I just found out that Zelnorm was recalled 3/07. I was given this after my depression-caused acutely inflammed gall bladder was removed, then began having increased symptoms of my already-diagnosed sinus tach. I ended up in ER with full blown heart symptoms of chest pain, sinus tach, difficulty breathing, lungs gurgling when I tried to lay down. The ER found nothing wrong, and a nurse finally came over and patted my hand and said I needed to handle my stress better and I was released, with no answer. Three months later I was diagnosed with my MCTD and put on DMARDS, and am now up to ten medications. This is just plain getting weirder and weirder. Wasn't Zelnorm recalled for cardiac issues? Like Vioxx/Bextra? (Same thing happened to hubby on Bextra - nothing wrong, must be stress of pending fatherhood at age 51.)
As the ped rheum stated to my husband (when we shared any family history of drug reactions): "There's a lawyer out there who wants to talk to you."
I pulled a CK at dx for MCTD of 680 - 215 is the high. Unreal.
[QUOTE=Suzanne]Wasn't Zelnorm recalled for cardiac issues? Like Vioxx/Bextra? (Same thing happened to hubby on Bextra - nothing wrong, must be stress of pending fatherhood at age 51.)
As the ped rheum stated to my husband (when we shared any family history of drug reactions): "There's a lawyer out there who wants to talk to you."
[/QUOTE]
Yep - heart attack as well as cardiac and intestinal ischemia (insufficient blood flow). On the other hand, there were some people who benefited greatly from this drug. This was the only thing that helped them, and it greatly improved the quality of their lives. Personally, I think the drug was given out far too casually. No drug is without risks; Zelnorm was no different.
[QUOTE=Suzanne]Wasn't Zelnorm recalled for cardiac issues? Like Vioxx/Bextra? (Same thing happened to hubby on Bextra - nothing wrong, must be stress of pending fatherhood at age 51.)
As the ped rheum stated to my husband (when we shared any family history of drug reactions): "There's a lawyer out there who wants to talk to you."
[/QUOTE]
My husband had a heart attack at age 44, mainly due to stress. just 5 months before the attack, he finalized his divorce to his previous wife (they had been separated for 4 years); we had gotten married 2 months before; we had a 10-month old son, and another one due in two months. And he was working 70+ hours per week.
Now he does not work more than 45 hours per week. And the cardiologist warned him that sex with the wife is good for the heart; sex with the neighbor's wife will cause another heart attack (not that that's ever been a concern... just cardiologist humor when asked if sex was OK after the heart attack
"Yeah, we gotta go home now. I gotta climb a flight of stairs."
[QUOTE=Hillhoney]My cousin's cardiologist also told him sex was good for his heart. He said that each time he had sex, it was like climbing a flight of stairs. So that very quickly became "code" in our family for sex!
"Yeah, we gotta go home now. I gotta climb a flight of stairs."
[/QUOTE]I took Zelnorm for about six months, as I just went back through my printout of medications I have from my pharmacy since 2002. Then I had this heart situation, which was "my needing to handle my stress better". Three months later I had an RA factor of 150, and a diagnosis of MCTD of RA, lupus, scleroderma, polymysitis, inflammation anemia, along with my old diagnosis of Hashimotos and sinus tach. Now add in HSV-1 for mouth canker sores and osteoporosis. I am in a slight place of shock here. No one would believe me.