Tomorrow marks the death anniversary of 19-year-old Natalie Gehrki who, on February 6, 2013, was compelled to end her young life.
In 2003, Natalie became somewhat anxious and shy and after a visit to see a psychiatrist she started on her spiral of decline. Prozac, an SSRI, was recommended. Neither Natalie or her mother, Kristina, were provided with informed consent. In fact, Kristina, in an article she wrote some years later, said, "The doctor skipped over risks vs. benefits."
In 2003 there were no black box warnings on SSRIs so neither Natalie or her parents knew anything much about it. Shortly after taking Prozac Natalie became increasingly anxious and agitated, withdrawn and apathetic, she also developed new fears and obsessions. By the middle of 2004, she had started to self-harm, light cuts to her arm were evidence of this. Her prescriber, instead of withdrawing the drug, increased the Prozac dosage.
Earlier that year (March 2004) the FDA had advised all doctors that SSRIs pose life-threatening risks to children. Neither Natalie or her parents were given this information from Natalie's prescriber.
This from her mother:
"Natalie also lost her ability to participate in physical activities. Her fifth-grade diary reflects she felt uncoordinated, “couldn’t catch a ball,” and was often “the last person picked” for sports teams. This was significant given that Natalie previously showed excellent fine motor skills and happily out-climbed friends at the rock climbing wall. "Natalie’s doctor started offering new diagnostic guesses. They included borderline personality disorder, emotional lability, OCD and manic depression. She diligently updated her charts, but didn’t update us with new Prozac information. Natalie’s symptoms were far more serious than her original presenting symptom of anxiety."
In the summer of 2005, Natalie was instructed by her prescriber to take a "medication holiday”. The prescriber wanted to see how Natalie would fair when not taking Prozac. There was no tapering regime offered, just an abrupt stop.
Days after stopping Prozac Natalie told her mom that she wanted to kill herself. One has to bear in mind that at this point Natalie was just an 11-year-old girl. Terrified, her mother took her to hospital. After a brief consultation with the hospital psychiatrist, it was recommended that Natalie needed to restart her Prozac, in addition, she needed more drugs. Risperdal, an antipsychotic was thrown into the mix. Once again, no informed consent was given to either Natalie or her parents.
The horror-train ride wasn't over for Natalie - some years down the line Zoloft, an SSRI, came into play. Natalie's behaviour changed, she became unusually problematic in her behaviour. Her mother informed the prescriber of the change in Natalie. Despite this, Natalie remained on Zoloft.
More agitation and anxiety ensued and Natalie's self-harming was getting worse. On hearing this her prescriber added Valium, an anxiolytic and sedative, to Natalie's regime.
Good grades at school turned into bad grades and Natalie, not being able to sit in her chair at school, opted instead to wander around the classroom.
Between 2010-2013 her mother believed the Zoloft was causing the problems. She writes:
"I believed the 100 mg of Zoloft should be stopped and that perhaps it was prescribed at too high a dose. I asked about metabolism and noted Natalie’s petite size (under 5 feet tall and 110 pounds). The psychiatrist retorted dosage has “nothing to do with metabolism.” "We explained Natalie’s adverse reaction to Prozac and offered to provide all medical records. The doctor didn’t want the records, declaring, “I make my own diagnosis.”
The prescriber reassured Natalie and her mother that Zoloft was okay. During this period Natalie continued to take Zoloft and her mother recalls that Natalie's faulty cognitive reasoning, memory loss, and destructive, risky behaviour all became worse.
In November of 2012, Natalie's Zoloft dosage was increased from 100mg to 150mg, shortly after this increase Natalie's gait changed and she started shuffling her feet as she moved. She also started skin-picking, something her prescriber put down to possible 'Obsessive-compulsive disorder' (OCD)
I'll leave the last words to her mom:
"One week later, Natalie had a scheduled therapy appointment. She was feeling ill, complained of “swollen throat glands” had a fever and headache. She thought she had the flu. Natalie tried to sleep but had terrible insomnia. She called the doctor to cancel her appointment. The doctor suggested they have telephone therapy instead. During their phone call, Natalie said she had been vomiting, discussed her “increasing OCD symptoms,” and Natalie cried. I later learned the psychiatrist instructed Natalie—without ever seeing her—to start taking 200 mg of Zoloft. Again, no informed consent, no risks vs. benefits, and caregivers left in the dark. Abductor Number Four doubled Zoloft the last 12 weeks of Natalie’s life. The doctor scheduled a follow-up appointment in two weeks. This is not close monitoring. "Two days after taking the maximum Zoloft dose as prescribed, Natalie was dead. She had valiantly raged against the dying light for nearly half her life but was no match for 200 mg of Zoloft. She died of a violent self-sustained injury, but did not die by her own hand: She was chemically tortured, suffered and died at the hands of her doctors. Their negligence was medical violence. As is typical of akathisia-induced death, Natalie, who was born a gentle soul, did not go gently into that good night."
