Trial and error symptoms and conditions

My nightmare began Feb 24, 2009 when I had the Mirena IUD inserted. Amazing how crazy we all are! I have an almost 3 year old daughter and my husband and I are pretty certain that we are just having one child, but just in case we changed our minds, we wanted a form of birth control that was not permanent. Before I had this IUD placed in I talked to my ob/gyn about the Mirena vs the Paragard, I decided to go with the Mirena because my ob/gyn explained to me that because of the low level of hormone that would be absorbed into my bloodstream, that I should be okay and not have any side effects and I would have a very light period. I have tried other birth control pills and the nuvaring and all of them have affected me from anxiety to headaches to cold sores.

I have experienced the same symptoms as all of you. dizziness, foggy brain, numbness on right side of body, anxiety, acne, irritable, moody, bloated, headaches, weight gain (although I do exercise 3-4x/wk I gained 5 pounds in 2 mos.), hives( I have a history of allergies which I have been able to control with antihistamines 2x/wk and then all of a sudden I could not control it--saw my allergist who switched my meds), GERD which I was diagnosed with 10 years ago and had successfully arrested the symptoms after treatment), spotting, period every 3 weeks, etc.

I called my ob/gyn a couple of months later to tell her about my symptoms especially the anxiety and was told that it was probably related to my cycle and for me to chart my symptoms and to let her know how I was feeling a month later if things did not improve. Well after putting all of the pieces of the puzzle together, I figured it out that it was the Mirena that has been causing me this hellish nightmare.

On June 15, 2009 I went to go see my pcp to address my GERD issue and to start meds again. I told her that I was considering having my IUD removed because of all of the side effects that I was having. I told her that I was going to go home later and call my ob/gyn to make an appt. She told me that she would be able to remove it for me and so she did.

I instantly felt better--it seems like all of my symptoms have lessend or disappeared, and I had a bit of spotting which my pcp I was a happy person again--I was nice to my husband and was actually laughing when my 2 year old was having a tantrum in the bathtub! About 2 days later I began to bleed heavily and began to feel lightheaded, heart palpitations, cold sweat, and I felt like my legs were going to give from under me. I was thinking that I needed to go to the er. This occurred at 11:00 pm. I called my pcp and spoke to the on-call doc and he told me that if the symptoms continued that I should go to the er; I also called my ob/gyn on call doc (answering service) that I needed to have the symptoms addressed by the doctor who removed it and not my ob/gyn ( I was livid because I have been her patient for 10 years). Anyhow today I called my ob/gyn and spoke to the np who I am not very fond of and she told me that only the bleeding is expected and that all of the other symptoms are related to something else and that I should see my pcp for those. I disagree with her and believe in my heart that all of the symptoms are related to the removal of the IUD. Unfortunately I was not able to talk to my ob/gyn because she is off today. Anyhow I feel like I am feeling better although I feel like it will be a slow recovery and hope that there are no long term side effects.

What makes me the most upset is that the drug manufacture does not disclose all of the side effects, which I am sure that they are all very aware of. There are thousands of women with the same complaints and yet this birth control is still allowed to be distributed to women. Shame on them.

To all of you considering the Mirena: DO NOT HAVE IT INSERTED

Adderall has worked wonders for me. I was prescribed about a year and a half ago to 10mgs twice a day. When I first started using it, I thought it was great, but like others I hated the side effects. Through trial and error, I have found ways to mostly cut out the side effects. To avoid stomach aches, I never take it on an empty stomach. I always eat a good meal before I take it. I do eat slightly less than before I was prescribed, but I take a good multivitamin to make up for that. I only lost a little bit of weight, just less than 10 pounds. Another way to get rid of the stomach aches is to take a few puffs of some you know what. I rarely get headaches from adderall, but when I do I just take a few ibuprofen and its gone right away. Before I was prescribed, I had tried 20, 30, and 40 mgs of adderall and that was hell. Coming down made me want to kill myself. I feel bad that have severe enough ADD or ADHD to require that much. Overall, I think you have to look at individuals instead of just saying adderall in general is a terrible and addictive drug. Before I was prescribed, I didn't think I had the motivation or will power to make it through school. A year and a half later, my gpa has raised dramatically (2.2 to a 3.0) and I'm in the process of finding what grad schools I want to apply to.

