# Possible Side Effects May Include ...



## SifuPhil (Mar 21, 2013)

This is just a rant, so if you're not in the mood to listen I understand. Go enjoy Pinterest or eBay or NaughtyNightNurses.com or whatever else floats your boat. 

I'm watching TV the other night and an advertisement comes on for the Exelon patch. This patch is supposedly for the control of "mild to moderate" Alzheimer's symptoms.

Of course the videography of the commercial is a masterpiece - soft-focus lenses, soul-touching music, long dreamy sequences of loved ones holding hands, walking on the beach, etc. 

But only the first 20 seconds are devoted to a recitation of the benefits. The other 40 seconds are for the side-effects. Here they are from their own site:



> [h=4]Important Safety Information[/h]                                     EXELON _PATCH_ should not be used if the patient is allergic to any component in EXELON _PATCH_  including the active ingredient rivastigmine, or has had an allergic  reaction to a similar type of medicine. There have been some cases of  skin reactions (e.g., rash, itchiness, and hives) that extend beyond the  site of patch application. Speak to the doctor before using EXELON _PATCH_.
> 
> 
> Mistakes in using EXELON _PATCH_  have resulted in serious side effects; some cases have required  hospitalization, and rarely, led to death. Most mistakes have involved  not removing the old patch when putting on a new one and the use of  multiple patches at one time.  Only one EXELON _PATCH_ should be worn at a time.  If you accidentally apply more than one EXELON _PATCH_, remove all of them and inform the doctor immediately.
> ...




... so, basically anyone who has any kind of medical condition at all is at risk of dying as a result of using this patch, is the take-away I get. 

If I'm going to acquire all sorts of dire physical symptoms by using the Exelon patch, wouldn't I be better off being in the fog of Alzheimer's and not knowing about it?


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## pchinvegas (Mar 21, 2013)

Crazy isn't it ? One drug and I forget which advised a possible oily discharge !!! Doesn't say from where this Havoline will come from but it was enough to keep me from wanting to try it ! Haha


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 21, 2013)

I agree Sifu, I'd rather take tablespoons of coconut oil everyday in hopes of treating my Alzheimer's...a lot safer than taking the poisons they dish out.  Just seeing ads on the TV (and magazines) for perscription drugs angers me, doesn't big pharma make enough money from the sheeple already??  All of these drugs have worse side effects than the disease...and do I really have to approach my doctor with suggestions for my treatment??  Most time these doctors only know the basic outline of those drugs that's given to them by the vendor. :dollar:


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## SifuPhil (Mar 21, 2013)

pchinvegas said:


> Crazy isn't it ? One drug and I forget which advised a possible oily discharge !!! Doesn't say from where this Havoline will come from but it was enough to keep me from wanting to try it ! Haha



LOL!

"Hi, I'm *Havoline*, this is my wife *Valvoline* and my son *Mobil 1* (please excuse his hiding - he hasn't come out of his *Shell* yet). We only have *Mobil 1* because I was *Castrol*ed last year. We live in the *QuakerState* - it's full of *Pennzoil*. You should take a *Peak* at it someday." 



			
				SeaBreeze said:
			
		

> I agree Sifu, I'd rather take tablespoons of coconut oil everyday in  hopes of treating my Alzheimer's...a lot safer than taking the poisons  they dish out.  Just seeing ads on the TV (and magazines) for  perscription drugs angers me, doesn't big pharma make enough money from  the sheeple already??  All of these drugs have worse side effects than  the disease...and do I really have to approach my doctor with  suggestions for my treatment??  Most time these doctors only know the  basic outline of those drugs that's given to them by the vendor. :dollar:



... or from the vendors that give the most kick-backs.

My student is a pharmacist, about my age, has been in the game his whole life. He swears that the kick-back system has been controlled, that they no longer offer those big perks for prescribing the _pill du jour_, but that there are OTHER types of benefits available to the docs. In addition, he claims that many docs are blackballed if they don't push a certain drug, so I guess it's gone from carrot to stick.


