October 19th
2007
7:29 PM
I started advair a year ago for COPD and the side effects have become intolerable, but I'm between a rock and a hard spot, because it has made it possible for me to get off of the rescue inhaler which I was previously using every two hours. My hair periodically falls out by the handful, my legs swell every night and a deep bruise to my right leg has created a four week odyssy of the ankle swelling to twice the size of the other by dinnertime and the bruise is only just starting to appear - I suspect the steroids have slowed healing. I also have most of the same side effects as listed by others here - belly-bloating, diarrhea, severe stomach cramping, charlie horses, quicker temper, hoarseness, sore throat, heart palpatations, and chest pressure, trouble swallowing, bruising, blurred vision, most disconcerting is the way this stuff is affecting my short term memory. I just started back to school and I can't absorb anything into my memory and my ability to conceptualize (one of my best skills, previously) is now frightenly limited. For the first time in my life, I know what it is like to be the one in class scratching my head with a dumb expression on my face. I realized that it was the Advair, because I tried studying in the early morning (after the last dose of Advair had worn off) and Voila - my memory and conceptualizing abilities had partially, but dramatically, returned. But I need the Advair to GET TO class and by the time I reach the test (after my morning dose of Advair), I can't recall anything in a timely enough manner (test taking had always been my strength). I hate to think what this drug is doing to the minds of children in this country. I now know for the first time in my life, what a horrible feeling it is to not "get it" after trying with all your might. I flunked a math test last week after studying days and nights for it - first test I've ever flunked in my life and I used to get Bs in college while not opening a book until the night before a test. Does anyone know of anything else that is anywhere nearly as effective without all the side effects? I suspect it is the fluoride in Advair that makes it so dangerous - a good percentage of the dangerous drugs taken off the market or still on the market, but with blackbox warnings contain Fluoride - it is highly reactive and unpredictable. Flonase (nasal spray made with steroids and fluoride) makes my father and sister nearly psychotic!
-- By kalz | Reply | Private Message me
October 5th
2007
10:02 AM
I can't believe all of these posts, wow. I was starting to feel as though I was alone with all of the symptoms I was experiencing. I started this drug 2 1/2 weeks ago at 25mg am/pm and am currently up to 75mg am/am. I have really bad chest pain/tightness and mild shortness of breath. As someone else had mentioned, pop is enhanced not dulled, seems as though its like pins on my tongue. I have been forgetting words but not too bad, just for a couple of seconds. The anxiety is the worst, sometimes I lay in bed and the chest pain will increase and I get so axious it feels as though I'm going to die. I went to the ER last night but they did an EKG and told me my heart was fine that the chest pain most likely was not related to my heart. (I'm a 22 year old male and have never had problems with my heart) These chest pains only started after starting this drug. I'm ready to try something else. This was the first drug I was put on for my seizures, my doctor said it could possibly help the seizures/headaches/weight. These side effects are just too much.
-- By czambrano | Reply | (2) replies | Private Message me
September 12th
2007
3:31 PM
I originally went on 10mg of lipitor a day in January,2007, experienced leg pain,muscle ache and weakness,so after 3 weeks went off the drug on my own.In June 2007 after talking to different Dr's I went back on Lipitor,10mg, figuring that I had not really given the drug a chance as sometimes side effects do subside after a while.I saw my Dr on July 3rd & my cholesterol had gone down to 170 in about 3 weeks.I told him about my symptoms, which were the same as before & he told me to let him know if they got worse.By August 30th 2007 I just could not tolerate the pain and achiness all over my body,I was not sleeping well as every time I turned in my bed I woke up from the pain ( We even got a new mattress fguring maybe that was contributing to the joint pain) My joints became swollen & red,I could not lift up my arms,they were so sore and weak,my neck was so stiff that it was hard to drive and have to turn my head,I had a constant headache and what seemed to me like a"fuzzy brain"I am 63 years old and have never experienced anything like this,I am an active woman with a great deal of energy and people who know me could not believe what was happening, instead of scooting ahead of everyone I was barely keeping up.I found myself not wanting to eat as my stomach was constantly bloated & in pain & I was gaining weight too.
