FDA warns patients and physicians of the link between SSRI antidepressants
Prozac (Fluoxetine)
September 7, 2011 By
Prozac is one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants on the market today. That is because it is affordable, effective, and safe for most people to use. Prozac is a prescription medication available as both a name brand and generic formula. It can help treat symptoms of depression and other mental issues that may develop over time. With a doctor’s prescription, you could use this drug to improve your own condition.
Alternate Brands:
Prozac can also be found through its generic name Fluoxetine, which contains the same ingredients as Prozac but is offered at a discount price. Other name brands for this drug include Prozac Weekly, Sarafem, and Rapiflux. These medications are available in countries outside of the US, and they may fall under different names in other countries. It would be difficult to compile a complete list of alternative names for this drug, but you can always start with the generic and search for name brands from there.
Prozac Clinical Uses
The main use of Prozac is to treat symptoms of depression. These may include the feeling of helplessness, loneliness, thoughts of suicide, recluse, exhaustion, sadness, and worthlessness. Depression can be passed through a family history, but it can also be brought on by stress and other issues in life. Prozac works to counteract the chemicals in the brain that cause depression in the first place, and it does so effectively for most users.
Prozac may also be used to treat certain eating disorders, like bulimia. This problem can be sparked by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain, which causes a person to want to overeat and then purge to get rid of the fat that could potentially come from the food. Body dysmorphic disorder is the most common cause for feelings of bulimia, and it can be adjusted through the use of a drug like Prozac.
Patients with anxiety disorders may also benefit from the use of Prozac because it can help calm their nerves and help them think with logic and ration. Many anxiety sufferers will avoid going out in public altogether for fear of what may happen to them. Prozac works to correct those feelings so patients can lead normal lives.
Like many antidepressants, Prozac can be used for the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder. This is a medical condition that causes people to go through routines in their days that may not seem logical to people who do not have OCD. Obsessive patients must have everything around them in a certain order, and they must go through certain steps when they leave the house or go through an activity. Some cases of OCD are more severe than others, but many of those cases can be treated with Prozac and similar medications.
In rare cases, Prozac may also be used to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD. This is a menstrual condition that is most often treated through a form of birth control. Prozac may be able to improve symptoms of this condition though, as long as the woman does not have any other medical conditions that may react poorly with the use of this drug. Those conditions include seizures, epilepsy, bipolar disorder, a history of suicidal thoughts, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, and kidney disease. Your doctor can look over your medical history to determine if this drug is right for you.
How It Works
Prozac works similarly to any other antidepressant in that it controls the chemicals in the brain. Most notably, it controls the production and activity of neurotransmitters, like serotonin. This ensures that the mind stays in balance, which will inevitably improve a patient’s mood and overall feelings. Prozac may also improve the amount of energy a person has, or the amount of sleep he or she gets at night. In essence, it corrects anything that is wrong in the brain and ensures that it begins to work effectively again.
Your doctor may put you on a certain diet or sleeping schedule to make sure that you get the most use out of Prozac as you can. It will take a few weeks for this drug to build up in your system, so do not expect results over night. From there, your doctor can determine if you will need a different dose or even a different antidepressant altogether. There are stronger options out there that you may benefit from more than you would Prozac.
Side Effects
As with any medication, there are potential side effects that you may experience with Prozac. Some of the most common ones include: sore throat, stuffy nose, sneezing, upset stomach, dizziness, drowsiness, mild nausea, constipation, insomnia, weight changes, increased appetite, impotence, decreased libido, difficulty having an orgasm, and dry mouth. If you experience any of those symptoms, you may talk to your doctor about adjusting your dosage. Many common side effects go away over time.
Serious Side Effects
You do need to be aware of some of the serious side effects you can experience. These include but are not limited to peeling, severe blistering, rigid muscles, loss of appetite, headache, hallucinations, confusion, seizure, shallow breathing, sweating, overactive reflexes, red skin rash, diarrhea, trouble concentrating, and weakness. This is not a complete list of adverse reactions you can have, so you will need to talk to your doctor if you experience any problems like this.
You should note that you cannot stop taking Prozac altogether if it is in your system. That will cause you to go through withdrawals similar to those of a drug addict. You must slowly wean the Prozac out of your body, which you can do with the help of a doctor’s suggestions. You should try to see what your options are in terms of how you can get it out of your system because you may need to progress slower than someone else would. Most people stay on antidepressants all of their life if they suffer from clinical depression. That may just be something you have to do as well.
