Yellow card symptoms and conditions

I am 43 yr old woman and have been on simvastatin on and off for the past 3yrs, it's only since coming across this website that I have actually managed to find a connection between this awful drug and a whole heap of medical problems. The most recent course made me so ill that I thought I had an incurable illness that no one could diagnose, at times I have been in so much pain I thought I was going to die. It started with severe knee pain, I have a little arthritis in the knee but doctors were baffled at why it would hurt so much as x-rays on knees and hips were ok. I ended up having an operation to cut a ligament, that was over a year ago and had been in crippling pain ever-since. Also; foggy head, headaches everyday lasting all day, pain in jaw, shoulders, neck, swollen throat, incredible limb swelling, numbness all down right side, kidney problems, weakness in muscles, aching hips and legs, itching, insomnia, to name a few. I complained to my doctor when I was prescribed 50mg of this poison because as soon as I took it, I immediately felt ill and collapsed from terrible weakness, couldn't even lift a feather. They reduced it to 20mg, and I blindly kept taking it, in the meantime, my leg function was worsening, my back was killing me, I couldn't sleep because of the unbelievable burning in my shoulders, hip, neck and legs, everything hurt so much. I have been in tears from the pain and frustration of not knowing what was happening to me, painkillers, even high potency prescriptions just didn't work. I was a healthy gym-going person with a slightly high cholesterol reading, and suddenly, I was almost crippled, unable to function or look after my family, couldn't even handle simple chores that I had done a thousand times before, couldn't think, speak well, do crosswords, it was unbelievable. I have had ECG's, heart stress tests, been to and fro to doctors, hospitals, specialists, even seen an osteopath with these pains, they must have thought I was a hypochondriac! Finally, I insisted on an MRI on my thigh as it had changed shape as there was a lot of muscle wasting in both my right arm and thigh, and so much pain. A lump had also appeared and was really worrying me. The doctor tried to fob me off and said it was a fat lump, I argued that if it was fat it wouldn't hurt so damn much, so the result of the MRI is that I have a tumor which is getting bigger. If I find out that this is a result of the medication, the gates of hell will open.
I took myself off this lethal stuff immediately as soon as I realized there was a connection between it and my debilitating condition, though it's too late to save my 12 yr relationship, that went down the tubes because I just couldn't function well, oh, and my job. and any chance of working after being ill for so long.
I have been off it just a few days but already I feel almost human again. I know it'll be a while before I can see a marked difference and do some of the things I used to be able to do like walk the dog!! but I am furious with my doctor's and have written a letter of complaint, and have told them that I would rather take my chances with god and be a happy person than ever trust them again. I am in no doubt whatsoever that this drug has ruined the last 3 years of my life and probably caused irreversible damage to my leg muscles. Why take a pill because the doctor said so??NEVER AGAIN from now on everything will be checked via websites like this, I am so disgusted that instead of helping me, my own doctor just prescribed other medications I need not have had because of this pill when all he had to do was take me off it. I find it hard to believe that they don't know of these side effects, or pretend not to, how can they not make the connection?? Absolutely furious. I am in worse health now than I ever was, there should be a serious health warning before this is given to anyone, and the first port of call for any complaints should be the doctors who prescribe them instead of offering alternative solutions. This is a time bomb waiting to explode.

I am a 57 year old man, who has been suffering from asthma several years. This spring my doctor put me on Singulair as an additional medicine to my cortisone-inhalator. after one month I feel symptoms of depression an mood-changing, severe ups and downs.
AND - as an additional symptom i have partially lost my feeling in some fingertips, and now parts of my left thumb and even a feeling of "cold2, mostly in my left hand.
anyone who share that symptom?
M.

From a UK Yellow Card Report.

