Teaching hospital symptoms and conditions

Wow! Let me tell you my story: I was first diagnosed with HBP (170/140) during a high school sports physical in the beginning of 8th grade (I was about 14 years old). I was in top shape and a very healthy eater. I had probably (from what I remember) every test done to see what was the cause of this hypertension - and the only thing found was that my kidney's produce too much renin (the hormone that increases BP). I was then put on Lisinopril 10mg. Everything continued good for about 6 years - I also stayed in shape and ate healthy. However, throughout those 6 years, I did notice my curly hair turing straight and my incredibly (can't do nothing with) thick hair started to thin and become stylable. Now...I do know this is my fault, but in the past 2 years my healthy eating habits have slipped, I've gained weight and started smoking - plus have a sit down, don't move kinda job. However, about 1 year ago, I had a slight spike in my pressure and my doctor added a diuretic (HCTZ 12.5mg) to my lisinopril. Ok, that brought the pressure down and all seemed well. Then..... in December 2008, not long ago, I started not feeling well. Thinking I was sick, I went to the doctor's to find my blood pressure to be 190/140. Immediately, my does was increased to 30-12.5mg. That brought a quick drop in my BP down to 110/66 - I was so darn dizzy I could barely function. I was also but on short-term disability because all this caused me to be off work for so long. Unfortunately, when my dose was adjusted to 20-12.5mg and the dizziness stopped I went back to work. Now, I can't go back on S.T.D. for many, many weeks. And....... The past month has been complete HELL!! My hands (mainly fingers) and toes are almost always cold, I've been dieting for over a month and am struggling to lose weight, my hands and feet go numb more often than usual - I never used to find myself waking up in the middle of the night because of pins/needles feeling, my hair is thinner than ever and stick straight - I'm afraid I'm not gonna have any left, I have UNBEARABLE headaches (sometimes all I want to do is sleep and sometimes, like tonight -it's 4:12am- I can't sleep), I have acne like a teenager - mind you, I never had more than 1 to 2 pimples at a time growing up, and that was rare (I was lucky)... Thank god for FMLA, or I would of lost my job since I've spent so much time home since I thought all was good and went back to work. Only wish I could make a dollar again. Now to top it off...I was referred to a nephrologist (kidney specialist) who after seeing me only once for about 30min and reviewing bloodwork from the end of January (I had a high calcium level as well as some others that deal with the kidneys) wants to take away the diuretic (HCTZ) part of my medication (hopefully to reduce the calcium level) BUT DOUBLE MY MG OF LISINOPRIL. HE WANTS ME TO TAKE 20MG TWO TIMES A DAY. I was starting to think all these new symptoms that came on so quick were a result from the increase of lisinopril - now I think I'm sure. I'm not changing my medications until I can talk this over with my PCP - I'm going to ask we try a medication change. Does anyone have any suggestions? Or any suggestions why a 20-year-old has blood pressure as high as 190/140 with no family history of HBP or really any health problems? Any suggestions why the kidneys are producing too much renin? Any meds that drop the pressure and we don't get headaches - I can live with cold limbs and numbness - it's the headaches that are rendering this 24-year-old helpless :(

After a year of trying to figure out what these symptoms were from, we have it narrowed down to Lisinopril. I would feel upper abdominal pain, which within a period of several hours would migrate to the lower abdomen, followed by several more hours of vomiting. I didn't notice a cough, just pain, nausea and vomiting - every 15 minutes for 6-7 hours. It landed me in the hospital twice, my GP couldn't figure it out, my GI doc couldn't figure it out, finally sent to a GI doc at a well-known teaching hospital - no dice. I too was tested for genetic disorders, had CT scans, ultrasounds, capsule endoscopy - no irregular results. I was on 2 prescriptions - birth control and lisinopril. We switched the BC, to no avail. Finally, we switched my blood pressure med to Methyldopa, no more symptoms. This drug ruined a year of my life.

I am 43 years old and I have been taking Yasmin for 4 months to regulate an irregular period. Two weeks ago I went to the Dr. becuase it felt like someone was sitting on my chest and I couldn't get a good breath of air. My Dr. decided my symptons didn't add up and sent me to the ER. There they found after a blood test that my blood was clotting. They did a MRI immediately and found two very large clots in my lungs as well as numerous clots throughout my lungs (multiple pulminay emboli). I was rushed from the military hospital to a downtown ICU who then rushed me to a teaching hospital because my condition was so severe. After 4 days I went home and I am now on Coumadin to thin my blood. Tests are being run to determine where the clots are coming from. No clots were found in my legs; it appears the clots are acute and out of nowhere filled my lungs. I am out of breath most of the time and get tired easily. A week prior to noticing my chest heaviness I had severe stomach pains. The day I came home from the hospital I threw away my Yasmin. The Dr.'s are unclear if Yasmin is the cause, I do not have a history of clots in my family. I have been told if no other tests can determine what caused the clots, then they will assume Yasmin was the cause. I know have to worry about paralysis, stroke, etc..

I am a 41 year old nurse who has been put on Yasmin a few days ago for terrible cramps and PMS problems by a doctor from a world reknowned teaching hospital. My periods cause me to lose 3 days from terrible cramps and a couple of days from the PMS (depression beforehand). I was so excited to hear about this pill that I began taking it on day 1 of my period. I am prescribed to take it 30 days monthly, to stop my periods completely. I am on this site because the past day and a half has been a virtual gas brigade! I have not stopped diarrhea and gas that closely mimics colon problems. I am glad I found this site.
I must keep in mind that NO MATTER what BCP I take I will experience side effects, that is inevitable. I too will be more influenced by the words of the other women who are experiencing negative effects. I want to be positive about things because I have come to the end of the road in terms of solutions for my dysmennorrhea which is just getting worse as the years go by. I want to believe that this may be my solution. If after 3 months trial I am still experiencing this nasty gas and diarrhea and leg cramps I will certainly discontinue use and move on to some other option.
Thank you all for your input and remember sometimes the power of suggestion is not a good thing.