There's been recent debate over the safety of prescription antidepressants. Here is a comprehensive collection of factual data.

(This link was approved by Moderator 1)

http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/

From: 50,000 SUICIDES ON PROZAC COVERED UP (http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/prozac-lilly-50.000-suicides-archive.htm)

By the end of last year [1999], more than 35 million people worldwide were using the drug, which provided Lilly with more than 25 percent of its $10 billion in 1999 revenue.

Yet the problems with Prozac were known even before it was introduced to the US market. Figures in a 1984 Lilly document indicated that akathisia, the severe agitation that can lead to suicide, occurs in at least 1 percent of patients, a level considered a ''frequent'' event, and as such must be disclosed in a company's product literature and package inserts. But there is no such disclosure in Prozac's US literature, and it is not clear whether the FDA panel charged with approving Prozac simply overlooked or did not have access to certain critical data of Lilly's.

As a result, researchers say that most US doctors do not know to warn patients of the potentially dangerous effect which, according to published literature on the topic, can be alleviated with sedatives or by going off the drug.

German regulators, who eventually approved Prozac for use in that country, require a warning label about the risk of suicide and suggest the concurrent use of sedatives when necessary.

Akathisia is listed in Lilly's US product literature, but as an infrequent event in Prozac users. No mention is made of its potential relationship to suicide.

To me this sounds like a problem the U.S. has. Why was the warning given in Germany and not in the U.S.?

Then the article mentions a new patent for a type of prozac which will decrease side effects of the existing Prozac such as headaches, nervousness, anxiety, and insomnia, as well as ''inner restlessness (akathisia), suicidal thoughts and self-mutilation'' admitting that there are potential problems with Prozac, but then goes on to admit the same effect Lilly has contended has not occurred in any substantial way in some 200 lawsuits against it over the past decade. Most of the suits were settled out of court and the terms kept confidential.

It not even clear how many of the lawsuits are related to suicides.

50,000 deaths but only 200 lawsuits! What gives, am I missing something?

Note: This was written 4 years ago. It's most likely that over a 100 million people have used Prozac for varying periods of time by now!

There's been recent debate over the safety of prescription antidepressants. Here is a comprehensive collection of factual data.

(This link was approved by Moderator 1)

http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/

I've been bothered for yrs now over ADs being blamed for a mother killing her children or somebody commiting suicide.

I keep waiting for somebody to defend the drug companies by saying "We need to look at the reason the person was on ADs to begin with"!!!

IMO, the mother that kills her children was unstable before going on ADs. I mean really!!! Nothing will convince me otherwise...

The teenage dau that commits suicide a wk after Pdoc puts her on ADs: Why doesn't anybody ask why a teenage girl is seeing a Pdoc to begin with?!?!? I understand that her parents were concerned, rightly so, that she was withdrawing. Well, I doubt they simply made an appointment w/a Pdoc unless she had "gone mental " on them. My guess is they took her to her GP and the GP decided she needed to see a Pdoc. If the parents and GP thought her problem was serious enough to seek out a Pdoc, then I think we should be looking at that. A teenager commiting suicide is such a tragedy and something the parents will never get over. Isn't it a little too easy to blame the drug company?

I just visited the antidepressants facts website and I am very grateful for the information provided here. Thanks Isolated One!

Take a look at the "cases, reviews" presented below. Scary.

Marilyn

Prozac/Sarafem Cases & Reviews...
2004
03/00
Case/Review Hallucinations with zolpidem and fluoxetine in an impaired driver

2003
12/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine dose-increment related Akathisia in depression

2003
12/00
Case/Review Memory Loss in a patient treated with fluoxetine

2003
05/27
Case/Review Serotonin Syndrome: a brief review -case 1 fluoxetine

2002
00/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine-induced Torticollis, Bradykinesia & Cogwheel Rigidity in an adolescent

2002
12/00
Case/Review Ecchymosis associated with the use of fluoxetine: case report

2002
09/00
Case/Review Neuroleptic Withdrawal vs Serotonergic Syndrome in 8-year-old child on fluoxetine

2002
07/08
Case/Review High-dose fluoxetine-induced Mania. Review and case report

2002
06/22
Case/Review Akathisia due to the higher dose of fluoxetine -scroll to case 3

2002
05/08
Case/Review Fluoxetine-induced Exacerbation of Chorea in Huntington's Disease

2002
04/00
Case/Review Case of a patient with Fluoxetine & Selegiline induced Fatal Serotonin Syndrome

2002
03/00
Case/Review Hyponatremia & SIADH associated with Sertraline and Fluoxetine: a case report

