Drug Information on Internet
Where can I find drug information on Internet?
- Francis Kam
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In article <rdevriesCurr9x….@netcom.com>, rdevr…@netcom.com (Robert De Vries) writes:
|>
|> Does anyone know if there is any sort of consumers’ guide for Americans
|> buying pharmaceurtical drugs in Mexico, covering things such as
|> equivalencies and prices?
|> —
|> rdevr…@netcom.com
Robert,
Yes, the savings are very enticing. PLEASE be careful about buying medicines in Mexico. There is much fraud in the drug business and you may end up getting stuck with false drug products that may be either ineffective or worse, harmful. Yeah, yeah, I know how this sounds as though I’m bigoted but I’m saying it anyway. We have an FDA in the U.S. for a reason and it is being overworked by things like this.
I don’t know of any reference materials for the medicines in Mexico. In an comparatively unregulated market, beware! Develop a relationship with some pharmacist that you can trust and only purchase drugs after consulting with that person.
As an aside, isn’t it amazing how much less expensive drug prices are North and South of our border? Notice that NAFTA hasn’t done a thing about it either. I believe that says something about just how stupid we Americans are in paying such high prices for medicines. I know all the pro & con arguments about how the profits are being spent. I think there should be less advertising and since I am a researcher myself, I am also getting sick of the PMA’s assertion that the drug companies are the only source of medical breakthroughs so they need to keep pumping money into research, duh dat, duh dah dah dah. I know it’s not true. I think most of the true innovations come from basic science and small groups scientists who take these advances and try to develop them into new modes of therapy. If they’re successful, you find that a new company springs up out of the idea, which then gets consumed on up into the corporate food chain of the world wide drug industry.
There, I feel better. Sorry for the diatribe. Have a great trip!
Peter
pw…@med.umich.edu
In article <rdevriesCurr9x….@netcom.com>, rdevr…@netcom.com (Robert De Vries) writes:
> I get to San Diego a few times a year, and frequently go in to Mexico. I
> usually buy some pharmaceuticals, because they are usually cheaper than
> the U.S., and also don’t require a prescription.
> Does anyone know if there is any sort of consumers’ guide for Americans
> buying pharmaceurtical drugs in Mexico, covering things such as
> equivalencies and prices?
((((((((((((((((
no there isn’t, probably because it is illegal to bring
drugs into the US for which you don’t have a prescription.
—
John T. Robicheau <ROB…@DrugInfoNet.Pharm-Epid.Pitt.Edu>
Peter F. Wick <pw…@med.umich.edu> wrote:
| We have an FDA in the U.S. for a reason and it is being overworked by
| things like this.
Now I *had* heard about FDA’s threats to a Radio broadcaster and a Printing
press owner, their perjury in obtaining a search warrant, and their many
armed raids against doctors’ offices and others. And I *had* heard about
their recent abject defeat, in a GH-3 case against Rodger Sless, at the
hands of a Fully Informed Jury in *New* Mexico —
But I really don’t think they’ve started "policing" internationally!
I live in San Diego where it’s common, according to our local TV news
broadcasts, for people to buy pharmaceuticals across the Mexican border
in Tijuana. As they have very little that’s unavailable in a US
pharmacy, the reduced cost (perhaps including the doctor’s visit to get
an American Rx) seems the main factor.
They tend to get a lot of American customers, they don’t sell drugs that
are schedule IV (Valium) and up, and they often have an American PDR to
look at.
== Bob Yazz ==
—
Ever cautious, Motives pure; Safe and effective, Who could demur?
Lead, follow or get out of the way. Unless, of course, you’re the FDA.
<jtr…@vms.cis.pitt.edu> wrote:
| no there isn’t, probably because it is illegal to bring
| drugs into the US for which you don’t have a prescription.
That’s not the case. It’s legal to bring in a 3 month supply for
personal use. See the FDA’s importation policy on their BBS.
—
Ever cautious, Motives pure; Safe and effective, Who could demur?
Lead, follow or get out of the way. Unless, of course, you’re the FDA.
In article <332ira$…@lastactionhero.rs.itd.umich.edu> pw…@med.umich.edu (Peter F. Wick) writes:
>Yes, the savings are very enticing. PLEASE be careful about buying medicines in Mexico. There is much fraud in the drug business and you may end up getting stuck with false drug products that may be either ineffective or worse, harmful. Yeah, yeah, I know how this sounds as though I’m bigoted but I’m saying it anyway. We have an FDA in the U.S. for a reason and it is being overworked by things like this.