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## Pricklypear (Mar 21, 2013)

Yep, those commercials have made me quite nervous about what drugs I'll put in my body. I doubt that was the intent of pharmaceutical companies. LOL.

But sometimes you just have to do the research and then decide if the benefit outweighs the risk.  I have to use eye drops for glaucoma morning and evening.  They contain beta blockers and prostaglandins.  They are not medications to take lightly.  The side effects for some people can be quite serious.   

There are lot of articles on the internet touting natural remedies (even cures) for glaucoma.  I spent months going through them after my diagnosis.  I found no science to substantiate any of it.  I'll continue using my eye drops.  I'd rather not go blind.

Now, thanks to Phil, I'm gonna have to call the Big Oil companies.  I have no idea what oil is in my Cosopt drop.


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## SifuPhil (Mar 21, 2013)

Pricklypear said:


> Yep, those commercials have made me quite nervous about what drugs I'll put in my body. I doubt that was the intent of pharmaceutical companies. LOL.



It _does_ seem to have backfired among a certain percentage of us. 



> There are lot of articles on the internet touting natural remedies (even cures) for glaucoma.  I spent months going through them after my diagnosis.  I found no science to substantiate any of it.  I'll continue using my eye drops.  I'd rather not go blind.



Snake-oil, a lot of them, granted. But it's good you at least had an open enough mind to research and test them.



> Now, thanks to Phil, I'm gonna have to call the Big Oil companies.  I have no idea what oil is in my Cosopt drop.



3-in-1, maybe? Canola? layful:


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 21, 2013)

SifuPhil said:


> In addition, he claims that many docs are blackballed if they don't push a certain drug, so I guess it's gone from carrot to stick.



I've heard that too, the doctors are afraid of losing their jobs...I wouldn't doubt it.


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## Pricklypear (Mar 21, 2013)

3-in-one?  I don't know yet but I wouldn't be surprised.


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## SifuPhil (Mar 22, 2013)

Pricklypear said:


> 3-in-one?  I don't know yet but I wouldn't be surprised.



I like to be a bit more high-tech in my own healthcare programs.

I use Armor-All.  



			
				SeaBreeze said:
			
		

> I've heard that too, the doctors are afraid of losing their jobs...I wouldn't doubt it.



I tend to come down hard on doctors, but at the same time I can understand a few of the problems they face, this being one of them.


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 22, 2013)

SifuPhil said:


> I tend to come down hard on doctors, but at the same time I can understand a few of the problems they face, this being one of them.



I feel sorry for them really.  I like the good ol' days, when a doctor had confidence, made his own decisions and did his best to "heal" the patient...without being held under a microscope, having every move monitored, and needing to explain to the powers that be, his reasons behind every action. :mask:


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## Knightofalbion (Mar 22, 2013)

We may jest, but adverse reaction to pharmaceutical drugs and doctor errors are among the leading causes of hospitalization and premature death.

An alarming read...

http://www.worstpills.org/public/page.cfm?op_id=5#extensive


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## SifuPhil (Mar 22, 2013)

Knightofalbion said:


> We may jest, but adverse reaction to pharmaceutical drugs and doctor errors are among the leading causes of hospitalization and premature death.
> 
> An alarming read...
> 
> http://www.worstpills.org/public/page.cfm?op_id=5#extensive



9.6 MILLION ...

... and THAT is just in the U.S.! Scary statistics indeed.

Thank you for that link, Sir Knight - very enlightening.


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 25, 2013)

*Orencia*

(from Orencia.com)

Just saw a television commercial for Orencia.  I think the ad was treatment for Fibromyalgia, but this drug is commonly used for Rheumatoid Arthritis, and is prescribed for some other conditions also.  What caught my attention was that a rare, but serious side effect may be malignant tumors or cancer.  It seems that the way this drug works is to weaken the immune system, leaving users more prone to various infections.




