Weight watchers symptoms and conditions

Hello Ladies....I am 56 and diaged Hashimotos disease 3 years ago.At the moment on 112mcg of synthroid....dosage started off low and have gradually worked up....So angry with drs...was seeing endo, but moved and using family practice...so frustrated with weight gain approx 25lbs since diag. Also does the word sweat ....mmmm perspire for all us ladies, mean anything? I can't even wash dishes without breaking out in to a sweat...mmm beads of perspiration....Dry skin, I own stock in Aveeno....Also....does anyone get "boil type" skin eruptions in the nether region...butt, inner thighs etc? Does anyone or has anyone done any serious research on Iodine? I try to eat as well as I can, was doing Weight Watchers and gained weight do ya hear me? I am questioning my idodine intake or lack of....Presently take mulit vit with 150mcg. Considering uping it and dc ing my synthroid...cuz docs have been useless....eat less, (how much more less?) exercise more...I swim so much I look like a freaking prune....Any comments?

Hi so glad to read this im calling my dr as i read!! i got my mirena in apr of 2005, i was one of the 1st pts my dr did one on. I have no children and am married, we wanted to wait to have kids and i have frequent migraines so the pill is a no-no. the day i had it put in i passed out while leaving the office. they said "oh wow that never happens"...hmmm wonder how many others passed out after i did!

i cant really report any bad side effects until about 1 yr after insertion. i started having terrible cramping where i couldn't even stand up. this would come and go every few months. then i noticed i couldn't urinate as well anymore...the stream was weak and it seemed like my muscles were tense or something. i now have constant pain and pressure of the pelvic floor, my abdomen is always bloated, i have gained 20lbs and i do weight watchers and cant lose a pound, i retain tons of water, i have fatigue and joint/muscle pain. I attributed the joint pain and fatigue to fibromyalgia which i have been dx'd w/ in 2007 but now i wonder if its this mirena!

i have been to different doctors and specialists because i don't feel well, i haven't for a few years now...now i wonder if its because of this mirena. im going to have mine removed and see how i feel. the urination problem is the worst! i always feel like i have to pee but nothing comes out...the urologist said all my tests were normal.

im so glad i read all these posts...i hope every woman reads this before deciding on the mirena.

Did anybody have horrible hair loss? I only had mine in for 6 weeks and i got it removed yesterday!!I have a 4 month old and i am following weight watchers and going to curves fitness centres 4 times a week . When my daughter was 2 and a half months old i had lost all my baby weight plus 17lbs..since Mirena i have continued my program and gained 7lbs!! in 6 weeks!! my joints are screwed up it hurts to stand up my knees are so bad..Nausea..depressed..but the worst would have the be the hair loss!!! my hair line had receded over an inch in the last 6 weeks..unbelievable..why are doctors so quick to say it's not the Mirena..I live in Canada and the dam brochure did nto even mention hair loss..i am a Pharmacy Tech and my CPS which is a reference the doctor's use does not mention it either...so horrible iam now 25 and balding..i have post phoned my wedding scheduled for mar 2009 indefinalty until i get my hair back..i can't believe how much this product has ruined my life in 6 weeks...

I lost 30 pounds on Weight Watchers in 2005 - lost it in 6 weeks (on the proper diet) because of my insanely fast metabolism. Shortly after that, I was put on 25 mg of Toprol XL for PACs/PVCs. Upped that to 50 mg after I started getting migraines. Gained 55 pounds in the process, though I tore a hamstring in a couple of places and put a lot of the weight loss up to months of inactivity.

Then I started back on WW and tried to lose. Did everything just right--nothing. Added exercise and adjusted my points. Still nothing. Finally googled "toprol metabolism" and found tons of people complaining of the same types of problems.

I finally got down to 12.5 mg of Toprol and my body has adjusted to it, and in the last 2 weeks I've dropped 10 pounds. I'm debating going off it altogether, since there's nothing wrong with my blood pressure, and since lowering it clearly helps.

Note to anyone who tries this - every time I lower the dose I tend to gain a little weight (it's mostly water weight--I bloat up when I lower it for some reason) while my body adjusts, but it always comes off. So if you lower your dose (with doctor's permission, of course), don't be disheartened if you gain at first. You'll get there.

I am sooo glad I found this site; I have been thinking I am going crazy. For the last six months (since starting NuvaRing for the first time). I have had a mild case of depression (I am not one to struggle with depression , NO sex drive which is unusual for me, my boobs have gone up two sizes, I ma always tired and I am a fairly energetic person. My stomach is always bloated and I can not loose a single pound and I have been doing weight watchers and working out. I have one week left with the ring and I will NEVER use it again!!

