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Yaz

Yaz

 
 
What is Yaz?
 
 
Yaz is a birth control product, generically known as Drospirenone that was developed by Schering AG and now manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals.  The drug works as a synthetic form of progesterone.  The drug essentially confuses the body into believing it is pregnant.  In doing so an egg is not released into the uterus and the lining of the uterus is expanded and prevents sperm from traveling.  The drug is also used to treat acne in women over the age of 14.
 
 
Side effects
 
 
Normal side effects associated with Yaz include persistent irritability, anger, depressed mood, anxiety, tension emotional changes, decreased interest in activities and problems concentrating.  The use of Yaz has also been linked to more serious conditions including gallbladder disease, blood clots, stroke, heart attack, liver tumors, high blood pressure and breast cancer.  
 
 
Government Regulation
 
 
In 2008 the FDA cited Bayer for an advertising campaign that overestimating the effects of Yaz and failing to address the risks associated with the drug.  In 2009 the FDA again cited Bayer for sending inferior batches of Yaz into the stream of commerce.  Once again, in June 2011 the FDA issued a warning after conducting studies on Pancreatitis in birth control medications.  The study conclusively found a link between Pancreatitis and drugs containing estrogen and drospirenone, including Yaz.  The FDA issued regulations requiring Bayer to include a warning on the label that informs its consumers of the risk.  The research warns women who suffer from hypertriglyceridemia that they are at an increased risk of developing Pancreatitis when using Yaz.  Yaz associated pancreatitis can lead to severe side effects including organ failure, shock and death.
 
 
Litigation
 
 
As of May 2011 there are over nearly 8,000 cases involving Yaz.  The actions have been consolidated but new plaintiffs join every day.  The complaints range in description of injury from gallbladder disease to pancreatic.  The cases are not set to go to trial until 2012.  
 
 
If you or someone you know has been injured through the use of Yaz or any other birth control product involving estrogen and drosperinone it is important that you seek a physician's assistance.  If you have been diagnosed with pancreatitis, gallbladder disease or any other conditions associated with Yaz it is important that you seek an attorney's advice to better understand your rights.  
 
 

Adderall Dosage

Adderall Dosage


A Brief Overview of Adderall Dosage

Similar to many prescription drugs that help regulate brain function, determining the proper Adderall dose for patients suffering from ADHD or narcolepsy is not an exact science. To find the correct prescription level that effectively guards against an Adderall overdose, physicians and patients must cooperate in monitoring the drug's effects.

Adderall dosage for children under the age of six will generally begin with a 2.5 milligram tablet. After monitoring the effect of this Adderall dose, a physician may increase it in intervals of 2.5 milligrams at a time. For those six and older, Adderall dosage will generally begin with a 5 milligram tablet and be adjusted accordingly. At such small levels, an Adderall overdose is unlikely to occur.

The Adderall dose contained in every pill over 5 milligrams increases by 2.5 milligrams up to the 15 milligram pill. Higher strength Adderall dosage is provided in 20 and 30 milligram pills. To guard against Adderall overdose, a physician will not recommend increasing the amount taken every day before giving your body some time to react to the drug. You may be asked to keep records of how you respond every day to your Adderall dose.

The risk of Adderall overdose will not be determined by the form in which you take this pill. You may be prescribed a regimen that involves taking a smaller Adderall dose two to three times a day. To guard against Adderall overdose, these ingestions should be separated by four to six hours. Alternately, you may be prescribed an Adderall dosage in the form of an extended-release tablet taken in the morning. Whether taken with or without food, the risk of Adderall overdose should not increase in either instance.

Once you have begun your regimen of Adderall dosage, it is important to follow the guidelines as explained by your physician. The potential adverse effects of taking this drug range from mild effects such as difficulty sleeping up to more severe consequences like stroke or heart attack. These consequences are possible even if you do not take your pills faster than indicated or otherwise induce an Adderall overdose.

To ensure that your Adderall dose regimen does not lead to addiction, a physician may ask you to temporarily cease taking the drug from time to time. This will help a doctor observe how your body responds and adjust your Adderall dosage accordingly. Under no circumstances should this tablet be crushed and snorted rather than taken orally. This will increase the risk of an Adderall overdose.

Even with a physician's careful monitoring, any Adderall dose can lead to negative side effects. Report these immediately to your doctor. If your Adderall dosage leads to serious side effects, you may wish to pursue litigation. Lawyers experienced in such cases can sue the drug's manufacturer regardless of your Adderall dose regimen. They will need to demonstrate clear cause and effect between your taking the drug and subsequent negative health events.

