FDA Hearings on safety of Celebrex, Vioxx, and Bextra.

Healthtalk.ca ^

[msrngtp2002]

As a person who can use no other anti-inflamatory drug I would appreciate some assistance in telling the FDA that "Public Citizen" does not represent me, or I am sure millions of others who take (or took) these drugs properly, under proper medical supervision and with the full knowledge and awareness that ALL drugs have effects that are not known at this time. Public Citizen is calling for a complete ban of these drugs because of an increased risk of "heart problems" from taking these drugs. I have never heard of this group and prefer to make my own, informed, decision.

I take Celebrex for arthritis in my neck. Can't take aspirin or naproxin due to stomach bleeding. I CAN take darvon, darvocette, tylenol 3, and other more powerful pain relievers and walk around in a daze. OR I can take Celebrex, get the relief I need, and function.

The increased risk of heart problems is worth it to me considering the alternative.

If you are in similar circumstances please let the FDA know your opinion by going here: http://www.fda.gov/oc/advisory/accalendar/2005/cder12532ddd0216171805.html

[SketchMD]

mmmmmm drugs

[EagleUSA]

The FDA is becoming an oxymoron. Safe drugs? If they were not safe, why did the FDA approve them? Oh, yes I forgot....BIG HUGE BUCKS!!!

[ScudBud]

I know JUST how you feel. I took Vioxx since it came out for arthritis in various parts of my body. I tried Celebrex, which upset my stomach, and Bextra, which did nothing for me. Now I have nothing to relieve the pain and stiffness, and cannot function as I did before. I feel like I have aged twenty years without this drug in my system. Over the counter pain relievers just don't cut it!
Very frustrating.............

[Sans-Culotte]

I am in the same boat re vioxx. Several bulging discs cause excruciating pain for me sometimes. With vioxx (25mg a day) my pain was usually kept in check, and on bad days, I could always take a tramadol. Now, I have many more bad days, and only tramadol or vicodin help when I can barely get up (and I cannot stay immobile for long). I need to get in to the Doc to get on celebrex, or at least give it a try, but it looks as if it is not long for this world either.

I have since been doing research online for natural anti-inflammatory remedies that might help.

[Question_Assumptions]

It's not quite so easy for me to dismiss the risk after seeing someone who suffered from a stroke that seems likely to have been caused by Viox. Remember, being on the wrong side of this risk might not kill you. It might leave you confined to a hospital bed for years, simply unable to use half your body if you are lucky like my wife's aunt was (she can still carry out a reasonably coherent conversation). It can be a lot worse if the stroke hits other areas of the brain.

[Publius6961]

The FDA is becoming an oxymoron. Safe drugs? If they were not safe, why did the FDA approve them? Oh, yes I forgot....BIG HUGE BUCKS!!!

It's somewhat more complicated than that. The FDA became politically correct, some time back. Their guiding principle is now that if a new drug is not 100% safe and 100% effecctive for everybody it may not be sold to anybody. The most absurd misrepresentation of science and technology ever devised.

I am convinced that, eventually, therapeutic drugs will be tailor made for individual combinations of adverse reactions/benefits. Until that day arrives, all drugs will be 100% perfect for some and lethal for others, and trial and error is the only way presently to determine which.

That's the reality.

The notion that a federal agency can make the decision that a responsible adult is perfectly willing to determine for himself is unacceptable. Period.

[EagleUSA]

The notion that a federal agency can make the decision that a responsible adult is perfectly willing to determine for himself is unacceptable. Period.
======
I certainly agree with that. We are already choking on Socialism and invasive government...

[dfrussell]

The increased risk of heart problems is worth it to me considering the alternative.

There have been several studies for Celebrex. The one currently being mentioned for an increase in heart problems was done with terminal cancer patients who took much higher dosages than recommended.

Large amounts of almost anything over extended periods of time may cause health issues or death.

[desert song]

Public Citizen is a Nader group. These sick puppies just hate it when someone has a successful product and that is why they try to get drugs banned as soon as they have some evidence to cite against them.

[chas1776]

These drugs were put on the market for Ostio arthritis to begin with. They were a great help to people who had that disease. Then the drug companies suggested that doctors prescribe for pain, etc. etc. The dosage's were minimal for Ostio arthritis but for other uses they were prescribe eights time that dosage. Any drug that is mismanaged by doctors will give the same result.