I went off Lipitor on September 1st and the withdrawal sypmtoms have been horrendous, I went to see my Dr yesterday & he put me on an anti inflamatory drug ,I have taken 2 dosages & am already feeling an improvement.This web site really helped as I felt I was not alone suffering from the side effects of Lipitor.Many people I have talked to have experienced the same symptoms but were attributing them to aging.
August 14th
2007
10:44 PM
Not sure my story applies to most women, but I'm having to take a double dose every day because I haven't stopped bleeding since my son was born in April. I'm scheduled for an ablation which I am not happy about. This is a procedure which is supposed to stop the bleeding permanently. They actually burn the blood vessels inside the uterus to seal them off. I just wish the bleeding would stop on its own like it's supposed to. It finally did stop after a week of taking Femcon fe, 2 at a time and so after three weeks I cut it down to one a day - hoping nothing would happen, but I started bleeding again the second day. I guess I should count my lucky stars that I'm not having migraines. But the nausea and bloating and extreme fatigue and depression are what made me find this site. I've also gained weight - even since starting to exercise again! Seems like every couple of days I just hit a wall and can't carry on any more. Im lucky to have a supporting husband who takes over the care of the house and kids for a few hours while I have a meltdown and some rest! I have two more weeks to go and I'm really hoping to never have to look at another birth control pill again! What the heck was the point of having my tubes tied during my c-section if I have to take pills anyway AND get my uterus messed with? Right now I feel pregnant all over again -- just without the wonderful package at the end of it!
-- By smeslucky3 | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
April 30th
2007
10:54 AM
I started Advair in November 2006; within days I started bruising on the inside of the thighs, calves and tricep area. One bruise developed in my sleep (!) that was about 6 in. long and 3 in. wide on the inside thigh. It was brilliant red and blue! But I chalked it up to getting accustomed to the new drug. Well about 5 months into this I noticed I could no longer sing or hold a note for any length of time without losing total breath. In the morning I would call out for one of my animals and nothing would come out of my mouth! Alarmed I stopped the Advair for about a week. The brusing stopped; my voice returned. I decided to try Advair again and yes, the bruising returned in the same areas and the voice issues started back. NOW I've been diagnosed with anemia in just 5 short months! Nothing changed except using Advair and Fluctonase. I'm now off Advair by my own choosing, my voice is returning, the bruises are gone but I still have to get my iron count up. Has anyone had anemic issues using this drug?
-- By jrichards58 | Reply | Private Message me
March 1th
2007
3:26 PM
I was dianosed with an immune disorder of the inner eye. It was advanced enough that regular treatments were not effective. So the dr. started me at 60 mg of prednisone and started to taper it off at 20 mg. every 2 weeks. At 6 weeks, it was observed that my symptoms had reappeared and so he started back at 60 and the tapering was much, much slower (50 mg, 40 mg 30 mg 25 mg 20 mg 15 mg 10 mg 7.5 mg 5 mg 2.5mg) the first week I had panic attacks and wanted to physically attack people. I couldn't sleep. After that I had mood swings, fuzziness, forgetfulness and confusion, all I wanted to do was lay on the couch. I had heart palpitations, moon face (people thought that I'd had dental surgury) went from a size 6 to a size 12. I had terrible yeast infections, and wanted lots of fluid and had frequent urination. It was horrible. By the time I was done (and I had withdrawel symptoms long after I stopped taking it) I'd lost 2 years to the side effects. I do get to keep my eyesight. Fair trade, I suppose. In the next year and a half I lost weight down to a size 2, not as good as it sounds, all my muscle tone had gone and I'm having to rebuild from being nearly skeletal. The worst part of it is.. at any time I can be put back on prednisone and will probably choose to over losing my sight. At what point does one have to worry about osteoporosis? How much prednisone for how long effects the bones? There are things I'd like to do, but I'm not sure if I should.
-- By dotsgrac | Reply | (2) replies | Private Message me
February 19th
2007
6:26 AM
I have been taking Welchol for a week and a half. I have noticed a little dizziness and some muscle pain. I don't seem to have much energy either. Sleeping is what I want to do most these days. Not good. Just wanted to share my side effects with you..
