Lupus symptoms and conditions

I had mine inserted about two weeks ago. It was slightly uncomfortable. Not a big deal at all. A little bleeding and cramping. Haven't had sex yet due to horrible gas that I have had for two weeks. My husband is convinced that is how it works, because your husband won't touch you....he he he...
We will see.
I have had terrible anxiety issues in my past and I haven't had a problem with mood swings or panic attacks.
I am hoping this will work. I have three children and currently my husband is taking medication for lupus that can cause huge birth defects. So sick of condoms!!!1

I have been taking Yaz for a month and a half. The only medication I have been on in several years.
At work yesterday, my head started getting foggy. And my perception, was all messed up. After about 15 minutes of this not getting better, I started to lose my speech communication. I couldn't finish sentences or words. Stuff was jumbling together. In my right hand, two fingers went numb, then the whole hand. A client ended up driving me to the ER. I tried to call my receptionist, but I couldn't get the words out, my client took the phone and told her I was going to the ER. By the time I got to the ER, feeling started coming back, and I could communicate, in full sentences, if I paused between. By the time I was checked in and saw the doctor, I was able to tell him all that happened. With no problem, then a huge headache came on.
He wanted to rule out stroke, so did the CT scan and MRI. The nurse had some trouble getting blood from me. She kept mentioning that the blood kept clotting. The doctor sent me home saying my brain was perfectly healthy, and to go see my regular doctor.
A friend told me it was the birth control, because she could not take it, as she has lupus, and could have a stroke. She said it causes clotting. All of this was making sense to me. I looked up the side effects I had and found the "stroke symptoms", listed as rare, on Yaz.
My opinion of what happened, I had a blood clot that ended up passing through, and it could have become a stroke.
Another thing I read, besides the clotting. Was that oral contraceptives increase the potassium in your blood. I had been eating a banana for breakfast, 3 mornings in a row (the third on the day of this episode). The added potassium, could have been related to this episode.
How is anyone to know they can't eat something like "bananas" with birth control? I certainly didn't.
I am afraid to try any form of birth control at this point.

Hi All - I have been off prednisone for one week and I am not doing as well as I thought I would be at this stage. My symptoms are not flaring, which is a very good thing but I am so tired and feeling very depressed and low energy. I thought I'd feel great once I was off the evil prednisone but so far I am feeling almost as bad as when I was on it. My moon face has not started to go away, which sucks, but I guess I have to be patient. I am so tired of this situation as it feels never ending. Part of the problem is I have continued to work throughout my ordeal, and it's been very hard at times to carry on like a normal person who is not sick. I have been sick since last November (with an autoimmune disorder) and I had really hoped by this time that I'd be on my way to being better :( Prednisone saved my life but the side effects are horrendous, as are the after affects of it. Good luck to all who are taking it. I share your pain and frustration.

I am 26 years old I have a wonderful husband a little girl and a little boy. To me thats a complete family without the dog. I have had the Mirena for a little over a year. Don't get me wrong sex don't make a relationship but when I loss my sex drive a lot of things change. Like our bond was no longer there. I could balance my check book in my head while having sex. I thought that my weight gain and me not feeling attractive was the reason for the loss of my sexual desire. Lately, I have been very depress, have had several headaches and becoming more and more fatigue. Now, I also have discoid lupus and made and appointment to see if any of my side effects are coming from my lupus progressing. While looking up information on my lupus I decided to finally do some searching on the IUD. But now I want to get this thing taken out of me. If what you all are saying is true I don't want it no more. It's bad enough that I have loss my sex drive at 26 and I don't want to loose my husband because I can't preform in bed. To be blunt about the situation what I won't or can't do another women will and our husbands got needs too. So thank all of you all for saving my marriage before infidelity start to become an issue. Sex have never been an issue until about 8 months ago. He have been patient with me and I force myself to have sex and just fake it but I want my natural desire back. I had even look up sex pills thinking that something was wrong with me. Thank You again.

I have experienced most of the side effects that others have listed here. Mental fog, dizziness, blurred vision, horrible fatigue, cold intolerance, weight gain, joint pain, etc. These started approximately one month after insertion. I have been to my PCP multiple times and have been evaluated for things ranging from hypothyroidism to lupus. All tests have come back negative. No one has once suggested that it may be due to the Mirena. I am going to have it removed at my next visit and I would be willing to bet that many of my symptoms will be resolved.

