Comments on: Zelnorm alternatives following recent recall http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/05/14/zelnorm-alternatives/ Saiontz, Kirk & Miles personal injury and medical malpractice lawyers. Thu, 4 Dec 2008 06:32:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Demari Monico http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/05/14/zelnorm-alternatives/#comment-50099 Demari Monico Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:47:05 +0000 http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/05/14/zelnorm-alternatives/#comment-50099 I am a strong supporter of Zelnorm. I suffered from IBS with constipation and it was dibilitating on a number of levels. Since this drug has been removed from the market I have spent each day dealing with the day to day struggles that this condition brings. I have to keep two wardrobes to accomodate the ever changing bloating that can be so extensive it may require me to wear maternity clothing. I agree with Ms. Francis & Ms. Burke. The risks associated with this medication are not great enough that I want to leave this condition untreated. Those 5 - 11% of women may not seem like a significant number to the FDA but if you ask those women what kind of results they had that 5 - 11% may seem a bit more real as you realize how this medication changed their life. I am a strong supporter of Zelnorm. I suffered from IBS with constipation and it was dibilitating on a number of levels. Since this drug has been removed from the market I have spent each day dealing with the day to day struggles that this condition brings. I have to keep two wardrobes to accomodate the ever changing bloating that can be so extensive it may require me to wear maternity clothing. I agree with Ms. Francis & Ms. Burke. The risks associated with this medication are not great enough that I want to leave this condition untreated. Those 5 - 11% of women may not seem like a significant number to the FDA but if you ask those women what kind of results they had that 5 - 11% may seem a bit more real as you realize how this medication changed their life.

]]> By: Tanya Francis http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/05/14/zelnorm-alternatives/#comment-45481 Tanya Francis Fri, 02 May 2008 05:56:37 +0000 http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/05/14/zelnorm-alternatives/#comment-45481 I have to agree with Ms Burke. I have severe IBS with constipation effecting my entire digestive track. I went for months with other medications where I was throwing up my bowel and had pain worse then when I had 2 kidney stones. Zelnorm was the only thing that worked for me and allowed me to start being able to function daily. I understand that some people have had problems with it but that happens with any drug. I can't understand why it is not made available for those of us that have had no problems after a year and half of taking it as long as we understand the possible risks. For myself the risk is better then what I have had to go through on a day to day basis since Zelnorm was taken off the markey last year. I have to agree with Ms Burke. I have severe IBS with constipation effecting my entire digestive track. I went for months with other medications where I was throwing up my bowel and had pain worse then when I had 2 kidney stones. Zelnorm was the only thing that worked for me and allowed me to start being able to function daily. I understand that some people have had problems with it but that happens with any drug. I can’t understand why it is not made available for those of us that have had no problems after a year and half of taking it as long as we understand the possible risks. For myself the risk is better then what I have had to go through on a day to day basis since Zelnorm was taken off the markey last year.

]]> By: Austin Kirk http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/05/14/zelnorm-alternatives/#comment-8470 Austin Kirk Fri, 18 May 2007 02:37:39 +0000 http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/05/14/zelnorm-alternatives/#comment-8470 Ms. Burke, Thank you for sharing your experiences. Certainly you are not alone as an IBS sufferer who found Zelnorm effective in treating your symptoms. However, the clinical studies have demonstrated that it is effective for a very small number of users (approximately 5-11% of female patients). In addition, wide promotion of this medication by the manufacturer has resulted in many users receiving the drug off-label, even though it is only intended for IBS with constipation. The FDA has recognized that there is a population for whom Zelnorm may be an acceptable treatment alternative, and they have indicated that it is possible the drug could be reintroduced in the future for a much more limited and controlled population to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and death associated with the drug. At this time they have found the risk of Zelnorm side effects outweighs the very limited benefits the drug provided, which is whyit has been removed from the market. Our office has been contacted by many Zelnorm users who did not have the same experiences as you, many of whom suffered heart attacks, strokes and ischemic colitis which could have been avoided if the manufacturer had warned of the danger. Ms. Burke, Thank you for sharing your experiences. Certainly you are not alone as an IBS sufferer who found Zelnorm effective in treating your symptoms. However, the clinical studies have demonstrated that it is effective for a very small number of users (approximately 5-11% of female patients). In addition, wide promotion of this medication by the manufacturer has resulted in many users receiving the drug off-label, even though it is only intended for IBS with constipation.

