Topic: Abilify

The FDA has approved the first "digital pill," a version of the drug Abilify that contains an ingestible sensor to track patient compliance. The sensor transmits data to a wearable patch and then to a mobile device, allowing doctors to monitor medication schedules.

The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning regarding the antipsychotic drug Abilify, linking it to uncontrollable gambling and compulsive behaviors. Legal advertisements are targeting individuals who suffered significant financial losses or home foreclosures while taking the medication. Additional reported side effects include compulsive shopping and hypersexuality.

The hosts compare the treatment of the shouting stenographer to the fatal shooting of Miriam Carey outside the Capitol, questioning why one was handled peacefully while the other resulted in death. They discuss the potential role of psychiatric drugs like Abilify in recent public outbursts and note a shift in the demographic profile of individuals involved in high-profile security incidents at government sites.

The hosts discuss the prevalence of "Abilify" as an add-on antidepressant and its potential side effects, including "neuroleptic malignant syndrome" or delirium. They link these psychological states to "Extremely Low Frequency" (ELF) sites operated by the Navy. An anecdote about Lucille Ball hearing radio stations through her dental fillings is used to illustrate how the body can act as an antenna.

The United States has seen a massive surge in the use of anti-psychotic medications, with Abilify becoming a top-selling drug. The hosts criticize Dr. Drew Pinsky for allegedly promoting Abilify for off-label uses on his show "Celebrity Rehab," such as treating alcoholics and drug addicts. They review NIH data on the drug's intended use for schizophrenia and mania, questioning the ethics of prescribing it to patients in detox centers.

A new animated commercial for the antidepressant add-on drug Abilify features a woman interacting with a personified "depression bug." The hosts mock the lengthy list of contraindications, which include increased risk of death in elderly dementia patients, suicidal thoughts in young adults, and uncontrollable muscle movements. They question the logic of marketing a drug that causes "confusion" to people already struggling with mental health.

Listener Greg Noblin shares a story about his girlfriend's long-term use of Seroquel as a sleep aid. He describes side effects such as muscle stiffness, dizziness, and impaired motor skills. The hosts reiterate their concerns about the over-prescription of powerful antipsychotics for minor issues like sleeplessness.

An anonymous psychiatric nurse provides a detailed report on the effects of Abilify and Seroquel. The nurse describes "jacked up" patients with bulging eyes and "burnt out" looks after years of high-dose treatment. The report also highlights the prevalence of these drugs among returning Marines, who are often prescribed a cocktail of five to seven different medications simultaneously.

The hosts criticize a report suggesting low-dose Prozac for PMS and play back-to-back commercials for Abilify and Seroquel XR. They highlight the nearly identical, severe side effects listed in the ads, including death, stroke, and uncontrollable muscle movements. They argue that Big Pharma is rebranding powerful antipsychotics for mild depression to expand their market.