On the 13th January 2004 promising medical student, 22 year old Jon Medland, hanged himself at his student lodgings at Manchester University.
Jon had suffered from mild acne on his back and had, four weeks previous, been prescribed Roaccutane, a drug used to treat severe cases of acne.
At his inquest Manchester coroner, said: "For a drug to affect a person of a very solid life foundation, if it can lead them to take their own life, then it deserves further investigation, if a link can be proved.
"But I cannot say with any certainty that the effects of the drug Roaccutane led him to take his own life. All I can say is that the warnings that are already present should be made very clearly and strongly."
Roaccutane is from the stable of Hoffman-La Roche and has many different brand names. Accutane in the United States before July 2009), Amnesteem (Mylan), Claravis (Barr), Clarus (PremPharm), Decutan (Actavis), Isotane (Pacific Pharmaceuticals), Izotek (BlauFarma), Oratane (Genepharm Australasia), ISOTRET (Liva Healthcare Ltd.) or Sotret (Ranbaxy), while topical isotretinoin is most commonly marketed under the trade names Isotrex or Isotrexin (Stiefel)
It is also a known teratogen, so should not be administered to women who are pregnant...no doubt it still is due to the carte blanch doctors have of prescribing these type of drugs because the MHRA have very little, or no power, to ban them.
In the following three minute video, Jon's father, Jonathon Medland Snr, is interviewed by founder of the APRIL charity, Millie Kleve. APRIL stands for Adverse Psychiatric Reactions Information Link and is a charity that creates awareness and collates information about adverse psychiatric side effects of everyday medicines and anaesthetics.
Jonathon describes the moment he met Prof. Kent Woods, CEO of the MHRA in London.
Yesterday I wrote about the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of 19 year old Ashley Smith, who choked to death whilst under the apparent care of the Canadian correctional facilities.
A report has surfaced from 2008.
The report includes historical facts excerpted from document archives and video footage provided by five governmental departments as well as relevant information provided by departmental authorities, experts and other stakeholders. It includes a review of the services provided by the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Social Development, the Department of Health, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice. The report outlines 25 recommendations to government. The Ombudsman and Child and Youth Advocate is committed to reviewing and measuring the progress made with regards to these recommendations by the aforementioned departments and to release publicly a progress report in a year’s time.
Page three of the report features a poem written by Ashley approximately one year before her death.
It reads:
My Life
My life I no longer love
I’d rather be set free above
Get it over with while the time is right
Late some rainy night
Turn black as the sky and as cold as the sea
Say goodbye to Ashley
Miss me but don’t be sad
I’m not sad I’m happy and glad
I’m free, where I want to be
No more caged up Ashley
Wishing I were free
Free like a bird.
Ashley Smith, 18 years old
October 1, 2006
New Brunswick Youth Centre
The full report, which I have not had time to read yet, can be downloaded HERE
Fid
ORDER THE PAPERBACK
'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
SIGNED COPIES HERE OR UNSIGNED FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
The suicide of Cecily Bostock is one of the most brutal suicides I have read that relates to GlaxoSmithKline's Seroxat.
I first learned of this story last June when Sara, Cecily's mother, contacted me after reading a series of articles I had written about the suicide of Ontario student, Sara Carlin.
Cecily Bostock was a musician, an artist, an over achiever in almost everything she did.
Sara Bostock (Mother of Cecily):
“She was having a lot of trouble sleeping and she had racing thoughts, and she was over-analysing and she was overly sensitive… that is what prompted the prescription.”
Within three weeks of taking Seroxat, Sara says, her daughter became a totally different person.
Sara:
"The last two days she was just a complete zombie I have to say. She was just agitated, jumping at every noise and not making sense. I was very concerned. We were very close to Cecily. I just loved her deeply.
So I went into the kitchen and I turned the light on and she was lying on the floor. And I knew she was dead. And there was a knife on the floor by her and there was just a trickle of blood from her chest.”
Cecily had stabbed herself twice through the heart.
Her death came about 20 days after she had started taking Seroxat. Cecily was just 25 years old.
Since her daughter's death Sara has been campaigning and creating awareness about the dangers of Seroxat and other SSRi type drugs.
Sara attended the APRIL charity conference 2008 and spoke about her experience and knowledge from years of research. This video has finally surfaced.
Here she speaks about Seroxat/Paxil (paroxetine) suicides.
An undated family handout photo of Ashley Smith, who took her own life in a federal institution on October 19, 2007
The following video is pretty hard hitting. It features the final moments of Ashley Smith, a 19 year old Canadian woman who was incarcerated for the crime of throwing an apple at a postman.
Ashley Smith was just 15 years of age when a 30 day sentence was handed down to her. The 30 day sentence spread to 4 years as Smith was transferred on 17 separate occasions by Corrections Canada. The transfers spanned four of the five regions of the Correctional Service of Canada.
Her family argues the transfers were done perhaps to get around a rule that inmates be kept in solitary confinement for a maximum 60 days without a psychiatric assessment. A transfer resets that clock.
Ontario's Deputy Chief Coroner Dr. Bonita Porter has decided to limit the upcoming inquest into Smith's death to the 13 weeks the young woman spent in Ontario.
Porter began hearing arguments at a pre-inquest hearing Monday from Smith's family and advocates requesting the scope be expanded to the entire time she was in federal custody.
"State acts and omissions... are as significant and contributing to her death as the ligatures she was permitted to use to end her life," Falconer said.
The 17 transfers and continuous isolation had a "seriously deleterious effect" on the mental health of a girl prone to self-injurious behaviour, and the transfers made it impossible for her to obtain proper treatment, he said.
