Dangerous Medications.

I believe that the most dangerous drugs that there are right now are the drugs that are legal, over-the-counter medication. I think the entire healthcare system promotes the use of these drugs.

Slaine.

And that is just the over-the-counter (OTC) ones.

Although, let's take a look back at a prescription-only (PO) medication.

As a registered mental health nurse having qualified within the psychiatric sector of healthcare in the July of 1993, I have been well-versed in the administration of this medication in question, so here are a few specific bits of information relating to this one medication:

• Generic name: Thioridazine.
• Brand name: Melleril, Mellaril, Mellaril-S.

• Classification: Antipsychotic.
• Indications: Schizophrenia.

In the early years of this Millenium, the medication in question was discontinued in 2005. Previously this had been placed under restricted use in 2000 by the Committee on the Safety of Medicines. (Ann F Bisset, medical advisor.)

I had been prescribed this medication in the latter months of 1999. To start with, I was not suffering any of the stated side effects common to the drug, such as:

• Drowsiness.
• Dry mouth.
• Blurred vision.
• Nausea, vomiting.
• Constipation, Diarrhea.
• Breast swelling or discharge.
• Changes in your menstrual periods.
• Swelling in your hands or feet.

But as you can most likely imagine, these are pretty common side effects of a considerable number of medications (both OTC and PO drugs.)

Unfortunately, I succumbed to far more serious and dangerous lesser-known side effects at the time of its prescribed use back then.

1. Tachycardic rhythms (irregularly fast heart rate.)
2. Slurred speech.
3. Tardive dyskinesia (an involuntary neurological movement disorder) and in my experience... erratic tongue movements.

More about Tardive Dyskinesia can be read about here for further interest.

Many years on from this event, and after suffering Covid-19 in 2020, I returned to writing on various subjects, including what I went through after this (what has been a terrifying & destructive time of life for us all.)

My earlier article describes just what happened (below.)

Believe me, when I say, it was not a pleasant experience to have to go through.

Maybe, as many years pass us by, the future of medicine may turn out in much the same way that Thomas Edison once perceived (caption as below.)

Well, here's to hoping anyway. But then times are changing now for humanity, although sadly prescribed medication & care packages, can and often are expensive 'wallet ripping' events. Although needless to say, many health care providers are already prescribing 'talking therapies,' rather than more simply prescribing chemical substitutes, expecting these to be 'miracle workers' but not once considering offering their patients a chance to ventilate their underlying emotions that are most likely the precursor of the initial illness. Talking of which of course 'talking therapies,' also does not come strapped with the awful chemical side effects.

The next two articles that I have also written show just how serious it can be, when a Doctor, or a Pharmacist, gets it wrong.

And following on from this one:

But let's be honest though, we understand all too well, that many illnesses do require prescription medications, and in those respects, the prescriber will do the utmost in ensuring safe use and ongoing management of the patient, and the ensuing use of that medication.

But cast your minds back to Thioridazine just to close my ramblings on here. It was one of the first generations of antipsychotic drugs used in the management of schizophrenia and psychotic disorders. However, its manufacturer, Novartis discontinued it.

I can remember when I started my mental health training in September 1989, when this medication was 'dished out like smarties.' I can honestly say that having to have been prescribed this years later, that I was glad to see the back of it after had experienced the potentially life-threatening side effects.

Yes. It was banned from general use in 2005, although psychiatric in-patient services remain licensed for their use for schizophrenia patients under controlled regular review only.

Thank you for reading 💕.

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✨I can't wait to hear from you soon... Jonathan💕.