NOTE: There have been recalls of other digoxin brands since this massive Digitek recall in the spring of 2008. As of May 13th, 2009 the most recent has been a recall on Caraco brand digoxin.
A class I recall is being issued on all Digitek (digoxin) tablets, which may contain twice the approved level of digoxin.The existence of double-strength pills pose a risk of digitalis toxicity, which can result in nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, cardiac instability, bradycardia and even death.
Digitek is a registered trademark of Actavis Totowa (formerly Amide Pharmaceutical, Inc.) for their digoxin tablets, which are prescribed to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. The drug is distributed by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., under a “Bertek” label and by UDL Laboratories, Inc. under a “UDL” label.
Patients taking Digitek should contact their physician immediately for medical advice. Retailers who carry Digitek should return the product to the place of purchase. Overdosing on this drug can be very dangerous. In fact, digoxin was used in a series of murders in the 1980’s and 90’s that were committed by a male nurse who claimed to have killed the patients to “end their suffering”. More on these digoxin murders.
Contrary to many rumors, Actavis states that Digitek is manufactured in New Jersey – not China.
For more information visit: www.actavis.us .
Editor’s Note on Possible Class Action or Mass Tort Lawsuit:
Given the overwhelming response in the comments below and in people filling out our attorney-contact form, we have began releasing information (at the request of the injured) to a pharmaceutical injury attorney who is working on building a case for the victims of this recall. There may be grounds for legal reconciliation in some cases. Please fill out our contact form and we will ensure that your email gets evaluated by an experienced attorney who specializes in these kinds of cases. Don’t forget to leave your contact information and as many details as possible about your experience with Digitek (Digoxin) over the last few months. Be honest and complete in your answers in order for an attorney to better develop your case. In the meantime, discuss the Digitek recall, and your symptoms, with a physician to determine the best course of action for your health and wellbeing.
Please share your story below and read what others have to say about their experiences. It is troubling and sad that so many people have been affected in such profound ways by the Digitek (Digoxin) recall, but sharing your story may help others understand what may have been causing their sickness.
My husband, who takes Digoxin every day has had some very disturbing episodes, which we could not explain. He has had nausea, severe sweating, weakness, shaking, and generally a very ill feeling. When this would occur, he checked his blood sugar, and it was fine. It would eventually pass. But, it was so disturbing, that we mentioned it to his Cardiologist. He said it sounded like my husband’s blood pressure was dropping, for some reason. When I went to refill his Digoxin prescription, the pharmacist told me IT HAD BEEN RECALLED!! Why did no one know about this? And why has nothing been on TV or on the news? We are very upset about this! How did this happen? How did a drug, which was double strength get into the pharmacies?? I would like some answers! The FDA needs to get their act together and protect us.
My mother has been taking Digoxin for a very long time. Recently during a hospital stay, the nurses only gave her half a pill at a time. When she asked questions of the staff, they replied, “You really need to have your doctor take another look at the dosage to make sure you are taking the right amount”. She received her refill bottle today in the mail and also received a phone call from the mail-pharmacy informing her of the recall. If the doctors and nurses in the hospital knew this over a month ago…..why did no one tell her then? She has been taking this medicine since her hospital stay with no clue. It skipped her mind to ask her doctors again about what the nurses did and now it all makes sense. I thought that the doctors and nurses were there to help heal, comfort and keep patients informed. Why would this have been kept secret? I agree with Linda, I would like some answers as well!!!
I just received a phone call from my mother saying that the pharmacy just called her to tell her of the Dogoxin recall. The gave no explaination why just said to return it and they would replace the unused portion. For two weeks she has been feeling ill, listless, tired and had very slow heartbeat. The doctor put her on a monitor for 36 hours and she is awaiting his call as to the results. When she filled this prescription 2 weeks ago that is when all the symptons began.
WHY CAN’T WE PRODUCE OUR OWN DRUGS IN OUR COUNTRY. This is absolutely unexceptable. She had been feeling fine before taking this new batch of Digoxin
Why has it taken so long to notify those of us on Digitek ? My pharmacist just called me late today ! I have not heard from ANYONE else !
My husband was notified today of the recall and was advised by the pharmacy to get in touch with his Doctor….He has been throwing up daily, the Dr. prescribed Promethazine fo settle his stomach. He chokes and gags now but no longer throws up….How could this happen and who is responsible?
UDL Lab.
1718 Northrock Ct
Rockford, IL 61103-1201
United States
Founded in 1980
Phone:
815-282-1201
My mother has taken Digoxin for many years and when I attempted to refill her prescription yesterday, I was told by the Pharmacist that there was a recall on this medication. Digoxin is such a widely used and essential medication that I can not understand why there has not been more publicity surrounding this recall. Is this the responsibility of the FDA?
My mother is 85 years old and has been taking digoxin for a long time. In 2007 she was in the hospital many times. We were told that she was taking her medication wrong, but that is not true. This year her hair started falling out and when tests were run her digitek level was too high causing her hair to fall out. She has been in the hospital 3 times this year and nobody could tell us the problem. She has been feeling nausea, weak, nervous and depressed. Why didn’t the hospital or doctors pick up on this problem? I feel that it has taken years from my mother’s life.