I am 53 years old and was almost 4 years on Lipitor and started experiencing periphial neuropathology that was horrible! I had a keen neurologist who took me off after doing several tests for Lyme, Lupus, MS, etc. She said she sees more and more of my symptoms 3 to 8 years plus on Lipitor. I went off Lipitor on June 1st (my birthday), so have been off for more than a month. All of the zapping and tingling has subsided in my hands, feet, face, arms, and head. I still have neuropathology in my hands, some muscle weakness in my arms, and numbness in my toes which are all slowly diminishing. My neurologist says she expects full recovery in 4-6 months. Take B complex vitamins. I take Shaklee's twice a day.This greatly helps in the repair of the nerve damage from Lipitor. My neurologist also recommended me taking FBCx, ******(1-2 with every meal containing fat, the website explains dosage), and 1 tablespoon of omega 3 fish oils in the form of flax or fish to reduce cholesterol. There are other things I take like garlic, cinnamon extract, green tea extract. If you type in "lower cholesterol with supplements" online you will find other things like red rice yeast as well. Good luck!

I did a post a few days ago--but must add to it. I have SLE, MS, CAD, HBP, having 5 stents, asoteoporosis, arachnoiditis, cerebritis/vasculitis from lupus, chronic pain(fibramyalgia) and a bucn more that ill give u sum idea. I am also a RN for28 years and KNOW what medications can do. I mena come on lets face it--if we ALL read THOROUGHLY all the inserts with ANY medication--NONE of us wud take any of it. Even ADVIL and ASA have horrific side effect.!! I saw my doctor yesterday afternoon due to this rash--not my typical lupus reash---doesn't look like discoid lupus, it begins on my chest goes uop my face then all down my back then gradually works its way down my leg---it gets rasm, macular and some some end up with a popular looking area. The PAIN from if is almost as bad as the itch from the rash. I have had shingles and it is similar to that pain. I have been putting topical steroid base creams all over to no avail. I begged my doctor for the KENOLOG shot and discussed GREATLY the side effects: I have had a hysterectomy so that is nothing, it cause cause a psychosis, depression, panic racing thots insomnia--basically ALL the side effects everyone has mentioned---but IT WORKS -I JUST GOT UP AND THIS DIFFIGURING DISCUSTING RASH ALL OVER IS ALMOST 90% GONE!!!! Like I said I have been on steroids most of my life--and I KNOW the side effects of them--PERIOD. Educated patients READ the inserts and ask their doctors---all meds have risks but the questio is does the risk outweigh the benefit t
??????????? I am on a mediation that has you with an increase of 10-15% increase of having an heart attack--which I have had two--but I CHOOSE to take it becuz the benefit outweighs the risks. I understand 100% all the complaints concerns and everything, attorneys will NOT take cases where the medication is used and adminierted the correct way--esp. when the side effects are clearly listed. Doctors are TOO freaking bust these days to sit and TALK and explain every side effect with each of their patients. Does each of you know that the average physician HAS TO SEE at least 60---yes sixty patients A DAY???? That is actually in their contract--thata approximately 7 and a half minutes ith each of us.!!!!!!! Make a list of all ur concerns, questions etc for the doctor and I do this ---I manuaver my chair to in feonrt of the door and I DO NOT LT THE DOCTOR OUT until he has answered ALL my concerns---yea they get mad tell me I can't do that--and my response is is IF YOU can make me wait in ur office lobby for more than an hour--I will do what I have to do to get proper CARE!!! Shuts most of them up. But I am lucky I do have 6 of the most careling and compassionate physicians--I have lucked up--I have had my share of "stupid" doctors but-hey WE are the patient-=-go to another one until ya get one ya like. If you go to other website about medicine there are many more complaints and unhappy patients with medications they take. But I understand where all of US are coming from---Doctors are no different than us--and they are not GOD--they make mistakes and as long as they don't KNOWING harm you---or commit fraud--no lawsuit happening---now sueing the MAKER of kenalog MAY be a possibility( my sisiter is an attorny) thats her advice and itd have to be a class action suit and its kinda sad--patients don't ever get much in things like this but its worth a shot!!!