 

Adderall Addiction

Adderall Addiction


A Brief Overview of Adderall Addiction

The prescription medication Adderall contains amphetamines as part of its overall makeup, making it potentially highly addictive. It is therefore, a physician's responsibility to instruct patients concerning proper use. Moreover, a physician must routinely evaluate the patient to ensure that no habit-forming tendencies arise.

Adderall dependency can occur even if patients follow their physician's guidelines, forcing the exchange of information between you and your doctor to be honest and perpetual.

When a physician prescribes Adderall, they will inquire as to whether your family has a prior history of chemical or alcohol addiction. This is an indication patients may be more likely to develop Adderall addictions. If so, a physician will be unlikely to prescribe the drug.

Once an initial dosage has been assigned, a physician will slowly increase the amount of the drug taken every day as necessary. During this time, you should be alert to any sign that you may be developing an Adderall addiction. This may not always be easy to determine. During the initial period when a physician is increasing your dosage, a lack of efficacy does not mean that Adderall addictions are developing. Such increases are merely intended to determine what kind of intake schedule is most appropriate for your medical needs.

However, once a satisfactory regimen has been achieved, patients who find they must continually increase intake to achieve the same results may be developing an Adderall addiction. To guard against this possibility, a physician may ask that you keep records of any effects you notice while taking the drug. Doctors may also periodically order a halt in intake to see how you respond and observe any signs of withdrawal indicating Adderall addictions.

Because the potential for abuse is so high, your prescription cannot be automatically refilled. Regularly scheduled physician consultations will be required so that a doctor can question you about any signs of Adderall addiction and renew your prescription. A physician may discontinue the drug against your wish if they feel you are at risk of developing a debilitating dependency.

Adderall addictions endanger your health, since they increase the chance of side effects such as cardiac arrest or strokes occurring. Those with especially severe problems may purchase the medication through an illegal source rather than obtaining a prescription. In this case, an Adderall addiction will be financially ruinous in addition to being medically dangerous.

If this kind of condition ensues, many different factors will determine whether you have grounds for a successful lawsuit. Adderall addictions that occur as the result of deliberate disregard of physician instructions cannot be sued over. Similarly, you cannot pursue compensation over such a condition stemming from illegally acquired drugs. However, if Adderall addiction ensued despite following physician instructions, you may have grounds for a lawsuit. In such cases, lawsuits concerning Adderall addictions may sue the parent company for failing to provide proper prescription guidelines.

Regardless of the circumstances, Adderall addiction is not to be taken lightly. If you observe such a dependency occurring, contact your physician immediately. Adderall addictions must be ended before you can think of pursuing litigation.

 

Adderall Abuse

Adderall Abuse

A Brief Overview of Adderall abuse

When the prescription drug Adderall is used for purposes other than helping manage attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or narcolepsy, the potential consequences are very serious. Adderall abuse can take the form of taking more of the medication than instructed by a physician or ingesting it an orifice other than the mouth. Most commonly, this kind of misuse takes the form of snorting the drug. Any type of Adderall abuse poses serious risks to your health.

There are several reasons that this kind of misuse of medication occurs. Adderall abuses are sometimes committed by people in high-stress situations, such as college students studying for exams or those with a great deal of work to commit quickly. The drug is taken for the purpose of concentrating for extended periods of time.

Another form of Adderall abuse is taking the drug to lose weight. While weight loss is a known potential side effect of taking the medication, this is not its intended purpose. Adderall abuse can also be committed to use the drug for recreational purposes. Despite its legal use, it acts much like cocaine or other amphetamines in this light.

Daily ingestion that exceeds 40 milligrams (maximum daily dose) is legally defined as Adderall abuse. The risks, associated with Adderall abuse, are compounded if the drug is crushed and snorted. This type of Adderall abuse creates the potential nasal infection, since the drug is not sterile.

Adderall abuse is often committed by people who have not been prescribed the drug (constitutes illegal use). If you purchase tablets from another person or over the internet, you may not be given accurate information about the dosage of the drug. This means that while committing Adderall abuse, you increase your risk of heart attack, stroke and other adverse side effects.

Whatever the way in which the drug is misused, the potential consequences go beyond immediate physical harm. Even if you only commit Adderall abuse occasionally, the drug has habit-forming properties. Repeated misuse of the drug can create an addictive and destructive habit. Routine Adderall abuses will also create the potential for difficulty if you cease usage and experience severe withdrawal problems.