Karen from West Virginia
I too have been on this medicine for 4 years-no one called me either! If it wasn’t for my neighbor telling me about the recall I would not have known-nothing is in our local newspaper nor on TV! I called Medco who is my medicine company-they told me to STOP TAKING IT-call your cadiologist and then gave me an #888 number to call which I did-they took all the informationa nd will sned me a env. to return my meds in it!
I’m on this medicine-no one called me about stopping it-except my neighbor mentioned it to me! Nothing on TV or our local newspapers! So I called Medco-the drug company-they said; STOP TAKING IT!! Call your cardilogist and get a new supply! I did this-they didn’t even call any of the patients to notify them of this recall!! Now I have to mail the meds to another place for a fullr efund!
DOESN’T ANYONE CARE ABOUT US FOLKS??? VERY POOR COMMUNICATION!!!!!
My mother has been taken digoxin for a few years now, and we received a call from Medco to stop taken this drug, I feel that this information should have been on the news, there are many seniors who don’t have computers and can look this information up, or there Dr’s have not call them to tell them to stop taking the medicine, which is bad, I have contacted my mother cardilogist, and PCP, and neither of them know about the recall, that is another bad move, they should have been told, one of her Dr’s said they will call in another script od digoxin because all the bad pills have been pull off the market, how can we be sure before we start to give a family member this medicine, will this every be on the news so all can be aware of the problem and health risk.
my mother in law was on this medication for a while and lately she wasn’t feeling herself. she had nausea hard time breathing and she complained about a metallic taste in her mouth. the doctors put her on nexium for her heartburn but she still wasn’t feeling right. well to make a long story short she passed away 2 weeks ago. i want to know how long ago did the drug company know the were defective.
I have been taking digoxin for several years. Recently , I’d say about three months ago i started feeling very weak and hard to breath, felt like i was running a mile a minute. All i want to do is lie down, I am depressed to the point of suisidal thoughts.I hate feeling like this.
I have been taking digoxin for many years, but five weeks ago I became very sick and blamed my symptoms on another medication. I have been telling my doctors for over a month that I was nautious and felt like I had a terrible hangover. I don’t drink.
My family doctor finally had me do some blood tests and it was found that my digoxin level was too high. He told me to break my pills in half, but I felt no better.
Yesterday a nurse from my insurance company called me and told me about the digoxin recall. The numbers on the pictured tablets matched my medication as did the manufacture’s name.
I went to see a cardiologist today who told me to stop the medication. I called my pharmacy (Walgreens) and the assistant manager of the store said they are not notifying patients because there were too many to contact. Think I’ll find a new pharmacy!
My father takes digitek too and has also had unexplained episodes lately, today he was notified via e-mail about the recall, but not told what to do. GO to your doc. and have your Dig. levels tested asap. Also I went to UDL. lab inc. web site they still have this med listed in all doses from Amide Bertek (bad mfg.) listed as available! This could have killed people, someone should be held responsible, and should do better than a gee whoops we’re sorry!!!!
What the heck is up with this. I have taken this for the past three years due to a couple of episodes of A-fib.
I had mine refilled in late January and two weeks later, after having a routine cardio net monitor put on, they found I had v-tach. They implanted an ICD and said they could find no known reason for the v-tach and labeled it idiopathic.
They stopped the digitex at that time and my ICD has record no v-tach events. I want to know when they started shipping these pills and what the story really is. I got a call from MEDCO, and now I want to know THE REAL DEAL!!
Lanoxin is the brand name drug. Unfortunately it looks like you can’t find Lanoxin right now since all of the digoxin users are switching back to the brand name product. Not a good thing when you’re out of the drug. My wife’s cardiologist says that she should be okay for “a couple of days” doing without the Lanoxin but we’re going to spend tomorrow on the phone seeing if we can find a supply.
my heart specialist implanted a difribulator last friday because my heart rate has been 100+ lately
My father’s doctor just called me to inform us of the digitek recall but said his dosage was very low and he might be able to just not take it daily.
He had told me for a few months he was feeling dizzy and a little weak, but I thought it was from his blood sugar levels being low.
Hopefully there is another solution rather than just ceasing to take a necessary medication and substituting it for another one.
MY FATHER DIED ACOUPLE OF WEEKS AGO HE WAS FINE. HE DIED OF CARIDIAC ARREST, HE WAS TAKING THE REALLED LOT NUMBER.
I have been taking digitek for the past nine years and i am only 24 now. The past weeks i hve felt very nauseous and wore out! All i wanna do is lay around. Over the years i have had unexplained episodes of nausea, sweating, feeling faint and like i could vomit and pass out. This all makes since. Always wondered what it was. Guess i know now!
My wife has been feeling weak for a couple of month’s and lately she has been feeling short of breathe and her feet are swollen, and she has been having an upset stomach for a few weeks now. We have put off a trip back up north because of her health, we were actually afraid she was having congestive heart failure because of the way she was feeling so we haven’t been doing anything except sitting at home and monitoring her vitals. Then we get a call from the company that we get her meds from the 29th. in the evening and tell us to contact her Dr. because of the recall, If this has been known for several weeks , why hasn’t there been notification to patients taking digitek before now. We have been scared to death for a couple of months now for no apparent reason.
