Showing posts with label Side Effects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Side Effects. Show all posts

 


The changing lifestyles of people, including their dietary habits are resulting rise in cholesterol levels in the body. In order to treat this disorder, physicians often prescribe Asprin Statin drugs that also help in checking risk of stoke or cardiac arrest. Many patients continue to take these medications till they can attain the desired cholesterol level through workouts, weight loss, nutritional supplements, etc. A past medical study suggests that prolonged usage of such drugs may have profound side effects in body.


 


Who Are Likely To Suffer From Asprin Statin Side Effects?
It is not that every patient who takes Statin drugs will suffer from side effects. Some persons may be at higher risks than others. Generally, women are prone to Statin side effects. Symptoms become acute when people take multiple medications for lowering cholesterol level.


People having smaller body structure are likely to face complications. In some cases, it has been found that too much consumption of alcohol among men and women above 65 years of age; suffer from Statin side effects.


 


Side Effects Of Asprin Statin Drugs


  • Liver complications

  • Muscle damage

  • Rash formation

  • Digestion problems

  • Increased blood sugar level

  • Neurological complications

 


Liver complications
It has been found that occasional usage of Statin drugs help liver to generate enzymes, which facilitate digestion of drinks, medicines and foods. You can continue taking these medications if the increment is mild.


If the increase is severe, you should refrain from taking such drugs. You need to consult your doctor who may prescribe different form of Statin. In that case, the doctor will suggest you to go for liver enzyme test unless you start developing symptoms or signs of complication.


 


Muscle Pain
Muscle pain is one of the side effects that occur due to prolonged usage of Asprin Statin drugs. A patent may feel pain along with tiredness, soreness and weakness of muscles. The pain in muscles can fetch little bit of discomfort. If it takes severe form, you will find difficulty in performing your regular tasks.


In some cases, it has been found that over consumption of Statin in combination with other drugs has resulted in rhabdomyolysis, which is a life threatening muscle degeneration symptom. This kind of disorder results in liver complications, acute muscle pain, kidney failure and in some cases, it even causes death.


 


Digestion Issues
Prolonged consumption of Asprin Statin medications, make patients suffer from constipation, gastric issues, diarrhea or nausea. People who suffer from these symptoms are also facing other problems in digestive system. If you take this drug during evening along with your meal, you will overcome side effects in a better way.


 


Rash Formation
Some people develop flushing or rash after they start taking the drug. Generally, side effects aggravate when patients take combination of Niacin and Statin for long time. If a person takes Asprin before administered with Statin, this kind of move will reduce rash issues.


 


Neurological Complications
One of the side effects is that the drug results in confusion or memory loss if taken for long period. However, this kind of side effect can be checked if patient consults his or her doctor. In acute cases, consumption of Statin should be avoided.


 


Increased Blood Sugar Level
Some patients have shown rise in blood sugar level due to consumption of Statin based drugs. Such disorder leads to development of type 2 diabetes among people. This problem can be cured if a person consults a doctor who can prescribe other safe medications.


Statin based drugs work on body by lowering production of cholesterol. These drugs not only affects liver, but also results in muscle degeneration, if consumed for long time. In case, you face above-mentioned symptoms, lookout for the best alternative natural remedy at goodnewsnaturally.com.


 

The phrase “may come with side effects” doesn’t stir up much concern for your well-being these days. Let’s be honest; most of the time you don’t even bother to read what they are. The worst your prescription drugs can do to your wellness is a few unwanted bowel movements or a slightly queasy feeling, right? Unfortunately, there’s a reason why certain drugs are only available via prescription; the side effects could leave you with some serious health concerns.


 


1. Amnesia. Though, in the movies, amnesia is usually caused by a head injury or traumatic emotional event in a character’s life, in real life it can affect you simply because of the medication you’re taking. For example, if you’re taking Mirapex or pramipexole for Parkinson’s disease or Restless Leg Syndrome, temporary amnesia is a fairly common side effect and you need to go on a different drug to cure it. You may also experience amnesia from cholesterol-lowering drugs, known as statins.


 


2. Loss of senses. Your senses are so important as they connect you to the rest of the world. Can you imagine not being able to taste cake anymore? Or smell dinner cooking in the other room? Vasotec or enalapril – which is used to treat congestive heart failures and high blood pressure – can adversely affect all of your senses, causing loss of smell, loss of taste, blurred vision and ringing in the ears. Also, according to a study from the University of Minnesota, going on Viagra for long periods of time can lead to permanent blindness.


 


3. Hallucinations. Mirapex is another culprit in this area, but you also need to be wary of hallucinations before taking Lariam. If you go travelling, you might be prescribed this drug to prevent malaria, but reports of hallucinations grew in the early 2000s, such as snakes crawling on the ceiling and hiding demons in the closet. It’s best just to take an alternative malaria medication, especially if you have a history of psychosis or depression.