If you disregard a physician's instructions concerning use or use the drug without a prescription, you will have no legal options if harmful health effects occur. The manufacturer cannot be held responsible for the negative effects of Adderall abuse. This means that you will not be able to obtain compensation for medical expenses through litigation. Additionally, if you are arrested for possession of drugs purchased without a prescription for the goal of committing Adderall abuses, you may be charged with criminal possession of drugs. To guard against medical and legal consequences, avoid the temptation to commit Adderall abuse.

 

Adderall

Adderall

A Brief Guide to Adderall

Adderall is prescribed to people diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (medical condition where individual has difficulty paying attention for sustained periods of time). The prescription medication may also be implemented to treat narcolepsy (sleeping disorder). Like any amphetamine-based medication, taking multiple Adderalls contains multiple risks to patients. A physician must explain all these carefully before prescribing these.

Adderall, which affect patients differently, is often prescribed to children or young adults who have trouble focusing on their schooling/work. When prescribed, the Adderall dosage will be tinkered with to match your specific needs. The bulk of patients are prescribed the 2.5 milligram (mg) tablet, which may then be adjusted in intervals of 2.5 as suitable. Adults should generally not exceed 40 mg of Adderall a day, although this can be left to discretion. Dosages are increased when the drug is used to treat for narcolepsy. In these cases, up to 60 mg worth of Adderalls may be prescribed.

The medication may be prescribed in limited doses designed to be taken multiple times throughout the day or in the form of an extended release tablet to be taken in the morning. If prescribed the former, you should space out Adderall ingestion at intervals separated by four to six hours. Swallow the tablet whole rather than chewing or crushing it. Adderall can be taken with or without food.

Due to the medication's potentially addictive nature, physicians will monitor use closely. You may be asked to discontinue taking Adderalls temporarily at certain points to see how your body responds. A physician will ask you to tell them of any history of addiction in your family before deciding whether this drug is appropriate for you. To guard against Adderall abuse, this prescription cannot be automatically refilled. You will need to schedule regular physician appointments to receive prescriptions for refills.

Additionally, you should be alert to side effects other than a habit-forming dependency. Along with common prescription medication side effects like diarrhea and headaches, taking Adderalls may increase your risk of stroke or heart attack. This is especially the case for adults who already have experienced cardiac problems.

Litigation can be advanced if adverse effects result from Adderall use. The defendant in such cases will generally be the manufacturer. Successful lawsuits depend upon demonstrating a clear and convincing link between taking Adderalls and subsequent medical problems. Generally, such lawsuits should not be advanced unless the consequences were extremely serious, such as a heart attack or death. For example, difficulty sleeping due to Adderall is not grounds for a lawsuit.

If you believe you have grounds for a lawsuit either on your behalf or concerning the death of a loved one, contact a lawyer. It should not be difficult to find a professional who specializes in litigation regarding side effects from Adderalls consumption. Such lawsuits will most likely be filed by someone working for a percentage of your settlement. Therefore, the direct cost of consultation and litigation regarding harm caused by Adderalls should not concern you.

 

Actonel Dosages

Actonel Dosages

A Brief Guide to Actonel Dosages

The prescription medication Actonel is prescribed to patients who wish to maintain healthy bone mass and structure. The Actonel dosage prescribed by a doctor should follow the guidelines issued by its manufacturer. In order to prescribe the correct Actonel dose, a physician must consider your medical condition, state of health and any other medications (prescription and non-prescription) you are taking.

There are five different Actonel dosages, all of which are administered in tablet form. In nearly all treatment plans, you may be issued an Actonel dosage in the form of a 5 milligram (mg) tablet to be taken daily, a 35 mg tablet to be taken weekly, a 75mg mg tablet which should be taken for two consecutive days once a month, or a 150 mg tablet taken once a month.

The specific Actonel dose you will be described is primarily issued in relation to your specific wants or goals. For the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, any of these Actonel dosages may be considered by a doctor. In the case of men with osteoporosis who wish to increase their bone mass, the recommended Actonel dosage is a weekly 35mg tablet.  However, men who are battling osteoporosis related to steroid use should be issued an Actonel dose in the daily 5 mg form.

Along with osteoporosis-related treatment, Actonel dosages are considered for men and women battling Paget's disease. This condition can lead to deformed or enlarged bones. In such cases, the recommended Actonel dosage takes the form of a 30 mg pill. This Actonel dose should be taken daily for two months. Once this treatment has concluded, such Actonel dosages may be repeated if no improvement is observed. Studies have been inconclusive as to what kind of Actonel dosage should be administered if this second round of treatment is not effective.

Regardless of the Actonel dose you are prescribed, it should be taken 30 minutes before eating your first meal of the day. All Actonel dosages should be consumed with nothing more than water. Calcium supplements may be necessary during the onset of your treatment plan.