I am a 39 year old white male that had aortic valve replacement surgery five years ago. About three months after the surgery (which went off without a hitch) I had a tremendous spike in my BP that went on for a few days (200/100 - enough so I could see my heartbeat in my eyes!). My Dr started me on Toprol XL 75 and while it brought my BP down some, it didn't bring it down a lot. He moved me to 200 mg a day and now my BP is around 105/55 with a resting pulse around 50.

While I experienced many of the side effects listed here (feeling groggy, confused, etc) they only lasted a few months. I must admit that I did pack on about 20 lbs over six months. However, unlike so many who choose to blame drugs (or lack thereof) for their problems, I took it upon myself to start exercising and guess what?!? The weight comes off! I now weigh less than when I graduated high school, I am in better shape than any time in my life and I believe that exercise helps me sleep better at night. All of this even though I still take 200mg a day. Given that some of you say that you're practically dead at taking 25, I should be 6 feet under or weigh 400 lbs.

I guess what I want to say is that perhaps instead of jumping on the bandwagon here that Toprol causes all of your problems, perhaps you want to take your own health into your hands and begin to eat a little better and exercise (and don't give me "but my ankles are swollen!" excuse - there is something called water aerobics). I don't deny that it can cause some side effects, but it can work wonders with your BP. You just have to DO SOMETHING to help keep the weight off (which then help with the sleep problems, mental clarity, etc).

I'm so glad that I found this site because I was beginning to think that something was seriously wrong with me. I started taking Nuvaring almost 2 months ago. 5 more days and I can take it out...FOREVER!!!!

At first, I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread...and then the weight gain began. My husband said maybe it was just that I was eating junk. Maybe...so I started back on Weight Watchers. I can not lose a single pound, and when I have counted points in the past the pounds fell off the first week or two. I've gained 15 lbs since I started Nuvaring. The strange thing is that it is all just around my stomach. It is like a big spare tire. I've gained very little in the rest of my body.

I also noticed pretty bad cramping after I put it in. It was pretty much all the time, not just during certain parts of my cycle.

Then I started to get headaches. Not little headaches, but debilitating migraine headaches. The sensitivity to light is almost unbearable when I have one of these. Many times I find myself going to bed at 8 pm when I put my son to bed. Pretty much all I ever want to do is sleep. Sex? Nope, not interested. (Very different from how I was in the past.) Huh, I guess it works as birth control because it promotes abstinence!

The worst part is that I am soooooo depressed. Like major depression. I have usually been a pretty even keel personality, but since starting Nuvaring I find myself wondering what I have to live for. I've come to the conclusion that if it weren't for my husband or son, I'd rather just be dead. I've even found myself thinking about how I would want to die. It has gotten so bad that I haven't been to work in almost 2 weeks. I have so much anxiety that I actually feel scared to go. My husband finally called a doctor for me on Wednesday and I start therapy on Monday. I hope that the side effects will go away soon after I take the ring out, but I am very afraid that I might be like this for a while.

I question how so many of us have these HORRIBLE side effects and yet no one in the medical profession has even questioned whether something is amiss. It seems to me that I better just have another child and then have my tubes tied so I don't ever have to mess with all this awful birth control stuff again. (I was bad about taking pills on time, so I ended up having spotting most of the month, which kind of defeated the purpose.)

I'm thankful that I found this site and now I know that I am not alone!

I had Mirena put in two weeks ago because I was told this will not affect my heart or give me major side effects like the pill or Depo does. HA! I have not stopped bleeding since, I've had cramps, been extremely angry (more than usual), and now I want to eat all the time too. I had been doing Weight Watchers to try to lose weight and had lost down to my pre-pregnancy weight and then had Mirena put in. Now that I want to eat all the time, I don't have any desire to try to lose weight. I just want to eat. I can't even have sex with my hubby because of the bleeding, and does anyone else still feel the strings? I looked up the Mirena website and it says of the two threads, one is made of some sort of poly-substance and the other is made of iron oxide. Um, that's a metal and I'm allergic to metals. I feel the threads ALL THE TIME. It feels like a burning sensation to a ripping sensation on occasions. Believe me, I even feel it when walking, which makes it difficult to want to exercise. Because I can feel the strings, I don't want to have sex because I'm afraid it will hurt my hubby. I'm calling my doc today to have mine removed. I'll just have to use condoms from now on because Depo destroyed my body last time I was on it and the pills mess with my heart and make me crazy.