 


4. Night terrors. If you’re using Champix to help you quit smoking, it can cause nightmares and even night terrors, which cause you to wake up screaming and moaning. Also, drugs that induce sleep, such as Lunesta/Eszopiclone and Zolfresh/zolpidem, cause night terrors, as well as other weird sleep behaviour. You can eat, talk, walk, drive and even have sex in your semi-conscious state and have no recollection later.


 


5. Birth defects. When you’re pregnant, the doctor will give you an exhaustive list of medicines that you can safely take. This is because even a couple of dosages of the wrong medicine, can result in you giving birth to a deformed baby. In the 50s, thalidomide was infamous for causing more than 10,000 women to give birth to babies with no limbs or extremely short limbs. If you’re on Accutane for treating acne, getting pregnant is an absolute no-no, as your baby can also have the disease that causes limb defects; phocomelia.

Choosing your method of birth control is not just an issue of sexual health, but of your relationship wellness and emotional wellbeing. There are various options to consider when choosing birth control, which you need to go through with your partner to ensure you make the right choice for you. Therefore, we’ve outlined some important questions you need to ask when considering birth control:


 


1. What options do I have? Birth control options can be broken down into the following categories:


  • Barrier methods, such as male and female condoms, the diaphragm, the cervical cap and the contraceptive sponge.

  • Hormonal methods, including birth control pills, the vaginal ring, the contraceptive implant, the contraceptive injection and the contraceptive patch.

  • Intrauterine devices (IUDs), like the copper IUD and the hormonal IUD.

  • Sterilisation, or a vasectomy or getting your tubes tied.

  • Natural family planning. This means using rhythm, basal body temperature and cervical mucus methods to prevent pregnancies.

  • Emergency contraception, which methods such as the morning-after pill shouldn’t be your first port of call, they can be used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex.

 


2. How do the different birth control options work? There are different ways in which birth control options work, and so you need to look into your choice to make sure it prevents pregnancy in a way you are comfortable with. Birth control methods can prevent sperm from reaching your egg, inactivate or damage sperm, prevent an egg from being released each month, alter the lining of your uterus so a fertilized egg doesn’t attach to it, or thicken your cervical mucus so sperm can’t easily pass through it.


 


3. How effective is your birth control? As with most things in life, it doesn’t matter how top-notch your birth control if you don’t use it in the right way. In order to be effective, any method of contraception must be used consistently and correctly. The methods little effort on your part, including IUDs, contraceptive implants and sterilisation. On the other end of the scale, methods that require monitoring fertility or periodic abstinence are associated with higher pregnancy rates.


 


4. Is it reversible? Your reproductive goals will obviously have a major part to play in the method of contraception you choose. If you want to become pregnant at some time in the near future, you may want a method that’s easily stopped or quickly reversible, such as an oral contraceptive or a barrier method. Something like an IUD, on the other hand, has a quick return to fertility, but it is expensive if you are going to use it only for a short time period. Obviously, sterilisation is a permanent method, so this may not be something you want unless you’re absolutely sure you don’t ever want to become pregnant.


 


5. Is it convenient and affordable? Again, convenience is really important when it comes to the effectiveness of the birth control you choose. What do you consider to be “convenient”? Does this mean that it’s easy to use? Or does convenience mean that the method doesn’t disrupt your sexual experience? Maybe you’re more concerned about the inconvenience of dealing with bothersome side effects or getting a prescription filled. Whatever convenience means to you, it’s important to choose a type of birth control that suits your lifestyle.


 


6. What are the side effects? While barrier methods and natural family planning tend to come few, if any, side effects, some birth control methods, particularly those that contain oestrogen or progesterone, pose some potentially serious risks. Talk to your GP about your medical history and how it might affect your choice of birth control.

It’s important to take control of your sexual health and wellness, but the more obvious choices, such as the Pill, don’t always appeal to some women. If you have trouble swallowing pills or you won’t remember to take the Pill at the same time every day, you might like to consider protecting your wellbeing against unwanted pregnancies by using the birth control injection. While medical or other conditions – including blood clots, certain types of cancers, certain types of migraine headaches, unexplained vaginal bleeding and suspected pregnancy – make the use of the injection less effective or more risky, the birth control injection can be a great option for those unable to follow a birth control routine, and it’s even safe for breastfeeding mothers.


 


However, before you rush out for your prescription, you need to know a little bit more about the birth control injection. The injection works as a long-acting form of progesterone, a hormone that is naturally manufactured in your ovaries. Once every three months, you will be given the injection in your arm or buttocks, and this prevents you from becoming pregnant. The progesterone works to prevent the ovulation process, or the release of your egg during your monthly cycle. If you don’t ovulate, you cannot get pregnant because there is no egg to be fertilised.