Regardless of your specific Actonel dose, it is important to be alert to any indication of adverse effects. Any Actonel dosages can result in potentially serious conditions. The most serious potential side effect with Actonel dosages is osteonecrosis of the jaw. It is crucial that you report any pain around your mouth to a physician immediately. If left untreated, an Actonel dose which causes these kinds of side effects could lead to debilitating pain as well as the loss of your jaw.

A physician should clearly explain all potential side effects of Actonel dosages before you begin a course of treatment. In the event that you are seriously harmed by your Actonel dosage, you may have grounds for a lawsuit to recover medical expenses or damages regarding pain and suffering. Many such lawsuits have been brought forth by patients who have taken every form of Actonel dose.

 

Actonel Class Action Lawsuit

Actonel Class Action Lawsuit


How to join an Actonel class action lawsuit:

The prescription medication Actonel has been associated with several severe side effects. Most notably, patients who have suffered from osteonecrosis of the jaw may be able to join an Actonel class action suit. Actonel class action lawsuits for this particular side effect include hundreds of patients who suffer from “jaw bone death” as a result of Actonel use. So, because you are joining those who share similar stories, you do not have to independently file a claim against Actonel.  

Generally, the defendant in an Actonel class action lawsuit is the manufacturer of the drug, Warner Chilcott Laboratories. Sufferers damaged by the drug's side effects may not always be eligible to join an Actonel class action suit; the individual must endure the same symptoms or be diagnosed with the same medical condition as the other plaintiffs in the Actonel class action suit.

Some of the Actonel’s side effects are common to other medications and will probably not help establish an Actonel class action lawsuit. For example, difficulty sleeping or diarrhea will not provide sufficient grounds to form an Actonel class action suit. Significant, long-lasting medical damage must be the foundation of Actonel class action suits. Since osteonecrosis of the jaw begins with oral pain and can end in the removal of your jaw, it qualifies as grounds for an Actonel class action lawsuit.

If you have been hurt Actonel use, you must immediately consult with your physician to either reverse the reaction or document your condition. In the latter situation, you may be able to join an Actonel class action suit without committing significant resources. Even though these kinds of cases consolidate several plaintiff complaints, only one person is required to represent the group. This person serves as the primary liaison to the defense team.

If you learn that an Actonel class action suit is already being undertaken, you must contact the representing law firm. You should then schedule a meeting to discuss adding your name to the list of plaintiffs in an Actonel class action lawsuit. When meeting with the facilitator, you must present all medical records to document the adverse reacts. This information will serve as the foundation for your Actonel class action suit. The more evidence delivered to the lawyer the more effective the professional will be in proving negligence or fault on the part of the drug maker.  

Depending on the number of plaintiffs involved, resolving an Actonel class action lawsuit can vary in time; some Actonel class actions suits can take years while others will be wrapped up in a couple of short months. Commonly, an Actonel class action suit may be handled by more than one law firm. This is necessary to handle the large volume of documentation involved in an Actonel class action.

You should be kept informed if you request about all progress made in an Actonel class action lawsuit. However, once you have provided your records, you will probably not need to appear in court or directly involved yourself in an Actonel class action suit. You should be notified if and when an Actonel class action results in a financial settlement to be divided among plaintiffs.

 

Zyprexa

Zyprexa

 
Frequently Asked Questions about Zyprexa
 
 
What is Zyprexa?
 
 
Zyprexa is the trade name for the drug olanzapine as manufactured by the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lily and Company. It is termed an atypical antipsychotic and can be used in the treatment of several mental illnesses.
 
 
How is Zyprexa taken?
 
 
There are actually three separate ways that Zyprexa is meant to be taken, but most interestingly, the way that a patient takes Zyprexa determines what its effect will be on them.
 
 
Oral Zyprexa: For the treatment of schizophrenia, both during acute episodes and as a maintenance treatment, as well as for the treatment of bipolar disorder during its manic phases, in which case it used as a supplement to lithium or valproate;
 
 
Intramuscular Zyprexa: Only for acute treatment of schizophrenia of bipolar disorder or manic-phase bipolar disorder, not for maintenance treatment;
 
 
Oral Zyprexa with fluoxetine: For the treatment of the depressive-phase of bipolar disorder, or for adults with depression which is resistant to other medications.
 
 
Some doctors also prescribe Zyprexa to treat anorexia or Tourette syndrome, though those are not FDA approved uses.
 
 
What are the common side effects of Zyprexa?
 
