Coroner Slams One Suicide at Capital and Coast DHB

The New Zealand Herald are reporting that Coroner Garry Evans has slammed Capital & Coast District Health Board for its inadequate treatment of a man who killed himself after being discharged from Wellington Hospital.

This is quite a deal in New Zealand as Coroners rarely allow reporting on suicides... apparently reporting on suicides makes people want to go out and kill themselves. Yeh, right.

39-year-old Bryan John Eastwood was, as we've come to expect in these types of cases, given antidepressants to help his alcohol addiction and also to help him sleep. He'd recently separated from his wife and lost his job and was deemed to be 'anxious' by his prescribing healthcare professional.




The Herald writes:

"Two days later he went to his GP feeling "anxious and miserable" and was given anti-depressants and medication to help him with sleeping and alcohol withdrawal.

On March 13, Mr Eastwood went to Wellington Hospital's emergency department after overdosing on clonazepam and drinking up to 23 units of alcohol.

A risk assessment noted a number of concerning features including alcohol abuse, social isolation, the break-up of a significant relationship, the loss of his job and recent criminal proceedings.

Nonetheless, he was assessed as not wanting to die and, rather, the overdose was considered an attempt to get his wife's attention.

A nurse unsuccessfully tried to contact the on-duty registrar, but Coroner Evans said the telephonist may have been calling the wrong doctor.

The registrar was required to be contacted in such cases but Mr Eastwood was discharged anyway.

Nurses involved in the case commented that there was considerable pressure to discharge clients within six hours due to the hospital's "six-hour rule".

I find it odd that this poor man was deemed as just trying to get his wife's attention considering he was abusing alcohol, was in trouble with the law and was feeling socially isolated. I also find it bizarre that there's a six-hour rule in place for such cases.

Overdosing on a drug such as clonazepam could have been fatal, particularly combined with alcohol.

In the US clonazepam is better known by its brand name, Klonopin.

Former lead singer of Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks, had a lot to say about the drug.  “[Klonopin] turned me into a zombie,” she told US Weekly in 2001. Nicks also described the drug as a “horrible, dangerous drug,” and said that her eventual 45-day hospital detox and rehab from the drug felt like “somebody opened up a door and pushed me into hell.” [1]

In 2009, Roche, the manufacturer of Klonopin in the US, issued a warning to prescribers of clonazepam stating that, "Roche would like to advise you of a recent change to the Klonopin Prescribing Information (WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS sections). Based on pooled analysis of eleven antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) performed by the FDA, a class warning for increased risk of suicidality (suicidal behavior or ideation) is now required for all AEDs (including Klonopin)." [2]

Yay the coroner for allowing media reporting on this, he did so to promote public safety. Maybe though he should have dug deeper, he may have found that it was quite wrong to give such a drug to a vulnerable patient, furthermore, the drug in question, as admitted by its own manufacturers, increases the risk of suicidality.

As for Capital & Coast, they are under the radar with a recent request I made to all the DHB's in New Zealand.

I've learned from the data they sent me that between the years 2007-2010 there were 40 suicides from patients under their care, 37 of whom were on medication at the time of their suicides. 10 of those 37 were, coincidentally, taking clonazepam within the six months prior to their deaths.

If a member of the public can access information like this then I'm sure coroners can.

I'm just baffled why they don't.

Bob Fiddaman


[1] Is This the World's Deadliest Pill?
[2] Klonopin® Tablets (clonazepam) WARNING

Guest Post: Life ‘at’ and Escape ‘from’ Paroxetine Island

The hell of Aropax withdrawal

Following on from Part I [Like a Lamb to the Slaughter] of Mark's trilogy of guest posts.

This post sees Mark describe the frustrations and hardships of withdrawing from GlaxoSmithKline's Aropax, known in the UK as Seroxat and in the US and Canada as Paxil.