 


As birth control methods go, the birth control injection is very effective – with a success rate of about 97%. Over the course of a year, fewer than three out of 100 typical couples who use the birth control injection every the months will have an accidental pregnancy. In general, how well each type of birth control method works depends on a lot of things, including your individual health concerns and on how accurately you use the contraceptive. When it comes to the birth control method specifically, your risk of getting pregnant increases if you wait longer than three months to receive your next injection.


 


Unfortunately, the birth control injection will not protect you against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – only condoms or complete abstinence are able to offer this kind of protection. In fact, research has shown that the birth control injection may possibly increase your risk of getting certain STIs, although as to why this is, scientists aren’t entirely sure. Nonetheless, if you choose the birth control injection as your method of contraception, you will also need to use condoms to protect against STIs. If you’re in a committed relationship and you want to stop using condoms, you and your partner should both get tested for STIs and get the all-clear from a doctor.


 


There are some possible side effects to the birth control injection, albeit some more common than others. Many young women will find that their periods change when they start having birth control injections. The other, less common side effects include irregular or no menstrual periods, depression, weight gain, headaches, and breast tenderness. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it is potentially unsafe to use the long-acting progesterone injection, as studies have linked it to a loss of bone density in women, although your bone density may recover when you stop getting the injection. However, doctors aren’t sure as to how this happens, so if you are considering the injection as a method of birth control, consult your doctor and make sure you get enough calcium in your diet to prevent any bone loss. You may find a decrease in fertility for up to a year after you stop getting the birth control injection. However, this fertility decrease is not permanent and most women can get pregnant once they stop getting the injection.

Although condoms are the only birth control method that protects your wellbeing from STIs, they are not 100% effective at preventing pregnancy – and, in the heat of the moment, they can be forgotten altogether. Therefore, it’s a wise idea to take your sexual health into your own hands, and use a second method of birth control. As many women turn to the Pill to guard their wellness against unwanted pregnancies, let’s take a closer look at what the Pill is, what it does, and whether or not it’s a good option for you.


 


The birth control pill is a pill you need to take every day, to give your body the hormones it needs to prevent pregnancy. The hormones in the Pill control your ovaries and uterus, providing your body with oestrogen and progesterone hormones that stop your ovaries from ovulating. Ovulation is the process in which your ovaries release an egg during your monthly cycle, and so no egg means no baby. The Pill also thickens the mucus around your cervix, making it difficult for the sperm to enter your uterus. Plus, the Pill can sometime affect the lining in your uterus, making it difficult for an egg to attach to the wall and enable a baby to develop.


 


If you buy the Pill, you’ll find it comes either in a 21-day pack or a 28-day pack. If you have the former, you take a pill every day at about the same time, and then stop taking pills for seven days. If you have the 28-day pack, you will continue to take pills, but the last seven do not contain hormones. This may be a good option for you if you need to stay in your pill-taking mindset, otherwise you might stop for seven days and get out of your routine. When you stop taking the pill for seven days, or use the 28-day pack, you will have your period.


 


You can also get a variation of combination pill that decreases the frequency of your periods by supplying a hormone pill for 12 weeks and then inactive pills for 7 days. As you can probably work out, this means you’ve have a period every 3 months instead of every month. Then you have what’s known as the mini-pill, which changes the number of periods you have but may be slightly less effective at preventing pregnancy. The mini-pill only contains a low dose of progesterone, rather than a combination of oestrogen and progesterone, and its main job is to change your cervical mucus and uterus lining, but it may sometimes also affect ovulation. You take the mini-pill every day without a break, and it may take away all your periods or still enable some, irregular periods.


 


For the mini-pill to work, it must be taken at the same time every day, without missing any doses. However, this is really the case for any type of birth control pill, although it becomes more important for progesterone-only pills. On the first seven days of taking the pill, you will also need an additional form of contraception, such as condoms, to prevent pregnancy. After this, the Pill should work on it’s own for birth control, but condoms will still be necessary for stopping the spread of STIs. If you forget to take your Pill one day, you won’t be protected against pregnancy and will need to use a backup form of birth control, or stop having sex for a while. If you find your Pill comes with side effects – such as irregular menstrual bleeding, mood changes, blood clots, nausea, headaches, dizziness, and breast tenderness – speak to your doctor, who may prescribe a different brand of the Pill.

