go a day, out in public, without this sweating, it would be the happiest day in my life. I am almost to the point of being a recluse now. So keep your fingers crossed for me and a prayer wouldn't hurt also!

Thanks

My son is 16 years old, a wrestler, and was in excellent health. He developed sinus issues and had surgery on September 17, 2007 (he had a headache on the left side of his head which the ENT said was due to sinus issues). After sinus surgery, the doctor prescribed Levaquin for 10 days. After 4 days, I called his doctor and told him he was getting worse and not better. The doctor said not to worry. After that he had sleepless nights, felt like the room was moving away from him, became dizzy and light headed. Then the joint pain came. First in his thumbs, then wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles. He developed severe headaches in the back of his head. The headaches were moderate to severe and with him 24 hours a day. He became extremely weak and his dizziness continued. He was tested for many diseases through numerous blood tests, had a spinal tap, MRI, MRA, CT of the spine, CT of the sinuses, x-rays of the knees, and an EEG. All came back normal, except his sinuses were still swollen which is normal after sinus surgery. He has seen numerous medical doctors (primary, pediatrician, two neurologists, allergist, two Ear Nose Throat) and is now seeing a pediatrician in UCLA and has appointments to see more UCLA doctors.

He has been out of school now for a couple of months. Luckily, the school has him on home instruction and sends teachers to the house and he is maintaining his honors classes. To give you all hope, he does appear to be getting better, but it is a very slow recovery. Up until two weeks ago, some days were okay and some days were pretty bad. It comes and goes like that. At first I never suspected Levaquin, but stumbled across the side effects when I was trying to research what was wrong with him. The only thing I found that had helped some people was taking high doses of magnesium (the kind ending in "ate" is better absorbed). I was and still am nervous about giving my child a lot of any type of vitamin, but no one was able to make him better, so I gave him 250 mg three times a day for three days. It could be just a coincidence, but about 3 days after I stopped giving him the magnesium, all of the joint pain was gone except for his knees, which still hurt if he bent down.

After a couple more weeks, he still had severe headaches, knee pain, some dizziness and some weakness, so I thought I would give it another go and gave him magnesium three times a day for 4 more days. After the 4 days of magnesium, he started on a new medication called Lyrica. His knee pain is almost gone and his headaches are minor with only an occasional flair up. I can see in his eyes and how he reacts that his is feeling better than he has in a long time. He has always been a happy kid, but I can tell he has his special spark back.

For the last two weeks, I just give him one 250 mg of magnesium a day, multi-vitamins, and Lyrica. By the way, one of the blood tests I requested was for magnesium, and it showed his level was normal. So, I have no idea if it is time that is making him better, the magnesium, or the fact that he is taking Lyrica. He will still continue to go to the doctors, none who believe Levaquin could be a cause, until he is completely back to normal. I believe that Levaquin was likely a culprit in his overall health issues, especially since no one can figure out how my healthy, energetic son suddenly became so ill he could no longer go to school. For the past two weeks now, he has had good days mixed in with okay days (no bad days though!!!) He has had only 2 weeks so far of better health and we hope it continues to get even better. Good luck to all of you and my prayers are with you. I hope somehow this will help someone.

after reading this site, I decided to get off the NuvaRing and see if any of my medical problems would change.
The weekend before I decided to take it out permanently, I passed out twice from ambiguous lightheadedness (much like anemia but definitely tested negative for that).
It's only been 2 weeks, and I feel so much better already!
NOTABLE CHANGES:
-I have a SEX DRIVE again! I'm only 21 and when I was on the ring I never wanted sex with my long term partner (or anyone, even my self, for that matter). In the 2 weeks it's been out I've felt my libido come back to life.
-I haven't been napping! I used to come home from school and sleep 3-4 hours every single day. I feel much more awake now, even after 2 weeks.
-I have developed a minor daily headache. I think this might just be my body adjusting to the lack of hormones.
-I'm actually losing weight! I gained about 20 pounds on the ring, and even when I worked out regularly I couldn't get rid of it. In the past 2 weeks I've already lost 3 pounds, on the exact same exercise plan that did nothing for me for the previous 6 months.
-My dreams are significantly more realistic and I can remember them- I take this as an indicator that my general mental state is much better. I honestly feel like I've been re-introduced to my imagination which has been in a NuvaRing hibernation or something.

i was skeptical that the NuvaRing was the cause of my problems until NONE of my bloodwork (and I had TONS done) turned up any other possible reasons for my chronic fainting.
In the 2 weeks since I've been off the NuvaRing, I've already seen an incredible shift.

