Peoples Pharmacy: Man's 33 Year Old Son, Married With 2 Children, Kills Self on Prozac
Summary:
Paragraph one reads: "My 33-year-old son committed suicide five years ago while he was taking Prozac. Apparently neither the doctor nor the pharmacist warned my son or his wife thatProzac could cause suicidal thoughts."
Paragraph four reads: "We are so sorry to hear about the death of your son. The Food and Drug Administration first issued a warning about the possibility of suicidal thoughts linked to antidepressants in 2004. Initially, the caution applied to children and adolescents. It has been expanded to include young adults."
Q: My 33-year-old son committed suicide five years ago while he was taking Prozac. Apparently neither the doctor nor the pharmacist warned my son or his wife that Prozac could cause suicidal thoughts.
My son had two precious children whom he loved very much. Now they are without a father. Losing a child was 100 times more painful than the deaths of my parents.
People should be told about other ways to manage depression, such as counseling, vigorous exercise or even an herb like St. John's wort.
A: We are so sorry to hear about the death of your son. The Food and Drug Administration first issued a warning about the possibility of suicidal thoughts linked to antidepressants in 2004. Initially, the caution applied to children and adolescents. It has been expanded to include young adults.
Although many people can benefit from antidepressants, others experience intolerable side effects. Suddenly stopping drugs like citalopram (Celexa), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft) and venlafaxine (Effexor) can be difficult.
You are right that alternative approaches can sometimes be helpful in managing depression.
In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them c/o King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., 15th floor, New York, NY 10019, or via their website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.