-- By wienekeemw | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
February 14th
2007
12:05 PM
1-21-07 After 5 days of Prednisone 40mg per day (treatment for Gout), and 4 days off,
1-30-07 started back on Pred at 20mg. 1/3xday for 3 days, 1/2xday for 3 days and 1/1x for 3 days.
regular meds: Lisinipril 20mg daily, Coumadin 5mg daily (adjusted for Prednisone) and Lipitor, 20mg daily for 3 years (stopped on 1-24-07 due to Gout)
1-14-07 Symptoms: rash on lower stomach and groin area, frequent uninating (especially at night), neck and shoulder ache and
1-13-07 lab reports "liver elevated" and "irregular white blood count" (not sure if high or low).
I will appreciate any help you can offer.
-- By billrdot | Reply | Private Message me
November 15th
2006
12:57 PM
I got my first shot of lupron on May 5th 2006. I had 3 shots in all. I had my last shot in July of 2006. I did not get a period until Sept. I started back on my pill I stayed on it for a month. I thought that it would take us months to get pregnant. I was pregnant within 10 days. Now I am due in July. The side effects were really bad! They went away slowly. I gained 35 lbs. It was just starting to come off then I found out that we were expecting. The side effects were bad for me. But at least I know that I can have a baby so it did help. It was a long 4m!
-- By shannalynn | Reply | Private Message me
October 21th
2006
8:14 AM
I was giving Geodon to help with my insomnia, it did help at first . My husband had surgery and during this time I went without my 60mg dose of geodon at night because of how sleepy it made me. During this time I started having uncontrollable chills, then my skin would feel like it was crawling, nausea, and weird obsessive thoughts in my head. After I started back on the medicine the side effects diminished. Even though I noticed that everyday I was having trouble controlling my body temperature and was having all these weird thoughts in my head and confusion.
Finally, I have decided that I have to get off this medication even though everytime I try to go off of this medicine the side effects are terrible. I don't think that this medication should even be on the market. It is a dangerous medication.
I just pray that I keep my sanity while I get off of this medicine. I wonder how long it takes to get it out of your system.
October 11th
2006
2:08 PM
My story started back on July 28 2006, went to work and experienced an afib attack. went to the Doctor on the 31st. ekg was normal but my blood pressure was high 162/100 so the Doctor put me on 10mg of Lisinopril, felt bad during the week, thought it was just getting adjusted to a new med. Went back work had very bad shortness of breath, chest pains, and lightheadedness. now It has been 2.5 months of being out of work from these problems and in bed 95% of the day, not being able to do any activity without severe shortness of breath and now over $20,000 in test on the heart and lungs( which was normal) doctors said its probably anxiety( its not) so after my heart cath I stopped taking the lisinopril and with in a few days I was a different person, up doing well, my color is back. I feel so much better even returning to work this week. my bp is normal too. Not one Doctor ever even considered lisinopril as the problem. my trust in most doctors have been shaken to say the least.
-- By jeff31 | Reply | Private Message me
September 26th
2006
8:54 PM
My son has asthma and is back on singular and pulmicort we are concerned that the singular is causing anxiety, night terrors as well as he is complaining of headaches, stomach aches and also got the weakness in his arm and the shaking in his legs. We just went to his peditrician recomened us to stop it. In the past when he was on it we only noticed the headache and stomach ache and also that he wasn't as hungry. The new symptoms of the weakness, shaking, and anxiety have only been since we started back on the drug. singular
-- By elainabland | Reply | Private Message me
September 23th
2006
4:20 AM
OMG, I am so glad that I found this site. The Dr. Has me taking Advair for about a year.
I am a 27 y/o Female and I quit smoking about two years ago. I thought my breathing and sense of taste would come back but after a while it didn't. I went to my doctor last year to complain about chest congestion, runny nose, all that good stuff. He said I could have some sort of fibrosis of the lung and sent me for an xray and when it came back he said I had little bronchitis and asthma. I have never had asthma and only one member of my family has it. I assume I got this because I am a former smoker.
He started me on the advair and at first it really helped. Then I ran out and couldn't afford it for about three months. Basically the whole summer. I went to see him for a follow up and he gave me two more samples. I started back on it for the past week and I feel worse. Last night, I though I was going to die and all I kept thinking was that I am too young to die. I had a racey heartbeat and a terrible taste in my mouth that only elevated my heart beat and anxiety. Finally I calmed down but I thought I was going to die in my sleep. I am so scared. I can hear the tick in my chest, you know that sound, it sounds like there is a wind up toy in there.