My Dad was taking digitek also for quite some time now and a couple of months ago started experiencing symptoms as stated here such as difficulty breathing, nausea, blood pressure dropping, slow heartbeat just to name some of the symptoms he had. He went to the Dr. and they did blood work his Digitek levels were 4 to 5 times higher than what they should have been. He has had several blood test both at Dr. office and Hospital and Doctor were unaware of what was causing it to sky rocket. They had him up his water pill and stop his Digitek and was putting him back on it but in baby doses and then last Friday he received a call from the Pharmacist telling him about the recall. I want to find out has anybody spoke to an Attorney for damages and future damages (health issues that may not even be yet know because of their mistake). The 1-800 the Pharmacist had them call told me they are recalling ALL lots of this medication so hard telling how far back this goes. If you have any communication with an Attorney or the Manufacturer it would be helpful if you would post that info here – and you can keep your name hidden if necessary. Thanks
I can see how it would be frustrating that many of you had problems with Digitek/digoxin. The only way a drug can be recalled is if there have been enough people notifying there doctors of problems. The doctor then has to associate the problems with the drug and then notifiest he drug company or FDA of problems associated with the drug. In the future I would say if you are not feeling right and on a drug that a level can be checked, demand that your doctor check the drug level in your blood.
today the dr. changed my husbands digitek prescription to lanoxin,i hope it
helps,he’s been so tired so much of the time for three months ( 3 mos. presc)
it was not like him at all,we have been so confused by this change i hope this
change makes a difference.
I have taked Digiteck for about three years or more, and lately, I have been extremly nauseated, get very tired, having shortness of breath when I carry something, or come up stairs,couldn’t imagine what has been happening, there were a lot of unanswered things rolling around in my mind and just could not get a handle on it. I am going to call my pcp in the am, and see what he has to say, as I am more than worried about this recall, which I heard about on the evening news last night. Imagine that, no calls, or alerts, just a little mentioning on the evening news!!
My Costco pharmaciest called and informed me that my prescription was recalled on April 29th and to return any unused tablets. I had only 2 tablets left in my 3 month supply, so obviously this ‘lot’ of pills have been on the market for better than three months.
I called my cardiologist right away and he recommended I have bloodwork done to determine if I am toxic. I had that done yesterday and am awaiting the results.
The news report stated that this was a voluntary recall…..so why wait so long to do it? And most important…….where has the FDA been for 3 + months?
I have been taking Digitek, too and Wal-Mart notified me of the recall. However, I have found a number to get further assistance with questions and possible reimbursment for costs incured such as blood level testing, Physician visits, etc.
Call Mylan 1-800-432-8534
Hope this helps everyone!
Everyone keep in mind – what future damage has this done to your health. My father was suffering from Cardiac arrest and we know is last prescription was over 6 months ago because he gets meds before he leaves the country. Make sure when you call Mylan that you write down all your symptoms and have someone review them to make sure you have everything covered so they can’t come back later and state you did not converse that at the time of your complaint. Please post on responses you may get from them here so everyone can be prepared with this Giant in this Industry.
I am very concerned. My husband (now 47) has been on Digoxin for about 15 months and my mother (age 83) was prescribed this back in November 2007. My husband has had no ill side affects. My mother became sick about 2 weeks after taking the Digoxin, (she became very tired, loss of appetite and experienced severe nausea — among other symptoms) she returned to the hospital and unfortunately, passed away 5 weeks later. I discussed this new drug with the doctor and he felt it was a drug that was necessary for her survival — I even asked him to lower the dosage but he did not recommend that we do that. I just couldn’t believe that a woman that was very independent @ the age of 83 would become this ill so quickly without any reason and in a blink of an eye be unable to care for herself. When I got a call from the pharmacy on Saturday they were unable to tell me the reason for the recall (it is a large chain pharmacy). The best part of this recall was that I took the medication to the pharmacy, they looked at the bottle, handed it back to me and told me to throw the remaining pills away when I got home and didn’t replace the 10 remaining pills. Any idea who should replace the remaining pills that I was told to throw away — the pharmacy or the laboratory that made them?????
I too am quite upset about the recall of Digitek. I have been taking this prescription for three years now. My pharmacy left a message on my answering machine to please call regarding my prescription. Fortunately I called immediately, and they told me to stop taking the Digitek and to contact my dr. I responded by asking what are the side affects, because I too have been having problems with being extremely tired, dizzy and general flue like symptoms. I even thought it was my Thyroid and asked my dr. to order a blood test to check my thyroid level due to the lack of energy and weakness in my leg muscles. Since I was alerted two days ago, I have been to my cardiologist and called my primary care dr. My cardiologist ordered a EKG and has given me a new prescription for a med that he said is quite expensive, however since the Digitek is recalled, this is the monetary path that I have to take. This recall has cost me medical office visits, new RX’s, Lab blood work tests and stress. Who is going to be accountable for this mistake????
My father just had to have open heart surgery and have a LVAD installed. This was done because his defibrillator kept going off, and the Doctors couldn’t figure out why. This MUST be due to the Digitek he was taking!! My family is very upset; we want to know who is going to be accountable for this deadly mistake!