I was hesitant at first to acknowledge this, because when I first got on the ring it felt like a godsend- lower hormones meant I was less depressed than I was on orthotricyclin and i felt healthier all around --- at FIRST that is.
After almost 2 years of being on the Ring I almost feel back-stabbed by it... I'm not sure what changed but I am definitely willing to attribute my medical and mental problems to this drug.

Be careful, and be aware of your body.
If something feels wrong, figure out what it is, and don't risk your health.

After 2 treatments of Rituxan, my uncle could barely walk into the doctor's office. It progressively worsened even after he quit the treatments, and now he has absolutely no muscle strength in his legs and has to be carried or in a wheel chair to go from one side of the house to the other. It didn't affect anything but his legs oddly enough. He went through a series of tests, x-rays, PET, Spinal Tap, even chiropracter, etc., and can't find any sign of cancer or attributing problems. The doctors think that maybe it was a symptom of the chemo treatments, more particularly the Rituxan since it began after the first and worsened with the second until he was unable to walk at all.

After three days or maybe four days of taking Prilosec, my husband started to feel tingling, chaffing type feeling in his inner thighs. By the fifth day he started feeling weekness in his legs, by the seventh day he could not walk without holding on to something and felt very strange driving, as if his legs were not working. On the sixth day of taking Prilosec he was sent to the emergency room by his physician for an emergency overview and possible stat MRI. He was given several tests in ER and admitted that eve. MRI and spinal tap done within next few days, all back neg. He is now in a nursing home for PT, he stopped taking Prilosec on my urging 4 days ago, as of yesterday, his balance started to improve and this am is reporting that he is walking better. Before he had what I would call, stroke symptoms as far as leg goes

I was given 2 doses of 750mg IV Levaquin in my local emergency room for a UTI, then sent homw with a RX for 750mg oral. I went back to the emergency room 2 days later with a temp of 101 and complaints of leg pain and numb feet. The emergency again gave me 750mg Levaquin IV admited me into a observation ward when they continued to give me three additional does 750mg Levaquin IV, and sent me home. I went back to the emergency for the third time, severe pain in feet, numbness in feet and swollen and red, burning, elevated temp and this time elevated liver and pancreases enzymes. Admitted into the hospital, they proceed to do a spinal tap to see if I had Guillian Bria Symdrome. I was concluded that I had acute sensoury neuropathy induces by Levaquin toxicity. It is four weeks past, I still have numbness and buring in my feet. I must have had my allergic reaction after the second does because as we look back, I experienced a rash around my abdomen, a sever headache and elevated temp as I received the third does. Because the temp kept stayed elevated and the leg pain got worse, they kept giving me the Levaquin, which resulted in the overdoes toxicity, that was escentially casuing the elevated liver and pancreas enzymes, which was causing the high temp and leg pain. The temp, and elevated enzymes started to decrease when the Levaquin was stopped. As for the nueopathy in the feet and lower legs, only time will tell. If you have never taken this drup before, DON"T. They are other drugs out there that can be used.

Within an hour of the injection I suffered a headache which progressed to a severe migraine headache. I also experienced very high blood pressure and broke out in sweats. The blood pressure did not begin to normalize until 5 days and I am still experiencing a headache (although not a migraine. This is the fifth day after the injection. I was not aware of any of these side effects so I was hospitalized due to the extreme blood pressure and extreme headaches. A cat (sp?) scan and spinal tap was done in an effort to determine the reason.

Oh, my gosh. I wish I had been aware of this site 13 years ago. After reading all the postings, I know now that I'm not alone. Thank you to all for sharing your stories - they've really helped me. Please have patience with me as I am going to unload my lengthy story now. I am currently going through my third treatment of Lupron and am 40 years old. After my first treatment at age 27 for severe endo, I became terribly depressed and had severe panic attacks. This was very much unlike me - I had no history of depression and was an optimist. I also acquired all kinds of vaginal infections which my doctor had no answer for even though he tested me for everything and said it was not related to the drug. Oh, and let's not forget about that great insomnia which really, really helped my performance at work. As most doctors say, and worse yet, I believed them -- "it was all in my head" and had to get more prescriptions to sleep, etc. Like a dummy, after my second lap surgery in which they had to remove my appendix as well because of the endo, I went through another treatment of Lupron. Just lovely. Had serious problems concentrating, vision problems and yes, had my first and only migraine - I thought I was dying. I even went to the emergency room at my doctor's request. Dear God, they gave me a spinal tap because they thought I might have Spinal Meningitis. But, of course, I didn't have anything but a migraine. It was just that wonderful drug Lupron. I didn't make the connection until I came to this site. Finally, and even though I was an athlete for a long time (although I've picked up a very bad habit of smoking and occasional drinking now), I had spinal fusion surgery for my neck two years ago because my discs were deterioriating... any connection to Lupron? I think so. What a vicious cycle. If I had known then that I wouldn't have children so manyyears ago, I would have elected for a hysterectomy right then. I would have been much saner, much healthier and wouldn't be going through the treatment again for endo. Now, since reading everyone's postings, I don't know what to do. I just had my second monthly shot of Lupron and I'm still bleeding. Can't wait to see what the next round of side effects will be. Do I sound bitter? Shame on the medical community. All this time I thought there was something wrong with me and that I had caused all these physical problems - it was like my body betrayed me and I blamed myself which made everything even worse. It lowered my self esteem, shrunk my breasts (yikes!), and made me feel like crap. Thank you again, for listening. This has been a great help to get this off my chest. I welcome any comments.

