So now some side effects of toxic drugs are our fault

[Guest guest]

I've sent a mild protest as a comment to this story.Margarethttp://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6284WU20100309

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Medication fears lead to worse side effects

Anne Harding

Tue Mar 9, 2010 5:17pm EST

NEW YORK

(Reuters Health) - It may not be surprising, but a new study offers

some proof that patients who are worried about their medications are

more likely to have side effects from them.

HealthThe

study involved patients with a particular kind of arthritis. While more

research has to be done in patients with other illnesses to know for

sure, "my guess would be that this is happening across a wide range of

drugs," Dr. Nestoriuc of Philipps-University Marburg in Germany,

the study's lead author, told Reuters Health. "This is really something

that happens in a lot of patient populations."While

most medication side effects are not life threatening or seriously

harmful, she and her colleagues note in the journal Arthritis Care

& Research, they can still be "frightening and distressing" to

patients, and can also lead to patients not taking drugs as recommended.People

with a variety of illnesses who don't feel their medications are

necessary and are concerned about their side effects are known to be

less likely to take these drugs as directed, the researchers add.To

investigate whether these beliefs might be related to experiencing side

effects as well, Nestoriuc and her team had 100 rheumatoid arthritis

patients complete the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire, which

explores general and specific beliefs about the necessity and risks of

medication. Patients also reported on any side effects related to their

rheumatoid arthritis medication and on how much they were bothered by

these symptoms.Rheumatoid

arthritis is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation that

leads to stiff, swollen and painful joints. It affects some 20 million

people, according to the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society.At

the study's outset, 77 of the patients reported having been bothered by

side effects. Eighty-seven of the original 100 study participants were

followed up at six months; 45 of these patients, or 52 percent,

reported being bothered by side effects at this point.The

patients who had concerns about their medications, for example agreeing

with the statement that "having to take arthritis medications worries

me," were more likely to have reported having side effects, both at the

study's outset and if they started a new drug during the six-month

study period. Side effects typically included rashes, gastrointestinal

discomfort, and headaches.These

patients were also more likely to report these side effects to their

doctors, take non-prescription medications to deal with them, and

change their medication dosages on their own. The only other factor

that influenced the likelihood of reporting side effects was age.Patients

with rheumatoid arthritis "who are especially concerned about their

arthritis medications, or who expect side effects, are at greater risk

of experiencing them," the researchers say."Starting

a new drug is a specifically risky time because people tend to

misattribute pre-existing bothersome but non-harmful symptoms as side

effects of the new drug," Nestoriuc said.Doctors

may be able to help their patients avoid side effects by talking with

them about their concerns before prescribing a new medication, she

added, and helping them to get a more "realistic view about the drugs."SOURCE: Arthritis Care & Research, online February 26, 2010.

[Guest guest]

Yes I can see that. It is complicated. On our RA ldn group side effects don't seem to be an issue but I see them all the time on this group. What our members worry more about is how quickly they can get off the meds their rheumies have given them or how to avoid them.Mind you there's side effects and there's side effects. I know someone with AS who'd dearly love her conventional meds she's taken for 3 years to have worked but they haven't and she's had infection after infection. She now says she'll take LDN - with me as an example of it working well, I'm glad to say.MargaretFrom: "SLenzrph@..." <SLenzrph@...>mschooling@...Sent: Wed, March 10, 2010 6:24:12 PMSubject: Re: [low dose naltrexone] So now some side effects of toxic drugs are our fault

With all due respect, I don't see an issue with this article. Basically its suggesting that people who are nervous about their drugs are more prone to have side effects. You can see this in a study we did several years ago, compared to today. We found that a very low percentage of people taking LDN had sleep disturbances. Now if you look thru the blogs and listservs almost every one complaining has this issue. Now some of it will be the result of the increase of people taking LDN, but the statistics should be relatively consistent. Its not. So, is there a correlation between reported s/e on the net and the number of people actually having this s/e. methinks that there is.

Its funny how when the boards lite up with the s/e issue the number of phone calls to the pharmacy increase regarding this specific s/e.

Dr.Skip

In a message dated 3/10/2010 12:03:36 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, mschooling@... writes:

I've sent a mild protest as a comment to this story.Margarethttp://www.reuters. com/article/ idUSTRE6284WU201 00309

More Reuters Results for:

""

Medication fears lead to worse side effects

Anne Harding

Tue Mar 9, 2010 5:17pm EST

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - It may not be surprising, but a new study offers some proof that patients who are worried about their medications are more likely to have side effects from them.

Health

The study involved patients with a particular kind of arthritis. While more research has to be done in patients with other illnesses to know for sure, "my guess would be that this is happening across a wide range of drugs," Dr. Nestoriuc of Philipps-University Marburg in Germany, the study's lead author, told Reuters Health. "This is really something that happens in a lot of patient populations. "

While most medication side effects are not life threatening or seriously harmful, she and her colleagues note in the journal Arthritis Care & Research, they can still be "frightening and distressing" to patients, and can also lead to patients not taking drugs as recommended.

