Wks symptoms and conditions

OMG! I thought I was losing it. Have had the Mirena since April and have gained weight (an entire dress size) for NO REASON, been foggy, moody, no sex drive, joint pains, cramps, etc.I thought I was alone, Did I mention EXHAUSTED all the time and acne on my face and back-sever enough to get antibiotics from the dermatologist?
I also suffer with PCOS--does anyoen else on the Mirena suffer with PCOS? Would be interested to see how it has affected you. Tried BC pills and after awhile they stopped working then switched to the YAZ--DO NOT GO THERE--the worst Pill ever--so not many options for those of us with PCOS. Just can't wait to go to the DR and get this thing out.

I started the pills on 6/1/08 first 2 weeks was fine them after the third week is been horrible, spotting everyday non stop I can;t take anymore the cramps are killing me. Is anyone experience anything like this and when is this going to stop i hated . Any advice thinking to come off the pills. No headache, nausea, stomach pains, depression just cramps

does anyone have excessive urination?i had my period 2 weeks ago and then had a little problem with my insurance and so I had my ring out longer than i was supposed to. Normally I pee an unbelievable amount at night-- sometime i will get up up to 8xs. But for the 1.5-2 weeks that my ring was out i didn't get up at night at all. Not once. Im really thinking about ditching this thing. any alternatives? (i cant take oral ones, i throw them right back up. ugh)

I'm very curious to read all these side effects! I have some strange symptoms going on and it only occurred to me after weeks of them that they may be caused by the Mirena IUD. Apart from constant annoying spotting and a bit of a dull ache in the pelvis now and then, I thought I had no other symptoms but I can see that my fuzziness in the head, low grade anxiety and stress that I've been feeling lately may be related. I've also been ravenous and am putting on weight but can't seem to stop eating junk. My energy levels are low and I have body aches and fatigue and find it hard to work out. But has anyone had achy joints in the hands and feet? .....tight tendons in the ankles & archilles and sore bones in the feet.......a feeling like swelling/tightness in the joints in the hands? I thought I was getting arthritis but maybe it's related to the IUD. I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks

I am 45 and on BC to help control perimenopausal symptoms. I tried BCs (including NR) a couple of years ago but had to stop because I became severely fatigued and depressed (slept through the month of November!). I'm trying BCs again, and yes, NuvaRing again. I am exhausted, can't think or remember anything, all I want to do is sleep. I have gained 15 pounds and haven't changed my eating habits at all. I noticed that some of you posted increased cholesterol levels. I have not experience this, but I have recently (3 weeks ago) been told I am anemic (B12 deficiency). I wonder if BCs can contribute to this? Any thoughts?

I'm a 44 year old female, and I have been taking 40mg. of lisinopril for over a year now. I also take omeprazole 20 mg. (a sub for prilosec) every day. Before taking lisinopril, I did have high blood pressure, but since taking this medication, I have had more problems than that. I have an irritating cough all the time and phlegm in my throat so thick that I feel as if I am chocking to death. I also have a severe rash all over my body and on the bottoms of my feet, and on my hands. I am depressed all the time, have no interest in sex whatsoever, and basically feel like crap all the time. I have a very bad pain in the left side of my neck that I know is not a result of sleeping the wrong way. I have to say, I never felt this way before taking this medication, but today I got to the point that I wanted to look up side effects to see if what I'm taking is hurting me. After reading some of these posts, I believe I know what my problem is. My husband was also on lisinopril, but 20mg and had such a terrible cough that we thought he had pneumonia. He is off the medication now, and his cough had disappeared. For me, the rash, and depression is the biggest thing. I have decided to take myself off this medication on my own, and try to find another way to deal with my high blood pressure. If you know of any herbs, and/or foods that help with blood pressure, I would love to hear about them. Thank you all for the information you have posted here. I'm sure it will help others think about what the doctors and pharmaceutical companies are trying to do to us. Seems the more medications they prescribe, the worse side effects we endure. Thanks again everyone!

