Acomplia Side Effects: The Story You Must Read

This is interesting information--but I still think that if the FDA approves it, there's nothing morally wrong with the company making money from selling this product. The side-effects will have to be advertised, just like every other drug, and it is from there that people and their doctors will have to make the decision.

Lots of medications cause allergic or averse reactions in small percentages of patients. The improvement in the mass percentage of patients' lives does seem worth it, especially if doctors and patients are aware of the risks and monitor their reactions closely so that people who feel bad side-effects are taken off the medication.

I was one of the 'victims' of childhood anti-depressants (I'm now 21), which in the first couple weeks of dosing took the passive hate of my life and turned it into an active desire and ability to commit suicide. However, I had a good doctor and parents who understood the risks, the 'thought' effects of the medication soon caught up with the 'energy' effects, and I had the energy to do positive things, instead of only having the energy to do the things my depressed mind wanted. I do support there being a better label warning on these medications as prescribed to children, but I would never withhold medicine from sick kids.

I think the real issue is the victim culture we've created in the US, by making products and companies the solution and the responsible party for our problems. As long as the company, the FDA label, and doctors are open about the risks, it's our decision whether to take the risk of the medication, and our personal responsibility to take care of ourselves and our bodies. It's frustrating to me to see sometimes decent products get taken off the market because consumers want to blame companies for their own lack of listening and common sense. (Of course, companies who manufacture medicines and other products that to their knowledge are improperly or misleadingly labeled should be sued and the regulated products should be re-reviewed. My thoughts are mainly about cases like recent smokers suing the tobacco companies, or McDonald's customers suing for being overweight/unhealthy.)

Phew. Had to have someone get me a ladder to come down from that horse.

Smokers had a partial case in the first place cause the tabacoo companies weren't releasing all the studies. Did u not see the insider, watch it and tell me those people didn't have a legit court case. They weren't saying here tabacoo or a cig. No, they were adding stuff to it that shouldn't be added and that they KNEW would be dangerous to people, and they Still did it. Is that a company who is acting ethically and one that can claim ignorance. Hello, this is the corporate world not ur next door neighbor. There's a reason they invented a thing called corporate ethics. Please, do not think that these are humans making mistakes. Some rare ones made are truly mistakes, but most MOST are Not. They are caught a LOT, LOT, LOT less often then we all believe. Enron, took a long time to catch and it's still unsure. Tabacoo took years. McDonalds, well I don't agree that there is a legit case there unless they add in crazy stuff. No there's not one in the Oh it made me fat BULL. But there is one in the u said the fries were all vegan and u cooked them in animal oil, that's false advertising and they should be cited and have to make a pay out, and fix it.
There is not a victim culture in the US, are u even really from here. If so, get real. There are victims more often now in the front of our papers because the criminals are being caught now. NOT all of them, IMO it is like 0.01% of corporate criminals that have gotten caught. We aren't only talking about MOney here we are taking about Lives. When the FDA, our FDA (if u are really from the U.S.), doesn't do their job, supresses information, and sees the coporations as their customers, then we do have a problem. We are the one's paying them, they are suppossed to be there to server us not them too, and they have been tainted. REalize this is true and u can start to see the reality that believing many, many more coporations are hiding things and using dirty tactics. It is no longer a possiblity is is truth.
Good meds taken off the market?!? Are u nuts. They may help a bit and help soothe what they say they treat, but how can they be good when they are causing problems that are more serious elsewhere.
We may have fallen into the victim pit around 4 years ago but that's been replaced by a reality of those who have knowledge and power have been inactive and unresponsible, and plain old unsympathetic to what their jobs entail and ethical responsibilities.

So, the companies, the FDA and others around the system are not open about the dangers (instead it is whistleblowers who have come out with the truth). Two, it is the companies responsibility to make money and to follow the laws. Three, we are on our own, because the protections we set up to do just that have been swayed and tempted away from this goal itself. Realize that at times some of these companies do not even post the results of long term drug usage, unless forced through a court, which can take years.That's pretty disgusting tactics in my view, not responsible corporate ones.

U act like if I say pepto will kill us that it will be taken off the market in a few hours. Come one. The legit meds that have terrible side effects, have more protections then we do.

A few adverse reactions is acceptable, but there should still be warnings. When a med crosses the line over the acceptable barrier it should be decided what to do with it, but made forced to reveal the information on the damn bottle. When the company hides info about the bad studies it should be banned if the pill does cause such legit effects, and still it should be either shut down or given hard sanctions for future meds it produces, because it has practiced a hide and blind strategy. They are not children, they are playing around with people's lives, not only money. This all has happened because they are protected by law from every angle. that ur leaders.

Sorry for the mispellings but i was writing quickly. Live long and see the truth!

