Drug Side Effects May Not All Be Listed

There is something very important that we should all do whenever we are given a new prescription. It is imperative that we read the package insert, in its entirety. If there is something that we don’t understand, we need to ask questions. This information is vital.

There is another thing that we should all understand, and that is our body. Some of us don’t have normal reactions to medications. Others may have normal reactions to most, but abnormal reactions to certain classes. This, too, is vital.

While I will not name the drug in question, as I believe it is a good drug for most people, I had an experience that proves both of these points. I was given a medication to help deal with a feminine matter. I’d never taken it before, so I did read the insert. It helped, but not entirely.

I began to have what I interpreted as a bad reaction to the drug. This is the part where knowing your body and its reactions is important. I called the doctor’s office and was told that what I was experiencing was normal. I called them three times, and got the same answer.

The fourth time I called, I knew that the drug was the cause and that continuing to take it would put my life at risk. I finally got a nurse on the phone. She was *not* pleased with the advice I had been given before. She agreed that I should stop the medication, which I did.

After five days of this bad reaction, I lost about a pint of blood. I am weak, but the problem has resolved. It will take time, but I will recover. I asked the nurse if continuing the medication could have killed me. The answer was yes. I very probably would have bled to death.

As I said, this is not against that particular medication, nor do I feel any anger towards the manufacturer for not having it on the paperwork. It is a very rare side effect that has not been reported by many women. I have seen reports in forums, but that’s it.

What I’d like you to take from this experience I’ve had is twofold. First, if you think you are having a bad reaction to a medication do not hesitate to call your doctor. It doesn’t matter if the side effect is not mentioned in the paperwork. Each of us is different.

Second, contact the manufacturer. In this case, I suspect women haven’t reported it much because it isn’t a topic they want to discuss with anyone but their doctor, and sometimes not even then. Manufacturers can’t add it to the list of side effects if no one tells them. Believe me, they will want the information. It protects both us and them.


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