Antidepressants Actually Reduce Serotonin Levels

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Common scientific beliefs about serotonin levels in depression and how antidepressants act on the brain appear to be completely backwards.

Children on Antipsychotics 50% More Likely to Develop Diabetes

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Antipsychotic drugs increased the risk of children developing diabetes by 50%, and with an antidepressant added, their risk doubled.

Pfizer Sued Over Zoloft’s Failure to Beat Placebo

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A lawsuit filed Wednesday in San Jose, California seeks federal approval for two class-action lawsuits representing all U.S. users of the antidepressant Zoloft, accusing...

Antidepressants Seem to Increase Heart Disease in the Elderly

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Depressed elderly people are more likely to suffer heart disease not because of their depression, but apparently due to antidepressant drugs.

Autism, Antidepressants, and Pregnancy: The Basics

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This month, the seventh study and eighth study came out on the topic of antidepressant exposure during pregnancy and autism.  And these studies showed, as essentially all of the others have, that antidepressant use during pregnancy (principally with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs) is associated with autism in the exposed children. With so many children being diagnosed with autism and so many women taking antidepressants during pregnancy, everyone wants to know: are these things (the antidepressants) associated with autism or not?  Quite frankly no one has the time to read through all eight scientific papers (and dozens more animal and basic science studies) to understand this important area, so I will do my best to briefly summarize it here.

Antidepressants Linked to Doubling of Failure of Dental Implants

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People who take SSRI antidepressants are twice as likely to have their dental implants fail, according to McGill University researchers. In a press release,...

Prenatal Antidepressant Exposure Raises Risk to Newborn of Pulmonary Hypertension

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Researchers from Canada find the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn is increased for infants exposed to SSRIs in late pregnancy. Results...

Opioid Use in Pregnancy Dangerous and Understudied

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Nora Volkow, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), authored an editorial for BMJ this month warning that the opioid abuse epidemic could have dangerous consequences for pregnant women. While the effects of opioid exposure on the developing brain are yet unknown, research suggests that infants may suffer from withdrawal syndrome, nervous system defects, and impaired attachment with the mother.

“Serious Breakdown” on Cymbalta Withdrawal Warnings

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"The last four years have seen a 90% increase in the number of serious adverse drug reports received by the Food and Drug Administration," according to a report by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices." Among them, a "signal" that Cymbalta causes "an array of problems such as crying, suicidal ideation, and anger, and other symptoms including effects on appetite and weight gain."

Jury Awards $3M to Family of 5-Year-Old With Topamax-Related Birth Defects

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A Pennsylvania jury awarded $3 million to the family of a 5-year-old born with cleft palate and lip as a result of the mother...

Recovery by Taking Psychiatric Drugs versus Recovery by Coming Off of Psychiatric Drugs

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German author and activist Peter Lehmann presents "Recovery by Taking Psychiatric Drugs versus Recovery by Coming Off of Psychiatric Drugs" at the 2012 International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry (ISEPP) Conference in Philadelphia, PA.

Alarming Report on Antidepressant Side Effects

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Drawing on analysis of data from websites such as Paxilprogress.org, ehealthforum.com, depression forums.org, about.com, medhelp.org, drugLib.com, topic.com and survivingantidepressants.org, researchers from the University of...

Antidepressant Use Climbs as Patients Find it Difficult to Discontinue

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Findings point to the role of withdrawal symptoms and prescriber practices in long-term antidepressant use.

Biological Explanations for Antidepressant Withdrawal

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Two South African researchers review scientific understanding of the brain changes that lead to antidepressant discontinuation syndrome (ADS) in Human Psycho-pharmacology: Clinical and Experimental....

Antipsychotic-induced Sexual Dysfunction Underreported

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Researchers found some antipsychotics to be worse than others for causing sexual dysfunction.

Lilly Faces First Week of “Bellwether” Cymbalta Withdrawal Lawsuit

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Calling it “Poison,” plaintiff Claudia Herrera testified she would not have taken Eli Lilly's drug Cymbalta had she known the risks. Lilly hid the risks of...

2X Risk of Postpartum Hemorrhage Antidepressants

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A study of 106,000 pregnant women with a diagnosis of mood or anxiety disorder, by researchers from Harvard, Duke, Michigan State and the university...

Eli Lilly Defeats “Bellwether” Cymbalta Withdrawal Lawsuit

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The Federal jury hearing the first of 5000 claims against Eli Lilly for hiding the risks of withdrawal symptoms associated with Cymbalta found that Lilly did not...

FDA System for Recording Adverse Drug Effects Perilously Deficient

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The system that the US FDA is using to gather and report on information about dangerous side effects from medications is extremely unreliable and...

J&J Loses Case Over Risperdal Antipsychotic Causing Male Breast Growth

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A jury decided Johnson & Johnson must pay a Philadelphia man $2.5 million in damages "for failing to warn that its Risperdal antipsychotic could cause gynecomastia."

Some Common Psychiatric Medications Associated With Pneumonia

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Pneumonia cases in the elderly are strongly associated with use of anticholinergic medications, including benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressants.

Elderly With Dementia can be Withdrawn From Antipsychotics

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The Cochrane Library reports that "many older people with Alzheimer's dementia and NPS (neuropsychiatric symptoms) can be withdrawn from chronic antipsychotic medication without detrimental effects...

FDA-approved Ads Misinform Patients About Antipsychotics and Motor Dysfunction

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Food and Drug Administration-approved information and public advertisements are misleading the public about the actual neurodegenerative risks from second-generation antipsychotics.

Health Canada Adds Suicide Warning to ADHD Medications

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Stronger warnings on the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors are being incorporated into the prescribing information for ADHD drugs in Canada.
Picture of distressed man facing pills

What Helps Long-Term Users of Benzodiazepines and Z-Drugs Discontinue?

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Current long-term users of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs identify barriers and facilitators for discontinuation.