Centocor, the maker of Remicade, aggressively pushed physicians to set up infusion clinics, write for the drug and promised huge profits.Most of these infusion suites are run by nurses. The drug dose is calculated by a nurse and mixed into the iv bag by a nurse NOT A PHARMACIST. The drug, which can put patients at risk for serious infections and tuberculosis is not even mixed in a sterile IV hood !!! It is mixed out in the open air and exposed to contamination. In the meantime,Centocor downplayed the severity of the side effects. This drug actually caused LUPUS in a patient who subsequently won $19,000,000 in a lawsuit. The drug can greatly increase the risk of lymphomas and blood disorders with fatal outcomes. But the literature does not adequately educate patients and physicians on how to properly monitor the drug! The drug can cause memory problems, visual changes, and increased sed rate and increased c-reactiv protein.

I started full body internal itching after taking 10 days of Singulair. The physician that prescribed it said it couldn't cause itching. My new doctor tested for Lupus, I have an autoimmune disorder called Churg Strauss. After undergoing several steroid treatments and 3 days of IV Prednisone I got some relief. This has been going on for 6 months now. The itching becomes severe enough to make me want to commit suicide. Luckily it is pretty controlled by taking nightly doses of Atarax along with Periactin. Thank God I found a doctor who cared enough to search out the symptoms and help me get thru day by day.

I have waited long enough to tell my story. I am a 29 yr old single mother of 3. I started YAZ in Feb of 2008. I took it for 11 days. ELEVEN DAYS. It was about 4 days in that the headaches started. I couldn't stand light, I wore hoodies and sunglasses. I was nauseated. Saw double, black spots. Motion sickness.I could barely make it to work. I was out of control. I did not have control over my mind. I was crazy. My friend almost took me to the hospital to have me committed. There is no history of this in me or my family. The headaches would last from the time I woke up til the time I would go to sleep. Painkillers was the only thing that would keep me asleep through the pain. My dr immediately stop the the pills. I saw an eye doctor and they found nothing. They ordered an MRI. They found T2 Foci scattered throughout my brain. VERY unusual in someone my age. What that is, is my protective covering of my brain cells had been damaged there were gaps in its covering. I soon developed a stutter and a slur in my speech. The pain then moved throughout my whole body. They said fibromyalga and daily migraines. I'm now on topamax daily which gives me breaks in my headaches. I still get them daily. I still have pain in my body daily and I'm on painkillers daily. I have found a new dr who is wonderful. Who has recently taken blood. Who thinks that maybe it could be lupus. So I started researching Lupus...my symptoms and rashes match up. There is also a DRUG INDUCED LUPUS. and ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES is a KNOWN drug that can cause this!!! BUT IS THAT ON THE LABEL???? NOOOOOOOO!!! I was perfectly healthy before yaz, in kick boxing and now I walk and have the memory of a 60 yr old and my brain is permanently damaged. I have another MRI coming up to find out if there is more damage and I will find out the results of the blood work to find out what is wrong with me...but I blame all of this on YAZ and I hold them responsible. I SAY CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT....just have to find a firm with big enough BALLS to do it!!!

