Prescription Drugs With Harmful Side Effects
Sometimes the medications that doctors prescribe to help patients end up being more dangerous than the original problems that the doctors are trying to treat. Zoloft (generic name sertraline) is a prime example of the many dangerous drugs that are being prescribed today. Commonly prescribed to treat depression, anxiety attacks, posttraumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, and premenstrual syndrome, Zoloft works by increasing the amount of serotonin, which is a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance.
Although it can be helpful in controlling the symptoms of various depression-related issues, Zoloft has been linked to a wide range of catastrophic side effects, including birth defects.
"I founded Murphy Law Firm LCC to help people who have been hurt by dangerous drugs get the full compensation that their cases are worth. If you or a loved one has taken Zoloft or sertraline during any part of pregnancy and the child was born with serious heart and birth defects, please contact us immediately. You may be entitled to compensation, and we can help. Call me." ∙ Attorney Peyton Murphy ∙ Contact Murphy Law Firm
Problems Associated With Zoloft
Zoloft is a drug in the antidepressant group of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that works by increasing the brain's balance maintaining serotonin.
Birth Defects
A New England Journal of Medicine study found that the pregnant women it examined who took Zoloft in the first trimester had twice the risk of having a baby born with a heart defect. Further scientific studies have linked SSRIs similar to Zoloft to numerous birth defects, including:
- Heart defects
- Cleft lip
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN): PPHN is a life-threatening disorder in which the newborn's arteries to the lungs remain constricted shortly after delivery, severely limiting oxygen flow in the bloodstream, often causing severe postpartum respiratory failure, fatal in up to 20 percent of affected infants.
- Atrial septal defect (ASD): Generally speaking, this is simply classified as a hole in the heart.
- Tetralogy of Fallot: This is a combination of four defects that include narrowed passageway between the pulmonary artery and the right ventricle, ventricle hypertrophy, ventricular septal defect (VSD) and an overriding aorta.
- Transposition of the Great Arteries: This is another type of congenital heart defect that can cause shortness of breath or a bluish skin discoloration due to lack of oxygenated blood.
- Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS) and Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS): Another class of congenital heart defect in which right side or the left side of the heart does not develop as intended.
- Spina bifida/Neural Tube Defects (or NTDs): Neural tube defects affect the brain and spinal cord. The two most common neural tube defects are spina bifida and anencephaly.
- Abdominal/cranial defects: Omphalocele and Craniosynostosis are the two most common of these defects.
- Clubfoot: With clubfoot, the baby's foot is turned in, stiff and cannot be brought to a normal position.
Postnatal Complications
According to the FDA, infants exposed Zoloft late in the third trimester commonly develop complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding, including:
- Respiratory distress
- Cyanosis
- Apnea
- Seizures
- Temperature instability
- Feeding difficulty
- Vomiting
- Hypoglycemia
- Hypertonia
- Tremor
- Jitteriness
- Irritability
- Constant crying
Serious Withdrawal Complications From Discontinuing the Drug
Discontinuing the drug, many patients have found that side effects resulting from withdrawal from Zoloft can be even worse. Although the withdrawal symptoms Paxil among the worst, Zoloft side effects tend to rank as a close second, including:
- Jolting electric "zaps"
- Dizziness
- Extreme nausea and vomiting
- High fever
- Abdominal discomfort
- Flu symptoms
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Aggression
- Nightmares
- Tremor
- Seizures
- Confusion
The Zoloft side effects stemming from withdrawal can become so painful that some patients have committed suicide. The Zoloft side effects can become much worse if you stop taking the medication abruptly.
Contact a Baton Rouge Zoloft Lawsuit Attorney
Free Consultations ∙ Contingency Fees
After suffering serious injuries, to you or your child, or the wrongful death of your child due to Zoloft or other SSRIs, come in for a free consultation. Our attorneys will listen to you and give you a good understanding of your options. We also work on contingency fee, so you will not be asked to pay attorney fees until we win your case. Call 225-928-8800 in Louisiana or contact Murphy Law Firm online to schedule your free initial consultation with a lawyer from our firm.