Kidnapped: Natalie’s Story is in two parts. You can read them here and here.
Two years ago, Kristina and I spent time together at the Hard Rock Cafe in Panama City, Panama. On the eve of Natalie's death anniversary, we wandered around the hotel in search of any AC/DC memorabilia. As our search was coming to an end, I noticed a T-Shirt in a glass cage. The shirt once belonged to Dixie Chicks singer/songwriter, Natalie Maines.
Natalie would have been celebrating her 25th birthday today but for the intervention of prescribed brain pellets.
To honour her please take, and pass on, the accredited Akathisia101 course which was designed and created by Natalie's mother, Kristina.
I have a lot of anger toward those responsible for Natalie's death. The prescribers who kept adding brain pellets, despite obvious signs that the brain pellets were slowly killing this beautiful young girl. The drug companies, for not being truthful about those brain pellets. The mental health system, for basing its entire diagnostic model on guesswork. The regulators, for its limp-wristedness and incestuous relationship with the drug industry.
Today, Natalie's family should be celebrating, instead, they are going through the motions of what might have been. Only if you have buried a child will you know the pain and suffering this family are going through today, a pain that never goes away but is magnified on birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving etc.
Natalie's story can be read in two parts here and here, it's harrowing reading, nonetheless its compelling evidence that prescribers, drug companies, regulators and the mental health system all had a part to play in taking this young woman away from her family.
I never got to meet Natalie, I never got to meet any of the kids I have written about over the past 12 years - all share one thing in common - their lives were taken by a sick and twisted monopoly of greed, fraud and psychopathy. They all will sleep well tonight, they all will blame one another for the mistakes they have made over the years but none will take the gauntlet and say enough is enough. Instead, they continue to push these brain pellets, making excuses for those who died whilst on them, blaming the victims, blaming the illness, blaming everyone and everything but themselves.
Shame on all of the above who each played a part in creating the feeling of loss that Natalie's family are suffering today. Shame on them all for continuing to ignore the mess they created.
My thoughts are with Kristina today and also Natalie's family.
Today marks the 12 year anniversary of this blog and with over 2 million views since its conception I find myself posting a recent radio show asking "What can we do?" Over the years I've covered many advocates and their efforts to increase awareness so others might avoid dangerous ineffective drugs. I've covered wrongful death court trials, organizations dedicated to exposing psychiatry and pharma's deceit, tragic losses of life too numerous to count.
Today, I'd like to pose a question to my readers: What can we do? We all have diverse talents, compassion, wisdom that often comes from ADR experiences, and a commitment to positive change. Perhaps there are some great ideas for collaboration out there?
The following interview with Kristina Gehrki went out live on KCAA Radio on Wednesday evening. In it, she explains how she tragically lost her daughter, Natalie (19) to prescription drugs, namely Prozac and Zoloft.
Last Thursday, psychologist Kelly Posner Gerstenhaber was given 10 minutes of airtime on WBUR, a National Public Radio station based in Boston.
Gerstenhaber was interviewed by Here & Now's host Robin Young. I say "interviewed," but it was more like a free infomercial for antidepressants.
The 10 minute program which can be listened to here, was a classic example of a one-sided shtick regarding the safety of "antidepressants" such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, etc. Gerstenhaber offered tidbits of information which she claimed to be true. In fact, nothing she said appeared to be true. Neither could she back up her ludicrous claims that prescription drugs cannot cause suicide.
To date, more than 36 comments have been left on the WBUR page and all have gone unanswered by Gerstenhaber and host Robin Young.
One such person who felt compelled to leave a comment was Kristina Gehrki. Kristina has been featured on this blog in the past here and here.
In honor of U.S. veterans and Memorial Day, today she emailed the host. Her open letter, published here in its entirety, includes some interesting analogies. It's powerful. Perhaps Robin Young will have the decency to reply?
Here's the email (Published with the permission of Kristina Gehrki)
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Honoring US Vets, Active Duty Servicemembers & Families through Accurate, Unbias Reporting
Robin Young, Cohost of NPR/WBUR "Here and Now" 890 Commonwealth Avenue, Third Floor Boston, MA 02215 email: info@wbur.org
Dear Ms. Young,
Today is Memorial Day. Given your father was a United States Marine, I'm sure you are reflecting on his service. As a Marine wife for many years, I share your connection to the Corps and appreciation for veterans, servicemembers, and military families. Here's an old photo of my daughter, Natalie, age three at the Bethesda Naval Hospital.
When reading your bio after last Thursday's NPR radio program I learned we have several other commonalities: We both have journalism backgrounds, been recognized for our efforts on behalf of children, and worked on White House related communications.
However, today I'm contacting you about something we don't have in common--something I hope we never do: I lost my daughter at age 19 to prescription-drug-induced death.