I saw my family doctor on May 16th for a new onset UTI. I hadn't had one of these in about 8 years but I knew how bad they could get if you didn't get them treated right away. I did the over the counter URISTAT for 2 days until I got an appointment. After doing the UA dipstick, they confirmed my UTI because of the high leukocytes and gave me sample packets of LEVAQUIN 500 mg. b.i.d. for 5 days. I went home thinking, "Hey, this will be easy and I will feel great in a few days." I WAS NEVER SO WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING IN MY WHOLE LIFE!!!! I took my first dose that evening and went to bed. I woke up the next morning with a headache so bad that I almost passed out when I lifted my head off the pillow. The UTI went away after a few days, but the migraine stayed for over 2 weeks. The left side of my neck felt like I had been hit from behind with a baseball bat and my scalp became so sore from the pain that I couldn't even use a blow dryer on my hair. I made 2 more trips back to the doctor complaining of the horrible migraine headaches, light sensitivity, neck pain and joint pain. He put me on IMITREX, PROPANOLOL, APAP, and FLEXERIL to control the migraines. I MAXED OUT THE DAILY DOSAGE ON THESE MEDS EVERY DAY WITH NO RELIEF! I went back to the doctor again and he decided to run some lab tests. The next day, my headache had started to get better but I noticed a lump under my left armpit (large pea size) and that I had significant joint pain in my right middle and index finger. My middle finger would hardly bend in the mornings when I got up and the stiffness in my neck was still there. Later that day on my way out for a mini vacation with my family, my doctor called to tell me that my ANA had come back positive and he wanted to send me to a Rheumatologist to rule out things like LUPUS, RA, etc. Needless to say, I was totally freaked out for the remainder of my trip until I went back to the doctor to review my ANA Titer. My titer was high at 1:160, but he keeps telling me not to worry because this happens all of the time and an ANA and high titer is not definitive. I want to also note that one of my friends and my husband have also had very similar experiences. She was convinced by the physicians that she had Lymphoma because of her ANA and titer and my husband was certain that he had RA. Both are negative!
I am still concerned about all of this even though I am feeling better and it may be that I have permanent side effects from this. I was a totally healthy person and there was nothing going on besides a UTI until the LEVAQUIN was introduced. It has been almost a month since I took this drug and the things I have been reading online are horrible. I am sure that I will never take one of these antibiotics again. My advice to anyone else is to READ< READ> READ! There are some excellent websites out there and of coures the blogs are great for information from other patients. A good site for information about positive ANA's is:
http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/fana.asp
Also, read up on LEVAQUIN and the other FLUOROQUINOLONES. I did not know that these are the drugs that will be used to treat people in the event of a biological war. It's pretty scary....

Well, I took Levaquin 500 once a day for 14 days for an inflamed lower bowel. It cured that. But, I got a blood test back today saying I am positive in my ANA pattern? Also states it is "A nucleolar pattern is associated with systemic sclerosis." Probably Drug induced Lupus.

My symptoms have been painful joints, muscle weakness to the nth degree pain and weakness in shoulders, panic attacks, fainting spells, headaches, finger pain! Depression, happy, depression, happy. Strong, weak.

My next step is to go to a specialist (Rheumatoid)

I'm leaving for Costa Rica for 6 days. I am going to be positive and get over this! I hope nothing happens over there. I will not let it get me!

I had minor cramping when I first got the Mirena put in. But, it was much milder than when I get period cramps. I didn't have any trouble with it (unless you count extremely light periods as a bad thing) until I did air travel (cross country airplane flights). Now, keep in mind, I travel a fair amount by car & have had zero Mirena issues from sitting in a cramped position for hours in car travel. Flying on the airplane caused really weird lower back cramping that put my out of a lot of activities. It was quite definitely core muscles cramping severely, to the point of pulling my lower back vertebrae & tailbone slightly out of alignment. After 3 weeks of pain, I finally went to a chiropractor & got realigned. This has happened with 2 flights thus far out of 4 (it doesn't seem to happen on short 1 hour or less flights). I have NO idea why this happens. I normally have no issues when flying. The mirena is the only thing that's changed. I can only assume it's the combination of the position when in a plane seat for so long & the mirena. Maybe it's poking one of my fibroids in that position?

Mirena has had zero effect on my PMS. PMS is just as bad as without any BC. My acne is just as bad as it is w/o BC. I guess I need Retin A & Midol. LOL

Things to keep in mind when reading the above: I've never had a child. I've been pregnant once & miscarried. I'm in my early 30s. I'm a light smoker. I have uterine fibroids. I rarely drink. I have lupus. Some of these things may or may not have an effect on what happened to me. So, keep that all in mind.
Also, as with all of these experiences, keep in mind it's personal experiences & we're all unique individuals. I'm keeping my Mirena because this is the only big issue I've had & I don't travel a lot.

My son (9) was on advair off and on for a while for severe asthma. I noticed depression, anxiety, fatigue and fibromyalgia type pains all over his body. I had him checked for lupus and other diseases and all negative. He also developed a severe rash between his legs causing much pain and discomfort as he had to walk like a bull-legged horse-riding cowboy. Showering often never helped. I assume he has candidis yeast infection(systemic). He was finally put on Prozac and I took him off Advair against my doctors advice. i took him off slowly and your body may need to make it's own steriods and not go into shock. He takes as much albuterol as needed to get him better and then i give him prednisone for 3 days when things become an emergency. tTe prednisone leads my son to anger and suicide but it goes away after he finishes his course, but it saves his life. He is now 13 and much happier and his face and body has thinned out by half. I will never give my son Advair again.

