Drug Side Effects
Learn what others have experienced when taking medications. Which side effects should you be alert for? Share your own experience so others can learn.
What Can A Woman Do To Kill Her Sex Drive?
This article was written several years ago in response to a question from a visitor to this web site. Since that time we have received nearly 400 comments from other visitors to this page. Many are he…
Antibiotics Avelox, Cipro & Levaquin Trigge…
Q. I have taken Cipro, Levaquin and Avelox numerous times over many years. And now I am a neurological patient for treatment of neuropathy. At first I could not understand why my feet felt like "fuzzy…
Drug for Overactive Bladder Led to Underactive B…
Q. I took oxybutynin for urinary incontinence several years ago. The mental fuzziness was awful. A friend also taking this drug had similar symptoms but attributed them to aging. I wish there were a s…
Could Your Antibiotic Cause You Permanent Nerve …
Did you know that the FDA has issued a safety notification about a class of popular antibiotics called fluoroquinolones (FQs)? The announcement involves the following drugs: Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) Gemi…
How Many People Died While the FDA Delayed Actio…
For years we were told to "Trust TYLENOL. Hospitals do." The manufacturer of this popular brand of acetaminophen promoted its safety, particularly compared to aspirin. A new investigative report from …
Memantine (Namenda) Side Effects & Complica…
Q. A friend was recently put on a drug called Namenda. What do you know about side effects beyond what's in the standard packaging? I'm asking because he has undergone a precipitous decline in both me…
Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Raise Risk of Catarac…
Statin-type cholesterol-lowering drugs are widely prescribed to reduce the risk for heart disease. That's partly because the current guidelines suggest that every man over 64 and every woman over 70 s…
Stop-Smoking Drug Chantix Triggered Kidney Probl…
Q. My husband and I both started taking Chantix last year so we could quit smoking. My husband is one of the calmest people I've ever met. He never even spanked my kids. On the drug, he began losing h…
Cancer Warnings on Advertised Medications Make P…
Q. Don't you think it is counterproductive to advertise so many drugs on TV and at the end of the commercial it says "may cause cancer"? We are battling cancer every day with so many people affected b…
Commercials with Reminders That Drugs Can Have S…
Q. I think I have worn out several remote controls hitting the mute button on many loud drug commercials. But I have to say I am alive today because of hearing them. I was given a new blood pressure…
Diabetes Drugs: A Disappointing Tale of Broken P…
Billions of dollars are spent on diabetes drugs every year. Patients have been led to believe that these medications will protect them from the ravages of elevated blood sugar: heart attacks, strokes…
Heavy-Duty Heartburn Drugs Have Some Unanticipat…
Even though their names sound a bit like invaders from outer space, drugs like Nexium and Protonix have become extremely popular. These proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) include dexlansoprazole (Dexilant)…
Statin-Type Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Can Disru…
Q. I have been on Crestor. It lowered my cholesterol very well, but my blood sugar went out of control. My HbA1c [a measure of blood sugar over time] went from 6.8 to 7.3 in just a short while. My fa…
Tenacious Nasal Spray Addiction Can Be Overcome …
Q. I was addicted to nasal sprays for five years. The ear, nose and throat specialist told me that there was nothing he could do. He said I had to go "cold turkey." A year later, my family doctor pres…
Topiramate (Topamax) Side Effects & Lowered…
Before accepting any prescription, ask your health care provider about potential side effects. In some cases, your partner should be there for the discussion as well. It's not unusual for a medication…
Acetaminophen Pain Reliever Can Cause Liver Prob…
Q. I read recently about the FDA's warning that acetaminophen can cause serious skin reactions. I have become more alarmed, however, by the number of people being diagnosed with liver problems as a si…
Severe Muscle Weakness Improves After Stopping S…
Q. I am 44 years old and took simvastatin for five years. I was very active and full of energy before taking simvastatin. Gradually, I lost strength in my body, especially in my left leg. I could hard…
FDA Warns That Morning-After Hazards from Sleepi…
Millions of Americans are desperate for a good night's sleep. They toss and turn, stare at the clock and wake up feeling exhausted. That's why so many turn to sleeping pills. The most widely prescribe…
Celebrex Side Effects & Interactions Are Sc…
If you watch television you have probably seen the current Celebrex commercial. It starts with a picture book of a woman sitting in a lounge chair at the beach waving to friends. The pages flip quickl…
Questions Linger about Generic Bupropion