If you keep your ear to the ground with anti-ageing wellness, you’ve probably heard of dermabrasion. This skin-resurfacing procedure essentially sands away the outer layer of you skin, using a rapidly rotating device. Sounds robust, but after this process your skin grows back is usually smoother and younger looking, although the treatment may make your skin sensitive and bright pink for several weeks. Dermabrasion can also improve the look of scars, such as those caused by your acne, but as the pinkness will likely take about three months to fade, you may just be replacing one embarrassing skin complaint with another, albeit temporarily.


 


Still, there’s a wealth of benefits to dermabrasion, as the process can eliminate your fine wrinkles (especially those around the mouth) as well as reducing the sun damage of your skin, such as your age spots. If you want to get rid of a tattoo or potentially precancerous skin patches (actinic keratoses), dermabrasion can be used for this too, and the process can also help to even out your skin tone, and diminish any swelling and redness in your nose that’s been caused by rhinophyma. However, before you sign up for your appointment, dermabrasion can cause various side effects which you need to consider:


 


1. Redness and swelling: Any part of your skin that has been treated will be red and swollen, which usually begins to decrease within a week. However, this might last for weeks or even months.


 


2. Bleeding: It’s perfectly normal for skin to bleed a little after dermabrasion, but if you maintain proper skin care, the bleeding should stop on its own.


 


3. Acne: Although it’s not like the acne scars you’ve just got rid of, you might notice tiny white bumps or milia on your treated skin. The good news is that you can get rid of the milia with soap or an abrasive pad, that is, if they don’t go away on their own.


 


4. Bigger pores: Unfortunately, the process may enlarge your pores, but this side effect typically doesn’t affect your wellbeing for long, as it mostly goes away after any swelling decreases.


 


5. Changes in your skin colour: In the treated area, your skin can commonly become blotchy, darker than normal (which is known as hyperpigmentation) or lighter than normal (hypopigmentation). You’re more likely to suffer with this problem if you have darker skin, and, be warned, this can sometimes be permanent.


 


6. Infection: This is a rare wellness threat but it does happen, as dermabrasion can lead to a bacterial, fungal or viral infection. This may include a herpes flare-up, as this virus causes cold sores.


 


7. Scarring: Again, this one is rare as it only occurs if the dermabrasion has been done too deeply. You can often use steroid medications to soften the appearance of these scars.


 


8. Other skin reactions: If you love your freckles, you may want to steer clear of dermabrasion as these little beauty spots may disappear from the treated areas. Moreover, your skin may flare up if you often develop allergic skin rashes or other skin reactions, so the treatment may not be for you if you have sensitive skin.


 


If you’re still up for this exfoliating treatment in spite of these warnings, bear in mind that dermabrasion isn’t for everyone, and you need to consult your GP before making your final decision. This is vital, as your doctor might caution against dermabrasion if you have burn scars, skin that’s been damaged by radiation treatments, a history of ridged areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue (keloids) in your family, recurrences of herpes simplex infection or acne or have taken any acne medication containing isotretinoin in the past year.

When it comes to your anti-ageing wellness, nothing is more important than taking care of your skin. If you suffer from acne, you might be taking using benzoyl peroxide, but you may be doing more harm than good to your wellbeing. There are a lot of benefits to the medication, but you can’t ignore the negative impact that it might have, especially where your skin is involved. The important thing to remember is to use the benzoyl peroxide as your doctor or the packaging describes, and to steer clear of it altogether if you’re pregnant or taking some other kind of medication that contains tretinoin. You also need to watch out for the side effects, and consult your doctor if any of the following occurs:


 


1. Dry skin: This is one of the most common side effects of benzoyl peroxide, because the medication sucks sebum out of your skin in order to reduce oiliness and acne. You can reduce the resulting dryness in your skin with a good moisturiser, just make sure that it’s water-based and oil-free.


 


2. Burning: This symptoms only occurs in about 2% of benzoyl peroxide users, usually because the cream contains at least 10% of the chemical, you have really sensitive skin or you’ve left it on for too long. Mild burn marks will go away by themselves, but you should let your doctor know in case this is a symptom of an allergic reaction.


 


3. Peeling and flaking: These kind of go hand-in-hand with dryness, and so the remedy is the same; a good, water-based moisturiser. You may be tempted to scrub your face to exfoliate your skin of flakes, but this will activate the oil-producing sebaceous glands in your skin, which will aggravate your acne. Drinking plenty of water can also help to prevent peeling, but if it gets so severe that your skin begins to crust and crack, stop using the benzoyl peroxide and consult your doctor.


 


4. Itching: You’re more likely to experience this symptom during the first few weeks of application of benzoyl peroxide, mainly due to a reaction with the sebum in your skin. Most people complain about itching, but a soothing moisturiser or ice should sort it out. If the itching becomes severe and accompanied by red angry rashes, consult your GP.


 


5. Swelling: As a less common symptom and clear indication of an allergic reaction, you should stop using the cream immediately and consult your doctor if the swelling is severe. If you don’t, you could experience dizziness, nausea and permanent damage to your skin.


