When it comes to psychotropic drugs, the patient is not being well informed. Read this great article on Psychotropic Drug Side Effects from our friends at Mental Health Rights ….
To quote the article:
“Psychotropic drugs do carry side effects, as all drugs do; yet individuals are rarely given the package insert that comes with the prescription. The FDA places severe warnings of psychotropic drugs side effects and the public have a right to know these adverse effects as well as the alternative treatments that are available for the individuals who is experiencing mental health symptoms.”
and
“Real lives were harmed in the trials and real-lives are harmed in every day life.”
MentalHealthRights.org is on longer around but we saved some important articles!
Psychotropic Drugs Side Effects
Posted on April 14, 2015 by mentalhealthrights
Psychotropic drugs do carry side effects, as all drugs do; yet individuals are rarely given the package insert that comes with the prescription. The FDA places severe warnings of psychotropic drugs side effects and the public have a right to know these adverse effects as well as the alternative treatments that are available for the individuals who is experiencing mental health symptoms.
We are in a country that permits direct-to-consumer advertising and with that advertising comes a hurried or minimally visible listing of the side effects.
Take note that the listed psychotropic drugs side effects come from clinical trials where patients experienced these effects. Real lives were harmed in the trials and real-lives are harmed in every day life.
There is no denying that anyone at anytime can experience mental health symptoms and sometimes severe symptoms, that can intrude on their ability to live a happy life. Yet, each and every one of us has the right to know what our choices are in handling those symptoms.
Symptoms are a result of a cause and the mental health community does not even profess to know the medical cause of unwanted mental health symptoms in terms of medical tests that evidence the cause. For example, most mental health diagnoses that lead to psychotropic drugs are questionnaires that either the patient fills out or the doctor delivers as a subjective assessment to the patient. These are not objective medical tests.
Stimulant drugs for children and for adults carry warnings such as the ones listed on the package insert of the ADHD and Binge Eating Disorder Drug, Vyvanse.
Mental (psychiatric) problems including:
In Children, Teenagers, and Adults:
- new or worse behavior and thought problems new or worse bipolar illness
- seeing or hearing things that are not real believing things that are not real
- being suspicious
In Children and Teenagers
new psychotic symptoms such as:
- Hearing voices
- Believing things that are not true
- Being suspicious
- New manic symptoms
The most common side effects of VYVANSE in ADHD include:
- Anxiety
- decreased appetite o diarrhea
- dizziness
- dry mouth
- irritability
- Loss of appetite
- nausea
- trouble sleeping
- upper stomach pain
- Vomiting
- Weight loss
Anxiety drugs for children and adults, such as Xanax, a Benzodiazepine, carry warnings such as the following, and more:
Special Populations
Changes in the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of benzodiazepines have been reported in a variety of disease states including alcoholism, impaired hepatic function and impaired renal function. Changes have also been demonstrated in geriatric patients.Pediatrics — The pharmacokinetics of alprazolam in pediatric patients have not been studied
Certain adverse clinical events, some life threatening, are a direct consequence of physical dependence to XANAX. These include a spectrum of withdrawal symptoms; the most important is seizure (see DRUG ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE). Even after relatively short- term use at the doses recommended for the treatment of transient anxiety and anxiety disorder (i.e., 0.75 to 4.0 mg per day), there is some risk of dependence.
Benzodiazepines can potentially cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant women.
Suicide and mania
Depression drugs for children and adults, such as Zoloft, carry these warnings, and more:
Suicidal thoughts or actions; first on the list
Worsening depression, second on the list
- Attempts to commit suicide
- Acting on dangerous impulses
- Acting aggressive or violent
- Thoughts about suicide or dying
- New or worse depression
- New or worse anxiety or panic
Attacks
- Feeling agitated, restless, angry or irritable
- Trouble sleeping
- An increase in activity or talking
More than what is normal for you
- Other unusual changes in behavior
or moodSerotonin Syndrome
This condition can be life threatening and may include:
- Agitation, hallucinations, coma or other changes in mental status
- Coordination problems or muscle twitching (overactive reflexes)
- Racing heartbeat, high or low blood pressure
- Sweating or fever
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Muscle rigidity
Antipsychotic drugs for children and adults and the elderly, such as Risperdal (Risperidone), carry these warnings and more:
A potentially fatal symptom complex sometimes referred to as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) has been reported in association with antipsychotic drugs. Clinical manifestations of NMS are hyperpyrexia, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and evidence of autonomic instability (irregular pulse or blood pressure, tachycardia, diaphoresis, and cardiac dysrhythmia). Additional signs may include …acute renal failure.
A syndrome of potentially irreversible, involuntary, dyskinetic movements may develop in patients treated with antipsychotic drugs.
Hyperglycemia and Diabetes Mellitus
Cerebrovascular Adverse Events, Including Stroke, in Elderly Patients With Dementia
Suicide
Little known to the public is that a test exists that could prevent anyone from experiencing these psychotropic drug side effects.
The test has to do with something called “Genotype”(the genetic constitution of an individual organism). This test can be done to determine if the patient’s liver can metabolize the drug. This type of testing should be and could be done prior to prescribing a drug to a child or an adult. This would prevent the horrendous and tragic adverse effects that the FDA has listed as psychotropic drug side effects.