146,000 people die annually in the U.S. from properly prescribed drugs. This is an American tragedy and we hope the following information will be beneficial to healthcare professionals and others looking for alternatives.
Here’s our list of the most dangerous drugs includes the following:
1. Prednisone or Cortisone – No physician I know would want to take prednisone for more than 2 weeks. It works great in the short term for things such as poison ivy. The long term side effects of this drug are devastating to the body. There are people in nursing homes whose bodies are totally destroyed by prednisone.
High Blood Pressure Fluid Retention Potassium Loss Muscle Weakness Osteoporosis – including fracture of long bones and broken vertebrae Peptic Ulcers Intestinal Bleeding Thin Fragile Skin – including increased bruising Moon Faces Poor Wound Healing Diabetes Cataracts Reduced Resistance to Infection
This is only a partial list of the devastating effects on the body by long term cortisone and prednisone usage. Most doctors are too busy and find it easier to simply renew prescriptions for cortisone and prednisone. We have asked patients to ask their doctors if they would take prednisone or cortisone for more than 6 months. If he/she would not, why are they prescribing it for their patients? Seems to us to be a very elementary question.
WARNING! If you have taken prednisone or cortisone for more than 6 months, DO NOT STOP TAKING IT WITHOUT THE HELP OF A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL.
These pharmaceuticals should have been banned 25 or more years ago but it is common practice today.
2. Methotrexate – and other chemotherapeutic agents.
“Chemotherapeutic” is an absolute oxymoron! How is prescribing a poison that kills every cell in the body, not just cancer cells, therapeutic? Methotrexate is used indiscriminately by many rheumatologists and other practitioners to treat rheumatoid arthritis…along with prednisone! This is a deadly combination, especially when used long term.
The Physician’s Desk Reference lists the following side effects of Methotrexate:
- Cause fetal death and congenital anomalies;
- Liver and Kidney toxicity;
- Bone marrow depression;
- Lung disease – which can be fatal;
- Reacts with NSAID’s – which can be fatal;
- May cause intestinal bleeding and ulceration;
- Depresses the immune system.
Methotrexate works by antagonizing and inhibiting the absorption of folic acid, an essential B Vitamin! Studies have demonstrated that folic acid is necessary to prevent the buildup of homocysteine in the arteries of the heart. Blood homocysteine levels are the best indicator of heart attack risk than cholesterol.
3. Coumadin or Warfarin – (blood thinners). In many cases people have bled to death with simple razor cuts or small falls that would not have harmed a normal individual! We cannot understand how thinning blood with rat poison (yes, it is rat poison) can make anyone better! Coumadin and Warfarin weaken blood vessels and cells. So why are these drugs continually prescribed to prevent strokes and heart attacks? Clinical trials have proven that all rats and mice die when they ingest enough Coumadin or Warfarin…they bleed to death! Many prescribing physicians love these drugs. They require repeated visits and laboratory tests and generate incredible incomes for them and the pharmaceutical companies.
4. Cholesterol Lowering Drugs – Americans have made wonderful strides in changing their diets for the better and reduced their overall cholesterol levels from an average of 220 in the 1960’s to a current average of 205. However, even the venerable American Heart Association has finally admitted that cholesterol levels are not indicators of potential heart disease! In fact, you may actually increase your risk of stroke since your body utilizes cholesterol to maintain cardiovascular health!
There are three types of cholesterol lowering drugs:
a. Statin drugs – Mevacor, Zocor, Provachol and Lescol. These drugs, generically known as lovastatin, sirnvastalin, pravastatin and fiustatin, reduce production of cholesterol in the liver and alter the way in which LDL cholesterol enters the cells.