She was subject to "atrocious" conditions, including more than 150 interventions involving use of force, not enough toilet paper, not enough sanitary products when she was menstruating and not enough soap or deodorant, Falconer said.
"This is disgusting and it should all be looked at — every inch," he said.
The Moncton, N.B. woman choked herself with a strip of cloth at the Grand Valley Institution for Women in Kitchener, Ont., in October 2007.
Video evidence shows staff failed to respond immediately to the emergency.
Questions need to be asked and answered. This case should not be swept under the carpet.
The mental institutions and correctional facilities of Canada have recently been in the news.
Steve Smith, a patient who endured such barbaric treatment at Oakridge Facility in Penetanguishene.
The author of the Penetanguishene Mental Health blog writes:
When I read the PDF file about the "capsule program" administered in part by Dr. Elliott Barker It sickened me but to read it directly from Steve Smith is nothing short of horrifying. I wanted to talk to him directly. What was true? What had been grossly exaggerated on the world wide web, documentaries, news programs.... if anything at all? What in the name of god did he do to deserve this?
Smith and I corresponded over a period of about 8 weeks... maybe more. Initially there was a trust issue. I did not know him, he did not know me. I wanted the story. He wants justice. I want justice too but in the last few years I have come to realize that the business of psychiatry is so incredibly corrupt, self serving and profitable... justice takes years if ever.
In an email exchange with Steve Smith, I asked him if he was familiar with the Ashley Smith story, he told me:
"The Ashley Smith story makes me cry just thinking about it as I feel a strong connection with her." He added, "I know exactly how she felt as she lay dying."
Also in recent news, 22 year old patient Kulmiye Aganeh died while in the care of Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre, run by the government of Ontario. Some believe this facility is unfit for human habitation and one of the most barbaric treatment centers in Canada.
Kulmiye had been held involuntarily at Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre for 15 months. Prior to that, he was held at the Whitby Mental Health Centre for a period of 2 years, all the while his doctors experimented with medications that did not make him better but made him more depressed and more vulnerable. He was scared, isolated and lonely. He was also at the mercy of the staff at Penetanguishene. He had been transferred from a minimum security mental health facility in Whitby to Penetanguishene's maximum security facility because he did not agree with the medication and treatment they were subjecting him to. He believed the drugs were making him ill, and they were!
Kulmiye had been admitted to the facility for treatment as a result of stealing a car. [LINK]
Canada has never seemed so uninviting... and that's coming from someone who wants to live and work there!
The video [below] is not for the faint hearted. It's truly shocking and shows the final minutes of Ashley Smith's young life.
Fid
ORDER THE PAPERBACK
'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
SIGNED COPIES HERE OR UNSIGNED FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
The fourth in a series of stories sent into me by readers of Seroxat Sufferers.
This one from Richard echoes many of the countless stories I have read with regard to the withdrawal from Seroxat.
It is a story that should strike at the conscience of GlaxoSmithKline and the UK medicine regulators. Sadly, through experience of dealings with both GSK and the MHRA, I suspect it won't.
**Paxil is the brand name for Seroxat in the US and Canada.
Richard's Story, A Chemical Lobotomy
My suicidal ideation and "Chemical Lobotomy" Begins... a phrase I first saw with a Dr Paul Cheney discussing what he believes happens to those who have been on SSRI's for 10 years.
It was 1997. An accumulation of factors had driven me into an increasingly dark hole, some self inflicted, others not. A psychiatrist was now on the agenda, at the suggestion of my wife, in hopes of helping me, her and to save a marriage teetering on the rocks. She survived, the marriage did not, and it marked the beginning of a deeper descent into a darkness that continues to this day.
After a few visits the diagnosis was severe clinical depression. The topic of drugs was broached and a life long aversion to pills beyond the ordinary was my reaction. My shrink, someone who I still today would describe as an amiable and caring man despite what followed, talked some about prescription medications as well as homeopathic alternatives. I opted to start with St John's Wort, with no noticeable improvement. After some period of time anti depressants were strongly suggested and Paxil was his drug of choice. And this I will never forget. As part of his explanation he said it was the "least toxic" of all the available solutions. And with a daily dosage of 20 mg my Paxil nightmare began.
Over the following 2 years my behavior became increasingly self destructive, encompassing many of the ""usual suspects" in such a descent. While I have read some who have researched and claimed that Paxil can facilitate such behavior, it is hard to blame anyone but myself. But there was a new element previously unknown to what was once a strong inner make up. A "boot strap" mentality that was always my salvation in crisis situations whether large or small was now giving way to daily thoughts of suicide.
In late December of 1999, now in my second post marital apt, I moved my mattress to my living room floor. From that location through the windows of my apt I could view the New Year's Eve fireworks display over Lake Michigan, an annual tradition in Chicago. And the downward spiral accelerated.
My mattress, along with me, stayed on that floor for the next 4 months, rarely leaving my apt. My near 25 year career in the financial markets was ended in February for "job abandonment". Suicide was no longer merely a daily thought but became a confirmed destination and was never far from my thoughts. Hard to make plans when you've decided your pre-determined fate. Those thoughts seemed as natural to me as work once was. They even took on a romantic tone over time, imagining asking my ex or a friend to hold my hand as I expired from a drug overdose. After my first shrink visit post climbing off my floor I mentioned suicide as my destination whenever my money was gone.