I am an Advanced Nurse Practitioner and I did not find out about the recall until late yesterday and even then it was just through word of mouth. I am very disappointed in the handling of this recall. If anything, healthcare providers should have been notified so we can call our patients. It is an embarassment to have to hear about this from a patient. This is a very dangerous drug to be getting an overdose of and I wonder how many people died before this was discovered.
I have been on Digitek for about a year along with other medcation for congestive heart failure. Some months later I started feeling fatigue and just blew it off. Well in the last three months, mainly in February I got really ill, nause,weak in arms extremely fatigue and sweating like crazy I lost almost 10 pounds in two weeks and could not do anything. I went to the emergency room, only for them to tell me (drink lost of fluids,rest and indirectly tell me possible flu.) I kept telling them that it wasn’t the flu that I felt differently, but they sent me home with a pat on the back. Four weeks the weakness and nause is still there. Some days I am too tired to remain out of bed and I have yet to regain my strength back. I still get nause,headaches,fatigue, sweats and now a radical depression has set in. I went to refill my prescription today and they told me it was recalled. SHOCKED and SURPRISED!!!! I just talked to my dorctor office today for a refferal and nothing was told to me about the RECALL!!!!!!!!! What is doctor patience care coming to?????!!!!!!!!
I am more then a little upset about all of this, I had been on Lanoxin for years then when I changed doctor in November they gave a new prescribtion and when I had it filled Wagreens substituted Digoxin, (without my permission) almost seven weeks ago I became sick, throwing up, shortness of breathe, I decided that I had better go to the hospital, well they decided it was probably Broncitus or pnemonia ( no xrays, just no other explaination) the gave me a lot of meds, none of it has helped. Then today I went to get my refill only to find out that it has been refilled and this is more then likely this is the reason I have been so sick, I am so angry, who do we call who is going to reimburse for all that unnecessary meds, the unnecessary doctor visits? I still have 40 of these pills and they sure will not be taken. Why did the Walgreens know about this and not notify us?
I should have said recalled instead of refilled
Yesterday I went to a new doctor who discovered a heart murmur, something the cardiologist never spoke about. Last year I had a echo which was normal. I think the digitek/digoxin may have either caused this or made it strong enough to be heard in a normal exam. I was on this drug for a month and the whole time my heart pounded in my chest. I finally decided this week to cut it in half. Then yesterday I find out it was recalled. What I didn’t need was another problem.
I am still awaiting the return call from the company to seek reimbursment (nearly 24 hrs have past). I had to miss getting an important eye surgery that would help relieve pressure and therfore save my vision in the one eye I can still see with as a result of this recall. I have had to make many phone calls traveled to get a blood level, had my Husband rearrange his schedule, etc.
There are many issues for everyone involved with this error and we will all have a different experience as a result of this horrible drug mistake but they are all serious and should demand attention. An attorney indicated to me that unless I have sustained long term damage, the best I could do is to get the company to reimmburse for expenses. However, I could stand to lose my eyesight as a result of the delay to get my surgery.
Is this America or some third world country where we just have to accept things like this happening? I don’t think the Lawyers have a grasp on the implications of this incident, yet. Any viewpoints on that or on the need for a class-action suit? I’d welcome any feedback.
I am an internist and want to clarify that I learned about this recall only after a patient called me, having been contacted by her mail order pharmacy. There are many ways to contact physicians and I certainly agree with some postings that this should have been widely publicized to all. Unfortunately the generic drug industry is lightly regulated in my opinion. Part of the problem stems from the relatively recent coverage of medications by insurance. This means that the rack rate price is meaningless—except to the unfortunates without insurance who can least afford it. Then, the insurance companies and their PBMs (pharmacy benefit managers) call the shots. Even a small community pharmacy can order from any “approved” generic supplier, so the pills can look different each time. Doctors themselves are out of the loop, after a prescription is written.
I’ve been taking Digoxin for years. Lately I’ve felt terrible and don’t even feel like walking across the room sometimes. I had a new pacemaker recently and hoped it would make me feel better but have had no improvment at all. My mouth is so dry and the doctors and dentist can’t see any reason. I just got notified by my drugest to stop Digoxin.I called my heart Dr. yesterday and am getting a blood test today. Strangely, all the number I called from the drugest only told me to stop my Dogixin but not call my Dr. The number also said they would call me back but they didn’t. Only said they would send material in five days. For two months I’ve been really concerned and have felt very bad.
