The Food and Drug Administration denotes that more than 1,000 drugs and biologics have been approved for marketing since the Prescription Drug User Fee Act was passed in 1992, an act that accelerates the approval process for drugs based on safety and efficacy. Most FDA-approved drugs have side effects, some mild and some very dangerous. Yet some drugs have strange side effects. Read the product label to determine the reported side effects before taking any medication.
Viagra
Viagra is a prescription drug manufactured by Pfizer that is used to treat erectile dysfunction in men. Despite its efficacy in helping to cause an erection, some patients have reported painful erections that last more than six hours. An even stranger and more bizarre side effect is that Viagra, which is supplied in blue diamond-shaped pills, can cause some users to have blue vision or an inability to differentiate between green and blue objects.
Xeloda
Xeloda is a prescription drug that treats cancer of the colon, rectum and breast, and is manufactured by Genentech. Xeloda can cause tingling, redness, inflammation, blisters, bleeding and scaling of the feet and hands. In some cases, Xeloda can cause fingerprints to disappear, according to a 2009 article on CNN.com.
Mirapex
Mirapex is a prescription drug manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals and used to treat Parkinson's disease and restless leg syndrome, a condition that involves an urgent need to move the legs to stop unpleasant sensations. These neurological disorders can sometimes interfere with sleep. Mirapex can relieve some of the symptoms of these two disorders, yet also has strange side effects that include falling asleep at anytime, even when driving a vehicle, and hallucinations such as seeing, feeling, tasting or hearing something that isn't there. Mirapex can also cause impulse control disorders and compulsive behaviors such as the urge to gamble, shop, eat or engage in sexual activities.
Chantix
Chantix is a prescription drug manufactured by Pfizer used to help people stop smoking. The black box on the product label contains information that warns against neuropsychiatric events such as hostility, depression and suicide when taking the drug. Chantix can also cause nightmares.
Ambien and Ambien CR
Ambien and Ambien CR are prescription drugs manufactured by Sanofi Aventis that treat insomnia. Despite their efficacy, these drugs have some strange and bizarre side effects. Some patients taking these drugs walk, eat, make phone calls, have sex or drive a car while not fully awake. Many of these patients do not recall these events the next morning.
