Side Effects

[jkhanson]

I just watched the paid video in Watch This Video on a birth control product called Nexplanon.

The side effects listed on this product would make me steer clear of it. 

There have been other products advertised that by the time the commercial is done listing the
possible side effects, I end up wondering WHO would ever even take it in the first place.

[lvstephanie]

You have to remember a couple of points when you see a long list of possible side-effects. Firstly is that the side-effects are only possible. Pharmaceutical companies have to report on any side-effects that a person had reported to their doctor (or to the clinician in charge of a clinical trial) while taking it, regardless of whether a definitive causal relationship between the side-effect and the drug has been found. Thus, some of the possible side-effects are so remote (and may just be due to the individual taking the drug, and not something inherently dangerous with the drug). Secondly, any drug that is being advertised must have already gone through extensive clinical testing prior to the drug reaching the market. Some of those clinical trials actually test to determine whether the benefits outweigh the side-effects. And if the side-effects are too toxic relative to the benefits, then the drug will not be allowed to go to market.

[amyDAST]

I just watched the paid video in Watch This Video on a birth control product called Nexplanon.

The side effects listed on this product would make me steer clear of it. 

There have been other products advertised that by the time the commercial is done listing the
possible side effects, I end up wondering WHO would ever even take it in the first place.

Every time a new medicine is advertised on t.v. and at the end when they read extremely quickly the possible side effects I always wonder if people take it into consideration that a percentage of people did have said side effect & what their cost of health is worth taking the gamble on.

[BlackSheepNY]

I just watched the paid video in Watch This Video on a birth control product called Nexplanon.

The side effects listed on this product would make me steer clear of it. 

There have been other products advertised that by the time the commercial is done listing the
possible side effects, I end up wondering WHO would ever even take it in the first place.

I know what you mean!  In the evenings when I watch TV, there are SO MANY commercials on TV about drugs that have some serious side effects and may even kill people.  I have to say that my doctor put me on Alendronate (generic Fosamax) for osteoporosis.  I think I took it for a month or two at most.  I decided to educate myself on the drug and what I read literally scared the you-know-what out of me!  I stopped taking it because I, personally, didn't feel the benefits of the drug would override what may happen to my jaw should I continue taking it.  With vitamins available that have added "D3" in it (which is what your body requires when you have osteoporosis), I didn't see the point in using a drug that might fix one thing and screw something else up!  My doctor wasn't too happy about it, but too bad.  I'm not looking to join in any ongoing lawsuits because I lost half my face to Fosamax!

[ancmetro]

    All meds and foods have side effects...even the water you drink!

[Gerianne]

have you ever noticed that in the last ten or twenty years that the commercials say " ask your doctor about _____."
the pharmaceutical companies are  advertising the meds.
Doctors are not prescribing them.

[6265AT99]

Sadly any and all "medications" that are prescribed come with enumerable side effects - sometimes it's just so over-whelming.  I for one, try not to get too many "prescribed meds" and try not to take too many OTC meds either - all of them are horrible!!!!

[natashaspy]

glad I don't have to worry about that kind of thing anymore...hubby got the big V years ago

[vickysue]

I always take what ever is said on TV with a grain of salt. if my doctor is wanting to try a new me, i always say maybe, after i have  gone on the computer to see what are the side effects. I have to watch every thing i take because of my hyperthryoid and graves .  There are so many med.s  that i can't take because of the medicine i am on.  The side effects can be bad.

[sherryinutah]

Some people learn things the hard way.  I did that with a prescription medication at one time because I wasn't thinking clearly and I trusted my physician's advice. 

Big mistake.

[bremer51]

I am terrified of side effects...even minor ones. And I know that the benefits of a drug may outweight the side effects, but I'd be too paranoid to try.

[mrisha]

I never heard of that birth control medicine.  I am sure as with all medicines there are side affects.

[Penwoir]

I know the side effects of many drugs advertised on tv are quite scary, but have you ever read the possible side effects of plain old Tylenol or Motrin? They are equally scary! The fact of the matter is that all drugs have side effects for some people, but the question is, do the possible side effects outweigh the benefits of the drug, or vice versa! For example, my son has an Epipen because he has a peanut allergy. For those of you who have  been prescribed an Epipen, you'll know you take it when you have difficulty breathing because you have been exposed to something you are allergic to. However, one of the side effects listed is that Epinephrine can cause difficulty breathing!! I am not a health professional, but there are risks with everything.

[lvstephanie]

I know the side effects of many drugs advertised on tv are quite scary, but have you ever read the possible side effects of plain old Tylenol or Motrin? They are equally scary! The fact of the matter is that all drugs have side effects for some people, but the question is, do the possible side effects outweigh the benefits of the drug, or vice versa! For example, my son has an Epipen because he has a peanut allergy. For those of you who have  been prescribed an Epipen, you'll know you take it when you have difficulty breathing because you have been exposed to something you are allergic to. However, one of the side effects listed is that Epinephrine can cause difficulty breathing!! I am not a health professional, but there are risks with everything.

Exactly, everything we take into our bodies have side-effects. As ancmetro mentioned, even water has a possible side-effect of death as in the numerous cases of exercise-indused hyponatremia, which can occur when athletes drink water after strenuous exercise. Taking an all-natural product as a replacement which doesn't list any side-effects doesn't mean that the product is completely safe or has no side-effects. Rather, the regulations for listing all possible side-effects for pharmaceuticals is not mandated for dietary supplements. That means it may actually be more dangerous taking a dietary supplement in that you won't know what side-effects to look for or even do a true risk-benefit analysis to determine whether you'd want to take it.