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Why Was Lou Placed On All Those Medications?

By Dr. Tanton Ph.D.

May 2008

Following is an extract of Lou’s Story, taken from my revised edition of A Drug-Free Approach To Healthcare (2007). This portion of her true story documents the chronology of events that led to the prescribing of the nine medications she was taking. Incidentally, a common cause of depression (especially with women) is a hypothyroid condition, which Lou experienced before being placed on Prozac®. This condition was never resolved, but instead exacerbated by her two antidepressants, and lithium therapy. She was eventually prescribed the wrong form of thyroid medication (Synthroid®), which seldom resolves the condition, although the form prescribed most by traditional doctors. So, now we’ll determine exactly what led to all those medications.

We will begin with the very first drug (Prozac®) that not only started the cravings for alcohol leading to her addiction, as well as keeping her addiction going, but also started the nutrient-depletion process going. It appears that Prozac® should win an award for nutrient depletion. With a total of sixteen nutrients depleted, it should definitely be at the top of the class. If you consider that it also includes mostly the very important ones, it would likely be a candidate for first prize! Lou eventually developed both the bipolar condition and diabetes (both common side effects of Prozac®). For the bipolar condition, she was placed on a potentially dangerous form of lithium (lithium carbonate). If you want to see just how dangerous, I suggest you read the chapter on Bipolar Disorder and Lithium Therapy, later in this book.

Two primary issues of concern are: (1) Both lithium and Prozac® are known to suppress the thyroid, and (2) both contribute to diabetes (basically double jeopardy). You will also discover that there are even worse potential side effects associated with lithium carbonate than with Prozac®, such as permanent kidney scarring, other kidney damage, liver disorders, coma, and even death. There are many others, but these are just some of the more serious ones. A rather scary drug I would say, and just to deal with one of the side effects of Prozac®. Paradoxically, Prozac® and lithium actually have opposing actions in the brain. As Dr. Ann Blake tells us, Prozac® is actually a stimulant, although lithium is a well-known suppressant. That being true, they would basically tend to cancel each other out! Why not just stop taking both (something Lou eventually did)? It would certainly make more sense, and eliminate the potential of a great deal of unnecessary side effects, as well as the depletion of many important nutrients.

Incidentally, that is not the end of the antidepressant story. Not only the bipolar disorder, but also depression, is a potential side effect of Prozac®. Apparently that was also true in Lou’s case, as her doctor somehow deemed it necessary to place her on another antidepressant called Desyrel®! You will also find a warning of potential interactions when combining either lithium or Desyrel® with Prozac®, which her doctor apparently overlooked, or just ignored. That could easily pose a major threat for a serious drug interaction, especially if alcohol was also consumed (one more contraindication). Although Prozac® is known to produce cravings for alcohol, doctors all too often ignore the warning against drinking alcohol while on Prozac®! According to Dr. , Prozac® potentiates alcohol ten times, thus one drink basically equates to drinking ten, which greatly increases the potential risk from drinking alcohol. One can’t help but wonder just how much time was invested in evaluation before such a potentially dangerous combination of medications was prescribed, and especially for anyone known to have an alcohol addiction.

Now that we covered the drugs Lou had been placed on for depression, we will look at those prescribed for cardiovascular concerns. We will begin by evaluating the cholesterol-lowering drug Zocor®. There are many excuses used to justify prescribing this class of drugs. One such excuse is high blood pressure, which just happens to be a potential side effect of both her antidepressants. Another is diabetes, which both Prozac® and lithium carbonate are known to contribute to (and something Lou developed). I might add that during this time, Lou was still dealing with an unresolved hypothyroid condition. Two common conditions associated with low thyroid function are depression (thus the Prozac® solution), and elevated cholesterol (and thus Zocor®).

So, Lou definitely qualified for, and was prescribed Zocor®, which will then lead to a whole series of cardiovascular problems. The first normally experienced is elevated blood pressure. So then, blood pressure medication was in order. Actually, not one but two medications were prescribed to deal with the problem. One was the ACE inhibitor Lisinopril, and the other was the diuretic (water pill) hydrochlorothiazide. We now have another serious concern regarding possible interactions when combining the ACE inhibitor (blood pressure medication) and the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide, (especially when combined with lithium). Lou was unfortunately prescribed all three. Lithium is well-known for the excessive excretion of both water and sodium through the kidneys, thus greatly increasing the risk of dehydration. Not only can a diuretic contribute to dehydration, but one potential side effect of the ACE inhibitor is dehydration also. Under the circumstances, why in the world would any doctor in his or her right mind, possibly prescribe a diuretic that not only removes water (increasing the risk for dehydration), but also wastes many important vitamins and minerals in the process?

