Dozens of these buttons flooded the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) headquarters at a meeting for the widely prescribed asthma/allergy medication, montelukast (brand name, Singulair). The message was simple: “The benefits did not outweigh the risks.” As each button approached the podium, the panel of experts heard gut-wrenching testimonials about the … [Read more...] about Montelukast: Beyond the Black Box
Suicide
Causes Sexual Dysfunction, Suicide and Birth Defects?
Everyone who reads RxISK posts will know that SSRI and related drugs (some antibiotics, painkillers, antihistamines and most antidepressants) can cause sexual dysfunction. This has been known since 1961. And that they can cause suicide. This has been known since 1959. And that they can cause birth defects. The first publication by an Australian obstetrician, William … [Read more...] about Causes Sexual Dysfunction, Suicide and Birth Defects?
Everything’s in Hand: Isotretinoin and the Usual Guff
Niks aan de Hand - Nothing out of hand. This item has just appeared in the BMJ: An expert group has been reconvened to review recent safety data relating to the acne drug isotretinoin (Roaccutane) and evaluate the risk of sexual and psychiatric adverse effects, including suicide. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency’s isotretinoin expert working group … [Read more...] about Everything’s in Hand: Isotretinoin and the Usual Guff
Extinction Revolt?
Editorial Note: Following the Montelukast, Fluoroquinolone and Psychotropic post, there is a comment from Heather Roberts to which David Healy responded. The edited comments are here. This led to an email exchange between HR and DH which follows. Along with Wendy Dolin and her MISSD website (see above) and Billiam James' Akathisia Anthem, Heather and her husband David have … [Read more...] about Extinction Revolt?
Montelukast, Fluoroquinolone, Psychotropic Withdrawal & Toxicity
Last week's post on Montelukast Withdrawal Syndrome has attracted comments at a higher rate than any prior post in 7 years of RxISK posts. It followed a post on Asthma causing Suicide and Homicide two weeks previously, which had links to the QuarterWatch 2015 report of adverse events in children fingering montelukast and suicidality as the second most common pediatric … [Read more...] about Montelukast, Fluoroquinolone, Psychotropic Withdrawal & Toxicity
Montelukast Withdrawal Syndrome
When my happy, full-of-life, adventure-seeking 11-year-old son experienced severe, debilitating neuropsychiatric symptoms after stopping his asthma medication, I embarked on a journey in a desperate search for answers. How could a medication that acts on the respiratory system reduce my healthy child to a lifeless shell? How could our beloved doctor not discuss the … [Read more...] about Montelukast Withdrawal Syndrome
When Asthma leads to Suicide or Homicide
It seems like it's all happening in Wales at the moment. Wales Online last week reported on two children who developed suicidal behaviour and change of personalities on montelukast - Singulair. It was two mother who pieced the story together in the case of their children and confirmed the link to the drug by getting it stopped and seeing the problem clear up. … [Read more...] about When Asthma leads to Suicide or Homicide
RxISK Rorschach: Do not Go Gentle
Last week's RxISK post on Assisted Dying proved something of a Rorschach test. People read diametrically opposite messages into it. It was written at the same time as Something Stupid This Way Comes and cross-referenced this. This I thought made it clear that there is no such thing as Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD). TRD is a phenomenon created by antidepressants - … [Read more...] about RxISK Rorschach: Do not Go Gentle
Assisted Dying: Going Gentle or Not so Gentle
Assisted dying has become a hot topic. For large parts of human history when people came toward an end, they might have been left in an outhouse by relatives or consigned themselves to a hut in the woods. Children too. When born, Spartan children were taken outside and their hands placed on the eaves of the house - if they didn't cling on, the bodies were … [Read more...] about Assisted Dying: Going Gentle or Not so Gentle
Encountering Doctors
Editorial Note: The image goes with a study headlined Doctors stop listening to patients several seconds into a conversation. This post is from one of the many PSSD sufferers who behind the scenes has been helping push research on this awful condition forward. It would be a lot easier if doctors did listen. Just as the brain and the human nervous system are largely … [Read more...] about Encountering Doctors