A few years later that point was reached. I was as calm about the date and method of my demise as if thinking about what to order at a restaurant. In an e mail to said shrink I mentioned my plans. Little did I know a shrink could order an arrest for hospitalization, which took place they next morning. Four uniformed cops, a trip in a paddy wagon and a 30 hour stay in the locked psych ward of Northwestern Memorial hospital. Over the objections of the second in charge of the ward, the lead Dr signed my release.
Now indigent, a multi year odyssey of living with a variety of friends and family in 3 different states followed. Suicide ideation was still strong and daily, but likely was prevented by not wanting to "soil" the homes of said family and friends. I was now receiving Paxil for free (25mg CR from the plant Glaxo recently closed and was fined $750 million) from a Glaxo program called "Bridges to Access". How's that for a title!
Withdrawal Attempt
In the spring of 2007 I started serious on line research on Paxil, on my own. Many of the critics of SSRI's became well known names to me...Healy, Breggin, Glenmullen and others. As Glenmullen was only a few miles from where I was located I tried hard to contact him, many e mails and a few phone calls without success. But through a blog "Furious Seasons" I found out he was not taking private patients.
I planned my own withdrawal schedule. Not sure there were any withdrawal protocols published at the time by those who later would publish on this topic. From June to Oct of that year I would split the pills into smaller and smaller doses. In Oct I stopped after more than 10 years on this poison.
The electric zaps were there, but I was familiar with this symptom as I had experienced the same before on days when I had not taken my dosage. Zaps occurred 50-100 times a day, often 10 of more in a matter of a second or two. Slowly, other symptoms surfaced. First was tinnitus, which was rarely mentioned. Then the dreams...bizarre, disturbing, byzantine and often in color. I had never dreamed in color before. The dreams have become recurring "themed nightmares" leaving one sometimes breathless on awaking. Akathisia, or "inner restlessness". Sounds benign but believe me it is not. All of these continued over the months that followed and are with me to this day. Then about 3 months into the period after the last dose I had the first visit of what I now call "the insanities". Among the many articles discussing Paxil withdrawal symptoms one list mentioned "feeling like you're going insane" and I was having my first experience. A psychical sensation in my frontal lobes that was draining, disturbing, near debilitating. Lying down and hoping for sleep was my only solution.
These attacks became more frequent, along with the daily visits of the other symptoms. The once a month visit of the insanities became twice a month, then twice a week and finally after 18 months they became intolerable with multiple attacks weekly. Contact with a shrink/neurologist familiar with the dangers of SSRI's followed. He said I was too far past my last dose for this merely to be withdrawal symptoms and I was basically experiencing a poisoning of the brain, neurotoxicity.
Cutting to today, I went back on a smaller dose at that time, 5 mg of Prozac, the idea being that this should/may clear up the toxic effects and withdrawal could begin again. Did not work, then 10 mg. Did not work and the symptoms became more difficult to deal with. Today I am back at 15 mg and have given up the idea of these issues ever clearing up. 6 months ago they were so bad I agreed to start using a small dosage of Xanax, another toxic drug, but it helped for very short periods, sometimes helping me fall asleep. Three months ago I bought some marijuana for the first time in 30 years.
All the symptoms are still with me today. A day without a visit of "the insanities" is now rare. Once in a while an attack is mild. Most are somewhere between disturbing to debilitating. A small dosage of Xanax is a 3-4 times a week event. A puff or two on a one hitter (there were no such things in my college days) occurs with about the same frequency. Both have their ameliorating effects but do nothing to halt the symptoms. Taking to bed on a bad day is frequent occurrence.
I believe I have suffered permanent brain damage due to not only the drug, but the length of time of my exposure. Again a quote from Dr Paul Cheney, known for his CFS clinic, as well as a believer in the severe dangers of SSRI's.
"Taken over 10+ years or so, these medications can lead to the loss of brain cells, causing neurodegenerative disorders."
I have no reason to believe otherwise in my situation.
Another lying lawyer?
Had fun telling my pharmacists about this one!
Thanks for providing me the ability to educate them on WHY to try and talk patients out of filling scripts of GSK products. Company lies and we cannot trust the information provided. Oh by the way, here is the behavior of the company lawyers....
----
Everyone, and I mean everyone, in GSK Medical and Marketing divisions is fully aware of the GSK's illegal off-label marketing practices. This was not the work of a rogue lawyer. It was official GSK policy to encourage off-label marketing. Hundreds of reps, dozens of marketing, medical, regulatory, and legal professionals within GSK are fully aware of the off-label violations that are a normal part of GSK's (and probably all of Big Pharma) work practice.
What baffles me, and I know Lauren personally, how she would ever put her name on something saying we don't have any off-label slide packs, when hundreds of copies of those slide packs exist and it would be impossible to prevent those slide packs from turning up.
The lawyers at GSK don't make the policies. They simply are assigned the task of creating some plausible justification for the policies that have been decided at the highest level of this company. Sure go ahead and make fun of the lawyer, but save your venom for the puppet masters, not the puppets.
----
GSK is making History here, I never heard about a case like this before, but again, why lying like that. And the sad part is she was eliminated of the company after drinking all that Kool aid. L Stevens is just 60 years-old. Now she will be out of jail when she is 85.. Pathetic!!
----
85? thats only 25 years! She is facing 2 charges that carry a possible 20 year sentence each, and 4 charges carrying 5 years each, thats 60 years possible! I love what her attorney said in the press too, like she actually has a leg to stand on! She will be squealing like a pig! If she was dirty enough to cover up for the slime she represented, do you think she'll keep her trap shut now? I bet your company leadership is coming unglued right now! All those years ago, and it is now time to pay the piper! Please let us in on how the national conference call went!