2002
02/00
Case/Review Serotonin Syndrome present. as Hypotonic Coma & Apnea (fluoxetine & citalopram)

2001
08/00
Case/Review Myoclonus secondary to the concurrent use of trazodone and fluoxetine

2001
07/00
Case/Review Acute Paroxysmal Dystonia induced by fluoxetine

2001
06/00
Case/Review Dose-dependent Seizure Activity associated with fluoxetine therapy

2001
06/00
Case/Review Mania & Paranoid Ideation following Tramadol-Fluoxetine Combination

2001
03/00
Case/Review Treatment-Emergent Behavioural Side-Effects in adults with learning disabilities

2001
02/00
Case/Review Reversible Galactorrhea & Prolactin Elevation related to fluoxetine use

2000
00/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine-induced Anaesthesia of Vagina and Nipples

2000
00/00
Case/Review Delusional Parasitosis with Prozac/Sarafem in 3 cases

2000
10/11
Case/Review Prozac Toxicity in preterm infant: marked motor automatism & skin manifestations

2000
09/00
Case/Review Melancholic Depression during concurrent olanzapine and fluoxetine

2000
04/00
Case/Review Child, 9; liver cytochrome P-450 2D6 deficiency; Prozac-related death

2000
03/00
Case/Review Serotonin Syndrome during fluoxetine-poisoning in a patient taking moclobemide

2000
03/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine and grossly swollen muscles & oedematous

2000
03/00
Case/Review Loss of Hypoglycemia Awareness in Diabetic Adolescent during Fluoxetine therapy

2000
03/02
Case/Review SIADH with Epileptic Seizures and Coma in fluoxetine therapy

2000
02/00
Case/Review Case Report: Serotonin Syndrome with Serzone and Prozac

1999
11/00
Case/Review Hyperthyroidism secondary to antidepressive treatment with fluoxetine

1999
07/00
Case/Review Acute Hepatitis due to fluoxetine therapy

1999
03/00
Case/Review Severe Hyponatremia during treatment with fluoxetine

1998
09/10
Case/Review Tonic Clonic Seizures & Tachycardia induced by fluoxetine (Prozac) overdose

1998
08/00
Case/Review Manic behaviors with Fluoxetine in three 12- to 18-year-olds with OCD

1998
06/27
Case/Review Severe Tardive Dyskinesia during treatment with risperidone and fluoxetine

1997
00/00
Case/Review Syndrome of Inappropriate Secretion of Antidiuretic Hormone in 2 elderly women

1997
00/00
Case/Review Recurrent Toxic Delirium in a patient treated with fluoxetine & low dose trazodone

1997
09/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine-induced Cardiotoxicity with response to bicarbonate therapy

1996
11/25
Case/Review Hyponatraemia/Syndrome of Inappropriate Secretion of Antidiuretic Hormone

1996
10/00
Case/Review Movement disorders associated with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

1996
09/00
Case/Review Tardive Dyskinesia associated with fluoxetine

1996
05/00
Case/Review Complex Movement Disorders induced by fluoxetine

1996
04/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine: Syndrome of Inappropriate Secretion of Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH)

1995
10/00
Case/Review Parkinsonism associated with fluoxetine and cimetidine: a case report

1995
08/00
Case/Review Seizure after isolated fluoxetine-overdose

1995
07/08
Case/Review Serotonin Syndrome in a patient given fluoxetine and lithium

1995
01/00
Case/Review Worsening Tremor & Problems with Word-Finding following fluoxetine treatment

1995
01/00
Case/Review Reversible Delirium after discontinuation of fluoxetine

1994
11/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine induced Serotonin Syndrome

1994
11/00
Case/Review Prozac/Sarafem and the Serotonin Syndrome

1994
09/10
Case/Review Revisiting Fluoxetine: Akathisia & Suicidal Preoccupations

1994
06/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine induced Dyskinesia

1994
05/00
Case/Review Reversible Intermittent Rhythmic Myoclonus with fluoxetine in pres. Pick's disease

1994
02/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine and Violent Death in Maryland: violent methods in fluoxetine suicides

1993
00/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine: Adverse Effects and drug-drug Interactions

1993
12/00
Case/Review Acute Hyperkinetic Delirium during fluoxetine treatment. A case report

1993
12/00
Case/Review Seizures associated with fluoxetine therapy

1993
01/00
Case/Review Increase of Parkinson Disability after fluoxetine medication

1992
11/00
Case/Review Irritability, Self-Damage by Cutting & Violent Intense Suicidal & Paranoid Ideation

1992
11/00
Case/Review Akathisia, suicidality, and Prozac/Sarafem

1992
11/26
Case/Review Severe disturbance occurring during treatment of bulimic patient with Fluoxetine

1992
09/00
Case/Review Case report of a Syncopal Episode associated with fluoxetine

1992
07/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine reatment: restlessness, hyperactivity, agitation, insomnia...

