Starters symptoms and conditions

Hubby had angioplasty last month for 95% blockage and still has 75% blockage in two other arteries. Doctors put him on a handful of drugs (blood thinners, blood pressure meds, fish oil, aspirin) including Lipitor. Hubby has gone from healthy to being in constant pain, mostly in the legs. He had knee replacement last year and cant believe that this hurts worse! Also, his urine is darker and he has to 'go' more often. It's only been 1 month, but after reading up on the drugs, I've told him to refuse to take any more of the statins. I love him and want him around a long time, PAIN FREE. What's with these doctors?
For all of you who are suffering and wanting to get off the statins, increase your exercise to as much as you can stand, and then some! You'll not need the drugs anymore. Hubby and I are doing this as well as increasing our intake of legumes (my homemade bean soup for starters). I'd much rather he farts than cries in pain! Good luck to all and God bless you.

I was prescribed Effexor while attending Uni. My depression was negatively effecting my academic performance and on the edge of getting my scholarship withdrawn, I continued (as a requirement from the board) with Effexor despite its side effects. I advised my counselor but he insisted I continue as it would "get better." On the contrary my self-esteem took a dive, I became way more suicidal, I felt like there were an army of ants crawling under my skin, I was "emotionally numb"....more like I could feel so many emotions at once and in such great magnitude, I felt like I was going to explode....and I did....through slashing my forearm and wrists. I felt like I could breathe when I did that....then I would just return to my bed and lay there....lost.

I finally decided to stop medicating, I gave up my scholarship and returned home. The moment I set foot on home ground I didn't know where to start or even if I was going to get a job; but I did, a great job for someone without any degree/diploma....for starters anyway. One day I sat down looking out to the sunset and recalled my days of depression. I beat myself up inside with the realization that I had ALLOWED myself to go be depressed. I realized that it is beatable, it really is in our control; mind over matter! I'm not going to lie, it does creep up at one time or another and I do still feel an imbalance in my emotions, but I find the critical step is to just STOP whatever I'm doing, go out for some fresh air, and remind myself that I have come so far without Effexor and other anti-depressants I've been prescribed with, and I remind myself that I CONTROL what goes on in my mind, and thus my body.

Again, it is still challenging at times, but I have decided not to let depression rob me of a happy and fruitful life, and its been great so far.

well for starters im on my second package of loestrin and im not sure that i like it... ive had my period like three times not (heavy each time) and my boobs are sore all the time and ALL my acne is coming back. i havent had acne for almost six months and all of a sudden WHAM its back =(. not just the acne and the sore boobs but i also am hungry all the time i always have an urge to be eating.... im not happy with it

how do i stop taking it? do i have to wait for the cycle to end?

Hi Hill!!

So good to hear, that you're also doing better week by week.

I just wanted to let you know, that I had gained about 40 pounds (20 kg) AFTER I went off Yasmin within 3 months without eating more or doing anything else different than before!! I was totally shocked, because before this Yasmin nightmare I always was a healthy fit and very slim person (I'm 31 years old now).

And my weight is decreasing finally since around february 2006!! It goes down kg by kg (around 1 kg, about 2 pounds, a month) and AGAIN WITHOUT changing anything in my life!!

For me another sign for the case, that Yasmin had messed up my whole metabolism and it's only now, one year later, (got off Yasmin in February 2005!!) finally getting better. I'm still not able to excercise very much, because my body was completely broken down after 5 years on Yasmin. From December 2004 to May 2005 I went through a total hell with 100s of symptoms like muscle weakness, dizzyness, fainting spells and much much more... Well, my muscles are still not back to completely normal. But the weight is decreasing nevertheless, just because everything is slightly going back to normal. So I think you should give your body more time to get its metabolism back in order. As I see now in my case, the weight finally even goes back "by itself", because everything gets back in balance again!!

Best wishes to all of you out there, and all of the Yasmin starters: PLEASE be so careful with this medicine!!! I was totally fine on it for about 2 years, when the first symptoms hit my at once (without realizing, that it was the Yasmin!!). After about 5 years on it I broke down completely and thought my life was about to end!! Listen to your body and stop this pill immediately if something unusual is happening to you!!!

Big hugs to everyone!!

Silke