Natalie was suffering from akathisia and Serotonin Toxicity, severe adverse drug reaction (ADRs) caused by SSRIs (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, etc.) Dr. Roger Lane, a Pfizer scientist for the company that made the product (Zoloft) that caused my child's demise, has stated "the subjective components of akathisia are distinct and overwhelming." In another peer reviewed medical journal Lane went on to note "It may be less of a question of patients experiencing fluoxetine (Prozac)-induced suicidal ideation, than patients feeling that death is a welcome result." (SSRI-Induced extrapyramidal side-effects and akathisia: implications for treatment - Roger M. Lane)
Further, Dr. Robert Temple, former director of the FDA's office of medical policy, has said "that analyses of 15 clinical trials, some of which were hidden for years from the public by the drug companies that sponsored them, showed a consistent link with suicidal behavior." (Harris, New York Times, 9/14/04, p. A01)
Yet on your show last week it appears your guest, Kelly Posner Gerstenhaber, withheld this information. Doctors who don't want to harm their patients would benefit from being better informed.
Natalie's doctor didn't recognize Natalie's symptoms as ADRs. She assumed Natalie was ill with various difficult-to-classify disorders. Natalie unwittingly documented her ADRs despite erroneously being told they were signs of unspecified illness and not ADRs. (You can learn about our avoidable tragedy here & here)). Informed of Natalie's violent death, her doctor screamed, "Oh my God! Oh my God! It doesn't make sense; she wasn't depressed." Natalie's doctor, who didn't communicate the risks related to the product she promoted, said she prescribed Zoloft because Natalie was "too focused on dieting and exercising."
Your program last week never mentioned "akathisia." It featured one guest, Gerstenhaber, with one agenda. Gerstenhaber didn't discuss the adverse side effects and withdrawal problems associated with the "antidepressant" drugs she promoted. Neither of you disclosed Gerstenhaber and her Columbia University project's financial and professional ties to these product manufacturers.
Perhaps this collective failure was simply an oversight? Whatever the reason, it is unethical. It is also poor journalism to cover this critical topic by excluding scientific research, medical experts and consumers whose views and lived experiences are far different from those expressed by a solitary guest. These troubling omissions can cause avoidable suffering and death of our nation's vets, servicemembers, and children.
Suicide is, literally, a life and death topic. More than 22 veterans die by suicide every day, many of whom were prescribed drugs that carry the FDA's Black Box warning stating these products can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions. Like my family, many are never informed of the products' risks vs. benefits and never receive Informed Consent; Therefore, their basic human right to medical freedom of choice is effectively denied.
Your father and all our vets served to protect Americans' right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Tragically, for some unsuspecting consumers, SSRI drugs rob them of life, liberty and happiness.
Today as we honor our nation's vets, I also remember those who died from terrorist attacks. Some victims of the September 11th World Trade Center attack jumped to their deaths. No decent person would ever state these deaths were "suicides." Rather, these innocent victims jumped to escape a burning building. It is a similar situation when consumers die from self-sustained injury while suffering prescribed akathisia and psychosis. These iatrogenic deaths are not "suicides" in the traditional sense of the term; I use the word "suicide" only because the English language hasn't yet coined a definitive term to describe such death. Prescripticide is likely the most accurate term. And so it is: My teenaged daughter, Natalie, died from prescripticide, as do many veterans.
To hear your guest, Gerstenhaber, claim SSRI drugs have few risks and great benefits conjured up an analogy about peanuts.Years ago I left journalism to pursue a fulfilling profession in education. At the start of every school year, I received district letters alerting me of students with peanut allergies. These serious allergies could result in my students' deaths. When I hear Gerstenhaber dismiss the risk of SSRI drugs and tout all the supposed benefits, I think about peanuts and my students. What would I tell a parent whose allergic child died in my class because I cavalierly chose to bring students a special treat containing peanuts? How would the parent of the dead child react if I replied, "Peanuts are healthy for most children. They are high in protein, easy to swallow, cheap and widely available. Sorry your child died. But remember, for most of my students, these peanuts were a healthy snack."
I've worked with children and teens for decades and recently paid my respects to fallen servicemembers at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Many of these casualties were teenagers--the same age as my students--when they died. As I stood at the wall, I pondered how long a wall would be if a similar memorial honored victims of medical error and ADRs. Given that the broken U.S. medical system is the leading cause of death and injury, few visitors would have the stamina to walk such a great distance when paying respects to lost loved ones.
Today some vets who survive akathisia and other ADRs bravely share their experiences. Dave Cope, a Navy veteran, shares his avoidable suffering in an open Letter to Congress. Cope attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) near your WBUR office and, like fellow MIT grad, Dr. Kelly Brogan, would have been an appropriate source for last week's program. Another Boston-area resident and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, Robert Whitaker, could have also been invited to share his research. Clearly, you need not have ventured far from your office to find reliable sources for more balanced programing.
