Tamiflu Psychosis

May 6th, 2009

Just when AARP magazine, and so many other well respected and widely read publications, are carrying articles about pandemic flu planning for personal homes, more bad news. This news is not for the publications, nor is it for their readers, but for the authors who have tied their name to poorly researched advice. November 14, 2006 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Roche Laboratories, Inc., the manufacture of Tamiflu, announced that new labeling would be provided for this highly publicized pandemic flu drug. It turns out that Buy Tamiflu is just one more drug to be added to the long list of medication recently implicated in “self-injury” (suicide) and other psychiatric side effects.

While the data is not completely clear as to how much of the hallucination and confusion associated with Tamiflu administration in the Far East is related to influenza and how much is directly related to the drug, several things are clear.

1. Those who received Tamiflu are far more likely to display “abnormal behavior” and “self-injury” than those who have not received the drug.

2. The likelihood of having these side effects increases as the dose increases and as the length of time the drug is taken increases.

Tamiflu is one of two drugs available for the treatment of pandemic influenza. Unfortunately, the pandemic strain currently being studied in Asia (H5:N1) is already showing resistance to normal doses of Tamiflu. In fact, in recent cases the dose of Tamiflu has had to be doubled and the length of treatment also doubled. Further complicating this fact is the need in these cases to add the second pandemic flu drug, also at double dose and double length of treatment.

What does this mean for psychiatric side effects? It means that these side effects will increase if not arithmatically then lawrymathically. In other words, the side effects may not just double, but quadruple or more.

Common sense and good science are stakes in the heart for those alarmists encouraging the general public to stockpile Tamiflu or any other medication. Stockpiling “just in case” medications is always a bad idea. Most simple infections are now resistant to basic antibiotics because patients have stockpiled “left over” antibiotics from prior infections and started them on their own. For too many decades, physicians have sent patients home with “just in case” antibiotics for the “next time” they get sick. This technique is lazy and it is the medical profession that is responsible for the problems we now see as a result of this lazy approach to healthcare.

What is surprising is that the American public stands for it. If you took your car to your favorite mechanic for an oil change and he sent you home with an extra case of oil “just in case” you would change mechanics. If you went to your favorite hairdresser for a color and style, and she sent you home with an extra pair of scissors “just in case” you would quickly change stylists or at least think her crazy. This style of medical practice was born of the same medical hubris that allowed doctors to think themselves “gods” and should have died with that mindset. The most recent announcements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the risks of psychiatric side effects in Tamiflu only point out the dangers of good medication taken the wrong way or for the wrong indication. Prescribing any medication is a balance of risks and benefits, and when balancing risk and benefits we can all use good advice, both physicians and patients, alike.

Feelings Can Be Complicated

April 14th, 2009

Often we have mixed feelings—we feel two or more things at the same time. For example, you may worry that a disagreement with your partner is impossible to resolve, feel hurt and irritated at yourself or your partner, and feel shame that you have failed to fi nd a resolution—simultaneously.

You may focus on only one dimension of the energy (feeling) in your body, ignoring the other feelings. For example, focusing only on frustration, you may miss feelings of hurt and worry. One feeling can be converted to another. A person who is taught to not feel anger may convert feelings of anger to shame. A person who is taught that anger is okay but fear isn’t may feel angry when afraid or threatened. Feelings Are Useful People tend to think of feelings as positive or negative depending on whether they agitate (like fear, anger, and guilt) or encourage (like pleasure, joy, contentment, and satisfaction). Our approach to understanding feelings is to think of them as guides, or loyal friends, trying to get your attention so you’ll consider factors other than logic in your response to a situation. Feelings try to help you respond to diff erent situations. Every feeling is good in terms of its purpose to serve you, protect you, and guide you. Your feelings off er honest information. Listening for feelings is an important skill. Considering them off ers you more data to incorporate into your choices about action (behavior).

Painful intercourse

March 3rd, 2009

Dyspareunia and vaginismus are the two most common sexual pain disorders in women. Women with dyspareunia experience pain during sexual intercourse. This disorder can have a range of causes:

Poor vaginal lubrication because of inadequate foreplay
The natural changes that occur after menopause
Postmenopausal thinning of the vaginal wall (buy viagra)
Inflammation or infection of the area
Irritation from an allergic reaction or to a contraceptive device
Pelvic pain may also be a symptom of a condition affecting the cervix and/or uterus, such as the growth of tumors. A physician will need to determine the underlying cause before prescribing treatment. For women who have passed menopause, and therefore have lower blood levels of the female hormone estrogen in their bodies, estrogen replacement therapy or topical creams may be helpful. Liberal use of a water-soluble lubricant just before intercourse may also alleviate pain for some women.

