9 Drugs With Really Strange Side Effects

foxnews ^ | June 03, 2009 | Marrecca Fiore

[JoeProBono]

All drugs carry side effects. Some are mild. Some can be very dangerous. And still some can be downright strange. Blue vision, oily stools, amnesia and "black tongue" are just some of the strange side effects carried by prescription and the over-the-counter medications. Should you be worried?

[JoeProBono]

Viagra is enough of a household name that everyone knows what it's used for. And, thanks to the commercials, most also know that the medication may cause the unwanted and dangerous side effect of a more than 4-hour erection. What people may not know is that the drug may also cause "blue vision" in users. In March, John Pettigrew, a 58-year-old plumber from England, experienced this unpleasant side effect, which Pfizer does warn of in the prescribing information that is given to users. In Pettigrew's case, the man admitted that he probably took too many of the little blue pills but joked that he was having "too much fun" using them.

Suffering from mild heartburn, upset stomach or diarrhea? Pepto Bismol provides relief of all those symptoms and is also available over-the-counter. But users beware - the drug also carries the odd, but harmless, side effects of causing a black, sometimes furry-feeling tongue, and black/grey stools.

Click here to read about 9 Drugs With Really Strange Side Effects

[Julia H.]

I get “black tongue” from Pepto Bismol all the time—AND black poo.

[Drango]

Is it OK to have a 3:59 hour erection? Just askin’.

[mel]

Brt

[mel]

Brt

[Islander7]

Some side effects are more serious that others.

[TheConservativeParty]

Celexa (citalopram). My aunt died at age 63 in December from taking this junk. She took the proper dosage. After a 4 month death investigation, the medical examiner finally finished the toxicology and said it was citalopram intoxication. Her liver was not eliminating this drug properly and it built up (intoxicated) her liver. She went to bed early, not feeling very well, died by 11pm. No warning. Only clue that led the M.E. to look for liver trouble, she was slightly jaundiced when the coroner came to the house after her sudden death.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Hubby got ‘black tongue’ from using ‘Listerine Smart Rinse - Whitening’. Oxidized his tongue, we believe. No big deal....but it looked like he’d been sucking on licorice for a couple of days. ;-)

[South40]

I'm not seeing the connection...

=

[mylife]

Some of the stuff out there is scary: "do you feel socially awkward? uneasy in a crowd?
Try new Partibrex! You'll be the life of the party!
Side effects could include incontinence, high blood pressure, sexual dysfunction and loss of vision."

"You'll crap yerself and go blind and wont be able to do the deed, but hey! You're enjoying life! and life seems to be laughing watching you!"

"Partibrex, because life is a contact sport"

[netmilsmom]

>>U.S. health officials say smoking is the No. 1 cause of preventable death in this country. Chantix has been shown to help users butt out, but it also carries a number of side effects. For example, it may give you insomnia and when you finally do fall asleep, you may find yourself having vivid dreams and/or nightmares.<<

Probably gives you a boost of acetylcholine. Both nicotine and acetylcholine have the same effect in the brain. If you want to quit and not pay for this med, take Choline and B-5.

Choline is a chemical precursor or “building block” needed to produce the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, as is B-5. However vivid dreams are also a side effect of the natural cure as well.

[Batrachian]

"Blue vision, oily stools, amnesia and "black tongue" are just some of the strange side effects carried by prescription and the over-the-counter medications."

Let's not forget "sausage fingers"

[JoeProBono]

[nmh]

I wonder ... are men REALLY that preoccupied with their “performance” ?

[piytar]

I occasionally take a fairly common medicine for a fairly common condition (sorry, no details - private medical info), but it causes a rare side effect in me: after taking it and going to sleep, I will wake up sitting bolt upright and screaming at the top of my lungs from a nightmare that consists solely of a feeling of utter terror and a formless black void.

Was quite a shock the first time, even moreso for my roommate at the time. LOL.

[Cyber Liberty]

There’s a drug that reportedly causes spontaneous orgasms. I want to know what it is.

[manapua]

The article neglected to mention marijuana - from what I’ve seen, that drug makes people listen to really crappy music.

[JoeProBono]

[Carley]

Benedryl gives me terrible nightmares. Found that the Benedryl clear tablets don’t have the same effect.

[JoeProBono]