 


6. Feeling of warmth: Often this is a sign that the benzoyl peroxide is working, so you shouldn’t worry too much if the warm feeling in the affected area goes away within a few weeks. However, if this or other symptoms persist or are aggravating with time, stop the medication and consult your doctor.


 


7. Tenderness: Tender skin is an early symptom, most likely brought on by other symptoms such as swelling, itching, redness and rashes. If you experience tenderness in your skin, stop using other chemical cosmetics and use a gentle moisturiser.


 


8. Severe allergic reactions: You should consult your doctor immediately if you experience the following symptoms, as they could be fatal if left untreated. These symptoms include swelling at the affected area, angry rashes, crusting and cracking of the skin, hives, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, swelling (in the whole face, tongue, lips and mouth), difficulty in breathing and tightness in the chest. You may be required to take prescription medication and completely stop using benzoyl peroxide.

Even though there are plenty of contraceptive methods around these days, it’s hard to tell which one is best for your sexual wellness. Most of us opt for the Pill and/or a condom, but other methods may be better for your family planning needs. One such device is the copper T, which has a failure rate of less than 1%, but still with any new sexual health device, you need to take care of your wellbeing and watch out for certain side effects. Though the adverse outcomes of the copper T tend to fade away with time, you should consult your GP before you have the device inserted. Let’s take a look at the potential side effects of the copper T.


 


1. Severe bleeding and cramps: Many women who have the copper T inserted complain of bleeding in between periods, as well as severe cramps – but these can be subdued with simple painkillers like ibuprofen. Heaving bleeding during your menstrual cycle and clotting between periods is also a common complaint, and can last for a few months after the device is inserted. These initial pains are often regular and severe, but once these subside you should be experiencing less bleeding and cramping than you had before you began using the copper T. In very rare cases, however, the excess bleeding continues for longer.


 


2. Allergies: If you’re one of a few, rare cases, insertion of copper T can cause you to experience irritation, itching and rashes in the vaginal area. As you might assume from the name of the device, it is covered with a copper coating which doctors believe is the main cause of allergies in these cases. The best way to stop this from happening is to work out whether or not you’re allergic to copper before you have the device inserted. This is vital, as the infection can spread to your fallopian tubes and cause real damage. If you are allergic, have the copper T removed at once and instead go for a hormonal IUD.


 


3. Rejection: Again, this is a rare one but some women find that the device is rejected and ejected by the vagina, all by itself. However, if your uterus pushes out the copper T, you’re at a high risk of getting pregnant as it is very difficult to trace or even notice if and when this has occurred. This is why you HAVE to get regular check ups done every year to make sure your copper T is where it needs to be.


 


4. Cuts in the uterus: The device has been known to cause perforation in the uterus, which means that you need to have the copper T removed immediately. If an emergency removal does not take place, the copper T can automatically move to your other organs, which may mean that you have to have surgery to retrieve it. If, at any stage after getting a copper T fixed inside your uterus, you start to feel any discomfort, you could notify your doctor as soon as possible and go for an internal check up.


 


5. Increased risk of miscarriage and infertility: If you get pregnant while using copper T, you have a high chance of miscarriage as this means the egg has been fertilised somewhere outside the uterus wall. This causes an array of complications and, ultimately, the loss of the foetus. If you suspect pregnancy, you should get it checked immediately and have the device removed if you are expecting. Also, as copper T works by causing inflammation of the uterine lining, it can contribute to secondary infertility later on as the inflammation can produce scar tissue in your uterus, which can make it hard for a baby to implant successfully.

The contraceptive pill has hit the headlines recently for worrying claims that it could be a harmful medication. In a study carried out by Indiana University, researchers discovered that women taking the contraceptive pill felt less sexy overall, had fewer orgasms and less frequent sex, as well as finding it more difficult to become aroused. There is an increasing list of health risks attached to the pill, from breast tenderness and nausea to more serious claims such as blood clots, high blood pressure and even stroke. However, there could now be new risks which aren’t laid out on the list provided by your local family planning clinic which could make you rethink your method of contraception. Long term use of the birth control pill could increase the risk of artery build-ups in your body, which may in turn increase your risk of heart disease. In a study involving 1300 healthy women aged between 35 and 55, there was up to a 30 percent increase in the prevalence of plaque for every 10 years of oral contraceptive use. The researchers highlighted that the plaques were small and not large enough to block an artery, but any plaque is a risk to your heart health. Around 100 million women around the world use oral contraceptives, all of which could now be risking their hearts for the sake of an easy pregnancy preventative.