----
Bob Ingram, who I think is still being paid, and of course JP Garnier, relaxing in his chalet in the Alps are two that everyone knows. The buck did not stop with this attorney, everything had to go to the execs. and they knew it all. She will sing like Canary.
----
Also, Janice Whitaker
----
Tip Of The Iceberg
Since GSK as a corporation hasn't yet been charged directly with off-label marketing, it is obvious that the DOJ is putting the squeeze on the lawyer to cop a deal and squeel.
Lauren is on the hook for COVERING UP the off-label marketing.
The real deal is nailing the execs who endorsed the off-label marketing.
Lauren will squeal like a stuck pig and start naming names.
The top folks (past or present) in Medical and Marketing should be scared, very scared.
And for the rest of us - all of these gross violations of US law by GSK execs (whether willful GMP violations by GMS in Cidra or willful marketing violations by Medical will just make it tougher for GSK to get new products on the market.
Thank you very much GSK mgt.
----
Fid
ORDER THE PAPERBACK
'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
SIGNED COPIES HERE OR UNSIGNED FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
The third in a series of stories sent in to me from readers of Seroxat Sufferers. This one is quite brilliantly written and, unlike the previous two stories sent in by readers, comes from a male perspective.
If any doctor or employee of the MHRA wants to know about risk/benefit, then read the following:
"Prior to Seroxat use, I was lucky enough to have enjoyed 40 years of decent sleep, albeit until my night time panic attacks. Since using the drug and more particularly since I started tapering, sleep is truly elusive. At best, I will get 3 hours per night."
Dumgoyne's Story
My Seroxat story started in 2001, not long after the birth of my son. I was going through a particularly stressful time at work, combined with two other major factors. Lack of sleep and a slow erosion of self confidence, following 10 years, supporting a partner, who was abused by a relative, as a child. It seemed that in order to make my partner feel safe, loved and comfortable, I had to make such huge emotional sacrifices, that in the end, all combined to result in a negative, depressive impact on my health.
I started experiencing strong night time panic attacks, then decided to visit my GP. I can honestly say, at that point, that I would have taken anything to feel better. This was a complete reversal of my normal prescriptive opinion ie; I was always ultra cautious as a rule, taking any drug of note, my motto being, stiff upper lip and determination will see me through.
I recall what followed, as if it were yesterday. My GP listened to me, then introduced what he called " a new breed of super drug", called Seroxat.
To be fair, unlike previous occasions, where I would normally say, no thanks, I listened enthusiastically, thinking, I just needed some form of relief from symptoms being suffered. Then, my GP made a comment, which I will never forget. As he printed off my prescription for 20mgs (tablet formulation), he stated, that I could be on this medication " for the rest of my life ". Amazingly, given my traditional outlook toward Doctors and their medical suggestions, I let this comment go, without further questioning!! This was a massive and devastating mistake.
Fast forward 3/4 weeks, my panic attacks had gone, associated use symptoms were pretty normal ie sexual issues, headaches, some stomach and bowel changes, along with an initial carefree feel, in myself. Nothing seemed to be a worry, I was able to cope well in the early stages, using this drug. Moving forward to month 10/12, all was well, or at least I thought it was. I will be fair and balanced in this respect, Seroxat did seem to have worked at this stage, but little did I know, that as each month passed, it was starting to ingrain it's Jekyll & Hyde DNA, well and truly into my system.
I did have follow up GP appointments from time to time, but when at 2 years of use, I was advised to start thinking of coming off the medication. All was well, my mood tended to be blank at this point, certainly comments had been made domestically, that I seemed to have changed. Describing why I know they were right, there were several family orientated losses, that would naturally have been emotional and tearful. ABSOLUTELY NO FEELING AT ALL, NO UPSET NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRIED. Think this was the start, when I knew something was wrong. Yes, I am perfectly aware of popular SSRI perception ie; they mask our original issues, through their cocktail of components, that leave us robotic and an empty emotional shell.
It was when my GP, tasked me to reduce in chunks of 5mgs per week, that things started to go pear shaped. He kindly advised me that "coming off Seroxat makes users feel exceptionally ill" A very kind and helpful gesture!!! So, I tried making suggested initial reductions, then reported back, 4 weeks later. After my first 5 mg reduction I was left in such a state, that I reverted back to same, so no progress made.
A period followed where I was again under pressure at work, so things were put on hold for a spell. When things improved, back to the GP, where I was now advised to opt for a new method. Reduce my dosage but experiment at each level, in the form of missing alternate days Seroxat intake, eventually trying to extend time without the drug in my system. This at every dose!!!! 18 months followed, trying this fantastically dangerous suggestion. I can safely say, that in my life, I have never EVER, felt the urge to take my own life. I have a beautiful son and I love life.
During this spell however, I ended up in a low that was so strong ie; of a level, way beyond any I had experienced in my life, that I continually considered ending my life. In addition, absolutely no relief from intense insomnia, which again was new to me. Little did I know, that my Doctor had given me pathetic guidance. It was at a point, where I decided to carry out my own research. I joined a large Seroxat forum and one lady member in particular, able to guide me in the early stages, back from severe withdrawal symptoms. This was the start of my learning curve, I immersed myself in all things Seroxat, taking in half lives, poop outs, advised withdrawal techniques and, in general, wakening up to the nightmare and mess I was in.
Waited 8-10 weeks to stabilise, then, just stayed there for a spell, thankful that my dark experience had gone. Extremely scary.
