Could Your Prescription Drug Lead to Dangerous Side Effects?

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.

Categories: amnesia, birth defects, Drug, drugs, nbsp, Night Terrors, prescription drugs, Side Effects, terrors

Are US Troops’ Mental Health Issues Being Taken Care Of?

The mental wellbeing of soldiers is often a cause for concern, and it’s not hard to see why; between PTSD and substance abuse, many soldiers face serious wellness risks both during their time in the army, and in the years that follow. Alcohol and drug abuse are frequently linked to record suicides plaguing the military. This is why a blue ribbon committee has released a report urging the Pentagon to acknowledge a “public health crisis” in the growing abuse of alcohol and prescription drugs by US troops. The Institute of Medicine panel have also called for stronger leadership in dealing with the crisis.

 

One of the key aspects of the report is that it highlights how behind the times the Pentagon is in dealing with the mental health problems of troops. Some of the treatment programmes offered to soldiers haven’t evolved since the Vietnam War, and the report calls for these to be brought into the 21^st century. ‘Rather than continuing to use a 20th-century workforce to treat [substance abuse disorders],’ the report says. ‘[The Pentagon] is challenged to structure and staff treatment services for alcohol and drug use disorders for the 21st century.’ The panel has also encouraged the Pentagon to consider better policing of underage drinking and reducing access to alcohol on bases.

 

This follows Defence Secretary Leon Panetta’s recent interview with USA Today, in which he said that stronger leadership is required to reduce abuse-related suicides in the military. The panel allows that some military programmes have worked well in encouraging soldiers to seek help, such as an Army experiment in which soldiers were given access to confidential counselling. However, as this programme is only available at 10% of Army installations (six out of 60), the committee has urged that it be expanded to all bases and adopted by the Navy, Air Force and Marines.

 

However, even without the report’s or Panetta’s recommendations, the statistics speak for themselves: new Pentagon figures show that, since the Afghanistan War began in 2001, the rate of prescription medications handed out by military caregivers has skyrocketed. While 2001 saw fewer than a million prescriptions for pain medication, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, stimulants and barbiturates being handed out to troops, Pentagon data shows this number soared to nearly five million last year.

 

The report also contains some shocking statistics. According to the panel, from 2005 to 2008 (which is the latest data available) opiate pain medication abuse increased in the military from 2% to 11%. As the Army has borne the brunt of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the problem in this branch of the military is much worse. In 2008, one in four soldiers admitted to abusing prescription drugs during a one-year period. Alcohol abuse is likewise a problem, with binge drinking (defined as the consumption of five drinks or more in one setting) was found to be 50% higher among service members aged 18-35 than among civilians. Nearly 60% of Marines engage in binge drinking.

 

The question remains, however, is the military ready to make the changes? Dennis McCarty, a public-health expert on the panel, asserted, ‘I think they’re ready to acknowledge that they can do better.’ Commenting on the report, Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said military health officials ‘are in the process of analyzing [the committee"s] findings and recommendations. But most importantly, we want to do the right thing by the service member. If there are areas in need of improvement, then we will work to improve those areas. The health and wellbeing of our service members is paramount.’

Categories: 21st century, Binge Drinking, drug abuse, Mental Health, pain medication, prescription drugs, public health, service members, stronger leadership, substance abuse, Suicide Risk

How to Combat Depression Without Medication

Depression is an isolating mental health condition which makes those who suffer from it feel low, alone, worthless and unable to get themselves out of their situation. For the many people who have it, depression can feel like a dead-end and it is difficult to overcome once you have it. While there are a number of medications available to help alleviate this condition, they don’t work for everyone. When the drugs don’t work, there is the option of therapy, but this is also sometimes ineffective. Researchers believe that they have developed a way to help combat depression without drugs – a six-step programme which could prove to be hugely beneficial to millions of people. The programme revolves around the concept of social connectedness, as it’s argued that the brain mistakenly interprets the symptoms of depression as an infection. As such, the natural reaction is to isolate the problem and for the brain to tell the body to avoid human contact and wait for the infection to pass. The opposite is actually the case in depressed people, though, as more human contact is needed – this means that this natural reflex could prove to be disastrous. Social connectedness forms one sixth of the programme.

 

The other five elements of the programme rely on lifestyle changes which will improve your outlook. Meaningful activities which stop the patient focusing too heavily on negative thoughts are advised, as these only serve to exacerbate the problem. Regular exercise is a good start as a way of not only keeping fit and taking care of your body, but also as a way to boost the levels of endorphins in the body. A diet which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids is also good, as these are beneficial to brain activity which can help your mental health. The programme suggests getting outdoors and getting exposure to natural sunlight, as sitting indoors all day is isolating and will make the problem worse. Lastly, good restorative sleep is vital for people with depression – sleep problems are one of the most common symptoms of depression. Medication only has a 50 percent success rate, meaning there are millions of people who still struggle with the condition even after having been on drugs. This is an even more astounding figure when we learn that half of the people who are cured by drugs then later relapse – this means the success rate is a mere 25 percent. There are negative side effects with antidepressants too, such as weight gain, sexual dysfunction and emotional numbing.