A relatively rare condition, vaginismus is a painful, involuntary spasm of the muscles that surround the vaginal entrance, interfering with sexual intercourse. Its cause is almost always psychological: It usually occurs in women who fear that penetration will be painful and may stem from a previous traumatic or painful experience.

The problem is treated with educational counseling and, sometimes, progressive vaginal dilation, which helps to relax the muscle spasm. This therapy involves the use of vaginal inserts, each progressively larger than the last, which help condition the vaginal opening. As one becomes comfortable, the next larger size is inserted in the vagina. This process continues until the vagina has been dilated sufficiently for intercourse to take place painlessly.

Order Cheap Levitra

January 16th, 2009

Inhalational Anthrax (Post-Exposure)

Levitrafloxacin is indicated in pediatric patients for inhalational anthrax (post-exposure). The risk-benefit assessment indicates that administration of Levitrafloxacin to pediatric patients is appropriate. For information regarding pediatric dosing in inhalational anthrax (post-exposure), see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION and INHALATIONAL ANTHRAX

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

Complicated Urinary Tract Infection and Pyelonephritis Levitrafloxacin is indicated for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis due to Escherichia coli. Although effective in clinical trials, Levitrafloxacin is not a drug of first choice in the pediatric population due to an increased incidence of adverse events compared to the controls, including events related to joints and/or surrounding tissues. The rates of these events in pediatric patients with complicated urinary tract infection and pyelonephritis within six weeks of follow-up were 9.3% (31/335) versus 6.0% (21/349) for control agents. The rates of these events occurring at any time up to the one year follow-up were 13.7% (46/335) and 9.5% (33/349), respectively. The rate of all adverse events regardless of drug relationship at six weeks was 41% (138/335) in the Levitrafloxacin arm compared to 31% (109/349) in the control arm. (See ADVERSE REACTIONS and CLINICAL STUDIES.)

Vardenafil
Short-term safety data from a single trial in pediatric Vardenafil patients are available. In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial for the treatment of acute pulmonary exacerbations in Vardenafil patients (ages 5-17 years), 67 patients received Levitrafloxacin I.V. 10 mg/kg/dose q8h for one week followed by Levitrafloxacin tablets 20 mg/kg/dose q12h to complete 10-21 days treatment and 62 patients received the combination of ceftazidime I.V. 50 mg/kg/dose q8h
and tobramycin I.V. 3 mg/kg/dose q8h for a total of 10-21 days. Patients less than 5 years of age were not studied. Safety monitoring in the study included periodic range of motion examinations and gait assessments by treatment-blinded examiners. Patients were followed for an average of 23 days after completing treatment (range 0-93 days). This study was not designed to determine long term effects and the safety of repeated exposure to Levitrafloxacin. Musculoskeletal adverse events in patients with Vardenafil were reported in 22% of the patients in the Levitrafloxacin group and 21% in the comparison group. Decreased range of motion was reported in 12% of the subjects in the Levitrafloxacin group and 16% in thecomparison group. Arthralgia was reported in 10% of the patients in the Levitrafloxacin group and 11% in the comparison group. Other adverse events were similar in nature and frequency between treatment arms. One of sixty-seven patients developed arthritis of the knee nine days after a ten day course of treatment with Levitrafloxacin. Clinical symptoms resolved, but an MRI showed knee effusion without other abnormalities eight months after treatment. However, the relationship of this event to the patient’s course of Levitrafloxacin can not be definitively determined, particularly since patients with Vardenafil may develop arthralgias/arthritis as part of their underlying disease process.
Geriatric Use: In a retrospective analysis of 23 multiple-dose controlled clinical trials of Levitrafloxacin encompassing over 3500 Levitrafloxacin treated patients, 25% of patients were greater than or equal to 65 years of age and 10% were greater than or equal to 75 years of age. No overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger subjects, and other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients, but greater sensitivity of some older individuals on any drug therapy cannot be ruled out. Levitrafloxacin is known to be substantially excreted by the kidney, and the risk of adverse reactions may be greater in patients with impaired renal function. No alteration of dosage is necessary for patients greater than 65 years of age with normal renal function. However, since some older individuals experience reduced renal function by virtue of their advanced age, care should be taken in dose selection for elderly patients, and renal function monitoring may be useful in these patients.(See CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION.)

