This week, we dig into a series of troubling case studies, unexpected side effects of the drug bupropion, and more bad news for Gen X.
Case Series Shows Growing Dependency on Weight Loss Drug Combo
A newly published series of case studies – appearing in The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders – sheds light on the mounting abuse and dependence of cyproheptadine, a first-generation antihistamine, and dexamethasone, a potent corticosteroid.
Research reveals that people have increasingly misused the combination of drugs typically prescribed for legitimate medical conditions to achieve rapid weight gain and enhance their physical appearance. It’s become especially popular among youth living in semi-urban and rural India.
The trio of cases come from a psychiatric institute. Two male patients and one female patient presented with symptoms of dependence and withdrawal. These included anxiety, irritability, insomnia, palpitations, and gastrointestinal issues. The cases exposed prolonged misuse, often driven by peer or societal pressure, with patients ramping up their doses as they chase their dreams.
- The first case involved a 27-year-old man seeking a muscular physique, egged on by a gym mate.
- Similar goals motivated the second, a 31-year-old college graduate, who followed the guidance of a “quack” practitioner.
- And the third, a 35-year-old homemaker, misused the drugs in response to societal criticism about her appearance.
Caregivers treated all three patients with psychoeducation and pharmacologic interventions, achieving abstinence within weeks.
The unsettling trend isn’t exclusive to Asia. Over-the-counter availability and low costs make things worse, and hint at a need for stricter regulation of the drugs. A growing mound of evidence has tied chronic misuse to serious side effects, including psychiatric disturbances, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular issues.
IN OTHER PSYCHIATRY AND NEUROLOGY NEWS
- Another PCC case study tells the story of a man with an unexpected hypersensitivity to bupropion.
- The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry has published original research on the effectiveness of olanzapine when it’s combined with samidorphan (OLZ/SAM).
- New research adds to the growing body of research implicating leaded gasoline’s impact on the mental health of Generation X.
- Catch up on our latest updates in Emerging Approaches in Schizophrenia.
- And, finally, get up to date on just-published PTSD data.
