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Black Box Warnings

Black Box Warnings

Sometimes its funny to hear / see these drug ads that usually start out like this…

"Are you suffering from 'X' and need relief? Then try 'Y' and be happy now."

Then after showing you these happy good looking people the last 10 seconds of the ad says,

"Do not take 'Y' if you are suffering from A, B, or C. You might get sick, dizzy, or go into a coma. Some have develop fidgeting which becomes a life long problem or even experienced paralysis or heart attack or even death."

You are looking for relief from 'X' and yet need to worry about a bucket load of other things that might happen including death! While you may say they are legally obligated to state these things the fact that they are saying them is because they have evidence that it can happen to you, yes you.

My question here is… how seriously do you consider black box warnings? Do you think it is worth the risk to get passed 'X'?

Warnings Box Black

It depends how bad X is in your life. If X is a debilitating disease or condition that makes living life pure Hell, then yes, taking Y even though it may cause new or worsening heart failure is probably worth it. Especially sine that new or worsening heart failure only happens one time in a thousand, or ten thousand, or even a hundred thousand. I'll take those odds to stop a nerve disorder that makes it impossible for me to walk more than five step in a day.

Now, on the other hand some of these things are for cosmetic or mild diseases that really don't have a debilitating effect. I don't think I'd chance new or worsening heart failure to make the size of my nose less Roman and more French. Nor do I think I'd risk it to lessen the effects my allergies or to experience a more sound night's sleep.

Black Box Warnings Health & Special Psychology

Understandable reason for the risk. One thing I've found with drugs like this is they can sometimes equalize or inflame problems. Its like taking a drug to stop pain in your right foot and it works but the drug develops pain in your left foot as a side effect.

One of our sons took a prescribed drug that was supposed to alleviate pain in his head when instead he ended up in the hospital with seizures. Now we research everything before they take it even if it is recommended by an 'expert'.

Warnings Box Black

JB,

I'm glad you put expert in parenthesis. I hate that term. First, because we are all different and things affect each of us differently. So an 'expert' is only taking an educated guess. Second, because when many people tart calling themselves experts they think they are infallible or nearly so, and this is just plain wrong. When it comes to these black warnings, the best thing to do is learn everything you can about the side effects, about the interactions it could have with other drugs you take, and then make a decision based on a risk assessment.