Weightlifting symptoms and conditions

I've been on 200 mg Lamictal for 2 months now, after 4 month titration up from 25mg; Going off Lithium 900mg titration to 450mg this week. Since 1st day of lower Lithium, all the common Lamictal symptoms went from mild to extreme. Whole body muscle aches (like 24 hours after a heavy weightlifting workout) worse in neck & back/shoulders/calves, bad headaches, swelling in hands & feet, extreme blurred vision, loss of memory, halted speech while trying to figure out what to say, fuzzy. I called the Clinic to simply ask which NSAID (aspirin? ibuprofen? Excedrin? naproxin?) to use to manage the pain. They all freaked and made me come in for a blood test to check Lithium levels. I explained I wasn't "overly" concerned about it at this point, but just looking for a recommendation, and that they may be over-reacting (even though I did appreciate their concern). I also reminded them that I had just **decreased** Lithium when it happened, so I wasn't having a Lithium Toxic attack (I'm well-versed in that, having been on Lithium for 7 years). It didn't do much good to tell them I thought their diagnosis was a little off. I'll find out the blood test results today, but I'm pretty sure I know what they'll be. They also wanted me to see my PCP since it could be something else. Again, the problem was a ramp-up of existing symptoms the next morning after I lowered Lithium (the only change), so I'm conviced everything centers around that. I think they're a little inexperienced with this med. (Lamictal/Lamotrigine) and if they'd just read this blog they'd probably learn a lot. They had never heard of the muscle ache side effect. Pretty hard to believe after reading all of your comments! My theory is that Lithium was somehow holding back the side-effects of Lamictal and now they're expressing themselves more fully. I haven't read anything like this on any internet discussion, so maybe my body is very different. But maybe my experience will give someone else some insight in a similar situation.
I might also mention something that happened to me I have only seen (kinda) in one other "blog" about follicle (sweat gland) cysts. Yeah, I definitely got the jawline acne starting at the Lamictal 50mg level & increasing at 100mg. But I also got my first ever "cyst" that concerned me and sent me to my dermatologist for the first time in 30 years (I'm 47 and saw the old guy when I had acne at 17!). It started as a blind pimple on my chest the week I increased Lamictal to 200mg (final dose), but didn't go away. It continued to grow (not diminish) over 4 weeks to 3/8 inch round/pink/solid/itchy/burn-when-rubbed. So off to the "Doctor" like my father used to do on a regular basis (I know I'm getting old now) and scalpel/pop/stitch it was out. But it was real, not my imagination or hypocondria, and the timing of its appearance was right when Lamictal changed to full steam. Since acne appears to be a common effect with so many, it seems it's not unreasonable that this occurs occasionally as well to others. Let me be the 2nd to mention it. No "official" verification, but....
I'm not bagging on Lamictal, and have been very hopeful that this would be better than Lithium. It has eliminated the GastroIntestinal problems I had on Lithium, but I am getting discouraged that it has all the brand new symptoms that are discussed in this blog. Your "stuff" is real. I wish the Docs/Nurses/Case Workers would spend 5 minutes checking your comments out. It might bring about a better informed conversation than the shiny Glaxo flyers provide. That is all.

i am a 43 yr old male.........i was put on 100mg a day of metoprolol and it did the job of lowering my blood pressure and heart rate. however after about a year of taking the meto my orgasms would take anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 hours to achieve. at first it was nice to go longer tham usual, but it has became a problem for myself and my wife. i sometimes think i will have a heart attack trying to release, we go thru bottles of lube to keep her from hurting, and my mood became very bad, i was looking for things to complain about, threatening people at work and so on. i started weening myself off meto 2 weeks ago my dividing the pills in half, and went to see my doctor this week. he prescribed lisinopril 10mg and had me divide my metoprolol in half again for another week. already my moods are 100% better, but i still have trouble achieving climax with sex in timely fashion. i hope that problem goes away soon. i am curious, am i the only male here having problems climaxing?

Hey you all......the lipitor saga continues. I posted #23428 on Sept 6th. On Sept 13th I picked a 30 pound piece of fabric up at work and there was a big POP in my left arm. Distal Biceps Tendon rupture.....TORE it off the Bone. I have been weightlifting for 20 years and never had an injury such as this. I am used to lifting much heavier weights with no problem. Had surgery to reattach 9/18...7 weeks post op and still in brace. Will take a year to fully heal. Both my doctor and Ortho said they have never heard of tendon rupture caused by statin drugs...but I am convinced that it was directly related to lipitor damage/side effects. I did have my doctor shaking in his shoes, I told him with conviction that I would never again take a statin drug and I held him responsible. Would like to hear from anyone who may have had tendon issues while taking this drug. I hope we all get better soon!
Peace
Brian

In April 2006, I began urinating blood every time I did something strenuous. After seeing many specialists and receiving CT scans and Ultrasounds on abdominal area and testicals my Dr. wrote the symptoms off as a urinary tract infection. He prescribed Cipro, I took the drug for 2.5 days and have not been the same since(was supposed to take the drug for ten days). Now December, I have had severe gut-wrenching pain in my left side, stomach and back. This pain is that of passing kidney stones every day, still peeing blood and waking up with so much pain that I can barely move. I was very much into weightlifting, now I can barely lift my kids, (55, 40 and 35 lbs.) I have had every test known to man and the Dr.'s have no idea what is wrong with me. Just coincidence that this all started after taking Cipro? I have no choice after reading the testimonies on this drug, that this has added to the health problems in my own life. I too will tell all my Dr.'s from this point on that I'm allergic to Cipro and Levaquin. Do yourself a favor and stop taking this drug before you have similar or worse health issues.