Contraindicated Medications
Before you start taking Prozac on a regular basis, talk to your doctor about other medications you are taking. This could be anything from prescription medications to over the counter supplements. You should be especially vocal about any other antidepressants you are on, like amitriptyline (Elavil), imipramine (Tofranil), escitalopram (Lexapro), or sertraline (Zoloft). Those may not work well with Prozac.
Other drugs you may want to pay close attention to include: clozapine (Clozaril, Fazaclo), alprazolam (Xanax), flecainide (Tambocor), rizatriptan (Maxalt), clopidogrel (Plavix), haloperidol (Haldol), phenytoin (Dilantin), tryptophan (L-tryptophan), vinblastine (Velban), carbamazepine (Tegretol), warfarin (Coumadin), frovatriptan (Frova), sumatriptan (Imitrex), naratriptan (Amerge), almotriptan (Axert), and zolmitriptan (Zomig).
If you need to take a new medication while you are on Prozac, you need to be sure that you ask your doctor if it is going to be safe. Drug related complications can be serious, and they are certainly something to watch out for. Protect yourself when you can. You should be able to find an antidepressant that will work for your situation.
Legal Activity
There have been several lawsuits filed against Eli Lilly, the owner of the Prozac name and the drugs that fall under it. In 2001, there was a report filed as a result of a man committing suicide a mere three days after he got on Prozac. The results of the death concluded that he had high levels of Fluoxetine in his body which was arguably sparked by the drug not working properly. In 2000, there was a case where a man robbed a bank and the lawyers tried to tie his actions to the use of Prozac. Other cases date back as early as 1990, but since then Lilly has worked on creating a formula that will not yield side effects this serious.
References
21 Blogs About Avoiding Birth Defects
August 9, 2011 By
Birth defects are something that every parent worries about when are expecting a baby. The anxiety sets in because they do not know what can be done to lower the risk of their child being born with birth defects. Although there is no set way that can guarantee a child will be defect-free, there are certain steps that can be taken to ensure that the likelihood of birth defects is minimized. Here is a list of 21 blogs that offer advice and information regarding birth defects and the prevention of birth defects amongst infant babies.
1. All Tip Blog – This is a great blog, giving advice on actions you can taken to help ensure that your baby does not have birth defects. It includes what to do, what not to do and what medications are recommended and discouraged during your pregnancy.
2. Hush A Bye Baby – This is another excellent blog that references various doctors and experts giving their opinions on what causes birth defects, how they can be stopped and how most of the reasons for birth defects lie with the behavior of the mother during pregnancy.
3. Square Space Birth Defects Prevention Blog – This is a blog that is dedicated to making people aware of the dangers of birth defects and how they can be prevented. Includes informative articles and a “prevention month” that generates awareness throughout the community so that mothers can take greater precautions and ensure their baby’s good health.
4. Pregassist Blog – This is a great website with many blogs regarding pregnancy and tips for expecting mothers. However, we focus upon the birth defects section that has blogs from experts on what medications are best to take during pregnancy and which medications should be avoided at all costs. This blog also has other information on how to assist mothers during their pregnancy.
5. Texas State Birth Defects Blog – This part of the Texas State health website contains information on the prevention of birth defects. It’s a highly professional site with data from medical experts.
6. Kids Health- Birth Defects – Another great blog from mothers to other mothers that outlines how risky certain activities can be in relation to your child developing birth defects. Specific examples are also provided of what mothers did right and what they did wrong.
7. Legal View Birth Defects Blog – This is a birth defects blog with a legal point of view. It highlights where parents may have a case against certain companies or drugs and where the birth defects may have occurred because of their own negligence and improper actions during the pregnancy.
8. Pregnancy and Baby Preparing to Conceive Blog – This blog talks about the various steps a mother should take during her pregnancy: what activities she must engage in and what she should avoid. It also features informative articles about how to prepare for pregnancy.
9. CDC Birth Defects Blog – A very informative website run by the Center for Disease Control, it details specific steps that can be undertaken to drastically reduce the likelihood of your child suffering from birth defects. It also covers how certain birth defects are genetic and not preventable.
10. WHS Birth Defects Blog – Entitled “Women’s Health Specialists,” this blog highlights the experiences of mothers of children with birth defects, and how their experiences can benefit you and the decisions you make during your pregnancy.
