Spine symptoms and conditions

ive been on mirena since march 2008. at first i thought this was the best birth control product out there. however for over two years i have been riddled with allergies, sinus infections, upper respiratory tract infections, tiredness, headaches, joint pains, muscle aches, gastric and bowel problems, cyst like acne, mood swings tachycardia (rapid heart rate), anxiety. at first i thought all these were related to getting older (im 29) and work related stress so i wrote it off. but being a person who has never been sick in my life to all of a sudden being sick once a month is crazy. this has been the only thing i could think of that i could think the problem is. i hate to remove the iud because it is so convenient but i am sick of being sick. the doctors dont tell you of the not so obvious side effects like these. i just hope that no permanent damage has occurred.

It is amazing to read about all of the side effects of Mirena and yet it can still be on the market. I don't understand.
I have all of these side effects. I had it inserted in April and am now getting it removed. However - went to have it removed and they can't find it (as they cut the strings to close) so I have to go back in for an Ultrasound so they can remove it??? GRRRRR!!! I have to wait until next Tuesday to get it removed.
I have put on 15 lbs in 3 months (I eat healthy and exercise daily), my back is killing me, my breasts are the size of watermelons.
I am so angry and movited to get this device taken off the market. I can't wait to get my life back. If you are considering it DO NOT DO IT!!!!!!!

I got my Mirena o June 18th, 2009. It is now November 17th and I have an appointment to have it removed this Friday. It started with unexplained hives and rashes constantly. The bottom of my feet, my palms, my knees, upper arms, throat and stomach. I was on constant high doses of Prednisone and anytime I started lowering my doses, the hives returned. I went to the ER three times for swelling and hives so bad I could barely see and could barely breathe. seemingly caused by NSAIDS, which I had never had a problem with before.Next was severe lower abdominal pain accompanied by groin pain so bad I could barely walk. Friends said it sounded like cysts, but, when I had an internal ultrasound done, nothing was found. After that I had severe breast pain and swelling. The final straw was the constant all over muscle aches and joint pain in my knees. I feel like I am 100 years old! I am tired all the time no matter how much sleep I get. I went to a dermatologist and I mentioned the Mirena, as I had to my OB, his response was "middle age". I thought I at first has Lupus, but, the rash did not fit that description. I changed detergents, blamed it on a foster dog, anything I could think of. Finally after reading so many posts and finally finding a connection with the rashes and hives, it can be nothing other than the Mirena. I even noticed that this device had the second most posts on this site. I can not wait to have the Mirena removed.

On Sept. 2, 2009 I had a cortisone shot in my back for L4, L5, C1 disc problems. The shot was painful but brief and I went out of there with no particular symptoms. It was done in a hospital by a neurologist. On Sept. 4th I woke up and the whole room was spinning. I threw up and this continued for awhile. I could hardly stand and went to the hospital emergency room where I spent the next twelve hours getting all kinds of tests. My blood pressure was 185 over 110. Finally, they told me they could find nothing physically wrong and dismissed me with meclizine for dizziness. This is now Oct.27th and I had these vertigo symptoms for seven weeks! I was sent to an ear specialist and underwent vesicular therapy for benign position vertigo several times a week at a rehabilitation center. I had brain MRI and a neck MRA which showed nothing. Last Saturday I passed out for a few seconds. Every medical specialist insists that the Cortisone shot had nothing to do with all this but I am still undiagnosed. Yesterday (Oct. 26th) the dizziness ended (7 weeks). I don't know if it is gone for good. I cannot believe that it is just a coincidence that all this happened two days after the cortizone shot. Does this strike a bell with any of you?