Q. I would like to know what has happened with FDA's investigation into generic Wellbutrin (bupropion). Has anyone heard about the results of the studies that were supposed to be completed by March 20…
Eliquis (Apixaban) Side Effects & Interacti…
Q. I have been taking Coumadin (warfarin) for years, however, my doctor recently recommended that I switch to Xarelto or Eliquis. I am looking for more information on Eliquis to evaluate the pros and …
The Dangerous Downsides of Antidepressants
When a new antidepressant made the cover of Newsweek over two decades ago, the headline announced: "Prozac: A Breakthrough Drug for Depression." It was hoped that this medication (and many others to f…
Diovan (Valsartan) Sparks a New Scandal
A few weeks ago we shared a shocking story about an internal feud going on at the FDA around a category of blood pressure-lowering drugs called ARBs: ARBs ON THE U.S. MARKET Atacand (candesartan) Av…
Popular Blood Pressure Drugs Raise Cancer Risks
Can popular blood pressure drugs increase serious cancer risks? In May a front-page article in the Wall Street Journal blew the lid off an internal squabble at the FDA regarding a very popular class o…
Pain Reliever May Trigger Dangerous Skin Reactio…
The FDA has issued an alert that acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, can cause rare, but life threatening, skin reactions. These include Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolys…
Drug Labels Lack Critical Information
There's something missing from your prescription drug label and chances are you haven't even noticed. It's the "lot number." Open your cupboard and you will find lot numbers on canned goods, crackers,…
FDA Warning Highlights Tylenol Hazard
For decades acetaminophen (APAP, Tylenol, etc.) was considered the safest drug in the pharmacy. But over the last few years, accumulating evidence suggests that we may need to rethink our trust in Tyl…
Lyrica Side Effects & Withdrawal are Worris…
Have you seen the ad blitz for Lyrica (pregabalin)? A LOT of money is being spent trying to convince the American public that Lyrica is the answer to diabetic nerve pain. One of the most compelling co…
A Family Doctor Looks at Statin ADRs
by Duane Graveline, MD, MPH The purpose of this article is to summarize what we doctors have learned about the various effects of statin drugs on the human body. Most of the adverse effects of statins…
Abilify Side Effects Can Be Scary!
Abilify (aripiprazole) has been one of the most successful drugs in the pharmacy. At one time, this medication had sales of over $5,000,000,000 annually. That turned it into one of the best selling dr…
Are Heartburn Drugs Bad for the Heart?
How would you know if your medicine was putting you at risk for heart disease? This might seem as simple as looking on the official labeling, but you might be surprised to learn that the FDA, which is…
Transient Global Amnesia (TGA) & Lipitor
(from 1997 through May 15, 2012) by Duane Graveline, M.D., MPH FDA has opened the shelves of MedWatch to those of us wishing to review for ourselves the status of statin adverse drug repor…
Oral Decongestants Linked to Rare Birth Defects
Pregnant women are frequently warned to avoid medications because they might be harmful for the fetus. But over-the-counter drugs are often perceived as safe, even during pregnancy. A new study sugg…
Pilots & Statins: A Cause for Concern?
by Duane Graveline, MD, MPH Only a few years ago I was just like most of the doctors in the United States in that I considered cholesterol one of the greatest problems faced in public health. In respo…
Enbrel & Remicade Side Effects & Compl…
Autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis can turn moving into misery. These conditions are far worse than aching joints; in some cases, they can be crippling. For cer…
Prostate Cancer Therapy May Threaten Kidneys
Men with prostate cancer frequently receive anti-androgen drug therapy. Such medications dramatically lower testosterone levels in the body and slow tumor growth. A new study suggests that such treatm…
Drugs That Can Cause Dry Eyes
It may seem like a minor annoyance to someone who doesn't experience this symptom. But just ask anyone who suffers from dry eyes what it feels like and you will hear some serious woe and misery. Imagi…
Safety of Stomach Medicine? Unanticipated Proble…
They are among the most widely swallowed pills in the world today. "They" are acid-suppressing drugs including: PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS Esomeprazole (Nexium) Lansoprazole (Prevacid) Omeprazole (Prilose…
Generic Switch Triggers Diazepam Side Effects …
Q. I had horrific side effects from 5mg diazepam when I was switched to a different generic diazepam. The first time I took the new pills, I woke up feeling like I was being shocked or as if I were ha…
Cornmeal vs. Antifungal Drugs for Nail Fungus
Nail fungus is one of those problems that has a high gross factor. When people go barefoot or wear sandals with their nails showing thickened brown or blackish nails, it is not a pretty sight. This re…