I think it's a symptom of modern society...we want a magic pill for everything and don't want to take any responsibility. I was diagnosed with depression a few years ago and my doctor told me I could go on Prozac, but that it had some side effects. I decided against it and did cognitive therapy instead, which worked wonders for me. A lot of conditions out there can be helped naturally without the use of dangerous medications. There are exceptions, but I think doctors are getting lazier...they'll just prescribe whatever pill that will make the patient happy. The side effects of Accomplia seem quite frightening, actually. I think if I had to choose between being neurotic and depressed and thin vs. a few pounds overweight and happy, I'd choose the latter. But some people just want to be thin, no matter what. I guess they will be the ones that will take Accomplia and suffer the side effects.

spectra u got a lot of good points there that I agree with. ONe thing we all forget is the 'Don't fix it if it ain't broken' technique. It is normal to be depressed even over a few days. Sometimes longer depending on circumstances. It is when it is overwhelming u beyond what has been a reality for a long time that u may need meds.

I guess my thought was that the side effects were only happening to a small percentage of the participants, so for those who felt okay the medicine was good.

And, while I agree that doctors are pretty quick to whip out the prescription pads for everything (even things, like colds, that we medically have no treatment for), I think that with the open availability of information about medications and their uses and side-effects on the internet, library, and even TV commercials and magazines, that the patient needs to take some responsibility in realizing what he is putting into his body. Even having a little chat with the doctor about what exactly the medicine does and what possible side-effects there are could prevent many bad patient experiences.

It would be nice if every doctor forced this conversation as a matter of course, but we know they won't, and should act on our cynicism about the medical community to protect and educate ourselves instead of blaming doctors who are only trying to make us better and give us what we want.

I agree with ur last post caz, except I add one thing. Patient responsibility can only go so far. We go to doctors because they should know more than we do about our bodies and meds, etc. We should try to do as much research to find things about meds we are taking and about our health in general. I do and many times I know more than some doctors which is frightening too in a way. Yet, doctors should know more in general, period. That is why they should have a responsibility in not having to be asked about side effects and what not but volunteer such info because it is their responsibilty to do so as an Expert. That's the key, they are experts in the area, hence they automatically have such responsibilities. Second, we can't be responsibile and neither can they when higher autorities and companies do not provide the needed information. Tell, me this is fair to doctors and, more importantly, patients, who will suffer the physical effects, and not only the monetary ones (as doctors sometimes do).

Joker, you're hitting the nail on the head for me, thanks! I really like what you're saying.

Another thing that bothers me is that a lot of our doctors are bought by the pharmacuetical companies. They get incentives to push their products.

I educate myself via the internet and all that, but again, you can't expect most people to do that. It's not realistic to think that everybody has the means to. There are accessibilty, financial, intectual factors that all need to considered in order for people to gather info.

I just had to comment because it makes me sad to think that we're so desperate to lose weight (myself included until recently). These drugs are so after the fact. We need to address what makes us heavy in the first place. And most importantly accept the hard work it takes to make yourself the weight you want to be. There never can be an easy answer to any of our problems.

I'll leave the more complicated comments up to Joker who expresses my sentiment awesomely (so far anyway).
:-)

That was an interesting article and confirms my suspicions about these type of drugs. Nothing can take the place of good nutrition and adequate exercise.

Does anyone remember the lauren hutton commercials that made menopause seem like a disease. Exposing hormone replacements was my first clue that we are being scammed by big pharma. Other than targeting fear of fat, its all targeting fear of aging. Some things are supposed to happen. I never bought the notion of "treating" menopause, but I have been sold some drugs I probably didn't need, made my own choice not to use them and I'm still here

If you see much daytime television, such as 24 hour news, the drug mass marketing is insane. The tone used is fear. One sounds like a news break-in piece when there's a need to warn of a storm. They use the word warning naming people over a certain age. I think its all very transparent, but millions of people don't read stuff like this site and are not thinking.

The pharmaceutical companies are definitely supressing negative information about most drugs. Given the latest Vioxx debacle It wouldn't suprise me if the FDA rejected approval. Every once in a while it's good to reject a drug just to make it look like the FDA is a truly unbiased federal agency with the people's interest in mind.

Does anyone that has heart condition. such as coronary artery disease been allowed to take this medication called Rimonabant? Please let me know.

thanks, FranG1953@aol.com

I am obese if I dont find some way to take the weight off I will die. At the age of 46 I have tried everything and please dont try and tell me its easy. I quit smoking after 25 yrs that monkey is off my back. I own stock in this company and I plan to purchase this pill to help me. The side effects are mild compare to some that in years done the road destory your liver,kidneys. Nothing is perfect. But America is eating it way to the grave and I like many others have to change are eating habits or face it die early. Good Luck. Best Regards, JEFF

There is no magic fix for obesity. The only solution is to consume less calories than you expend. Building lean muscle mass is incredibly helpful. I think it is just silly to take a drug which has the potential of causing psychosis when a good diet and exercise plan are 100% effective, have enumerous health and wellbeing benefits, and have no risk of side effects. I know that weight loss is really hard, but it is so worth it. If I can do it, so can you!!!

Also, if Acomplia is having a hard time getting the ok from the FDA, I'm scared! There must be something bad holding it up. And let me tell you from first hand experience that doctors know very little about new drugs. We only know the information that is published, and the bad news very rarely gets advertised because all the studies are done by the drug companies who want that drug on the market yesterday!!! For those of you who are dangerously obese, gastric bypass is an option which is quite effective with no risk to mental health.

Good Luck everyone!~

If she were that sick and miserable why didn't Carol just stop taking the drug? It sounds like she may have had pre-existing depression in the first place pill or no pill.