I don't know if that's the bronchitis again. But it wasn't there before the advair. I think it's creating mucus in my chest. The Dr. said that if any mucus came to let him know. I am going to try to get in to see him, I don't want to take advair again. I just don't know what else to do. I am terrified and though I lost weight for the Cholesterol, my stomach is not going away, I don't know if that has anything to do with it.
Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-- By caseym | Reply | Private Message me
June 19th
2006
8:49 PM
I have a lot of bruising on my arms and hands as a result of Advair. Also I have a severe rash on my back that started when i first started using advair. I discontinued advair and went on serevent for a bit and the rash went away. However i was always out of breath so i started back on Advair and the rash came back so I know it is a direct result of my using it. Another problem is loss of bladder control. On serevent I didn't have much trouble but now that I am back on Advair I lose control of my bladder
-- By sacarroll39 | Reply | Private Message me
June 8th
2006
9:24 PM
I had been on Yasmine for about a year, I decided to take a 3 month break from the pill. When I went back on it about half way through the pack I got hit with a bad kidney infection. After being sick for about a month I stopped taking the Yasmine because the antibiotics were taking away from its effectivness anyway. It took about a month and a half for the kidney infection to go away. I started back up again and now here I am half way through the pack and having kidney pains again. Im not sure, but it seems like there is a correlation. Anyone else had this problem?
-- By sprklett55 | Reply | Private Message me
May 2th
2006
11:05 AM
I started taking Doxycycline the 5th of April because of a skin infection - all was well until I went on tropical vacation on April 15th and was sunburned while sitting in the shade. I stopped taking medicine and in a few days I was fine for the rest of the week - mostly staying in the shade but still getting a tan. I started back on the medicine on the 22nd and the following week I was burning and peeling around my mouth, lips, nose and hands. The knuckles of my hands had that burning cold feeling which left me feeling chilled. As of the 30th of April I have stopped taking the Doxycycline because my face was so red it looked purple even though I wasn't sunburned. I felt if I continued taking Doxycycline I would have no skin left on my face and hands. It's only been 2 days and I'm feeling better (no burning) already.
-- By blondee1012 | Reply | Private Message me
April 11th
2006
2:37 PM
ok I started taking this drug like for a year and a half and quit bc my acne was gone but then like 6 months later it started coming back so i started back on it and now its been 5 months....my acne is under control but the side effects are worse than they were when i was taking it the first time!
when I started taking it 5months ago I would get so sick, (and I ate with it, but i still got sick) my head would hurt, and it was just an overall Bad feeling....but they got better after a month or so, and I wouldn't have any side effects until NOW. My stomach hurts, and its been hurting for a few days....I'm pretty sure its bc of doxycycline and if doesn't stop im going to the doctor. I hope it does bc this is a really good medication for my skin
April 10th
2006
8:50 AM
Hello, I was placed on Lisinopril in August /05. In October I got what I thought was the flu. Really sick. I had a really bad cough , fever, aches etc. The cough would not go away. Finally In March I decided to go off the Lisinopril to see if that was the culprit. After two weeks I still had the cough and my BP was up. So I started back on the drug. The cough became worse! I decided to try stopping it again. I have now been off of it 9 days, I am still coughing, but I am not going back on the LIsinopril. I am a Gospel singer, and it is really hard to
to sing with this cough . You should try giving a concert with cough drops in your mouth! The cogh is really bad. I cough so hard I almost throw up. Like the cough you get with bad bronchitis, but I does not go away.
April 3th
2006
8:56 PM
Previous statement didn't go through, which was about my shock when I read my suspicions about Levaquin were confirmed and validated by so many on this website.
I first took Levaquin for 10 days several months ago ,for a sinus infection. Around the 8th day, I experienced neuropathy with leg aches and pains, some numbness, and feeling like bricks were on top of my feet. My sister had also just taken Levaquin had some of these symptoms, but we chalked it up to a virus. She told me to take Super Vitamin B complex pills which seemed to help a lot.
In Jan. I took Levaquin for 5 days for respiratory problems with no ill effects.
