FDA Issues BOTOX Warning

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 10:47pm

This disturbs me particularly because my daughter was receiving injections in her legs until we put a stop to it several years ago. The doctors argued with us and then were dismissive when we questioned the safety of using Botox for this purpose. As a result, we also stopped using those doctors.


From the WASHINGTON POST
Saturday, February 9, 2008; A02

FDA Issues Warning on Use of Botox, Myobloc

The popular anti-wrinkle drug Botox and a competitor have been linked to dangerous botulism symptoms in some users, cases so bad that a few children have died, the government warned yesterday.

The Food and Drug Administration's warning includes Botox, a wrinkle-specific version called Botox Cosmetic and Myobloc. The products contain drugs that use botulinum toxin to block nerve impulses, causing muscles to relax.

In rare cases, the toxin can spread beyond the injection site to other parts of the body, paralyzing or weakening the muscles used for breathing and swallowing, a potentially fatal side effect, the FDA said.

Botox is best known for minimizing wrinkles by paralyzing facial muscles, but botulinum toxin is also widely used for a variety of muscle-spasm conditions, such as cervical dystonia or severe neck spasms.

The FDA said the deaths it is investigating all involve children, mostly cerebral palsy patients being treated for spasticity in their legs. The FDA has not formally approved the use of the drugs for such treatment, but some other countries have.

The FDA warned that it is also examining reports of illnesses in people of all ages who used the drugs for a variety of conditions, including at least one hospitalization of a woman given Botox for forehead wrinkles.

[supportivemom]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 10:51pm

Oh no- what are all those women on The Real Housewives of Orange County going to do?

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 10:52pm

Miss Penny, that was so smart. All you have to do is look at the paralyzing results to know it can't be good.

I'm sorry to hear that it's potentially far worse.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 11:15pm

Oh my goodness! This is awful-good thinking Miss P.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 11:21pm

How many times do doctors tell us that certain treatments are the best way to go when, in reality, they don't actually know it to be true?

Do your research, people!

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 12:12pm

I suppose there is something worse than wrinkles on your face when you're 50. Such as DYING.