NOTE FROM Ann Blake-Tracy (www.drugawareness.org):
Just today a Canadian Coroner’s Jury has made several recommendations in
the way patients taking SSRIs are warned of the risks of taking these
medications with alcohol or other drugs!! Two decades is all it took to FINALLY
get this kind of warning even though it had to come from a courtroom rather
than from any of the antidepressant manufacturers! The population suffering
the most serious and deadly side effects of the SSRI antidepressants has
ALWAYS been those with drug or alcohol problems or those with hypoglycemia
(which is alcoholism or what is called a “dry alcoholic” – check out the
work of Dr. James Milam).
As mentioned below in the SSRIstories note what has not been included that
should have been in big bold print years ago is that ANTIDEPRESSANTS
PRODUCE OVERWHELMING CRAVINGS FOR ALCOHOL [PATIENTS ALSO REPORT SIMILAR PROBLEMS
WITH ILLEGAL DRUGS]. So, although this is a big breakthrough in warning of
the extremely serious potential of mixing antidepressants with alcohol and
illegal drugs, it does not go far enough and explain that the use of an
antidepressant itself may cause you to mix it with alcohol or other drugs.
The use of the antidepressant sets you up for the most serious side effects
in producing these alcohol cravings;
___________________________________________
In a message dated 6/28/2010 12:58:35 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
gm1000@prodigy.net writes:
Last two paragraphs read: “Among its many suggestions, the jury
recommended the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons train doctors
administering these drugs to “inform the patient of the benefits and risk
including rare and serious side effects of SSRIs and of reasonable alternative
treatments, and the risks of taking such medications while consuming alcohol
or narcotics.
“ ‘If those recommendations were in place a few years ago, Sara would be
alive today,’ said Neil Carlin. ‘We consider this a great victory’.”
SSRI Stories note: The Physicians Desk Reference lists “Alcohol Craving”
as an infrequent, but not rare, side-effect for Paxil. Also, SSRIs may
cause a craving for illegal drugs such as cocaine by inducing mania or mood
swings in those taking such antidepressants.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/06/28/14544386.html
Changes recommended to the way patients informed about anti-depressants
By SAM PAZZANO, Courts Bureau
Last Updated: June 28, 2010 12:37pm
An Oakville teen using an anti-depressant drug died after hanging herself
while “affected by depression, cocaine and ethanol,” a coroner’s jury
ruled Monday.
Sara Carlin, an 18-year-old scholar and outstanding athlete committed
suicide on May 6, 2007, at her Oakville home, 14 months after she had began
taking the anti-depressant drug Paxil, which is a type of drug known as
selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). She had also been using cocaine
and drinking heavily.
Carlin’s parents, Neil and Rhonda were visibly pleased after the jury
released its verdict and also made several recommendations aimed at preventing
similar suicides.
Among its many suggestions, the jury recommended the Ontario College of P
hysicians and Surgeons train doctors administering these drugs to “inform
the patient of the benefits and risk including rare and serious side
effects of SSRIs” and of reasonable alternative treatments, and the risks of
taking such medications while consuming alcohol or narcotics.
“If those recommendations were in place a few years ago, Sara would be
alive today,” said Neil Carlin. “We consider this a great victory.”