What followed was and is, without shadow of doubt, the most life changing, devastating nightmare. Two quality jobs lost, a partner of 16 years gone and symptoms so severe, that life has been virtually impossible to predict, plan and cope.
Rather than detail each 10% drop, how if felt and time scale, all I will do now, is detail symptoms I have suffered, changes in my normal persona and any other points of note:
Rage & Aggression - My now ex-partner, says to her family/ friends, when looking back on our last couple of years together, "that the man she knew and loved, had gone, taken away by a drug that had utterly changed him, into someone, she felt very scared of" Rage, confrontation and aggression, were not part of my normal day to day character, in any way. Yes a tad lacking in general patience, nothing major though.
I recall a particular event that overviews things well. I took my son to a children's play area one weekend, for a relaxing break!!! A typical squabble took place between my son and a slightly older girl. I ended up screaming at her to come down to me, in front of shocked onlookers. I was eventually asked to leave the building, in complete fury!
These symptoms are tough, very tough to battle. I try to explain how and why to anyone who is interested. I first noticed increasing rage and aggression, round about 17mgs, and is still there at 3.8mgs, 5 years later!
Irritable behaviour - This associated, unwanted Seroxat withdrawal symptom, is one that is hard to live with. Close family in their latter years, my son and friends, all know when things are bad or I have reduced my "medication". No logic to this, it just feels like everything is an invasion of personal space, requiring instant short shrift. My normal behaviour, most probably is stereo typically British ie; last to complain or kick up a fuss.
No chance of this using Seroxat, I will pick an argument with anyone, or stand my ground over the most stupid insignificant issues, it beggars belief!
All I try to do is apologise and hope people understand. Similar to above ie kicked in, round about 17mgs and is increasing, as I reach low levels.
Risk taking behaviour - One of my largest changes in normal persona, has been Seroxat's elimination of user inhibition. Although still an issue, I can feel some twinges of restraint, now. Put simply, Seroxat withdrawal, produced a person who was willing to break the law. My partner dreaded me going for any weekly shop, such was my uncontrollable urge to steal when at a supermarket. This again, completely out of character, I am a law abiding citizen, without a police record!
It didn't matter if it was a bottle of anchovies, t-bone steak or alcohol, nothing was safe!!! No explanation for this, other than I wanted to do something wrong for the hell of it, even when it was produce we had no need for!
I recall one particular day, prior to the split with my ex, we were having a BBQ and I took a total of 9 bottles of top wine in one visit!!! To say this is not me, is an under statement. Naturally I mentioned to my GP. In my opinion, this emotional void, where one is totally unafraid of consequence and implication, should be sufficient evidence alone, that this drug, changes and destroys lives.
Severe and sustained insomnia - Prior to Seroxat use, I was lucky enough to have enjoyed 40 years of decent sleep, albeit until my night time panic attacks. Since using the drug and more particularly since I started tapering, sleep is truly elusive. At best, I will get 3 hours per night, wakening at 2 or 3 am then no matter how relaxed or rested I am, never any chance of nodding back off. Rest and sleep in my opinion, are essential components when withdrawing, in order to refresh determination and focus. Needless to say, this symptom is highly draining.
Zaps/whooshes/dizziness/loss of balance - One of any positives that result from a long withdrawal programme, has been that to date, I believe I have avoided zaps. That said, from 7mgs down to 5, I started taking excessive dizzy spells, culminating in an episode, one Saturday morning, that was truly frightening. I was in bed and after getting up and making my son's breakfast, I lost all sight in terms of focus, all I saw was a blur, passing horizontally, no clear imaging or shape ie; just an eyeful of wallpaper moving right to left!!! All of a sudden I told my son I had a problem as I felt the most incredible dizziness and nausea. I literally couldn't stand up, I just had to lie where I was, on the kitchen floor and hope it ended. This lasted for what seemed a lifetime, but looking back, some 3/4 minutes, then things seemed to rectify. Intense nausea followed though, for a good 2 days.
This was not normal at all, what if I had been driving with my son on a motorway, we would have been in severe danger.
Worrying irrational thoughts - It concerns me detailing this associated change in persona. I am sure though, most of us can relate to similar. If involved in any Seroxat related heated debate, or, just going about daily business, from time to time, urges arise to inflict real harm on someone.
Terribly violent and gory thoughts result, I have had to talk to my ex partner and family about it. Again, this portrays myself as a budding Ted Bundy!!!! This is not me at all, I am a devoted family man, who puts family before all else. This emotion I believe, is linked to one's lack of inhibitions, caused by Seroxat use and withdrawal. Not talking an every day happening, but nevertheless, not nice to have a lack of cerebral control, to this extent.
High blood pressure and raised cholesterol - Never experienced either in my life. No family history and consider myself to be health conscious. I enjoyed a semi professional sporting career at International level, so keeping fit is a matter of pride for me. Seroxat intake has changed both, over the last 9 years. Not sure what else to say, other than when working, just prior to Seroxat use, all employees over 35, were granted free and complete medical check ups, at a BUPA clinic. With regard to blood pressure and cholesterol, both were prime.
Totally different whilst using Seroxat. No point in checking at the moment, both show irregular high levels.
Morose depressive episodes - During my extended taper, I have suffered, what can only be described as lowest of the low, depressive ruts. This medication was supposed to enhance life, recovering from any depression and anxiety, experienced pre-Seroxat, NOT present users with scenarios, where they have to overcome moods, that are SIGNIFICANTLY worse than any of us could ever imagine!