 

Depression has become an epidemic which has developed from our increasingly technological lifestyles – it means we have become sleep deprived, sedentary, socially isolated and poorly nourished. Put simply, the human body wasn’t designed to live in such a way, and the result is an impact on our mental health. Dr Ilardi, who developed the programme, says that there are hunter-gatherer tribes still in existence in more remote parts of the world who live more traditional lifestyles and depression is not a problem they suffer with. This is because they get plenty of outdoor exercise, eat a diet that’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids and get ten hours of sleep. Dr Ilardi suggests that we should be aiming for around 8 hours of sleep a night, but we currently get 6.7 – this is having an effect on our health and our ability to navigate our emotions. The programme is controversial due to its lack of medication, but it seems that simply changing our lifestyles could improve our mental health exponentially. For the many people with depression, this six-step programme could be the answer to their condition.

Categories: depression, Mental Health, prescription drugs

How to Protect Your Child against Medication Poisoning

Your prescription medications may do wonders for your wellness, but you may be putting your child’s wellbeing at risk. This is according to a new study, published in the June 3rd online edition of Paediatrics, which found that, the number of adults being prescribed medications has risen, the number of children being accidentally poisoned by prescription drugs has also grown.

The research ream examined data from the National Medicare Surveys to find out which medications were most commonly prescribed to adults, and then compared this to the National Poison Data system’s information on child poisonings. According to Lead researcher Dr. Lindsey Burghardt, from the division of emergency medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital, ‘We found between 2000 and 2009 [that] rates of paediatric exposure to adult medications were increasing.’

Over 60,000 children are evaluated in emergency departments for “unintentional medication exposures” every year. Of these children, 12% end up hospitalised. Doctors are trying to do more to prevent this damage to family wellness, but, as Burghardt explains, ‘Despite all these precautions that have been put in place to try to prevent these poisonings in kids the problem persists. In fact, the number of poisonings has been increasing.’ Clearly, you need to take medication safety into your own hands.

In partnership with PROTECT, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have outlined six things that all parents should do to protect their children:

1. Keep your medications in a place your children can’t reach, even if they stand on a chair.

2. While it’s more convenient to leave out medications if, for example, you have a painful injury that makes it hard for you to move, you still need to put medicine away every time you use it.

3. Always double check that the safety cap is locked.

4. Educate your children about medication safety, the health risks of taking someone else’s medication, and how they should never take medicine by themselves.

5. Ask any house guests to practise medication safety.

6. Be prepared in case of an emergency. The NHS Direct 24 helpline is 0845 4647 or 111 – make sure you have it written down next to all your landline phones and programmed into all your mobiles.

Categories: Poisoning, prescription drugs, safety awareness

Warning: Male Enhancement Products Can be Dangerous

The FDA is warning that people should take extreme caution when using any type of male enhancement products, as these could have a very damaging effect on sexual health. Three products which claim to contain only herbs have recently been found to have hidden prescription drugs amongst the ingredients, which could be dangerous for your wellness and wellbeing if used.

The drugs used in these three products are very similar to those that are used in drugs for erectile dysfunction, such as Viagra and Cialis. Although these drugs are commonly used, they are very dangerous to men who have heart disease, who could use the products thinking they are herbal and then suffer from devastating effects due to the hidden drugs.

The three banned products are named ‘Stiff Days’, ‘Libido Sexual Enhancer’ and ‘Rock-it Man’- names that leave you in no doubt as to their intended use. These are being marketed as alternatives to prescription drugs, and are said to be safe to use without having to consult your doctor. In actual fact, this couldn’t be further from the truth, as they are virtually the same as prescription drugs and should only be used in controlled conditions.

These products put the consumer at risk, due to the undisclosed ingredients, which is structurally similar to Viagra, a drug which is only ever intended to be available on prescription, with the help and guidance of your GP.

Men who have high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure often take medication that contains nitrates, and the undisclosed ingredients in these male penis enhancers may interact with these nitrates causing devastating effects in some patients.

The FDA urges that anyone who has experienced such negative side effects from one of these products seek medical assistance as soon as possible.

This new trend of hidden prescription drugs in supposedly natural or herbal foods is widespread, and very worrying for consumers.

 

Warning: Male Enhancement Products Can be Dangerous

Categories: Danger, devastating effects, enhancement, enhancement products, heart disease, hidden prescription, male, male enhancement, prescription drugs, products, undisclosed ingredients