Suicide Prozac 29/04/1988 U.S.A. Young Woman Who Was Not Depressed Commits Suicide: Peoples Pharmacy
 
 Summary:<br><br><div>Paragraph 1 reads:&nbsp; &quot;Question: <strong>My daughter committed suicide in 1988 one month after being put on a new medicine called Prozac. She was not depressed, but Prozac was prescribed for an eating disorder.&quot;<br /><br /></strong>_________________________________________________________________________<br />Safety of new, popular antidepressant questioned<br />St. Petersburg Times<br />April 29, 1990<br />Author: JOE GRAEDON <br /><br />TERESA GRAEDON <br />Estimated printed pages: 2 <br /><img src="../localhost/C_/Program%20Files/Eudora%20Pro/Embedded/19066811.jpg" alt="[]" width="1" height="1" /> <br /><br />Question: My daughter committed <strong>suicide</strong> in 1988 one month after being put on a new medicine called <strong>Prozac</strong>. She was not depressed, but <strong>Prozac</strong> was prescribed for an eating disorder. <br /><br />We believe <strong>Prozac</strong> is responsible for her <strong>suicide</strong>. She did not seem suicidal before she started taking this medicine, and even the day before she hanged herself she promised to take care of her neighbors&#39; cat while they were on vacation.<br /><br />Have you ever heard of another case of someone committing <strong>suicide</strong> while taking <strong>Prozac</strong>?<br /><br />Answer: We are so sorry to hear about your daughter&#39;s horrible death, and we extend our sympathy. We know of no similar case.<br /><br /><strong>Prozac</strong> (fluoxetine) has rapidly become the most successful antidepressant of all time. Several weeks ago it was featured on the cover of Newsweek magazine, and more than 650,000 prescriptions are filled each month.<br /><br />What makes <strong>Prozac</strong> so popular is its side effect profile. Instead of making people feel sluggish and drowsy, this new antidepressant is more likely to energize or stimulate.<br /><br />It is far less likely to cause constipation, dry mouth or weight gain. In fact, people on <strong>Prozac</strong> may actually lose weight.<br /><br />Despite its swift rise to stardom, <strong>Prozac</strong> does have a darker side. It can cause insomnia and jitteriness. Some people complain of nausea, sexual difficulties, tremor and headache.<br /><br />Of greater concern is a recent report in the American Journal of Psychiatry (Feb. 1990). Psychiatrists at Harvard report that six depressed, but non-suicidal, patients developed &quot;&quot;intense, violent suicidal preoccupation after two to seven weeks of fluoxetine treatment.&#39;&#39; While none of these patients committed <strong>suicide</strong>, this report does suggest that doctors warn patients of the danger of suicidal thoughts on <strong>Prozac</strong>.<br /><br />There is no way to tell if <strong>Prozac</strong> was responsible for your daughter&#39;s act. The company assures us that it has no data indicating that depressed people are more likely to think about <strong>suicide</strong> while on <strong>Prozac</strong> than while on any other treatment.<br /><br />Chromium and blood sugar<br /><br />Question: Please tell me if chromium supplements can stabilize blood sugar.<br /><br />Answer: New research suggests that chromium has a beneficial effect on glucose tolerance, a measure of blood sugar. Volunteers were given chromium supplements (200 micrograms) for 14 weeks. When they were tested at the end of the study, blood sugar rose only half as far as it had at the beginning.<br /><br />The scientists will look next to see if chromium supplements can benefit type II diabetics who do not need to take insulin.<br /><br />Safer tick repellent<br /><br />Question: Last year you wrote about a tick repellent that would be safer for children than DEET. My baby stayed in the playpen last year, but, now that he is walking, I need to protect him when he plays in the back yard.<br /><br />What is the repellent, and where can I get it? I&#39;ve been searching everywhere with no luck.<br /><br />Answer: Permanone Tick Repellent is applied to clothing rather than to the skin, so there is little danger of a child absorbing it. (Don&#39;t put it on an item a toddler may chew.)<br /><br />You won&#39;t find Permanone in your neighborhood drug store. It is available in independent sporting goods stores or independent lawn and garden stores in 32 states.<br /><br />If your store does not carry it, you may contact the distributor for ordering information. Write to Coulston International (P.O. Box 30, Easton, Pa. 18044). Customer service information is available at (215) 253-0167. <br />Edition:&nbsp; CITY<br />Section:&nbsp; FLORIDIAN<br />Page:&nbsp; 2F<br />Index Terms: health medicine; THE PEOPLE&#39;S PHARMACY; COLUMN<br />Record Number:&nbsp; 005 <br /><br />OpenURL Article Bookmark (right click, and copy the link location):<br /></div> 
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