In September of 2007 my then 13 year old daughter was put on Singular for mild asthma. At the time she was a straight A student, vice president of our school and a popular girl who's guidance counselor described as "the glue of her grade" because she was so well liked. In November she told me that she was struggling with advanced Latin and Science. She asked to drop down to on grade Latin so we did. In December her science teacher notified us that she had a C average. She told me that she thought she had ADD/ADHD and she couldn't keep up. At the same time she was having a lot of problems with friends at school and we just attributed it to being 14. 3 weeks ago we discovered that she is significantly behind in English and it was then that she told me that she is been having horrific night mares. She said that they usually involve someone killing her or her killing herself. She said that they were so graphic that she couldn't repeat it out loud. She also said that she would feel waves of anxiety that would come over her at school and she would act "witchy" to the kids in her class for no real reason. She said that sometimes when she is trying to do her homework she will read the same passage for 2 hours and still have no idea what it's about. She also said that the suicidal thoughts from her sleep happened during they day and that she had thoughts of her harming herself. Fortunately her pulminologist told us that this may be caused by singular and we immediately took her off of it which was 2 weeks ago. She has only had 1 "bad dream" not even a nightmare since. She had one anxiety attack 3 days after she was off it and she describes her moods as the "cloud lifting....slowly". Now, we have to pick up the pieces. Her grades have suffered, her friendships have suffered and most of all her self esteem is very low. I'm grateful that we found out the cause but I feel as if my daughter lost a year of her life and I worry that because Merck won't admit there are side effects we can't find out how long it remains in their system. Is anyone else concerned about the long term affect and has anyone pursued a class action suit to try to get this drug tested properly?

In 1998, my father died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage. I was only 33. This was devastating to me being a single daughter who still had aspirations of having him walk me down the aisle and all. I became extremely depressed and cried all the time. I was prescribed Paxil by my GP in this state of mind. No psychology or counseling offered first. And nothing was said to me about it being an addictive drug that would be next to impossible to stop taking. Nothing was mentioned about the long-lasting side effects. It was only a few weeks into it though that I realized if I missed a dose or didn't take it on a scheduled time each day, I would experience these "brain lapses" or "shock type feelings" in my head. I couldn't think a thought through without confusion. Having a conversation was like being a walking-talking robot that was short-circuiting. My other symptoms from this drug was the weight gain (about 30 lbs by the end) and the total absence of libido (not that I didn't want it but that I was totally numb in parts that I wasn't before), which was not normal for me. It was like many of you have stated... sort of a no-feeling zone ... and I decided this drug was NOT for me.

It took me at least 4 months to taper off 20 mg of Paxil. The side effects included severe trouble thinking or remembering things, anxiety attacks, more gain weight (which I attribute to low energy or enthusiasm for most things), angry outburst, easily tearful, then the feet swelling. At first it was just my left foot that would swell up and I attributed it to maybe a hereditary condition and dismissed it being any part a Paxil withdrawal symptom.

Another blessing I feel is a result of my Paxil is a very sensitive stomach. I have GERT (or acid reflux) most of the time. The GP put me on Protonix which helped the acid problems but then my hands and feet would go to sleep at night. I didn't think that was a good payoff so am not taking that either.

The edema increased to an almost daily occurrence for both feet. Sometimes they are so swollen I cannot bend my ankles and my hands and face are swollen too. Over the past 7 years, my GPs have prescribed varying kinds and doses of diuretics to help elevate the fluid in my system, which at first helped some, but now it doesn't even effect the edema in my feet. The only thing that helps really is to wear a closed shoe (like a tennis shoe) or -- which instead forces the fluid up into my ankles. Just yesterday I was told that compression hosiery is the only fix beyond maybe losing weight (I am not obese but am about 45 lbs overweight at 185) and that the diuretics were really not necessary.

When I exercise on an elliptical machine both feet go to sleep after only 15 minutes. I am much more active now and play tennis 3-4 times a week and when playing my hands and feet get numb.

Ten years later, I have chronic (almost daily) edema in both my feet and in my hands and face sometimes. I am way more active and exercise regularly by participating in sports (tennis and other running sports) but I do not lose weight. I still get the numbness in my hands and feet when I exercise for any length of time.

In the past 3 months I have had my blood tested for any and all problems - diabetes, low B12, high sodium, cholesterol, heart Doppler exam, CT of abdomen, and more. I am healthy as a horse from the results, but I am still having daily edema in my feet. I was told by a friend living in Italy that they prescribe a drug called Daflon for circulatory improvement. It seems this drug is not available in the U.S., probably because it is known for having no adverse side effects. I did find that a natural plant extract called Pycnogenol is supposed to help with circulation and other inflammation. It is also known as a Vitamin C "action-helper."