I had a by[pass surgery in 1997 and have been on Lanoxin or it’s Generic since then. I got a 6 months prescription in October of 2007 so I would be able to spend the winter in Mexico. In December I started to feel very fatigued and had a loss of appetite. We left Mexico the middle of March and the 2 day drive to Tucson was very hard on me as I was severely fatigued and could not eat. In Tucson all I could do was stay in bed in a motel My wife and I left Tucson for Oklahoma City and stayed With my wife’s sister who is an R.N., she took my blood pressure and pulse and both were very low. We stayed a week under her care and continued home and went to my family doctor who tested my blood and found the Digoxin level way too high and had an EKG performed on me and for the next week had more blood tests. He lowered the medication during this time. I got my new prescription at Kroger’s Pharmacy ( I have used them for a long time) and a few evenings later I got a call from the pharmacist at Kroger’s telling about the recall that she was notified of 15 minutes earlier. I went to change the pills the next morning and she told me she had worked late calling all her customers that had Digitek prescriptions with her. She asked me what my symptoms were and told me that everyone she talked to had the same symptoms. I cannot say enough about her diligence and hope that all pharmacists are as conscientious as she is. We will just have to wait and see what the drug company will do voluntarily or will they force everyone to take them to court. Time will tell
My family, and I, just returned from an extended vacation in Europe. I was shocked to find out from Medco that the Digitek medication I am on has had a class 1 recall in United States. I have been on Lanoxin since being diagnosed with A/F in 1981. Since then IBM/Medco required me to change to the cheaper generic substitute Digitek — in spite of my cardiologist’s opinion that the name drug Lanoxin would be better for me; as the substitute was made abroad, in Mexico, and the doses were not considered reliable or consistent.
I started feeling fatigued during the vacation and thought I was just more susceptable to jet-lag than my family and just ignored it. Well, in the last month I got really ill, nausea, diarrhea weak in arms, extremely fatigued and sweating like crazy! I lost almost 6 pounds in two weeks and could not do anything. Thought I had Noro virus from the airplane. I was so weak one morning going out sightseeing in Copenhagen that I fell and injured my right foot. I finally went to the Fullham, London, Charring Cross Hospital’s emergency room, only for them to tape up my foot and advised me to rest. I told them that I felt ill and differently, but they sent me home with a pat on the back. After all these weeks the weakness, diarrhea and nausea is still there. Some days I am too tired to remain out of bed and I have yet to regain my strength back. I still get nausea, headaches, fatigue, sweats! I faxed Medco’s recall advisory to my doctor yesterday and they sent in a new, temporary prescription for Lanoxin, however, Long’s Drug did not have Lanoxin but gave me a months supply of digoxin that supposedly was not recalled. I’m now beginning to fell my old self again, however, the vacation was a disaster for us!
I submitted a comment on one recall place but admitted a few problems I have had. April 16,08 I had very severe pains in my stomach and it went over in my right side,I had ultrasound,didn’t find any thing on April 17, I started vomiting and diarrhea so bad I was getting very bad and they took me to ER. and they admitted me to hospital and gave me fluids. The nurse told me I had a heart murmur. I had upper GI and they didn’t fine any thing either. I had weak spell like I was going to pass out before that and Dr. thought it was inner ear. I still am weak and stomach isn’t ok. We need answers and what to do.
I have written before,after reading others sympthoms ,I realize my Husband RON
has many of the things I have read here ,FATIGUED some mornings he dosn’ t
want to get out of bed and when he does he lay’s back down with in 2 hours.
his arm’s are so week we thought they must be injured.our Dr.could not fine
any thing wrong.Also frequent DIZZY SPELLS,for a few years.His PROTIME as
of APRIL,5th was 2.9 .WHEN DID THESE PILLS GO BAD? DOES ANY ONE KNOW? I am keeping the 5 pills we have just in case something comes of this.
Another letter in this talks about LANOXIN ( MARTY MAY,2ND ) Our Dr.put Ron
on LANOXIN 0.25MG one a day are we looking at ANOTHER PROBLEM ?
I suffer from heart and lung problems and have taken digoxin for most of my adult life as a result of a congenital heart defect and 4 open heart surgeries. The lung problem was caused from taking amiodarone for atrial fibrillation and the doctor didn’t do the prescribed testing before and during the treatment.
Aetna RX called on one of their stupid computer calls, and left a message on the answering machine, to advise me that the product I was taking was recalled.
I have had most of the symptoms above, feeling bad, loss of appetite, nausea, low blood pressure, slow heartbeat, lethargy, etc. In addition, I have suffered a lot of musculo-skeletal pain lately but I don’t know if there is a relation since no one else seems to be experiencing that.
My doctor’s office advised me to discontinue the current prescription and has reissued a new prescription.
After my previous experienct with Amiodarone ruining my lungs, I too wonder why the delay in notifying us and why the FDA is such a useless agency when it comes to protecting us.
My husband (32 yr) has been taking this and over the past 3 weeks has been experiencing intense PVC’s that won’t go away. We went to the Dr. and he seemed to think they would go away but upped his level of amiodarone. After doing research we saw that if you have high levels of digoxin it can cause PVC’s. They have been making him so weak and tired, he has to rest just climbing the stairs. We didn’t get a call from anyone that this was recalled….completely unacceptable!!!
My husband takes Digitek 0.25mg once a day. He has had a few episodes, and one of just “falling over” the other day. Our daughter called us yesterday, and told us about the re-call……. we called Target, and a “sub” pharmacist gave us each (I take Digitek also) 4 tablets of Lanoxin last night, and told us to call “Jennifer” in the a.m.
She called this morning, and told us to call 1-888-276-6166 and (a recording) told me that they would send us a “kit” in 7-10 days to send the medicine back to them. My husband said to keep a couple of each tablets to prove what we have been taking.
