Heads Up. Drugs side effects.

[fossyant]

Thought I'd start a thread about serious side effects of drugs we've all had.

I've been on two types of drugs for nerve pain for about 6 months. I resisted for a long time, and I know why now.

Let's start with Pregablin. Helped with pain but developed dizzy blond syndrome as well as shakes. Kept dropping stuff and eventually was twitching in bed, so was kicked to the sofa (still there).

Duloxetine (cymbalta). Similar drug and works for pain. Lots of side effects (I get them all unfortunately on the common list. )

Thought I could live with this till surgery but I was getting worried a bit about the excessive sweating. Waking up soaked etc, soaked on a commute.

Today was taking the biscuit. Had a long commute to another site. Had the kit right for a cold morning, felt fine. Got to destination and took top off. Literally bucket dunked heavy in sweat. Everything was soaked. Never felt it as the drugs interfere with nerve feelings.

Never again will I trust a GP. Could have been serious had I not taken spare clothes then bought extra drinks and took along high 5 zero tabs. I shouldn't need it.

Dangerous stuff. No way can one ride through winter with it. You won't feel cold and sweat to death.

 

[classic33]

Penicillin: got me put in the number one posistion on the ward, when transferred. Blood pressure couldn't be stabilized, nor could the heart rate.

Lignocane:
Severe toxic reaction, measured in seconds. On more than one occasion its stopped the heart dead. The last time when the records were not checked at A&E.

Paracetamol:
Inteferes with anti epileptic medication. Making it safer to stay off it altogether. Pain killers much the same

 

[classic33]

You are aware you can "Yellow Card" the medication if something not mentioned on the list develops.

 

[slowmotion]

I've been taking lots for the last three years, after a lifetime of no meds. The daily six all have a reputation of serious side effects, but I have had none, apart from a minor continuously sniffling nose. I'm getting off lightly.
BTW, be scared of laxatives, very scared. I was given some opiate-based analgesics for post operative pain. They bung up your tripes, big time. I asked the nurse for something to get things moving. Then I asked for more. It wasn't a good move...twelve liquid and increasingly gaseous hours glued to an NHS PFI lavatory seat in the middle of an eight man ward. Death looked an increasingly attractive option.

 

[classic33]

Trobalt:
Started on it, no tests done before, but refused to consider actually taking it due to unknown effects on eyesight, "According to the warning, this drug can cause the skin to turn blue and may cause eye problems that can result in vision loss. It is not yet clear whether these effects are reversible."
https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/news/news/trobalt-warning-effects-skin-and-eyes

Turns the whites of the eyes blue and your skin blue

 

[fossyant]

Blimey. There is some serious crap out there.

Feeling side effects of coming off the duloxetine. Been tapering off for a couple of weeks but now 48 hours since dose. Feel a bit light headed. Good news is, for the first time since taking this my daily loo frequency is back to clockwork. Also woke without being covered in sweat.

 

[Drago]

Is a on Viagra fora link noodle. Made cycling uncomfortable for several hours after each dose.

 

[fossyant]

Is a on Viagra fora link noodle. Made cycling uncomfortable for several hours after each dose.

You should be doing something else, not cycling...

 

[xxDarkRiderxx]

Paracetamol:
Inteferes with anti epileptic medication. Making it safer to stay off it altogether. Pain killers much the same

So agree with @classic33 on this one. During my chemotherapy this just caused me to sweat and itch all over. My problem with medication is that is masks the initial problem. If you take pain killers then the Dr asked you are if your in pain what can you say.

Don't want to scare monger, but I had Lymphoma, and excessive sweating during the night (the bed sheets were drenched) was an indicator to this.

I am currently on the following after bone marrow transplant and doing well with (cross fingers) no side effects.

• Lamivudine : Hep B suppressant I think.
• Aciclovir: ????
• Cyclosporin: Immune suppressant
• Penicillin : For the rest of my life
• Senna: laxatives
• Sodium Docosate : laxatives
• Azithromycim: Protect against lung infection

Note: I cannot stress enough how diet has helped me through my ordeal: To cut a long story short for approximately 3/4 months prior to going into remission I ate only greens and salads (if you cannot find it growing don't eat it), and no less than 3 liters of water a day. After all the chemo and bone marrow transplant I can cycle 70-100k and feel good.