11. Ezine Blog- Birth Defect Prevention – A very informative blog on how to take the right pregnancy medication in order to prevent birth defects in your baby. This website provides specific lists and reviews of certain medications.
12. The Rite Bite Blog on Birth Defects – This blog talks about what kinds of foods should be avoided during pregnancy and how certain unhealthy foods may be very harmful to your unborn baby. There are also tips on what healthy foods can replace the unhealthy junk that a pregnant mother may be craving.
13. Oregon Live Birth Defects Posts – This website has links to various posts on birth defects elsewhere on their website. The posts are generally from health experts outlining the major mistakes made by mothers when they are expecting and how they can be easily avoided to ensure your baby is born safe and healthy.
14. Special Needs Blog on Birth Defects – This is a blog from the “Special Needs for Families” website that pertains to birth defects. It outlines ten steps that can be taken in order to ensure that your baby does not suffer from birth defects and how these steps are usually things that are easily overlooked by expecting parents.
15. Law Med Health Safety Blog – The Law Med Health Safety Blog is centered on legal issues surrounding birth defects. The blog talks about various legal cases that have been brought against companies because their drugs caused babies to develop birth defects.
16. Modern Ghana Birth Defects Blog – This blog outlines the growing problem of birth defects in Ghana and how mothers are being reckless in their behaviors during pregnancy. It also talks about steps that the mothers can take to ensure that they live healthy lives during pregnancy.
17. Tuscon Health 101: Birth Defects – This talks about the most common birth defects that occur in babies, and the most common causes of these birth defects. Parents must be aware of what is causing birth defects and how they can best prevent them in their child, and that is why reading blogs like this can be so important.
18. Baby Health Pro Genetic Birth Defects Blog – This blog talks about how certain birth defects just cannot be prevented. They are genetic and may run through your ancestry dating back generations. As a result, in certain cases even being completely healthy and taking every precaution cannot save your baby from defects.
19. Baby Safety Concerns Blog – This blog talks about how to keep your baby safe from a number of things. It is not specific to birth defects but does spend a lot of time talking about how they occur, why they occur and what can be done to prevent them. A lot of other useful tips are highlighted not just for mothers during pregnancy but for the first couple of years after a baby is born.
20. Becoming Gorgeous Genetic Disorder Blog – Certain defects occur due to disorders and there is almost nothing that can be done about it except treatment. It does go on to highlight how these birth defects can be managed and minimized through surgeries and treatments so it is not something that is the end of the world.
21. How To Avoid Birth Defects: Psychiatry for Women Blog – This blog talks about how some mothers believe that taking no medication is the best way to avoid birth defects. Although this “natural” approach has been encouraged in many quarters, it is actually not a surefire way to ensure that your baby will have no birth defects.
All in all, birth defects are something that everyone should be worried about. They are a genuine risk, and are not something that is pure chance or bad luck as some would like to believe. There are behaviors that pregnant mothers engage in that can increase or decrease the likelihood of their baby being born with birth defects. Thus, it is very important to read these blogs thoroughly and to consult a doctor as well about the proper precautions that must be taken to avoid birth defects in your baby. After all, there is nothing more important than the health of your child.
About Birth Defects
August 7, 2011 By
Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN)
Tetralogy of Fallot
Abdominal Birth Defects
Cranial Birth Defects
Club Foot
Cleft Palate
Neural Tube Defects
Mitral Stenosis
Transposition of Vessels
Heart Murmurs
Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)
Zoloft (Sertraline)
August 7, 2011 By
Zoloft is an antidepressant, which means that it can be used to treat symptoms of clinical depression. This drug works within the brain to correct chemical imbalances that cause depressive feelings in the first place. Zoloft has been on the market since 1992, and since then it has been a trusted name in depression medication. Patients may only buy Zoloft with a prescription from a doctor, but this can turn into the perfect solution for some depression patients.
Alternate Brands:
There is no alternative brand name for Zoloft at this time. Similar antidepressants are available worldwide, but none have an identical formula to Zoloft. The only alternative version to this is the generic medication, which is available under the name Sertraline. Patients may buy this with a prescription as well if they need to.