I thought my fatigue and mild depression symptoms were something separate but after reading these posts, it sounds like they could be linked to taking Synthroid? I've been on it for 2 years now. At first, I felt great. I started feeling tired again & my dr. upped the dosage. I just saw him today & complained of feeling tired, depressed, and getting light-headed and off balance at times. He wrote me a Rx for anti-depressants and changed my blood pressure Rx. I'm thinking about trying a Naturopathic Dr. to see if I can get the results I need without all the side affects. It couldn't hurt to get another opinion.

I started taking lisinopril 20mg Nov. 12, 2008. I've never smoked poison ivy before, but that's how I describe the constant side effect. Sinus and upper gums, upper chest. A dull allergic feeling. Some days I am preoccupied with it, gets depressing. Does keep the BP down. I am weaning the dose down to stop. I know you're not supposed to stop taking them, but I am sick of feeling sick. I've told the doctor twice, I think he thinks I am imagining it. I don't have insurance, it cost me $300.00 out of pocket to see him for ten minutes. I hate felling trapped like this.

43 yo Male 5'9, I weighed 259 lbs 2 years ago. I am now 221 lbs. I want to be 200 lbs. Work out 3 times a week gym. Take vitamins. Diet is better than what it was.
Can't say I am not trying. But if all BP meds are like this, I will no longer take them, and just take my chances.

I have been doing a trial and error thing w/ all my meds and I suspect that Singulair may be the culprit in my insomnia. Since I went down on Cymbalta, it has helped but last night I did not sleep a wink. I took xanax even and was up all night. Finally got up at 4.

Singulair has some ingredients that are the same as anti-histamines which have always affected my sleep but I have copd and am afraid to not take it.It is supposed to open your airways and I use Advair which has a steroid in it and I have no appetite. I still gain weight even though I'm not eating much.Dont know what to do. jo

First of all, I want to say that I'm sorry for all of you having physical discomfort in your lives right now. I feel for anyone who is experiencing such problems.
With that said, I have been on YASMIN (not YAZ - those are two different things people!!!!) for 8 years and have NEVER experienced any problems despite experiencing problems on other pills. Pardon me being frank... If you are one of the women who BARELY started this pill in the last 3-6 months, you may have not given it enough time. You must remember that by taking any medication you are changing the chemical balance of your body and it will take time and adjustments. Bottom line, you need to carefully monitor your problems and discuss them with your ob/gyn and possibly general physician. You may just need to try other pills. This is TRIAL and ERROR, there is NO way for a doctor to be able to know how each person's body will react to any particular drug. Be open and pay attention. If you search about any birth control pills, you can find there are side effects for all of them. Second of all, some of you may have these existing problems, but never noted them until you started taking the pill, or as I said before, you have not allowed time for your body to adjust. For example, when you have a headache or indigestion, you take medication and it takes time for your body to adjust to the meds. Please ladies - don't bad mouth or assume, without first allowing for the already published side effects to come - and most likely, pass. And if they don't - talk to your doctor!!! Seriously!!! The makers even say to talk to you doctors if any of the published side effects happen. I do apologize for being harsh, but I must insist on being practical and reading the material provided. I do hope that each of you stay in good health and have no lasting problems.

I have been taking Metoprolol for a year now at 100mg/day. I have not experienced one adverse side effect. The drug works fine as it is intended. It seems to me that people should be telling their physicians of any problems they are experiencing rather than posting on an internet blog. Some of these posted side effects are likely symptoms of the underlying disease instead of a side effect of the drug they are taking.

I just want to point out that the NuvaRing is not necessarily "the devil's tool" to every woman. I have been using the NuvaRing for 1 year and 3 months now, and absolutely love it. I tried numerous different birth control pills and experienced many of the side effects y'all are describing from those. But the NuvaRing has given me no problems, except for a slightly heavier period than I had with the bcp's. I find that extremely tolerable compared to all of the other possible effects. I guess it all comes down to each of us being different. I'm sorry that it didn't work for any of you. It's such a trial and error type of effort to find the right birth control method. Good luck finding what is right for you!

I wrote in December, described the cough, my problems with this drug, I was on 40 mg prescribed from my cardiologist, I went to see my doctor last week, she increased me to 80 mg, bp was lower, but not enough, she had blood drawn, I think maybe by the grace of god, I did not start taking the higher dose yet, this morning I get an urgent call, from my Cardiologist office, to stop the Lisinopril immediately, I am now scared to death, and scared for my life, they said the Lisinopril, is effecting my kidney function, my kidney function lab work is way up, now I am going cold turkey with this medication, hoping my bp does not reach a dangerous level, need more blood work, a visit to cardiologist next week, and now a visit to a urologist, I am scared to death, I feel like crying WTF!