Life ‘at’ and Escape ‘from’ Paroxetine Island [PI]

Life at Paroxetine Island(PI) can only really  be described in hindsight and with insight once one has spent time back on the mainland and drug-free. Here are some observations:

• On arrival at PI one has all motivation, passion, spontaneity and confidence taken away and one is given yawning, fatigue and indecisiveness 24/7 in exchange.
• On my 1st night at PI I experienced the most real, horrific and terrifying dream of my life. It involved my death. At the time I was clueless as to what caused this.
• Like creeping mold is to the internal walls of a house in winter so too was paroxetine to my brain. It was a slow, insidious takeover of not just my brain but also my soul. Dulling my emotions and senses, and even when the wallpaper started falling off I was clueless as to the cause.
• My quality of life grew worse and worse, as I became more and more removed from reality.
• Life was sucked out of me and I was no longer living I was simply existing.
• I became a loner and yet I wasn't lonely.
• Much time and effort was spent fighting back evil intrusive thoughts, thoughts that did not belong to me, thoughts that were extraordinarily immoral, offensive and almost audible in my mind beckoning me towards self-destructive behaviour. Thoughts that were demonic in nature.
• Personality and behavioural changes occur on PI perhaps best described as a severing of the conscience.
• Loss of feelings and caring occurred, a total disconnect from reality. The mantra of PI was:
•  ‘So what, who cares’! And I was soon singing it.
• An early attempt to break free and swim to the mainland resulted in such psychological, emotional horror and panic I rushed back to my doctor and asked to go back to PI. I was sent back no questions asked. 
• Despite promising to never swim away again several more failed attempts to escape left me in a state of learned helplessness, a massive major paradigm shift now occurred in my being. I now believed that I needed to be on Paroxetine Island!
• One day I learned of a person who had escaped from PI and swum back to the mainland. I became very envious, jealous even!
• I was now determined that I too would get back to the mainland. Little did I know that I was about to start a 3-year traumatizing nightmare, a journey through ‘Hell,’ that was going to require every ounce of strength to survive, fighting for my life, daily. 

My Escape from Paroxetine Island (PI)

I would like to start by just saying that my escape from PI was the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life. No non-poisoned-by-an-SSRI-brain can conceive, imagine, or understand the traumatising nature of this ordeal.

• I presented to my doctor in January 10, after 10 years use, wanting to get off paroxetine. His reply “okay come off slowly”, and sent me on my way. (Absolutely criminal!)
• I had no idea what slowly was. But decided to start to alternate doses 20 mg one day and 10 mg the next.
• After 6 months I was on 10 mg and in a distraught state.
• The distress drove me to seek counselling, yet it offered no relief. Except lighten my wallet.
• At 9 months and on 5 mg feeling death would be a welcome relief I reluctantly presented to my Doctor (Dr W), only to be told I had an underlying depression and I needed to up dose. At this point I realised Dr W was clueless. I replied, ‘that is not right’. He referred me to a psychiatrist Dr S.B.
• Confused, distraught, frustrated, and in a very dark place, somehow knowing deep down something was not right here but what could it be, I confided in the neighbouring pharmacist. He leaned over and quietly whispered, “Mark I’m not supposed to tell you this but it’s not you it’s the drug”.
• It was like a light switch was flicked, the light bulb went on, I came to my senses. Of course it’s not me, it’s the drug! It was the damn drug! How could I have been so stupid! Words cannot describe the humiliation that started to flood my being followed by anger and disbelief.
• I immediately started digging, and stumbled upon an SSRI addict’s and survivors support group. I realised I had found a place ‘sought by millions but found by few’. I owe my life to them.
• On asking the psychiatrist Dr S.B. if he was aware of any problems with people getting off Paroxetine  he replied, “Well if there were problems with people getting off paroxetine people would be suing the drug companies” [I was later to realize this was a Dr who clearly had his initials around the wrong way].
• He also okay’d a Healtheries supplement I wanted to take to try to get some relief. I was sent on my way. I now realised I was on my own.
• I broke free of PI on 28 September 2010.
• The 9 month taper down and the next 2 years drug free was hell. The nightmare I had to suffer (believe me to call it a nightmare is an understatement) coming off this drug had nothing to do with me and everything to do with this drug!
• I wouldn't want my worst enemy to go through this. I was unable to function experiencing daily uncontrollable restless anxiety, endless crying and drug induced suicidal ideations starting from 6 a.m. lasting throughout the day and receding somewhat in the evening. I felt as if I was being psychologically and emotionally raped daily. This withdrawal horror went on for almost 3 years, with the drug induced withdrawal hell pushing me for months to cut my wrists, then for months it tried to get me to hang myself, then it wanted me to shoot myself, and if that wasn't enough drive my car into oncoming traffic. I still remember the day I fought off an overwhelming desire to jump off a bridge.
• These drugs are not given to patients under 18 because they cause suicide …well if my experience is anything to go by they should extend the relabeling ban to those under 50!
• In order to get through this hell alive I dragged several family members so far into emotional overdraft I will never be able to repay them. You can forget being able to hold down a job during this ordeal it’s a battle to just survive each day.
• I so much wanted to reinstate to take the horror away, yet I was driven by a sense of unbelievable anger and humiliation to not do so. Often chanting back ‘it’s not me it’s the drug’ when waves of hell flooded me.
• All I wanted was an opinion on my sore arm, I never consented to this.
• At about 18 months drug free I felt the shark infested waters start to recede, a few months later I washed ashore onto the mainland, exhausted, traumatized and in total disbelief that I was still alive.
• I felt like Rip Van Winkle coming to after being placed in a living coma becoming acutely aware of the damage done to me, waking up in shock and disbelief.
• Let there be no mistake about it, if I was an enemy combatant and the NZ army did this to me, someone would have been dragged to the Hague and jailed for this! 
• Hippocratic Oath…..Yeah Right!
• I was determined to get an explanation for this insult to my humanity an answer for something no human should have to endure.