Hi,

I just found this site, as I am looking for an explanation for the extreme joint pain that I am having, along with swollen ankles/feet. I have been dealing with some type of chronic contact dermatitis that no one has been able to solve, since last July. I have been on numerous steroids, then on Cyclosporine, for several months, which can play havoc with your kidneys. I also started taking Singulair for the itching, which is one of the few things that has really helped. Since November, I was taking Singulair on and off. But, as I recall, I began taking it daily since around late January. Around late February, I began having joint pain, which still continues, and lately, is becoming excruciating! When it first began, I blamed it on the Cyclosporine and kidney breakdown. But, since I have been off that, the pain has continued to worsen. Then I thought it may have something to do with the Doxepin, which I also take at night for the itching. I stopped taking that two nights ago, but the pain continues to worsen.

Now, from what I am reading, these blogs make me believe it could be the Singulair. Can anyone tell me how long it takes for the pain to go away once you stop taking the Singulair????? I will gladly stop taking it if this pain will go away. In fact I will be thrilled, because I was suppose to begin testing next weak for possible Lupus, because it doesn't seem that the Physicians who prescribe Singulair, are well aware of these issues.

I would appreciate anyone who can give information as to how long it takes for the side effects to subside. Thank you!!!
(In pain in Boca Raton, FL)

An element of the side effects of Singulair that are listed here are musculo-skeletal symptoms. Quinolones such as levaquin are known to cause those issues. Singulair is a quinoline, while not the exact same category, their roots are similar. It makes the possibility that the symptoms have a common cause worth pursuing.

Here is an example of some poor rats in Tokyo that were selected to prove that the symptoms in humans were real. Maybe we should tell the levaquin board that at least some of their problems have been known since 1997.

1: Toxicol Pathol. 1997 Nov-Dec;25(6):635-43.Links
Toxic effects of quinolone antibacterial agents on the musculoskeletal system in juvenile rats.Kashida Y, Kato M.
Drug Safety Research Laboratory, Daiichi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. JDN07402@niftyserve.or.jp

Quinolone antibacterial agents have adverse effects on the musculoskeletal system in humans, consisting mainly of myalgia and arthralgia, and additionally of tendon disorders and rhabdomyolysis. The present study was conducted to examine the toxic effects of quinolones on the musculoskeletal system in juvenile rats using light microscopy, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Single oral administration of 900 mg/kg pefloxacin (PFLX) or levofloxacin (LVFX) was found to induce lesions in the muscle + fascia, tendon + sheath, and synovial membrane, in addition to articular cartilage in the fore- and hindlimbs. Articular cartilage lesions were not necessarily associated with changes in the muscle, tendon, and synovial membrane, or the reverse. Among all lesions, the ankle and elbow showed the highest incidence and severity. Changes were more severe in the PFLX than in the LVFX group. Lesions in the muscle + fascia, tendon + sheath, and synovial membrane were similar and characterized by edema and increased number of mononuclear cells, many of which were positively stained with BrdU, as well as vascular endothelial cells in the Achilles tendon sheath and synovial membrane in the ankle. Electron microscopic examination revealed an increased number of fibroblasts and macrophages and collagen deposition in the matrix of the synovial membrane and tendon sheath. Capillary endothelial cells were hypertrophied, increased in number, and stratified. These results suggest that quinolones have toxic potentials in the muscle, tendon, and synovial membrane in addition to articular cartilage, and that local vascular hyperpermeability may contribute to the development of these lesions.

PMID: 9437810

I have been on Synthroid for 12 weeks now. I have been experience extreme leg pain and knee pain on one side. Now my ankles ache in the morning and my elbow is starting to hurt. My doctor thinks there is no relationship of the synthroid and my joint pain.

I've been on Synthroid for 8 months after gaining 10 pounds in two months. The symptoms started to appear when my Mom was very ill. Doctor said it was caused by stress and started me on 25 mcg of Synthroid. My reading at that time was 5.56. I had blood work done every 4 weeks,and the numbers are going down (1.8 last reading), but so is the quantity of my hair, which I see all over my white tile. My weight hasn't budged even though I am dieting. My doctor upped me to 100 mcgs. My blood work is not good - low white count, low lymphocytes, borderline anemic. Mom died, and I didn't get any better. I feel sick all the time and it's difficult for my husband to understand how bad I feel. I've tried to get my doctor to prescrive Armour, but he doesn't even return my phone calls. When I see him in the office, he keeps telling me it takes time. I hate living this way and want to stop the pills completely.