Since Natalie's death in 2013, I've met many intelligent people whose loved ones also suffered ADRs and died iatrogenic deaths--people with no financial motives nor conflicts of interest. Their loved ones were pharmaceutical executives, lawyers, marketing professionals, doctors, teens, and children. In the interest of public health and responsible journalism, I respectfully request you host a follow-up program in which medical experts and families can share independent research, personal ADR experiences and fatal outcomes.
Semper Fidelis, Kristina Kaiser Gehrki -- "Netherworld," from the film 'Letters from Generation Rx' by Kevin P. Miller.
'Netherworld' is told from the voice of Natalie Gehrki and her mother Kristina.
Back in April this year my blog reached a milestone. It was the ten year anniversary of when I first launched this blog and as part of its 10 year birthday I decided to run a series of Q&A's with fellow advocates and people who have been part of my 10 year journey. Previous Q&A's can be seen at the foot of Kristina's (Pictured above) Q&A session.
I first became aware of Kristina after I had read the history surrounding her daughter, Natalie, whom at the age of 19 took her life, shortly after her dosage of Zoloft was increased over the telephone by her prescribing physician. Kristina has wrote a two part series for David Healy's blog, RxISK. Kristina's two accounts of her daughter were beautifully written, so much so that it prompted me to leave a message in the comment section of RxISK commending her on her excellent writing skills. (Natalie's Story can be read here & here.)
Some months later I opened my email and saw a message in my inbox from Kristina. I knew straight away who she was as her two accounts about Natalie's prescribed death had penciled her name into my subconscious. I am a fan of writers, those who have the ability to paint pictures with words. Kristina has this ability. This prompted me to ask Kristina to write a guest post for my blog, a post which has attracted over 3,000 views to date and one which has been 'liked' and shared on Facebook hundreds of times. See - Guest Post: Let's Bring Akathisia Out of the Darkness.
Today sees the birthday of her daughter, Natalie, she would have been 23. I feel it's fitting to publish Kristina's Q&A today, much of which will astound you if you are unfamiliar with the background of Natalie's treatment by apparent health care 'professionals'.
Pay particular attention to Kristina's explanation of the state of Virginia's negligence laws - I must admit, these laws are absurd given the number of deaths by prescription drugs throughout America these days.
Also, you HAVE to see Kristina's outstanding delivery to members of an FDA Advisory Panel, a delivery that left FDA employees stunned into complete and utter silence - link to the footage is within Kristina's answers below.
We shall be meeting in person soon and both heading off to Chicago for a showdown with a major pharmaceutical company. We're also going to be sharing stories over a pint or two in her hometown of Virginia, hopefully not in a jazz bar though. More on that in a future post.
Anyway, here's Kristina's Q&A. Bob Fiddaman.
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Full Name: Kristina Kaiser Gehrki Age: 51 Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Natalie
Q: Kristina, Natalie would have been 23 today (Dec 8, 2016), this may be a difficult question, so forgive me if it's painful for you. What is your fondest memory of Natalie?
A: There are so many fond memories it is difficult to choose just one. Natalie was a petite girl with a super-sized laugh and witty sense of humor. Overall, my fondest memory is simply hearing the beautiful sound of my daughter's laughter. It is something I dearly miss.
Natalie often used humor to spotlight the cruel ironies of the world. My fondest specific memory is a letter to the editor she wrote our local paper, the Washington Post. Natalie was sixteen at that time, and the U.S. planned to execute a man whose IQ was so low he was legally “mentally retarded.” Natalie shared her death penalty views and pointed out the absurdity of killing a person who was “mentally retarded.” She said the execution clearly reflected the lowest IQ’s— that of the politicians who made this decision.
I still have her letter and reading it encourages me as I advocate for fully Informed Consent. Informed Consent is a fundamental human right. Consumers have a right to know what they are consuming, whether it’s a genetically-modified tomato or a Black Box drug that can cause violent death. Fully Informed Consent should be provided by prescribing doctors and by pharmacies. It is critical and something we, unfortunately, never received.
Q: What do you say to people who believe that antidepressants are safe and effective?
A: I have several family members who work in the health care field. I am not anti-drug, I am simply pro-information. The fact is “antidepressant” drugs are neither safe nor effective for children. This has, belatedly, been reported in scholarly journals and by some of the few remaining independent journalists. My daughter was prescribed SSRI drugs (Prozac and Zoloft) not for depression but for what the doctor labeled “OCD-like symptoms.” Natalie didn’t receive a specific diagnosis; she was assigned a rather ambiguous billable code that enables doctors to collect insurance money. We asked for a specific diagnosis many times and our questions were often met with excuses. The intense anxiety (Akathisia), confusion, memory loss, change of gait, nausea, etc., Natalie experienced after consuming the products were not presenting symptoms: They were adverse drug reactions.
