Balancing act: Moms-to-be weigh risks, benefits of antidepressants

Image: www.ecobiz.ie

Source: WCFCOURIER.COM

Good friend of mine and fellow advocate Julie Edgington has recently been interviewed by the WCF Courier.

They write:

In 2003, Julie Edgington was among the roughly 13 percent of expectant U.S. women to take an antidepressant during pregnancy. The Waterloo woman started a Paxil regimen a few weeks before she became pregnant with her son, Manie.

"I really didn't feel right about taking it because with all my other children I never took anything - I was even careful with Tylenol," said the mother of five. "I was completely off it by the end of the third month of my pregnancy, but by that time it was too late."

Manie was born with his aorta and pulmonary arteries switched. At just 8 days old he underwent open-heart surgery. Manie will have to repeat the procedure when he is 17 and requires continued care. Edgington and her husband, Russell McNamee, along with several other families across the country, have a lawsuit pending against GlaxoSmithKline, which manufactures Paxil.

Today, Edgington blogs about her experiences. Although Manie's case is rare, she warns other moms that - in her opinion - antidepressant use during pregnancy is too big of a risk.

"What benefits could be great enough to put your child through a lifelong battle with their health?" she asked. "I'm not a doctor, but I would definitely tell someone to try some other type of therapy before taking anything. It's not worth it."


Julie's blog, Birth Defects Caused by Antidepressant, can be viewed HERE

Her son, Manie, is a little diamond and a constant reminder of how difficult it is for expectant mothers to weigh up the benefits v risks when trying to make an informed decision of whether to take Paxil [Seroxat] A decision that cannot be easily made without knowing the full facts - facts kept from doctor's and patients with regard to Paxil [Seroxat] being a teratogen.

Manie Rocks!

Fid

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'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
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Art Auction for Paxil Heart Defect Victims

The Bitter Pill, the Official Blog of UNITE – uniteforlife.org, is running a campaign for the parents of Manie, a child born with Transposition of the Great Arteries.

The family has a case pending against Glaxosmithkline for Manie’s heart defect caused by Paxil. The case, like so many against GlaxoSmithKline, is moving along at a snail's pace and medical and travel expenses for Manie are hitting the family hard.

Manie needs this treatment and his family need help with the expenses. GlaxoSmithKline deny that Paxil causes heart defects, despite being found guilty in the recent GSK v Kilker trial - a decision that they are appealing against.

There are approx another 630 cases pending with regard to Paxil causing heart defects in children. Rather than do the right thing [admit liability] Glaxo are choosing to dig in their heels and plead their innocence. Meantime, folks like Manie's parents are faced with the daily struggles of juggling money for their child to survive.

The legal system needs changing. If a company or person is found guilty of manufacturing a harmful product then they should compensate the victims whom that product has harmed or at the very least pay for the travel and medical expenses!

Manie's mother, Julie, tells her story of her son's plight on the excellent blog, 'Big Pharma Victim'

To make ends meet the family is now auctioning off some of their artwork, some of which can be viewed HERE

Ten percent of the sales will be donated back to the UNITE / MADNAP cause for public awareness to help save other babies. For more information on how UNITE / MADNAP utilize donations send an email to amy@uniteforlife.org

To donate commissioned artwork or other goods to this auction, contact Julie & Russell at give2manie@yahoo.com

To read more on the previous Paxil/Birth Defect trial click HERE

To read about the teratogen link in Paxil read HERE


Here is a short clip of Manie at hospital a couple of days after airtubes were removed.



Hat - Tip: Amy Philo


Fid

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'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
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For Our Boys

I'm cold, I'm lonely,

I'm scared of shellfire.

Digging a trench

KABOOM! Goes the choir.

Closer & closer

To the fallout dust.

To gain a few inches

In a war that's unjust.

There's a whistle overhead...

© BOB FIDDAMAN

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'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
SIGNED COPIES HERE OR UNSIGNED FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING

Justice For GSK Victims

Original Image: whitman-ma.gov



"This petition is to bring criminal charges against GlaxoSmithKline. The medication they made has caused numerous deaths not to mention birth defects. Many babies have died or been born with horrible birth defects caused by the use of Paxil [Seroxat]. Information that Paxil caused birth defects was hidden therefore taking the right to make an informed decision was taken away from Mothers. GlaxoSmithKline needs to be held criminally accountable for their misinformation and blantant lies. It is for all these babies to have justice."

SIGN THE PETITION HERE

Fid

ORDER THE PAPERBACK
'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
SIGNED COPIES HERE OR UNSIGNED FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING

Everything For A Reason

Julie Edgington has completed her first book 'Everything For A Reason' and is just awaiting lawyers approval before making it available to the public.

Julie, is the mother of Manie whom is yet another child to be born with serious heart defects that Julie claims was a result of GlaxoSmithKline's Paxil [Seroxat]

To keep up to date with the launch of Julie's book, sign up to her new blog 'Everything For A Reason' HERE

To learn more of Manie's plight visit his blog HERE

The little guy rocks!

**Last month jurors found 10-2 that GlaxoSmithKline officials “negligently failed to warn” the doctor treating Lyam Kilker's mother about Paxil’s risks and concluded the medicine was a “factual cause” of the child’s heart defects.

The Kilker family were awarded $2.5 million. [HERE]


Fid

ORDER THE PAPERBACK
'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
SIGNED COPIES HERE OR UNSIGNED FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING