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News Articles >> Avandia Heart Attack
Avandia Heart Attack
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| May 14, 2008. By Lucy Campbell |
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New Orleans, LA: After being on Avandia for two years, Gail suffered a heart attack. When she was admitted to hospital, immediately following her heart attack, the doctors did an angiogram and found that all the arteries were blocked. Gail had to have five stents put in, which required two separate operations.
Today, nearly a year later, her life is totally different. Her ability to work has been dramatically affected, and she is concerned about her financial well-being.
Gail has type 2—or non-insulin dependent diabetes. Her doctor put her on Avandia to help control her blood glucose levels. But she experienced chest pains while she was on the drug, dizziness and blurred vision. Gail didn’t really think anything of these symptoms at the time. But, on the Labor Day weekend in 2007 the pain in her chest became severe, and she had terrible indigestion and tiredness. She also felt pain down her arm and into hand. It got so bad that on the Tuesday she called her doctor’s office. The nurse recognized the symptoms—Gail was having a heart attack. She left work on her lunch break and drove herself to the hospital. She remained in hospital for several days while the stents were put in.
Interestingly, Gail had stopped taking Avandia several months prior to her heart attack—on the advice of a doctor in another state—where she had relocated temporarily, following hurricane Katrina. “I kept having so many symptoms while I was on Avandia,” Gail said. “So I monitored myself on my various medications, and thought it had to be that drug. My doctor in Louisiana didn’t seem to be concerned, and didn’t give me any advice. But my husband was concerned about my health—the way I was breathing in my sleep, and would wake up in the night with the pain. I had headaches and my blood pressure remained high—despite being blood pressure medication.
The worst thing is that the doctors found blockages in the arteries of my legs. They did tests, and said there was nothing they could do—the damage had already been done.
Years ago I had all the tests done on my heart—including angiograms—and they always came out fine. I never had any problems. This heart attack has really upset me,” Gail said. “I just finished rehab this March,” she said. “ I went to a clinic and had therapy, which really helped. This has an effect on you. Depression sets in. You start questioning your decisions. They say depression can lead to more heart problems.”
It’s a completely different life now—there are so many things I can’t do now that I used to do. I was always very active.” In fact, Gail was doing everything she was supposed to do before she had her heart attack: eating a sensible diet, and exercising. So when she was in the hospital immediately following her heart attack—and not knowing she had had a heart attack—she was not expecting the problem to be related to her heart. “I was shocked when they told me that I needed five stents.”
Recently, Gail’s daughter saw some information about taking possible legal action against the makers of Avandia, as it didn’t seem to be working as the marketing claimed, and that there may be an Avandia recall. “My daughter called me and asked if I had ever checked into the possibility of seeking legal help—and I hadn’t. So I decided to call a lawyer. She helped me.
I‘ve been told that I am not eligible for social security or disability. I was teaching for many years, but teachers apparently didn’t pay social security when I was teaching. So I’m in limbo right now. I just hope that something can be done to resolve this. If I could at least be compensated, that would help me to get through the rest of my years as far as taking care of things financially.”
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