Suicide Celexa* 07/12/2010 England Physician & Coroner Testify Celexa Contributed to Suicide of Woman: Pharma Dr. Agrees!
Suicide Celexa* 2010-12-07 England Physician & Coroner Testify Celexa Contributed to Suicide of Woman: Pharma Dr. Agrees!
Summary:

Paragraphs four through nine read:  "Mrs Woodley’s mother, Vera Sansbury, told the hearing her daughter turned into a 'zombie after taking the anti-depressant drug Citalopram [Celexa]."

“ 'The change in my daughter was remarkable,'  Ms Sansbury said."

“ 'She was a stable, happy, calm person but in three weeks the decline was rapid to a woman who was trembling, had panic attacks and wouldn’t make eye contact.' "

“ 'She was like a zombie.' "

“ 'The eyes were blank and flat and there was no emotional response. Yvonne displayed every single side-effect of the drug.'”

"Birmingham Coroner’s Court heard the drug was a common anti-depressant but came with a notice warning of side-effects, including agitation and mental turmoil in the first weeks of treatment, as trials showed there could be an increased risk of suicide."

Paragraphs 12 through 14 read:  "Prof David Healy, a psychiatrist and researcher into anti-depressants for Cardiff University, said:  'I believe the drug was likely to have played a part.' "

“ 'She was clearly suffering adverse effects of the drug and it was this that put her at risk.' "

“ 'This is the second inquest regarding this drug I have attended in the past five months. There have also been homicide cases involving it.' ”

Paragraphs 16 & 17 read:  "Dr Christopher Muldoon, representing the Lundbeck pharmaceutical company, which produces Citalopram, said the drug was safely used by millions of
patients.

But he agreed it could cause someone to take their own life who had not previously thought of doing so.


http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2010/12/07/devoted-mum-of-two-transformed-into-a-zombie-and-was-found-hanged-after-taking-anti-depressant-inquest-told-97319-27778207/2/



Devoted mum-of-two found hanged after taking anti-depressant, inquest told.

Dec 7 2010 by Alison Dayani, Birmingham Mail

A DEVOTED mum-of-two hanged herself as her children watched television downstairs, an inquest heard. 

Housewife Yvonne Woodley, of Park Avenue, Solihull, was found in the loft of the family home by her husband Kevin on October 25 last year.

The couple’s daughters, aged ten and 14, were downstairs.

Mrs Woodley’s mother, Vera Sansbury, told the hearing her daughter turned into a “zombie” after taking the anti-depressant drug Citalopram.

“The change in my daughter was remarkable,” Ms Sansbury said.

“She was a stable, happy, calm person but in three weeks the decline was rapid to a woman who was trembling, had panic attacks and wouldn’t make eye contact.

“She was like a zombie.

“The eyes were blank and flat and there was no emotional response. Yvonne displayed every single side-effect of the drug.”

Birmingham Coroner’s Court heard the drug was a common anti-depressant but came with a notice warning of side-effects, including agitation and mental turmoil in the first weeks of treatment, as trials showed there could be an increased risk of suicide.

Mrs Woodley, aged 42, saw six GPs on nine occasions at Solihull’s Yew Tree Medical Centre.

Doctors increased the dosage as she became more agitated, the court heard, and she also began saying she wanted to die.

Prof David Healy, a psychiatrist and researcher into anti-depressants for Cardiff University, said: “I believe the drug was likely to have played a part.

“She was clearly suffering adverse effects of the drug and it was this that put her at risk.

“This is the second inquest regarding this drug I have attended in the past five months. There have also been homicide cases involving it.”

Dr Christopher Muldoon, representing the Lundbeck pharmaceutical company, which produces Citalopram, said the drug was safely used by millions of
patients.

But he agreed it could cause someone to take their own life who had not previously thought of doing so.

“I do not believe this was the case with Mrs Woodley as I think it was her underlying depressive illness,” said Dr Muldoon.

“If patients show signs of mental restlessness, increasing the dose may be detrimental. Patient safety is the company’s priority.”

GP Dr Rosemary Smith, of Yew Tree
Medical Centre, said she had not seen Mrs Woodley before but increased the dose as the drug had not yet improved her depression.

Birmingham coroner Aidan Cotter recorded an open verdict. He said he could not be sure what happened and Mrs Woodley’s death may have been an accident as she made a cry for help.

He said he would also write to regulatory body the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency asking if more research was needed into the drug.

“If treatment was contributing to this then putting the dose up wasn’t the thing to do.