Please tell me where I can go for help. My mother is having terrible side effects from taking Lipitor a couple years ago. She will need a wheelchair soon. I can't believe so many of her problems are linked to this drug! Her doctors won't even consider the problem being Lipitor. Even though she is off it now, her problems seem to be progressing. Her feet are numb with the numbness moving up her legs. Muscle tone is gone and her left foot hangs. She was diagnosed with dropped foot last year. She also had a pace maker put in after she recovered from pneumonia. She has been told she has spinal stenosis and needs back surgery she probably is too weak to survive. Now she is being treated for neuropathy with no success. Her doctor has done a spinal tap and a nerve biopsy. She has seen a neurologist who sent her to a doctor in Houston. She has had gamma globulin IV's and an IV treatment in the hospital. I don't remember what it was called. Next step is a blood cleansing treatment done in Houston for 2 weeks to remove antibodies attacking the myelin sheath. Her eyes have occasionally hemorrhaged and she faints due to low blood pressure. My mother was very healthy except for slightly elevated cholesterol 3 years ago. What can we do? She is dying.

I have been taking Advair since July 9 2004; almost immediately I begin to have heart palpations and anxiety attacks at night. My left side is numb from head to toe. I have headaches all the time. My left arm has tighteness as if I am having a heart attack and my left leg feels as if the blood is pooling in the calf and ankle. My left ankle swells up often and when I attempt to walk for exercise, my right leg literally gets so tight I have to stop and rub it to relieve the pain. My lower back hurts and while attempting to find the problems I had a spinal tap which has created a permanent pain in my back. I have chest pains and the constant fear of having a heart attack. My quality of life went from the best to the possible worst. I have had C-span, MRi, Cartoid Artery test, chest xrays, Spinal Tap and every test came back with good readings. I have been checked for Lupus, MS and my Thyroid and every other test there is. One doctor even told me "maybe you need an exorcist" because all the test where good. I has been horrible and I am beginning to get the fatigue that I have read about on the website. In the middle of exercising I just want to lay down on the floor and go to sleep. I have gain 25 pounds since September. How crazy is that. Before I was diagnoised with Asthma I worked out 4 time a day, even after being treated for Asthma I was able to work out when I was only using the OVAR/Singular. Once I started the Advair everything change. When I use the disk I have an immediate reaction. At first I kept questioning myself and wonder if it was something else. I informed my doctor on 2/11/2005 that I had a problem with the Advair, he instructed me to use it once a day and continue with my emergencies inhaler when needed. I am schedule for a major test tomorrow on the nervous system, after reading these testomonials this morning, I called the office and told them I was taking myself off of the Advair and that someone needed to advice me from that point. I have never felt worst in my life, but I think I am about to feel better.

I was perscribed levaquin when I started experiencing yet another sinus infection. I also had an extremely sore throat and my ear hurt really bad. I know it was all do to the sinus infection. I took the medication for about 2 to 3 days and then I started feeling sick to my stomach, my stomach would hurt so bad I could not operate. I had an emotional break down, anxiety, depression, light head, extremely dizzy, I sweat so much that I was sweating the antibiotic (very stinky), and I had the worst headache of my entire life.

I went back to the doctor and she suggested I go to the hospital and get a spinal tap. I said I don't think so. So she gave me a shot for a migraine. I slept and slept, but my headache did subside substantially. I was sick for 1 whole week. I have never been that sick in my entire life.

My doctor told me that she was never perscribing that medicine to me again. I don't know if it was a side effect or an allergic reaction, but I didn't like it at all.