The FDA has recognized that there is a population for whom Zelnorm may be an acceptable treatment alternative, and they have indicated that it is possible the drug could be reintroduced in the future for a much more limited and controlled population to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and death associated with the drug. At this time they have found the risk of Zelnorm side effects outweighs the very limited benefits the drug provided, which is whyit has been removed from the market.

Our office has been contacted by many Zelnorm users who did not have the same experiences as you, many of whom suffered heart attacks, strokes and ischemic colitis which could have been avoided if the manufacturer had warned of the danger.

]]> By: sheila gay http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/05/14/zelnorm-alternatives/#comment-8412 sheila gay Wed, 16 May 2007 17:06:07 +0000 http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/05/14/zelnorm-alternatives/#comment-8412 I have been on zelnorm, for a period of 8 or 10 years. I now have IBS from takeing zelnorm. I have adominal cramping, from eating certain foods.I stay bloated all the time. I have contipation problems. which zelnorm did not help.I uaually go to the bathroom about once every 2 weeks. I now have crohns disease.And colitis of the bowels. I also experince chest pains. I have been to my DR. for this problem, and he told me to flush the zelnorm down the toilet. I never had any of these problems, until I started taking Zelnorm. I have been on zelnorm, for a period of 8 or 10 years. I now have IBS from takeing zelnorm. I have adominal cramping, from eating certain foods.I stay bloated all the time. I have contipation problems. which zelnorm did not help.I uaually go to the bathroom about once every 2 weeks. I now have crohns disease.And colitis of the bowels. I also experince chest pains. I have been to my DR. for this problem, and he told me to flush the zelnorm down the toilet. I never had any of these problems, until I started taking Zelnorm.

]]> By: Jean Burke http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/05/14/zelnorm-alternatives/#comment-8399 Jean Burke Wed, 16 May 2007 04:33:26 +0000 http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2007/05/14/zelnorm-alternatives/#comment-8399 I used Zelnorm for 1.5 years with miraculous results in treatment for a megacolon = chronic intractable constipation. My GI physician proposed treatment with Zelnorm saying that it would ONLY work IF the constipation arose from a problem with the colonic nervous system, i.e. if the nervous system in the colon was not transmitting messages effectively. He said it was only effective in 1 of 4 patients. It was a wonder drug for me. Nothing else worked - not fiber, not a vegetarian/vegan diet, not naturopathy or homeopathics, not colonic irrigation, not even laxatives. I was ready to say that surgical removal of the colon was the only way to go when my physician told me about the "new drug" Zelnorm, and it made my life liveable. You are misrepresenting the situation when you say that Zelnorm was "never very effective." The target population was always understood to be small. In addition, my understanding is that only patients with risk factors for CV problems were adversely affected by this drug, which means that patients WITHOUT risk factors could probably take this drug safely and with GREAT BENEFIT. I am a Paralegal working in Canada in the field of personal injury. I have high regard for lawyers as guardians of the rule of law and fair treatment of persons injured by negligence, and through no fault of their own. You are giving lawyers a bad name by misrepresenting the facts about use of Zelnorm, as you have done on this web page. Who are you seeking to beneft? I used Zelnorm for 1.5 years with miraculous results in treatment for a megacolon = chronic intractable constipation. My GI physician proposed treatment with Zelnorm saying that it would ONLY work IF the constipation arose from a problem with the colonic nervous system, i.e. if the nervous system in the colon was not transmitting messages effectively. He said it was only effective in 1 of 4 patients. It was a wonder drug for me. Nothing else worked - not fiber, not a vegetarian/vegan diet, not naturopathy or homeopathics, not colonic irrigation, not even laxatives. I was ready to say that surgical removal of the colon was the only way to go when my physician told me about the “new drug” Zelnorm, and it made my life liveable.

You are misrepresenting the situation when you say that Zelnorm was “never very effective.” The target population was always understood to be small. In addition, my understanding is that only patients with risk factors for CV problems were adversely affected by this drug, which means that patients WITHOUT risk factors could probably take this drug safely and with GREAT BENEFIT.

I am a Paralegal working in Canada in the field of personal injury. I have high regard for lawyers as guardians of the rule of law and fair treatment of persons injured by negligence, and through no fault of their own. You are giving lawyers a bad name by misrepresenting the facts about use of Zelnorm, as you have done on this web page. Who are you seeking to beneft?

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