Zoloft Clinical Uses
Zoloft is used to treat a variety of mind-based medical conditions. Most commonly, Zoloft is prescribed for patients who have clinical depression or a derivative of it. That may include post traumatic stress disorder and other conditions characterized by extreme sadness. Depressed individuals often have a hard time functioning in society because they feel useless, alone, and apathetic about life. Drugs like Zoloft can help correct these feelings so patients can move on to better points in life.
Zoloft may also be used for patients with obsessive compulsive disorder. This condition involves a severe obsession with the way objects are placed in a room, or the sequence of events that leads to a certain activity. Patients with OCD often have trouble in the real world because they are so consumed by their obsessions. Zoloft works to fix that for them.
Anxiety sufferers may also be able to benefit from the use of Zoloft. These patients usually experience bouts of extreme nervousness whenever they have to get involved with a new situation. Public events and trips outside of the house may be too much for the average anxiety patient to handle. With Zoloft, those patients can develop the mental abilities to get past those fears and get out in life.
How It Works
Zoloft works by altering the amount of certain chemicals present in the brain. Those chemical imbalances are linked to feelings of depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and much more. Zoloft replenishes any levels of those chemicals that may be lacking, and then it goes on to help a person feel normal again. This drug, like many other antidepressants, does take a little while to build in a person’s system. The results of that time though could be all a person needs to lead their life normally. For some, Zoloft is the perfect solution.
Side Effects
There are some mild side effects that may form from the use of Zoloft. Those may include dizziness, drowsiness, nervousness, changes in appetite or weight, constipation, dry mouth, mild nausea, impotence, decreased sex drive, and difficulty having an orgasm. Many times, these symptoms will go away as the body gets used to the drug. It is possible that a patient will need a different dosing of Zoloft to see better results, and it is also possible that this is not the drug for him or her. The doctor can make that decision for each patient.
Patients with a history of bipolar disorder, manic depression, liver disease, kidney disease, or glaucoma may not want to take Zoloft because the drug could cause their symptoms to flare up. Zoloft is not compatible with all existing conditions a person may have, and doctors have to keep that in mind when prescribing Zoloft to patients. Zoloft has been linked to birth defects in children, so pregnant women are advised not to take Zoloft until they have their baby.
Serious Side Effects
In some cases, Zoloft may lead to serious side effects. One of the main reasons for this is an allergic reaction, which could be avoided through a conversation with a doctor. Patients must go over their drug allergies with their health care providers to ensure they get the right prescription for their needs. Serious side effects from allergies include facial swelling, trouble breathing, and even hives. Patients should avoid those at all costs.
There are a few other serious side effects a patient may experience. Those include: loss of coordination, agitation, hallucinations, fast heart rate, nausea, overactive reflexes, vomiting, diarrhea, rigid muscles, tremors, high fever, confusion, sweating, fast or uneven heartbeats, faintness, breathing that stops, headache, hallucinations, memory problems, trouble concentrating, feeling unsteady, weakness, confusion, fainting, and shallow breathing. Patients who experience any of those side effects should immediately talk to their doctors to see if they need to stop taking Zoloft. This cannot happen instantly, so patients may have to live with the side effects long enough to get Zoloft out of their systems.
Contraindicated Medications
Some medications may not work well in the presence of Zoloft. Patients must speak with their doctors to determine if there are substitutes for these medications if Zoloft is the drug for them. Some conflicting drugs include: a blood thinner like warfarin (Coumadin), lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid), tramadol (Ryzolt, Ultram, Rybix, Ultracet, Synapryn), ketoconazole (Ketozole, Extina, Xolegal, Nizoral), clotrimazole (Mycelex Troche), voriconazole (Vfend), itraconazole (Sporanox), zolmitriptan (Zomig), almotriptan (Axert), sumatriptan (Imitrex, Treximet), naratriptan (Amerge), frovatriptan (Frova), rizatriptan (Maxalt), citalopram (Celexa), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva), amitriptyline (Elavil, Vanatrip), escitalopram (Lexapro), sertraline (Zoloft), duloxetine (Cymbalta), and fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem, Symbyax). Avoiding the mixture of these drugs with Zoloft could prevent serious side effects in the future.
Legal Activity
List with many other antidepressants, the main concern with Zoloft is that it could lead to birth defects if used in pregnant women. The FDA did not release information about this possibility until 2006, so many patients have given birth to children with severe birth defects as a result of taking Zoloft and other drugs like it. Patients now are advised against this, but patients from the years before 2006 can seek out financial compensations if they had a child born with a birth defect.
References
