January 10, 2020 at 2:22 pm

Insomnia, Nightmares and SSRIs

“Until I started taking medication I hadn’t experienced any issues with sleep, apart from the typical disturbed nights that come with having a baby and toddler,” says Helen*, 30. “But my sleep worsened noticeably in the six weeks after I started taking antidepressants… I would find myself awake in the middle of the night with a cosmic feeling of unsettledness combined with a sensation similar to restless legs, but across my back. I also had severe nightmares…”

Read the full article here.

January 8, 2020 at 2:53 pm

Many Different Drugs Can Cause Akathisia Symptoms

“Over the years, Golomb has collected reports from patients across the United States – tales of broken marriages, destroyed careers, and a surprising number of men who have come unnervingly close to murdering their wives. In almost every case, the symptoms began when they started taking statins, then promptly returned to normal when they stopped…”
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January 5, 2020 at 2:23 pm

Drug Safety Pioneer Leaves Behind Legacy

Dr. Heather Ashton, a psychopharmacologist and author of the “Ashton Manual,” has died. The New York Times reports that Ashton’s lasting achievements include helping doctors and patients recognize and respond to benzo withdrawal and related adverse drug effects.
Dr. Ashton’s ability to listen to patients helped her collect accurate data used to develop the manual for benzo withdrawal and appropriate deprescribing.
“Patients themselves, and not the medical profession, were the first to realize that long-term use of benzodiazepines can cause problems,” wrote Dr. Ashton.
Read the full article here.