Neurological problems symptoms and conditions

Visited new physician, blood test showed recent spike in LDL level (+60 points). Test was non fasting, and not repeated. At follow-up visit, doc directed me to take Lipitor, and when I expressed concern about taking drug before trying diet and other tactics for lowering LDL, doctor brooked no discussion. I specifically expressed concern regarding dizziness, as I had had very severe neurological problems after taking a high level of an OTC at a doc direction for an unrelated problem. My concern was dismissed out of hand (I've never seen it in 20 years.) No return visit was scheduled at this time to check on efficacy. (A medical student was in the exam room, I never spoke with the doc alone, and the doc left the room and I never saw her again.

Without other immediate options for medical care, I filled the prescription for 20 mg of Lipitor. At about the second week, I began to experience severe neurological problems (dizziness, sense of no orientation of my body in space, trouble keeping upright, etc.) I received a card for a cardiology appointment shortly after the visit, and decided to hang on until the visit. The cardio doc said to me, "why are you here?" I told her that the appt. had been scheduled by the other doc's office, but told her what I knew. She took bp - told me it was fine (actually, it was prehypertensive), and then told me my high LDL was genetic, and I'd have to be on drugs for the rest of my life (56). Did not ask for family history, and ignored recent severe leg infection as a possible cause for the spike in LDL.

Having been offered no alternative, I decided to stop Lipitor on my own after 19 days on it. (I decided I would rather drop dead than feel as I did.) Not much improvement immediately. It took 30 days off it to have a day on which I felt well. I am into my second week since then, and have an occasional bad spell, but I am hopeful I'll have a full recovery from the neurological problems. I've been on my own low fat diet for the LDL, but don't know what effect that is having, and have no intention to visit a doctor to find out.

Interestingly, the FDA's Medwatch only allows reporting of severe side effects, and I didn't stay on Lipitor long enough to meet the definition (become disabled).

Neurological problems and the effects of Singulair should be investigated. The Chinese researchers demonstrated that the CysLT1 receptor (singulair inhibits this receptor) does exist in the human brain. In the rat brain, they demonstrated that there is a link between this receptor and the astrocyte.

There are many researchers/doctors interested in excitotoxicity and damage to neurons.

http://www.jpands.org/vol9no2/blaylock.pdf

I would like to know how Singulair affects the astrocyte numbers and function. I would also like to know if there is a link between metabolism and the cysLT1 receptors in gastro-intestinal mucosa. Does Singulair affect the metabolic process?

So many parents are complaining of ADD/ADHD symptoms? The paper that I gave you the link correlates the immune response and excitotoxicity. That is very interesting. How many asthma and allergy patients also suffer from potential excitotoxicity? Does Singulair cause it in some patients or just make it worse in some patients? None the less--there is a possible link.

Some of you who are following this site may remember that I posted that when I was following the pathways of the leukeotriene receptor antagonist Singulair that I got to a point where I concluded that there has to be a genetic component (meaning that there are different gene groups of people) and that the efficacy of Singulair (and possibly safety) can vary depending upon what gene group people are in. So I took a little time to see if anybody else was already studying that issue. And YES, they are -- including Merck.

quote:

" However, logically one might predict that it will be the combination of the polymorphisms in these different key regulatory enzymes and receptors that may ultimately determine treatment response. There have been some attempts to tease out the possible contribution of different genes important in this pathway for treatment response to a Cys leukotriene receptor 1 antagonist.18 However, because of the number of potential gene variants that may contribute to efficacy, large studies will be needed to fully evaluate the potential contribution of pharmacogenetic variability in this pathway to treatment response to Cys leukotriene receptor 1 antagonists. Work in the cardiovascular field has demonstrated the potential importance of genetic variants in this pathway to disease risk and also to treatment response,19 suggesting the potential for important effects to be defined in asthma."

(Chest. 2006;130:1873-1878.)
© 2006 American College of Chest Physicians

Pharmacogenetics of Asthma
Ian P. Hall, DM
* From the Division of Therapeutics and Molecular Medicine, University Hospital of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Correspondence to: Ian P. Hall, DM, Division of Therapeutics and Molecular Medicine, University Hospital of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK; e-mail: Ian.Hall@nottingham.ac.uk

http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/content/full/130/6/1873

And Merck sponsored a study on this which is now completed.

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00116324?intr=%22Montelukast%22&rank=79

Of course, it was sponsored by Merck and paid for by Merck.

I don't know if the study discovered anything but I believe this is an indication that Merck acknowledges genetic differences in populations that may predict the success of montelukast.

I am not any where close to being an expert in this field. I have another background but I believe that there are experts who can tell you exactly why you had side effects from Singulair.

I started to have balance-problems, problems with depth perception, falling, walking with a cane, experiencing muscle weakness, pain and spasms, walking with a walker. Finally had to stop working because I could not get around by myself. I'm a 61 year old female on Zocor for three years. I'm seeing my third (via referral chain) neurologist. No-one has ever made an association with my progressive debilitation and Zocor.
I am going to STOP taking Zocor. I feel deeply that it is the cause of my neurological problems. Very limited discussions on neurological side effects.

I am very glad to have found this page. I have only been on Yasmin for 5 days. I read the information packet in full before I started taking them and I thought it seemed fine. Just like all the others they have put me on. But I got on here tonight searching for an answer to the depression I felt I've been experiencing the past two days. I have also been spotting the whole time along with the abdominal pain and sore/tight throat, headaches, and sinus congestion. Is all this really from this medicine? I've only been taking it for five days. Should I stop taking it? I don't know what to do anymore. I already have anxiety problems and I certainly don't want to take anything that is going to make that any worse. I am very glad to have found all of you and would really value your opinions. I take the pill to be regular and have less painful periods. I am 30, single, and not interested, so pregnancy prevention is not even an issue. Everything I've read here certainly doesn't make me feel like this is the best idea. I just think I may have already tried every other type of pill. And I think my doctor is really getting tired of me saying "these aren't working either". What should I do? --Elizabeth--

After being given Levaquin IV for gastrointestinal illness, I experienced sleeplessness ( 4 days and nights without sleeping), disorientation, anorexia ( I still cannot eat five months later); heartbeat irregularities that became life-threatening; phantom odor which has made my life miserable.
I told doctors going in at the hospital that I have a to-date undiagnosed neurological problem ( two neurologists say " possible MS" ), and the doctor who gave me the Levaquin told me not to tell him that I had neurological problems.

I have been on paxil for 5 years and they put me on it for neurological problems "I AM IN HELL " When I drive a car I feel like I am haveing a seizer and or stroke not allways but most of the time I tried to get off of it , and BANG AN ELECTRIC SHOCK a day later put me on the ground If you guys just go to paxil lawsuits on the net wow you won't believe what is happining to people . Europe's FDA has band the drug permentaly Other side effects tremours , seizers , thoughts of suicide , And the biggest problem jolting I pray for an answere soon good luck guys .