Sally MacGregor has written about the horrors of dependence on olanzapine - see Olanzapine Withdrawal and Back In Olanzapine Waters. Here she picks up a conundrum - Primary Care Doctors react to the idea of Benzodiazepines as though they have been the greatest threat to the stability of society since World War II, while at the same time it seems still dishing out these drugs in … [Read more...] about Benzodiazepine and Antidepressant Dependence
Antipsychotics
The Maintenance Man: Fata-nomics the cancer plaguing healthcare
Editorial Note: This post is from Johanna Ryan "You murdered my dad. You poisoned him. You tortured and murdered my dad." The sentencing hearing for Farid T. Fata, M.D. at the federal courthouse in Detroit last week did not lack for drama – and Piero Zanotti’s daughter was not the only victim to accuse him of murder. The U.S. government might well have done so, if he had not … [Read more...] about The Maintenance Man: Fata-nomics the cancer plaguing healthcare
Drugs and Smell: Smells of SHIT
Medication can mess up your sense of Smell. This post links to the Magna Farta post on david healy, which tells the story of Zicam and Matrixx Pharmaceuticals. For anyone interested in adverse events, this is one of the most important stories in medicine. It also links to the SHIT Happens and SHIT happens 2 posts. There are three Tables. The first shows drugs that cause Anosmia … [Read more...] about Drugs and Smell: Smells of SHIT
Because Veterans Are Worth It
Editorial Note from Johanna Ryan: Cesar Ruvalcaba is a veteran of the U.S. Army, 10th Mountain Division, and served in Somalia in the early 1990’s. He’s now a dedicated antiwar activist and a member of Vietnam Veterans Against War (VVAW). He told this story May 25 at a Memorial Day rally in Chicago organized by antiwar veterans. As Cesar indicated, many Iraq-era veterans … [Read more...] about Because Veterans Are Worth It
The Year of My Life that was Stolen
This post is by Katinka Blackford-Newman, who can be seen here running a half-marathon to raise money for RxISK but who also since the events described here has been involved in several criminal trials, believing that it is important that juries get to hear stories like hers when faced with the challenge of assessing what contribution a drug might have made to a crime. There … [Read more...] about The Year of My Life that was Stolen
The Once and Future Abilify: Depot Injections for Everyone?
Written by Johanna Ryan, May 9, 2015 This column is partly a report on the marketing of Abilify, the atypical antipsychotic that has become America’s best-selling drug. It’s also an appeal for advice and feedback from the RxISK and Mad in America communities, and a call for some brainstorming about strategy. The plans laid out by drugmakers Otsuka and Lundbeck for Abilify’s … [Read more...] about The Once and Future Abilify: Depot Injections for Everyone?
Abilify, Tourette Syndrome and You
Editorial Note: This post follows on from one of the most compelling RxISK stories ever - Abilify, Tourette Syndrome and Me, posted last week. It comes in two parts. The first by last week's author and the second by the series editor, Johanna Ryan. In our efforts to get our story told, raise awareness about the dangers of antipsychotics, and fight for better treatments for … [Read more...] about Abilify, Tourette Syndrome and You
Abilify, Tourette Syndrome and Me
Editorial Note: This post is by DG. It's number three in the Abilify series, following Dodging Abilify and Abilify from the Inside Out. I was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome (TS) as a child. It was always manageable. I did well in school and was actively involved with music programs at church and school. At 17, my tics suddenly became severe and despite extensive testing, … [Read more...] about Abilify, Tourette Syndrome and Me
Abilify from the Inside Out
Editorial Note: This is part 2 of Johanna Ryan's series that started with Dodging Abilify. Abilify is at present the best-selling drug in North America - how come? In last week’s column, Dodging Abilify, I described the fan-club enthusiasm for this drug among doctors I’ve met, my own reluctance to try it, and what I’d learned about Abilify from casual research. This week … [Read more...] about Abilify from the Inside Out
Dodging Abilify
Editorial Note: This post is by Johanna Ryan, who has a unique ability to capture the American Nightmare. The best-selling drug in the United States isn’t a blood pressure pill, a painkiller or even an antidepressant. It’s Abilify, an antipsychotic agent with $6.3 billion in 2013 sales. Granted, Abilify isn’t the most prescribed pill, but its #1 status is sealed by popularity … [Read more...] about Dodging Abilify