How do some drugs pass testing ?

[sospan]

I have been on CoCodamol for a long time and like a lot of things you do get used to them and they lose effect.

My GP prescribed Pentazocine. When I read the leaflet it went way beyond the "it may cause headaches or drowsiness". This is the cut down list of side effects

Cardiovascular: hypertension, tachycardia, bradycardia, hypotension, palpitations.

Central and peripheral nervous system: Hallucinations, dysphoria, disturbances of vision, disorientation, mood changes, nightmares, insomnia, grand mal convulsions , raised intracranial pressure, confusion, tremor.

And of all things - hypothermia!

It does make you wonder how this drug ever got through testing

[steve55]

sos my neuro psychiatrist wanted to give me one med which stated " may feel a need to comit suicide " !!!

[sospan in reply to steve55]

wow !

[steve55 in reply to sospan]

i think iforgets the winner sos

[sospan in reply to steve55]

Dead right

[Matt2584 in reply to steve55]

Steve, did you take the drug that your psychiatrist wanted you to take?

[steve55 in reply to Matt2584]

matt nooooooooooooooo

[Matt2584 in reply to steve55]

Ah, well done. I don't trust any pharma drugs, my health is better without them.

Glad you didn't follow your psych's order and take the drug :).

[Jondenver in reply to steve55]

Most antidepressants say this.??

[moo196]

Hi,

Unfortunately most drugs have a,long list of bad (sometimes scary sounding) side effects. I read my anti epileptic medication leaflet once.....not good. ...similar to what you have posted plus the self harm risks the other respondent has reported. ... one has to weigh up the risks vs benefits all the time.

Good luck making your decision.

[sospan in reply to moo196]

I haven't much of an option - I had knee surgery two months ago and unfortunately fell into the small "could make it worse" category and I was in so much pain.

To be fair the tablets work on times and I have had some odd side effects but I will try and work through it.

[iforget]

For a condition totally unrelated to TBI I have a weekly injection that lists DEATH among the many side effects LOL

[sospan in reply to iforget]

That's one heck of a side effect

[iforget in reply to sospan]

Sure is It definitely didn't make me keen to start the drug but put in perspective it isn't quite as scary as it might first seem....and obviously that is not a side effect I have encountered LOL

[steve55 in reply to iforget]

iforget looks like you win bro

[RecoveringH]

Reality is many meds don't get proper approval. Big Pharmas fund their own research, pay doctors to promote / prescribe, and if research does surface which contraindicates, they basically generate more research to the contrary to cast doubt and say inconclusive. Its a boring old game. Seems to make them lots of money though! I went walking with a chap who worked in the US and promoted new meds, he knew all the tricks and if I shared some of the stories, you would be as horrified as I was, that was a long walk that day, one I shall never forget. If at first nature doesn't provide, then find a pharma pill. Nature has her own smorgasbord of solutions, not as obviously labelled, but deals with underlying issues always.

[barny1]

Even if just one person in a million experiences a side-effect, they have to list it, doesn't mean you'll experience it, unless you're the unlucky one.

I think if you've been one a drug for a long time you may experience tolerance and it may not be as effective as when you were first put on it, especially if you've been on/off the drug several times.

I've heard a lot of these painkillers don't actually have a lot of evidence that they work. Cannabidiol (CBD) is side-effect free, non-addictive, natural painkiller and can calm the nervous system so is used by some for epilepsy. Not saying it would work, but maybe worth trying?

[Matt2584 in reply to barny1]

Makes you wonder why CBD/cannabis is illegal.

"The love for money is the root of all evil".

[marky1956]

Good morning I have been on co-co damol for twenty years . I am hooked on them . What I do is try to stop them then the withdrawal symptoms set in and the pain returns that's when I start to take them again and it seems to work I think it may be the old brain playing tricks . I also take other painkillers on top of these . They all have worrying side effects . If you are in constant pain you can try them first sign of serious side effects stop consult the doc . Mx

[sospan in reply to marky1956]

I haven't been on them as long as you - only 11 years

On bad days I was taking 8 or the 32 strength ones but on other days I was reducing them to only a few at night. I also had to have days where I didn't take any just because they were building up in my system and making me feel "off"

[moo196]

Addictive drugs can be a problem - but I forced myself through withdrawal of tramadol quite early in my recovery as I didn't want to take them longer term. Yes went through a week of hell- but am certainly pleased I did it .

[sospan in reply to moo196]

I was taking CoCodamol for about 2 years before I found out they were addictive. It was an off the cuff comment to the gp when he asked at the end of an appointment if there was anything else ? I replied the tablets worked quite well and I actually look forward to taking them. He replied that would be the opiates in them !

[Elenor3]

I'm amazed......just amazed, I've been struggling along refusing to take anything since I came home other than pain killers at first and some one off things here and there because the side effects of drugs list symptoms I've already got.

[sospan in reply to Elenor3]

Thats the reasons my jaw dropped when I saw the list of side effects especially the "grand mal convulsions" ie a major physical and mental fit! Even one episode of these could be life changing!

[Elenor3 in reply to sospan]

As has already mentioned above, not everyone suffers the unusual side effects associated with some drugs, but I don't want to be the unfortunate soul who suffers a serious side effect, however small the risk! I'm sending you a message in a minutes

[sospan in reply to Elenor3]

Thats what gets me about the side effects non of them are trivial and some like the after effects of fitting could not be reversible.

[Matt2584]

It makes me wonder how many drugs pass testing but this is where a hidden agenda comes into play.