I’ve learned a lot about unethical pharmaceutical marketing tactics and FDA failures since my daughter’s death. Unfortunately, like many parents who unwittingly gave their children dangerous, ineffective drugs, I learned too many facts far too late, despite that I asked all the right questions I knew to ask. Ironically, my academic and professional background is in communication and marketing. Before Natalie’s death, I presented conference workshops regarding how to communicate crisis and risk. I share this information only to stress that if this tragedy can happen to us, it can happen to anyone. And when I say “tragedy” I am not speaking only of Natalie’s akathisia-induced death. Rather, Natalie was poisoned for many years. Even when she stopped taking the drugs, many of the adverse drug side effects were still present. We simply didn’t recognize then what was happening nor why.
It is difficult if not impossible to recognize signs of adverse drug reactions when consumers are intentionally left in the dark. Several internal memos from Eli Lily (Prozac), Pfizer (Zoloft) and GlaxoSmithKline (Paxil) show these companies knew their respective products were dangerous and no more effective than a sugar pill. The FDA also appears to have known about these risks long before my daughter was ever conceived and before the Black Box warning. Natalie was first prescribed Prozac prior to the Black Box warning. The FDA warning came out while she was taking the drug, but the doctor never informed us. Years later when she was prescribed Zoloft, the doctor assured us "Zoloft is a different drug than Prozac.” This doctor communicated nothing at all about the existence of a Black Box warning. The pharmacy never communicated it. While I believe Black Box warnings have saved lives, I also have spoken to many parents who stated their doctors actively discounted the Black Box warning, claiming the warning is overblown and unnecessary. One doctor dismissed it by telling the parent, whose son later died an SSRI-induced death, “Don’t worry. The FDA puts that label on everything.”
Q: What advice would you give to Coroners faced with suspected suicides of teenagers?
A: It seems many coroners don’t speak for the dead. Too often they seem to protect fellow doctors and the pharmaceutical companies by failing to recognize and/or report adverse drug reactions associated with polypharmacy and metabolism. My daughter died a horrifically violent death one day after first taking 200 mg. of Zoloft, a dose prescribed over the phone, by a doctor who never physically saw Natalie. The doctor never informed me that she had directed such an increase.
After Natalie died, I asked the coroner for blood samples because I wanted my daughter's blood tested for metabolism. The coroner rather casually declared she might not have enough of my child’s blood left after she was done conducting the state’s tests. The state of Virginia would not test for metabolism when I requested it. I was able to obtain a small sample of Natalie's blood which was sent to an independent lab. The results showed Natalie was not a very effective metabolizer of SSRI drugs.
Q: What advice would you give to parents whose children/teenagers are on antidepressant medication?
A: I’ve previously stated it seems our society has gone from one in which “Mother knows best” to “Mother knows nothing.” I believe “modern medicine,” the pharmaceutical and psychiatric industries and government regulators have helped create this paradigm shift. My first advice to mothers is, "Don't be intimidated and coerced. Take back your motherly instinct and parental power. Recognize that it is you who knows your child best. Follow your gut instinct."
My second piece of advice is do not believe the “chemical imbalance” theory, and that so-called “antidepressant” drugs are a safe and effective treatment for children. I now have to live the rest of my days missing my child and feeling profound guilt for having believed such fallacies.
My third piece of advice to parents is to reflect on your child’s presenting symptoms vs. your child’s current symptoms. It is sometimes easy to forget what your child was like before the drugging began, particularly when these adverse drug reactions create more desperation to help your child. Doctors, many of whom are also duped, may convince parents that they are doing a great job parenting because they are actively “treating” their child. My daughter’s personality changed dramatically after consuming these drugs. They robbed Natalie of her soul, her spirit and, in the end, took her very life. It was a slow, painful death.
Lastly, I'd like to encourage parents not to buy into the medicalization of anxiety, sadness and worries. Try safer, more effective ways to reduce such feeling such as exercise, diet, art therapy, etc.
Q: You are in the process of writing a book, can you, without giving too much away, tell me a little bit about the whole process of book writing, and in particular, the difficulties you face as a parent who has lost a child.
A: The book has some similarities to the Diary of Anne Frank, considering it is Natalie, herself, speaking from the dead. She was an intelligent, prolific writer who kept a diary of sorts. You can see some of Natalie's writing in the documentary “Letters From GenerationRx.” She documented many adverse drug reactions without ever knowing she was experiencing and documenting them. She believed what the doctors repeatedly declared: that her physical and mental suffering was a sign of a disease and not signs of drug toxicity. Drug-induced psychosis and akathisia causes extreme anxiety and fear. I’m amazed Natalie did as well as she did for as long as she did considering that, as her side effects worsened, doctors routinely increased the offending drug.
The book is quite difficult for me to write and compile because it requires a careful review of Natalie’s medical records and diaries. These records clearly highlight signs of drug toxicity, yet the doctors repeatedly failed to recognize this reality. I should also add that the psychiatrist responsible for the ultimately fatal 200 mg of Zoloft did not provide us with Natalie’s complete medical records. This psychiatrist stalled, giving us only a few records at a time. Finally, the doctor called and left a voice mail message—a message I still have. She claims an “office flood” destroyed Natalie’s remaining medical records.