Mark Carter NZ

Coming soon Part III

Bob Fiddaman

JOIN THE FIDDAMAN BLOG ON FACEBOOK

Guest Post: Like A Lamb to the Slaughter

As this blog grows I get more and more requests from readers asking if they can write a guest post. This has proved very popular and gives a chance for people, patients to vent... none more so than the author of this post, Mark Carter.

As you will learn, Mark is yet another victim of the over prescribing of psychiatric medication, another victim of off-label prescribing.

Mark's story... and this is just part 1 of 3, is nothing new. Thousands, if not millions, of unsuspecting patients are, within minutes, walking out of consultation rooms with pills that are nothing more than loaded bullets. They are being diagnosed with ailments, in Mark's case sore wrists and arms, and then prescribed drugs that have no indication to treat the diagnosis.

This is, sadly, on-going globally.

Mark is from Auckland, New Zealand.

Here's part I of his story.

Like A Lamb To The Slaughter - Part I

I have decided to do a posting for Bobs blog for the following  reasons:

1. It’s not acceptable to me, for SSRi’s  especially paroxetine [Seroxat, Paxil, Aropax] and including venlafaxine [Effexor] to continue to be on the market.

2. It is my wish that these drugs be exposed for what they truly are; toxins that disrupt and chemically damage the brain and body.

3. I feel morally obligated to communicate to the general public the dangers of these poisons , as I have been grievously injured by taking and subsequently discontinuing them,

4. A dangerous, negligent and appalling level of ignorance from doctors who have thoroughly hoodwinked patients into believing black is white, and  from whom no one has a chance of being informed of the truth.

5. I have nothing to hide only devastation to human life to expose

6. If I can stop one person from taking an SSRI or its evil cousins then its been worth it.


It all began in the summer of 2000. In December I presented to an Occupational Specialist Doctor D. with sore wrists and arms from keyboard overuse at my work site.

I was a 37 year old single, cheerful, happy, sports loving, opera chorus singing male. I had never smoked, drunk alcohol, or taken any drugs prior. I also had never had any psychological issues.

I was diagnosed with chronic pain syndrome and given what I now know to be a smorgasbord of poisons.

At the time I was like a lamb to the slaughter, naive, trusting and oblivious to oncoming danger.

I asked the right questions as anyone would, are these addictive, are there any side-effects?

I left assured they were not addictive but  may find they give me a dry mouth.

I was also assured they would heal my arm.

Arrived home that day with canisters of amitriptyline, nortriptyline, venlafaxine, and paroxetine . I was told nothing regarding tapering down or not stopping abruptly.