These intervals are regular for me, and tend to last 24 - 48 hours, have lasted 5 years and ongoing.
Joint pain/restless limbs - A difficult and particularly tiring symptom, noticed mainly at night. Never actually entered the London Marathon before, but thanks to GSK, have managed to complete training for it, without breaking sweat!!!! Nights in bed can be torture, such is my need to move, both arms and legs in particular. I notice this symptom, either after I have become stressed (which is often) or for a 2/3 week period, following a reduction. Again this has lasted for years, nothing suffered in this area, prior to Seroxat use.
Knees also seem to play up, for no apparent reason. Really problematic aches that feel so strange.
Strange muscle spasms - Started to notice this, during withdrawal. Totally out of the blue ie; in bed or relaxing, strange muscle pulls/ severe stiffness occur. These tend to manifest themselves in such strange areas ie; neck, below the shoulder blade and liver region. The only way I can describe these being, similar to taking cramp, down the back of a leg. These Seroxat cramps resulting from no physical exertion or activity. Never had episodes of this type, pre-Seroxat.
Suicidal thoughts - As previously mentioned, I had never had any such thoughts in 40 years, until I used Seroxat. Won't add anything to this, other than to say, I am thankful for my reputation ie; strength of character and determination. This has helped overcome these unwanted, chemically introduced thoughts.
Cravings - Never felt the need to binge on bad fatty foods or sugar overloads, pre-Seroxat use. Since taking the drug, a cocktail of, are a daily must have. No logic to this whatsoever and obviously sits very uncomfortably with me.
Other symptoms - Listed within this section, are a number of other symptoms, which I suffer regularly or, changes I have noticed that make no sense!:
noise sensitivity
light sensitivity
hair loss
deterioration of sight
rashes/ itching
weight gain
bowel issues
increased urinary frequency
agoraphobia
brain fog / memory issues
nausea
Summary and conclusions - Without shadow of doubt, Seroxat has had a devastating impact on my life and those around me, who wished to show support. Whatever my medical issue, prior to Seroxat use, symptoms were certainly not going to lose 2 jobs and long term partner. My situation was not life changing or devastating. Seroxat use has turned my situation into financial and domestic ruin, not to mention, loss of self!!!
I have faced many challenges in my life, but nothing comes close to withdrawal from Seroxat. I can understand why so many fail. So difficult at times, to explain to family, friends and workmates (if you are working), how this all feels. I will try to do so now. In life we all have choices, choices we hope, reflect our personalities. We try to follow our chosen routes in sport, education, love and health, which will ensure we live life, as successfully and happy as possible.
Being on Seroxat, takes all choice away. All users, know in themselves, that something is significantly wrong with this SSRI. GlaxoSmithKline, state, as part of their Mission Statement, that their primary objective, is to improve lives.
I have no idea, how long I am going to be on Seroxat, all I know is that the damage is done. Users crave normality, back to their pre-Seroxat self. This does not exist. In order to remove oneself from Seroxat, so much changes, is lost and is suffered. How can we ever be the same again.
5 years tapering, in the knowledge, that someone in a Glaxo Boardroom, either tried to concoct a drug, so powerful in it's additive qualities, that it would result in use for life or, if the drug was not pre-destined in its defective nature, without doubt, it is one of the largest medical cock ups in history. Either way, both we and GSK know the score.
For me, my inspiration is my son. No matter how tough this may pan out to be, he deserves to live with his father, off Seroxat. Problem being, no user knows, how he or she will heal, after years on this drug. I just pray that if and when, I get to the point of discontinuation, where my doctor's initial words regarding use for life, are as ill advised as his original tapering advice.
Well, well, well, wonders will never cease with this company.
You may recall from a previous post that GlaxoSmithKline associate general counsel, Lauren Stevens, has been indicted with making false statements and obstructing a federal investigation into illegal marketing of the a 'drug' for weight loss.
The indictment, due, I believe, to press restrictions, did not mention the name of the drug Stevens was making false statements about. However, in an exclusive from the New York Times, we can now see that Stevens was duping the FDA regarding Glaxo's multi - functional antidepressant, Wellbutrin.
Wellbutrin has been re-badged as Zyban, an apparent smoking cessation drug and now it appears to be crystal clear that Stevens was 'bigging it up' as some sort of dietary pill!
This from the NYT:
The indictment accuses the Glaxo official, Lauren C. Stevens of Durham, N.C., of lying to the Food and Drug Administration in 2003, by writing letters, as associate general counsel, denying that doctors speaking at company events had promoted Wellbutrin for uses not approved by the agency. Ms. Stevens “made false statements and withheld documents she recognized as incriminating,” including slides the F.D.A. had sought during its investigation, the indictment stated.
So, not only was Wellbutrin an antidepressant and a smoking cessation drug...Glaxo also wanted it to be a pill for weight loss!
I can just see the promotional ad for this particular product.
"Are you depressed about your weight and yellow stained teeth from smoking? - Ask your doctor for Wellbutrin, the Swiss Army knife of all drugs from GlaxoSmithKline."
Mary Anne Rhyne, Glaxo's spokesperson, said, "...the company was cooperating fully with a federal investigation into allegations of illegal sales and marketing of Wellbutrin. Last year, it set aside $400 million to resolve the case, which is still pending."
Resolve the case?
You mean, throw money at it doncha Mary?
Honestly, this company are amazing, they think they can throw money in the direction of every single claim made against them. They are a walking, talking psychopath with no remorse whatsoever. When was the last time you ever heard any sort of apology from the likes of Mary Anne Rhyne? This is the same woman who said in 2005, "If ‘discontinuation reactions’ occur in patients stopping [Seroxat], the majority will experience symptoms that are mild to moderate in intensity, and are usually limited to two weeks."
