Avandia News

 

Avandia: Back from the Brink

-LawyersandSettlements.com

07/24/2008- As a result of events in 2007, Jack has been forced to face the prospect of early retirement, and must live a fairly stress-free life. In the Spring of that year he suffered a heart attack then heart failure, while he was taking Avandia. Could Avandia have contributed?

"I am a diabetic and about five or six years ago my endocrinologist recommended I start taking Avandia plus my other medications," Jack said. "I took it for years and never gave it a second thought."

Then, one Sunday night in May Jack began to feel unwell. "It was nothing more than an irritation," he said. "I was about to leave on vacation, but had chest discomfort and pain in my arm. So my wife convinced me to go to the hospital." Jack's wife was going to drive them to the nearest emergency, but when Jack got in the car, he began having breathing difficulties. "I couldn't breathe, so my wife called 911."

The paramedics arrived and rushed Jack straight to the hospital. He was having a heart attack. After doing all the appropriate tests, the doctors discovered that he had blocked arteries. A familiar story for people taking Avandia. "The doctors operated and put in two stents," he said. " I went back a month later for a third stent, and about a month after that I had heart failure. Then I saw information on TV about Avandia, and it started to make sense."

Jack was never warned about Avandia by any of his doctors or the people at the hospital. "The doctors asked what medications I was taking, but no one ever mentioned anything about Avandia," he said.

Like so many people who have suffered heart attacks while taking the drug, Jack did experience shortness of breath and swelling – classic symptoms of the adverse health effects of Avandia. "My legs were about four times the size they usually were," Jack said." And this is after I had the stents put in. I lost 40lbs in the hospital after that – that's how much water I was retaining."

Not realizing the swelling was an indication that something was wrong Jack didn't pay much attention to it, nor did he really take the shortness of breath too seriously. "I had seen doctors but nobody noticed or said anything."

Again, like so many others, Jack's blood pressure was monitored closely by his doctor."I have high blood pressure, but I'm on medication for it," he said. Apart from the recent development of shortness of breath and swollen legs, there was nothing out of the ordinary that would indicate that Jack was at increased risk for heart attack or heart failure.

All this started in April 2007. "In July - August I had heart failure," Jack said. How does he feel today? "I am not the same person I was, and it has become difficult to find employment." Like so many others who have suffered almost carbon copy experiences, Jack would like some answers.

If you or a loved one have experienced an Avandia heart attack, or Avandia stroke, Avandia congestive heart failure, Avandia cardiovascular disease or if you have lost a loved one to an Avandia death you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the Avandia attorneys of Ennis & Ennis today for a free confidential case evaluation. Our on staff nurse and lawyers are standing by to answer any questions you may have regarding Avandia's side effects, a possible Avandia class action lawsuit, or any other type of Avandia litigation.