I hope you discover what the issue is with the sweating please get it checked. Wishing you well.

 

[Andrew_P]

Amitriptyline, couldn't function on it for nerve pain only minor relief, but I was told I didn't give it long enough nor rack up to a big enough dose to have the full effect Christ I would have spent my life in bed. Worse than the pain itself IMO.

I have subsequently refused all the other stuff the anti seizure gear they dish put for nerve pain. My last pain clinic I was told either take one of the sedating side effect meds, or see one of their pain psychologists to teach me to live the rest of my life in pain. Honestly they are useless, I have little faith in Dr's As a last resort they gave me a 4 month prescription of Prozac, as it is now being trialled by some Pain clinic for nerve pain.

 

[Jody]

Amitriptyline, couldn't function on it for nerve pain only minor relief, but I was told I didn't give it long enough nor rack up to a big enough dose to have the full effect Christ I would have spent my life in bed. Worse than the pain itself IMO..

I was prescribed this for nerve pain in my lower back. Was very sceptical as its an antidepressant and it seemed to do very little in the first 2-3 weeks. However the pain did subside and eventually go. I remained pain free for about 8 months after I stopped taking it and its only back every now and then. No shooting pains down my legs and no constant pain.

The main problem was taking it at night about 7pm. By 8pm I must have looked like a smack head. Couldn't lift my head up and was just randomly nodding off. Went to bed and I was comatose all night. Mornings felt like I had a terrible hang over with head aches and a general fuzzy head. On a plus I was pretty calm all day at work.

I would consider taking them again if it got bad.

 

[fossyant]

Plus 1 for Ami. Couldn't function

 

[ColinJ]

Contrast dye used in CT scans: Allergic reaction. My ex brother-in-law had a heart attack as soon as it was injected!

Warfarin:

• Bleed to death if you take too much. Clot to death if you don't take enough. (Worry yourself to death if you take the right dose? )
• Some evidence to suggest it can cause osteoporosis and the calcium not going to bones and teeth can end up deposited in organs or arteries instead causing heart attack or stroke. (My fingernails have gone very brittle since I started on the drug. It is a minor nuisance breaking a nail nearly every day, but it does make me worry what is going on internally.)
• Blood clots. That's right - the drug you take for blood clots can cause blood clots when you first start taking it! It affects different blood systems at different rates so there can be problems until things have stabilised.
• Penile necrosis. It would have been nice to have been told that Warfarin can cause that little problem so I could have watched out for signs of impending notalottacockalitis!

Lots of other drugs when taking Warfarin: Clot to death or bleed to death depending on how they interact!

 

[Andrew_P]

I was prescribed this for nerve pain in my lower back. Was very sceptical as its an antidepressant and it seemed to do very little in the first 2-3 weeks. However the pain did subside and eventually go. I remained pain free for about 8 months after I stopped taking it and its only back every now and then. No shooting pains down my legs and no constant pain.

The main problem was taking it at night about 7pm. By 8pm I must have looked like a smack head. Couldn't lift my head up and was just randomly nodding off. Went to bed and I was comatose all night. Mornings felt like I had a terrible hang over with head aches and a general fuzzy head. On a plus I was pretty calm all day at work.

I would consider taking them again if it got bad.

Did that side effect ever wear off? I was told to get up to and maybe past 80mg a day. I couldn't get past 20mg. Couldn't consider riding in the morning and like you say an hour after taking it couldn't keep my eyes open, then struggled to wake up. I would guess some people are less tolerant to some of this stuff. Oh and barely had a pee on it either, can't comment on cycling as just couldn't find the energy to do it. Someone on here can't remember who was on over 300mg a day for nerve pain if that was me it would have definitely worked for pain as I would never have been awake!.

 

[Mrs M]

Diclonfenac.
Took this after I broke and dislocated my pelvis because I "felt a bit stiff" when I got home.
Made me feel very unwell, sweating, itching till I bled and pass out (and pee myself) .

Forward a few months, having an op. Advised I thought I was allergic to diclofenac, so put in my notes.
Woke up feeling very unwell, sweaty, itchy. They disconnected the morphine saying I was clearly allergic to it but we'll keep you on the other painkiller (diclofenac).