I do not think you sound bigoted. My grandparents winter in south Texas, and
frequently buy medicines in Mexico. They have been sold anything, and have
been told it is anything else (e.g. they were sold Provera when they asked for
Antivert – not quite the same thing). I would be VERY WARY when buying
medicines in Mexico.
Douglas Anderson, Pharm.D.
doo…@fiona.umsmed.edu
douglas c anderson (doo…@fiona.umsmed.edu) wrote:
: In article <332ira$…@lastactionhero.rs.itd.umich.edu> pw…@med.umich.edu (Peter F. Wick) writes:
: >
: >Yes, the savings are very enticing. PLEASE be careful about buying medicines in Mexico. There is much fraud in the drug business and you may end up getting stuck with false drug products that may be either ineffective or worse, harmful. Yeah, yeah, I know how this sounds as though I’m bigoted but I’m saying it anyway. We have an FDA in the U.S. for a reason and it is being overworked by things like this.
: I do not think you sound bigoted. My grandparents winter in south Texas, and
: frequently buy medicines in Mexico. They have been sold anything, and have
: been told it is anything else (e.g. they were sold Provera when they asked for
: Antivert – not quite the same thing). I would be VERY WARY when buying
: medicines in Mexico.
As a Californian whose paid pharmaceutical coverage will end in
the next year (I’m on COBRA coverage), and who takes some relatively
expensive ($1-$2/day) medicines…if I know what my medicine looks
like…how much danger am I in to buy in Mexico or, even from other
overseas locations?
Thanks,
–Judy
: Douglas Anderson, Pharm.D.
: doo…@fiona.umsmed.edu
In article <33074jINN…@ec.sdcs.k12.ca.us> Victoria Yount, writes:
> I have had a problem with dizziness and my doctor prescribed Lorazepam
> (Gen. for Ativan). The medicine works great when I have had a dizzy
spell
> (from the vertigo), but lately I have also being having severe anixety
> attacks, where I have shortness of breath, pains in my chest, nausea,
> whirling sensations, and feeling like I am going to die, and they just
come
> on all of a sudden. So I started to take one of the lorazepam and
within 20
> minutes I am feeling better, why is this? And is the medicine I should
be
> taking for the anixety attacks? I am a white 38 year old woman.
Your doctor apparantly believes that your dizziness is caused by anxiety,
because lorazepam is a benzodiazepine and a kissin’ cousin of valium.
This doesn’t seem to me to be a very wise approach, because lorazepam
itself can cause severe dizziness. The anxiety you are experiencing is
likely a rebound effect from the lorazepam. When the drug wears off,
you’re more nervous than before you took it. You feel better after taking
the lorazepam because it’s temporarily relieving the anxiety caused by
the rebound effect. Sounds like a vicious circle!
I am not a doctor and have no business telling you what to do. But if I
were you, I’d talk with my Dr. about getting off lorazepam.
Benzodiazepine habituation (when not medically necessary) is extremely
unpleasant and difficult to kick. Believe me, you don’t want your life
complicated this way. These drugs are a godsend for those who need them
and a curse to those who really do not need them.
Discuss with your doctor safer alternatives to valium and the like, such
as Buspar and the antidepressants. Have you had a complete physical to
track down the cause of the dizziness? There are some readily treatable
conditions that can cause dizziness that have nothing to do with anxiety
and do not require addictive drugs. Good luck!
I should add that if you and your docide to discontinue the lorazepam,
this should be done slowly. Tapering off rather than suddenly
discontinuing it will minimize any withdrawal effects.
In article <332aua$…@bmerha64.bnr.ca>
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
Bob Michael <cmra…@nt.com> writes:
>In article <33074jINN…@ec.sdcs.k12.ca.us> Victoria Yount, writes:
>> I have had a problem with dizziness and my doctor prescribed Lorazepam
>> (Gen. for Ativan). The medicine works great when I have had a dizzy
>spell
>> (from the vertigo), but lately I have also being having severe anixety
>> attacks, where I have shortness of breath, pains in my chest, nausea,
>> whirling sensations, and feeling like I am going to die, and they just
>come
>> on all of a sudden. So I started to take one of the lorazepam and
>within 20
>> minutes I am feeling better, why is this? And is the medicine I should
>be
>> taking for the anixety attacks? I am a white 38 year old woman.