I have been on Zoloft for about 8 months. I began taking it for anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and eating issues. Since I have been on it, my eating issues have gotten a lot worse. I began binging, something I've never done before. I have racing thoughts and feel like I am just floating through life. My weight has gone from about 120 to 155. I am not happy, and am considering coming off of the medication. Has anyone else noticed they have not been able to control their eating while on Zoloft? However, my anxiety did subside.

I had Mirena put in five days ago. I have had cramping off and on. I finally did a complete workout on my pilates reformer and did just fine. I have yet to see what having sex with my husband is like with this thing in me. I am a little scared about pain. I do feel bloated. I will keep everyone up to date on how I am doing. I sure wish I had come across this website before I decided to put this in.

I am 35, and my doctor recently prescribed me Loestrin 24 Fe to regulate my periods. (I was bleeding/spotting for almost 2 weeks out of the month) and to help with my PMDD. Well, I just finished my 2nd week of pills, and let me tell you, I feel horrible. I'm bloated, have gained 3 lbs(I'm on Weight Watchers, plus exercise 4 times a week) , have insomnia (I've never had a problem sleeping) I am extremely moody (just ask my poor husband and kids) and have more pimples now than I did as a teenager. Since I"m not taking the pill as a form of birth control, (my husband has had a vasectomy), as of tomorrow, I am finished taking this pill. I would rather deal w/2 weeks of bleeding, than the the emotional/physical roller coaster I have been on for the past 2 weeks. Just my opinion..hope this helps someone!

55 year old female
I have been on Toprol 5 years. 50mg. it works for me but since it went generic,I wonder...I am on 10mg lexapro and December started the vivelle-dot for my hotflashes. It is now June and the last 4 weeks my hair is falling out big time.
It is so thin I have to wear a scarf as not to scare small children at work.!! :)
I have talked to a couple of hairdressers and they have told me many of they're clients with thinning hair were on Toprol.
Anyone heard of this? Please help me figure this out.

I am a 52 year old female. I've been using Zyrtec for four months, at first PRN, then for the last eight weeks daily. I also take Norvasc and Atenolol for BP. I was already experiencing slight swelling in my ankles presumably from the Norvasc, and I have been gaining weight steadily since starting the Atenolol in December. I have had overwhelming fatigue during exercise to the point that I can hardly finish a one hour Jazzercise class (which I have attended on a regular basis for over 20 years.) All symptoms I've blamed on the BP meds, especially the Atenolol.

I began complaining to my doc about the symptoms and had a complete blood work up to rule out other diseases that cause these symptoms. He suggested Weight Watchers and increased exercise to battle the weight gain, and reduced the Atenolol to half dose to over come the these issues. I didn't think to tell him about the Zyrtec I had started taking OTC.

I began careful monitoring of calorie intake and increased my Jazzercise classes in an attempt to lose weight with no success. In fact, the weight continued to increase.

This week, the swelling in my ankles increased to the point where you can not recognize them and the swelling has now included my feet. They are so puffy the toes are connected and you can make a deep impression with your finger in the skin. I decided to stop the Zyrtec and found the swelling to stop immediately. Even the slight ankle swelling has abated.

I started searching the web for contraindications between Zyrtec and the BP meds. None of the drug sites offer any negative side effects The Zyrtec site gives no info at all. After reading the many experiences here and on another site, I think the Zyrtec is to blame for all of my symptoms. I have not asked the doc about his opinion, but will inform him at my next appointment.

The first 2years I was trying to sell the Mirena to everyone! no Periods!!! awesome. The third year started my misery. I have gained 25 lbs regardless of exercise and diet(weight watchers didn't make a difference) and look pregnant. My belly is very distended and my legs and arms look normal. I am dizzy, exhausted, suffering from insomnia and lets talk joint pain. I look like an 80 year old woman when I walk. I limp from foot pain, knee pain and lower back pain. My doctor doesn't believe me that this might be from my mirena and has ordered rheumatoid arthritis labwork. I have been labeled depressed by my doctor even though I have tried to explain that I don't believe I will be when this is removed. By the way, no one ever gets pregnant with a mirena because no woman cares about having sex! The ending to my story is- I will be having a Tubal ligation, Uterine Ablation and having this device removed June 23rd. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY LIFE BACK!!!!!!!

I made my appointment today to have my Mirena taken out in 2 days.
I have had similar symptoms, low libido, hair loss, and weight gain.
I have been on Weight Watchers since Jan. the same time I got my Mirena inserted and I am at the same weight. I am so frustrated with the weight and the other symptoms I just want it out.
But I did like not having to take a pill everyday. Is anyone considering having the Copper T inserted? It releases no hormones.
Just wondering.