When I asked Lou if she knew why her doctor chose to include the diuretic with her ACE inhibitor, she said her doctor indicated it was common practice to do so, (but most people are normally not also taking lithium). I can’t help but wonder how many doctors actually take the time to evaluate the potential for interaction when new medications are added. In Lou’s case, that consideration was apparently just an oversight, although this appears to be a common problem, rather than just an exception. (How about your doctor?)

This finally brings us to one more class of drugs, prescribed to treat asthma. Actually, not one but three of them were prescribed for Lou! My first thought was: What in the world could possibly create such a serious case of asthma that would require the use of three different medications to control? As we are now aware, no drug created could possibly resolve any condition (that’s not what drugs do), so a lifetime of controlling the symptoms is the only option.

From past experience, I suspected that her other medications might possibly be contributing to the problem, and was I right! It appeared that every single one of her other medications in it’s own way, could very well to be contributing to the problem.

Following are the six culprits (her other medications) and the potential side effects associated with each that would lead to breathing difficulties:

Prozac® - Trouble in breathing.

Lithium - Tightness in chest.

Desyrel® - Chest pain and shortness of breath.

Zocor® - Upper respiratory infection

Lisinopril® - Asthma, bronchitis, and painful breathing.

Hydrochlorothiazide - Difficulty breathing, inflammation and fluid in the lung. We also find some additional issues regarding all three asthma medications. First, two of three list high blood pressure as possible side effects. Then, the drug Alupent® lists worsening or aggravation of asthma as one possibility. Then, both Albuterol and Intal® list allergic reaction as a potential side effect. The problem is, allergic reactions are known to stimulate the production of histamine. Elevated histamine in turn, results in a constriction of the bronchial tubes in the lungs, and can thus contribute to asthma.

Albuterol appears to be the worst of the three medications Lou was taking for asthma. It is not only one of the two medications that can contribute to hypertension, but following you will find twenty major concerns of the total of at least 67 potential side effects associated with Albuterol use (those in bold print appear to be the some of the most serious):

* Depression * Heart palpitations

* Aggression * Increased blood pressure

* Agitation * Increased difficulty breathing

* Allergic reaction * Irritability

* Anxiety * Nervousness

* Coordination problems * Overactivity

* Diabetes * Rapid heartbeat

* Drowsiness * Respiratory infection or disorder

* Excitement * Restlessness

* Fluid retention and swelling * Sleeplessness

Lou was basically in disbelief as she reviewed the potential side effects associated with each drug she had been taking. As she began identifying each one that applied to her, it was such a relief knowing it was actually the side effects from her medications that were responsible for the symptoms she had been suffering from for so many years. Once the problem had been identified, the solution was quite obvious. When she discovered that Zocor® was totally unnecessary, and the basic contributor to the elevated blood pressure she was taking medications for, and many other problems such as fatigue, it was the very first to go. Her next focus was the Prozac® that had caused the bipolar disorder she was also given lithium for. Then there was the long-term use of Prozac® that normally results in diabetes that she had also developed, and the issue that Prozac® along with lithium, contributed to her low thyroid condition.

And finally, because the fluoride in Prozac® not only suppresses the thyroid function but is also an enzyme inhibitor, that means she would not only be more prone toward depression, but she would also experience more side effects from all her medications (which she did). Then, we can’t overlook the issue of the continual cravings for all addictive substances, but especially alcohol, being stimulated by Prozac®.

It soon became apparent that the underlying cause of her addiction and the many symptoms she had experienced for years, were actually caused by her medications (and the nutrient depletion they caused). Needless to say, armed with that knowledge, she was super-motivated to get off her medications, and as soon as possible. And in only two months, Lou was totally drug-free!

Due to her sixteen years of Prozac® use, I recommended she follow a more conservative withdrawal program. I had her immediately stop her cholesterol medication (which absolutely no one needs). This immediately brought her blood pressure into the normal range again. I then suggested that she stop drinking fruit juices and reduce her intake of sugar and starches, and then begin taking the following:

Drink two ounces of mangosteen juice, three times daily.

