Editorial note: In 1962, Sylvia Plath committed suicide a week after going on phenelzine, an antidepressant. She had two young children, making her death close to inexplicable - unless the medication she was put on disturbed the balance of her mind. But what does 'disturb the balance of your mind' mean? In this account, another Sylvia put on doxycycline gives one of the best … [Read more...] about Suicide is Painless: Sylvia’s Story
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SoS: Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
The first benzodiazepine, Librium, came on the market in 1960, followed three years later by Valium. By the late 1960s the benzos were selling in vast amounts. In the 1970s Valium became the best selling drug on Earth. While Leo Hollister and others put forward suggestions that you could get hooked to them as early as 1961, the main concern in the early years was their huge … [Read more...] about SoS: Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
Daily Mail Online: What is wrong with randomised trials Part 2
May 5, 2013 By Jerome Burne Could alcohol get a licence as a drug for depression? How do you test for the safety of a drug that causes the same side effects as the disease it is used to treat? These are just two of the points I didn’t have room for in my post last week on randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and why they don’t tell you what you want to know. (More on these … [Read more...] about Daily Mail Online: What is wrong with randomised trials Part 2
SoS: Anti-clotting drugs – Fiona’s story
Editorial note: Fiona's story (FB) was the first RxISK story filed. It is reproduced here. Data from FDA's MedWatch system noting withdrawal problems on clopidogrel and Plavix are laid out in the Table at the bottom. Fiona's story I had a heart attack two years ago and was prescribed Clopidogrel and low dose Aspirin as my after care. Several months ago it was decided that I … [Read more...] about SoS: Anti-clotting drugs – Fiona’s story
Daily Mail Online: Why randomised controlled trials don’t tell you what you want to know
April 28, 2013 by Jerome Burne Earlier this week the Daily Mail published my feature on side-effects and how patients aren’t properly warned about them. Antidepressants, for instance, can cause compulsive heavy drinking but you wouldn’t know it from the drug information leaflet. The article is about campaigning psychiatrist Dr David Healy, who believes patients need a … [Read more...] about Daily Mail Online: Why randomised controlled trials don’t tell you what you want to know
Dopamine Antagonist Withdrawal Syndrome – Carole’s Story
The last post outlined the horrors of dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome (DAWS). This week's features the equally grim horror of dopamine antagonist withdrawal syndrome (DAAWS). The dopamine antagonists include the antipsychotic, anti-nausea, anti-itch and other groups of drugs. The antipsychotics were the first of the modern psychotropic drugs to be linked to severe … [Read more...] about Dopamine Antagonist Withdrawal Syndrome – Carole’s Story
Dopamine Agonist Withdrawal Syndrome (DAWS)
Editorial note: Renny's story chillingly outlines the misery of Dopamine Agonist Withdrawal Syndrome (DAWS). Below this we present data from RxISK's SoS Zone showing rates of Symptoms on Stopping and related problems on Dopamine Agonists which fully bear out her personal experience. I was prescribed Mirapex (Pramipexole), a ‘Dopamine Agonist’, in early 2012 for ‘Restless Legs … [Read more...] about Dopamine Agonist Withdrawal Syndrome (DAWS)
The Honest Apothecary: Pharmageddon, RxISK.org, and an interview with Dr. David Healy
There are many roads one can travel on within the world of medicine. Some take their training down the pathway of clinical practice and patient care. Other will steer themselves toward the scholarly street of science and studies. A few apply their brains to the boulevard of books and blogs. And some head straight for the Interstate and become internationally recognized … [Read more...] about The Honest Apothecary: Pharmageddon, RxISK.org, and an interview with Dr. David Healy
Daily Mail Online: Could your medicine give you a drink problem?
The disturbing side-effects even the manufacturers don't know about By Jerome Burne Published: 23:50 GMT, 22 April 2013 | Updated: 06:41 GMT, 23 April 2013 Several years ago, Anne-Marie Cook, a 40-year-old health care assistant from Surrey, was prescribed the antidepressant Seroxat after she’d become anxious and withdrawn following the death of her father. Within a … [Read more...] about Daily Mail Online: Could your medicine give you a drink problem?
Maclean’s magazine: There’s a pill for that
A B.C. class-action suit against the makers of Paxil is putting the spotlight on a controversial issue: the growing use of antidepressants during pregnancy. ...Yet a rising chorus of researchers is questioning Motherisk’s stance on SSRI use in pregnancy. One of the most vocal is psychiatrist and psychopharmacologist David Healy, director of the North Wales department of … [Read more...] about Maclean’s magazine: There’s a pill for that