My three year old son has been on Flovent since he was two, he has been showing signs of restlessness, aggression, sleeplessness and other behavior problems, I did not think anything was wrong until I looked up the effects and saw they were listed as a reason to stop taking the medication. I have been doing my own trial and error research with him. He has been off Flovent for two weeks and I have not seen a difference in his behavior, luckily his asthma was ok, which leaves me to believe that it is the Singular pill that is the problem. I will post an update in two more weeks under the Singular side effects.

I have been on this for a few years now and I am thinking about switching to something else or going off completely. I'm 34 and I have been the pill for 15 years. At first, Loestrin 24 was great - 3 day light period. But overtime, my period went to 4, to 5, to 6 days. Now it's 7 days of heavy bleeding as if I'm not taking anything at akk. I've gained weight, like 20 lbs, that I can't seem to lose. My fiance and I dance so I'm usually in shape. But over the last year, even dancing as much as we do isn't keeping the weight off. I'm emotional all of the time. I have a heart murmur, which my OBGYN admits is probably caused by the pill. One thing I can say is my acne is under control, which basically is the only reason (besides shorter periods) I am on it since my fiance has had a vasectomy. It's hard to know what to do when the doctor's really don't know either. It's all trial and error since every patients hormones are different. But, this 7 days of heavy bleeding is for the birds. I might as well not be on anything! We Are All Just Ginniepigs.
Indecisive in Indiana,

Gil
I just wrote an entry concerning a potential problem of fatigue and tiredness which may be related to the ingestion of 20mg. of lisinopril on
a daily basis. I suggested the possibility that another BP Rx--Inderol might be better for some patients; of course, each person needs to check with his or her own physician to choose the right BP medication--often a matter of trial and error. I've been taking the lisinopril for almost three years; I started out with 10mg., then more, then 40mg./day. After retiring, my doctor and I found that I could get the same effect with half as much lisinopril; it took a few months after retiring. So now I'm taking 20mg. of lisinopril/day.
In the past 3 months or so, I've been experiencing a lot of tiredness and the need to sleep much more than is usual for me. I think it may be the lisinopril, and I've made and appointment with my doctor to discuss
a different medication. Everyone should check with his or her own physician before changing medications or taking new ones.
I neglected to mention that lisinopril is an ACE Inhibitor while Inderol is a Beta Blocker. Also, lisinopril is sometimes prescribed with hydrocholorothiazide. Hydrocholorothiazide is a diuretic. My physician first prescribed the combination of lisinopril and hydrocholorothiazide. However, in checking out this Rx on the internet, I noted that if one had an allergy to sulfa, it would be best not to take the hydrocholorothiazide since this diuretic is connected with sulfa in its formulation. My physician then prescribed only lisinopril and not the lisinopril/hydrocholorothiazide combination.
Again, each person needs to check with his or her physician to make sure they are getting the proper prescribed medication. It is also my belief that it's a good idea to read the literature provided by the pharmacy about any medication and also check the new Rx on the internet so one can know about the possible side effects and also any allergies(connected with the new Rx) one might already know about and have, as was the case with my taking hydrocholorothiazide.

My daughter was prescribed Singulair in the spring and it worked wonders.Since her allergies and asthma don't bother her in the summer I took her off for those few months.Since she has been back on the last few months I notice once and awhile an aggression/depression behavior.I thought immediately that it was Singulair causing this but it wasn't everyday it happened.I believe that activity,schedule,and even food in combination with this medicine that was cause this rare effect.It's no news to parents that all of these things can change a persons attitude and behavior.I also believe that Singulair may just make people more sensitive to their true self as my daughter has always been paranoid and has lacked self esteem.I think that it is trial and error as with any medicine.Try it and it may or may not work for you.Taking it off the market would be a disgrace as it has saved many lives.

It was such a relief to read side effects experienced by so many ladies, i was begining to believe i was loosing the plot!!! what with mood swings, nausia,headaches,stabbing pains,and much more.... I had the mirena fitted about 8 months ago for heavy painful periods which i have had for as long as i can remember so the thought of normality and freedom was heaven. also not having to go through anymore trial and error medication taking seemed to good to be true. I really thought mirena was my answer...(Oh How Wrong)..... Iv had enough of all these horrible feelings and was about to go to my GP for a prescription for something to treat depression, im normally quite a level headed person but i couldn't explain the feelings i was having. I decided to look on the internet for side effects of mirena and hey presto here i am!!!! what a relief i actually did because instead of taking another prescription away with me i hope to be getting this foriegn body removed ASAP... before Mirena my specialist told me my other option was a hysterectomy im not sure what this procedure involves for me but at this moment my priority is getting this thing out!.