>Your doctor apparantly believes that your dizziness is caused by anxiety,
>because lorazepam is a benzodiazepine and a kissin’ cousin of valium.
>This doesn’t seem to me to be a very wise approach, because lorazepam
>itself can cause severe dizziness. The anxiety you are experiencing is
>likely a rebound effect from the lorazepam. When the drug wears off,
>you’re more nervous than before you took it. You feel better after taking
>the lorazepam because it’s temporarily relieving the anxiety caused by
>the rebound effect. Sounds like a vicious circle!
>I am not a doctor and have no business telling you what to do. But if I
>were you, I’d talk with my Dr. about getting off lorazepam.
>Benzodiazepine habituation (when not medically necessary) is extremely
>unpleasant and difficult to kick. Believe me, you don’t want your life
>complicated this way. These drugs are a godsend for those who need them
>and a curse to those who really do not need them.
>Discuss with your doctor safer alternatives to valium and the like, such
>as Buspar and the antidepressants. Have you had a complete physical to
>track down the cause of the dizziness? There are some readily treatable
>conditions that can cause dizziness that have nothing to do with anxiety
>and do not require addictive drugs. Good luck!
Before we leap to the conclusion that we are having a rebound effect I
think some more information is required. Such as how long have you
been taking Ativan and how frequently? I am somewhat suprised that this
medication has been prescribed for dizziness, as per the previous post.
I would not, however, suggest a leap to antidepressants and/or Buspar
without a proper workup. Ativan, as previously mentioned, is a
benzodiazepine and this group of drugs is routinely used to treat
anxiety and panic attacks, although different drugs within this
class will be used for various conditions.
Regards,
Paul Harris, B.Sc.(Pharm) INTERNET: pghar…@bcsc02.gov.bc.ca
Pharmacy Consultant – Pharmacare
B. C. Ministry of Health: (604) 952-1786 Fax: (604) 952-1625
Hi-
Lorazepam is a powerful antianxiety agent that is quite effective in
relieving symptoms. The drug is often used in an office based setting
to reduce the fears associated with CRT/MRI procedures. In the short
term the drug is quite effective. I am concerned about long term use
and the associated dependence that ensues. Also of concern is that
chronic users must increase the dose to get the same effect. Thus, this
drug along with the other benzodiazepams are associated with dependency
and addiction.
Your anxiety sounds severe enough to consult a mental health
practitioner. A psychologist can teach you coping mechanisms that do
not rely on drug therapy. Such relaxation techniques include
visualization and deep breathing. I would feel much better if this
course were tried first and short term drug therapy second.
.
Jonathan Buth, RPh
In article <33074jINN…@ec.sdcs.k12.ca.us>, Victoria Yount <> wrote:
>I have had a problem with dizziness and my doctor prescribed Lorazepam
>(Gen. for Ativan). The medicine works great when I have had a dizzy spell
>(from the vertigo), but lately I have also being having severe anixety
>attacks, where I have shortness of breath, pains in my chest, nausea,
>whirling sensations, and feeling like I am going to die, and they just come
>on all of a sudden. So I started to take one of the lorazepam and within 20
>minutes I am feeling better, why is this? And is the medicine I should be
>taking for the anixety attacks? I am a white 38 year old woman.
First, a benzodiazepine is fairly standard treatment for anxiety attacks.
However, you should not self-medicate on your own. Rather, you should discuss
these anxiety attacks with your doctor. It may be that a different regimen
or a different drug might be more appropriate.
As for a Rx of lorazepam for vertigo, that’s a bit surprising to me,
in that it could as easily cause dizziness as help a preexisting condition
of it. It may have some quieting effect on the vestibular center, I suppose.
–
Steve Dyer
d…@ursa-major.spdcc.com
When my doctor prescribed the Ativan, I had been separated from my husband
and there were serious talks about divorce, but after he had a heart
attack, we got back together. I was having serious dizziness, and it would
sometimes last up to 4 hours before I could get any control over it. My
doctor finally decided to give me the ativan, none of the other veritgo
medicine seemed to work. I don’t think I was depressed, it may have been
all hidden down deep inside, I don’t know. I had already been in therapy
for 6 weeks. I was fine. My doctor sent me to a ENT specialist and she felt
that all the symptons were veritgo and the ativan shoudl work, but then I
developed another serious problem, I become deaf in my right inner ear.
