Strange Drug Side Effects
Strange Drug Side Effects
Ever experience a sudden, strong desire to gamble , or a funny feeling that you've been driving in your sleep?
It could be nothing. Or maybe it's time to finally read the warnings that came with that bottle of over-the-counter or prescription drugs you're taking. Strange as it may sound, compulsive gambling and sleep-driving are two real side effects that have been reported by patients or drug manufacturers in recent years.
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Mirapex
Purpose: Mirapex is a prescription drug used to treat Parkinson's disease, as well as restless leg syndrome, a condition in which people feel unpleasant sensations in their legs and an overwhelming desire to move their legs.
Side Effect: There have been reports of Mirapex users having hallucinations, though they occur more frequently in people over 65 taking the drug for Parkinson's disease. Some patients also have reported problems with gambling and compulsive eating.
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Zocor
Purpose: In tandem with a healthy diet, Zocor is used to help lower patients' high cholesterol levels as well as reduce their risk of heart attack, stroke and death due to coronary heart disease.
Side Effect: Eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while being treated with Zocor, among other drugs, can increase the amount of medication in your bloodstream and pose health risks.
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Alli
Purpose: The only FDA-approved over-the-counter weight-loss product, the Alli program consists of capsules and an online action plan to help users gradually lose weight. It's said to be able to help people increase their weight loss by 50%.
Side Effect: Treatment effects include bowel changes, including oily spotting, loose stools and more frequent stools that may be hard to control, which are commonly caused by eating meals containing too much fat. A low-fat diet with meals containing an average of 15 grams of fat can lower the chances of experiencing these effects.
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Chantix
Purpose: A prescription medicine that contains no nicotine, Chantix can help adults stop smoking. Studies have shown that after 12 weeks of use, 44% of users were able to quit smoking.
Side Effect: Some of the most common side effects of using Chantix include trouble sleeping, as well as vivid, unusual or increased dreaming. In February, the FDA also released a public health advisory stating that severe changes in mood and behavior may be related to use of the drug.
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AmbienCR
Purpose: A prescription sleep aid, Ambien CR treats insomnia. A dual-layered product, the first layer dissolves quickly to help users get to sleep fast, while the second layer dissolves slowly to help keep them asleep for about seven hours.
Side Effect: Instances of sleepwalking, as well as eating or driving while not fully awake--with no memory of the events--have been reported by users. In March 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requested that all manufacturers of sedative-hypnotic drug products strengthen their product labeling to include stronger language about these potential risks.
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Allegra-D 24-Hour
Purpose: This antihistamine/decongestant combo works for 24 hours to relieve users' congestion and other seasonal allergy symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose and itchy nose, palate and throat, as well as irritated eyes.
Side Effect: Along with headaches and colds, this allergy medication has been known to give users backaches.
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Vasotec
Purpose: Part of a class of drugs known as ACE inhibitors, Vasotec is used to treat high blood pressure as well as symptomatic congestive heart failure.
Side Effect: Among other things, Vasotec may cause users to lose their sense of taste.
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Lariam
Purpose: Lariam is a drug that's considered effective in preventing malaria.
Side Effect: Some of the most frequently reported side effects include difficulty sleeping and bad dreams, but Lariam also may cause people to experience hallucinations and feelings that people are against them.
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Recent Comments
Therose102787 10:24:40 PM Nov 25 2008
lmao about the Alli, i remember when it came out i was watching the daily show and he mentioned "anal seepage" as a side effect. haha..they actually re-worded the side effect on the box. another medicine is singulair it causes weird and crazy dreams in people.
NicStepro 09:43:05 PM Nov 25 2008
the fda is the most useless overfunded cash cow waste of money ever perpetrated on the public. remember the tomato fiasco, then the pepper fiasco. pffft. they take drugs off the market that help more people than they harm- and all meds have an effect . the doc and you should decide if its benefits outweigh the risk. drugs that helped so many people have been pulled unnecessarily and never effectively replaced., both otc and Rx. <sigh>
Animal2605 10:41:04 AM Nov 18 2008
I had been taking the grapefruit capsuls because eating greapefruit or drinking the juice gives me serious heartburn. I learned early on about the side effects of grapefruit and certain medications. My Doctor wanted to put me on a different chlosterlol medication. I refused to take it because of the side effects. I had been losing weight and doing well with the capsuls. I was almost within my goal that I wanted. Suddenly a lot of other people started having problems with the citrasens capsuls and it was yanked off the market. My health over all had been improving in many ways before that happened. Now I am back to square one tryng to find another way.
LARUEPJ 05:47:05 PM Nov 10 2008
My mother was on a drug called Permax (for Parkinson's disease) for years and had very good results with it. When the FDA pulled it (they said it was causing damage to heart valves), the doctor put her on Mirapex in its place. After being on it for two days, she ended up in the psychiatric hospital for three weeks because of it. From the hospital, she went straight to a nursing home, and was there for almost a year before I could bring her home. She still can't walk without assistance, and I don't dare leave her alone long enough to go to the grocery store three miles down the street.I've seen advertisements for Mirapex on the television almost on a daily basis and not once do they ever say the word "hallucinations" when they talk about the side effects.
Auntiemom137 11:31:05 AM Nov 10 2008
Twins2772--- yes you are so right! I was on the same medication and I constantly felt the urge to yawn. I also had incredible dreams!! When I went off it, I missed the dreams.
Consult1on1 10:02:38 AM Nov 10 2008
Before publishing hear say, further studies need to be conducted to distinguish between KIDNEY and back pain when taking Allegra-D 24-HourSide Effect: Along with headaches and colds, this allergy medication has been known to give users backaches.
NewYorkDingo 09:45:53 AM Nov 10 2008
Sure, we can blame the pharmaceutical companies for ramming drugs down our throats, but society has to take responsibility as well. We've come to expect that there is a pill for everything. No one wants to do the work involved for overcoming a problem. Just take a pill! So then you need ANOTHER pill to treat the effects of it. And so on, and so on.
BlakeSReed1372 08:44:12 AM Nov 10 2008
Chantix is poison!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Causes diabetes,suicide,heart attacks, and so many more problems.
