Bladder problems are extremely common, especially overactive bladders,
and especially as we get older. In fact 16% of the total population
(that we know about) suffers from this problem. That is almost 50
million people. Who would ever think that a drug that might help (though
they really don't help very much) your bladder, might also help you lose
your mind?!
How can that be? Well, Ditropan XL works on cholinergic cells in the
bladder by "turning off" these cells to achieve the desired response of
dampening the bladder's hyperactivity. But the brain also contains
cholinergic cells that are involved in memory. The drug also can affect
these cells--the key cells in dementia--actually causing memory loss.
Therein lies the problem. Today's drugs are powerful. No one really
understands just what they can do to you. It was only recently
determined that the overactive bladder drug Ditropan XL, used widely for
a decade, can cause a ten-year drop in memory function! That means "67
- year-olds were performing like 77-year-olds" These findings were
recently presented at the American Urological Association's annual
meeting in Atlanta.
In addition, the situation gets worse with multiple prescriptions and
even worse with multiple doctors writing multiple prescriptions.
Different drugs can compound and complicate one another's effects. With
memory, a 10-year drop in function can rapidly become a 20-year drop.
And all the while you will be searching for the cause of your dementia,
and incredibly, getting more prescriptions for the dementia that was
caused by other prescriptions in the first place.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
Everyone should own a Drug Handbook and take responsibility for their
own prescriptions.
There is just not enough help from the medical profession. When you get
a prescription, instead of depending on you physician or the drug
pamphlet, simply look it up in your Drug Handbook.
Or go online to
http://www.worstpills.org

type in the drug and find the real truth and risks regarding your
prescriptions.
Bruce West, M.D.
Aug.2006 Volume 23, Issue 8
Copyright@2006 by Health Alert