What are the odds that you might end up in the emergency room as a result of having a life-threatening side effect from medication? I never thought about it - until it happened to me.
Years ago, just before I was married, I came down with a nasty bug and was prescribed Compazine ( prochlorperazine) to control my nausea and vomiting. After the second dose, something strange started to happen to me. My jaw clenched and shut tight. My arms and legs started to shake uncontrollably. I was having problems swallowing! My fiance quickly rushed me to the emergency room of our local hospital ( it was only 5 minutes away) and I was administered IV Benadryl. As the drip instantly brought me back to normal, I wracked my brain thinking, “why did my doctor prescribe such a potent drug with such adverse side effects - for a stupid intestinal flu?”
It turns out that Compazine is an anti-psychotic drug that works by changing the chemicals in your brain. It is used to treat psychotic disorders, anxiety and to control severe nausea and vomiting. An anti-psychotic drug for nausea??? I didn’t suffer from any“psychotic disorders”! I had no prior health issues! Did he interpret my anxiety over my up and coming wedding as a condition that needed to be treated?
My doctor never thought that I would have a rare side effect. He felt Compazine would, in a sense, calm my system down and get me well ASAP. I just remember feeling so thankful to be alive and that I didn’t suffer from any kind of permanent damage.
Side effects can be more than just a nuisance. There are FDA approved drugs that may cause serious debilitating conditions, some irreversible. One of these drugs is Xarelto.
Xarelto (rivaroxiban) is a blood thinner ( anti-coagulant) that treats and prevents blood clots. It is mainly used to reduce the risk of “deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after knee and hip surgery.” Johnson & Johnson, the makers of Xarelto, have been involved in numerous lawsuits as a result of serious side effects of Xarelto. The “most common and life-threatening side effect is an increased risk of excessive (internal) bleeding. Symptoms of internal bleeding are coughing up or vomiting blood, headaches, red or black stool, and spinal or epidural blood clots after a spinal tap or epidural.” The worst part is that there is no antidote for the bleeding. In other words, the bleeding cannot be stopped! (See American Recall Center for more info.)
Abilify (aripiprazole) is another drug that is loaded with side effects. It is widely prescribed for “bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, and irritability associated with autistic disorder. It may also be used in combination with other medications to treat depression.” (See Webmd) Watch this Abilify TV commercial. The list of side effects is so over the top disturbing that it almost seems like a Saturday Night Live spoof!
One of the major side effects of Abilify is that it can increase thoughts of suicide in children, teens and young adults. This is not just an Abilify side effect - this pertains to ALL anti-depressants. Even though this is considered rare, it is still a side effect that can put you, your child or a loved one at risk. Anti-depressants aren’t the only drugs that are linked to increased suicide risk. Chantix (the stop smoking drug), Accutane (acne drug), Tamiflu ( flu drug) and Singulair (asthma and allergy drug) all list mood or behavior changes and thoughts of suicide as serious side effects.
Accutane was even pulled from the market for the increased risk of birth defects, miscarriages, and premature births when used by pregnant women; inflammatory bowel disease and suicidal tendencies. “Over 7,000 lawsuits were filed against the manufacturer (Hoffman-LaRoche) over the side effects including a 10.5 million verdict and two 9 million verdicts.” - prescriptiondrugs.procon.org Nevertheless, it is still available as a generic drug with limited distribution.
There is a growing number of doctors and healthcare practitioners who are looking for safer alternatives.These doctors have changed their philosophy to an integrative approach in order to help their patients safely heal. Their primary objective is to look for the root causes of illness and incorporate alternative therapies and protocols to promote wellness.
Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt is considered one of the most influential natural medicine physicians in the world and is mentor to many holistic thinking practitioners. He is known for his successful treatment of chronic pain and illness and people travel from all over the world in order to be treated by him.
“His unique approach is diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders on both the physical and mental-emotional levels. He is an authority on the significance of metal toxicity and its connection with chronic infections, illness and pain. Dr. Klinghardt is instrumental in advancing various fields with biological medicine - non-invasive pain management, injection techniques for pain and orthopaedic dysfunction, toxicology, neuro-developmental disorders, energy psychology, biological dentistry and others. He has also developed Autonomic Response Testing, a comprehensive diagnostic system that has helped many practitioners to become accomplished holistic physicians ”( See Klinghardt Academy for more info.)
Dr. Michael Gurevich is a “holistically minded board certified psychiatrist who has been recognized by Newsday and the prestigious Castle Connolly as a top Long Island doctor for over a decade.” Dr. Gurevich was not always a holistic doctor. When he saw that his patients weren’t improving with conventional treatment, he realized that he needed to find another way. He saw that the drugs that he prescribed had many side effects and were only suppressing the symptoms. He decided to change direction and take “the road less traveled.”
“In 2000, I met my mentor, Dietrich Klinghardt, M.D., Ph.D., who taught me how to personalize treatment of every patient based on muscle testing. I began to learn the importance of nutrition, hormones and toxins, and ways to resolve physical and emotional traumas. I also began to understand that there were ways to treat mental conditions without medications, and that medications can be an obstacle to full recovery.I learned ways to get patients off of medication and help them heal.” Dr. Gurevich
Dr. Gurevich helped me to heal from chronic Lyme. (See My Healing Story) A big part of my recovery was resolving past emotional trauma. Through APN (Applied Psycho-Neurobiology, a therapy developed by Dietrich Klinghardt), Dr. Gurevich was able to help me bring fears from my sub-conscious into my conscious mind. By tapping on acupuncture points, eye movement, and saying affirmations, I was able to dissolve emotional blocks that were preventing me from healing. (See The Holistic Dr. Goodsoul)
Dr. Thomas K. Szulc is board certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and has been incorporating biological medicine in his practice since 1985. “He is also the creator of Bioresonance Analysis of Health - an advanced evaluation system that utilized quantum principles to analyze all aspects of the patients health and develop a highly specific and personalized program of treatment....It is the goal of Dr. Szulc, to restore the health of his patients by eliminating root cause dysfunctions and to bring them to a point of self-management.”
