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Sleeping Pills Kill or Is Something Else Going On?

What do you guys think is really going on here?

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This is a great article, Mike. A lot of things jumped out at me while reading this. Obviously, there are a number of confounding variables in the study, but the first thing I thought of was the competence of the doctors who are prescribing these all of these pills. Doctors should be sending their patients to sleep labs instead of writing prescriptions for zolpidem and benzos! I'd love to see the data on other steps that were taken to treat the sleep issues within this patient population -- that would be useful information. 

I agree with Janna above. I also want to say that most of the drugs listed in this article are NOT sleep aids. The sleep is a side affect of a great many of these drugs that were meant to treat something else. If you can't sleep there is a reason or source. Find it and fix it!

I blogged about this here. We know that having a sleep problem in itself (insomnia or sleep apnea) significantly raises your risk of dying, even if you don't take any sleep medications. But since people with these issues are more likely to take these type of medications, you'll see a higher death rate if you follow these people. You could make the same case about cancer medications or even medications for depression. I'm not saying that these medications are good in any way—only that association doesn't prove causality. 

That article is quite interesting. I have been taking Ambien CR for almost 5 years and was experiencing severe memory lapses. Although I am 75, I am still active in our business solving bookkeeping software and computer problems. I was sure this was due to a medication problem and was referred to a specialist who eliminated Alzheimer's. We have started weening me off Ambien CR slowly and my memory lapses are getter better. There are other medications we think are also contributing to my problem.

With all due respect to you doctors, we are amazed how quickly physicians prescribe addition medications to solve one medical problem not knowing about the long term interaction with other medications you are taking. Unfortunately, I have a long list of medications/medical problems as well as a couple of cancer problems that have been taken care of hopefully.

Studies like these keep coming out contradicting previous studies. I spent 25 years in the chemical industry. As science evolves, I  continue to shake my head about the facts we learned back then as those truths are constantly being overturned as science evolves. I have viewed the entire "organic" industry with skepticism as the natural fertilizers they use are just different chemicals. The same is true as genetic modification isn't much different than what nature has does over the past millions of years or what we do with horse, dogs, and other natural selection. This is very much what Dr. Park is saying. BTW, I'll get off my soapbox now.

BTW, at least my Bi-PAP machine doesn't involve the need for any medications; I just need to find a way to get a mask that will finally work without screwing up my sinuses, not leak and not disturb my wife. Oh yes, I need a heated hose to eliminated rainouts, and a the mask to not conflict with my dry eye problem and allow me to let me grow my beard back out. That's not too much to ask is it?

Gordon H makes valuable points.

There is not enough understanding or appreciation of the iatrogenic effects of medication. Other than thyroid medication, I absolutely do not take medication of any kind. And don't think my pill-pusher (a.k.a. my board-certified internist) has tried to foist medications on me! I always look for alternative solutions -- herbs, vitamins, food (nutrition) -- and have saved myself (I'm convinced) a great deal of illness. At the same time, I've had great results with NO risk from medication.

I'm a nut on the subject. Reason? I have suffered from the iatrogenic effects of medicine; I now remain incredibly wary. Even after a 2007 car accident that resulted in an injury requiring surgery, I took very little oxycotin (sp?). My surgeon was amazed. The truth, I could tolerate the pain and I didn't want to risk the drug. And didn't.

Gordon H, I agree with you on the medication, it is too easy to try to fix the symptoms rather than fixing the cause. What type of mask are you using?

I think I tried them all. I am now using the ResMed Quattro FX. Next time I am at my equipment supplier, I may pick up the Hybernite Rainout Control System. I need to ask when am I due to get a new Bi-PAP machine. When I do, Gere has told me about ResMed S9 which has a heat hose that works with that system. Hopefully Medicare and my insurance company will cover that system.

Terry Vella said:

Gordon H, I agree with you on the medication, it is too easy to try to fix the symptoms rather than fixing the cause. What type of mask are you using?

As a follow up to my previous comments, Consumer Reports News RSS Feed reported today the FDA just announced they are requiring all manufacturers of Lipitor and other statins to add a warning that these drugs may cause diabetes and memory loss. After many years of taking Zocor and then the generic version, simvastin, I learn I am taking another medication that may be contributing to my memory lapses. Isn't science grand?

     Gordon H, I am swamped right now HOWEVER in a few days I intend to post information on what I did to avoid taking Lipitor.

     I handled my cholesterol problem/issue via diet. NO DRUGS.

     Even my internist (who was pushing a statin drug) was astonished. An endocrinologist asked me (when he reviewed my blood test results) if I "did" something to achieve such high HDLs (i.e., the good cholesterol: my HDL count is nearly 3x what is considered acceptable for a woman). "I do," I answered. Unlike my internist, my endocrinologist wanted to know what I do.

   

     Remember: God did not make us with a requirement for statins.

     And keep this in mind too: Doctors study disease, not health -- and nature has no lobby.

Gordon H said:

As a follow up to my previous comments, Consumer Reports News RSS Feed reported today the FDA just announced they are requiring all manufacturers of Lipitor and other statins to add a warning that these drugs may cause diabetes and memory loss. After many years of taking Zocor and then the generic version, simvastin, I learn I am taking another medication that may be contributing to my memory lapses. Isn't science grand?

I agree!  My idiot GP tried to foist Premerin on me.  That crap is made from pregnant horse piss!  There is absolutely nothing NOTHING in pregnant horse urine that has any business whatsoever in my body!!  And that's not to mention the horrifying and inhumane manner in which this urine gets collected.  And NOW, ten years later, Premerin is being implicated in all kinds of cancers in women.  I SO agree with you, Zollistar!  

ZolliStar said:

Gordon H makes valuable points.

There is not enough understanding or appreciation of the iatrogenic effects of medication. Other than thyroid medication, I absolutely do not take medication of any kind. And don't think my pill-pusher (a.k.a. my board-certified internist) has tried to foist medications on me! I always look for alternative solutions -- herbs, vitamins, food (nutrition) -- and have saved myself (I'm convinced) a great deal of illness. At the same time, I've had great results with NO risk from medication.

I'm a nut on the subject. Reason? I have suffered from the iatrogenic effects of medicine; I now remain incredibly wary. Even after a 2007 car accident that resulted in an injury requiring surgery, I took very little oxycotin (sp?). My surgeon was amazed. The truth, I could tolerate the pain and I didn't want to risk the drug. And didn't.

I just read this, which explains the reason why statins cause memory loss and other problems:  http://drdavidbrownstein.blogspot.com/

Gordon H said:

As a follow up to my previous comments, Consumer Reports News RSS Feed reported today the FDA just announced they are requiring all manufacturers of Lipitor and other statins to add a warning that these drugs may cause diabetes and memory loss. After many years of taking Zocor and then the generic version, simvastin, I learn I am taking another medication that may be contributing to my memory lapses. Isn't science grand?

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