I've heard many stories over the years regarding the troubles people have experienced whilst taking brain pellets marketed as 'antidepressants.' Kerri's guest post (below) is yet another example of how patients are pushed from pillar to post, often having to find their own way to resolve matters relating to brain pellet adverse events because of a severe lack of knowledge from prescribing physicians.
The three pellets featured in Kerri's story were, at a point in time, blockbuster products raking in billions of dollars for the drug companies who marketed and manufactured them, namely Lilly (Prozac) and GlaxoSmithKline (Paxil) and Pfizer (Zoloft). Three apparent drugs that are supposed to help but, as is my experience, cause more problems than the original 'illness' they are prescribed for. They all, allegedly, work in pretty much the same way. Drug company reps will tell you that A is better than B and C because, well, because that's what they are paid to do. They have no scientific evidence that one is more tolerable and causes less side-effects than the other.
I find it difficult to believe that neither Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline or Pfizer knew nothing about the problems caused by the three products mentioned below, moreover, the journeys many millions face when taking them.
This is just a small part of Kerri's journey. She writes to warn others and to create an awareness that all is not lost if you, or someone you know, suffers the same fate as she.
Bob Fiddaman
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I was taught to trust the doctors. I was taught to trust the prescriptions. I was taught to trust the assessments I received from hospitals. And I did…but, this trust of these medical recommendations nearly killed me.
My name is Kerri Lynn and I was born in Long Beach CA, but was raised in the upper Midwest. I grew up in a dysfunctional home and early on, I gravitated towards addictive tendencies. I strived to make good choices at this time, however, my best efforts to live life on life’s terms were mostly self-destructive.
"I was restless, irritable and discounted all the time being newly sober and I needed help facing life, or so I thought."
At 13, I discovered drinking. I partied all the time until my addiction stopped working for me. I chased other self-destructive behaviors and relationships. My out-of-control nature led to an ultimatum from loved ones: I had to find a solution how not to be self-destructive.
Pain and circumstances drove me to seek help from 12-Step Recovery. This was really a challenge and about 60 days into this sober journey, I sought help from my family doctor. I was restless, irritable and discounted all the time being newly sober and I needed help facing life, or so I thought. My first prescription was for 20 mg of Prozac. 3 Days into this first prescription, I was unable to walk or talk. I was severely anxious and my brain was racing and telling me to do delusional things like run outside naked. I experienced Homicidal and Suicidal Ideation (I have come to understand that these are the symptoms of Serotonin Syndrome/Akathisia). I was panicking due to my reaction to this prescription, though I had no awareness that it was the prescription that was causing these symptoms. I had to reach out to a former counselor to sorts things out.
I met with my former counselor the following Monday. I finally revealed I was taking Prozac, and he immediately called my prescribing physician to get me off this prescription. This was the beginning of a 13-year nightmare with prescribed medications.
40mg of Paxil was my next prescription. A year into taking this antidepressant, I woke up one morning and could not emotionally feel anything. I was terrified. I called my doctor again and he tried yet another substitute of Zoloft. At that point, all hell broke loose. My doctor tried Paxil one more time and this sent me to the hospital. Between 2000 and 2006, I was Hospitalized on 3 separate occasions due to drug toxicity or cold turkey drug withdrawal.
"I exhausted every potential care and specialty option locally."
During these nightmare days, I was entertained with my expanded medical vocabulary. I learned words like suicidal ideation, disassociation, delusion, hallucination, profuse night-sweats, rapid irregular heartbeats and agoraphobia. We must not forget the bladder loss or rectal haemorrhaging, nor the black outs that would last more than 24 hours, when they would randomly introduce new medications. And my favorite suffering were the overwhelming panic attacks.
Sadly, my entire investment in the “healing process” to this point only led to my condition becoming more and more dire. The medical assessments only were dealing with a random set of symptoms that were mostly caused by the prescription and I could not break the cycle, no matter what I did or took. Almost every diagnosis made things worse and added to my growing list of “untreatable symptoms.” I exhausted every potential care and specialty option locally. I even spent 2 weeks at the world renown Mayo Clinic only to achieve an inaccurate diagnosis once again of Visceral Extreme Hypersensitivity. When I return to my home, I felt defeated and my local hospital would no longer allow me to make appointments, unless first reviewed by management over the phone. These doctors thought I was crazy.
It is always darkest before the dawn. I was under the care of many physicians. Many were a significant part of the problem and few were graciously a part of what would be my life-changing solution. I was blessed to be introduced to the Cytochrome P-450 test which analyses DNA and genetic strengths and deficiencies. From this accurate genetic assessment, it was discovered that I have both fast and slow processes in my liver and kidneys. This finally expressed a causality between reception and rejection of various medications. It was also determined accurately that I am missing the GSTM-1/ Glutathione Gene. It was finally determined that my true ailment was Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and all previous diagnoses actually placed me in grave risk by triggering my symptoms. The synthetic nature of the drugs being prescribed to me were actually poisoning me and triggered my multiple chemical sensitivity. During the course of 13 years of prescriptions, my body has been damaged so that I will most likely be significantly chemically sensitive for the remainder of my days.
My hope is that by sharing my story that we can come to a new responsibility about how we seek and receive diagnoses. The medical profession has a mission statement of seeking to do no harm. This is not always the case. From my experience, a measured suspicion is the best approach. I now take the responsibility of doing my own medical research. I trust my instincts and I am my own advocate. Through my difficult journey my local provider actually became the first hospital in the country to study the P-450 genetic test. I strongly recommend this assessment be the starting point. Don’t utilize the P-450 as a last resort.
I am now 11-years medication free and stable. I have to live the rest of my life being critically aware of my environment and surroundings due to my chemical sensitivity. However, today I have a strategy for living that works. It is my hope that my story can guide people to new strategies so that nobody ever has to suffer like I did.
~ Kerri Lynn
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You can listen to Kerri's story in her own words here via the brilliant Akathisia Stories, a co-production of MISSD and Studio C.
You can read more about Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) tests here
Footnote:
Test limitations
Although they have potential, CYP450 tests have limitations:
Tests are available for only certain medications. Also, each test is specific to only one medication, so a change in medication may require another test.
Testing can't predict which medication will work best for you — it can only provide clues.
Not all insurance companies cover the costs of these tests.