I never felt comfortable with the diagnosis of chronic pain syndrome. The term at the time was repetitive strain injury or occupational overuse syndrome.

I also was filled with dread at being sent back to a job that I clearly could not do any longer. I clearly had an injury in my hand in which pain and an inability to type was amplified when using a keyboard and receded when not using the keyboard.

I was told to take a course of each drug and if no benefit move onto the next one.

I was totally unaware that I was about to expose myself to some of the most dangerous addictive mind-numbing soul destroying potent body damaging chemicals ever manufactured for human consumption.

I was totally unaware of the nature or the toxic effects of venlafaxine and paroxetine.

In hindsight I felt pressured to take these drugs, I mean not taking anything was never a tabled option.

I worked my way through the drugs, on starting the venlafaxine I immediately started getting  floaters in my eyes. I was clueless. I also recall being incredibly fatigued, my walking became labored. I rang Dr D at the time from my former work site regarding  the struggle to cope and was told to double the dose. Not long after this, my employer, as I could no longer use a keyboard, fired me.

As I no longer had to bare  a workload and didn't really want to take drugs I  quit cold turkey the venlafaxine, as one would with a so-called non-addictive drug that was doing nothing except fatigue me.

What I didn't know at the time,  but I do now, is Dr D had persuaded me to take a sequence of drugs not authorized for use for my injury. He had in fact persuaded me to participate in the off-label use of the drugs and did it by obtaining my uninformed consent.

Shortly after this I started to manifest an uncontrollable anxiety, a kind of  psychological panic, a distressed tearful state. There was something clearly wrong with me and something I had never experienced before.

I was clueless as to the cause of this, and thought it may be due to some external stresses at that time.

Concerned  I now presented tearful agitated and confused to my family Doctor W of 20 years,… like a lamb to the slaughter. I can still remember my exact words at the time.

“There is something wrong with me, I don’t know what it is, you know me I’m so against the taking of drugs, but do you think I need something for this.”

Without any hesitation, enquiry or diagnostic checklist I was presented with a prescription for paroxetine 20 mg per day and sent on my way assured it was not addictive, safe and may cause a little weight gain.

And that was to be the start of a 10 year drug addiction with a sore arm somehow morphing into a drug induced 'mental illness'.

Stuck on paroxetine-Island only to be met by psychological and emotional shark infested waters every time I tried to leave.

And in addition totally unaware that I was now exposing myself to a slow chemical castration.

Mark Carter - New Zealand

Part II Coming Soon


If you would like to write a guest post then I can be contacted via the 'Contact' tab at the top of this blog.


Bob Fiddaman

JOIN THE FIDDAMAN BLOG ON FACEBOOK

New Zealand Drug Watchdog Issues Warnings For Most Antidepressants Regarding Birth Defects

Zyban, just one of many SSRi type medications associated with birth defects

New Zealand's drug watchdog, Medsafe, who are the equivalent of the FDA and MHRA, have just issued warnings to healthcare professionals across New Zealand regarding the use of antidepressant type medications during pregnancy.

The warnings come on the back of a recent epidemiological study that shows a possible increased risk of congenital cardiovascular malformations after exposure to bupropion (Zyban) in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Here's where it may get confusing for healthcare professionals and patients.

Zyban is used as a smoking cessation medication that apparently helps people quit smoking.

Zyban is also known as Wellbutrin, an antidepressant.

Medsafe is reporting that the datasheet is currently being updated with information regarding the use during pregnancy.

Meantime, Medsafe and  the Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee (MARC) have just completed a review of the risk of QT prolongation and/or Torsades de pointes (TdP) associated with antidepressants used in New Zealand.

The findings?

Annette Beautrais and the New Zealand Suicide Problem

Annette Beautrais - 'Expert' in Suicidology

A report released in New Zealand last week has shown that almost 25,000 children have been diagnosed with behavioural and emotional problems. The percentage of children with diagnosed mental health conditions jumped from 1.8 per cent to 3.2 per cent since 2007-08. See Number of 'anxious' kids skyrockets

The NZ government have, like most governments, been duped.