The reason I am sharing my side effects from Paxil, is that before I took this drug, I had no known problems with my circulation and I feel it is what caused it. I also have the ongoing trouble of remembering things. I feel this drug did a number on my body and I was only on it maybe 8 months. I can't imagine what someone on it for years will face. Thing is, I was sad about my father; I wasn't suicidal. They prescribe something that has long lasting results to someone that is in a weak state of mind and then don't warn you that there are so many serious repercussions -- no. 1 being that this drug is chemically addictive to your body's delicately balanced system. NOW because of deaths and Paxil-related murders the FDA has questioned this drug's safety.

You have to wonder if the doctors are really thinking about the patient or if they are just promoting the latest new drug for some personal gain of their own. I feel like a live guinea pig and there's no solution to the side effects I'm left with.

I want to encourage those that are thinking of getting off this drug that the side effects will wane some over time -- you can't do it cold turkey or you will pay the price -- but don't take it any longer than you have to because the long-term effects are not worth it. Better to learn how to deal with your emotions and find something that will be a boost for you in a healthy, non-drug related way (or at least natural), than let this Paxil industry continue.

I took Zyprexa for 11 yrs always pleading with my psychiatrist to let me try something else. I had gained 90+ lbs with Zyprexa and slept about 12-14 hrs every day. Plus I just sat around watching TV all the time. No motivation. But it did stabilize me when it seemed nothing else could.

Two weeks ago my doctor changed me to Geodon. What a wonderful change! At least the first 12 days I had no problems and lost 7 lbs. My head is clear, I am hypomanic which is so much better than mired in drowsiness and trouble thinking. Now I have energy galore and feel maybe I can even return to work soon.

HOWEVER, the last two nights I just can't go to sleep. Night before last I tossed and turned for 2 hrs before I could sleep. Last night it was 4 hrs. I tried taking the Geodon (80mg) this morning instead of taking it tonight, hoping that would help the situation. But after taking it in the morning, I was in terrible shape. I couldn't seem to keep my mouth closed -- it kept falling open and I looked like an idiot. I couldn't concentrate to drive -- I know I ran at least one red light. Finally I just went home and slept for a couple of hours. Then I was fine.

Also I have light headaches and nausea off and on and totally no appetite. I like the appetite part but have had anorexia in the past so I have to be careful when I don't want to eat. Insomnia too, as I said. And hypomania. All in all, a trade up from Zyprexa, which I hated. I just hope I can manage the side effects enough to stick with it. I hope they will go away, but you never know about that. Zyprexa's side effects never went away.

Hi all,

My first time on this site, it's quite interesting to see how people have very similar side effects. My case is I fought with a Poison Ivy and lost, my left arm shows the battle scars. Before going to the doctor, I tried Calamine, Caladryl, Cort Aide, Ivarest, Aveeno Oat Meal Baths & Tee Tree Oil. All failed to help, so off to my doc I went. After what I told him I tried using, he told me to stop. He noted those things do nothing to help Poison Ivy rashes to go away, he prescribed for me to take 20mg of Prednisone 3x a day for 4 days, then knock it down to 2x for 4 days and then 1x for 4 days. He also prescribed Cortisone Cream and to buy OTC Doneboro to soak my arm, it smells just like vinegar..I wonder! I have been taking Prednisone since Monday, so far the only side effects that have shown up is Insomnia and coughing. I do have A LOT more energy than I used to have, my job is enjoying my spitfire mode. The question is, what will happen once I am off this stuff? I've read and heard a lot of nasty things about this drug and I guess I will find out in another 9 more days, I've never been on Prednisone before, I do watch for changes in my body. Making sure I am not growing a beard or mustache, that my boobs don't expand (even though it would make my husband VERY happy). I am sorry to see many on here are having a bad time with this, maybe some of you should get a second opinion. Some doctors today are babied by pharmaceutical companies to push drugs, with some issues some of you have you may want to research your health problems more. Never take the word of your doctor as concrete, they are human too and make mistakes. I believed one fertility doctor until I researched my condition to find out I would never be able to have children, they milked my health plan until I faced them with my findings of medical research sites and online articles by universities. Never again! Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Don't be fooled, research for yourself. I will keep you posted as to my next 9 day countdown.