What I would like to know, is:
1-who’s going to pay for the visit to the doctor? and
2- who’s going to pay for the test they want you to have done?? (Our Doctor called us today, and istructed us to come in and have a blood test.) and
3-who is going to pay us for the medicine we have to send back in??
If we get ANYMORE information, we will post it here.
Take care all !!
Pat and Pen
My husband, Bob, has experienced nausea, extreme fatigue, diarrhea, dizziness to the point of being unable to stand on his own, heavy heart beat, sweats, depression and had a full feeling around the heart. He is a rancher and was physically unable to take care of his animals many days resulting in loss of animals. He did not feel well enough to get on his tractor or drive his truck. He spent most of the day in bed! We thought we were going to have to get out of ranching. His doctor did a CAT scan and had an MRI because he thought Bob may have had a stroke or cancer. He also had a number of blood tests. We didn’t learn of the recall untill I went to pick up his script at the pharmacy. We have not heard anything on the news! How long would it have taken for somebody to notify us? The physical and emotional problems the users endured is APPALLING!!!. Add to that the expense for all the unnecessary testing!!
I was diagnosed with AF 18 months ago. Otherwise, I am an extremely healthy 52 year old. Over the last two months I have felt weak, and sometimes dizzy. Worse, I get unexplained splitting headaches, usually at night after taking my Digitek. I was feeling like I had a hangover when I had no reason to. I am bothered that I only found out about this issue when Wal Mart did not refill my Digitek. No notice from them. No notice from my cardiologist.
My husband has been on this medicine for a little over a year. He was put on it when he was 25 and got hospitalized. He has been very sick and depressed this whole time but the last two weeks has been alot worse. We have had to resedule doctor appointments for us and the doctor. I called the other day to make one for Wednesday my day off so I could go with him to explain how he has been swelling again and feeling sick to his stomach and hurting. His heart is already having problems on pumping correctly and then i got a letter in the mail today saying it was recalled. It said to call the pharmacist and they only gave us the amount since i last got it filled. after i went and gave them the bottle that was recalled and came home and looked on the computer i found that it was the same manafactur that was on the bottle. i was told to bring it in immedialy and for him not to take any. i went back and asked for my bottle and they tried to give me a print out of what i was given and i said no i want the bottle i brought in. i didnt want the medicine. he had some that was from a prior prescription and i looked at both and i could tell the ones he has been taking was a lot larger than the others. it said that this was recalled in march and i found out about it in may. why did it take so long and no phone call or nothing. i havent seen it on tv. i cant believe this and now i know why he has been so sick. this is horrible that it took so long to find out and to contact us.
When I went to get my 93 year-old mother’s Digitek prescription refilled one week ago, the pharmacy told me it had been recalled, but they didn’t know why. They substituted Lanoxin for the refill. Today, my mother said “I have been feeling much better since taking the Lanoxin. I had been feeling bad (weak) for a long time until now. I felt fuzzy-brained.” I had noticed the difference in her before switching to Lanoxin, but was blaming it on another medication she was taking. It appears I was wrong. Oh yes, the pharmacy called her today to make sure she didn’t have any of the previous Digitek prescription left, but they still didn’t tell her why. How could the manufacturer double the level of ingredient in pills without knowing it? How long had it been going on? Why weren’t consumers notified? My mother’s quality of life was lessened by this fiasco.
I have been taking Digitek for 14 months now. This last month I would get up and feel like i was going to pass out. I checked my blood pressure a few times when this happened and it was like 85 over 55. I reported this with my Dr. and he said to quit the 40 mg. of Lasix and to drink more water. I think he was wrong because why did this just start happening during the last month? My normal BP is about 130 over 70.
My new script for Digitek was filled April 3, 2008. Since receiving this new script, I’ve been gradually feeling very bad; weak, sometimes too weak to function. I’m extremely tired and sleepy, have been feeling my heart do strange things. I’ve had some shortness of breath also. My pacemaker doesn’t let my heart rate drop below 60. I have tacky-brady syndrome, and permanent A-Fib. Somewhere along the way Lanoxin was changed to Digitek, probably because the insurance company would only pay for a generic. I began taking Lanoxin in 1978 prior to my first mitral valve replacement. Second replacement was in 1982, and pacemaker in 2004. I wondered if I had the flu, since I had muscle and joint aches along with the tiredness and upset stomach. My pharmacy only wanted to give me 5 pills, so guess I’ll just cut what I have in half until the mail order pharmacy sends me replacements. I’m calling my doctor Monday for a blood screening. I was hoping I could make it without going to my doctor for my periodically scheduled check up in June I was feeling so bad, but guess now know what’s wrong. My heart isn’t going to stop, since I have the pacemaker (which kicks in 78% of the time).
