Over the past several days I’ve been working my way through the side effects of the medications I take, as listed in prescribing information and clinical studies. I got the lists from DoubleCheckMD – a source I trust because it provides the sources of the side effects it publicizes.
The hearts represent a known side effect of a specific medication I take – for instance, you’ll see that “Asthma” is listed as a side effect for both Protonix and Seroquel. Lines in red represent those I experience on a daily basis, but do not remember experiencing on a daily basis back when I was in my early thirties (before I started taking all the prescriptions). Other lines represent those I experience often, but not on a daily basis. I didn’t bother adding any side effects I’m not aware of experiencing.
My intention is certainly not to imply that everyone who takes these medications will experience these side effects. I am not clear what is a side effect and what is a symptom, in my case, and I’ve created this table to help me consider things from a new angle.
|
|
(Albuterol) |
(budesonide and formoterol) |
(Pantoprazole) |
(Gabapentin) |
(Quetiapine) |
(Lamotrigine) |
|
Published Side Effects |
Ventolin |
Symbicort |
Protonix |
Neurontin |
Seroquel |
Lamictal |
|
Abdominal distention |
|
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Abnormal production of breast milk |
|
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Anxiety |
♥ |
|
|
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
Apnea |
|
|
|
|
|
♥ |
|
Arm/leg pain |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Asthma |
|
|
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
|
Auditory hallucinations |
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Back pain |
|
♥ |
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
|
Bladder infection |
|
|
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
|
Blurred vision |
|
♥ |
♥ |
|
|
|
|
Bruxism (clenching or grinding of teeth) |
|
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Changes in heart rate/rhythm |
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
|
Chest pain or tightness |
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
♥ |
♥ |
|
Choking |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Congestion |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Constipation |
|
|
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
Cough |
|
|
|
|
♥ |
♥ |
|
Decreased sex drive |
|
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Dehydration |
|
|
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
|
Delusions |
♥ |
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Dental cavities |
|
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Depression |
|
|
|
|
♥ |
♥ |
|
Diarrhea |
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
|
♥ |
|
Dizziness |
♥ |
♥ |
|
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
Drowsiness |
|
|
|
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
Dry mouth |
♥ |
|
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
|
Dry skin |
|
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
Eye dryness |
|
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Flank pain (pain in the sides) |
|
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
Foggy vision or halos around lights |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Fungal infections |
|
♥ |
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
|
Gum inflammation |
|
|
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
|
Hair loss |
|
|
♥ |
|
|
♥ |
|
Headache |
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
Hiccups |
|
|
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
|
High cholesterol |
|
|
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
|
Inability to concentrate |
|
|
|
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
Inability to sit still/restlessness |
♥ |
|
|
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
Increased feeling of stress |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Increased sensitivity to noise |
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
|
Increased sweating |
♥ |
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Increased thirst |
|
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
Indigestion / Reflux esophagitis |
♥ |
♥ |
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Inflammation of the nasal passages |
|
♥ |
|
|
♥ |
♥ |
|
Insomnia and other sleep problems |
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
|
♥ |
|
Joint pain |
|
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
Light-headedness/faintness |
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lumps in the breast |
|
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Memory loss |
|
|
|
♥ |
♥ |
|
|
Mental health and behavior problems |
♥ |
|
|
|
|
♥ |
|
Migraine headache |
|
♥ |
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Miscellaneous problems with breathing and shortness of breath |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Mood disturbances |
|
|
|
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
Mouth and skin rash/lesions |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Muscle cramps |
|
♥ |
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
|
Muscle spasms |
|
♥ |
|
♥ |
♥ |
|
|
Nasal congestion |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Nausea |
♥ |
♥ |
|
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
Nervousness |
♥ |
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
Panic attacks |
|
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Paranoid reaction |
|
|
|
|
♥ |
|
|
Paroxysmal bronchoconstriction |
♥ |
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Periodontal disease |
|
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
Severe anxiety/nervousness |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Shaking chills |
|
♥ |
|
|
♥ |
♥ |
|
Stuffy nose |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Swallowing problems |
|
|
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
|
Throbbing/pounding heartbeat |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Tightening of the airways |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Tooth problems |
|
|
|
♥ |
|
♥ |
|
Tremor |
♥ |
♥ |
|
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
Urinary tract infection |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Vaginitis |
|
|
♥ |
|
♥ |
♥ |
|
Weight gain or loss |
|
|
♥ |
♥ |
♥ |
|
|
Wheezing |
|
♥ |
|
|
|
|
|
Worsening of asthma symptoms |
♥ |
♥ |
|
|
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Popularity: 1%
