Support groups symptoms and conditions

I just received my Patient Medical Alert card from the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association. It is a wallet size card for me to carry with me that list drugs that have or possibly have severe side affects for people with CMT. Seeing MACROBID on it reminded me of my experience with it about 10 years ago.
I am very prone to UTIs. My GYN prescribed MACROBID. After only 1 pill, my right thumb went numb. It spread to my index finger and then my middle finger. I was scared and called my GYN who told me there was no way that the Macrobid was the cause. I didn't stop with that answer. I then called the drug store, where I purchased it from and spoke to the pharmacist. I explained what was happening. He also told me that the Macrobid couldn't be the problem. I didn't take his answer and asked him to please get the contra -indications list and read it. There, in fine print, was possible peripheral numbness that can lead to death. I had 4 small children at the time, so you can imagine my horror. He contacted the pharmaceutical company that makes MACROBID. They called me to record my side effect and told me to NEVER take it again, that I could die if I did. It took several weeks for the feeling to come back in my fingers and hand. They had told me it could have been permanent. I didn't know I had CMT then. And this little card didn't exist then. I am writing this to warn others. If you don't know what CMT is, go to ******. It is a neurological degenerative disease. I am affected worse in my hands. I have a postural tremor in both hands now.
I hope my story helps someone.

Hello Fellow Women Against Mirena (WAM! O.K. I'm going to copywrite it) I am so, so, so relieved that I'm not alone. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't wish this ....on anyone, but just like the support groups for any cancer (which I have to take a blood test for), or disease, it helps to know your not alone. I know that sounds corny, but I have always been a person who's feet hit the floor at 5:30a.m. and don't stop until 11:30p.m. and was able to lift 75lbs over my head, handle a charging stallion (not the hubby as noted by you all...not happening), now I am 50lbs overweight, don't eat at all, I used to be a grazer, ate little bits all day long just like my horses. Now if it wasn't for them waiting for"Mom" with their big brown unjudging eyes,cuz animals don't care about you being fat etc, but they do want their Mommie time back. I think that we should keep our removed Mirenas in little viles or zippys and chuck them on the desks of the CEOS who manufactured this demon ...then ask them to try their product out on their wives, girlfriends, daughters. mothers...I bet they wouldn't...I think after surgery to get it removed, I'll be mailing a package to Bayer and the company who makes it in Finland.....Look out Bayer in Wayne, NJ...your going to get your product back and I want a refund!...Thanks WAM, you have lifited my spirits..and if I happen to flat line in surgery, guess who I am going to haunt!!!

I too have been on a regimen of 750mg of Levaquin for an infection on my leg. On day 2 I could not figure out why my upper keft arm was hurting me so much. I as so many others, wrote it off to hanging drapes and cleaning out my pantry. Four days later the pain started in my right arm and again, I was trying to figure out what in the world was going on. It's an intense pain like I've never had before. I have Crohn's disease so I wrote some of it off to that as well. I saw my Doctor today and didn't even think about telling her about the Levaquin (different Doctor prescribed it). As I lay in bed this evening unable to sleep I decided to do some research on Levaquin as it was the only thing I could think of that was causing problems. Boy, did I discover something. Thank you all for posting your issues on this website. I will be seeing the prescribing doctor tomorrow and will let her know the outcome of the drug and will make sure that I will never be taking Levaquin again. Too bad we can't get this word out to everyone being prescribed this drug. It's dangerous and hardly worth it. There has to be something else out there that we can take. .

In July 2007, I was put on Levaquin for pneumonia. I was 53 years old, working full-time, active. The pneumonia was caused by aspiration when vomiting. I had never had these problems - pneumonia or aspiration - before. I had gradually worsening generalized joint and muscle pain and stiffness, which I reported to my doctor after about 5 days on the Levaquin. The pain I was experiencing was worse than the pneumonia symptoms (mostly high fever). The course of levaquin was supposed to be 14 days. After 9 days, I could not tolerate it any longer. My doctor put me on a Z-pack (azithromycin) for the remainder of my treatment. It is a year later, and I am still plagued with muscle pain in my back, shoulders, arm, abdomen - and, at its worst, my legs. The only way I'm able to function is on prescription painkillers, which I detest having to take - but they're a lifesaver. I've been seeing a rheumatologist since December '07. He dosen't seem to believe the levaquin - pain connection. He thinks I may have Polymyalgia Rheumatica. I have consistently elevated blood levels of creatine phosphokinase, a muscle enzyme which indicates muscle damage. I was on prednisone 10 mg. from early March '08 which I have just weaned off of after suffering a depressive episode with a suicide attempt at the begining of this month. I can't work now. I'm terrified of becoming permanently disabled. Finding answers has been very difficult but I firmly believe that the Levaquin started all this.