Mid March I was switched from Z pack for sinus infection to Levaquin for 10 days due to progression to pneumonia. It was thought later to be viral as I didn't improve on the Levaquin. I continued to take it to help prevent picking up a secondary infection.
Again, around the 8th day, the leg aches and pain returned but this time it was different. The stiffness was much more pronounced. By the last day of the Levaquin, I could not rise from a sitting position with yelling out in pain. It felt as if my right knee was ripping. I had to grab on to tables and counters to get up. The next day I was pretty much immobilized and kept ice packs on my swollen knee all day. I had started back on the Vitamin B Complex, was flushing my system with juice and water and began researching this antibiotic which had worked so well for some problems.
I hobbled in to see my regular physician that next day for follow up of the pneumonia. The stiffness was subsiding but my right knee was swollen in several areas and painful. My doctor said I had 2 areas of Tendonitis and 1 of Bursitis. He said he couldn't say it was from the Levaquin. He prescribed Prednisone, which I chose to take only the 6 day pack as he said there was a 1 in 100,000 chance the Prednisone could cause further injury and possibly even require a knee replacement, the longer I stayed on it.
After I got home, I researched more and found this website. Everything I had experienced, even the insomnia, twinges of pain in my arches, especially all the leg and knee problems, had been documented by a multitude of others. There are too many cases for this to be considered coincidence.
I appreciate eveyone taking the time to register these side affects of this harsh medication. I plan to educate eveyone I can as to these dangers of Levaquin, especially the various doctors who have prescribed it.
I don't know for others but the Super Vitamin B Complex daily did help me. Since Levaquin instructions say grapefruit juice inhibits the absorption, maybe we all should be drinking that, as long as it doesn't affect any other medications.
It is now 9 days off the Levaquin. The Prednisone helped significantly with the knee stiffness and chest congestion. I still need to wear the knee brace, walk with a very slow gait and a limp, and hear my knee popping regularly. The hip pain radiating down my legs, which I almost forgot, has improved but it is still difficult to find a comfortable position when reclining.
-- By gayle634 | Reply | Private Message me
March 17th
2006
9:14 AM
I started on advair in 2001 for about 2 months, and all was good. I started back on 250/50 in late 2005, until March 2006. I take no other meds except advair. I've noticed hardening of viens in my neck which went away when I stop my dosage. My liver has been giving me trouble as well. The doctors say it's not the drug. I've totally stopped using these meds. My symptons are subsiding. I feel they don't know enough about the long term effects of the meds. I'm african american and as we know most of these drugs have varying side effects on different ethnicities.
-- By xanman42 | Reply | Private Message me
March 14th
2006
12:31 PM
I started Ovcon about 4 weeks ago. I'm not having sex now and I started back on the pill too see if I felt better being on it. I'm still trying it out. In the past I've lost weight on Ovcon and my periods have been very short and light. I've already noticed a decrease in my appetite. I've been somewhat moody but I know that my body is going to go thru some sort of change with these hormones. SO far, I like it and wouldn't change it.
-- By kristiel99 | Reply | Private Message me
January 11th
2006
2:50 AM
I have been taking Yasmin for about 6-7 months due to abnormally long periods after the birth of my second baby at age 37. I also have a tumor in my uterus that might be causing painful intercourse, so the Dr. said to take it for three months straight and then have a period. In the meantime I have noticed severe sotmach cramps and diarriha (how ever you spell it) since October. Funny thing was that the first round I was suppose to take 2 months of Yasmin and at the end of the second month have a period, then do 3 months and have a period, but I noticed that on the 2nd month after I had my period (which I acutally stopped taking Yasmin since the white pill is only a placebo) and then started back on the next round of the 3 month cycle I started having real bad stomach cramps, etc. I am about to have my 2nd period of the 3 month cycle and I won't take the placebo and see if my stomach feels better. If it does, then I am stopping Yasmin. Another note, I take Yasmin at night and wake up at 1 am and 4 am like clockwork with stomach pain. I will keep everyone posted after the "placebo" period to see if my stomach gets better. I anyone has any similar symptoms, please let me kow. Tammy.
-- By tammy.alvarez | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message me
November 1th
2005
10:31 AM
Hi,
I'm not sure if I should be posting this on the webpage for Yasmin or Seasonale but I'm just looking for someone else who has had a similiar experience because I feel like I'm losing my mind.