1992
03/00
Case/Review Mania associated with Prozac/Sarafem treatment in adolescents

1991
12/00
Case/Review Serious suicide attempts by 3 patients during treatment Fluoxetine: Akathisia

1991
09/00
Case/Review Unexpected Deaths in depressed medical inpatients treated with Fluoxetine

1991
03/00
Case/Review A fluoxetine-induced Frontal Lobe Syndrome in an obsessive compulsive patient

1991
03/00
Case/Review Emergence of self-destructive phenomena in adolescents & Prozac/Sarafem

1990
09/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine-induced Bradycardia and Syncope in two patients

1990
09/15
Case/Review Fluoxetine and Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

1990
02/00
Case/Review Emergence of intense suicidal preoccupation during Prozac/Sarafem treatment

1989
09/00
Case/Review Prozac/Sarafem-induced Akathisia: clinical and theoretical implications

1989
00/00
Case/Review Fluoxetine-overdose: Flu-like Symptoms, Urticaria & Angioedema

1984
02/00
Case/Review A case of mania associated with Prozac/Sarafem

1979
00/00
Case/Review Dystonic Reaction, Parkinsonian Rigidity & Increased Serum Prolactin levels



Prozac/Sarafem Studies
2004
02/00
Case/Study FDA's approval of fluoxetine for children was based on 2 controversial studies

2003
11/07
Case/Study Draft Report Prozac/Sarafem (fluoxetine) Toxicity in Humans

2002
06/00
Case/Study CYP2D6 genotype does not predict fluoxetine-induced Hyponatraemia

2002
04/15
Case/Study Neuronal Cell Death induced by Fluoxetine

2000
06/13
Case/Study Occurrence of Deliberate Self-Harm highest with Fluoxetine (Prozac/Sarafem)

1999
11/00
Case/Study Breastfeeding while taking fluoxetine associated with reduced growth infants

1999
11/00
Case/Study Fluoxetine impairs the CYP2D6-mediated metabolism in healthy Chinese volunteers

1999
10/00
Case/Study Distribution and excretion of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine in human breast milk

1999
09/25
AnimalStudy Prozac Induces Muscle Contractions and has other Molecular Targets Part2

1999
06/15
AnimalStudy Augmentation of the Stimulus Effects of LSD by Fluoxetine in Rats

1999
02/00
Case/Study Incidence and Risk Factors for Hyponatraemia with Fluoxetine in elderly people

1998
09/01
AnimalStudy Prenatal expos. Prozac in Rat:Alterations Neurons Rel.Link

1997
00/00
AnimalStudy Prenatal expos. Prozac in Rat & Altered Serotonin Neurons Rel.Link

1997
01/00
Case/Study Fluoxetine and NorFluoxetine Plasma Concentrations in Major Depression



Prozac/Sarafem Articles
2004
02/27
KCRA Channel Prozac/Sarafem Found In System Of CYA Teen Found Dead by Hanging

2003
11/03
PFPC Prozac/Sarafem, Paxil/Seroxat & Fluoride Toxicity

2003
06/06
Independent Prozac/Sarafem 'may or may not have aided death'

2003
06/05
BBC News Prozac/Sarafem blamed for woman's death

2003
06/03
Leeds Today Prozac/Sarafem killed my wife!

2003
06/03
TheGuardian Prozac/Sarafem 'led to wife's suicide'

2002
03/27
Independent Prozac Linked to Brain Tumours-Increased Cancer Growth Related Link Link(2)

I just had to butt in here as you two could go on for years debating this,and in some ways, you are both right.What this all boils down to is that when you take any drug ,for any reason, you need to take note of any side effects.You also need to be fully informed of all of the ins and outs of any drug that you are taking.

i am currently in a situation where my son had absolutely devistating results from taking any SSRI that he has tried over the past year.Myself, on the other hand, have been taking lexapro for well over a year now with no major side effects and it has done wonders for my depression.