I am a 54 year old, very active female. Had a UTI and was given 750 Levaquin. I have taken 10 days worth and began having a sore swollen ankle, followed by right knee pain, followed by shoulder and arm pain. I have never experienced muscle pain to this degree before. I am scheduled for a doctor appt in 3 days. I started trying to imagine what could be causing this. I took a shot and looked up Levaqin side effects this morning, after another night of no sleep and severe shoulder pain. Well guess what, from everything I just read I think I found the source. The problem now is how do I get my life back???? The one thing I am sure of is it's time to stop taking the poison!!!

I am a 36 year-old female, and in very good physical condition. I have been a runner for 15 years. I was prescribed levaquin for a recurrent sinus infection, 500mg x 7 days. On the second day I developed severe carpal tunnel syndrome (tendonitis of the forearms & hands); I could barely hold a pen in my hand, much less write. I refused to take the 3rd dose. On the 5th day (even though I am not taking it anymore) I woke up with severe hip pain (both hips). I can barely walk, much less run. I am a full-time physician and have a small child. I am not sure what will happen to my favorite hobby, running. This drug is extremely dangerous, and I will never prescribe it to anyone. It should be removed from the market!!

Hello EveryOne out there...OK OK....

Now Why have I been out of touch since Sept 14th.... 2007???

I have been VERY VERY ill.....

Y'See, I went to see this new Doctor (Quack) for continued pain in my chest (sternum) area....that I have been having trouble with all Summer. (Severe Costochondritis/Fibromyalgia) By Sept 14th, this Quack who claims to be a Doctor had given me this prescription for Prednisone pills (20 mg each)....with orders to take mega doses of this toxic poison in order to combat the pain I was suffering. I was so desperate to get out of pain that I went ahead and filled the prescription and started taking the pills that eventful Friday night. I made the fatal mistake of trusting this Doctor!!!

If I had any sense God gave green apples I would have researched this a little before taking this medicine!! I would have run like all heck in the opposite direction!

I had been taking these reccomended large doses for approx two weeks back then per Doctor 'Quack's' order.... I have been hooked after the first week....and now currently desperately trying to get off of it with only marginal success!!

I have been on this Prednisone crap for some 49 days, currently and desperately trying to get off of it....with terrible side effects!! I have experienced every side effect known to the Devil himself and even discovered some new ones that I never knew was possible!? Case in point! I can't sleep night after night without terrible withdrawals all night long!!! I am forced to contend with them every night here. Not to mention I fight the withdrawals all days long too. I have this inept doctor and I am sorry I even went to him in the first place...!

The withdrawals I am now getting are harder to deal with than the original chest pain itself!!! Not to mention even eating the so-called 'wrong' foods sets off even more withdrawals almost immediately. I am now extremely sensitive to light and the sun~ not to mention.....noise....and stress....

I am much sicker from this Quack Doctor's so-called "HELP" than I ever was before....

I don't mind saying his name and trying to steer everyone away from this jerk Doctor here in Las Vegas who takes advantage of people in pain when they are desperate by feeding them toxic poisons and passing the poison off as something harmless thats gonna help them??? Just ask me who he is and I will tell you. I have no qualms about it....

Bottom line is I have spent this last month trying to get off this crap and I just found out that the withdrawals may bother me up to a YEAR after I take my last dose of this crap poison!! I have been going thru H***!!! A nightmare I would LOVE to pass onto this Quack who pretends to be a doctor!

I am down to about 7.5 mg per day now from about 180 mg that he gave me originally Sept 14 2007. Believe me this was not easy thing for me to do. I went "Toxic" on this drug weeks ago and it has affected my ability to process, think and reason properly. I feel like part of my mind is now missing or went on permanent vacation!! Dizziness,feeling like I'm gonna pass out, Brain Fog and Mass Confusion is the order for the day~depending on the time of day???

"The side effects of prednisone include adrenal suppression, which can occur with periods of prednisone use to surpass seven days. Adrenal suppression refers to the body’s inability to synthesize natural corticosteroids, resulting in a dependency on the prednisone taken by the patient. This is why doctors do not recommend the cessation of prednisone when the patient has taken it for longer than seven days. They reduce the dose gradually over a few days in the case of short-term prednisone use, and over weeks or months in the case of long-term treatment. Stopping prednisone treatment abruptly can cause the life-threatening Addison’s disease, in which in the body no longer produces sufficient amounts of adrenal steroid hormones"

I want to SUE this Doctor for making me this sick!!!!!

SDR

GRRRRRRRRRrrrrr!!!!!!!