Drink ten 8-ounce glasses of water daily.

Take one teaspoon of Celtic sea salt (course crystals) daily.

Take two high potency coenzyme vitamin B-complex capsules daily.

Take two 200-mcg capsules of chromium picolinate, twice daily.

Take four 1,000 IU soft gel flax seed oil daily.

Take a multi-mineral, containing calcium, magnesium, and zinc. AN EXPLANATION OF RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTS The mangosteen is a broad-spectrum adaptogen with a wide range of benefits, such as reducing sugar cravings, stabilizing the blood sugar, and mood elevation. Dr. Templeman discovered in his practice, that he was able to replace twenty-two medications with the mangosteen juice. I might add that at the time of Lou’s withdraw, I had not yet learned about the amazing benefits of goji juice or noni, which are also broad-spectrum adaptogens, although I’m quite certain that any of these three juices would have proven extremely beneficial in this case.

The water and Celtic sea salt combination provide an alternate source of energy for the brain, reducing the need for carbohydrates. Celtic sea salt also contains the natural form of the trace mineral lithium.

A vitamin or mineral deficiency (caused by Lou’s NINE prescription medications) can lead to many disorders, including both mental and behavioral. The coenzyme form of B-complex vitamins is the most effective, as the conversion in the liver is bypassed.

The chromium picolinate reduces the insulin resistance. The flax seed oil helps restore both the insulin and serotonin receptors, and has proven beneficial for both depression and bipolar disorder as well.

I also recommended she request that her doctor replace her thyroid hormone Synthroid® (which seldom works), with the natural Armour™ thyroid (which seldom fails).

In 60 days, all nine of her medications had been successfully eliminated, and she indicated that she hadn’t felt so good in years. It’s quite obvious that Lou (like so many others) definitely didn’t need any of the medications she had been taking for so many years (sixteen years on Prozac®!). We can also see that the majority of her medications were to treat side effects from the drugs she was already taking. Drugs basically create the need for more drugs, basically a domino effect.

NUTRIENT DEPLETION CONTRIBUTES TO THE DOMINO EFFECT Following are the nutrients that were being depleted by the nine medications Lou had been taking, followed by the number of drugs responsible for depleting each. Those in bold are considered some of the most important and widely used. The nutrients that appear most likely to lead to depression when deficient are identified with an asterisk.

Vitamins Depleted: Minerals Depleted: Other Depletions:

Vitamin A – 1 * Calcium – 4 * Coenzyme Q10 – 5

Vitamin B1 – 2 * Iron – 2 * Essential Fatty Acids – 2

Vitamin B2 – 2 * Magnesium – 5 Glutathione – 1

* Vitamin B3 – 1 Manganese – 2 Choline – 1

* Vitamin B6 – 5 Phosphorus – 3

* Vitamin B12 – 4 * Potassium – 3

* Vitamin C – 6 Selenium – 1

* Vitamin D – 6 * Sodium - 5

Vitamin E – 1 Zinc – 4

Vitamin K – 1

Choline – 1

* Folic Acid – 4

* Inositol – 1

Once you understand the tremendous benefit of each nutrient depleted, you can better appreciate the important part each plays in your overall health, and why it should be an absolute top priority to begin eliminating your dependence on the medications responsible for creating this unnecessary depletion. The potential for a serious deficiency basically increases with each drug’s contribution to the problem, as well as the many unpleasant side effects associated with each.

Although Lou is just one example, many others are on even more medications. So, what is your story? And most importantly, will it have a happy ending? Just remember, you (not your doctor) are in charge of, and responsible for your health! That is not only your responsibility, but also your right, and something you must never forget. Those who took the initiative, and made the decision to end their lifetime dependency on medications, were amazed to discover it was not only possible, but also surprisingly easy. For Lou, it was a pleasant experience to finally be free from the many side effects associated with the medications she had unnecessarily been taking. It was a real eye-opener to Lou, when she discovered that following her doctor’s advice for so long was the basic underlying cause of the many unexplained conditions she had been experiencing all those years.

Dr. Tanton is an NHF member, a writer and researcher, who is currently working on a book on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. His two previously published books are A Drug-Free Approach to Health Care and Antidepressants, Antipsychotics and Stimulants-Dangerous Drugs on Trial. He is the Research Director of Soaring Heights Longevity Research Center and his website may be visited at www.drtanton.com .

Why Was Lou Placed On All Those Medications?

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