Hello, I can't help but get into the Mirena conversation. Three months after my son was born, I was put on the Mirena IUD. I had a ton of symptoms. My hair was falling out, tired, weak, headaches, stomach cramps, and just all around felt like crap. I went back to the doctors to have the Mirena removed positive that it was the Mirena that was making me feel like crud. The doctor persuaded me to keep it in longer and after much debate and feeling flustered with the doc I agreed for a couple more months. Well symptoms got ten times worse to the point I called and demanded to be seen right away to have it removed. Well after it was removed, I felt better but not completely. I started losing weight, I had periodic migraines which mind you I never had a migraine in my entire life, and felt like a truck ran over my body every morning when I got out of bed. I went to the doctors and they ran a slew of tests and NOTHING! Well about a month after a car ran a stop sign and crashed into me. I hit my head. IT was the best damn thing ever, I got a cat scan and it showed something on my brain. A MRI picked up a right cerebellum hemangioblastoma about 3cms. I had to have brain surgery to have it removed. They decided to do a full scan and I now currently have a kidney hemangioblastoma. Moral of this story. I am 31 years old, I have always been healthy with no migraines, no ailments, nothing. I have the Mirena put in and I feel like shit and they found a brain and kidney tumor. The estimated both my brain and kidney tumor to be about 2 yrs old. THE EXACT TIME I GOT THE MIRENA IN. Hemangioblastomas are either sporadic of VHL. With sporadic, usually you only get 1 and if you get another its later on down the road and my two tumors would not be the same age so it rules that one out. VHL, I had a genetic test done and it came up negative. So anyone of answers for my mishap. I know the Mirena caused this for me. Im just looking for someone with a similar story

The mirena coil has destroyed my relationship. At the beginning my partner told me he could feel it and it hurt us both. But when i told the doctor he said my partner was making it up as it is not possible to feel it. Im made to feel like a liar, and im sick and tired of them lying to me. I get sharp stabbing pain all the time, every day where the coil is. Sometimes i can not sit down as it hurts so much. I have no sex drive, i also get this weird pain at the top of my left leg near the fallopian tube. I bleed almost everyday and have constant cramps. Which is causing my spine to curve, due to not been able to sit up properly. My partner has left me as it has been going on for 3 years. I can not even begin to start a new relationship as sex is very painful and i bleed heavily afterwards, which lasts for weeks. I have a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos vascular syndrome. And the hormones that are in the mirena coil react to my condition and i shouldn't be having the this coil. But my Dr refuses to take it out. I am deeply depressed by this as my life has been ruined by the mirena. I also suffer with headaches and i burn up and i start to sweat quite bad. Which can be very embarrassing. I didn't really want the mirena but i was pushed into by my doctors, as they thought they knew best. I told them that it wasn't recommended as i have EDVS. But they don't care what i think. I have begged for them to take it out but they will not do it. Im at my wits end as i don't know what to do anymore. I am 33 years old with a disable son to look after. And it can interfere with me looking after him as the pain gets too much. I want it out and i want my life back before i have no life left! Ladies please do your homework before making any choices. Dr's are not super human and they do not know everything. They are only human and make mistakes just like anyone else.

I was prescribed Bactrim for MRSA on August 26th, (2) 500 mg pills twice daily for one week. My first dose was that night, and the following morning I woke up with a severe migraine, and eye muscle pain. Day two I woke up with the same symptoms plus mild fever and severe pain from my neck down my spine. I was worried it was meningitis. Went and had my abcess drained and told the instacare Dr. all of my problems I had been having, and that I wasn't sure if it was a reaction to the antibiotic, or something else. Every day I have woken up sweating from the fever, I'm sleeping horribly, and the aches in my head and behind my eyes are at times unbearable. I will take my last dose tomorrow morning, and hopefully all of the symptoms will start to disappear. I am generally a healthy person, and rarely even get a cold, but this drug has really done a number on me, I haven't not felt these types of symptoms all at once before.

Hi All,

I am so glad that I found this group of postings. For the past 5 days I have been experiencing muscle pain which began on the inside of my left knee day 1. On the second day I had significant pain in both calf muscles as if I had begun a new calf workout routine(I haven't) as well as pain in the large back muscle that runs down either side of the spine. Day 3 I noticed serious pain in my forearms and wrists. The forearm pain is causing hand cramping and my thumbs don't seem to function properly. I tried to sign a credit card receipt today and could barely grip the pen. I now have pain in my neck muscles as well.