I was on Minocin for acne for almost 2 years. It worked great. HOWEVER I started getting a stuffy nose that wouldn't go away. I went to ENT clinic for about 5 months trying to figure out what was wrong. Then I started getting so tired I could function or even to go to work. At this point I wasn't even thinking it could be the medicine since I had been on it so long. I started having days when the joints in my fingers would stiffen and my knees, hips would stiffen. There were times I could hardly walk. Then my rosecea would flare up really bad. Each place on my body where I had a scar, there would be a perfect round circle around it that would itch. One point they had dx me with cat scratch fever! Symptoms continued and got worse. I was having tightness in chest, shortness of breath and the joint pain would come and go. I was tested for lupus and received a "false postive" reading. At that point I started doing my own research and found out that some meds will cause a drug induced type of lupus. I stopped the med and symptoms went away. They put me on doxycycline and immediately I started getting a stuffy nose and my joints would ache. I can no longer take any meds that are in the "cycline" family. However, I just thougt it odd that I could be on a medicine for 2 years before I had any type of reaction.

Was given iv levaquin in hospital for pneumonia (sat night). Oral the next day. The following day (monday) all the joints in my body started to ache. Hard to move. Especially ankle. Dr said stop antibiotic. Ankle and joints sore all week. Friday I had a huge pop in my ankle. Large bruise and swelling. Turned out to be a second degree sprain with ruptured blood vessel. Caused by levoguin. It has been 13 days since the pop, ankle still popping, swelling will not go down. Does anyone know how long this drug lasts in your body?

I received the Kenalog shot in January. I started feeling tired and muscle aches, which I thought was just a virus. Then a dent appeared on my arm 2 weeks ago, and my muscles surrounding the maroon color dent began to tighten. I now have tendinitis in my shoulder and arm and I have lost all strength. My doctor said it could be from the shot, but stopped seeing me. i am going for an MRI on Monday because of the damage and pain that is non stop, and they are trying to figure out what is wrong. I have had several blood test because they swore I must have Lupus, or Rheumatory arthritis which came back negative.
I am very frustrated. I am a server by trait, I am a mother of 5, and it seems like my life is changed. I can't work, no one can give me answers, and I would like to know if these symptoms will go away or if I am stuck with this arm atrophy forever.

I am a 36 year old female who has been taking Cymbalta for almost a month now. I currently take 30 mg once per day, in the morning. Here's my story: For the past two years, I have been living with chronic pain, mostly in my back. I've also not slept well either. I could never get comfortable enough to fall asleep and if I did fall asleep, I'd wake up in pain. My Doctor has put me through numerous tests. I have finally got my thyroid medicine regulated and I've tested negative for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus. So, my Doctor wanted me to try Cymbalta. She said that it was originally an antidepressant, which we know I don't need, but she said it has been successful in helping patients with Fibromyalgia. I was very skeptical about taking it, especially after reading the blogs on ****** about it. I spoke with a coworker who is on it and she said it has helped her tremendously. She had severe migraines. Well, I tried it, and in only a few days I felt a lot of relief from my pain. It didn't make it go away 100%, but I would say it helps a good 80%. That is so much more manageable than without it. I've only been taking it for about 3 weeks. I have a follow up appointment with my doctor next week. I have a feeling that she will put me on it twice per day though. It helps a lot during the day, but I think it wears off before bedtime. However, I have been sleeping much better since I've been on it. I don't think it makes me any sleepier during the day. But, I've been living with fatigue for a while now!