That lasted 2 weeks, she tried all sorts of medication, but I was having
strange reactions to everything, so I stopped all medication, including the
ativan. (I was supposed to take the ativan 1 tablet orally daily, .5mg)
When I became deaf again, she put me on a directic, and I can’t remember
the name, I had to watch my posstasium, because it wasn’t posstasium kind.
My hearing came back, I was check for tumors and the test was negative. The
next attack I had of deafness was the worse bout, I slowly lost my hearing
and this time it lasted over 3 weeks, and I also had an attack of veritgo,
which was the worse I ever felt, I couldn’t leave the ground without
throwing up. So then my ENT doctor put me on the preazone? (steriod for
strengthing) and change my medication to maxside? (directic), 1/2 tablet a
day, which was better for the posstasium. In time I became better and my
hearing improved. We believe the deafness is cause by something in sodas,
whether there is caffine or no caffine, even one can of soda can bring back
partical deafness the my right ear. I don’t drink any caffine products at
all. It has only been in the last 2 months that I have had anxiety attacks,
and dizziness and asked my ENT specialist about the ativan, she felt I
should take it and if it works fine and if not then call, but this time the
ativan is helping, so I only take 1/2 tablet of max and 1, .5mg, of the
ativan in the morning. I just didn’t know how the ativan was helping and
didn’t know that it was a cousin of valium. I can’t tell when the ativan
wears off, and I am no longer having dizziness when I go to bed, nor when I
wake up in the morning as I was having. Sometimes I would have the
dizziness in the middle of the day at work, and I haven’t had that either.
So isn’t bad to take something that seems to be working for me just fine?
It’s when I haven’t had any ativan, that a few day later, my dizziness
comes back. (I always take the maxside every morning faithfully.) Some of
my spelling on the drugs may not be right.
> Before we leap to the conclusion that we are having a rebound effect I
> think some more information is required. Such as how long have you
> been taking Ativan and how frequently? I am somewhat suprised that this
> medication has been prescribed for dizziness, as per the previous post.
> I would not, however, suggest a leap to antidepressants and/or Buspar
> without a proper workup. Ativan, as previously mentioned, is a
> benzodiazepine and this group of drugs is routinely used to treat
> anxiety and panic attacks, although different drugs within this
> class will be used for various conditions.
> Regards,
> Paul Harris, B.Sc.(Pharm) INTERNET: pghar…@bcsc02.gov.bc.ca
> Pharmacy Consultant – Pharmacare
> B. C. Ministry of Health: (604) 952-1786 Fax: (604) 952-1625
Victoria R.Yount
vyo…@ec.sdcs.k12.ca.us
In article <331cmq$3v…@mhadf.inhouse.compuserve.com>,
MAPRX <73225….@CompuServe.COM> wrote:
>HAS ANYONE HAD EXPERIANCE WITH ZOLOFT/PROZAC CAUSING DECREASED SEX DRIVE
>IN FEMALES OR BETTER YET, LACK OF ORGASMIC RESPONSE. THE FEMALES I HAVE
>TALKED TO ABOUT THIS FEEL THEY HAVE A SEX DRIVE, BUT LACK ORGASMIC
>SENSATION. THESE WOMAN ALL HAVE HAD PRIOR ORGASM PRIOD TO SSRI TRX
This is a very common side effect of all SSRIs, and it’s found in both
men and women.
>ANY SUGGESTIONS???
Anecdotal reports have suggested the use of cyproheptadine or yohimbine
taken an hour or so before sex. These have their own side effects, of course.
I recall reading here on the net about the regular use of buspirone to
counter this effect, though I’m not familiar with the research or the
neurochemical reasons for its effeciveness.
–
Steve Dyer
d…@ursa-major.spdcc.com
In article <33ddds$…@carbon.denver.colorado.edu>,
chris dugan <cddu…@ouray.Denver.Colorado.EDU> wrote:
> Yohimbine is a monoamine oxxidase inhibitor. SSRI’s should NOT
>be mixed with MAOI’s.
Yohimbine is NOT a MAO inhibitor. Get your facts straight.
–
Steve Dyer
d…@ursa-major.spdcc.com