I know I have taken Levaquin in the past 6 months, I am just not exactly sure when it was. I am definitely going to research that. I went to the Dr. yesterday to discuss my muscle pain. He took 2 viles of blood. He said he is going to check for Lyme's disease and other infection. I am hopeful it is not something serious. I must say thought, many of the posts above sound a lot like what I am experiencing. I am going to be beyond angry if I have a permanent condition from taking Levaquin. Some pain I believe I can deal with. It is the current poor function of my hands I am most concerned with.

I wish all of you the best in recovering. If my condition turns out to be something else I will repost.

I had my Mirena placed in the first of may, it was very very very painful. The following months I had spotting and bleeding EVERY day, I had no energy what so ever. Some days I even felt pregnant, and not to mention my face, I looked like a teenager again, horrible acne!

Then I started having this tingling and stinging sensation in my hands and feet, I googled it and all I could find was MS(multiple sclerosis)! In shock I did a search in English(I'm from Norway) and found that I was NOT the only one having MS symptoms with the Mirena! I had the Mirena removed this week, but I still have the symptoms, but I guess it takes a little time for the hormones to leave the body completely!! My boyfriend said to me "let`s hope you didn't get MS from the Mirena".. And I am of course terrified... I have an appointment with the doctor at the end of the week!

I just don't think that this is a coincident!

HELP!!!!

Ok heres my story- I herniated a disc in my back about 4 years ago. I had a microdicectomy at the time and took prednisone starting at 40mg and weening off for a 14 day cycle. i had NO problems.

4 months ago i reherniated the disc. after 2 cycles of 14 days each on prednisone and 2 epideral injections in my spine it DID NOT work. i then started vicodin. i upgraded to percocet about 2 months in. i had the surgery again and after the surgery...yup another 14 day cycle of prednisone. i am off the percocet now ( i was on about 40mg per day for 14 days) and just finished the prednisone 4 days ago. this is what I am feeling:
restless
crawling out of my skin
sweating just stopped yesterday
heart pounding
cant sleep

Do you think this is from coming of the prednisone????? If it is how long does this usually last??

I went to the doctor yesterday for test results. I have had an ultrasound and xray to locate the Mirena which is not in my uterus. Now I have to have a ct scan to make sure it's not near my spine and I'm so scared and angry.
Has anyone else had this experience?
I continue to gain weight rapidly. Last week I could fit a size 20 and this week I need to buy a size 22. I've gone from a size 16 to size 22 in 5 months. I'm so sad and my skin is prickly and itchy and my feet swell something awful. My ob/gyn is not being supportive and she appears to minimize what I've experienced. I'm looking for another doctor so I can find out where this IUD has disappeared to.

This is the 3rd time I am taking levaquin in about 3 years. I had a MRSA type infection in my eye 2 years ago that I got in the hospital visiting my dying mother. She by the way died of a mysterious"infection" in her spine but frankly reading all of this I suppose it could have been caused by levaquin because they never found an infection but she complained of so much pain in her spinal collumn that they had to put her of morphine. No cause was ever determined but she was a dialysis patient and was given Levaquin on a regular basis for the infections that are common with having a stint in her arm. Her circulatory system collapsed and they could not do dialysis on her and she died after a week.
Getting back to my situation. I got the infection when rubbing the tears out of my eyes and woke up the morning of her funeral with a bad infection in the eye. Was going to eye doctor every week for 3 months thought I was going blind. Took 3 months of 750 mg dose. And multiple eye ointments. My eye sight took a hit and I now need to wear glasses for driving always. Used to have near perfect vision before this. This past year I took it again for Lyme's disease and after about a month after I developed and nerve or tendon pull in my neck that they could not explain how I got it. But I went to the emergency room and they gave me a neck support to wear.
Just was on Levaquin again for upper respiratory infection. Woke up in the middle of the night second day I was taking it. My head was pounding and it felt like it was going to explode (literally). At the same time my chest felt like it was collapsing. I thought I was really going to die and I was entirely coming undone in my mind. I called a friend at 2:30 AM and asked him (who is religious) if he knew any prayers for those who are about to die. I truly felt this was it - the end. No one told me about Levaquin's side effects until the other day when I was reading on the internet. I now have a pulsating sound in my ears that sounds like it is linked to my heartbeat. Never heard this sound before. Its been there for almost a week and it started a few days after I stopped taking the levaquin. I also have been noticing I have a shortness of breath and I am trying to move in a week. I keep getting very fatigued and have to lay down. Find myself falling asleep quite frequently.