 


There are many health risks which are increased by the use of the oral contraceptive pill. For example, this form of birth control can more than double your risk of fatal blood clots, as well as making your bones thinner and increasing your blood pressure. Some studies claim that it could also increase your risk of developing cervical and breast cancers. Besides the serious health risks, there are also some unpleasant side effects which many women report to suffer from due to the influx of artificial hormones flowing through the body. These include irregular bleeding or spotting, weight gain, mood changes, migraines and nausea, breast tenderness, and yeast overgrowth or infection. Because there are other options for birth control which don’t rely on hormones, many GPs advise choosing an alternative form of contraception. Such methods include barrier methods which are far safer, if slightly less convenient, such as condoms.


 


With these methods there are no side effects and no toxic chemicals or substances flooding your body every day. There is also the natural family planning method, or NFP, which you should learn from a reliable source but that can leave you empowered by understanding your menstrual cycle better. The temperature method is another alternative, which works by you pinpointing your day of ovulation so that you can avoid intercourse for a few days before and after it. You take your basal body temperature every morning with an accurate basal thermometer so that you can note the rise in temperature after ovulation. Although this method can be unreliable by itself, as your body temperature can change for a number of reasons, when it is combined with the mucus method it can be very accurate in assessing your fertility. The two methods used together can provide a success rate as high as 98 percent. The mucus method works by tracking the changes in the amount and texture of your vaginal discharge. As your oestrogen levels rise in your body, your discharge will alter. Other methods also include female condoms, the diaphragm and cervical cap. Each has its set of pros and cons, but they don’t require hormones which means you can avoid the stress and risk of the damaging side effects.

When you take a prescription medication, you do so under the assumption that it will help your condition. In most cases, the medication does just that. However, here are times when a medication has serious side effects attached to its use. Some of these side effects may not even be listed on the information packet that came with the prescription.


 


If you begin having adverse side effects when you start taking a medication, you should make an appointment with your doctor immediately. You should not stop taking the medication, especially if it is a maintenance drug. If the side effects are too severe, go directly to the emergency room.


 


Keeping Informed About Possible Side Effects


When medications begin to be mass distributed, it is not uncommon for new side effects to appear. These side effects will be reported in updated versions of the information packet. The best way to stay informed, however, is to check the Food and Drug Administration website at www.FDA.gov. This website contains up-to-date and relevant information about all medications that are currently available on the market. If there have been any adverse events associated with the medication, there will be a public notice posted to the site.


 


You can also check the manufacturer’s website for any new information about their product. It should be noted that this information may be delayed. The manufacturer often does not change or report adverse effects of their product unless required to do so by the FDA. Additionally, when the FDA requires a change in the information packet, that change may not be seen for several months after the order was given.


 


As a final resource, you can check different medical sites on the Internet. Many hospitals and research centers will post information about adverse medication events that they have been tracking. Most of this information is posted in medical terms for research purposes and can be a little difficult to understand.


 


What To Do If You Have Been Harmed By A Dangerous Medication


If you have been taking a medication that has harmed you from the side effects, you may be entitled to receive compensation. A personal injury attorney that specializes in bad medication will be able to review the case and file the necessary claims for compensation.


 


You may be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries, your medical care and expenses related to the side effects and pain and suffering if allowed under the laws of your state. During your initial consultation the attorney will be able to explain to you what your rights are under the law.


 


Overall, most medications perform to expectation without harming the patient. Most medications extend and enhance a person’s life and help with the condition intended. However, if there are problems with the medication that you are taking, you should seek immediate medical care and then speak to a personal injury attorney that specializes in dangerous medication cases.


 



Melanie Fleury takes several medications when she is suffering from pain due to an autoimmune disease. She has found that open communication with her doctors and continually educating herself on her prescriptions is a great way to avoid problems with medications. If you have suffered severe side effects due to the negligence of your medical provider or misinformation from a drug manufacturer, the attorneys of Bottar Leone at http://www.bottarlaw.com/albany-personal-injury-lawyer/ can help determine if you have a case worth pursuing.

Did you ever wish you could freeze time? Apparently, a chilling new beauty therapy does exactly that; using nitrogen oxide to slow down wrinkle formation. Known as Frotox or lovera, the treatment works by targeting nerves to improve your anti-ageing wellness, unlike Botox which temporarily paralyses your muscles. Frotox treats your forehead’s peripheral nerve tissue with extreme cold, relaxing the facial muscles that cause wrinkles in the forehead. So is Frotox safe and effective, or are you risking your wellbeing on a pointless procedure?


 


According to leading practitioner, Dr. Vincent Wong, from La Maison de L’esthetique, ‘Frotox works by using the body’s natural response to cold – and nothing but cold – to relax muscles in the forehead and between the eyebrows. The handheld device will be loaded with a nitrogen cartridge before use, and at the touch of a button, the circulation of nitrogen gas within the device creates a precise cold zone at the smart needle tip (made of closed-end needles, so nothing comes out of it). This allows precise cold to be delivered directly to the target nerves.’