Dr. Chauncey Crandall is a cardiologist and author, who suffered a massive heart attack that changed his life. He believes that heart disease is preventable and reversible. Dr. Crandall believes that these five key lifestyle changes are essential to good health and a healthy heart:
Choosing a plant based diet ( with very little meat)
Exercise ( one hour of walking every day)
Proper sleep ( 8 - 10 hours)
Lower stress
Faith in God (connecting to a Higher Power)
Dr. Crandall’s goal is also to wean patients off of medication and help them live a healthier lifestyle. (from his book The Simple Heart Cure)
We, too, can empower ourselves in making healthier and safer choices. Last year, I discovered the amazing healing powers of CranialSacral Therapy. This is a light touch therapy, that “encourages the body’s natural mechanisms to improve the functioning of the brain and spinal cord, dissipate the negative effects of stress, and enhance general health and resistance to disease.” This therapy makes it possible for you to heal from pain and dysfunction….without medication. (See Upledger Institute for more info.)
I have also found a natural solution to bladder infections right in my local health food store. This supplement is just as effective as antibiotics - with no side effects! It’s called ClearTract. It contains a natural sugar, D-Mannose, that binds to bacteria in your urinary tract, preventing the invading bacteria to colonize and multiply. It’s that simple and it works!
So,what are the odds that you might end up in the emergency room as a result of having a serious side-effect from a prescription drug? Have you ever thought about it? Well,maybe you should. If it happened to me, then it could happen to anybody! We have the power to choose our path to wellness. If you choose to take medication, choose one that’s proven safe with little or no side effects. But better yet, find out more about safer alternative solutions that aim to not only treat your symptoms, but to bring you back to a healthier, harmonious and balanced state.
Think about the 3 B’s!
BE SMART!
BE SAFE!
BE WELL!
Dr. Michael Gurevich is a “holistically minded board certified psychiatrist who has been recognized by Newsday and the prestigious Castle Connolly as a top Long Island doctor for over a decade.” Dr. Gurevich was not always a holistic doctor. When he saw that his patients weren’t improving with conventional treatment, he realized that he needed to find another way. He saw that the drugs that he prescribed had many side effects and were only suppressing the symptoms. He decided to change direction and take “the road less traveled.”
“In 2000, I met my mentor, Dietrich Klinghardt, M.D., Ph.D., who taught me how to personalize treatment of every patient based on muscle testing. I began to learn the importance of nutrition, hormones and toxins, and ways to resolve physical and emotional traumas. I also began to understand that there were ways to treat mental conditions without medications, and that medications can be an obstacle to full recovery.I learned ways to get patients off of medication and help them heal.” Dr. Gurevich
Dr. Gurevich helped me to heal from chronic Lyme. (See My Healing Story) A big part of my recovery was resolving past emotional trauma. Through APN (Applied Psycho-Neurobiology, a therapy developed by Dietrich Klinghardt), Dr. Gurevich was able to help me bring fears from my sub-conscious into my conscious mind. By tapping on acupuncture points, eye movement, and saying affirmations, I was able to dissolve emotional blocks that were preventing me from healing. (See The Holistic Dr. Goodsoul)
Dr. Thomas K. Szulc is board certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and has been incorporating biological medicine in his practice since 1985. “He is also the creator of Bioresonance Analysis of Health - an advanced evaluation system that utilized quantum principles to analyze all aspects of the patients health and develop a highly specific and personalized program of treatment....It is the goal of Dr. Szulc, to restore the health of his patients by eliminating root cause dysfunctions and to bring them to a point of self-management.”
Dr. Chauncey Crandall is a cardiologist and author, who suffered a massive heart attack that changed his life. He believes that heart disease is preventable and reversible. Dr. Crandall believes that these five key lifestyle changes are essential to good health and a healthy heart:
Choosing a plant based diet ( with very little meat)
Exercise ( one hour of walking every day)
Proper sleep ( 8 - 10 hours)
Lower stress
Faith in God (connecting to a Higher Power)
Dr. Crandall’s goal is also to wean patients off of medication and help them live a healthier lifestyle. (from his book The Simple Heart Cure)
We, too, can empower ourselves in making healthier and safer choices. Last year, I discovered the amazing healing powers of CranialSacral Therapy. This is a light touch therapy, that “encourages the body’s natural mechanisms to improve the functioning of the brain and spinal cord, dissipate the negative effects of stress, and enhance general health and resistance to disease.” This therapy makes it possible for you to heal from pain and dysfunction….without medication. (See Upledger Institute for more info.)
I have also found a natural solution to bladder infections right in my local health food store. This supplement is just as effective as antibiotics - with no side effects! It’s called ClearTract. It contains a natural sugar, D-Mannose, that binds to bacteria in your urinary tract, preventing the invading bacteria to colonize and multiply. It’s that simple and it works!
So,what are the odds that you might end up in the emergency room as a result of having a serious side-effect from a prescription drug? Have you ever thought about it? Well,maybe you should. If it happened to me, then it could happen to anybody! We have the power to choose our path to wellness. If you choose to take medication, choose one that’s proven safe with little or no side effects. But better yet, find out more about safer alternative solutions that aim to not only treat your symptoms, but to bring you back to a healthier, harmonious and balanced state.
Think about the 3 B’s!
BE SMART!
BE SAFE!
BE WELL!
