Curious Compounds

2022-04-30

Here I am collecting medications with rare, rough, unusual side effect profiles, interesting anecdotal reports and controversies, or otherwise drugs that have peaked my interest in some way. The side effects listed here are usually very rare, and it's important to keep this in mind. Do not stop taking any drugs without consulting with your doctor first, and don't get discouraged or scared to try medications solely due to the side effects your read about.

Also, note that I am in no way a professional and get all of my information purely from online sources such as Wikipedia, WikiDoc, and DailyMed. Additonally, I look for anecdotal stories from online forums and documented case reports.

Medication	Brands	Medical Uses	Side Effects
Venlafaxine	Effexor	Major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social phobia, chronic pain.	Dry mouth, nausea, tremor, sweating, sexual dysfunction, insomnia. Especially harsh discontinuation syndrome, with infamous "brain zaps", often audible to the sufferer.
Bupropion	Wellbutrin		Nausea, insomnia, increased risk for seizures.
Vortioxetine	Trintellix, Brintellix		Vomiting, constipation, very strong nausea, sexual dysfunction.
Vilazodone	Viibryd		Nausea, diarrhea, headache, vomiting, insomnia, restlessness, abnormal dreams, sleep paralysis.
Phenelzine	Nardil	Major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, SAD, bulimia, PTSD, OCD.	Blurry vision, headache, lethargy, insomnia, anorexia, nausea, tremors, sweating. Rarely hypomania or mania, psychosis and acute liver failure.
Amineptine*	Survector	Clinical depression.	Severe acne, insomnia, irritability, nervousness. Rarely arterial hypotension, palpilations, hepatitis, pancreatitis.
Tranylcypromine	Parnate	Major depressive disorder.	Dizziness, tachycardia, hypomania, paresthesia, confusion, rash, urinary retention, chest pain, edema, hallucinations, insomnia, tremor.
Sibutramine*	Meridia	Appetite suppression for weight loss in the treatment of patients with obesity.	Increased blood pressure and heart rate, arrhythmias, paresthesia. Increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Lamotrigine	Lamictal	Epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia.	Very rarely Stevens-Johnson syndrome, DRESS syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, leukopenia. More commonly loss of coordination, double vision, crossed eyes, blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness, vivid dreams, nightmares, memory problems, mood changes, itchiness, rash, weight gain.
Perampanel	Fycompa	Epilepsy.	Serious psychiatric and behavioral changes, including mood changes (euphoria, anger, irritability, aggression, agitation), psychosis, delirium, physical assault, homicidal ideation; dizziness, somnolence, fatigue.
Tetrazepam	Clinoxan, Epsipam	Muscle relaxant.	Drug rash, eosinophilia, toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, erythema multiforme, eczema, drowsiness, myasthenia gravis.
Primidone	Mysoline	Epilepsy, essential tremor, treatment-resistant psychosis.	Sleepiness, poor coordination, loss of appetite, depression, suicide, psychosis, porphyria, Dupuytren's contracture, shortening of the QT interval, osteoporosis, rickets, hypocalcemia, joint pain.
Leflunomide	Arava	Rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis.	Liver damage, lung disease, diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, hair loss, increased blood pressure, rash, nausea, headache, abdominal pain, back pain, infection, joint disorder, gastroenteritis, vomiting, weakness, problems with skin, pneumonia. Rarely leukopenia, toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, cutaneous lupus erythematosus, cirrhosis and liver failure.
Fingolimod	Gilenya	Multiple sclerosis, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.	Rarely skin cancer, potentially fatal infections, bradycardia, encephalitis, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, macular edema. Multiple sclerosis can become much worse after stopping the drug and can result in permanent disability.
Natalizumab	Tysabri	Multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease.	Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, significant liver injury, fatigue, allergic reactions. Possibly melanoma, infection and cancer.
Pioglitazone	Actos	Lower blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes.	Fractures of the upper arms, hands and feet in females; fluid retention, peripheral edema, anemia, upper respiratory tract infection, sinusitis, headache, myalgia.
Rosiglitazone	Avandia	Lower blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes.	Congestive heart failure, heart attacks, stroke, bone fractures, macular edema, hepatoxicity.
Troglitazone*	Rezulin	Diabetes mellitus type 2.	Very high risk of acute liver failure, high hepatoxicity.
Alosetron	Lotronex	Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome in women only.	Risk of severe and potentially fatal constipation, ischemic colitis.
Tegaserod*	Zelnorm, Zelmac	Irritable bowel syndrome, constipation.	Increased risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Thalidomide	Contergan, Thalomid	Multiple myeloma, graft versus host disease, aphthous stomatitis in children.	Excessive blood clots, neutropenia, leukopenia, lymphopenia, anemia, peripheral neuropathy; increasing risk of heart attacks, pulmonary hypertension, syncope, bradycardia; liver damage, Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Phocomelia; brain, eye, face and limb damage in unborn children.
Isotretinoin	Accutane	Severe cystic acne.	Anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, depression, aggression, anxiety, conjunctivitis, blepharitis, dermatitis, dry skin, pruritus, hair loss, joint pain, myalgia, erectile dysfunction. May stop long bone growth in young people; permanent decreased night vision possible. Causes birth defects such as hearing and visual impairment, missing or malformed earlobes, facial dysmorphism, abnormalities in brain function.
Etretinate*	Tegison, Tigason	Severe psoriasis.	Bone and joint pain, muscular or abdominal cramps, dry eyes. May interfere with bone growth in children. Notably, high risk of birth defects long after use. Birth control is required for at least three years after use.
Valproate	Depakote, Depakine	Epilsepy, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, migraines.	Nausea, drowsiness, weakness, bleeding, encephalopathy, hepatoxicity and liver failure, pancreatitis, fetal abnormalities including spina bifida, dysmorphic features, developmental delay.
Riociguat	Adempas	Pulmonary hypertension.	Bleeding, hypotension, GI disorders. Fetal harm.
Ribavirin	Tribavirin, Copegus	Hepatitis C, viral hemorrhagic fevers.	Depression, fatigue, hair loss, influenza-like illness, insomnia, red blood cell breakdown, fetal harm.
Bosentan	Tracleer, Safebo	Pulmonary arterial hypertension, systemic scleroderma.	High risk of causing birth defects, liver damage, edema, pulmonary veno-occlusive disease, decreasing spertm counts, decreased hemoglobin.
Mefloquine	Lariam	Malaria prevention and treatment.	Diarrhea, rash. Rarely depression, nightmares, hallucinations, anxiety, poor balance, seizures, tinnitus.
Trovafloxacin*	Trovan, Turvel	Broad spectrum antibiotic.	High risk of serious and sometimes fatal liver damage. Cases of acute liver failure and death.
Norfloxacin	Noroxin	Urinary tract infections, gynecological infections, inflammation of the prostate gland, gonorrhea, bladder infection.	Rarely tendon rupture, QT interval prolongation, peripheral neuropathy, insomnia, restlessness, seizure.
Busulfan	Myleran, Busulfex IV	Chemotherapy medication.	Pulmonary fibrosis, hyperpigmentation, seizures, hepatic and sinusoidal obstruction syndrome, emesis, wasting syndrome, thrombocytopenia.
Ifosfamide	Ifex	Chemotherapy medication.	Hemorrhagic cystitis, very high risk of encephalopathy.
Digoxin	Digitalis, Lanoxin	Atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, heart failure.	Gynaecomastia, cardiac arrhythmias, may increase the risk of death. Used during abortions in late second and third semester of pregnancy.

* Not FDA approved.