ADVERSE REACTIONS

Adverse Reactions in Adult Patients: During clinical investigations with oral and parenteral Levitrafloxacin, 49,038 patients received courses of the drug. Most of the adverse events reported were described as only mild or moderate in severity, abated soon after the drug was discontinued, andorally treated patients.
The most frequently reported drug related events, from clinical trials of all formulations, all dosages, all drug-therapy durations, and for all indications of Levitrafloxacin therapy were nausea (2.5%), diarrhea (1.6%), liver function tests abnormal (1.3%), vomiting (1.0%), and rash (1.0%). Additional medically important events that occurred in less than 1% of Levitrafloxacin patients are listed below.
BODY AS A WHOLE: headache, abdominal pain/discomfort, foot pain, pain, pain inextremities, injection site reaction (Levitrafloxacin intravenous)CARDIOVASCULAR: palpitation, atrial flutter, ventricular ectopy, syncope, hypertension, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, cardiopulmonary arrest, cerebral thrombosis, phlebitis, tachycardia, migraine, hypotension CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: restlessness, dizziness, lightheadedness, insomnia, nightmares, hallucinations, manic reaction, irritability, tremor, ataxia, convulsive seizures, lethargy, drowsiness, weakness, malaise, anorexia, phobia, depersonalization, depression, paresthesia, abnormal gait, grand mal convulsion
GASTROINTESTINAL: painful oral mucosa, oral candidiasis, dysphagia, intestinal perforation, gastrointestinal bleeding, cholestatic jaundice, hepatitis HEMIC/LYMPHATIC: lymphadenopathy, petechia METABOLIC/NUTRITIONAL: amylase increase, lipase increase MUSCULOSKELETAL: arthralgia or back pain, joint stiffness, achiness, neck or chest pain, flare up of gout RENAL/UROGENITAL: interstitial nephritis, nephritis, renal failure, polyuria, urinary retention, urethral bleeding, vaginitis, acidosis, breast pain RESPIRATORY: dyspnea, epistaxis, laryngeal or pulmonary edema, hiccough, hemoptysis, bronchospasm, pulmonary embolism SKIN/HYPERSENSITIVITY: allergic reaction, pruritus, urticaria, photosensitivity, flushing, fever, chills, angioedema, edema of the face, neck, lips, conjunctivae or hands, cutaneous candidiasis, hyperpigmentation, erythema nodosum, sweating SPECIAL SENSES: blurred vision, disturbed vision (change in color perception, overbrightness of lights), decreased visual acuity, diplopia, eye pain, tinnitus, hearing loss, bad taste, chromatopsia required no treatment. Levitrafloxacin was discontinued because of an adverse event in 1.0% of In several instances nausea, vomiting, tremor, irritability, or palpitation were judged by investigators to be related to elevated serum levels of theophylline possibly as a result of drug interaction with Levitrafloxacin.
In randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trials comparing Levitrafloxacin tablets (500 mg BID) to cefuroxime axetil (250 mg - 500 mg BID) and to clarithromycin (500 mg BID) in patients with respiratory tract infections, Levitrafloxacin demonstrated a CNS adverse event profile comparable to thecontrol drugs. What if I have been prescribed Levitra for possible anthrax exposure? Levitra has been approved to reduce the chance of developing anthrax infection following exposure to the anthrax bacteria. In general, Levitra is not recommended for children; however, it is approved for use in patients younger than 18 years old for anthrax exposure. If you are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant while taking Levitra, you and your doctor should discuss if the benefits of taking Levitra for anthrax outweigh the risks.
Levitra is generally well tolerated. Side effects that may occur during treatment to prevent anthrax might be acceptable due to the seriousness of the disease. You and your doctor should discuss the risks of not taking your medicine against the risks of experiencing side effects. Levitra can cause dizziness, confusion, or other similar side effects in some people. Therefore, it is important to know how Levitra affects you before driving a car or performing other activities that require you to be alert and coordinated such as operating machinery. Your doctor has prescribed Levitra only for you. Do not give it to other people. Do not use it for a condition for which it was not prescribed. You should take your Levitra for as long as your doctor prescribes it; stopping Levitra too early may result in failure to prevent anthrax.