I feel like an ole grandma at age 45 !!! I'm afraid to drive, go shopping, etc anymore. I used to be able to take ANYTHING and not have side effects. Now for the past couple years, I even have to space VITAMINS out throughout the day!! I get dizzy, spacey, whatever...weird feelings while driving...scarey!! And I'm even afraid to eat anymore, I get dizzy. It's usually in the afternoon, then goes away by evening. I used to take Spirulina every day when I was younger...no problems. Tried it a couple years ago...instant dizziness, etc!! I recently was prescribed Synthroid for thyroid problems....the synthroid cures the thyroid symptoms, but I get incredibly dizzy around noon (I take it at 6-7 am). URGH. Yet I was on this same dosage when I was young, with NO problems!! What is with this old age sensitivity, and how does anyone live a normal life with it??

Oh my, Caddie, This must be one of my worst perimenopausal symptoms too. I quarter my vitamin pill and take each portion 4 hours apart; I also cannot take prescription drugs the way I used to. I took prilosec 20 mg 3 years ago... just tried it again, 10 mg, and I was totally out of it for 3 hours. It's a time release and every 2 to 2 1/2 hours I would experience the same heavy drowsiness, so bad in fact, I could not even drive. I am literally frightend to take anything unless I can start with the smallest dose first, preferably cutting the pill into tiny pieces. Nowadays, with all the time release meds on the market, there's hardly anything I trust very much. For colds I always start out with the children's dosage. What to do about it? I have no clue. I am glad, I am not alone in this. I hope it gets better once I reach menopause. I am 51 and expecting it to happen any time now.

Hello There Caddie and Angie - I know what your talking about - I have those same problems. I know longer take a multi-vit. because after an hour ... I feel totally confused and dizzy. I've been told that the vit. B-12 in a multi.vit. is the first one to absorb in the body and it runs thru the brain first...it's a quick RUSH and that's what causes the dizziness and the confusion.... If I take a Zanex - I must cut the .25 in half because the full .25 knocks me out..... If I have a headache - I take 1 tylenol - not two. My allergies are difficult at times so the Dr. put my on Zyrtec - terrible constipation, dry eyes were created - so the Dr. put the dosage in half - the same think happened and he's talking about putting me on a "kiddies" dose. Any new medication, even a new antibiotic creates terrible side effects. I feel like I'm in a fog, rapid heart beat, nausaus and more then normal anxiety attacks - probably because of the fear of the side effects. I'm very curious about why things happen so I talked to my Dr. about why I can't take "normal" dose medication anymore (I didn't have that problem 10 years ago). He said anyone who has had ANY type of surgery (hysterectomy, brain surgery for me) it will automatically change the chemicals in your body and any other type of chemical, like medicines, vitamines, geez, even different perfumes, will change the chemicals in your body and that's why there is a reaction and yes, some people are more sensitive to that...people like you and me:D. So now, I accept the fact that I have a low tolerance of med.'s and ....that's who I am - and I hope you can accept who you are too!! Whatever works for you. Thank you two for your thoughts. Blessings, Stacy

I also used to be able to take meds without thinking twice about it.....now,to be honest,i am afraid to even take tylenol when i get a headache,I'm afraid of any side effects from taking anything. But how do you make yourself take something that you really need to take?For instance,i fell on the ice on the sidewalk 3 weeks ago and hurt my neck,i have muscle relaxers for it,but am too afraid to take one.I took 1/4 of a pill and ended up having a panic attack from it.I know alot of it is just in my mind,but how do you get past that and just do(and take)what you need to?

ok,i REALLY need to take a muscle relaxer for my neck stiffness but i am too scared to.What do i do,go ahead and take it anyway,and if i have a panic attack,then i just have one?

Oh Jadebear your story sounds so much like my own. I am new to this allergy thing and my dr. wanted to start me on zyrtec (sp) along with an antibiotic for my sinus infection. This is a knew Dr. for me due to a change in insurance, I felt so silly telling her that I am afraid of any type of pill. I know that it will send me into a panic attack. So after a few days I went to the drug store and bought a childs claritin in liquid form and have started taken small tsp. I was scared but thought that I need to take baby steps. Well, after a few minutes (I am sure the medicine wasnt in my system yet) I started to get myself worked up and started in on a panic feeling. I got in my car and went to my best friends house to keep my mind off the fact that I was taking any meds. And it worked. I wasnt worried about the effects of the claritin. So it works!!!! You may want to give it a try.

Hello Ladies - I understand your concern, I really truly do. Don't feel silly because of your low tolerance for meds - everyone is different, thank goodness:D. My Dr.'s are aware of my low tolerance - I usually take the same antibiotic that I've tried before and have not had any reactions. So we stick to that now. Every so often if I have a different problem and they want me to try a "new" medicine... well, what I do is....I take the first dose and I try to occupy my mind on something else. Hey Periweary - you were right to go to a friends house to keep your mind off of the new meds....that's what I try to do.... I go to a neighbors house, vacumme, do laundry or call a friend. Sometimes things are a-ok....other times I get a bad reaction, hom hum, what's a perimenopausal woman to do:P. What I started doing was to remember the last medication that I had a good effect from and try and be positive with lots of hope that this new medication is going to help me. Oh Jadebear...please try that muscle relaxer - I bet your going to feel better... if you can, maybe you can try it out for 1/2 pill - and if you don't have any side effects within an hour - and your not feeling the muscle relax - you go for it girl that you can take the other 1/2... Hey maybe that 1/2 pill will do the trick for you and the pain will stop. Blessings, Stacy

I, too, have the vitamin issue. I quit taking a multi. I take calcium, but space it out through the day (I use those chewable chocolate ones.) I used to take magnesium, but now if I take anymore than just a small dose I get diarrhea. I quit taking iron because my hemoglobin started heading up over the normal level. Vitamin B complex is the one that gives me the most problems. After taking one I can expect heart palpitations, but I take them anyway, as I do feel they're important. I've had several allergic reactions (head to toe hives, breathing issues, etc.) to certain meds, so if I have to start a new med, I start out with a really low dose and see how I do. I also can't tolerate soy. I tried it for several months thinking it would help with hot flashes and the menopause symptoms only got worse, so I quit the soy and the symptoms eased. Go figure. But I have other friends that are perimenopausal and they are having the same issues with vitamins, so it must be related to hormonal fluctuations.

I actually took a muscle relaxer for my stiff neck!!I started out with 1/8 of a pill,waited to see how i'd react,then took a little more,then a little more,and i was fine,didn't freak out or panic.I did it in baby steps,but that's better than no steps at all. I guess the saying "we have nothing to fear but fear itself" is true in my case!

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah - you did it!!! Congrat's Jadebear... your right - the baby steps was better then no steps....and your right about this - we have nothing to fear but fear itself. I will always remember this, thank you for the validation. Always remember this in the future too - remember how you didn't have any reaction and best of all - you didn't freak out and panic...Yeah, Yeah, Yeah... Thank you Dawn, jadebear, periweary, Angie and Caddy for your thoughts, experiences and ideas - it has helped me tremedously to realize that I'm not the only one:D. Blessings, Stacy