ADVERSE Psychiatric REACTIONS (ADRs) to Medicines and Anaesthetics

The aim of this web site is to share information about psychiatric adverse effects of prescribed everyday medicines and drugs used during & post surgery and anaesthetics.  However many who suffer Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are then prescribed powerful psychotropic drugs, some causing dependence or for some people, life altering ADRs. 

For antidepressant withdrawal and safe, slow reduction in dosage, a huge breakthrough is the Royal College of Psychiatrists have included, on their web site, detailed information about titrating the dosage, the use of liquid medication and other advice. They also warn about possibe withdrawal effects. This is a vital contribution towards patient safety, we have been begging for during the past 20 years. 

https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/treatments-and-wellbeing/stopping-antidepressants

Under the MEDICINES  TAB - There are 5 sections about antidepressants this is a link: https://april.org.uk/medicines-adverse-effects-adverse-reactions/antidepressants/

A section on safe withdrawal from medication is here: 
https://april.org.uk/medicines-adverse-effects-adverse-reactions/withdrawal-from-medicines/

Some physical ADRs can cause extreme distress leading to severe psychological harm. These include PSSD or PRSD and PFS (Post Finestaride Syndrome) Shocking symptoms affecting men during or following use of SSRI antidepressants,  isotretinoin/ Roaccutane for acne, Finasteride/ Propecia for hair loss or prostate problems. The psychological harm is devastating and has led to tragic suicides.

A major aim of the charity APRIL is for improvement in medical education for all  prescribers of pharmaceutical drugs. Plus urgent progress of genetic enzmye pharmacogenomic testing to ascertain if a person can tolerate a particular medication or chemotherapy treatment. A UK NHS pharmacogenetic pilot study will take place in 2023 for antidepressants, statins and PPIs.

Hormones affecting mood include low or high thyroid production and low testosterone which can be an adverse side effect or an intended affect of some pharmaceutical drugs.

Please access https://aprilcharity.blogspot.com/  for more information. Not as up to date as one wishes due to lack of time.

Very few doctors or health professionals report psychiatric events (ADRs) as a possible side-effect and less than 10% of all serious ADRs are reported (official stats from the regulator MHRA). You can however read the official legal data from manufacturers (often overlooked by prescribers) on the site https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc

You can also review the ADRs that have been reported though rarely analysed to totally protect the recipients at the official data site where the Yellow Card UK DRUG ANALYSIS PROFILES  (DAPs) - reports of ADRs are stored https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/idaps

Our APRIL charity medical conferences were outstanding and not being funded by industry, therefore allowing Professors & health professionals to speak without fear and to answer questions from anyone.

Click here for videos on Vimeo:  videos of Professors, a Coroner and others, 

Click here for more APRIL charity videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/APRILcharity

Important - Some prescribed drugs must NOT BE STOPPED SUDDENLY

click this title for more information:Personalised Medicine  

The West Midlands ADR Reporting Centre at the Comittee on Safety of Medicines, now called the MHRA. Produced useful statistics. These publications are from many years ago.

Prescribed Drug Induced Depression  

Prescribed Drug Induced Hallucinations