I had the Mirena for almost 7 years. I have to say I really liked the convenience of not having to worry about birth control or my period. I had very minimal side effects of course the cramping when the device was first put in and the first time I got it, the string was a little too long so I could feel it, but I went back in & the nurse cut it and I never really felt if after that. When I had the device taken out, it was painful, but it was because it had gone in too far. I really liked the Mirena I kind of regret taking it out. The reason I took it out was because I wanted something more permanent and I was having trouble with my skin breaking out and I was being told that hormones where causing my breakouts. So I am now on a non hormonal birth control which is permanent (Essure) but I have to deal with period and cramps again, and my face is breaking out a lot worse...I guess like with other birth controls everyone reacts differently. Before the Mirena I used the Depo shot for a couple of years until my period became irregular and then I stopped birth control for awhile and it took me about a year to become pregnant with my son. Before Depo I tried pills (Ortho-Evra or something like that) my skin cleared up but I gained about 15 pounds in just one month...so I guess it's a trial and error process which is unfortunate for those of you experience severe side effects...too bad there is not some kind of test a person could take to determine which birth control would be better suited for their body

Hi
My husband has been prescribed 2 different blood pressure meds Lisionpril and metoprolol back in June. Come mid July he started to have trouble sleeping and slight tingling in hands and feet. Then it progressed to the arms and legs and then the face and chest. We have seen cardiologist, neurologist, sleep apnea doctors, Had EKG, MRI, Heart sonograms, Nerve test done due to the symptoms. Everything came back normal. He is miserable. The burning and pain is unbearable to wear he wants to cut his feet off and the only thing we keep hearing is well LETS DO ANOTHER TEST or TRY THIS MED. So now he is taking a a sleep med for insomnia and some seizure med for the nerve pain, thinking he may have neuropathy. This is going on 2 months now of trial and error and after reading 20 minutes of experiences, I THINK ITS THE MED!!!!!!!
What do we do then? He had high blood pressure so what meds are good with no side affects of burning or insomnia? Any suggestions or help would be of great appreciation. Thank you!!!

I have been on anti-depressants for about 10 years now. I've tried Wellbutrin, Lexapro, Prozac, and Effexor (just to name a few). I've been on Effexor (this is my 2nd time) for about 4 years now. I finally decided to get off the effexor and I desperately want to share what's been happening ever since. I slowly weened off of it, starting at my regular 175mg a day for 2 1/2 weeks, then down to 125mg, 75mg, and then 37.5. My doctor suggested I change doses every week, however I went 2 1/2 weeks because of the AWFUL side effects.

I have had the typical head "buzzing" is what I call it and my nerves are a wreck 24/7 but the worse problem I'm having and the one I haven't seen anyone write about yet is my severe stomach problems. I have had diarrhea everyday, all day, since I went off Effexor. It's been over 2 weeks since I've taken my last pill and it's not getting any better. My dr. thinks it could be IBS or bad eating habits, but I've tried changing my diet, etc. and nothing is giving me any relief. It's come to the point where I can't tell if my nerves are what is upsetting my stomach or if my upset stomach is what is setting off my nerves. Anyone else with these issues??

And in case anyone reads this before starting Effexor, please please don't use this medication. Try any and/or all other anti-depressants before using Effexor. It may work for your depression, but the side effects highly out weigh the benefits. I'm finding that out the hard way now. I would have never taken this drug if I knew what I would be in for 4 yrs down the road. And I can't help but be upset with our healthcare system when doctor's would actually prescribe this to their patients.