My son was so very sensitive to any different SSRIs that we tried that he would have actual manic episodes.these drugs also totally changed his personality.it was horrific.he was just relesed from a mental health facility after he had yet another horrid reaction to effexor.i watched this whole nightmare unfold with him as anytime we had to change to another SSRI or upped the dosages of an existing one, within two weeks of the change, he would start exhibiting really strong personality changes and this would ALWAYS result in some sort of anger explosion. all along i had felt that maybe he was just very hypersensitive to the SSRI itself.I had talked with his doc about this many times and was always given another possibility for his behavior.well, now we know.as soon as he was admitted too the facility,they started doing just about every imaginable test on him,and lo and behold, i recieved a call from the dr there and finally comfirmed just what I felt was the problem all along.he also takes prednisone to prevent rejection of a transplanted liver.The dr said that any steroid can also have a really horrid reaction when mixed with any antidepressant, not just the SSRIs.

the point that I am trying to make here is that these drugs can be the worst thing ever Rxed for you or they can be an absolute lifesaver as they were for me.you need to evaluate each and every drug that you put in your body, and watch closely for any side effects and report them to your dr.i have no problems with staying on the lexapro as it is really helping me.my son will never take another SSRI or any other AD as long as I am alive.these aren't BAD drugs, they just have a bad reaction to some people,just like any other drugs.and no one should be taking any AD type drugs without also using some sort of therepy along with it.given the history, you need someone to be watching you for a deepening of the depression who can intervene if things don't seem to be going well.you have a responsibility to yourself,and being informed is the best possible thing that you can do.i hope i didn't offend anyone.this is just what i have obseved in regard to using SSRIs in my family. thanks, I really hope you two make nice. Marcia

I scanned the posts about this topic and read some of them thoroughly. I believe the initial post was just to make some people aware of the reactions to antidepressants. I tend to agree although im not on prozac, I am on 20mg lexapro. I live in Florida and it was on our local news about ten top antidepressants that can and often cause suicidal tendencies to be ummm...made worse by the medication. (I cant think of the word that im trying to say....yet one of my "bad reactions" to the lexapro) Yes prozac was listed as well as lexapro, celexa, zoloft (which i was up to 200mg before switching to lexapro) My husband was concerned when he saw the news report and asked me to ask my psych to take me off of them. I have been angry, severely depressed and have actually cut my arm a few times. Never before have I done such things. I have always been a strong and idependent both in mind and body and since a head injury last year after being on medications .....I am a wreck. I fear the anger the most because i have children. I have lost the person that I was and am rarely happy. I asked to be taken off the lexapro and my doc said if i wanted to do that i need a new psychiatrist because then he would be liable if i "did something to myself" So off I go to a new psych. I dont know whether to keep taking them or to stop until i see the doc or not. I am a mess. And where AD's do help some people there are many that they make things worse. If this was not the case then it would not have been on my local news and i would be the same happy person that i was before. I also believe that doctors nowadays are more concerned with liabilities then patients health (living it now). And maybe there just isn't enough publications about whats been going on with people. These meds either help or make things worse. Im one that it makes things worse for and don't want to be on them. It takes time to do studies and now its on the news about AD's. And if suicidal tendencies are a possible side effect then why give them to an already depressed person? With todays knowledge and technologies isnt there any other help? Ive seen a neuro psychologist too for the other half of therepy. You cant just stick someone who is severely depressed on meds and expect them to be all better. Sometimes meds dont cure the problem. Its like tylenol......it can take care of the fever but not the virus. I think i am confusing myself....which happens often....but i do know that i agree that these meds need to be looked into more. And dont we also rely on docs to make sure our meds dont clash and cause worse problems? I mean they went to school for that......I wouldnt know what clashes with what....that is their job so yes they are responsible to an extent. Jeez i hope i made sense. :confused:

I am always appreciative when people take the time to educate and inform others. I have looked at some of the links and do not have the medical expertise to understand or process everything there. However, I have had difficulties with medication prescribed for me in the past and had to stop taking prescribed medication against medical advice because my physician simply would not listen. Each time, the symptoms I had been experiencing subsided. Each time we see a new drug advertised on television it ends with a long list of "may cause". We all need to be informed consumers. I believe that there is some truth to the contention that AD's cause worsening depression or suicidality in some individuals. However, there are those who's lives have been saved by these medications. For me it comes down to proper monitoring by the prescribing physician and awareness by the family that they need to watch for worsening symptoms and intervene if necessary. Unfortunately, this is not a reality for a lot of people who are depressed. I am very good at "turtling" when I am very depressed. I do not want to be a burden on others so I isolate myself. It is at these times that I present the most danger to myself and would deny that I am suicidal and NOT seek help from a physician, family or friends. I do not know what the answer is, but I really wish you two would stop fighting....conflict is just sooooooo depressing. :D

Agree to disagree..then move on to posts you agree with!


Stating your opinion more than once is an argument. :nono: