Are Veterans Being Given Deadly Cocktails to Treat PTSD?

[unhappycamper]

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Are Veterans Being Given Deadly Cocktails to Treat PTSD?
By Martha Rosenberg
March 6, 2010

A few months after starting a drug regimen combining the antidepressant Paxil, the mood stabilizer Klonopin and a controversial anti-psychotic drug manufactured by pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, Seroquel, the Iraq war veteran was "suffering from incontinence, severe depression (and) continuous headaches," according to his widow, Janette Layne.

~snip~

In the last two years, Pfc. Derek Johnson, 22, of Hurricane, West Virginia; Cpl. Andrew White, 23, of Cross Lanes, West Virginia; Cpl. Chad Oligschlaeger, 21, of Roundrock, Texas; Cpl. Nicholas Endicott, 24, of Pecks Mill, West Virginia; and Spc. Ken Jacobs, 21, of Walworth, New York have all died suddenly while taking Seroquel cocktails.

~snip~

And until a Philadelphia Inquirer expose last year, Florida child psychiatrist Jorge Armenteros, a paid AstraZeneca speaker, was chairman of the FDA Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee responsible for recommending Seroquel approvals.

In a trial that began in New Jersey last month, AstraZeneca is defending itself in one of 26,000 lawsuits, denying that Seroquel caused diabetes in Vietnam veteran Ted Baker, who was prescribed Seroquel for PTSD. Last year, London-based AstraZeneca agreed to pay $520 million last year to settle suits pertaining to clinical trials and illegal Seroquel marketing.

Yet, instead of reconsidering a drug linked to an alarming number of deaths and marred by at least eight corruption scandals in 13 years -- Seroquel was even prescribed to a 4-year-old Massachusetts girl, Rebecca Riley, before her death -- the FDA continues to issue approvals for new uses for Seroquel.


Rest of article at: http://www.alternet.org/world/145892/are_veterans_being_given_deadly_cocktails_to_treat_ptsd?page=entire



unhappycamper comment: Five paragraphs do not do this story justice. I highly recommend you go to the link and read the whole story.

[ShortnFiery]

1. IMO, that combination of psychotropic Meds should be contraindicated ...

if used, they should be closely monitored.

When a person suffers from depression, you have to be careful with the prescription of benzodiazepines such as that of Klonopin.

Klonopin is NOT a mood stabilizer but used to treat anxiety disorders and panic attacks.

http://www.drugs.com/klonopin.html

IMNSHO (and years of talking with Psychologists and Psychiatrists within the Mental Health Community as a masters level counselor) = mixing anti-depressants (Paxil) and anti-anxiety drugs CAN exacerbate depressive symptoms. Especially if the addictive anti-anxiety drug is abused. Yes, it's often done, but the patient should be monitored closely ... it's not an ideal combination if you can avoid it - especially if the patient has concomitant OCD and/or substance abuse issues.

I have had no experience with clients taking Seroquel so I can't give an opinion regarding that medication.

[TexasObserver]

2. recommend

[TacticalPeek]

3. K & R

Get it right, fer crissakes.

[Mari333]

4. the day that I found my son's body I was sent immediately to a hospital

and given Seroquel. at the time, I had a choice to either take that, or go completely insane and lose my mind. it at least allowed me to somewhat function for a few weeks.

HOWEVER..its very powerful!!!!!..I cannot even imagine mixing this with anything...
this needs to be investigated, and stopped.

but our vets are always treated last, and like shit, arent they?

and on a 4 yr old?????? as I said ..it was POWERFUL..at the time, I HAD to have it. but I cannot imagine it being used indiscriminately or with other psychotropics....

[AwakeAtLast]

5. My husband was on at least two of these

He's an OIF Veteran with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, short-term memory loss and hearing loss.

He never told me and I think that is a part of what led to our possible downfall (read my journal for the gory details). He had been taking this stuff for over a year without me knowing (!) and has since stopped. It was prescribed by his neurologist.

I am now beginning to see a glimmer of who he used to be and I hope this will continue. Long road ahead for us, I'm afraid, if there is any "us" left. Now I know why......