We went on a mission to find the most dangerous FDA approved money could buy, their side effects and possible natural remedies. Despite so called protection for the consumer it appears that the FDA is nothing but a Monopoly enforcer, protecting drug companies. Hard to believe but this system has been in decades in the making. The cost of admission to this cartel is a minimum of $100 million which is what it costs to do clinical trial. For that sum of money the drug industry has a lock on your health.
According to the Kaiser foundation the 2016 total retail sales of prescriptions drugs in the United States was a staggering $379 billion. Astonishing! Do Americans have so much money or are they being subject to a new form of slavery?
It would be money well spent perhaps if the side effects were not so onerous. And does it really help your quality of life? Is there healthy alternatives you can use instead of prescription drugs? Ars Technica reports that a third of FDA approved drugs go on to have major safety issues.
Extracting this information is another issue. It’s all hidden in marketing speak and confusing words. The FDA does not have an easy to use database of these drugs and their side effects. You would think with their stringent standards this would be the case. Sadly it is case of a government agency that is badly run and determined at all costs to keep its power.
Some manufactures have nice web sites but even then the information and wording in marketing speak tries to minimize the alarm it might bring to you. Some drug company sites even prevent you from cutting and pasting the side effects from their web sites. Very suspicious. So let’s take a look at the dangers of these drugs.
1. Atorvastatin Calcium
- Brand Names: Lipitor and Crestor
- Used For: Cholesterol – The best selling drugs in the World has some serious side effects most notable liver dysfunction, diabetes and even stroke according to Dr. Axe
- Side effects: “ Summary of Manufacturer listed side effects : Liver problems, elevated sugar levels (diabetes), memory loss, confusion, tiredness, tendon problems, muscle and joint pain, feeling tired or weak, digestive issues including diarrhea and upset stomachs, skin reactions, nausea and vomiting, allergic reactions (swelling, breathing difficulties, swallowing) loss of appetite, upper belly pain, dark, amber-colored urine, yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.
- Natural Alternatives: Olive oil, Garlic, Onions, Basil, Rosemary, Turmeric (in extreme moderation). We are not believers in supplements. Get what you need from natural food. Reduce sugar, carbs, too much alcohol, hydrogenated fats, too much caffeine (no more than 2 cups or tea of coffee) all of which increase bad cholesterol production. Eliminate the chief causes of cholesterol such smoking, poor diet, obesity, lack of exercise as listed at the mayo clinic.
2. Adalimumab -
- Brand Names: Humira
- Used for: Arthritis, plaque psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
- Side Effects: Nausea, sleep disturbance, constipation, flatulence, and vomiting. Source: Humira
- Natural Alternatives: Arthritis – weight reduction, improve diet, bone broth, stay active, ginger, turmeric, eat food high in magnesium Crohn’s disease – Kill off bad bacteria with essential oils and spices, repopulate gut with good bacteria (eat pickles). Some good information here but avoid the supplements. Get it from natural diseases.
3. Etanercept
- Brand Names: Enbrel
- Used for: Used for Rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
- Side Effects: Serious viral, bacterial, and fungal infections, multiple sclerosis, seizures, demyelination, optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, paresthesias, inflammation of the nerves of the eyes (uveitis, scleritis), blood problems (some fatal); new or worsening heart failure; new or worsening psoriasis; allergic reactions, interstitial lung disease, lupus-like syndromes and hepatitis B reactivation, pancytopenia, anemia, leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, lymphadenopathy, aplastic anemia, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), macrophage activation syndrome, systemic vasculitis, sarcoidosis . Sources: Enbrel and Rxlist
- Natural alternatives: Rheumatoid arthritis - Ginger, turmeric (in extreme moderation), garlic, black pepper, willow bark, heat and cold therapy. Plaque psoriasis – Aloe vera, Apple Cider Vinegar, Capsaicin, tea tree oil, turmeric, Dead Sea salt, fish oil, increase water intake, acupuncture. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis – Improved diet, exercise, cold and heat therapy, acupuncture.
4. Clopidogrel (Blood Thinner)
- Brand Names: Plavix
- Used for: Arthritis, plaque psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
- Side Effects: Itching, Eczema, Rash, Head or joint pain, Bruising, Diarrhea, Fever, Skin redness, taste problems, Nosebleed, Bloody or tarry stools, Blood in your urine, Coughing up blood, Vomiting that looks like coffee grounds, Crushing heavy chest pain that spreads to arm, shoulder, or jaw, Sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of your body, Sudden headache, Confusion, Vision, speech, or balance problems, Weakness, Fever, Pale skin or yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), Purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin, Unusual bleeding in the mouth, vagina, or rectum, coma, stroke, seizure, low urine, stomach pain. Sources: everydayhealth and FDA.
