Comments on: Are Warnings About Drug Side Effects Actually Making Us Sick?

By: Kim

Kim — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 06:20:22 +0000

I truly did have the blood pressure medicine cough described in the article! Since I’m prone to respiratory problems anyway, I went to the doctor complaining of a cold I couldn’t kick and found out that it was the medicine. So basically I suffered for a couple of weeks when changing the med quicker would have been better, had I but known to be aware of the symptom. Perhaps someone should develop a quick test to show who’s susceptible to the effect and who’s not?

By: Eva Beaton

Eva Beaton — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 23:43:29 +0000

maybe this is why I seem to be the one in one hundred, five hundred, a thousand, that gets whatever reaction or problem. Although I first heard the phrase, “this is unusual it only happens to 1 in a 100″ when I went back to the dentist, with an abscess that had developed in an air bubble under my upper lip, that had come up during a root canal. They had to clean the abscess without freezing (can’t freeze infected gums) and I bled like a stuck pig, but maybe it triggered off something in my brain that makes me the one! I have had this phrase said to me, several times since by drs, I didn’t even know that I could have been the one to have whatever happen, or to get whatever bug etc! But I’m that one!

I definitely don’t read the papers I get detailing every last possible thing, I have constant nausea due to inner ear troubles anyway, do I need it increased because the drug I’m taking for my diabetes, high blood pressure, high heart rate, high cholesterol or my asthma might make me nauseated?? I don’t think so.

By: Anthy Hellmers

Anthy Hellmers — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 05:46:46 +0000

How about keeping it as simple as saying; please let us know how you are feeling when on this placebo. Do not give an example. If words lead to pre-conceived feelings then don’t make statements that could effect the results. Let the user express their symptoms good or bad in context to themselves. The user should keep notes and share them with their doctor. That is the only way a fair consensus of the placebo nocebo can be valued. I wonder how many drugs have made it to market due to mind manipulation?

By: Sharon

Sharon — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:42:39 +0000

I truly subscribe to this notion as I feel I’ve done this before…I read the side effects of a prescription and immediately after starting the course of treatment, I see the side effects popping up. One thing that has made a huge difference…awareness that we are doing this. Ignorance is bliss is my mantra with prescription meds. If there is anything very serious as a possible side effect, I ask my pharmacist/doctor to tell me me about it but I purposely ask them to forgo the description of each small side effect like nausea etc.. and miraculously, I no longer suffer from any of those side effects. Informed consent with limits.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:24:14 +0000

Have studies been done about whether or not it is possible to remove the placebo / nocebo effect by describing it to patients? Like saying: “In some cases this pill can cause headaches, but often times the headaches are a result of patients expecting negative side-effects, not the pill itself. So just think positive.”

If telling someone they will fall ill causes them to feel ill, then warning them that it probably won’t happen could prevent it, right?