I had my Mirena inserted in July, shortly after the birth of my second son. Having Antiphospholipid Syndrome, Type 1 Diabetes, and Lupus, the doctors wanted me off estrogen birth control pills. Not sure if we want a third child, thought Mirena was the way to go. I am 33 and back in the college days I was on the Depo shot and had horrible acne, mood swings, breast tenderness, and nightmares. A few months ago I started noticing the same effects with the Mirena. Nightmares, acne, but most annoying, no sex drive whatsoever, and extreme snappiness to my husband and children! I feel like how you get the week before your period....I feel depressed like that EVERY week....like "blah", can't seem to snap out of feeling blue. Not sure what to do. I wonder if Copper IUD's are any better since the evil progesterone is the bad culprit? I may just try to see if the Rheumy and OB will let me go on B.C. pills for just a couple more years....by then I should know if I want one more baby and if not, then I can get sterilized. My OB did say no one has ever complained to her before about these effects. But, I know simply b/c the Depo Shot, that the things I am feeling are real and from the Mirena and not just a modd disorder.

I can't believe it's taken me so long to find this site. I have been on Lipitor for the past 5, going on 6 years. My doctor thought it would be a good preventative measure as 22 year old sister had recently had a massive heart attack.My cholesterol levels were all great but a CRP test indicated that I was on the high end of normal. Nearly three years ago, the muscles in my right arm became very achy and I could not rely on it to lift many heavy objects or even my 2.5 year old son at the time. The doctor recommended i see an OT, who, in turn, was not able to figure out why I always felt like I slept on my arm funny. After months of getting nowhere and chalking up to pulling a tendon while throwing a baseball, I decided to live it all. That summer, I also started having a hard time focusing. So, I saw an eye doctor, who said that I was slightly near sighted and that glasses would help strengthen my vision. I had never had any vision problems prior to that and it seemed like it came on suddenly. But, I figured that I was getting older and people need to have glasses sometimes as they age. Then, last summer, I began to get these crazy rashes, which I now know where hives that bacme irritated by touch. The rash would pop up any time, any where and never in a way that i could relate to anything I ingested. Then, all of my joints began to ache unbelievably. I looked up some symptoms, wondering if I contracted something through my son's preschool, which was dealing with a little fifth's disease breakout. My symptoms seemd in line with what an adult can experience if he/she had fifth's disease. The doctor was stumped and had me have blood drawn, which indicated my liver levels were a little high, but they could tell me "What you don't have"... lyme disease, any viruses or lupus. Okay. I was to have more bloodwork done in a week or two, but decided to see how this rash, etc. would play out. The pain went away (except of the arm on that started a year and half or so earlier) and the rash was something I thought would dissipate soon enough. After three months it did subside. We bought a house and my son started kindergarten and it finally seemed like I was on the upswing. Now, six months later, the rash resurfaced. I was completed disappointed. At first I thought the Fifth's was making a comeback. I looked online and found a site that showed different types of rashes. That is when I came across a picture labeled "Drug Allergy" and began looking into the two drug I was on. By the weekend however the pain started in, especially in my legs, the calves, and my ankles hurt so bad. I was having spasms in my arms and legs and noticed within the week, two bruises on my thighs that I am certain appeared on their own. I did not bump my leg at all. I became very nervous and thought that I was going to experience a blood clot as my mother had one at 34 years of age. I am 32. But, after researching and reading forums like this, I am convinced that I, too, am experiencing serious Lipitor side effects. On Saturday,I did not take my usual 10mg and saw the doctor. She recommended that i go off the Lipitor for now and have blood work done. I have been off it since then (not very long) but by Monday I was feeling almost normal. Today, I feel some cramping in the legs, but I think it will take a long time for this drug to rid my system. I have to go back on Friday for a follow up, but I haven't heard anything alarming about my bloodwork yet.
Again, I can't believe it has taken this long to find this wonderful site. Best of luck to the rest of you in your recoveries and a Lipitor-free life.

Wow. I have been reading all of your comments about Lupron and I am shocked. Here I am fighting with my insurance company to let me take a second course of Lupron. I only was given 6 months worth and FDA (according to my insurance) won't allow me anymore because of the dangers????

I have been in severe pain with accompanying problems from endo. Had a complete hyrsterectomy already years ago, but the endo came back (which I did not know it could) in various other organs that you can't operate on. My only choice was Lupron. I would be down in bed 2 or 3 times a week with the pain from endo, which irritated my bladder, my bowels, my sex life, you name it. Upon receiving the 2nd shot I felt so good I almost screamed! NO PAIN! It was the best 6 months of my life.

Now I am in total and severe pain everyday. Having fibromyalgia on top of it does not help either.

Anyway, I just thought I would voice my experience with Lupron.