On May 3rd I opened a letter addressed to my mother Delores Mae Jackson, My mother had been on Digitek for a long time, My mom was a heart patient for many years, she had a defibulator and she was doing good, suddenly out of the blue she started to pass out and feel dizzy and ill most of the time, she was getting very weak and loosing her taste to eat. and she was a good eater she loved food! we took her to her doctor and he sent her to a Nuro and we took her to him and nobody could find out what was going on, I mean no warning and she was either passed out or falling over! she got so depressed she even thought about and almost did kill herself! she went for help in every way we could of and nobody could figure it out! her defibulator began going off more and more till one morning it went off about 15 times non stop and not knowing what we know now we said enough, she was in pain and she was loosing her will to live so we did the hardest thing anyone could do, we signed the DNR and let her go, that was Feb 28th my mother died in my arms and now one Saturday May 3rd she gets a letter telling her there is a problem with her medication! Gee I wish we knew this then I would still have a mother and my kids would have a grand mother and my father would have his wife he was with for 55 years. I really hope this company is happy it sat on this info as long as it could, because the heart of our family is gone and nothing will ever replace it! oh and also she has a sister in the hospital who we cant even tell that she has lost her only sister alive because she is also sick and fighting for life! please keep her in your prayers.
Accordng to my pharmacy, the recall ONLY EFFECTS THE GENERIC VERSION OF DIGOXIN, which is DIGITEK. DIGOXIN is supposed to be just fine.
Luckily, that’s what my pharmacy gave me last month, instead of the Digitek given for four months prior. They switch them at will depending on what they have in stock.
Now they’re rationing Digoxin, because of the shortage of recalled Digetek and only giving out a week at a time.
SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE tried to murder a whole bunch of people, and the fact that this has not hit the mainstream media yet is HIGHLY suspicious.
My mother is 87 yrs. old and has recently had flu like symptoms. Her dr increased her digitek dosage to .25mg. I was concerned about the dosage increase and reqested an earlier appt. rather than wait 3 months for Mom’s next dr. appt. My mother had more bloodwork and I received a call from the dr.’s office advising to discontinue vitamins but they didn’t mention the medication dosage[April25,2008].We were told the dr. would be having surgery but to have more bloodwork regarding the B12 levels. No one mentioned her digitek levels were DOUBLED!!!! On May1st. the dr.s office called My parent’s home and cancelled Mom’s dr. appt for 5/2/08 without mentioning the recall. On friday pm the drugstore contacted my father about the recall with a new presription to replace the digoxin without advising to seek medical treatment!!
I am writing this for my wife Kathleen who has been taking Digoxin for over 10 year’s now she has all the same problems as everyone else in these comments. I am trying to find out when they found out how long these pills have been bad. My wife has been bad sick now for months and even had to go to a gastrologilist for an endoscopy etc. and to her heart doctor who said she has a leaking heart valve.
I just got a call from my pharmacist yesterday to tell me that the Digoxin I filled last month was recalled. To bring back what’s left on Monday and she would replace them.I wondered why I was feeling strange now I know why. I’ve been taking Digoxin for years and have felt fine. I’m surprised that there wasn’t anything about it on the news to let people know. It’s scary the power the drug companies have.
I am 73 years old, slightly over weight, have AF, a leaky heart valve, and am presently undergoing radiation treatment for prostate cancer. Other than that I’m in real good shape!
WOW!! I was very surprised when after I stumbled on the recall notice when I logged on to the Kaiser Website why something like this was not being broadcast over the radio and TV media. After seeing the recall I went to the Kaiser facility, returned my old prescription, getting a refund and a new supply.
I’ve been on this stuff for over 4 years and don’t really know if and when they do blood work if they check my DIGITEK level. For the last few months I have been having real heavy sweating sessions, even when the weather is cold. I also have experienced nausea, extreme fatigue, diarrhea, dizziness to the point of being unable to stand on my own, and a heavy heart beat,
I just found out this week that my older brother has been hospitalized while in Florida (he’s a snowbird from upstate New York) his kidneys have failed and he has been vomiting, losing blood and they can not find any reason for his condition, I called him yesterday and told him about the recall, since he too is on the Digitek digoxin, and there has been no warning given to him about this drug.
I should have kept some of the old prescription, just to find out if in fact my dosage was doubled. But since Kaiser was very anxious to get the old prescription back, I assume that the stuff I had was in the bad batch.
I’m sending a note to my cardioglist next, asking that my digitek level be checked, since I’m scheduled to do my INR comudin blood test tomorrow. If I find out any more I’ll add another comment.
STAY WELL!!
my 80 year old mother was put on digoxin 14 years ago after bypass surgery. she was a changed person after heart surgery. no m.d. questioned her bad temperment and the family was forced to live with it. recently she was taken off of that poison and i got my mother back but no bloody pharma company can give her back the years that were lost. hopefully we will wake up and realize what chemical poisoning is doing to americans…
I was called to stop taking Digitek also. I had been taking almost two years and have been having same symptoms.
I had one spell of atrial fib several years ago after walking and going up a lot of hills. I was checked into hospital and checked by a cardiologist who found nothing wrong. My regular doctor put me on .25 mg. and I have been taking it. I went to get a refill on Wednesday, April 30 and went back to pick it up on May l and was told they were out of it and it would be in Friday or Saturday. Went back on Sunday, May 4 aqnd was told it had been recalled. They had nothing to offer me as a substitute. I was never notified by my doctor or Walmart. All they said was there were too many to notify. If it had been recalled earlier than April 30 they should have known about it. I have experienced some dizziness, night sweats and leg cramps and lack of enery. I am calling my doctor tomorrow?
