Medication Side Effects

Medication Side Effects questions and answers

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Q: What are the INH medication side effects and restrictions?
I am about to start taking INH medication for a latent TB infection. What are the common side effects I can expect and what restrictions will I have to abide by? I am already aware of the fact that I cannot drink alcohol, but what will happen if I do?

A: INH can cause liver toxicity. That may present as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, raised liver enzymes including ALT and AST and later, jaundice. INH can also affect nerves and cause weakness and numbness of a limb. It can also cause an allergic rash. INH can cause deficiency of pyridoxine, which is a component of B complex vitamins. Therefore, pyridoxine must be taken along with it. Alcohol can increase the chance of liver toxicity.

Q: How to deal with new anti anxiety medication side effects?
Just wondering what some good ways to deal with the side effects would be and how to help lessen them as i just started taking this medication a few days ago the medication is called Apo-Paroxetine

A: if you just started it, the effects may wear off. however, i would probably notify the doctor in case they wish to change the medicine.

Q: Difference between medication side effects and allergic reactions?
How long should you take a medication (makes you vomit) before you know if the vomiting is just a side effect or an allergic reaction??When should you stop taking it?? How many days should you continue to take a ned that makes you vomit???

A: Vomiting is rarely considered a true allergic rxn. Hives, swelling, rash, etc are allergic reactions. That doesn't mean that the medication that makes you vomit shouldn't be avoided and mentioned to doctors in the future.

Q: Epilim Chrono (Epilepsy medication) side effects advice?
My brother is on Epilim Chrono controlled release tablets for his epilepsy, and the doctor is advising my parents to reduce the dosage. This is because of a drop in certain things to do with his behavior. I've been told he's been less enthusiastic towards school work and friends, and sports at school etc. I want to know if any of you have had experience of this and if you reduced the medication amount because of these side effects. Any advice and information is appreciated. Thanks

A: Sodium valporate, or Epilim, which is the brand name, does have lots of unwanted side effects unfortunately. It can make users very drowsy and lethargic, and doctors like to give the smallest dose possible, to control the epilepsy efficiently while giving the patient a good quality of life too. Your brother may be better suited to a smaller dose given more frequently or maybe cutting out one dose altogether may suit him. It's really trial and error, and it may take a while for your parents to find a solution. There are also lots of other anti-epilepsy medications out there, another product may suit him better. Have a look at the British Epilepsy Society website which has lots of useful info also the medicines.org website will list the side effects of drugs.

Q: How should I deal with my medication side effects?
I've been on medication most of my life for ADHD. I'm just now beginning to realize that some of my mood swings, thoughts patterns, and even personal problems could be attributed to Strattera the drug i'm currently on. I'm knew to this area, young, and no longer live my parents. I don't really know any creditable doctors and am not sure if I have the ability to discern between them anyway. I need to figure out a remedy, especially for some of these depressive feelings and exhausted feelings that I'm getting. What should I do?

A: Honey, my daughter went through the same thing. You may need to switch to a different drug, or there is a chance that you no longer need to be on them. She had terrible thoughts , depression, and even at times suicidal (only 10), so we had no choice but to come off the meds. But keep in mind that you may go through somewhat of a with drawl period so it would be wise to call your local hospital and speak to a hospitalist, they can refer you to a Doctor that specializes in ADHD. Good luck!

Q: Does anyone have easy good protein recipes? To help me manage my medication side effects..?
I am taking combination treatment of pegintron/rebetol for Hepatis C. The side effects are somewhat unbearable, however while I"m on treatment It will help side effects if I consume at least 78oz of fliuds per day and 78 grams of protein per day. please help me ASAP with your knowledge of protein meal recipes. Thank You

A: I don't have a protein recipe to try but I do suggest you try Skinny Cow Milk. The chocolate is awesome!! It comes in both white and chocolate and are very cream and smooth. You're probably thinking why am I suggesting this milk. Well, because it has 11 grams of protein to an 8 oz. glass. It'd help with your fluid intake as well as protein intake.

Q: How to snap out of medication side effects.?
I just started a new sleep medication, but I was only able to sleep for about 5 hours last night due to my work schedule, and I have been feeling in a daze for 7 hours now! Without the help of caffeine, are there any suggestions out there on how to snap out of this daze? I have a lot more things to do today!

A: No if your still feeling it it may be just the meds even if you had gotten your 8 hours of sleep this should were off after your body has gotten used to the medication

Q: Can I sue Amgen over medication side effects?
I have been taking the drug Cellcept for years for my kidney transplant. I developed the BK Virus before it was added to the black box warning on the drug. Can I sue the makers of the drug? *cough* I mean Roche. Ahem. Yeah.

A: You can sue. The question is will you win? If you can prove they knew about the side affects and did not notify the public or the medical community, you might have a case. But who knows how hard that will be? To anyone who wants to sue, the only question to ask is 'Are your (or your lawyer's) pockets as deep as Amgen's? Most big corporations have a very large war chest to ward against these types of lawsuits. They will end up bankrupting most people who sue them long before the case gets to trial. This may not be what you wanted to here, but it's something to think about before you go down the lawsuit path. You must be aware of your chances of winning before you continue.