People with a variety of illnesses who don't feel their medications are necessary and are concerned about their side effects are known to be less likely to take these drugs as directed, the researchers add.

To investigate whether these beliefs might be related to experiencing side effects as well, Nestoriuc and her team had 100 rheumatoid arthritis patients complete the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire, which explores general and specific beliefs about the necessity and risks of medication. Patients also reported on any side effects related to their rheumatoid arthritis medication and on how much they were bothered by these symptoms.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation that leads to stiff, swollen and painful joints. It affects some 20 million people, according to the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society.

At the study's outset, 77 of the patients reported having been bothered by side effects. Eighty-seven of the original 100 study participants were followed up at six months; 45 of these patients, or 52 percent, reported being bothered by side effects at this point.

The patients who had concerns about their medications, for example agreeing with the statement that "having to take arthritis medications worries me," were more likely to have reported having side effects, both at the study's outset and if they started a new drug during the six-month study period. Side effects typically included rashes, gastrointestinal discomfort, and headaches.

These patients were also more likely to report these side effects to their doctors, take non-prescription medications to deal with them, and change their medication dosages on their own. The only other factor that influenced the likelihood of reporting side effects was age.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis "who are especially concerned about their arthritis medications, or who expect side effects, are at greater risk of experiencing them," the researchers say.

"Starting a new drug is a specifically risky time because people tend to misattribute pre-existing bothersome but non-harmful symptoms as side effects of the new drug," Nestoriuc said.

Doctors may be able to help their patients avoid side effects by talking with them about their concerns before prescribing a new medication, she added, and helping them to get a more "realistic view about the drugs."

SOURCE: Arthritis Care & Research, online February 26, 2010.

[Guest guest]

Reuters is now owned by a parent company that also owns a Big Pharma

company, and their attacks on alternative medicine have gotten much more

frequent. Good comment, Margaret. --

>I've sent a mild protest as a comment to this story.

>Margaret

><http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6284WU20100309>http://www.reuters.com/ar\

ticle/idUSTRE6284WU20100309

>

>

>More Reuters Results for:

>

>

>

> " "

>

>

>Medication fears lead to worse side effects

>

>

>

>Anne Harding

>Tue Mar 9, 2010 5:17pm EST

>

>NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - It may not be surprising, but a new study

>offers some proof that patients who are worried about their medications

>are more likely to have side effects from them.

>

><http://www.reuters.com/news/health>Health

>

>The study involved patients with a particular kind of arthritis. While

>more research has to be done in patients with other illnesses to know for

>sure, " my guess would be that this is happening across a wide range of

>drugs, " Dr. Nestoriuc of Philipps-University Marburg in Germany,

>the study's lead author, told Reuters Health. " This is really something

>that happens in a lot of patient populations. "

>

>While most medication side effects are not life threatening or seriously

>harmful, she and her colleagues note in the journal Arthritis Care &

>Research, they can still be " frightening and distressing " to patients, and

>can also lead to patients not taking drugs as recommended.

>

>People with a variety of illnesses who don't feel their medications are

>necessary and are concerned about their side effects are known to be less

>likely to take these drugs as directed, the researchers add.

>

>To investigate whether these beliefs might be related to experiencing side

>effects as well, Nestoriuc and her team had 100 rheumatoid arthritis

>patients complete the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire, which

>explores general and specific beliefs about the necessity and risks of

>medication. Patients also reported on any side effects related to their

>rheumatoid arthritis medication and on how much they were bothered by

>these symptoms.

>

>Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease characterized by

>inflammation that leads to stiff, swollen and painful joints. It affects

>some 20 million people, according to the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society.

>

>At the study's outset, 77 of the patients reported having been bothered by

>side effects. Eighty-seven of the original 100 study participants were

>followed up at six months; 45 of these patients, or 52 percent, reported

>being bothered by side effects at this point.

>

>The patients who had concerns about their medications, for example

>agreeing with the statement that " having to take arthritis medications

>worries me, " were more likely to have reported having side effects, both

>at the study's outset and if they started a new drug during the six-month

>study period. Side effects typically included rashes, gastrointestinal

>discomfort, and headaches.

>

>These patients were also more likely to report these side effects to their

>doctors, take non-prescription medications to deal with them, and change

>their medication dosages on their own. The only other factor that

>influenced the likelihood of reporting side effects was age.

>

>Patients with rheumatoid arthritis " who are especially concerned about

>their arthritis medications, or who expect side effects, are at greater

>risk of experiencing them, " the researchers say.

>

> " Starting a new drug is a specifically risky time because people tend to

>misattribute pre-existing bothersome but non-harmful symptoms as side

>effects of the new drug, " Nestoriuc said.

>

>Doctors may be able to help their patients avoid side effects by talking

>with them about their concerns before prescribing a new medication, she

>added, and helping them to get a more " realistic view about the drugs. "

>

>SOURCE: Arthritis Care & Research, online February 26, 2010.

>

>

>

>

>

>

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