side effects of medecine

[slowmotion]

This one?
http://www.drugs.com/

I don't think it was that one. The alarming one that I stumbled on a year ago had "sfx" somewhere in the title. For each drug that you searched for, it gave four pages of information. A brief paragraph of the benefits, and the rest, a comprehensive list of (usually) fatal side-effects. It required a gallows sense of humour. It wasn't a spoof either.

EDIT: actually, with /sfx tacked on the end, that might have been the website. Sorry.

 

[Sara_H]

When my OH was having surgery for his Le Fort fracture the registrar taking consent seemed a bit nervous (as senior nurses we often have that effect on doctors). He told us the list of possible adverse effects and OH duly signed. Reg walked off, stopped, turned round and Said "Oh, I forget to mention, you might go blind. Is that ok?"

 

[buggi]

Would you take something that might! help, whilst at the same time has a strong chance of sending you blind. Leaving you to deal/become accustomed to a new problem?

that one probably doesn't fall into the category of "most cases".

 

[classic33]

that one probably doesn't fall into the category of "most cases".

Fair point.

 

[buggi]

Fair point.

my uncle takes warfarin. The side effect of him not taking it is death. I don't think he cares right now if his willy falls off.

 

[classic33]

my uncle takes warfarin. The side effect of him not taking it is death. I don't think he cares right now if his willy falls off.

Don't have to worry on that last part. Side effect of not being able to be prescribed/given medication due to its side effects.

 

[ColinJ]

my uncle takes warfarin. The side effect of him not taking it is death. I don't think he cares right now if his willy falls off.

I don't think that gangrene is actually good for your health!

It isn't a case of 'take this, or die' - there are other drugs available, or other combinations of drugs. If the doctors get to treat the problem in time, then they can do something about it

Some of the side effects of Warfarin can kill you - bleeding into the brain being the obvious one. That one isn't very subtle though, so you wouldn't miss it. (I heard the pain from it described as the worst migraine anyone ever had, times 10!)

I wouldn't say that I was doing much willy-scrutinising when I was at death's door, but if the doctors had said "Just quickly check yourself twice a day" then I would have.

 

[classic33]

I don't think that gangrene is actually good for your health!

It isn't a case of 'take this, or die' - there are other drugs available, or other combinations of drugs. If the doctors get to treat the problem in time, then they can do something about it

Some of the side effects of Warfarin can kill you - bleeding into the brain being the obvious one. That one isn't very subtle though, so you wouldn't miss it. (I heard the pain from it described as the worst migraine anyone ever had, times 10!)

I wouldn't say that I was doing much willy-scrutinising when I was at death's door, but if the doctors had said "Just quickly check yourself twice a day" then I would have.

You'd have to be careful on the "willy watch" side of things. There's some odd 'uns down your neck o'woods!!

 

[classic33]

Taking something that thins the blood & I've to watch it if I'm unable to get the bleeding stopped. Supposed to get to A&E, and get them to stop it. I'm not about to waste their time on a paper cut to the hand.
IF the blood thinning gets excessive, I've noticed more than once, that the blood is actually coming through the skin. First time it was noticed I couldn't find a cut. Subsequent blood test showed the amount in the blood to be "a little on the high side", but at the time more than one was being taken & it increased the effect of the other.

 

[ufkacbln]

It is a difficult one, and I think about perspective.

If for the average patient the risks are minimal and can often be excluded by careful questioning when prescribing then do you need to tell the patient?

Many drugs have anaphylaxis, cardiac arrest and death as side effects, but only in such small numbers it is statistically insignificant - do you need to discus this

After all next time you could theoretically state the same for cycling / driving / walking down the road - death, serious injures, and lots of other potential side effects, do you tell someone that when you suggest they ride a bike?

 

[buggi]

I don't think that gangrene is actually good for your health!

It isn't a case of 'take this, or die' - there are other drugs available, or other combinations of drugs. If the doctors get to treat the problem in time, then they can do something about it

Some of the side effects of Warfarin can kill you - bleeding into the brain being the obvious one. That one isn't very subtle though, so you wouldn't miss it. (I heard the pain from it described as the worst migraine anyone ever had, times 10!)

I wouldn't say that I was doing much willy-scrutinising when I was at death's door, but if the doctors had said "Just quickly check yourself twice a day" then I would have.

my uncle had a quad by pass, spent about 3 months in a coma and the concoction of drugs he's on literally does keep him alive, warfarin being one of them to thin the blood. He was given 10 years tops... He's about 12 years now i think. I think the dose is lower now than at first , or he might not be on it anymore (haven't spoke to him about it recently) i doubt he would have said no to it. Besides, that's why they include the information leaflet... Doctors probably couldn't remember every side effect of every medicine if they wanted to.

 

[ColinJ]

my uncle had a quad by pass, spent about 3 months in a coma and the concoction of drugs he's on literally does keep him alive, warfarin being one of them to thin the blood. He was given 10 years tops... He's about 12 years now i think. I think the dose is lower now than at first , or he might not be on it anymore (haven't spoke to him about it recently) i doubt he would have said no to it. Besides, that's why they include the information leaflet... Doctors probably couldn't remember every side effect of every medicine if they wanted to.

It's true that there are an awful lot of potential side effects to most drugs, and I did read the leaflet that came with one of my early batches of Warfarin, which is where I spotted the penile necrosis warning. That prompted me to go online and read more ...

 

[buggi]

It's true that there are an awful lot of potential side effects to most drugs, and I did read the leaflet that came with one of my early batches of Warfarin, which is where I spotted the penile necrosis warning. That prompted me to go online and read more ...

i suppose it depends why they are prescribing it... Like in my uncles case the side effect is not as bad as the effect of not taking it, but in your case ... Penile necrosis sounds way worse than erectile dysfunction!!!

 

[ColinJ]

As I keep pointing out - it isn't a case of saying "Don't fancy the side effects, won't take the drugs". I would probably have died within another couple of weeks if I hadn't got anticoagulants when I did. I'm simply saying doctors and patients should watch out for any side effects which can be extremely serious but are not extremely rare, and treat them if they occur.

 

[ColinJ]

Occur!