Alison

After reading more posts and comments to others re: SINGULAIR and discussion of side effects of steroids - I am really scared as you could all imagine! Do I need to look for any side effects from the flovent and albuterol? What should Iook for? I am so not the paranoid type but am quickly becoming more now b/c I don't want my son to suffer anymore. I know predisone long term but what about the flovent which is a steroid? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I'm also back with an update
I posted a few days ago about the extreme change for the better I saw in my son when I took him off the Singulair & that this week I was planning to put him back on just to make sure it was the singulair causing his crazy behavior & not a new bipolar med working

well I have now decided not to reintroude it, I think I have tortured him enough this past year that he was on it & I now know in my heart Singulair was the cause of making our lives a miserable living hell this past year :(

I have just sent my complaint to the FDA I also plan to let his psy. know what I think about Singulair & also the allergy doc within the next few wks! so now my ? is what do I do next I dont want to just sit here & do nothing when there are so my families dealing with this

Please let me know if there is anything else I can do right now?
I'll continue to pray for those families affected by this

I was on Lisinopril for a while until the dry hacking cough drove me crazy. It got so bad I had trouble driving. I would start coughing severely and could not stop. Had trouble with bladder control due to coughing. Went to my Urologyst, he mentioned coughing and Lisinopril. I looked it up online and immediately stopped taking it. Cough stopped in about 2 weeks. Husband has been on it for about 6 yrs and 3 wks ago started having SEVERE muscle cramping on back. Drs. give him muscle relaxers and pain killers. One of his toes is twitching (mine used to do that too) and seems to be confused and forgetful. I just told him he's not taking it any more. Lisinopril is pure poison!!!!!!!!!

I started taking Yasmin 14 months ago and came off it about 2 wks ago and my mood has improved A LOT! I was crying all the time and felt depressed. I put this down to a break up with my boyfriend which was particularly painful but now I feel that the pill had a lot to do with it. About 3 months ago I developed heart palpitations after a night out and have had them regularly ever since. I'm having frequent panic attacks and am convinced that this has to do with the hormones in the pill. Just seems a bit weird they came on all of a sudden and didn't 'develop' over time while taking the pill. Has anybody else had a sudden onslaught of heart palpitations and panic whilst being on Yasmin? I can't wait for it to be completely out of my system! I've read it can take up to three months! S x

I am glad to have found this site. My partner has been on flomax for about 2 months with decrease in sex drive ,less firm erection and ,less ejaculate. of course he has the orthostatic hypotension and, more headaches than usual.. he is 62 prostate is not enlarged and he does not have cancer, just a weak flow and trouble starting. go back to DR in 2 wks will inform md of these symptoms and report back. thanks

I have been on Lisinopril-HCTZ 20/25 for about 5 weeks now and I have noticed a little dry cough recently and a constant runny nose. Since 3-15-08 I notice that my left ear has been losing some hearing and today the 18 of march it feels like I have something jammed in there and everything is severly muffled.I was just on Lisinopril at first and on 3-11-08 the Dr put me on Lisinopril-HTCZ 20/25 and this started 4 days after I started the drug I have not taken it today and don't plan on it after I I have read what I have just read. I am going back to see my Dr. this after noon.

Took Avelox for pharyngisis 3 wks ago but then went to take l for some
dental surgery night 11 March 08 and within one hour hands and feet burned and itched, then left side heat started swelling, lips swelled, and then breathing cut off and kept blacking out and coult not talk. Called 911 and spent most night there on oxygen and IV's/shots. Do not know if it contracdicted Lasix which I'm on or what as the lst time I took it only rapid heartbeat.

I'm freaking out!!!!!!!!! SOMEBODY WITH THE SAME SIDE EFFECT PLEASE HELP ME....I was on YAZ since the summer and it sucked cuz I'd get my PD every 2 weeks....i finished my last pack on November, took December off and towards the end of the month i had unprotected sex so i had to take the PLAN B pills and three days later i got my pd. so everything seemed O.K.....theeeen i started on this jump off LOESTRIN PILL. I was supposed to have "protected" sex for the first month but towards the end of the month (when i was NOT supposed to be ovulating) i had unprotected sex and i haven't had my PD. for 2 months now....Last month i did a pregnancy test and it came out negative....I don't really have any "early pregnancy" signs....i feel fine but CAN ANYONE LET ME KNOW IF MISSING A PERIOD IS NORMAL? I'm just thinking that switching from a different birth control pill and taking the plan B pills might have messed up my cycle. Thanx.