Rhyne is the Director US Media Relations at GlaxoSmithKline.
Be interesting to see what Glaxo CEO, Andrew Witty, has to say about recent events regarding his company.
September saw the European regulators finally pull Glaxo's Avandia...something they should have done many years ago. This coming hot on the heels of the BBC expose of their drug. Maybe the regulators should have listened to the hardened advocates that were writing about Avandia many years ago, Evie Pringle being one such person. [LINK]
October saw Glaxo plead guilty to a number of charges regarding the appalling state of their factory in Puerto Rico - a fine of $750 million and the customary slap on the wrists ensued. [LINK]
November:
Sees GlaxoSmithKline denying that their once best selling antidepressant, Paxil [Seroxat in UK] had anything to do with Anna Blyth being born with a narrowing of the aorta leading from the heart. [LINK]
Your move Witty. Don't you think some sort of apology is in order or are you going to send your Muppets out as spokespersons?
Fid
ORDER THE PAPERBACK
'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
SIGNED COPIES HERE OR UNSIGNED FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
Today sees another horrific story of a patient's struggle regarding her withdrawal from Seroxat.
Angela has her own thoughts on who is to blame, these come at the end of her story.
Angela's Story - 2mg away from safety
MY story begins 1994, where I lost 2 babies who were damaged during the delivery, consequently one daughter died at 8 days and the other one lived for 6 months, 3 months later my mum was diagnosed with stomach cancer, she died 6 months later, and my brother 2 months later got killed in a work related accident.
I was struggling to cope with the flood of emotions caused by all these deaths in my family, and visited my GP.
He suggested I take the "wonder drug from America" no side effects, if you decide you don't like it, or you feel better you can just stop taking it.
So on 15th January 1997, my Seroxat journey began. I started the pill and noticed nothing.No blunting of emotions, no dead feeling inside, no crying.
My doctor continued to write prescriptions out for this "wonder drug" for the next 8 years, oblivious of the damage it was creating, the excessive weight gain, the "Zombie like state" factor, every day just moulded into another.
Until... September 2005.
I was coming back from my sister in laws, she lived across the road, as I was walking back I experienced dizziness, unlike anything I have ever experienced in my life before, this continued until the one day I was sat in my living room and wanted to go and make a cup of tea, but for some reason I was petrified to go into my kitchen. The anxiety (or what I know now to be anxiety) set in, the helpless crying jags, the panic which would have me in bed for days feeling like I was dying, with no explanation as to why.
It was in November 2005 when I visited my doctor again and explained my symptoms through helpless bouts of crying. As I was scared as to what was happening to me, he suggested "we take you off Seroxat. Miss one tablet this week, another next week and within 6 weeks you will be off."
So I religiously followed his plan to be off and well again. Only the symptoms I had were getting a whole lot worse and seemed to be persisting throughout most of the day.
What a shock lay in store for me.
Once off, the constant anxiety, panic and brain fog set in, with no let up at all, the horrendous crying jags, low mood, low motivation, the feeling of being dead, not being able to feel anything only sadness and pain, the akathesia, the black hole type depression, the agoraphobia, sensitivity to noise and light, the constant worry of what was happening to me, inability to cope with answering the door, answering the phone, just the complete inability to cope full stop with anything at all.
Christmas arrived, with all the symptoms still there, akathesia had now been dumped on me too, along with brain fog and black hole depression.
For those who don't know what akathesia is, it's the constant feeling of having to move, you feel no peace, no restful times, just constantly moving, even sitting to use the toilet would have been welcome at that point. The sensitivity also extended to light and noise.Christmas day arrived, I stayed in bed ill until 2pm. Opening no presents, too ill to cook lunch for my family. My children arrived later that day, the grandchildren were hyped up, and I'm sat nursing pillows either side of my head to deaden the noise.
At no time ever did my doctor suggest this was down to Seroxat!
I wait it out until the doctors surgery opens again the day after boxing day, whereby my ignorant and ill informed doctor prescribes proprannelol, a beta blocker, Prozac, another antidepressant and Diazepam are prescribed.
I had no idea what any of these drugs were at that time and diligently did what I was told by my doctor and ingest even more crap, with symptoms still coursing through, no relief being found at all.
I continue for some weeks, it's now March 2006 still feeling all of the above and now feeling more ill than at any other time in my entire life. So, I make yet another appointment to visit my doctor, who instructs me to stop the 3 drugs immediately that he prescribed me some weeks ago.
So on the 4th March 2006 I did exactly that.
On the 6th March I awake not feeling well at all, I struggle to cope with chores I have to do around the home but battle my way through the best way I know how. Around 2.15 I sat down in the chair, and I will never know for sure what exactly happened, but it appears that I may have had a seizure, as I woke a few minutes later to find I was covered in blood, where I had bitten the inside of my mouth.
It takes some weeks, April to be exact, to feel anywhere near well enough to visit my doctor, who he tells me I need to go back on just 20mg of Seroxat and knowing no better I do just that, again with very minimal improvement in symptoms.
I then begin to realise that it could be Seroxat causing me these problems. I begin to question doctors, who tell me in no uncertain terms that Seroxat is not responsible, and its a return of my original illness?
My original diagnosis was grief!
I never before had felt any of these horrendous symptoms, and never felt so unwell in all my life, I was so frightened and scared.
