Now they tell me
I have a chronic pain problem from a bad back. I've been taking Vioxx for four or five years now. The Air Force pharmacy at Peterson AFB, in Colorado Springs, no longer carries Vioxx, and I was recently switched to another drug. When I first heard about it, I was rather upset - Vioxx worked, at least for me. Now they tell me WHY they pulled it - it doubles my risk of heart problems. This isn't very comforting when I have a problem with an irregular heartbeat that stems from my back injuries.
I have to applaud Merck's reaction - to pull the drug, rather than to try to continue to market it with a bunch of warnings few people would have taken the time to read. Unfortunately, the drug I take to replace it has only been on the market about a year. Will tests after three or four years indicate it's a problem, too?
Doctors are just beginning to treat pain as a major health problem. A major hit against one of the most potent treatments for chronic pain can have some serious long-term problems for chronic pain sufferers. I hope the drug companies and the FDA continue to stay abreast of chronic pain treatments, and keep those of us whose well-being is dependent upon them informed of any potential problems.
I have to applaud Merck's reaction - to pull the drug, rather than to try to continue to market it with a bunch of warnings few people would have taken the time to read. Unfortunately, the drug I take to replace it has only been on the market about a year. Will tests after three or four years indicate it's a problem, too?
Doctors are just beginning to treat pain as a major health problem. A major hit against one of the most potent treatments for chronic pain can have some serious long-term problems for chronic pain sufferers. I hope the drug companies and the FDA continue to stay abreast of chronic pain treatments, and keep those of us whose well-being is dependent upon them informed of any potential problems.
posted by Old Patriot | 9:04 PM
2 Comments:
JensDad,
That attitude is slowly changing among all doctors, and almost nonexistent with doctors whose specialty is treating pain. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people that don't do well with the more potent synthetic narcotics. Luckily, there are a wide variety of different ways of treating pain today - much more than there were even ten years ago. Using a combination of different treatment options usually controls pain for most people, including me - up until the last couple of weeks. Now it's back to experimenting to find out what works this time. It's a painful process, but usually leads to success.
As I told Jen, my brother lives in Spring, and we all should get together for a visit the next time I'm down to see him. I always like to meet people in person that I've met over the Internet - they're usually just as entertaining and enjoyable to be around as they are online.
Vioxx health - Merck Earns Fall After Vioxx Withdrawal NEW YORK (Reuters) -
Merck Earns Fall After Vioxx Withdrawal
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Merck & Co. MRK.N on Thursday said first-quarter profit fell 15 percent following the withdrawal of its arthritis drug Vioxx last year. Link to original article
action class new vioxx york
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