Some of the drug advertisements in magazines provide nearly a full page of warnings and possible side effects in 4-point typeface. So if something bad takes place, you were warned — including eyestrain from reading the ad, I guess.
A decade or so back, I was at a convention and one of the speakers spent 50 minutes listing the side effects of a very expensive new drug, that didn’t actually do anything except have side effects. Humor.
They spend so much time listing the possible side effects that I usually don’t remember what the drug is actually for. And often it is just an acronym that I’ve never heard of in a medical context.
Yeah, when one of the side effects of a medication or treatment is death, it’s time to reevaluate. We all face death, but I’m not in a big hurry to give it a jump start…
I was prescribed Uloric for gout. A while later, I saw the TV ad with the guy carrying the giant green beaker. The side effects were numerous and nasty. SO I stopped taking it (even though the ad said ’don’t stop taking it without consulting your doctor.) Several months later I got a gout attack. My doctor said “aren’t you taking Uloric?” I told him I had stopped because I didn’t like the sound of those side effects. He told me most people don’t get any, and I hadn’t had any while I was taking it. So I started up again. Fast forward a couple of years and I get a call out of the blue from my doctor’s office telling me to stop taking it right away, and come in for an alternative. Uloric had been “Black Boxed” by the FDA for causing sudden cardiac death! Of course I had just refilled it for $380 for a 3 month supply. I still have the bottle all these years later!
not to worry – the doctor will prescribe something to cure the unprovoked squirrel attacks. unfortunately, its side effects include sudden urges to streak and exploding toes…
Praise God my health is such that I am still not taking any medication, but I have been noting that aspect of drug commercials for years. No spontaneous combustion or unprovoked squirrel attacks, but I think I once saw something about purple spots on the tongue.
Templo S.U.D. about 2 years ago
yikes
allen@home about 2 years ago
If a doctor said i needed that drug. I would pass on it.
Kymberleigh about 2 years ago
If my doctor prescribed anything that had “spontaneous combustion and unprovoked squirrel attacks” as a side effect, I would question her sanity.
Zykoic about 2 years ago
New studies show that the medicine you are now taking is cheap so we have a new medicine that does the same thing but cost 5X more.
jmolay161 about 2 years ago
The hilarious thing about TV drug ads is that the long list of side effects almost always sounds worse than what you would be taking the medicine for.
Gent about 2 years ago
Eh side effects of all drugs look as worse as these.
naplllp about 2 years ago
Also an irresistable urge to jaywalk in a no-jaywalking zone.
juicebruce about 2 years ago
As if you have to tell the lawyers why they are suing the drug companies …
Beaker about 2 years ago
If the side effects include constipation and diarrhea how would you know?
Doug K about 2 years ago
The most “important” warning: “Do not take if you are allergic to it.”
PraiseofFolly about 2 years ago
Some of the drug advertisements in magazines provide nearly a full page of warnings and possible side effects in 4-point typeface. So if something bad takes place, you were warned — including eyestrain from reading the ad, I guess.
Saddenedby Premium Member about 2 years ago
plus they never tell you what meds you can’t take it with – like half the things the doc’s already prescribed for you
david_42 about 2 years ago
A decade or so back, I was at a convention and one of the speakers spent 50 minutes listing the side effects of a very expensive new drug, that didn’t actually do anything except have side effects. Humor.
GreenT267 about 2 years ago
They spend so much time listing the possible side effects that I usually don’t remember what the drug is actually for. And often it is just an acronym that I’ve never heard of in a medical context.
KFischer1 about 2 years ago
That’s true for any drug out there. There is no cut off for age, pluggers don’t have an edge here.
Just-me about 2 years ago
Yeah, when one of the side effects of a medication or treatment is death, it’s time to reevaluate. We all face death, but I’m not in a big hurry to give it a jump start…
KEA about 2 years ago
either that or you have all the side effects before taking the medication
Calvins Brother about 2 years ago
Then you have to take another drug to counteract the previous side effects. (and on, and on….)
Rose Madder Premium Member about 2 years ago
Absolutely – ‘dead’ on. ‘May cause death’. Wonderful…
the lost wizard about 2 years ago
It’s when they tell you that your blood pressure medication may cause strokes that you really start to worry. :)
'IndyMan' about 2 years ago
My question is: How do you know if you are allergic to it unless you take it ?
'IndyMan' about 2 years ago
Another good one is: ’ may cause occasional spotty bleeding ’ and ‘swollen tender breasts’ and the medication is prescribed for a male ! ! !
The All-Meat Xylophone about 2 years ago
Continue use of Dammitol™ only until deep pockets disappear.
martinman8 about 2 years ago
it forgot the dieria part. seems like everything causes that today.
g04922 about 2 years ago
Like the old timers always said…. “It’ll will either kill ya or cure ya”.
goboboyd about 2 years ago
On the other hand, if your life could use a bit of excitement…
Judy Hendrickson [Unnamed Reader - 852856] about 2 years ago
Ain’t that the truth!
edle5 about 2 years ago
It may cause Cancer, Heart disease & possible stroke also:)
tcayer about 2 years ago
I like the one for depression that “May cause sexual disfunction.” Well THAT would make me MORE depressed!
tcayer about 2 years ago
I was prescribed Uloric for gout. A while later, I saw the TV ad with the guy carrying the giant green beaker. The side effects were numerous and nasty. SO I stopped taking it (even though the ad said ’don’t stop taking it without consulting your doctor.) Several months later I got a gout attack. My doctor said “aren’t you taking Uloric?” I told him I had stopped because I didn’t like the sound of those side effects. He told me most people don’t get any, and I hadn’t had any while I was taking it. So I started up again. Fast forward a couple of years and I get a call out of the blue from my doctor’s office telling me to stop taking it right away, and come in for an alternative. Uloric had been “Black Boxed” by the FDA for causing sudden cardiac death! Of course I had just refilled it for $380 for a 3 month supply. I still have the bottle all these years later!
gopher gofer about 2 years ago
not to worry – the doctor will prescribe something to cure the unprovoked squirrel attacks. unfortunately, its side effects include sudden urges to streak and exploding toes…
pamela welch Premium Member about 2 years ago
This made me laugh; probably because I can identify with it.
The side effects rattled off at 90 miles an hour during an ad make me shake my head; I’ll live with the disease, thanks anyway.
DaBump Premium Member about 2 years ago
Praise God my health is such that I am still not taking any medication, but I have been noting that aspect of drug commercials for years. No spontaneous combustion or unprovoked squirrel attacks, but I think I once saw something about purple spots on the tongue.
LC64 about 2 years ago
I don’t remember which drug commercial ended the list of side effects with “If you die, be sure to let us know.”