Stay well symptoms and conditions

I am a physician and have prescribed levaquin to many people. I have had some of them complain of what they thought were serious and variable side effects but mostly I attributed their problems to anxiety and hypochondiasis. I now know differently. I took levaquin, and for over a year I have had serious CNS anxiety, insomnia, joint and tendon pain, and widespread peripheral neuropathy. It has been an awful time and since realizing that the effects are often long term I have been able to identify many other patients who have developed serious long term problems with anxiety, depression, arthropathy and tendonopathy, neuropathy and possibly endocrine effects like gonadal failure and worsening of diabetes. There are no long term studies done post marketing to identify these effects and to unify all of these problems into one syndrom of fluoroquinolone toxicity. This is a big problem and I believe thousands of patients have been adversely affected by the use and misuse of levaquin and probably the other fluoroquinolone antibiotics. I have other colleagues who are beginning to recognize the long term consequences of levaquin and the fluoroquinolones. More research and study needs to be done. In the mean time I am sure that Johnson and Johnson, Ortho- Mcneil, will continue to refute that the incidence of serious adverse reactions is much higher than they report.

I have crazy muscle pain or sharp stress like pains in my arms and hip joint - I take 12.5mg toprol xl - i have notice some weight gain - I know our Doctors are not the same, but prescriptions are the same - I feel like the doctors are brain washed by the durg companies, getting some sort of kick back. I listen to my heart Dr. yet he doesn't listen to me Toprol xl does cause changes to peoples health.
After reading about 20 listing and viewing over 18 web sites just about toprol xl - we are not crazy thinking this MED has bad side effects.
I'm in great shape, I work in construction & work long days and move heavy items daily. My heart problems are less than most, yet this silly pill has caused more dis-comfort than I was in before, I started taking It. I will slowly take myself off toprol xl.
I'm going to try to find a natural way to find small dose beta blocker, does anyone else know of any natural beta blockers?
Stay well and enjoy life to fullest

Hi everyone-
It has been a few months since I posted so I thought I would give you an update. I am YASMIN-FREE for 6 months now. My period is somewhat regular, 29-31 days, with it getting off to a very slow start then 2 days heavy and 1-2 days light. But, during my period (and often during ovulation as well) I have terrible trembling throughout my body sporatically during the 5-7 days it lasts. But, the brain-shocks have totally stopped, thank GOD!!! My Blood pressure is slowly coming down as well. No more 170/100 or 150/90 anymore. I also take fish oil and flaxseed which I think helps with the BP.
I have stopped taking the Xanax but I am still taking 37.5 (lowest possible) dose of Effexor once per day. I will be weaning off of it by Christmas accoriding to my doc.
This has been so hard for me and dealing with the side effects of Yasmin. I appreciate this forum in knowing that I am not alone, unfortunately. My husband and kids see such a difference in me now that I am off of that poison. It caused a total chemical imbalance and I am just starting to see the extreme side effects subsiding. It has taken 6 months. So, be patient ladies.
As always, I encourage all of you who had side effects (especially bad ones) to CALL Berlex and/or the FDA and REPORT IT! Their toll free number is on line.
Stay well ladies.
Hang in there and keep posting.
SILKE - how is everything? I am sorry that I lost touch for a few months!

Sleepless,
I had terrible insomnia when I was on Yasmin - along with about 10 other things (leg pain, heart palps, high BP, swollen face, to name a few). Anyway, when I had a really bad anxiety attack, they put me on 12.5 Paxil CR(a SSRI) and it made me sick. So, for the past month I have been on 37.5 (the LOWEST possible dose) of Effexor (SNRI) for my anxiety (since depression has been ruled out 100%) that I take at 9:30 at night and I can sleep straight usually 5-7 hours.
I went to a female nurse practitioner and she prescribed the Effexor. I am in my mid 30's, married w/2 young kids.
What she is doing is charting my BP and anxiety during the month and during my cycles to check for a correlation. If the anxiety has nothing to do with the hormones and may go away on its own, she will wean me off all medicines. And... that will be the HAPPIEST day of my life.
Take care and stay well. Try and rest.

PS I also use a sleep CD called delta sleep system. It is a great help to keep me asleep. I use it every so often.

sabresgirl123, I had the same problem where my BP escalated to 140/110 after being on and off Yasmin for 12 months total (on for 8, off for 1, on for 4). It was so frightning to have my BP go so far up the scale and I had a panic/anxiety attack, which hit me in 12/05. The Yasmin caused me severe side effects. I am not going to ever take another BCP/hormone/Mirena etc.... I can't risk it. I had leg cramps and all kinds of scary stuff.
I am now on 37.5mg of Effexor XR to counteract the anxiety and hopefully rebalance my brain chemistry.
I have been posting here for several months and found it very helpful. I hope that you will keep us posted. Stay well.

