Waistband symptoms and conditions

Add me to the club!

I dropped my son off at college upstate NY and decided to stay over at a motel due to traffic and bad weather. I was laying down on top of the bedspread when I noticed a lump on my right hip. Then I found two more smaller ones on my left hip. I immed. thought the motel had fleas or bedbugs or something. I was looking around for bugs/fleas but everything was very clean. I then went down to use the elliptical in the motel gym, came back, took a shower, watched TV and then fell asleep. I woke up about an hour later with severe pressure in the center of my chest and itching "down there". I scratched and then noticed these hives all over between my thighs. I still had the three on my hips too. I again searched for bugs and found nothing. I had already switched beds and was sleeping without the bedspread on. The next morning I felt a numbness in the left side of my mouth/chin. I called my wife, who is a nurse. She told me to get some Benadryl. I checked with the local pharmacy and they recommended Benadryl too. I took three doses total that day (6) pills and drove home.

That night, instead of being better, I was worse. I now had the thighs, hips and also the upper back by my armpits and around my waist, where the waistband of my pans/underwear sits. I went to the E.R. and told them I might be having an allergic reation and they saw me immed. I also had difficulty swallowing and right side of my chin/mouth was now slightly swollen and numb. I spent the night in the E.R. and was given IV Benadryl, 2 Zantac, as Zantac can stop the inflammation in a different way, and an epi pen shot. I left the E.R. about 630 in the morning feeling 50% better and with a Rx for oral steroids.

The steroids seem to be working very well. I am lucky to have a good primary doctor who returned my call immed. and told me to take the steroids and the Benadryl, discontinue the Lisinopril immed. and come to see him. The fools at my endocrinologists office dismissed my complaint and told me that it was probably from the Chinese food I had for dinner that night. The endocrinologist, Dr. Jeffrey Shiff of Massapequa, NY, didn't even return my call, someone from his office did. This woman told me that she reviewed my medications and didn't think any of these things caused my hives/allergic reaction. I told her that the internet was full of blogs and boards about Lisinopril and hives. She told me that since I had been on Lisinopril for two years, it was unlikely that this was a reaction to that drug. She said they see people all the time with this reation to Chinese food.

There is nothing on the internet describing this reaction to Chinese food. Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, from too much MSG, results in rapid heartbeat and a pounding headache, not hives and a sore esophagus.

The nurse in the E.R, told me they see 2-3 people per week with allergic reactions to ACE inhibitiors. Not just Lisinopril, but all ACE inhibitors.

In all fairness, it could have been the Chinese food, I had some sushi and some peanut butter chicken for dinner, but I have eaten these things before and never had a problem. I did have that feeling of fullness/blocked esophagus before I ate dinner and I chalked that up to eating a heavy lunch and then sitting in the car for a few hours.

In retrospect, I suspect that was from the Lisinopril, as I have had that feeling before after eating hamburgers and the like and then sitting, but only since being on Lisiopril. I have also had that full feeling after dinner, even when walking after dinner.

Like my G.P. says, it could be from anything, but it is very likely from the Lisinopril.

I will follow up with an allergist after this episode is over to see if I have developed an allergy to nuts or seafood or something, but when I think back to that "full" feeling in the esophagus, I think it is the Lisinopril.

I was really happy that a little light went off in my head and I decided to research Aviane and Alesse. I have suffered from depression in the past and that is why my family physician had prescribed this low dose birth control. As I am approaching menopause years this was intended to level out hormones as I was beginning to experience increased troubling and symptomatic times of the month. I am only half way through my second packet and I have just experienced the worst week I have had in a long time. I didn't want to get out of bed, I am desperately sad, anxious about the future, crying uncontrollably, and have had an outbreak of pimples the likes of which I have never had in my life. Oh, did I mention hot flashes? I thought the tightening waistband was the depression and inertia, and I thought the depression was due to the regular suspects this time of year; lessening daylight hours, ANOTHER birthday on the way, dysfunctional Christmas to mention a few. This was no regular bout of seasonal depression I realized while crying last night for Will Farrell's hard luck in Taledega Nights.

I've just returned from the pharmacy and the pharmacist agrees with my decision to stop taking the pill immediately and contact my doctor first thing tomorrow. I hope there is an alternative pill, but after the week I just had I think I can put up with a day or two or bitchy rather than an entire month of being a fat, cranky, pimply, curled up ball of useless.

Thanks for having the information available, it seems like there are more stories than not about what I have experienced.

Topamax may help some people, but for me it is poison and I've tried it twice! This second time around I tried it longer and went to higher dose. I'll just list the bad side effects that I had this time, although I had some of the same the first time. By the way, I took it for migraines. The first time a couple of years ago I was on 25 mg a day. Then, this time decided to try again since migraines were so bad thought I would give it another chance. I went from 25 mg to 100 mg a day slowly increasing as directed. The side effects started occurring right after the first couple of days, numbness in my hands, jaw area. Then sometimes numbness in my feet. Started to feel bloated in my stomach, waistband on pants a little tighter, and also noticed a little fluid retention in my fingers and ankles. I would forget a word here and there, or when typing, type the wrong word. Eventually it got so bad that I would sit there and think to myself, ok I know this is the right word but should I actually say it or type it? Friends thought I was in a bad mood when I wasn't. I would get very very quiet and I didn't want to leave the house. Thank goodness my husband was understanding. We knew it was the drug. And we knew I would stop taking it! Sometimes my back and sides would ache which is unusually for me, and I drank a lot of water. I lost my appetite completely but still did not lose weight at all like others say they do, if anything I think I gained in fluid retention. The skin on my ears started to burn and itch, then the skin on my face started to itch. I felt nauseous almost every day. I also felt like I was completely encased in cement, this is about the only way I can describe it. You just do not feel like yourself at all. You have that foggy brain feeling people mention. You know you don't feel like your normal self, but you feel so lousy you almost don't care. It's a scary feeling. This was all in one month, I figured I had given it a chance but that was it. Even with the warnings about seizures I quit taking it immediately. I would rather have migraines than have all of those side effects. Also I wonder what is it doing to your other vital organs if it can have those effects? For those who do not experience any of this, I'm glad, but I have to say very surprised.

I was treated with prednisone for interstitial nephritis in Dec '03. Started at 60 mg for 2 days, then 40mg for 4 weeks. Doctor tapered drug too soon and too fast. Experienced painful swelling of joints of hands, elbows, shoulders, knees and ankles. Plus large, red, hot and very painful rashes and welts on neck, torso, arms, legs, particularly uncomfortable at pressure points like waistband and bra straps/bands (sides of stomach and breasts felt as if on fire). Was put back on prednisone in Feb '04 at 20mg daily and symptoms (which now I realize were side effects) subsided. Currently tapering again starting at 15mg for 3 wks and now on 2nd wk of 3 wks at 10mg...rashes/welts and aches have returned, but not as severe. I will be seeing my doctor in 2 wks for further tapering instructions (kidneys are fine and fully recovered). I had concerns about my "symptoms" being lupus since I got a positive ANA result, albeit a weak one, and my problems stemmed from the initial renal insufficiency. A dermatologist recommended I see and allergist because of the rashes. Although I'm not ruling out lupus or allergies just yet, after reading all the side effects on this website, I would have to think these aches, pains, rashes and swellings are prednisone related and I hope and pray they will go away once I'm off the prednisone. I will persue a more definitive diagnosis if the side effects continue and/or worsen after going off prednisone, but if anyone can offer a timeline as to how long the side effect took to wear off after being on prednisone for about 5-6 months (including tapering period), I would appreciate an e-mail.