I was wondering.......it hurt like hell when it was inserted. For those of you that had it removed, "HOW BAD DOES THE REMOVAL HURT?" I am afraid to have it removed but know it is necessary.

I've called my doctor and am waiting on a reply from the nurse. I want my Mirena removed. I posted my symptoms on May 8th. I've had mine in for 4 1/2 months.

My symptoms are in order of severity:

*heavy bleeding 3 out of 4 weeks (pads or tampons with breakthrough bleeding and pantiliner 24/7)
*acne on my back, butt and jawline (going to Derm. and using ProActive)
*I've gained 15 lbs in the past 4 months and it won't come off
*headaches
*a sore spot in my spine (I was fearful I had cancer)
*facial hair
*bloating (I look 4 months pregnant 1/2 of the time)
*low libido
*irritable and moody more than usual
*sore breasts

I started taking prednisone when I was only 12 years old and I was on it for about a year and a half. At the age of 10, I was diagnosed with glaucoma, uveitis and cataracts and for about 10 years now I have had all these illnesses. My experience with prednisone had been HORRIBLE. Within two months alone, I gained 50 pounds, my skin started to get really really thin, I started to develop stretch marks ALL over my body with the only exception of my face and hands. I started to get the chipmuk cheeks to the point that my family was afraid that I was going to literally explode. My liver was damaged. My kidney was damaged. The vertebrates in my spine where being chipped away. There was a point in that year and a half where the doctors told me that there was a 70% chance of me going blind. The bottom line was that PREDNISONE WAS BRINGING NOTHING FOR ME EXCEPT RUIN. On top of that, I was constantly depressed. Kids at school would point at laugh hysterically at me. And if people weren't laughing, they were struck by fear and were trying to figure out what exactly I was. I remember this one instance in my school cafeteria where one girl stood up on the lunch table, pointed at me and screamed SHE'S AN ALIEN!!

I was and still am scarred physically and emotionally. My arms and stomach are really saggy because the skin is soo thin. As I said my entire body is scarred with stretch marks. I can't show the slightest bit of my body to anyone because I am so ashamed, embarrassed and afraid of peoples judgments. I am afraid that no one will ever want to be in a relationship with me.

All I can tell you is that though I stopped using it about six and a half years ago, this dreaded drug has truly ruined my life from the very start of my childhood.

I've been on the fentanyl patch for almost 3 years. I started on the 25 patch, then went up to the 50. Now I've weaned myself back down to the 25 patch. I was put on it for chronic back pain caused from a car accident.
I'm determined to get off this drug, so any and all suggestions are welcome!
In the last few months I've been experiencing some odd side effects that seem to be becoming worse by the day. Firstly, it seems like I can feel the effects of the patch more so, like when I first started using it. I also started experiencing nocturnal problems, my legs in particular felt like they were burning up and the muscles were really tight. If I stretched them it only seemed to worsen the problem. The only solution, weirdly enough, seemed to be jumping into the tub for a half hour.
In the last couple of weeks I have been experiencing MY FULL BODY HEATING in the middle of the night, as though it's the middle of summer in the middle of a big heatwave. I move around on the sheets and try to find a cool spot. I manage to sleep for only minutes at a time. For awhile this was only happening the second day with the patch (I only wear it two days at a time). Now it's the first and second. It's disrupting my sleep and I'm exhausted. My doctor gave me some sleeping pills which worked rather well but now I've run out and I really don't want to start depending on another drug.
I NEVER should have started on this drug and though it does work and work very well for chronic pain, I still highly recommend finding any other option out there for dealing with your pain. The withdrawal effects are horrendous. The first time I went through withdrawal I could not believe how terrible the symptoms were. Vomiting, diarreah (never could spell that one right, lol), and the pain was amplified times 100. My Doctor seems to not understand how scary it is to even contemplate getting off this drug, the withdrawal is that scary!
I managed to get down a patch size by cutting a tiny sliver of the plastic backing on the patch (NOT THE PATCH ITSELF!!!! The backing that you remove!) and sticking it on the patch before transferring the patch to my skin, so in essence, I was blocking out part of the patch and just made the plastic a little bigger until I had finally blocked out half the patch at which time I went down to the 25 patch with zero side effects.
I'm on percocet for the fallout pain and take up to 8 per day, although some days I can take as little as 3. After I'm off the patch I'm determined to get off of this drug as well and learn to manage my pain in a different way.