- Natural alternatives: Rheumatoid arthritis - Ginger, turmeric (in extreme moderation), garlic, black pepper, willow bark, heat and cold therapy. Plaque psoriasis – Aloe vera, Apple Cider Vinegar, Capsaicin, tea tree oil, turmeric, Dead Sea salt, fish oil, increase water intake, acupuncture.
5. Rituximab
- Brand names: Rituxan
- Used for: Cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and pemphigus vulgaris
- Side effects: Death, liver failure, hives, rash, itching, facial or oral swelling, sudden cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, weakness, dizziness, feeling faint, racing heart, chest pain, painful sores, ulcers, or blisters on your skin, lips or mouth; peeling skin; rash; or pustules, Hepatitis reactivation, Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy. Visit: rituxan
- Natural Alternatives : None
6. Varenicline – 2016 sales – $900 million
- Brand Names: Chantix
- Used For: Antismoking aid
- Side Effects: Nausea, sleep disturbance, constipation, flatulence, and vomiting. Summary of Manufacturer listed side effects - Mental health problems, aggression, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, or suicidal thoughts or actions, seizures, sleep walking, rash, swelling, redness, and peeling of the skin, nausea (30%), sleep problems, constipation, gas and/or vomiting.
- Natural Alternatives - Going cold Turkeys only works for some people. The best way is to reduce smoking (maybe with an aid of an electronic cigarette as a stop gap measure), drink plenty of water to flush out your system and replace with alternative habit like some Ceylon Cinnamon toothpicks. You will certainly get great smelling breath.
7. Quetiapine
- Brand name: Seroquel
- Used for: Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.
- Side effects: Death in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis, suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adolescents and young adults, Cerebrovascular adverse reactions, including stroke in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, Metabolic changes (hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, weight gain), diabetes, cholestrol, diabetes, cholesterols Tardive dyskinesia, Hypotension, Increases in blood pressure (children and adolescents) Leukopenia, neutropenia and agranulocytosis, Cataracts, QT Prolongation, Seizures, Hypothyroidism, Hyperprolactinemia, potential for cognitive and motor impairment, Body temperature regulation, Dysphagia, Discontinuation Syndrome – Source and manufacture site
- Natural alternatives: Vitamins, Omega 3 Fish Oil, herbal medicine, essential oils. More info at schizophrenia.com. Depression
8. Drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol
- Brand names: Ortho-Novum, norethisterone acetate, Levora, Natazia, Mircette, Levlite, Lessina, Enpresse, Lo/ovral-28, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Aviane, Aranelle, Alesse, Levlen, Loestrin, Apri, Yaz, Yasmin, Nordette
- Used For: Birth Control Pill
- Side effects: Breast Cancer, blood clotting, heart attack and stroke, gallbladder symptoms, Liver tumors can rupture and cause fatal internal bleeding. Increased risk of developing liver cancer, breast pain or tenderness, headache, severe and throbbing, heavy non-menstrual vaginal bleeding, irregular menstrual periods, nausea, normal menstrual bleeding occurring earlier, possibly lasting longer than expected, vomiting, bloating, stomach cramps, changes in weight or appetite, nipple discharge, freckles or darkening of facial skin, increased hair growth, loss of scalp hair, problems with contact lenses, decreased sex drive.
- Natural Alternatives – Condoms, abstinence, calendar method, natural family planning, temperature method, lady comp, mucus method, diaphragms, cervical cap. More from mamanatural.
9. Pramipexole
- Brand names: Mirapex
- Used For: Parkinson’s, restless leg syndrome
- Side Effects: Low blood pressure, hallucinations, dizziness, drowsiness, skin cancer, compulsive disorders like excessive gambling, binge eating, having sex, spending money, heart failure.
- Natural Alternatives: All brain related ailments could benefit from eliminating sugar, herbal medicine and essential oils. Search for studies on NCBI which shows some natural remedies that show promising results.