 
Zyprexa can cause several movement disorders, such as Tardive dyskinesia in which involuntary and repetitive body movements occur, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome, which is very rare and potentially fatal, consisting of muscle rigidity, autonomic instability and even cognitive delirium. These movement disorders are common to all drugs in the neuroleptic category.
 
 
More unique to Zyprexa are all of the following side effects:
 
Akathisia or chronic restlessness
 
Anhedonia, or the inability to find pleasure in activities commonly found enjoyable;
 
Auditory Hallucinations;
 
Decreased Motor Skills
 
Dizziness;
 
Dry Mouth;
 
Heart Failure, Heart Attacks, Heart Disease;
 
Impaired Thinking or Judgment;
 
Increased Appetite;
 
Insomnia;
 
Irritability;
 
Menstrual Irregularity;
 
Red Eye;
 
Seizures
 
SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome or Brain Zaps, a risk of withdrawal
 
Trouble Swallowing
 
Vertigo.
 
 
Is there some controversy over Zyprexa?
 
 
Yes, Zyprexa has become a highly controversial medication during the past decade. There are several reasons for this, but one important cause is a side-effect that Eli Lilly & Company is still reluctant to discuss: diabetes. A recent report in The Times of London shows that Eli Lily and company has had information that the use of Zyprexa simultaneously causes weight gain and increased blood sugar levels. Documents going as far back as 1998 show the company worrying about what the weight gain caused by Zyprexa might do to sails. One researcher wrote in a 2000 memo about the drug’s “implications for glucose,” which is a polite way of suspecting it to cause diabetes.
 
 
The actual research conducted by Zyprexa paints a revealing portrait. At least 30% of patients on Zyprexa gained 22 pounds or more because of the drug, and a later study showed that 60% of patients gained at least 66 pounds after just one year on the drug. 
 
 
Two lawsuits resulted from Zyprexa and its ties to weight gain and diabetes. The first, settled in 2006, paid out $700 million dollars to individuals who’d developed diabetes and other diseases while taking Zyprexa. The second which concerned 18,000 other, similar allegations, was worth another $500 million. This means that Eli Lilly has paid out more than $1.2 billion dollars to more than 28,000 patients who’ve suffered from the use of Zyprexa, a huge number until you realize that more than 20 million individuals have taken Zyprexa across the globe, and Eli Lily & Company routinely earns more than a billion dollars from sales of the drug each quarter.
 
 
The other controversy regarding Zyprexa does not directly concern its risk factors for diabetes but rather its prescribed uses, although the seriousness of its side effects is an important factor. After the first phase of Zyprexa’s introduction to the marketplace, when it was a huge success among sufferers of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Eli Lilly & Company was pushing for new uses for the drug, even though these uses hadn’t been approved by the Food & Drug Administration.
 
 
Most troublingly, Eli Lilly & Company marketed the drug through its thousands of sales representatives to treat children in foster care, insomniacs, and the elderly in nursing homes. According to Laurie Magid, a U.S. Attorney, the Company’s sales representatives were trained to court nursing home and foster home managers with the slogan “five at five,” meaning that a low dosage of Zyprexa would keep individuals quiet throughout the evening and night. 
 
 
The serious side-effects of Zyprexa made these actions genuinely harmful. Prescribing a individuals with no serious symptoms a drug like Zyprexa, which causes diabetes, huge weight gains, seizures, and the potentially fatal neuroleptic malignant syndrome, as a mere matter of routine, is a hugely negligent act, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Laurie Magid.
 
 
For these crimes, Eli Lilly & Company agreed to pay out $1.4 billion dollars to sufferers from Zyprexa. This means that the total costs of Zyprexa to the pharmaceutical giant now total $2.6 billion.
 
 
What do I do if I’ve been injured by Zyprexa?
 
 
If you’ve been injured by Zyprexa, then you should contact an attorney right away. If your claims appear to fall under the jurisdiction of one of the lawsuits that have already occurred, then you might be entitled to a portion of the billions that have already been awarded. Finding an attorney will help to legitimize your claims and get you your compensation as soon as possible.
 
 
You may also need to file a new lawsuit against Eli Lilly & Company over Zyprexa. Thousands of cases have been tried continuously during the period that these large class-action suits were occurring, and yours might very well be another one, but you should have the input of a noted medical malpractice attorney first.
 
 
Remember that no matter what your claims regarding Zyprexa are, if a medical malpractice attorney agrees to take it, they should charge you on a contingency plan, asking for no money upfront and instead a portion of a trial award or a cash settlement. This also means that they won’t charge you any money if you lose your case.