I then invest in a computer as I'm sick to the teeth of being stuck in this weird time warp and living in a twilight zone with horrific symptoms which were not under control.
I start Googling 'Seroxat withdrawal', which led to my long relationship with a website entitled www.paxil progress.org, whereby I learned I was not the only one that was affected by this drug. I made friends with hundreds of other sufferers and educated myself on the horrors of withdrawing from this poison.
I learned how those lowlife's, GlaxoSmithKline, had hidden the real evidence of what this drug was capable of. I, like thousands of others, were paying a huge price to make them richer than they are already.
Nobody in my situation can ever go to a doctor and get the understanding, validation and support necessary to cope because they have no idea of just how bad it is, through the lies spun from GSK's company reps who promote these drugs to doctors surgeries.
How awful it feels to be in that hell and have to live that way, doctors watched me walk away from there surgeries crying and upset - frustrated that no one would listen to what I knew was the truth.
After researching this drug and checking out information and having it confirmed by medical experts such as Pro. David Healy, I knew what I had to do.
In November 2007 at 20mg, I tapered down to 18mg, miraculously the brain fog left after that first reduced dose, only to be replaced by a new ,more stronger anxiety and panic, which I have endured to varying degrees to date.
2010
I am now at 2mg after nearly 3 years of slow tapering, it's not been easy, but very comparable to the days of my cold turkey withdrawal as sanctioned by my doctor.
I hasten to add here that I had no symptoms of any description when being put on Seroxat. I had no idea what anxiety/panic or any of this awful stuff was until after 8 yrs of Seroxat. Since withdrawal it has escalated at different times to levels that have been out of control if I'm honest, the mood swings, the rages, the zaps that nearly throw you from the chair, the balance problems I have experienced at one time or another every conceivable symptom possible from this evil poison.
I have been through some very traumatic times in my life, as you will see from above. It has NOT been a life, just a very mere existence.
People deserve and expect so much more, not lies from GSK, nor the deceit from their company reps, many of whom have openly admitted on the Internet what this drug does to people. Sadly this omission only happens when they leave the giant companies who are responsible for all the sadness, hurt and damage created by their "wonder drugs."
IF there is a God, and I'm very sure that there is, then one day GSK will be answerable for all the misery and lives that they have taken away from people who trusted their doctors to know how to care for our health.
Our right to a normal life and our right to choose what we ingest in the way of medicines has been cruelly taken away from us all.
GSK = GLOBAL SERIAL KILLERS.
May they suffer in the same way as they have made innocent people suffer. They totally deserve everything coming their way.
Even their disclosure in the patient information leaflet was lies back in 1997. That leaflet has since been changed, not because they had the decency to change it, to inform, NO, their hand was forced.
Angela.
Fid
ORDER THE PAPERBACK
'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
SIGNED COPIES HERE OR UNSIGNED FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
It's been a pretty abysmal couple of months for the world's second largest pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline.
September saw the European regulators finally pull Glaxo's Avandia...something they should have done many years ago. This coming hot on the heels of the BBC expose of their drug. Maybe the regulators should have listened to the hardened advocates that were writing about Avandia many years ago, Evie Pringle being one such person. [LINK]
October saw Glaxo plead guilty to a number of charges regarding the appalling state of their factory in Puerto Rico - a fine of $750 million and the customary slap on the wrists ensued. [LINK]
Just nine days in to November sees GlaxoSmithKline in the news once more...actually twice more.
First off, Vice President & Associate General Counsel at GlaxoSmithKline, Lauren Stevens, has been charged with obstruction and false statements in connection with an investigation into the promotion of a prescription drug. [LINK]
The print hadn't dried on that story when more bad news for GlaxoSmithKline hit popular website, Bloomberg. Once again they are accused of failure. Again, they are denying that their once best selling antidepressant, Paxil [Seroxat in UK] had anything to do with Anna Blyth being born with a narrowing of the aorta leading from the heart. [LINK]
Back in October 2009, Glaxo had pay $2.5 million to the family of a 3-year-old Liam Kilker who was born with heart defects that his mother blamed on the drug.
Glaxo, writes Bloomberg, has paid more than $2 billion to resolve litigation over Paxil, including claims the anti-depressant caused suicides in some users and withdrawal symptoms.
I'm baffled why the FBI haven't ripped apart the offices of GlaxoSmithKline, surprised that Scotland Yard hasn't raided the offices of Solicitors here in the UK who hold damning items of disclosure from GlaxoSmithKline, items that will probably never see the light of day in a British court.
Today's news that GlaxoSmithKline are putting yet another family through the trauma of re-living the moments when their child was born with serious heart defects saw their American depositary receipts, each representing two ordinary shares, fall 89 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $39.61 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.
Birth defects, heart attacks, obstruction of justice and a whole heap of defective drugs manufactured in a mismanaged factory in Puerto Rico.
The latest in a long line of disgraceful behaviour comes from bizjournals.com where Eric Convey writes that a former GlaxoSmithKline associate general counsel was charged Tuesday in federal court in Boston with obstruction and false statements in connection with an investigation into the promotion of a prescription drug.
The Department of Justice says Lauren Stevens of Durham of North Carolina signed several letters to federal health regulators denying that her company had promoted its drug for unapproved uses. However, an indictment filed in Maryland alleges Stevens knew the company had paid physicians to promote the unapproved uses.
A GlaxoSmithKline spokeswoman confirmed Stevens worked in the company's legal department but has retired.
Her profile on LinkedIn still shows her as Vice President & Associate General Counsel at GlaxoSmithKline.
.jpg)
