Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Permanent Optic Nerve Damage--> Thanks to Humira (aka Biologic Bull****)


I should probably create a page (when I make pages) that's titles "Lawsuits Due to Biologic Treatments".  This is like the 4th or 5th article i've posted in regards to biologic drugs producing long-term damage to someone.

The last paragraph of this article gets me.   "...Abbott downplayed the risk of Humira side effects, including the risk of Central Nervous System (CNS) demyelination, which can cause optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, multiple sclerosis or other nerve problems."  These aren't minor side-effects like dry mouth, these conditions will impact your life dramatically and forever.


 I wonder what other health risks Abbott Labs have downplayed.  Adding the nerve damage issues would just be a few more health problems that you risk developing by treatment with these biologic meds.  LOL when the freaking side-effect profile lists almost 100 possible negative consequences that may happen to you if your lucky, what's 105.  People must really be desensitized OR maybe patients trust their doctor and are completely clueless.  Unfortunately, to know all the important details of something, requires effort on your part.  You have to do your own research - Trust no one
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Vision Problems from Humira Result in Lawsuit Over Optic Nerve Damage - AboutLawsuits.com

Abbott Laboratories faces a product liability lawsuit over Humira, their blockbuster arthritis and Crohn’s Disease drug, which was filed by a woman who alleges that she has developed optic nerve damage and permanent vision problems from Humira.
The Humira lawsuit was filed by Jamie Bixby in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on May 20, 2011.
Bixby alleges that side effects of Humira caused her to develop optic neuritis, an inflammation of the optic nerve that has left her with permanent impairment to vision in her left eye and a future risk of other nerve problems, including multiple sclerosis or loss of vision in her other eye.
Humira (adalimumab) is a “biologic” drug, which is part of a class of medications known as TNF blockers or tumor necrosis factor blockers. The medication was launched by Abbott Laboratories in 2003 for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, but was subsequently approved for other indications, including treatment of Crohn’s Disease.
According to allegations raised in the complaint, Abbott downplayed the potential risk of Humira vision problems, despite the fact that information was available to establish notice that the drug may increase the risk of optic neuritis and other nerve damage from central nervous system (CNS) demyelination.
Bixby began using Humira in April 2008 for treatment of Crohn’s Disease, after her doctor suggested that the medication may be a better option than the long-term use of the steroid prednisone, which had been managing her symptoms. No warnings were provided on the drug label or prescription information that Humira may cause permanent damage to her vision at the time she began taking the medication.
In May 2008, Bixby indicates that she began experiencing severe headaches and pain in her left eye, which led her to call the toll free number provided with her Humira packet to ask if the problems may be related to the use of Humira. According to allegations contained in the complaint, Abbott’s nurse told her that eye pain was not related to Humira and suggested she contact her physician.
When Bixby contacted her doctor, she was told by the doctor’s office that they were unaware that eye problems were a known issue with Humira and scheduled an appointment for the following week. However, the next day Bixby noticed that the vision in her left eye became blurry with blacked out areas, causing her to leave work and seek immediate medical attention at an eye clinic.
Bixby was diagnosed with optic neuritis from Humira in both eyes, though she only experienced vision problems in her left eye. Following her diagnosis, Bixby was admitted for inpatient treatment to receive 4 days of intravenous steroids.
“Unfortunately, because Abbott had not adequately warned Ms. Bixby or her physician about the risk of optic neuritis, the diagnosis and treatment came too late to prevent permanent vision impairment for Ms. Bixby,” the complaint states.
Bixby previously worked as a web designer, and claims that she continues to suffer from headaches and eye pain that impact her ability to look at a computer screen for significant periods of time. She also continues to suffer blurry vision and black holes in the vision from her left eye, and has extreme light sensitivity and changes to her depth perception that affect her ability to drive or ride a bike.
Plaintiff alleges that Abbott downplayed the risk of Humira side effects, including the risk of Central Nervous System (CNS) demyelination, which can cause optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, multiple sclerosis or other nerve problems.

2 comments:

  1. I have crohns disease and was on humira for about 5 months in 2008. About half way through that period I started experiencing pain, tingling and numbness in my right arm. My MD at the time thought this was from the fact that I had fallen down the stairs 4-6 prior (I only sustained a wrist sprain). I also started having severe migrains behind my eyes, which I spent meny days in the ER for and even had to start taking daily preventative medecine, along with medication at the onset and painkillers and would still end up in the ER.
    The pain, numbness and tingling in my arm never went away. And the mirgraine like pain behind my eyes continued occasionally.
    Earlier this year I went to urgent care for severe pain in my neck and shoulder that ran down my arm. They contributed this to being a pinched nerve in the c4/c5 area of my c-spine, which they thought was caused by a slip on the ice 6-8 weeks prior (even though I had no symptoms in that 6-8 weeks).
    Shortly after that(2-3 weeks)I had a bout of the migrain like pain that also came with VERY blurry vision, and after many weeks of return appointments to the eye doctors I was diagnosed with glaucoma, I then had surgery to prevent reuccurances. The pain started again about a week later, I continued to return to the eye MD until I lost my peripheral vision in my left eye. I then went through many test and was diagbosed with optic neuritis.
    This led to many more test until I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I now have a permanent tremor in my right arm, and my right side of my body is now and will probably always be weaker than my left. This also comes along with the occasionally almost excrutiating eye pain and pain, permanent numbness and tingling in my right arm. and you can't foget about the severe fatigue, that gets so bad at time I barely have the energy to breath, never mind run arrounf with my kids.
    And the kicker in all of this is that it is something that I will always have and will always progressively get worse. I know constantly wonder how I will support my now 3 and 4 year olds, and worry about how much longer I will physically be able to work.
    I am a 24 year old, married mother of two toddlers, and I now have a disease that will eventually cripple me. This is what I have to think about every day, how I WILL eventually be crippled, and needing someone to help me with even the most basic daily tasks, I just hope the disease will progress slowely enough so that I can at least finish raising my two little girls.

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  2. I am so sorry for all that you have been through and continue to go through. My heart really goes out to you and I can feel your pain (somewhat... because I will never really know what it is like to be in your skin).
    I, as well, have been through the ringer with the many doctors' appointments, tests, the not knowing and wondering, the physical lethargy and not to mention the emotional toll that all of the physical stuff has burdened me with.
    I know what it's like to be in my twenties and feel like I'm 85. No one really understands what I mean when I talk to people that do not have Crohn's or a chronic illness of some kind. They often dismiss my complaints as being untrue. I encourage you to stay connected to others that understand and support you. Being around negative people that just know how to criticize, are drags. They are like life suckers and I tend to stay away from people that don't offer anything positive to my life. Trust me it hasn't been easy eliminating these people from my life, but it's necessary to not let the stress from these people effect me.
    Stress can severely effect your condition, as you probably are already aware of this. Take one day at a time, don't jump too far ahead in regards to your worry and concerns. Things will work out and people will come into your life that will help you when you are in need. Life is like that. You will raise your girls and do it with vigor! Please stay positive and connected & thank you for sharing your story with me.

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