10. Sildenafil
- Brand names: Viagra
- Used for : Erectile dysfunction (impotence)
- Side Effects : According to this study the side effects of Viagra include – flushing (30.8%), headache (25. 4%), nasal congestion (18.7%), and heartburn (10.5%). 37% gastrointestinal, 35% vascular, and 22% neurologi. Manufacture listed side effects - According to Viagra itself the side effects include headache, flushing, upset stomach, abnormal vision, such as changes in color vision (such as having a blue color tinge) and blurred vision, stuffy or runny nose, back pain, muscle pain, nausea, dizziness, Rash In addition, heart attack, stroke, irregular heartbeat and death have happened rarely in men taking VIAGRA. Most, but not all, of these men had heart problems before taking VIAGRA. It is not known if VIAGRA caused these problems. How did the FDA approve it then?
- Natural Alternatives – Avoid prescription drugs, exercise, ginseng, Maca and some more from this blog post.
11. Aripiprazole
- Brand Names: Abilify
- Used for: Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and Tourette syndrome. It can also treat irritability associated with autism. Depression affects 16 million Americans annually so you can see the problem but the side effects are shocking. We had an uncle who committed suicide while on anti-depression medication. Maybe all those terrorists are on some prescription drugs?
- Side effects: Death from stroke, Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), tardive dyskinesia, diabetes, unusual urges (gambling, binge eating, shopping, sex), orthostatic hypertension (low blood pressure), low white blood cell count, seizures, body temperature variations, swallowing difficulty, cholesterol, weight gain.
- Natural alternatives: Essential oil aromatherapy, exercise, sunlight therapy, acupuncture, support groups, fish oil, yoga and meditation, saffron, certain spices.
12. Zolipidem
- Brand Names: Ambien, Edluar, Intermezzo, Zolpimist, and Ambien CR
- Used for: Insomnia
- Side effects: Daytime drowsiness, Dizziness,Weakness,Light headedness, Drugged” feeling, tiredness, Loss of coordination, Stuffy nose, Nasal irritation, Dry mouth, Sore throat, Nausea, Constipation, Diarrhea, Stomach upset, Headache, Muscle pain, Confusion, Insomnia, Euphoria, Ataxia (balance problems), and Visual changes.
- Natural alternatives: Exercise, eggs, minimize use of TV or computers, calming music, lavender sleep balm
13. Olanzapine
- Brand Names: Zyprexa
- Used for: Mental disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
- Side effects: Akathisia (an inability to sit still), constipation, headache, dizziness, lightheartedness, drowsiness, tiredness, restlessness, weight gain (more likely in teenagers), increased appetite, memory problems, stomach pain or upset, loss of bladder control, back pain, pain in your arms or legs, numbness or tingly feeling, breast swelling or discharge (in women or men),dry mouth, or missed menstrual periods.
- Natural alternatives: Essential oil aromatherapy, exercise, sunlight therapy, acupuncture, support groups, fish oil, yoga and meditation, saffron, certain spices, essential oil aromatherapy.
14. Infliximab
- Brand Name: Remicade
- Used For: Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, plaque psoriasis, and ulcerative colitis.
- Side Effects: Cancer (Skin, Lung, breast cancer, gastrointestinal) labored breathing, joint pain, pneumonia
- Natural alternatives: Crohn’s disease – Kill of bad bacteria with essential oils and spices, repopulate gut with good bacteria (eat pickles).
15. Tacrolimus (Immunosuppressant)
- Brand names: Prograf, Protopic, Hecoria
- Used for: Immunosuppressant
- Side effects: Cancer risk, seizures, hallucinations, vomiting, depression.
- Natural alternatives: To reduce cancer risk from this drug eliminate sugar and start the Keto diet which was developed as a post cancer protocol. As for depression consider essential oil aroma therapy and certain spices to reduce stomach issues and fish oil to reduce hallucinations.
16. Zoledronic acid
- Brand names: Reclast
- Used for: high blood calcium levels in Cancer patients (hypercalcemia)
- Side effects: Cancer risk, seizures, hallucinations vomiting, depression
- Natural alternatives: Apparently a hypercalcemia diet will not help high levels of blood calcium caused by cancers, kidney failure, parathyroid disorders and excessive levels of vitamin D. But changing your diet is a good first step we think. That means eliminating Vitamin D supplements (we hate supplements), dairy products, seafood, cooked greens, eggs, asparagus, cabbage, tuna, mackerel, herring, watercress, almonds, oats, peppers, and kelp.
17. Dexamethasone
- Brand Names: Ozurdex, Baycadron, Maxidex
- Used for: Inflammation (Cortical steroid for treatment of inflammation)
- Side effects: Irregular heartbeat, depression, aggression, anxiety, difficult speech/thinking, cancer in prenatal use.