Q: You and I have briefly discussed the state of Virginia negligence laws. For the benefit of the readers, can you explain in laypersons terms how difficult it is for residents of Virginia to file suit for negligence?
A: This is an unbelievable injustice and one I learned about only after Natalie's death. Virginia is one of only three states in the U.S. that has an archaic law called contributory negligence. It requires a jury to find the defendant 100% responsible for the outcome or the victim gets nothing. In cases such as Natalie’s it means we must prove her death was 100% the result of the doctor’s negligence and/or the product manufacturer. Given that the general public does not want to believe the truth surrounding SSRI-induced “suicide,” it is extremely difficult to meet the Virginia requirements and also challenging to find attorneys who will take these cases. If I were a doctor, I’d choose to practice medicine in Virginia. And I do mean “practice” in the true sense of the word…
For more information about the contributory negligence law, see: Link.
Q: Would you recommend blogging to parents, or anyone for that matter, who had lost someone dear to them through antidepressant-induced suicide?
A: Bob, I don’t know enough about this to answer here.
Q: Back in September you kindly wrote a guest post for my blog, entitled, 'Let's Bring Akathisia Out of the Darkness.' The post featured a letter you wrote to Christine Moutier, Chief Medical Officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) - Can you tell me what feedback, if any, you have had from the letter you sent them?
A: The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) takes a lot of money from the pharmaceutical companies, and their board of directors contains several people with direct ties to the pharmaceutical industry. These incestuous relationships remind me of the FDA’s revolving-door employment agency. AFSP has never responded to my letter in which I requested they help increase akathisia awareness and reduce drug-induced “suicides.” I put the word “suicide” in quotes because I don’t believe people who die from prescription-drug induced self-harm while suffering from SSRI-induced akathisia have died by their own hand, so to speak. These deaths are sometimes labeled ego-dystonic suicides or suicide beyond one’s will. I simply call it prescripticide.
Q: Have you ever had any correspondence with either Eli Lilly (Prozac) or Pfizer (Zoloft)?
A: No. I learned that Eli Lilly was largely responsible for starting the whole “antidepressant” industry scam by intentionally skewing the real data in their Prozac clinical trials. I consider Eli Lilly my daughter’s first killer. Pfizer comes in next as killer number two as their internal documents show Pfizer knew their product, Zoloft, caused akathisia and suicidality among healthy volunteers in their clinical trials. Glaxo Smith Klein was so impressed by the “Lilly Protocol” deceit that helped gain Prozac FDA approval they then recruited the same employee to conduct similar trials for Paxil. Natalie never was prescribed Paxil, but it is interesting to note how the pharmaceutical industry shares their top talent.
Drug company fraud and corruption—all designed to put profits before people—ought to be made into a Hollywood movie. People might not believe such evil is real. But my daughter went off in a coffin instead of off to college. Her violent death is our reality forever more.
Q: You have met many fellow advocates on your journey, many of whom who have suffered personal tragedies with regard to antidepressant induced death. How has this helped you and do you still keep in contact with this network of fellow advocates?
A: Shortly after Natalie died, I started googling “Zoloft causes suicide” and similar searches. I quickly found stories of many families, such as Woody Witzack, Stewart Dolin and Candace Downing, families whose loved ones also died SSRI-induced deaths. Mathy Downing, who lost her twelve-year-old daughter after Zoloft, told me “Ours is a sad club to belong to, but you will meet a lot of wonderful, caring people.” She was right. I’ve met many wonderful people similarly dedicated to helping others avoid our tragedies. I very much appreciate these fellow advocates and friends.
Q: I was recently privy to witness a speech/statement to you gave to members of an FDA Panel. Can you tell me what that was about and, for the benefit of the readers who never saw this, could you tell me what you said to those panel members? (Footage of Kristina's delivery to the FDA after her answer)
A: I attended the FDA’s recent hearing on “Manufacturer Communications Regarding Unapproved Uses of Approved or Cleared Medical Products.” I had no plans to speak and wasn’t on the speakers’ list. However, after listening to hours of pharmaceutical industry propaganda and industry-funded shills, to include the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, I felt upset and nauseous. Many of the so-called “patient advocates” were sent to the hearing by the pharmaceutical companies and their funded organizations. Few people can afford to travel to the Washington Metro area and speak up for their loved ones who were harmed or killed. I was glad I did.
I arrived with no prepared speech and simply spoke from my heart. Perhaps I could have been a bit more cordial and succinct, but, really, who can expect parents to be pleasantly deferential when speaking to the government body whose actions and inactions caused the torture and death of their child?
Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
A: Like other people whose loved ones have been harmed and/or killed, I will continue advocating to help prevent this from happening to other families. Losing a child, or any family member, to avoidable death, is terribly painful. However, the best thing we can do to honor our loved ones is to cherish their memory, create happy moments and live our lives with meaningful purpose. Ten years down the road, I will still be advocating, but, hopefully living in a sunny place surrounded by lush greenery and a little garden.
Q: Finally Kristina, some personal questions... 1. What book are you currently reading?
A: Ah, this is a difficult question. I have a large stack of books I want to read, some for pleasure and others for research related to my own book. None of the research related books are happy reads, but the authors--Robert Whitaker, David Healy, and Peter Breggin--are all excellent writers.
2. What was the last CD you listened to (in full)?
A: Vienna Teng’s Waking Hour. She is a talented musician with a beautiful voice. Natalie loved Vienna Teng. Shortly before she died, she downloaded the song “Lullaby for a Stormy Night.” Natalie was suffering from Zoloft-induced psychosis, complained of violent nightmares and insomnia. I doubt she was able to truly understand she was going to die. Akathisia is so overwhelming; perhaps Natalie just wanted to go to sleep. Hence, the lullaby.
3. What is the best movie you have seen this year?
A: The Edge of Seventeen with Woody Harrelson. It’s an entertaining comedy about the awkward challenges of the teenage years. Given that I taught high school marketing for many years, the movie resonated with me. It was realistic and made me laugh. Laughter is a very important part of my life.
4. What country would you most like to visit?
A: While I’ve traveled a lot, I would like to see Ukraine. Given that my grandparents were Ukrainian, I grew up eating Ukrainian food and have fond memories of my grandfather playing the accordion and dancing the polka.
5. If you had the choice of being either a defense or prosecution lawyer, which would you choose and why?
A: I would aim to be proficient at both, but would prefer defense. It seems the U.S. system is increasingly stacking the deck against the “common person” and not just regarding pharmaceutical fraud. Unfortunately, the U.S. imprisons more people at a higher rate than any country. Every person should have the right to adequate legal representation. The notion of the right to a fair trial, along with “anyone can grow up to be president,” are two quaint, Disney-like notions that are U.S. fallacies.
Sometimes a person comes into your life for all the wrong reasons - I've had it happen to me on numerous occasions - Neil and Rhonda Carlin (Parents Sara), Leonie Fennell and Tony Donnelly (Parents of Shane) - Stephany Gatchell (Mother of Sharise), Stephanie McGill Lynch and her husband John (Parents of Jake) - there have been many more.
No surprise, given the line of work that I do, that another parent who has suffered the heartache of losing her child to antidepressant induced suicide (prescripticide) and I should cross paths.
Kristina Kaiser Gehrki is a mother on a mission. Her story (below) is not uncommon. Pharmaceutical companies, medicine regulators, the majority of psychiatrists and even family doctors will have you believe that these are isolated incidents, yet, more and more people that I meet tell me similar stories ~ be they of losing children, siblings, parents, partners or friends to induced antidepressant suicide.
Suicide Organisations have a huge duty to protect the vulnerable (not just those who are depressed and who feel suicidal) ~ they need to put something in place that prevents the alarming number of people who die each year by suicide - they include the most vulnerable (those who find themselves caught in the system of ignorance and ill-informed professionals)
Kristina is a terrific writer, please make sure you read about her daughter, Natalie (Link to Natalie's story embedded in text below) - Yes, it's heart wrenching but it's something we cannot, nor indeed, should not, ignore.
As with all of the names above, I wish Kristina and I had never met, the only reason we have is because of another needless death ~ having said that, I truly value our friendship, as I do with those above. Not only do they share the inapt link of having lost loved ones to antidepressant induced suicide, they also share an amazing gift, an overwhelming love and compassion to make sure this doesn't happen to other loved ones - it's an act of unselfishness and we should all recognise and acknowledge that when reading and sharing their stories.
I hope one day to meet Kristina, I feel as though I already have.
Kristina, I salute you.
Bob Fiddaman.
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Let's Bring Akathisia Out of the Darkness
By Kristina Kaiser Gehrki
On February 6, 2013, my nineteen-year-old daughter died from akathisia-induced “suicide” two days after taking 200 mg. of Zoloft, the maximum legal dose allowed. Natalie's doctor increased the drug over the phone, without ever seeing Natalie. Natalie was tortured for years by doctors who prescribed drugs she didn't need. You can read her story here.
At the time of her death, Natalie was suffering from SSRI-induced akathisia. I later spoke with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's (AFSP) chief medical officer to discuss how AFSP might increase akathisia awareness. Their response prompted my open letter.
September 27, 2016 An Open Letter to Christine Moutier, Chief Medical Officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
Dear Dr. Moutier,
Remember me? I'm the Virginia mom who arrived home after a typical day of teaching high school to find my teenage daughter dead from violent, self-sustained injury. When I called you, and we spoke about Natalie's death, you requested her photo. Here it is. She was a beautiful person.