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!

Hi all! Well I got my mirena taken out on Wednesday. The Dr. was very sweet I told her my symptoms and she said lets take this out then! While she was down there she said " Hmm I'm going to look at a swab under the scope." She came back in and said that the mirena gave me a bad infection! I had to take some strong one time antibiotic that killed my stomach! I can't wait to start to feel better. I did notice I can see a lot better then I did, no more blurry eyes. The last 3 1/2 years have been utter hell for me. I've been in and out of different Dr. offices not finding anything. I was dizzy all the time, I started out small after I delivered my baby and gained 60 lbs since it was put in. I had a shooting pain on my right side, horrible anxiety attacks, blurred vision, fuzzy mind, head aches, ovarian cysts, lower back pain and bloated belly. I am so relieved I got this disgusting thing out of my body!!! I hope my life will go back to normal now.

It has been a while since i have posted on here, however here goes. I am a 34 year old male taking warfarin for PE in left lung. I have been taking this stuff for 10 months now and fed up. The symptoms i am having are feeling extremely tired most of the time, feeling cold and very mild headaches. Also, i seem to have anxiety and depressive thoughts. I also have cold/flu symptoms which do not go away. furthermore, my hearing seemed to have diminished. I went to the doctors and they suggested having them flushed out. I went for this procedure, three hours later extreme pain, i received a middle ear infection and hardly any hearing now.
However, i do try to keep going, i play a Tuba in a Brass Band, a Concert Band, and now in a Symphony Orchestra. Got to have something interesting in life.
P.S I am also disabled due to having an operation on my spine five years ago.

Like most of you all I am on Topamax 100mg. I am a 27 year old female that has suffered from severe migraines for over 20 years that would last up to 2-3 days and completely debilitated me. I would bleed from my tear ducts from the extreme pressure and I would need to be in a quiet, cold, closed off room to be left alone until the migraine was gone to continue on with my life. It was ruining my life and taking over my day to day routine. I could never really commit to anything without the constant worry in the back of my mind about a possible migraine until I found Topamax. Now on Topamax I went from 4-5 migraines weekly to 1-2 monthly, it is truly amazing, however there is a catch. Although the medication is wonderful and I will never get off of it at the rate of success that I am at, I do have side effects. I have extreme tingling in my extremities, (hands, feet) along with my face. It feels like they are constantly asleep. I also have noticed the poor tasting carbonating drinks along with my taste buds changing with certain foods that I use to be so fond of. I also have a very smokey haze where it almost feels euphoric if I wake up in the middle of the night. I have horrible nightmares of people that I have not seen in or thought of in years, memory loss and spelling issues-all goes away after 3-4 months of uses. I had shortness of breath, however that subsides as well with the use of the medications along with several other side effects. I have lost over 30lbs that is along with diet, so I can't say it is all Topamax. I have noticed little nodules that have been showing up on my hands since I stared taking the medication that I am in ? about I have a call in to my neurologist to see if he has heard of any such thing. Other than that I love the medication, because if not having migraines is one of the side effects-lol I can handle the side effects. I hope that this will help anyone that might have anything similar to what I am going through. If you can shed some light on my nodule situation please let me know. Thanks

