Quote from pamperedglitter:

I am a RN, and have experience with medications. What concerns me so much is that this side affect is so extreme. It is dangerous and damaging! I can accept my heart damage a little bit easier than I can the damage done to a 6 year old. We don't know enough about this drug. My first symptom occured Jan. 2004 and I have been on medication since March 2004. You would think the heart and body would have returned to normal in 10 months! I am trying to warn others who are on this medicine. I don't want others to have the same symptoms as myself. It makes me want to cry to see a 6 year old who can't play a game of soccar without crying because his chest hurts!
This information will get out there. I believe there are others who have had similiar experiences. Children are unable to verbalize some discomforts to adults, expecially chest related difficulties.
I am going to contact school nurses to monitor children on this medication. I am also going to sue the company!
This will not be allowed to continue. It may take a year or two before anyone else hears of the suit, but believe me, it will happen!
I don't want any other children to go through what myself, and the other 6 year old I know have gone through.
I know you mean well, and I hope things improve, but I truly believe this drug is extremely dangerous. It may not happen to a large percentage of the population that takes the drug, but for it to be allowed to happen even to the small percentage is immoral and unethical!

Well, I certainly have to agree with you here. I am a bit infamous in the forums here as I occassionally visit the ADD, depression, anxiety, etc. forums alot to give what I've learned through personal experience and research mainly on psychiatric medications. Not everyone agrees with me but basically I think the majority of these meds are not only over-prescribed, but dangerous to some people, especially kids.

Mania, heart and blood pressure problems, mood swings, urinary and sexual problems, diabetes, sleep disorders, GERD, and movement disorders, etc. are only a few of the side effects people seem to suffer on such meds like SSRi's, amphetamine, benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, etc. It's disgusting, especially when people on top of all that are being labeled with "mental illness" when they only may be depressed or have trouble in school.

I think anyone who is not psychotic and has a grip on reality is not mentally ill, yet everything out of normal behavior now is a mental illness according to the DSM psychiatric manuals, and it's funny how easily a doctor will diagnois such things when usually there other reasons not considered.

However, I'm even shocked at the possibility of permanent heart damage from one of these drugs. I've always believed drugs that target the brain can wreck havoc in brain function, which ultimately will effect the body. But I've always had the idea the brain, with it's wonderful survival instinct, could straighten things out after a chemical is gone....mind you, not overnight like doctors would like to tell you, but over some reasonable time period.

If what you say is true, this is shocking and horrible to think such a small time on a drug could cause such irreversable damage. I've believed they can cause damage all along, but truly what you are reporting about yourself and those poor kids is horrible and shocking even to me.

Thank goodness you are an RN because they may take you more seriously than most patients. I hope you succeed in your efforts to get something done about this!

Have you heard of Dr. Ann Tracy? She's got a site, is a PHD and apparentely for 15 years she's been warning of research and other evidence showing the dangers of psychiatric drugs. Just now, finally, what she's been saying all along is coming to light as the FDA has been investigating SSRi's for dangerous side effects; also, they found unpublished clinical trials on children showing unfavorable results with SSRi's....yep, drug co's were hiding important data from patients and docs alike so they could sell their drugs!

There was a lawsuit awhile back against the makers of Neurontin, and yes, they were found GUILTY of charges concerning the pushing of off-label uses for the drug which can prove dangerous. The whistleblower who brought this to light was smart and got tangible evidence beforehand, as many whistleblowers get pegged disgruntled and as liars. So he made sure that wouldn't happen; he kept written correspondance from his boss and also taped conversations!

Good luck, I really hope you stick it to them after what they have caused you and those kids to suffer....