It all started back in March when I realized that I was going to have my period for my May wedding. Well, I called my gyno and the nice nurse gave me the best news ever! She told me to keep taking my active pills (then on Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo) until after the honeymoon and then let myself have my period. Well this sounded as good as living happily ever after.....just without the period.
It worked for about 7 or 8 weeks and then disaster struck. I got my period and it wouldn't go away! No matter how many active pills I took, my period just wouldn't go away. So now it's at the end of April, my wedding was for May 29th and I was severly bloated due to endometriosis, my period and stomach problems and I was so big that i could barely fit into my gown. Panicked I called up the gyno and they gave me a new script for a new birth control. I waited the week and started the following Sunday. After another week of having my period I walked into the gyno and just sobbed to the doctor telling him that I was so bloated and that I couldn't wear my dress for more than 15 minutes without wanting to rip it off and put on some sweats. (wedding in 20 days now)
Seasonale was our last hope and my savior. I started Seasonale the following Sunday and finally my period was gone. The wedding was beautiful, but by the time I had come home from the honeymoon I noticed that I was considerably heavier. Thinking that it was because of the way that we ate on the honeymoon ,I dismissed it and went back to the normal workout that I had been doing all year. (Last year was the thinnest that I had ever been)
After another month of being fat, I attributed it to the Seasonale because no matter how much I worked out or tried to eat better than I did pre-wedding, I could not lose any weight. I tried water pills and I couldn't lose anything.
I asked my doctor to switch me back to Ortho Lo after being on Seasonale for only two months and I lost maybe a few pounds and then hit a plateau. After one month on Ortho Lo and starting to lose my mind, I decided to go off of BC and give my body a rest. I let my body rest for one week and then started Yasmin as my best bet because it's supposed to have some sort of water pill in it and I know a lot of woman who have lost weight on it. I was doing well for the first month or so and now I'm on my 4th month and i feel just as big as when I was bloated on Seasonale. I'm going to the doctor on Thursday but I haven't read but on review for Yasmin that said anything about weight gain and I believe that I'm at the end of my rope.
Has anyone else had a similiar situation go on. I would love to feel that if I go off of Yasmin that the weight will just shed, but because no one really complains about Yasmin except for being nervous and having panic attacks which I have anyway because I'm nuts (lol) I'm not sure if I should go off of it or give it some more time.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Good luck to everyone on Yasmin and congrats to those of you have shed a few pounds on it!
-- By shaunarhps | Reply | Private Message me
September 14th
2005
10:31 AM
Hello All & Guest 12752:
In August, I had been put on Yasmin because of Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome and Endometreosis.
The week before my first period, I could hardly get out of bed! No energy, upset stomach, bleeding (every day), painful cramping, and all I wanted to do was sleep.
I didn't take the inactive pills the following week, and even though I had my period (which was very painful and heavier than usual), I felt better than I had in a long time!
Yesterday, I started back on them and already today I am cramping so bad that I want to leave work and go home and lay down. I'm wondering if I should call my doctor to be switched to another pill.
Also, I was reading about other side affects and I'm worried. I alreay take two different kinds of anit-depressants and an anti-anxiety medication. HELP!!!
-- By tonya.jenkin | Reply | Private Message me
Advair HFA (7) Yasmin (5) Lipitor (5) Lisinopril (2) Geodon (2) Levaquin (2) PredniSONE (2) Singulair (2) Doxycycline Hyclate (2) Topamax (2) Femcon FE (1) Lupron (1) Welchol (1) Ovcon (1) Maxidex (1) Omeprazole (1)
November 5th
2007
11:43 AM
I have pain in my left hip flexor when taking Lipitor. I was on 40mg/day and went on a daily walk with my wife after her back surgery. My left hip flexor would cramp. Sometimes it would cramp so bad, I had to quit walking and catch a ride home.
I had a month holiday off of Lipitor and could run after a week with no pain.
I started back on 10mg/day and the pain has returned, but not as bad.
I did an experiment- Laying flat on my back, I could lift my left leg one foot off of the floor. I stopped the Lipitor for seven days and could lift my left leg two feet off of the floor.
-- By doylehigh | Reply | (1) replies | Private Message meCan anyone help me?