Would you kindly allow me to stand on a soap box for just a minute?
Modern science has come a long way since the light bulb. Along with it came societal benefits not dreamed of in less enlightened times. What then is the goal of science? To better understand life so as to improve the quality therein - right?
If this is true, what is science doing for our health? It seems to me the best & the brightest in the field are hard at work in the concocting labs. They must be if the legions of drug commercials are any evidence, and boy, do they have pharmaceuticals to sell; nationwide ad campaigns are expensive after all. I am not saying all medicine is bad. Nor am I learned enough in medicine to even say that a particular medicine is bad. But instead of telling you what I'm not saying, I'll simply let the facts speak.
The unlucky "remedy" that sparked this little concoction of my own: SEROQUEL XR. Hats off to their advertisers. The soft music. The soft tones. The loving couple. The serene and colorful butterfly floating in the breeze. Nothing but warm & fuzzy. Meanwhile the comfortably toned actress reads the side effects, but do not mind those. All will be well infers the pitch.
Meanwhile, I am having as much trouble keeping a straight face as does Seth Rogen while saying something obnoxiously ridiculous on Leno (he was on last night if you missed it, really funny guy). Eventually, in both cases, the stoic poker face breaks to a chuckle. But our health should not be comedy. Laughter is good for the soul no doubt, but it feels counterproductive in this context.
So without further ado, I'll step down and let us together take a look at the drug's FDA reported SIDE EFFECTS:
COMMON: Constipation; dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth; increased appetite; lightheadedness; stomach upset; stuffy nose; tiredness; weight gain.
This may seem obvious, but ponder what I'm about to say. Merriam-Webster's defines common as something occurring frequently.
SEVERE: Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); confusion; fainting; fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat; fever, chills, or sore throat; increased saliva production or drooling; increased sweating; memory loss; menstrual changes; muscle pain, stiffness, or weakness; new or worsening mental or mood changes (eg, aggressiveness, agitation, anxiety, depression, exaggerated feeling of well-being, hallucination, hostility, impulsiveness, inability to sit still, irritability, panic attacks, restlessness); numbness or tingling; persistent, painful erection; seizures; severe or prolonged dizziness or headache; shortness of breath; suicidal thoughts or actions; swelling of the hands, legs, or feet; symptoms of high blood sugar (eg, increased hunger, thirst, or urination; unusual weakness); tremor; trouble concentrating, speaking, or swallowing; trouble sleeping; trouble walking or standing; uncontrolled muscle movements (eg, arm or leg movements, jerking or twisting, twitching of the face or tongue); vision changes.
God have mercy if you're in this camp.
SEROQUEL XR is most commonly prescribed for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia & depression. I do not want to lessen the severity of these conditions or need for a solution for those plagued by them. Again, another disclaimer, I am no medical professional and the recipient medication of my critique is by chance. I could easily pick another. My simple soap box wish is to make us think. If our bodies, anyone's body, react to a "medicine" in this way... what should that tell us?
I strongly believe eating REAL UNPROCESSED FOOD is a part of the answer to our health woes. So is proper exercise and drinking more water. Most important is to be pro-active with your health and eating habits. Unfortunately modern medicine is all too often the re-active sort.
Thank you for listening.
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