 


‘Nerves treated with this technology undergo a predictable period of dormancy, followed by complete restoration of function,’ Wong explained. ‘During the period of dormancy, the transmission of electrical messages (impulses) is reduced. Hence, muscle movements are also reduced as muscles move in direct response to impulses. When muscles are relaxed, wrinkles appear to be softened.’ Wong outlined the different steps of the treatment process:


 


1. Consultation


2. Cleansing the area


3. Nerve selection (with TENS machine) and marking or treatment sites (all treatment sites are in the temple region only)


4. Injection of local anaesthetics (lidocaine)


5. Treatment of each marked site (average about 4 on each temple)


6. Application of pressure on treatment sites and post-treatment instructions


 


Wong noted, ‘The results for this treatment are immediate. You will find that when you try to raise your eyebrows, your forehead does not move as much as it used to – you will still have some movements though.’ But what about safety and side effects? ‘As no toxins are used, this treatment is extremely safe,’ Wong asserted. ‘Side effects are short-lived and, just like any other aesthetics procedure, include bleeding, bruising and swelling.’

Collectively known as micronutrients, vitamins and minerals essential for good wellness but, broadly speaking, as your body does not synthesise them, you have to obtain your necessary micronutrients from what you eat. Vitamins and minerals assist in numerous physiological and biochemical functions and regulate your metabolism. This is important for anyone’s wellbeing, but vitamins and minerals are even more vital for athletic individuals.


But does this mean you should start taking vitamin or mineral supplements to maximise your sports performance? If you are eating a healthy balanced and varied diet in sufficient amounts, then evidence indicates in most cases, you’ll be okay and there is no need for a supplement formula. Yet, according to alternative practitioners and nutritional therapists, you do need supplements of vitamins and minerals for “optimum” health – so who is right?


In some cases, the scientific evidence is conclusive in favour of taking supplements. Folic acid, for example, is recommended in the initial stages of pregnancy to reduce the risk of spina bifida in the child. Likewise, vitamin C is advised for smokers, as smoking reduces your vitamin C blood levels significantly. Some people have a use for supplements, but generally it for a specific need or as a certain part of the population.


So are sports enthusiasts and bodybuilders part of a supplement-needing population? Traditionally, athletes are all about dosing up on supplements, but it seems as though they don’t really have a reason for doing so. The bodybuilder mindset seems to revolve around the dogma “more is better”, but certain vitamins can have harmful side effects if taken in too large quantities. This is a cause for concern, as vitamin C is one supplement in particular that athletes mega-dose on. However, an excessive intake of vitamin C can cause you to develop calcium oxalate kidney stones.


Moreover, excess consumption of vitamin A can cause hair loss, liver, bone damage, and, in rare instances, death. If you overdo it on vitamin B1, or thiamine, you can experience headaches and irritability, while over intakes of vitamin D can lead to high blood calcium levels, and potentially causing muscle spasms. Finally, zinc in high amounts can cause nausea and vomiting. This list is by no means exhaustive but the message is clear: avoid supplements unless otherwise recommended by a doctor.





If your wellness is damaged by cancer, radiation therapy can really take its toll on your wellbeing. Side effects such as hair loss and nausea are common outcomes of radiotherapy, but now scientists have developed a new technique which can eliminate cancer without the debilitating side effects.


Developed by Professor M. Frederick Horne, who was recently awarded the prestigious National Medal of Science Award by President Obama, the new therapy has undergone trials in the US, published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, in which the cancer cells of mice were killed successfully. Now the team of scientists from the University of Missouri is seeking funding in order to test the treatment on humans.


As it stands, radiotherapy damages some of your healthy cells, as well as destroying the cancerous ones, which is why you can commonly experience side effects such as hair loss, diarrhoea, nausea and sore skin. Hair follicles, for example, are usually destroyed during the radiotherapy process because they are made up of rapidly growing cells. This makes them akin to cancer tumours, as cancer cells grow faster than normal cells and, in the process, absorb more materials than normal cells, which starves them of oxygen. This factor that cancer cells and hair follicles share make it difficult for radiotherapy to differentiate between the two.




However, Professor Hawthorne’s team took advantage of the absorbent cells by forcing them to take in a specially engineered boron chemical. Boron, often found in soil, can play a strengthening role in the cell walls of all plants when absorbed in small amounts and so Professor Hawthorne designed a boron chemical which his team get the cancer cells to take in. Then, these boron-infused cancer cells were exposed to neutrons, a subatomic particle, so that the boron atom would shatter and tear apart the cancer cells, whilst sparing neighbouring healthy cells. This is what eliminated the side effects.


