Acomplia Side Effects: The Story You Must Read

By in Opinion

Background
Rimonabant (brand name Acomplia) has been pitched as the blockbuster weight loss drug of the decade. The company manufacturing the drug, Sanofi-Aventis, had high hopes for this drug, once believing that sales could reach $5.2 billion per year.

The drug – re-named Zimulti in the US has been withdrawn from its application for approval in the USA.

Acomplia blocks cannabinoid (CB) receptors in the brain. The CB receptors are believed to play a role in controlling food consumption and dependence / habituation. People often refer to the cannabis-induced “munchies” or hunger pangs. Acomplia attempts to do the opposite.

What is an Acceptable Risk?

In the scramble for profits and quick-fix obesity solutions – no one has bothered to raise questions about the long term side effects. It is up to the health authorities to determine what is an “acceptable risk” based on the data from the clinical trials conducted recently.

Carol (not her real name) knows about the risk – and it is anything but acceptable. I recently corresponded with Carol, who participated in a Rimonabant drug trial.

With a long history of dieting, Carol began the trial at a weight of 13 stone 1 pound (183 pounds). With a daily dosage of 20mg, Carol noticed two immediate reactions; She was less hungry, and she became very tearful and depressed. She began to lose a pound or two per week (without being on a diet or exercise program).

Psychosis?

However things went from bad to worse. “I also felt nauseous quite often and in a period of 3 months vomited 6 times. As the trial progressed I became more and more depressed. I felt suicidal most of the time.” In her desperation to lose weight, Carol stayed on the drug, but slowly descended into psychosis “I couldn’t sleep and when I did I had terrible nightmares”. Carol experienced more graphic symptoms of psychosis (such as self-inflicted violence). She has since been on anti-psychotic medication for over a year, and has gradually improved.

“I lost my health and happiness because of these pills and experienced the most wretched time of my life”. Carol also added “My relationship with my partner never recovered from him having to care for me and we split up at the end of last year.”

To add insult to injury, the 20 pounds that Carol lost in the trial came back on within 3 months. Carol reports that her appetite “came back with a vengeance”.