Dear Chrissy,
heart palpitations have subsideddramatically and even though at ovulatoin time this month i had some they were SO MUCH BETTER than last month, have noticed that pulse has slowed at times so its not racing every minute of everyday as it wsa on yasmin and the past two months, is that how it went for you.... Took my pulse few times this week at its slowed a lot so thats encouraging and the blood pressure thing not too sure as i am going to be rechecked in a month as i was just stressing so much about that i thought give it another month and pay it by ear, another sign i guess that the anxiety is easing as a month ago i would have gone to hospital with worry, so when i think im not doing better i look at all the little steps like you said and then you realise its no where near as bad as the past month so heres to hoping its all on ths up for now.
I will be away from the 17th thill the 25th off to perth for a holiday wit my husband and children so i hope you stay well and i look forward to catching up on all the reading on the site when i get home.
big hugs
lisa

It makes me crazy to see so many people suffering from asthma, allergies, and more. Please research and try to find healthier, safer products that can dramaticly help reduce the triggers. If anyone would like to know where they can find such products do not hesitate to contact me. e-mail momswin_ny@yahoo.com Stay well!

I am 50 years old and was put on Topral 2 weeks ago for HBP and PVC's. I had
been on a diuretic and Potassium supplement because of slight high blood
pressure for 9 months, and that's when the PVC;s got bad. 4 days after
starting the 50MG of Toprol and stopping the diuretic, my calves started to
swell up and get puffy with edema. I weighed myself and saw that I had gained 8
pounds in 4 days! I went to the Dr. the next day, assuming he would take me off
the Toprol, but he said to stay on it, because it was contolling the PVC's and
that the Edema was caused by my stopping the water pill! So, I went back on the
water pill and weaned myself off slowly for the past 9 days. Now, today, the
edema is back. I am scared that I am going to get Heart Failure because of the
water weight gain, or DVT, I want off the pill! But I can't stand the constant
PVC's and I was near suicidal with that! I don't know what to do? Does anyone
else have this leg swelling? Does it go away? Is it dangerous? My husband
died last year and I need to stay well for my teenage daughter, but this is
ridiculous! I'd rather have had the slight HBP and not taken any of this at
all. if there is anyone out there who cares, please answer me, I'm so scared!
And now that I have read al these posts with the other awful side effects, I'm
twice as scared. I know many peolpe on Beta-blockers, and they have no side
effects. What is wrong with me?

Kathy

I am 50 years old and was put on Topral 2 weeks ago for HBP and PVC's. I had been on a diuretic and Potassium supplement because of slight high blood pressure for 9 months, and that's when the PVC;s got bad. 4 days after starting the 50MG of Toprol and stopping the diuretic, my calves started to swell up and get puffy with edema. I weighed myself and saw that I had gained 8 pounds in 4 days! I went to the Dr. the next day, assuming he would take me off the Toprol, but he said to stay on it, because it was contolling the PVC's and that the Edema was caused by my stopping the water pill! So, I went back on the water pill and weaned myself off slowly for the past 9 days. Now, today, the edema is back. I am scared that I am going to get Heart Failure because of the water weight gain, or DVT, I want off the pill! But I can't stand the constant PVC's and I was near suicidal with that! I don't know what to do? Does anyone else have this leg swelling? Does it go away? Is it dangerous? My husband died last year and I need to stay well for my teenage daughter, but this is ridiculous! I'd rather have had the slight HBP and not taken any of this at all. if there is anyone out there who cares, please answer me, I'm so scared! And now that I have read al these posts with the other awful side effects, I'm twice as scared. I know many peolpe on Beta-blockers, and they have no side effects. What is wrong with me?

Kathy

Oh, by the way,, I have not really seen a significant drop in bp reading,, it is usually up about 140/80..thanx, stay well, God Bless Us Everyone

You know, I almost feel guilty at being the only success story to date here. Still taking 5mg. Zestril before bed every night. I insisted on this brand with my doctor as others were causing side effects. Having said that the British National Health Service contributes to supplies so it costs me just over £6 every order which can last up to two months. Interested to read opinions that Lisinopril is not necessarily for High BP. Now, if it's any help to you at all, can I suggest dietary changes too. I have for some weeks switched to Soya Milk and ceased (nearly) all dairy products (farmers practically stuff fat down your throats in the UK!). No chocolate either. Switch to a Soya based spread for putting on bread. Fish oils are also greatly beneficial, i.e. sardine, tuna, cod (cod liver oil) etc. I took my BP the other day (12 hours after the last tablet) and it still gave me the satisfactory reading of 122/75. The highest it seems to go now is about 140/85. Last year readings were around 150/98. I'm not so sure about taking lots of Coke (caffeine) to stay alert as someone suggested - doesn't this actually RAISE BP like smoking or alcohol? Good luck, stay well.