Side Effects Are.........

I never cease to be amazed by a commercial that I see on TV quite often. The ad is for a medicine called Abilify. It starts off by telling the benefits of the drug and it is able to list all the benefits within the first few seconds of the commercial. Basically they say that Abilify can help reach treatment goals for those taking another medication for Depression, Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder. Its a good thing that they can list its benefits in such a short period of time. The rest of the commercial is spent listing the side effects. I don't know if anyone else pays attention, but I have. Here, from Med TV website, are the side effects:

• Headaches -- in up to 30 percent of people
• Anxiety -- up to 20 percent
• Insomnia -- up to 19 percent (see Abilify and Insomnia)
• Nausea -- up to 16 percent
• Constipation -- up to 13 percent
• Vomiting -- up to 12 percent
• Dizziness -- up to 11 percent
• Indigestion or heartburn
• Drowsiness
• Shakiness (tremors)
• Weight gain (see Abilify and Weight Gain)
• Restlessness
• Fatigue
• Dry mouth (see Abilify and Dry Mouth)
• Joint pain
• Throat pain
• Blurred vision
• Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
• Pain
• Cough
• Nasal congestion
• Increased salivation
• Swelling or water retention in the arms, legs, or feet.

• Signs of diabetes, such as:

• High blood sugar
• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Extreme hunger (see Abilify and Diabetes)

• Large or rapid weight gain
• Suicidal thoughts
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Dizziness or fainting when going from a sitting or lying-down position to standing
• Feelings of internal restlessness or jitteriness
• Any abnormal muscle movements (these movements can become permanent if Abilify is not stopped quickly)
• A painful erection of the penis that does not go away (priapism)
• Signs or symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome, which can include:

• A high fever
• Stiff muscles
• Confusion
• Irregular pulse or blood pressure
• An increased heart rate (tachycardia)
• Sweating
• Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)

• Signs of an allergic reaction, including:

• Unexplained rash
• Hives
• Itching
• Unexplained swelling
• Wheezing
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing.

These less common Abilify side effects include but are not limited to:

• Anemia
• Vertigo (a spinning sensation)
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Low thyroid (hypothyroidism) or high thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
• Gas
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Hemorrhoids
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Canker sores
• Gallstones
• Yeast infections
• Arthritis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Kidney stones
• Impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction or ED (see Abilify Sexual Side Effects)
• An increased or decreased sex drive
• Acne
• Eczema
• Hair loss (see Abilify and Hair Loss)
• Varicose veins.

OK, let's review this: No hard ons, super hard ons, thoughts of suicide, rapid weight gain, kidney stones (I've had them, you don't want them).... sounds like fun to me. While there are currently drugs out there like Percocet and Vicodan that people are taking to get high, somehow I can't see a cult growing up around Abilify. I can just imagine someone telling his friend about the great experiences he had while high on it. The conversation would have to be something like, "Yeah, man, and then after the fever and the sweating passed, I had the greatest ringing in my ears. And the vertigo, wow, I could hardly walk. There's no chance for boredom when you take this either. Between the itching, scratching, and just fighting to breathe, I didn't have a spare minute. And you wanna talk about new realizations and appreciation of your body? You get hemorrhoids like I did, you'll be more aware of your asshole than you could imagine. Dude, you gotta try this drug."