These drugs have known side effects of liver toxicity, muscle inflammation, gastrointestinal symptoms and eye problems including cataracts! This possible toxicity requires at least 6 months of blood test monitoring with each prescription. A preventive approach of a diet high in enzymes and antioxidants with Vitamin E, Vitamin C, beta-carotene, folic acid and B-12 would predictably lower the risk of heart disease substantially and certainly far more than Statin drugs without the side effects.
b. Bile acid sequestering agents or resins – Colestid and Questran. These drugs (generically known as colestipol hydrochloride and cholestyramine) absorb bile acids which are produced from cholesterol in the intestinal tract and cause them to be excreted, thereby lowering the levels of cholesterol circulating in the blood. These drugs have considerable side effects such as constipation, nausea, bloating and more. More serious side effects include reduced absorption of Vitamin A, D, E and K. Long term use may cause bleeding disorders, vision problems and high triglceride levels!
c. Atromid and Lopid – Although these drugs (generically know as clofibrale and gemfibrozil) raise HDL levels and lower triglycerides and their risks are huge. According to a long term study published by the World Health Organization, Atromid-S actually increased deaths from non-cardiac causes (primarily cancer and gall bladder complications and pancreatitis) by 44%.
If cholesterol levels were precursors to heart disease, Eskimos (who eat raw blubber as a steady diet) would have become extinct due to heart disease ages ago. Yet, heart disease is virtually non-existent among these people.
5. Prozac – Most of the many drugs prescribed for depression are not only harmful, but highly addictive. The runaway best seller for depression is Prozac (fluoxetitekydroclozloride) and is currently used by more than 6 million Americans and 12million worldwide. Of all the drugs to caution you against this is the drug that terrifies us the most! It’s side effects are far more serious than addiction.
Warning! Most, if not all, of the students involved in the random shootings such as Columbine, the Jewish Daycare Center in California and the stock trading center in Atlanta were on Prozac, Zoloft or Ritalin. (Yet, the gun companies were sued and not one brought against the drug companies.) One of the most serious side-effects of Prozac is the “I don’t give a damn” attitude which anyone who takes Prozac can attest.
Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lovan and Luvox belong to a class of drugs which alter the mechanism that balances levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Along with other neurotransmitters, serotonin affects mood, agitation, anxiety and sleep. Too much serotonin makes people anxious and obsessive while too little is believed to be a major cause of depression.
However, these drugs also produce a condition of constant agitation known as akathasia which comes from the Greek word meaning “unable to sit down.” It is estimated that 10-25% of Prozac users experience this side effect, often in conjunction with suicidal thoughts, hostility and violent behavior. Akathasia is to impulsive violent behavior as a cliff is to a waterfall. You don’t have this kind of violence without akathasia.
6. Ritalin, Cylert, Dexadrine, Adderal (Amphetamine and amphetamine-like drugs used for ADD/ADHD) The abuse and misuse of these drugs is well documented and does not bear repeating. Our feeling is that these drugs are used to treat ADD/ADHD because “Johnny” is driving the teacher, counselors and parents crazy and doctors and teachers don’t know how to handle the problem. Drugs quiet the “chaos” because, after Johnny takes 20 mgs of Ritalin, he will quietly sit in a corner like a zombie and will not disturb the class.
These are short acting drugs and, while they do not cause physical addiction, the psychological addiction and dependency is a very severe and real problem. Insurance companies and prescription plans will pay for dangerous drugs but will not pay for high quality natural antioxidants and other supplements that will cure the problem.
March 22, 2004 — The FDA is issuing a warning about the possibility of worsening depression or suicidal thoughts in people, particularly children, who take any of 10 popular antidepressants especially at the beginning of treatment or when the doses are increased or decreased. The FDA has sent a letter to drug manufacturers requesting labeling changes on these antidepressants — warning of possible suicide, worsening depression, anxiety, and panic attacks in adults and children.
Antidepressants involved in this warning label request are:
- Prozac (also sold generically as fluoxetine)
- Zoloft
- Paxil
- Luvox
- Celexa
- Lexapro
- Wellbutrin
- Effexor
- Serzone
- Remeron
The FDA stopped short of recommending people discontinue taking their antidepressants.
There also is concern for people who have bipolar disorder (manic depression) but don’t know it. Antidepressants have the potential for provoking a manic episode in these people, the FDA says. Doctors, patients, and family members should be on the lookout for any symptoms of mania, including feeling extremely happy or very irritable, inflated self-esteem, not needing as much sleep as usual, talking, or being more active than usual.
Next time I’ll show you the other 6 prescription drugs with devastating side-effects.