Oh.... And I forgot an important side effect for males and chief complaint..
My g/f and I *normally* have at least 2 sessions a night, and I have found that Seroquel alone can decrease libido (sex drive). Impotence, or a general lack of sex interest from meds is a real bummer, and after a bit of trial and error I isolated a correlation to Seroquel as being the culprit. Take your nighttime dose after sex. The foggy/lethargic feeling has some bearing on sexual performance/arousal for males. Just my $.02

I just started using Singulair a few days ago. I am 54 years old and just started coughing at night only. I would be fine during the day and then never failed, at night I started to cough keeping me awake. I was given antibiotics, narcotic cough syrups but it only helped temporarily and then I went back to coughing nights only again. So as I mentioned, I started taking Singulair a few days ago because my physician thinks I have developed allergies and Singulair is noted to help night coughs. It is helping my night coughs but I still cough a few times at night and now I cough quite a few times in the day when I never use to cough in the daytime. Wondering if Singulair is worth taking as the symptoms are becoming opposite? I hate taking drugs and don't know if I should find a safer alternative? Help, anyone? Thank you

I am a 29 year old healthy woman and have been on the NuvaRing for 3 years now. I LOVE it... I joke with my Dr that I would do a commercial for them if they asked me to.

I was placed on the ring after Ortho Tri-lo's hormone dose was too low to keep me from having breakthrough bleeding. I would get sad before my period, (like cry at a Pet-smart commercial) but since being on the ring I have been fine.

I haven't had headaches or weight gain in all these years. I also had a full physical this past fall and was found to have the best cholesterol reading my Dr had ever seen.

I think that every birth control out there effects us in one way or the other. You can search any pill out there on this site and find 100 women who have had VERY bad side effects. I guess it's all about trial and error and compromise. I wish you all luck with your method.

I am one of many that has decided to stop giving my child Singulair. And like many others, I have noticed a great improvement in her behavior.

My question is for those who have done the same. What medication have you replaced the Singulair with and have you noticed any of the same side effects that Singulair was causing? What are your thoughts on Flovent inhaler?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I am a 32 year old that suffers from allergy induced asthma. My doctors put me on Singulair and Zyrtec and my allergies and asthma have been in control and I can live and breath without sneezing and wheezing all day long. I have indoor and outdoor allergies and before Singulair I use to have to take over the counter Benadryl and then lay around groggy and miss out on things. I haven't experienced any side affects from Singulair as severe as what I have just read on these entries. I have no thoughts of suicide, I'm far from depressed and I'm a 32 year old mother of 2 kids, I work and I deal with the everyday life. Do I have mood swings, yes, but I cannot necessarily blame Singulair for that. As I read about it though, I wonder to myself, if I stop taking Singular with I be any more happier than I am already minus the mood swings? Do I do it as a trial and error type of thing. I mean if I miss my dose of Singular I end up having to use my albuterol inhaler and my chest hurts and I start to wheeze and cannot take a deep breath without feeling tightness in my chest. I guess at this point, the only thing I can do is talk to my doctors about switching me to a different asthma medication. I'm the type of person that actually second guesses doctors and am always up for a second and possibly a third opinion. I work for years in a medical malpractice law firm and I have no faith in the doctors that practice medicine. I usually read about things in detail before I try them to see certain side affects and what not. I'm not a medical professional, but I am a paralegal and I am an educated person. I go to the doctor but I'm not one to just run to the doctor with ever little ache and pain. I'm torn at this point because if I stop taking Singular I will suffer from Allergy induced asthma, and if I go to the doctor who's to say the next drug he puts me on for asthma might be worse or will cause problems. I can only speak from my experience, but ALL drugs carry a warning label of POSSIBLE side effects. I think I may be one of the few that do not suffer from the side affects of Singular, so I think I may just continue to take mine and breath easily. It also looks like most of these entries are about young children. Could it be that Singulair effects children differently than adults? Or could it be that everyone wants a hand in the money of a major drug company?? Whatever the case may be, everyone needs to educate themselves with any drug that is prescribed to them. I'm sorry for those that have suffered, I couldn't imagine going through that myself!

been taking Altace for about 1 year. never experience the terribl3e cough i hear so much about. however do have the following with a 2.5mg. feeling of throat closing or jammed, very cold feet at times, lightheadedness all the time. i also take Toprol xl 25mg so the combo could make it even more so. all my tests come out normal, so it has to be this medicine. i guess you either have to live with it or go through a trial and error period with other medication.

Well my doctor gave me sample and prescription for the Loestrin because I'm currently on the NuvaRing and three of my friends became pregnant on the Ring. I don’t want that since my son is only 1.So I decided to try this but won’t start until next month. I emailed this site to my husband and he told me if I take the pill that he is moving out. I have enough mood swings already..LOL...So there fore I'm back to the drawing board on to fine a type of birth control that wont give me MORE mood swings,wont give me acne,wont make me gain weight and want make me feel sick. Can anyone give me any suggest of birth control that will just prevent me from getting pregnant and help clear my skin.