Q: Medication side effects, good or bad?
I am being treated for Bipolar II. I am on Lovan (Flouxotine) and Epilim (sodium volproate) among all the side effects I have a few that arent listed. 1) My skin has become extra sensitive, I have rashed, and issues with soaps and shampoos. I am hunting for more hypoallergenic items. Does this side effect have worse things like your skins sensitivity to the sun and getting sun-burn? 2) My mouth is dry, I have to drink lots and lots of water, it makes me go to the toilet alot. Can you drink too much water? 3) My breasts have enlarged/swolen. I wasn't fussed at first, kind of happy, but they are sore, and tender, I can't run without pain. And they continuesly hurt. Any suggestions with this one? I have been on medication for 6 weeks now and all initial side effects have worn off, the ones I have now appear to be here to stay. Please help me. The medications are working well for me, and I don't plan on changing. The breast tenderness has been happening for the six weeks. Not period related. Please focus on answering the actual questions.

A: I don't think fluoxetine's to blame, but valproate may be. Check out http://www.crazymeds.org or http://www.crazyboards.org for more info, advice and experiences. Best wisehs from a fellow BP2 nutjob.

Q: Anxiety medication side effects?
I'm seeing a shrink soon for anxiety... and if they want to put me on medication, are there a lot of bad side effects? my anxiety is terrible and i think i need medication just to calm me down, but now im scared about some of the bad side effects that the medication can bring... what are some common side effects of anxiety meds?

A: One thing to know about side effects of any kind of medication is that if one person has a reaction or an adverse effect from a medication it has to be reported and put on the list of side effects. All of the side effects that you read are very scary but know that it is not likely that you will have any. Ant-anxiety medications are very safe at the correct dosage for you. With these medications you don't even know that you are medicated the only thing that you will notice is a lack of stress and anxiety. If you try one and have a problem with energy or feeling sleepy then the dosage is to high. Your pharmacist is the specialist in any kind of medications. So if you have a problem he is the one to discuss the problem with. If he feels that there is something wrong he will advise you to talk to your psychiatrist. You have to have a correct diagnosis before being prescribe an ant-anxiety medication. I wish you the best and it is a good thing that you are seeing a psychiatrist.

Q: anti depression and anxiety medication withdrawal side effects?
What are some side effects of stopping say 3 or 4 anti depressive and anxiety medication suddenly? I think it's been about 3 weeks, and all the medications are out of my system. I'm feeling very odd, but don't know how much of it is the withdrawal, and how much is other.

A: You can have withdrawal from stopping suddenly. You can have migraines, brain shakes, drowsiness,etc. You're supposed to wean off of it. If you're having withdrawal it probably should end soon. It really depends how long you were on it. Talk to your doctor! good luck!

Q: Liver medication side effects?
I've been taking 3 medications for my liver for several years now. Cellcept, Urso and Prednisone. Just curious if anyone (male) taking these had or are having any sexual side effects?

A: If you are taking cellcept, I am presuming that you've had a liver transplant (since it's an antirejection drug) and ursodiol is to prevent the formation of gallstones. Prednisone is also used to prevent tissue rejection, as it's a steroid. Prednisone is the most likely culprit to sexual dysfunction in the form of lack of desire, or fluid shifts which can cause circulatory interference. It can also cause diabetes with long term use, and that can also lead to erectile dysfunction and lowered libido. It can also cause depression, which leads to lowered sex drive. I don't know what other factors you may have with your liver disease, but I would suggest that you talk to your primary care physician or your immunologist or transplant doc to address the loss of libido (lack of drive or desire) or loss of erectile function.

Q: Why do the side effects of medication make you more disabled than you already are?
Most of the time, I can't work not because of my mental illness, but because of the side effects of the medication, whether it makes you drowsy or makes you shake or whatever.

A: If the medication is causing such strong side effects, then, let your Dr. know. The Dr can have you adjust the dose down, taking less of it so you get the desired result, and avoid overwhelming side effects. OR the Dr may move you to a different medication all together. Psyc meds work a little differently on everybody. Trial and error can sometimes be the only method of finding the correct medication to minimize your symptoms without unpleasant side effects. Please be patient. It can take weeks or months before you find the right dose or the right combination.

Q: Can schizophrenia medication cause these side effects?
My brother is on depokote and haldol, and is having weird side effects, such as feeling like his ankles aren't there and as if his back is crooked and he can't stand straight. I don't know if this is a side effect from his medication or if it is a side effect of his illness. Anyone else experience this? Another thing he has complained about is sleep paralysis

A: People can have weird side effects to any medication but if it is severe enough to cause him discomfort he should talk to his doctor about it. There are many choices of meds and some of the side effects related to antipsychotic use can end up irreversible. You can google AIMS if you like to see the list. (abnormal involuntary movement)

Q: Anyone know of side effects of medication for ADHD on autistic children?
Help! My sons have been on medication for concentration and for resting at night. Over the course of a year, they have both put on at least 60 pounds each and I don't think it's healthy for them. Even though the meds help with their social and sleep patterns, it's given them extra baggage when they don't eat any more than they usually do. Any suggestions or information on how to counteract this side effect?

A: You should talk to the doctor about this weight gain. It sounds excessive and unhealthy unless they were not at a healthy weight when they started on the medication. I think it's odd for ADD medication to cause this sort of weight gain. What are their BMIs? Dana (M.S. Mental Health Counseling)