I was on Entocort and experienced terrible anxiety, racing of my heart, and would cry at anything. Doctor took me off Entocort cold turkey and put me on anti-anxiety medication which is not really helping. Another reason he took me off Entocort is that i had colonoscopy it showed that I did not have crohn's and colitis like they thought I had. What I was wondering is how long after stopping Entocort will my anxiety and racing heart go away does anybody know. I was on it for 4 weeks.

My poor 6 yr. old daughter has been taking this awful medicine since December. She has been complaining of stomach pain, headaches and not being able to breath. I called my doctor a few weeks ago to see if it could be from the Singulair she was on.. they told me "probably not". During her dance class she had to sit down because her stomach hurt so bad. I was writing everything down that she was eating (we have an appt. w/an allergist in 2 weeks.) .. thinking maybe she has food allergies now. She is constantly trying to clear her throat and telling me she felt like something was still coming down her throat. Until I found this site, I had no idea why she was behaving this way. I started putting blankets down on my husband and my floor because of her "bad dreams". This little pumpkin has always been an awesome sleeper, but at least 3x's a week comes running down the hall crying about her nightmares. I walked into my docs today with a print out of Merck's own website listing the side effects of this horrible med. She looked at me and said "you get the credit for diagnosis on this Mom!".. Praise God He led me to this website! My poor daughter will playfully start to feel better now that we have taken her off this junk!

Well I'm happy to say the initial side effects I've been feeling (nausea, cramping, spotting, loss of libido) are all gradually disappearing and tomorrow will be 4 wks since I had the Mirena inserted. I've changed my perception so far since my first post about regretting getting the Mirena and will just hope that I don't encounter other side effects later on. I did feel odd in the beginning but as of Monday this week I've been feeling much like my old self. I still have some cramping but not as bad as in the beginning and I think my body is just getting used to it as I've never had kids or have been on hormones.
I've read around in other forums and have found many women to be quite content with their Mirena's. It's probably just like all the other drugs and meds out there in society - everyone reacts differently and not every drug is good for every person.

Just switched to WB (3 wks) after 4 years on Lexapro. I'm 44 yr. old mom of 10 & 13 yr old and had my tubes tied 9 years ago. My period is now late but two at home pregnancy tests have been negative. Any ladies out there suffering from menstruation issues like this?

thekel

well it makes me feel like utter s*** bin on it for two weeks felt great then wouldn't feed it to a dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been on the NuvaRing for almost 8 months now. At first it was great I was just eating more and gaining more weight I started out at 165lbs after pregnancy. After 6 weeks started taking the NuvaRing and been gaining weight constantly with skin rashes and irritation and itching. The odor made me want to cry I couldn't have sex with my husband if I wanted to. I was bloated and depressed everything made me cry. I was constantly going to my room and locking myself away from my children. I finally stopped taking the NuvaRing about three weeks ago. I've lost 4lbs and have been feeling a lot better. The only thing is that now I'm having spotting and cramping and I've been off my period for two weeks now. My doctor says that it's just my hormones coming into normal and that I'll feel pregnant for a while and the bleeding should regulate soon.

I am 46 and was given Loestrin to stop excessive bleeding for the past 4 weeks. Within days I had the most horrible cramps, back pain, heavy bleeding, emotional distress. Doctor wants to do an ablation or remove uterus. talk about distress. took me 10 days to realize my problems really began after taking Loestrin. I was about to undergo the ablation he was pushing for. (Which I've heard more terrible things about). Stopped the pills. Loaded up on vitamins and iron and within one day felt alive again. three days later the horrible cramps stopped and the bleeding is almost gone. Now I remember how much I hate prescription drugs. I will resist all forms of hormones, birth control pills and the like from now on. I was never one for heavy bleeding. I was told repeatedly that this is normal at your age. I still don't believe that one.