Botox Users - Should You Be Afraid?

In a public alert issued Friday, the Food and Drug Administration said Botox, along with a similar drug called Myobloc, has been linked to life-threatening symptoms such as strained breathing and severe difficulty in swallowing, which can lead to a form of pneumonia. Doctors are being advised to monitor patients for such reactions while it decides whether to strengthen warnings on the drugs' labels.

Many of the most serious reactions - deaths and hospitalizations - occurred among children treated for cerebral palsy-associated limb spasticity, the agency said. The drugs are not FDA-approved for that use in children or adults.

Here's the thing.  FDA-approved drugs often have off-label uses, where physicians take medications approved for one disease to treat another. This practice often benefits patients and drug manufacturers, but can increase risks to us - the patients.

The cosmetic use of Botox has made it one of the most recognized names in the pharmaceutical industry, so popular in fact, Allergan says 2008 sales will hit $1.4 billion.  I guess the possibility of a U.S. recession isn't going to stop boomers from shelling out dollars to look younger.   

This is the part that could be of concern. The FDA said case reports under review suggest that the toxin may migrate from the point of injection more commonly than had been believed, and can cause symptoms of botulism. That danger had already been recognized on the drugs' labels, but only in patients treated for neuromuscular disorders.  If you use Botox and have any underlying medical conditions whatsoever, you might be putting your health at risk. 

The drug watchdog group Public Citizen, which petitioned the FDA in January to issue broad warnings about Botox and Myobloc, said the agency's alert does too little to protect patients.

"It's not enough that the FDA publicly acknowledges the risk of using botulinum toxin; in fact, the agency did this much in a published article three years ago," said Sidney Wolfe, director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group. The organization wants the FDA to label the products with a "black box" warning - the agency's strongest form of warning. It also wants warning letters sent to individual doctors, as well as written guides that would be handed to patients each time they receive an injection..

It all boils down to being careful. If you want to use Botox, choose a doctor that knows your health background and one you can trust to use this drug properly.

Comments

[Botox Prescription Medication]

My name is Diana Lee and i would like to show you my personal experience with Botox.

I have suffered with migraines and neck pain for many years. Botox has given me my life back. I have arthritis in my neck and Botox is the ONLY thing that has given me relief.

Side Effects-
None…miracle drug

I hope this information will be useful to others,
Diana Lee