- Natural alternatives: Cloves, ginger,rosemary, turmeric, exercise, essential oils, garlic
18. Clozapine
- Brand names: Clozaril, FazaClo
- Used for: Schizophrenia
- Side effects: Neutropenia, death, bradycardia and syncope, seizure, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy. Visit: clozaril.com
- Natural alternatives: Essential oil aromatherapy, exercise, sunlight therapy, acupuncture, support groups, fish oil, yoga and meditation, saffron, certain spices, essential oil aromatherapy.
19. Bevacizumab
- Brand name: Avastin
- Used for: Colo-rectal cancer, lung cancer, glioblastoma, kidney, cervical, and ovarian cancer.
- Side effects: GI perforation, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, or fever, bleeding in the stomach, brain, or spinal cord; nosebleeds; and vaginal bleeding, severe high blood pressure, fistula, Kidney problems from too much protein in urine Source: avastin
- Natural alternatives: Eliminate sugar, keto diet, spices, essential oils, Vitamin D3 from natural sources, Korean Ginseng, Echinacea, Danshen, Astragalus (Read this interesting article)
20. Prednisolone (corticosteroid)
- Brand names: Omnipred, Econopred, Pediapred, Prelone, Veripred
- Used for: Inflammation of the skin, joints, lungs, and other organs from asthma, allergies, and arthritis, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis . Also for blood disorders and diseases of the adrenal glands.
- Side effects: Pyrexia, limb numbness, aggression, depression, breathing difficulties, weight gain. When used with
- Natural alternatives: Organic Apple Cider Vinger (Allergies), spices and herbs (inflammation/arthritis)
21. Cyclophosphamide
- Brand name: Cytoxan
- Used for: Cancer, including leukemia and lymphomas, nephrotic syndrome.
- Side effects: Lymphoma, anorexia, leukemia, skin cancer, anemia, pneumonia, febrile neutropenia, sepsis, nausea, vomiting, joint pain, fever, dizziness, nausea or vomiting (may be severe),, loss of appetite, stomach pain or upset, diarrhea, temporary hair loss, a wound that will not heal, missed menstrual periods, changes in skin color (darkening), or changes in nails. Visit : rxlist
- Natural alternatives: Prevention is the key here. Reduce sugar and follow a keto diet for cancer reduction or elimination. Here is another interesting article from chrisbeatcancer for a possible leukemia treatment option.
22. Fentanyl
- Brand Names : Duragesic, Subsys, Abstral
- Used for : For severe pain
- Side Effects : 50 times more powerful than heroin. Side effects include death, addiction, fever, hypo ventilation, respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting, diaphoresis, black, tarry stools, blurred vision, Chest pain, confusion, convulsions, cough, decreased urine, difficult or labored breathing, dizziness, dry mouth, fainting, fever or chills, increased thirst, irregular heartbeat, lightheartedness, loss of appetite, lower back or side pain, mood changes, muscle pain or cramps, nausea or vomiting, nervousness, numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or lips, painful or difficult urination, pale skin, pounding in the ears, sneezing, sore throat, sunken eyes, swelling of the hands, ankles, feet, or lower legs, tightness in the chest, troubled breathing with exertion, ulcers, sores, or white spots in the mouth, unusual bleeding or bruising, unusual tiredness or weakness, wrinkled skin. Visit : drugs.com
- Natural alternatives: Avoid at all costs. Consider alternative treatments such as acupuncture, turmeric, ice, cloves, certain essential oils, Epson salt.
There you have it. A horror story of side effects. The most dangerous of these medications is Fentayl which has created a massive Opioid epidemic in the United States and they are not doing anything about it. They tell us that the side effects only effects 4% of patients, but given the incentive to lie and a history downplaying the facts we are skeptical. According Dr. Mercola cholesterol is not the problem, inflammation is.
If you look at the alternatives, good organic food, spices, herbs and essential oils can often offer better outcomes with none of the side effects. We are banned by the FDA about talking about the health properties of Cinnamon even though it is not a formulated drug, so do your own research on Ceylon Cinnamon. By the way Cassia Cinnamon has high levels of Coumarin that can damage your liver. Turmeric in excess can also cause liver damage so use in extreme moderation. Like FDA approved drugs natural remedies can have side effects, but in most cases far less than any commercial drug.
The solution to our health is all around us, in nature. The drug industry has taken nature, patented it and fleeced us with the collaboration of governments the World over. Natural remedies encompasses many things, like good food, exercise, spices, herbs, essential oils, diet, massage, fasting, acupuncture, music for stress relief and much more. Ultimately it calls for a lifestyle change and most importantly the power of belief. The mind is an extremely powerful healing agent.
Research sources