According to Professor Hawthorne, ‘Since the 1930s scientists have sought success with a cancer treatment known as boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Our team finally found the way to make BNCT work by taking advantage of a cancer cell’s biology with nanochemistry. A wide variety of cancers can be attacked with our BNCT technique. The technique worked excellently in mice. We are ready to move on to trials in larger animals, then people. However, before we can start treating humans, we will need to build suitable equipment and facilities. When it is built, MU will have the first radiation therapy of this kind in the world.’







Could Hair Loss and Nausea be Old News in Radiotherapy?

med boxWhether you are carrying the onset of type-one or stepping into the age-related concepts of type-two, diabetes has a way of sneaking up on you.


Whilst diabetes is thankfully very publicised, it also means that a series of side-effecting drugs can be inserted into the medical zone. The following examples are the commonly known and potentially dangerous drugs available to the public:


[Avandia] – Taken orally daily, the drug is designed to control and maintain blood sugar around the body. There have been minor complaints of coughs or headaches, but there have been more serious cases of allergic reactions, low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia), heart problems and broken bones have become associated with Avandia.


[Actos] – Also taken orally, Actos severity has caused issues such as cancer/">bladder cancer, cold symptoms, headaches, weight gain, muscular issues or toothaches. Furthermore, it has been noted to have issues such as stomach pains, swelling, blurred vision and unusual pallor.


[Byetta] – An injection. There have been noted side-effects such as stomach problems, weight loss, heartburn, dizziness and headaches. In worse cases, there have also been allergic reactions, inflammation of the pancreas (also known as pancreatitis) and pancreatic cancer.


[Januvia] – Taken orally, Januvia regulates insulin shortly after you have eaten. Whilst noted for its associations with diabetes, the drug also assists with other syndromes and conditions, extending its harmful reach further. Similarly to Byetta, the drug is noted for issues with pancreatitis and cancer of the pancreas.


Should you encounter any of these symptoms in the course of maintaining your sugar-levels, speak to a doctor.


Please note that this is not a professional diagnostic, but merely informative. Should you have any questions or if you take any of these drugs, please refer to your GP.


 



What"s in the Box: Four Diabetic Drugs That Put You At Risk

Do Diabetics Need Regular Face-Time With a DoctorA psychiatrist in Dubai has called upon the mental healthcare community to move away from conventional medicine, and instead turn towards homeopathy as a treatment for mental wellness disorders. According to Dr Vengalis Zafeiriou, this can reduce the incidence of severe side effects.


At the second conference on Integrative Medicine Conference, organised by Dubai Healthcare City Authority’s Centre for Healthcare Planning and Quality (CPQ), Dr Zafeiriou argued that homoeopathy can reduce the length of time you spend in hospital, the amount of medicine and laboratory examinations you need, your frequency of relapses and costs to you and state healthcare. He said that homeopathy, a form of alternative medicine, can also improve overall wellbeing and chronic disease prevention and treatment, and all this whilst being side-effect-free and easily combinable with any other treatment.


The ‘Advances in Evidence Based Integrative Medicine’ conference was created with the view of bridging the gap between conventional, complementary and alternative medicine through evidence-based integrative medicine case studies. For Dr Zafeiriou’s presentation, he provided case studies of patients suffering from alcoholism and autism.


After his lecture, Dr Zafeiriou, a Psychiatrist and President and Director of Education of the Hellenic Association of Homoeopathic Medical Cooperation in Greece, commented, ‘In psychiatry there aren’t any medicines designed to be curative, rather these relieve symptoms. Homeopathy can treat all kinds of disorders from anxiety and phobias to depression and schizophrenia. In mental hospitals, homoeopathy can treat patients with severe mental disorders, contributing considerably to the therapeutic outcome of conventional psychiatric treatment.’


But what do other insiders on the subject have to say about homeopathy’s role in mental wellness? According to John Graham, Chiropractic Practitioner, Mezyad Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi, homoeopathy should become part of UAE mental health care services because it ‘has a place in psychiatric medicine. I truly believe that body, mind and spirit are interrelated – you cannot affect one without affecting the other.’


Dr Naseem Akhtar Qureshi, Director, Division of Research and Studies at the General Administration of Medical Research in Saudi Arabia, added that homoeopathy takes the stigma out of conventional mental health care: ‘Incorporating a homoeopathic unit in a psychiatric hospital will reduce the stigma associated with psychiatrists and mental hospitals. Homoeopathy will add another dimension to the holistic approach in the treatment of mentally ill patients. It will be a useful addition to the therapeutic arm of psychiatry.’



Should Doctors Adopt Homeopathy in Mental Healthcare?