Montelukast

The product information for montelukast has been amended to include the following ADRs: Reaction No. of UK Yellow Card reports

Nausea 63 Diarrhoea 54 Rashes 52 Insomnia 44 Dizziness 42 Fatigue 37 Vomiting 24 Pruritus 24 Arthralgia 20 Urticaria 19 Malaise 18 Dyspepsia 13 Myalgia 12 Dry mouth 9 Anaphylaxis 4 Angioedema3

In addition, the following suspected ADRs have been reported and are still being evaluated: psychiatric disorders (63) ; also nightmares (13), sedation (13), palpitations (12), tremor (10) and increased sweating (10).
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Zafirlukast The most frequently reported ADRs under the Yellow Card Scheme for zafirlukast have been rashes (7), headache (7), abdominal pain (6), nausea (6) and pruritus (5). All of these are included in the product information which has also been updated to include the following ADRs that have been identified from data other than UK Yellow Card reports: urticaria, angioedema, blistering, bruising, bleeding disorders, including menorrhagia (rare), thrombocytopenia and agranulocytosis (both very rare). Churg-Strauss syndrome Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare syndrome characterised by a history of asthma, and often rhinitis and sinusitis, with systemic vasculitis and eosinophilia. There has been a recent increase in the number of reports of CSS associated with the use of anti-asthma drugs, particularly the leukotriene receptor antagonists. The MHRA/CSM have received 63 reports of CSS through the Yellow Card Scheme since 1963, 59 since the beginning of 1998; Of these, 90% were associated with drugs used to treat asthma (mainly leukotriene receptor antagonists). In many, but not all cases there was documented evidence of a reduction or withdrawal of oral corticosteroid therapy prior to the onset of the reaction. There are clear warnings regarding the possible association with CSS in the product information for montelukast and zafirlukast. Prescribers should be aware of the possibility that, although rare, CSS may be the underlying cause of asthma in their patients. In patients prescribed a leukotriene receptor antagonist prescribers should be alert to the development of eosinophilia, vasculitic rash, worsening pulmonary symptoms, cardiac complications and/or peripheral neuropathy. The identification of new and suspected ADRs emphasises the important role of the Yellow Card Scheme in helping to ensure the safe use of medicines. The safety profile of leukotriene receptor antagonists remains under close review. Please continue to report all suspected ADRs to montelukast (Singulairt) and zafirlukast (Accolatet) through the Yellow Card Scheme.1. MHRA/CSM Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance 1998; 24:14.
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i have rheumatoid arthritis but came off meds to try for a baby. i was given a shot (80mg) of Kenalog to keep me going. i feel the nurse was negligent because she never told me any side effects apart from flushing and palpitations. unfortunately i have had really irregular cycles, excessive bleeding and have stopped ovulating. not great when we want to try for a baby! i have also lost 10 pounds in weight in a month. i just had an appointment with my acupuncturist who has also made me realize something else: i had some shots directly in to several joints over a period of a few years. my left wrist has now collapsed and i need a replacement. coincidence? i am def taking this further, please anybody in the U.K make your concerns known to the yellow card system which is the gov regulating board for medicines.

hi all,
for all you ladies in the uk that want to report your side effects please fill out the yellow card section on the following website. i am so angry about the problems i have had since being put on yasmin that i really really wanted to do something. i know many ladies on here have listed sites for reporting the side effects but they seem only to apply in the USA. this is the uk equivelent. www.mhra.gov.uk click the yellow card tab on the right hand side or click on the online services tab on the top and follow the links there. please please please ladies do this,maybe if enough of us report the awful things we have suffered someone will listen instead of just fobbing us of with a dodgy diagnosis! it may also stop other women having to live the nightmare we have had to.it only takes a few minutes and could potentially prevent this happening to other women or at least make our gp's aware of the possible mental,psychological and physical side effects instead of just sending us off with a prescription for anti depressants.

hope you are all hanging in there...... sophie,silke,murph70..how are you all doing?

sarah

I submitted a yellow card

I wanted to let the two below posted know I filled out a yellow card today at that site. I hope others will too so we can get this crap off the market. I have been off Yasmin for 10 months now and still suffer from anxiety...I see a therapist every 2 weeks to try to combat the symptoms. Good Luck Ladies, this pill has ruined my life and damaged my relationship with my fiance.