# Possible side effects **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 9, 2009, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170 "2009-10-09T07:34:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/1 "2009-10-09T07:34:32Z")
I’ve been having a bit of indigestion recently so I bought some tablets at the chemist to relieve this. I read the leaflet inside the box and discover that possible side effects are: Skin rash which may be severe Slow, rapid or irregular heart beat Muscle and joint pain Blurred Vision Hair loss Itching Severe stomach pain (caused by inflamed pancreas) ++++++++++++++ Allergic reactions * * * Difficulty breathing, speaking or swallowing Tightness in the chest Lumpy skin rash Swelling of the eyelids, face,lips,tongue or throat Unexplained fever Fainting Anaphylictic shock **Other side effects** …there are more? Feeling sick Constipated Diarrhoea Headache Dizziness Fatigue Tendency to bruise easily Unusual tiredness Shortness of breath Frequent infections Confusion Restlessness Depression Hallucinations Imflammation of the liver Yellowing of skin Yellowing of eyes Swollen or tender breasts in **men** What-the-fuck? I’ll stick with the indigestion thank you very much ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/2 "2009-10-09T09:38:04Z")
when they do live human testing, they have to list everything that gets reported … and unfortunately it may not actually _be_ a side effect of the med in question. When I go down and play guinea pig, we are told to report absolutely EVERYTHING that happens during the test, I could get a UTI from something totally random, and I still have to report it. Doesnt mean that the flu shot gave me a UTI, or that it is even remotely related to the flu shot [the last thing I guinea pigged for was a flu shot] but it will end up listed. Sort of silly, but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/3 "2009-10-09T10:24:41Z")
I get your point but surely to list all of the above is going to dissuade people from taking certains meds. It’s certainly put me right off ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/4 "2009-10-09T13:35:52Z")
You have to consider if the problem is worth the possible side effects, if you read the paperwork that comes with it of the %age of side effects in the testing group, you can figure out if it is a common or rare occurance. In general, most meds side effects will be digestive issues, or sleepy/awakeness, or skin irritration. The drastic stuff tends to be fairly rare. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/5 "2009-10-09T13:50:46Z")
**aruvqan** is spot on - I work in medical research (on the hospital end of things) and in most studies, you’re supposed to report everything. Head cold? Report it as an “adverse event”. Headache? Report it. Even if there’s no chance that it’s related - and both the manufacturer and the reporting doctor will rate the incident on a likelihood that it might have actually been caused by the treatment - it gets sent in. We actually had a study subject who was murdered, and we had to report it like any other death. Naturally we said it was totally unrelated, but still, the FDA knows about a murder just because that person was in a medication study. **chowder** , part of the reason is to warn you that yeah, you’re taking medication and it can affect people differently. Part of it is to give you a hint that maybe if you’re feeling some new symptom, maybe it’s the medication you’re on, and you can talk to your doctor (if it’s a prescription med) or stop taking it (if it’s over the counter) and see if that helps things. I’ve anecdotally heard that a placebo (no active medication, often used in studies to see if the medication being tested has any real effect) has a high chance of causing headache, dizziness, or fatigue. In other words - people are kind of complex things and sometimes we don’t have a real reason for feeling bad, or sometimes if we do, it’s not necessarily related to a new medication we’re taking. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/6 "2009-10-09T13:59:16Z")
Every time I see a pharmaceutical ad on TV spouting a long list of possible side-effects, I remember the column that Dave Barry wrote several years ago talking about how these ads are sending two conflicting messages: 1. You _really_ need to be taking this drug. 2. This drug will probably kill you. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/7 "2009-10-09T15:50:15Z")
So being of the bulldog breed I decided ‘Oh what the hell, go for it’ I took one of the tablets, it cured my indigestion but about 20 mins later I let rip the most awesome fart in the creation of crowshit. It never mentioned thunderous flatulence on the leaflet, do you think I ought to contact the makers of the product so they can add that to their list? ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/8 "2009-10-09T16:53:37Z")
True anecdote: in a patient questionaire, under ‘adverse events,’ a woman mentioned that her car had been stolen whilst taking the investigational product. The Clinical Study Report had a comment in the text to the effect of “_…in a statistically insignificant number of cases, use of the product may result in automotive theft._” If it’s in the patient narratives, it _must_ be addressed. Who know? Maybe the product caused inattention, resulting in the keys being left in the car? Maybe it lead to bad risk-assesment, bad judgement, or risk-taking behavior? Whatever, it’s in the narrative, and that’s _that_. No matter how rare. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/9 "2009-10-09T17:44:36Z")
> [@Tranquilis](#): > > “_…in a statistically insignificant number of cases, use of the product may result in automotive theft._” Someone at Pfizer should ensure that every guinea pig in the study is given a lottery ticket. Maybe a make over and a coupon to a pick-up bar too. Side effects may include monetary windfall and gettin’ it on! ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/10 "2009-10-09T17:56:50Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > Someone at Pfizer should ensure that every guinea pig in the study is given a lottery ticket. Maybe a make over and a coupon to a pick-up bar too. > > Side effects may include monetary windfall and gettin’ it on! Oh, I’d love to see _that_ justified in a Clinical Study Protocol. That would make for some _highly_ entertaining reading! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/11 "2009-10-09T19:27:11Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > Side effects may include monetary windfall and gettin’ it on! Hmm, makes me wonder about Viagra. Side effects may include breakfast in bed and extra backrubs. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/12 "2009-10-09T19:53:54Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Hmm, makes me wonder about Viagra. Reporting “side effects” is how a drug being [studied for high blood pressure and angina](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viagra#History) became what we know today as Viagra. Really! Initial tests showed it didn’t do much for angina, but whoa, what a side effect… ---
**Author:** ![boyhowdy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@boyhowdy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boyhowdy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-side-effects/513170/13 "2009-10-09T21:51:11Z")
We give Viagra for pulmonary hypertension, a serious heart/lung condition. Four times a day. And no, not that I’ve noticed (and I assume I would). I guess they’re just too sick.