> ORENCIA can cause serious side effects including:





> *Serious infections. *ORENCIA can make you more likely to get infections or make the infection that you have get worse. Some patients have died from these infections. Call your healthcare provider immediately if you feel sick or get any of the following signs of infection: fever, feel very tired, cough, feel flu-like, or warm, red or painful skin.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Ozarkgal (Mar 25, 2013)

Jeeze..How potentially lethal or damaging does a drug have to be before the FDA denies approval?  I am very wary of new drugs that are put into the market.  Too many of them end up in class action lawsuits for damages.  When a new drug hits  the market  that is just the final phase of testing.  In 5 years if they haven't ended up in a class action, resulting in being pulled from the market, they are deemed proven.  In the meantime, people die and lawyers get rich.

I recently read an article that stated patients should try to get doctors to prescribe drugs that have been on the market for at least 5 years, as they have a proven track record and are generally less expensive than the newer, much hyped drug.


Remember the good old thalidomide drug of the 50's that caused pregnant women to produce babies with limb deformities?  After protracted lawsuits and criminal charges against the manufacturer, which resulted in the manufacturer having to support the deformed kids for life, the drug was re-introduced as a treatment for leprosy, some aids related symptoms and use certain cancers is being researched  Meanwhile, there is concern the drug will produce a whole new round of deformities....It begs the question as to why the manufacturer would want to go a second round with this drug and risk more liability?  The $$ return must far out weigh the risk.

All these dangerous side effects is like saying, the operation was a success, but the patient died.


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## Ozarkgal (Mar 25, 2013)

pchinvegas said:


> Crazy isn't it ? One drug and I forget which advised a possible oily discharge !!! Doesn't say from where this Havoline will come from but it was enough to keep me from wanting to try it ! Haha



Now don"t dismiss this one too quickly...at my age I could use a little lubrication for the creaks and squeekslayful:


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## pchinvegas (Mar 26, 2013)

Had not thought of that ozarkgal, your right.


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## SifuPhil (Mar 26, 2013)

Ozarkgal said:


> Jeeze..How potentially lethal or damaging does a drug have to be before the FDA denies approval?  I am very wary of new drugs that are put into the market.  Too many of them end up in class action lawsuits for damages.  When a new drug hits  the market  that is just the final phase of testing.  In 5 years if they haven't ended up in a class action, resulting in being pulled from the market, they are deemed proven.  In the meantime, people die and lawyers get rich.



People can call me a tin-foil-hat-wearing conspiracy geek as much as they like - I'm firmly convinced that the FDA and Big Pharma sleep together.

... and I don't mean they just _sleep_, if you get my drift. 



> I recently read an article that stated patients should try to get doctors to prescribe drugs that have been on the market for at least 5 years, as they have a proven track record and are generally less expensive than the newer, much hyped drug.



I think many patients would do far better to get their 'scrips on the street - less chance of lethal side-effects, it seems. 




> Remember the good old thalidomide drug of the 50's that caused pregnant women to produce babies with limb deformities?  After protracted lawsuits and criminal charges against the manufacturer, which resulted in the manufacturer having to support the deformed kids for life, the drug was re-introduced as a treatment for leprosy, some aids related symptoms and use certain cancers is being researched  Meanwhile, there is concern the drug will produce a whole new round of deformities....It begs the question as to why the manufacturer would want to go a second round with this drug and risk more liability?  The $$ return must far out weigh the risk.



Gruenenthal Group, the company responsible for the initial use of Thalidomide, *has apologized to mothers who took it* in the 1950s and 1960s and gave birth to children with  congenital birth defects. Exactly 50 years ago, Thalidomide was  pulled off the market.

_O frabjous_ day! Callooh! Callay! 



> All these dangerous side effects is like saying, the operation was a success, but the patient died.



They always seem to be able to extract the wallet before the patient dies, however ...


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