Posted by Viridis on January 1, 2004, at 20:27:02
In reply to Re: The real problem cont.., posted by zeugma on January 1, 2004, at 19:58:09
I suspect that one could choose nearly any medication (or class of medications) and make a sensational case for their danger. Aspirin? Can cause bleeding, ulcers, etc. Antibiotics? Many people are allergic to some; they can really mess up your gut bacterial flora and I even took one recently for a dental problem that has a "black box" warning of a rare fatal syndrome. Cholesterol-lowering drugs? Some have been known to cause liver failure. Anti-malarials? Some can cause severe psychological reactions in susceptible individuals. Antihistamines? Can cause elevated blood pressure and heart problems in some people.
And so on. All sorts of drugs have rare side effects that are potentially dangerous, yet that doesn't justify abandoning them.
I can't tolerate SSRIs or other antidepressants I've tried, yet others I know have had their lives turned around by Prozac, Paxil, Effexor, etc. To reject them outright seems ridiculous, especially given recent evidence that some of these meds actually stimulate regrowth of neurons.
Of course, patients should be informed and careful, but my impression is that these authors are just cashing in on people's fears, which tend to be especially pronounced when it comes to psychiatric drugs.
poster:Viridis
thread:295371
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031231/msgs/295555.html