I too had HORRIBLE experiences on Toprol-XL. I was put on it after I walked into a doctor's office and my BP was 235/152. Yep..you read that right! Scary times. I started taking the med, and I too gained 35 pounds with no change in diet. I was tired, weak, groggy - I honestly felt like I was slowly dying. At that point, I decided that high blood pressure was far better than the experience I had on Toprol. It ruined my marriage. Can you say ZERO libido? I decided that I would try a different form of metroprolol - metroprolol tartrate versus succinate. I did this when I went out of town - I honestly thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest - coming off this medication was horrible, and if the other posts are true about this being worse to come off than opiates, I REALLY feel for addicts now. I have been off the Toprol now for about 9 months, and I feel so much better. I've lost what I call the Toprol weight, and I made some life changes. I did the following: (A) I purchased a rebounder (mini-trampoline) and have built up from 5 minutes per day to 15 minutes per day (goal = 40 minutes per day) - there are HUGE health benefits in rebounding and it's really easy on my joints (google the benefits - I promise you won't be disappointed). I turn on the TV or turn on my Ipod and bounce away. (B) I joined Freelife International, and began drinking Go Chi juice (www.pbowen.freelife.com) because it has three scientific studies proving its effectiveness. (C) I stopped drinking caffeinated soda and began drinking a homemade blend of green (matcha) & darjeeling teas (if you want the recipe, e-mail me and I'll send it pamela.bowen@gmail.com), and (D) I bought a device called RESPERATE (www.resperate.com). I HAVE MY LIFE BACK!!! Don't think you have to live the way you are forever!

I was on Yasmin for 1 year know and let me tell you it has been crazy. Acne my cheeks are always red and look like I had a bad rash, Blurry vision could not where my contacts. I went to the eye doctor got my RX change and still had the same problem. My hair is so thin and just shedding like crazy. And the worst of all is the damn weight gain I have a personal trainer 3 times a week and even on Weight Watchers and really watch what I eat and cant even lose 10 pounds. I came off of it this week and going through some terrible migraines know. But dealing with It. I just had to come off of it before I became bald and blind.

I had a Mirena IUD inserted in April 2007 after my second child was born. I wish I would have done my homework. I had it removed yesterday. Nausea, bouts of lightheadedness, weight gain (despite being on Weight Watchers), and allergies. I've never had allergies in my life, so when I was uncontrollably coughing for weeks, and my doctor told me it was allergies, I couldn't believe it. I didn't correlate it to the IUD until now. It started happening last May. Zero sex drive. Zero. Mood swings like crazy. And the doctor told me none of these symptoms could possibly be because of the IUD. She should read these posts.

While I have taken it before, I don't recall having anything but very mild side effects (maybe a little discomfort in my belly). This time, however, it is different and I am owing it to the beauty of aging. I just took the second of the three pills (and yes, I've had the three pill one before). My bronchitis is clearing but this afternoon I had really bad abdominal pain and I have a continuous headache in the back of my head, where my spinal cord ends. It is not as bad (so far) as the one I had with Biaxin (I refuse to take that). The only bright side is that it made it a really good time to join Weight Watchers because I do not have much appetite. I was able to sleep last night, at least, because my cough decreased. The verdict is still out on whether I would do this again. Problem is, I am allergic to Penicillin.

I have been taking Phentermine under the direction of my dr. now for about 2 years (on for 6 months off for 6 months). I started at 250 pounds and I'm now at 180. My goal is 135-140.

I can not stress enough how very important it is to DRINK WATER while taking this medication. You CAN DIE if you don't.

I ended up in the hospital for severe dehydration once, and that will never happen again. My hands locked up, my body started shaking, had a fever of 104, etc,.it's not fun.

Side Effects I have experienced:

Rapid Heartbeat
Panic Attacks / Anxiety
Nervousness
Easily Irritated
Sick at my stomach
Constipation
Constantly Thirsty
Body/Hands Shake if you don't drink enough water
The constant need to stretch every part of my body (this makes you want to get up and run around)
Odd cravings for vegetables and dairy products
Insomnia
Abdominal Cramps (most likely caused by constipation)
Diarrhea (usually only if I drink lots of orange juice or Starbucks)
Feel like you are on speed (because you are)- you will clean your whole house if you take this stuff.

