ALL MEMBERS READ THIS!!
 

Yeah this is WAY off topic, but VERY important nonetheless.

I got lucky and discovered this the easy way (sort of). Most of you guys are in the same age group as me and are therefore far more prone to this than others.

Last Feb I almost bled to death because an over-the-counter anti-arthritic medication ate holes in my intestines and I had no symptoms until I had already lost half my blood. But that is not the real story...

The hospital gave me medication to reduce the amount of acid secreted by my stomach, for obvious reasons, and the internal medicine specialist told me to take this medication for a year. (I am not going to give you the name of the medication because if you are on a sister med, you may incorrectly assume none of this applies to you.)

The list of side effects for this medication DOES NOT include what I consider to be the most important: depression! As in suicidal depression! DON'T STOP READING. You can be depressed without knowing it! In fact, if you are depressed, it is very likely you don't know it! Sounds silly I know, but not from the other side of this tunnel it ain't, believe me.

If you have been on any medication to turn off your stomach acid, for any length of time longer than a month and you have any symptoms of depression (keep reading), suspect the medication!!!

THE HARD PART IS RECOGNIZING THAT YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION! There is a LOT of denial involved with depression so it is difficult both to recognize the symptoms AND to admit it.

Let me make this a little clearer; something you guys don't know about me, or at least I don't think I've ever mentioned it... I am a (retired) chiropractic physician, so I ought to be a bit more tuned in to recognizing depression in myself than the average person. Or so you would think. But I never even suspected for ten full months. In fact, it took my father (also a physician, medical) to make the suggestion a few weeks ago, and even then a few days thinking about his remark were necessary before it dawned on me. After that, a few weeks on St. John's Wort (an effective non-prescription anti-depressant without the nasty side effects of the prescription meds) reduced the sleeping problem by about 85% virtually at once, but other symptoms persisted until a few days ago when on a whim, I thought to google the name of my acid med along with the word "depression". The sea of patient complaints that resulted shocked me.

Bottom line, you can be depressed and not realize it, even though you are having thoughts of suicide!
You wouldn't think this possible until you come to understand that "thoughts of suicide" (usually the way the symptom is written) is NOT the same as "contemplating suicide" (dark room, locked door, loaded pistol, etc.). "Thoughts of suicide" are just that, random, fleeting thoughts that are gone as quickly as they come and dismissed by you as nonsense or silly. THIS is what "thoughts of suicide" means! This is why people read "thoughts of suicide" and assume it doesn't mean them. It does!

Other symptoms (you don't have to have these, everybody gets a different mix):
You wake up in the middle of the night and then can't get back to sleep or can only do so with difficulty.
You can't make yourself work.
You just don't give a damn about anything. You're not interested any more.
You don't, well, just look up the symptoms on the internet.

When I finally realized the medication to cut off my production of stomach acid might be the source of my recently recognized depression, I stopped taking it. That was just two days ago. It is like flipping a switch! The first day you tell yourself, "this is silly, it's just the power of suggestion, I can't possibly feel this different, this fast". The second day you realize "that &#%^)*@#_ing medication was trying to take my life!" (I should mention that I have never in my life had the symptoms of depression before and have always slept as if in a coma, so there is no chance of coincidental coinciding events; not to mention all the similar reports on the internet.)

So, if you are taking ANY medication to cut off stomach acid and you have symptoms even remotely similar to what I have described (check the whole list of symptoms on the internet), stop taking the med immediately! You can always start again later if it turns out you were wrong. You won't fail to notice the change. It is dramatic and first-day immediate. You are not crazy, not a nutjob, not a cowardly woos, it's the &(@#%$(&*@$ medication!

nice David, well said.

and remember guys (and especially David), you've got friends here. We might not agree all the time and sometimes argue, but thats what familes do.

Best to you sir, happy holidays and Merry Christmas.


Ed

That's why I posted it here. Can't take a chance one of you guys might fall victim to this stupidity with me having said nothing.

David,

Sound words of warning. I've had a couple of years on NSAIDs (non steroid anti inflammatory drugs) and experienced a lot of side effects, including behaviour changes, some just a nuisance, others downright scary. It also took my some time to discover that the medication was the cause. I stopped taking them and the problems went away pretty quickly. I'm now using the current generation of TNF-alpha inhibiters which work quite well for me.

A couple of years ago Discovery Channel had a good documentary called 'Altered Statesmen', about the influence of prescription drugs on the behaviour of politicians. That one actually opened my eyes.

I wish they would do one on the influence of the behavior of politicians on the rest of us. A far more shocking expose I'm sure!

David, Well said my Friend and I am happy to know.. Physician you have healed thyself! Cudo's to your Father as well!
I know many people on Omaprozel..commonly known as Nexium. This is for acid reflux. Is this the type of drug causing these symptoms?
Thanks..Jerry Burney

Jerry,

Your mailbox is full, but the answer to both your public and private questions is "yes".

I congradulate your tunacity,If you help just reader, that one who life you may have changed or saved, Remember one finger started the first world war, and another push, to end another! God Bless your tenacity!

Dave, Thanks! Just emptied out all my message boxes, I didn't realize there were so many.
This drug is very popular...I am pleased you have brought this to our attention.
Thanks, Jerry

You wonder what clout the major drug companies control, What about a simple warning, 'THIS DRUG CAN KILL YOU' they have the same warning on any tobacco product! I guess the drug companies pay millions more for lobiests and an drug commercials. At least the post their warnings in a few lines. Not a milllion word warning, that might as well be in brail!! My favorite non-fiction is THE FUGITIVE! Wo knows, soon they will create to sickness, then a cure!

Eric, This warning is on cigarettes but you still see plenty of people smoking!
Jerry Burney

Yes, But they have a well informed consent. Only by knowing the ramifications, can we decide to take the chance, know the odds and roll the dice, if the so please,based upon informed concent, then live with the consequences,why is it that the PDR.. Physicians' Desk Reference is bigger than the Bible!

What about good old Tums. readily available 200 for $7.00, Gives daily calcium, First and most important, I never take a drug, I cant spell! and come in five different flavors, Dont have to worry if your grandchild find one. There was healing long before physicians,prescription, and attorneys. In fact our greatest drug, came from the burnt bark of a single tree.

Great information and thanks for the heads up. So, when I stop taking my anti acid, what do I do for that problem? It's gonna come back unless I alter my eating habbits, which I'd hate to do too!

What about the drug Prilosec OTC? That's what I take. If you can't answer on the forum you could email me at G36MP5@MSN.COM Thanks

minigun; I think you can go to www.google.com and type in your drug plus depression and see if it comes up. (if David doesn't contact you)


Ed

Thanks. I just did that and yep there's some threads about it. I've been pleaged by heartburn for many years. I think mainly it's due to over eating and all the bad stuff I eat.

I have no idea what to do for heartburn now??????????????

I take zantac, I take it several times a day, don't know what I'd do without it. I'd bet talking to the doc is the next step; as every body is different.


Ed

minigun,

I am not saying everyone who is on these drugs should stop taking them. They don't cause depression in everyone, in fact, apparently less than 1%. I am saying IF you are experiencing symptoms of depression, AND are taking one of these drugs, you should stop taking them for a few days to see if the drug is the cause of your depression.

Obviously you cannot just ignore the problem that caused you to take the drug in the first place. So if it turns out the drug was causing depression, a trip to the doctor is obviously in order.

Thanks for sharing your experience David.. Will keep it in mind if I will ever need such medication! It must be a terrible situation to be in..

All the best,
Steinar