I needed a uterine biopsy so my OB/GYN prescribed something to dilate me. He also prescribed Reglan for my stomach. I didn't know at the time that's what it was or anything about the drug. He said to take the two meds together. I took 2 doses and after taking the second dose I got a tingle that went up my spine and threw me into a full blown panic attack for 48 hours solid. I couldn't relax so I would walk in and out our sidewalk and then I'd be so exhausted I'd have to lie down which was horrible. My heart was racing and I couldn't relax any part of my body. My entire body ached. Our small dog jumped on the bed and I thought I would die from the movement. I couldn't talk without the pain and I couldn't concentrate when someone would speak to me. I kept trying to rest by going to each part of my body and talking myself into relaxing. I'd start at my toes and by the time I would get to me ankles it was full blown panic again. My husband tried to give me a gentle hug and it was SO painful. I couldn't eat or drink.
I called the doctor and they insisted it was from the dilator but I knew it was the Reglan.
That was months ago and things have not changed. I still get a tingle in the base of my neck that goes up my spine and I get the panic attack. I can't sit and watch TV because when I relax it starts. I keep telling everyone that I feel like I'm not the same person I was before I took the drug but I don't know how to describe it to anyone. You had to go through it and feel what I felt to understand it completely. I fear I'm going to feel like this the rest of my life.
I'm now seeing a therapist that is helping me work through the attacks. Hopefully that will work. They put me on Celexa to help with the attacks, but that has side effects too. I tried cutting back on them but then the attacks got worse again. My therapist is well informed and knows about the Reglan and how bad it is. He is also taking me slowly off Celexa and replacing it with something else. I've been on Wellbutrin for years and have never had any problems with that.
My family is very supportive and that helps a lot. I feel very fortunate to have them.
I read all the experiences that everyone wrote and I can see me in all of them to some extent. I feel for every one of you and hope you all can have some peace in your lives.

Hello, I have been on Lamictal 25 mg 2 times per day for mood stabilizing since Sept 2008. For the past five months I have had extreme lower back and hip and leg pain. I have been being treated for the pain and so far no one has been able to find the cause. I am currently going to pain management because I am in drug and alcohol recovery, pain meds are not and option for me and just had my 2nd epidural spine injection with no relief. I am so GRATEFUL I found this site. God works in his own way. I am calling my doctors now. Thank you all and God Bless.

PS I have never even looked up my drug side effectives before let alone post on a site.

54 years old male on zocor (simvastatin) 40mg for 4 years, two years ago I start with problems in my shoulders (feel horrible) arms, hands and legs. Pain, numbness, cramp, tingling, muscle spams and weakness, my body is very weak.
I visited several doctors and pain management, therapy, medicine, nerve conduction test, MRI, CTscan, nerve block, carpal tunnel surgery, injection in my cervical and toracic spine I don't feel relief doctors doesn't knows the statin fault.
I found this page and I have been off zocor for 4 weeks and not relief yet.
Does any one know how long it takes zocor to get completely out of my system?

I have taken Lamictal for 2 years now, I increased my dose a few months ago. It curbed my rage issues, and continued to stabilize my mood swings.I have had the side effects of some memory loss, problems recalling things in the past, minor things, like what happened in movies I may have seen in earlier months. I have hair loss, more than usual when not on the drug. I have definite speech issues, I can never relay what I am trying to say. I feel stupid. I am consulting another psychiatrist to discuss the side effects. I really don't like not being able to remember things as much as I did before I took this drug. I really, really don't like the lack of the ability to speak fluently or even to get the words out. It is embarrassing, it makes me look almost like I have a mental retardation. It sucks. I also am disappointed that my spouse seems to think all "our" issues are because of my mood disorder and if I somehow when I disagree with him and want to address these issues, then my medication is not working. I know if I am raging more or if I have an increase in anger, then I need to go on higher meds or change meds. But, as my psychiatrist said to me, not all my issues in life are all my fault.
Generally, lamictal is working, but I would like to have a greater memory recall and I would definitely like my speech problems to be resolved and it sure would be nice if my hair would become thick again.Also, I have some twitching problems occasionally, it is annoying too. I still have racing thoughts and panic attacks too, it has not changed those issues. Oh, and another side effect is headaches in the back of my neck at the top where my head meets the spine, they are annoying and if I take ibuprofen, I get even more stupid and spacey, almost like I am checked out. My older kids notice more than my spouse does. My older kids also let me know when I am raging more, in a better way than my spouse does. My advice, let those whom you can trust be the one's who give you feedback on how you are doing, rather than someone who doesn't want to take ownership for their own issues, that way you can truly trust if the med's are working or if they are at the right dose. This along with your psychiatrist's help and help from family and your own assessment will keep you on the right track.