Sorry for the delay in providing Natalie's photo. Given that you're a trained psychiatrist, you likely understand navigating such profound grief takes time and energy. There is no “real recovery” from burying a child who died an avoidable death. But that's not what delayed sharing Natalie's picture. Let me explain.
As I shared on the phone, Natalie's death wasn't a typical suicide. At the time of her death, she was suffering from serotonin toxicity and akathisia, two life-threatening side effects of SSRI drugs. She was also a writer, who even up to the end, tried to make sense of what was happening to her. Here's a note left on her nightstand.
I now know upper GI bleeding is one of many listed adverse side effects of SSRI drugs. Other side effects Natalie suffered include a change of gait, memory loss, insomnia, crawling skin, violent nightmares, extreme agitation and anxiety, swollen throat, uncontrollable shaking, sensitivity to light, diarrhea and headache. She thought she had the flu, which is what Natalie texted to friends.
Walgreen's Walks for Natalie
At the time of her death, Natalie worked in the Walgreen's beauty department while attending college. (Although she worked steps away from the product that would lead to her death, Natalie's Zoloft prescription was filled at another pharmacy because of our insurance provider.)
When Walgreen's coworkers asked to organize an AFSP “Out of the Darkness” walk for Natalie, I was initially reluctant because I knew her death was precipitated by akathisia. By this time, an international medical expert had been consulted and determined Natalie's demise and death were caused by the two Zoloft increases and the doctor's care. Nevertheless, we held the AFSP walk for Natalie since there was no walk for "Akathisia Awareness," or "Adverse Drug Reactions."
People who die from self-sustained injury while suffering from SSRI-induced akathisia don't end their lives because they are depressed. Rather, patients who end their lives while experiencing the acutely discomforting symptoms of akathisia likely feel that “death is a welcome alternative.” (Source)
Here's a photo from 2013.
Back to Our Phone Conversation
Given that prescribers repeatedly failed to share akathisia information and the FDA Black Box warnings, I had never heard of akathisia before Natalie died. But you had. Akathisia is not as rare as the public is led to believe.
When I asked about akathisia, you confirmed your knowledge. After I shared akathisia precipitated Natalie's death, you quickly inquired about Natalie's “illness.” I explained that despite years of medical “care,” Natalie's doctors never provided a specific diagnosis. I stated Natalie's symptoms included an increased focus on dieting and exercise. You replied that people with “eating disorders” often have a higher rate of suicide. That might be true, Dr. Moutier, but Natalie did not have an eating disorder: She had akathisia.
I informed you that—over the phone, without seeing her patient—Natalie's doctor increased Zoloft to 200 mg., the maximum dose legally allowed. I shared that her doctor stated Natalie “was not depressed” and told Natalie to take more Zoloft due to “OCD-like symptoms.” Many doctors misdiagnose the symptoms of akathisia and instead blame this SSRI side effect as a sign of some worsening illness. They then wrongly increase the dosage of the offending drug, causing their patient's further demise.
I asked if AFSP supports prescribing Black Box drugs over the phone. You replied that people who live in rural areas might not otherwise have access to see a doctor for prescriptions. While not relevant to my family as we live in a metropolitan area, it begs the question: Does AFSP support the FDA prescribing guidelines for SSRIs? These guidelines clearly state patients should be closely monitored, and caregivers informed to watch for and report any unusual changes in behavior whenever SSRIs are started, stopped or a dosage changed. As a former military wife, I am concerned about the high suicide rate among our troops, many of whom are prescribed SSRI Black Box drugs with no close monitoring.
Your Call to Remove Black Box Warnings
After our phone conversation, I wondered why a suicide prevention organization dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide, seems to deny that akathisia causes suicidal thoughts, suicidal actions and suicide itself. (Akathisia can also cause violent harm to others.) My shock increased in June 2014, when you publicly called for an end to the SSRI Black Box warnings. (Source)
Other medical research seems to escape AFSP advocacy. In June 2016, it was reported most antidepressant drugs don't work for kids. It received national coverage, but I did not see AFSP publicizing these findings. (Most Antidepressants Don't Work for Kids, Study Finds ~ NBC News)
My Call for Akathisia Awareness & Action
It's too late for me to save my daughter. It's too late for anyone to save my daughter. But it is never too late to save others by bringing akathisia out of the darkness. Therefore, we made new signs for our AFSP walk earlier this week. I also share Natalie's akathisia-induced death on my AFSP story page.
Here are photos from 2016
Many other families who've lost loved ones to akathisia also advocate for education and awareness. They include victims of all ages. (see missd.co) We can't raise the kind of money AFSP takes from pharmaceutical companies. But together we can raise akathisia awareness so that healthcare consumers and practitioners can avoid such tragedy.
I ask people to help AFSP bring akathisia “out of the darkness” simply by:
Dr. Moutier, thank you for taking my previous phone call. I've learned a lot since Natalie's passing. Above all is that a mother's love doesn't die with her child, it is simply refocused.
