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News

FDA to review “missing” drug company documents

BMJ 2004; 330 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.330.7481.7 (Published 30 December 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;330:7

Rapid Response:

From a long time user

I'm from Montreal Canada and read the article concerning the contreversy of Prozac in a French newspaper.

I have to admit that I was really concern since I've been using Prozac (the generic Novo-Fluoxetine)for the last 10 years.

I use to suffer of severe depression, anxiety attacks, panick attacks and more. Doctors prescribed me Xanax with therapy. Xanax really didn't do me good. I was willing to do more stuff but the medication sucked out all of my energy.

I went to my familly doctor and told him about the Xanax. He then prescribed the Prozac and told me that if that drug suited me, I was a really lucky person and that life will be better for me.

He explained that I suffer from chemical imbalance in my brain (a gland that secretes that chemical isn't working good) so I have to take the Prozac to maintain a balance.

Good news, I started with 40 mg a day and things were great. Went down to 30 mg and things are still great. I am a good candidate for Prozac and when I read that article, it really made me think that if these sad things really happened with users of the medication, I blame their doctors for not keeping a close look at them.

My doctor clearly told me that not all people are good candidate and followed me on a bi-monthly basis. After ten years, he still follows me but every three months.

Prozac was a life saver for me so please, don't point at the medication but at the person that prescribed it wrong. I can't take Tylenol because it hurts my stomach but some other people can, so same thing for Prozac and all medications.

Thank you

Competing interests: None declared

Competing interests: No competing interests

06 January 2005
Josee Laverdiere
Administrative Assistant
Place Ville Marie