I had the Mirena inserted March of 08 just a little over a year after I had my first child. I would have rather gone through another drug free birth than have this thing inserted! I had such bad cramps I was taking 1000 mg of Ibuprofen every six hours and drinking 2-3 glasses of wine a night just to function. I had my period for 4 months solid and after a month of having the Mirena I felt as though I had a 2x4 nailed to my spine. I couldn't walk, sit, stand, even laughing hurt so bad it would bring me to tears. The pain finally went away after two months. Then I started to get thick chin hairs, they weren't highly visible unless I pointed them out or felt for them. Then the acne on my neck, hair line, chin, behind my ears, chin...everywhere! I am like any other female, a few blemishes here and there from my monthly period. I feel bloated all the time, never want to have sex, and when me and my husband do have sex....I spot for two weeks. Then the spotting goes away, we have sex and the NEXT DAY the spotting begins again for two weeks! We do not want to have anymore children but I would rather stick post it notes all over my house, car and even on my child to remind me to take the pill than go through this for another day. Each person is different, so I cannot tell you to do or not to do....just proceed with caution!!!!

Hi, I am so thankful for finding this site! I went into ER on January 31, 2008 because my bladder was contracting so badly i couldn't walk. I had severe backache right where my kidneys are. I knew I had a severe bladder infection. I am no stranger to bladder infections but, I usually get rid of them on my own (for the past 10 years) but, with all the hustle and bussle of the Holiday's I let it go and I apparently let it go too long. Anyway, my husband rushed me to the ER frantic thinking I had appendicitis and it was going to burst at any moment. Well, once I finally seen the doctor he said it sounded like a bladder infection that had gotten real bad. He tested my urine and just by looking at it he knew it was in fact a UTI. He did send it to the lab which also confimed it. The doctor gave me PHENAZOPYRIDINE to stop the bladder contractions and the burning when urinating and oh my GOD did I feel so much better. He also gave me a Bactrim right at the hospital. He also gave me a Prescription for both medications. I noticed after taking the first Bactrim I was feeling extremely nausea which I was told was a side effect so I just let it go. The next morning I had zero energy and when I walked I felt short of breath I also, noticed that when I layed down and stretched my legs they would cramp up terribly. I continued to take the Bacrtim because i just assumed that I was having these symptoms because I had been in so much pain that having some relief my body didn't know how to react. I was prescribed to take the Bactrim 2 times daily. So by the third day I was in agony. My lower back was hurting me so bad right at my spine and when sitting in our car it traveled to my left buttock and made it impossible to stay in a sitting position I told my husband I may have to go to ER again and I thought the Doctor had Miss Diagnosed me. My husband brought me back home where I decided to look-up side effects of bactrim and I came across so many sites with so many people having problems after taking this drug I decided that very moment not to take it anymore. I began drinking tons of filtered water to help clean out my system. The next morning I had so much of my energy back and my back and neck pain were at least tolerable. That day, Yesterday Sunday January 4, 2009 I began a full body cleanse product i found at rite aide (not cheap) but, today Monday I woke up and I have my energy back almost 100% no neck pain and very little back pain. What I have a hard time understanding is why the ER doctor gave me a broad spectrum drug knowing I was allergic to 3 other antibiotics. Doesn't that put me in a category of don't test other drugs on me? Anyway, I will never take another antibiotic for the rest of my life. I went 10 years with out taking any and I think I have just re learned why I have no faith in doctors. Thank you for this website I really needed to vent and get some assurance that the drug was in fact the reason I was so ill. I FORGOT TO MENTION ABOUT THE BACKACHE: I FELT AS IF MY BODY WAS BEING SPLIT UP THE MIDDLE OF MY SPINE. I THOUGHT I COULD TEAR APART AT ANY SECOND AND THE ONLY RELIEF I FOUND WAS GETTING ON MY HANDS AND KNEES IN THE SHOWER AND ALLOWING THE WATER TO RUN DOWN MY BACK. HOT,HOT WATER. I ALSO USED A HEATING PAD.