Hi, I'm a 51 y/o female nurse that started taking Toprol-XL for high blood pressure. I don't like taking meds because of side effects (other blood pressure meds have caused my hair to fall out, fatigue, depression, etc.) so I started out only taking half of the 50 mg tab. I recently upped it up to the whole tab to get my blood pressure a little lower and immediately started having severe headaches and joint pains. I'm going back down to a half tab and wean myself off this crap. I'm taking Magnesium, potassium, and L-Arginine, which all help relax the blood vessels. I was taking a higher dose of magnesium, which causes some diarrhea, when I decided to lower it and increase the dose of Toprol-XL to see how that worked. I'd rather have the diarrhea from the magnesium! At least then I wasn't crying from depression, having bad headaches and hurting all over! I'm losing weight on Weight Watchers, so hopefully I'll get this blood pressure under control. My blood pressure was pretty well under control with the lower dose of Toprol-XL, higher dose of magnesium, and the L-Arginine and potassium. I'm going back to what was working before. I'm also going to talk to my Health and Wellness doctor about a safer replacement for the Toprol-XL.

I have been on mirena now for 10 months. I was on the depo for 10 years prior. I loved my depo adn only went off of it after Kaiser said I could not do it any longer. I was told that mirena was a god send and a lot like my depo. I can say that the combination of depo and mirena I have not had any period at all. but that is where the happiness ends. I have experienced moths of breast pain. it hurt to touch them let alone put anything on them. after about 6 months and numerous trips to the vet it disappeared. then I got a small rash on my neck and by my arms. went to dermatology and since then I have been there, or to my primary or an allergist every week since then. the rough severley itchy skin is constant. remarkably every 29 - 32 days it fades for 2 days or so and just when I am sure it is going away wham back it comes and each time it is getting worse and worse. having never had any skin problems before I believed the doctors tha tit was folliculitus, then they said dermatitus, then they said uticaria and then hives or the last straw i was causing it that it was in my head. i just got a new allergist and while she doesn't knwo if it is my mirena she can tell me I have histamine levels that are off the chart. my husband is allergic to a lot so we already use free & clear everything and my housse is spotless but I am still being told it is soemthing I am doing to myself. I have also been reevaluating my things and I relaize I have been experiencing a lot of numbness and joint pain. so much so that my primary sent me to a rhuematlogist and he ran every test for lupus, and many other diseaeses adn even cancer. I was going crazy. Iwas beginning to think maybe I was mental. I have since been researching mirena and I am finding it so much more than what the pamphlet says. I finally got the nerve to call my ob, adn she ahs since been researching things with me and we know for sure that no matter what next week I get my mirena removed. I am just feeling so alone and depressed. I am 33 years old and instead of enjoying my new marriage I am contemplating a divorce becasue I do not want him to be stuck with soemone who might be crazy. seeking support and anyone else who feels this way.

Only now after the break up of my marriage and the begining of a new relationship,do i realise that something was just not right, when my new man was saying exactly the same things as my ex...terriable mood swings, constant angry feelings, scarring acne , constant tiredness and general body aches and pains, sore breasts, a slow but steady weight gain of nearly 4 stones inspite weight watchers etc and depression. Was on seroxat for a time until i saw a programme that highlighted side effects of that and so have lived with depression for years. A visit to ER with heart palputations which i thought was a heart attack. Panix attacks....I dont know why i suddenly thought that the mirena might have something to do with all this, thought i was going crazy , especially after my husband left me ...i had it removed last week and already feel better. Lost 4Lb in 5 days. Today i feel a little tired but still pleased its out. There is too much thats happened to me in the last 5 years for this to be a coincidence. My gp had no hesitation on removing it ....its too early to tell what will happen, but already i feel more peaceful...

i've been on synthroid for 9 years. started at some low dose and gradually went up to112 mg. get extreme itching all day everyday if i don't take allegra for that.not a rash just itching. that doesn't bother me as much as the fatique. every joint in my body aches all the time. sure there are better days but fo rthe most part it's bad. tried physical therapy and chiripratic care but no avail. they ended my sessions. my legs get sooo weak and my feet burn lower back really aches. sometimes muscle cramps. i'm very negative towards my loving family and it hurts me to do so. can't seem to keep upbeat. soo tired all the time.
is it the syntroid? i used to be very energenic and a doer. now i have spurts of activity in the morning , but then i just can't get motivated. help me any suggestions?

I have Grave's disease which effects your thyroid. I got radiation therapy for my hyperthyoidism.My numbers are still hyper and I'm taking Topral. I take 25 MG in the morning and 25 Mg at night. I have gained 8 lb's in 3 wk's.If you are familar with hyperthyroid, I should be losing weight.My face and ankles are puffy and my legs are crampy. I'm going to ck into other beta blockers until my thyroid gets regulated.