I am very concerned it has not been on the news…hush hush.. My 21 year old son who has DMD and uses an electric wheelchair is on digitek. Our pharmacy called us twice and gave us pill for pill replacement of digoxin. We were also given a 10 gift card for the store. I called my friend whose son is in the same predicament. She was never called by her pharmacy. My son sweats a lot at night, and has had a recent bout of 5 days trying to pass a kidney stone, lots of pain each night for 3-4 hours. He has had stones in the past, but it makes me wonder. He has also complained of tightness in his chest on occasion usually at night at least 2-3 times. I have not told the doctor yet as sometimes I think it could be a part of his natural cardio progression as his heart is getting weaker. I did contact the local news channel. I hope to hear more on Monday.
My husband was informed yesterday, Digitek has been recalled. He has been sick ,with mild diahrea, chest pains, breathing pains, and feeling very weak,He thought ,he was going into heart arrest. When we found out about the recall, he said:that explains everything. We called walmart and they said to take half the amount ,until Monday.I am very worried.
My husband came home on Monday saying he felt like he had flu! Early Tuesday morning he was shaking,Vomiting,and in general just weak..Tuesday due to NOT Knowing it was “Contaminated” he took his digoxin! AGAIN!
I called the Dr explained how he felt,They said fluids and tylenol,If he didnt get better call them..Pharmacy called next day told me to bring back any digoxin he had, do NOT take anymore,It was contaminated..They replaced it with Lanoxin..
Husband was sure it was flu or a virus,we continued the fluids and Tylenol!
On Friday Urinating was all but impossible as well as burning,Dr saw him,did urinalysis gave him a shot as well as medication..Nurse stated they were also sending out his sample to check,making sure he was receiving correct medication.
He isnt well Yet! Im most angry about what he is going through! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? As I said he isnt well yet! Anyone knowing him knows he doesnt lie in bed if he is well,He is a most energetic person.. Im still very worried about kidney failure happening to him.. My main concern is HOW DO WE REVERSE THIS? How long does it take and what is treatment?
I too did not know my symtyms until I felt slow and slougish feeling also I appeared a bit dizzy at timeswith i nausea . my pharmacy called and told me to return my bottle back to them and they would replace it with something else . I had taken 35of the pills not even knowing it was wrong dosage. Being bi-polar and taking much other medications iI also have an atrial ceptal defect,cardiac arithmia with a murmur and enlarged heart with CHF and take coumadin I’am 54yrs ol;d how do I know the affects of this with my other meds? ,and the long term affect of what the incorrect dosage has done to my health? sharon from Idaho
I was diagnosed with MVP 6 months ago. Otherwise, I am an extremely healthy 27 year old. Over the last two months I have felt weak, and sometimes dizzy. I was taking Digitek for more than 2 months. Worse, I get unexplained splitting headaches, usually at night after taking my Digitek. I was feeling like I had a hangover when I had no reason to. I feel like my hands and legs go to sleep. Two days ago pharmacy notified me of the recall. I am wondering that how long it takes to come back to the stable condition as before?
On 03/17/08 I began taking a new supply of digitek I had just recieved from Prescription Solutions. Around the middle of April I began to feel tired , depressed, out of breath and felt nauseous after eating. I became very congested and began coughing up thick sputum. I thought it was Amioderone Lung Toxicity, because the doctor switched me to it in place of Sotalol, so I changed back to sotalol on the 24th of April. The symptoms persisted and around the 28th of April my pharmacy notified me of the recall on digitek and I stopped it at once. After a week, I still have the symptoms together with a very low heart rate(45). Based on the response I recieved when I called my doctor, the recall has had very little coverage in the medical world. Someone needs to get the word out before this becomes a real tragedy!
I was just contacted by the pharmacy at the hospital in which my mother recieves her medications to let me know about this recall. My mother has been on this medication for at least 6 years due to her(CHF). My mother has been complaining of very rapid heart beat, along with feeling faint, and at times very anxious. After recieving the phone call this morning I decided to look for the recall on digoxin and sure enough. This is a very serious and yet dangerous situation especially looking at the type of medication it is used for, dealing with the heart, these pharmacutical companies need to really look at ways of preventing things like this because as we all know it could have ended up as a tragedy…. if it hasn’t already done so..
My mother, who is 81 years old, was recently put on Digoxin. She had problems with A-Fib. Last week, she complained of feeling fatigued, wasn’t eating much, and suddenly collapsed. Her neighbor was unable to reach her and called 911. They found her lying on the floor in her apartment. Her heart rate was only 45. At one time, the paramedics couldn’t even get a heart rate on her. She is currently hospitalized. Her MD called me and advised me “there was a bad batch of Digoxin sent to the pharmacy and, unfortunately, your mother was one of those who got the bad batch”. Nothing was on the news and no direction was given to the people who got the “bad batch”. I am hopeful that my Mother will be able to return home to her independent living. I believe the pharmaceutical companies need to be held accountable for this, but I am not sure what action to take. Did this medication come from overseas? We really do need some answers.
well here I am happy to be alive! I just called in today to refill my Digoxin and found out it was recalled. I have been feel very strange and not right for sometime.Tierd ,chest pains, breathing, etc! I just want to know why my Doctor or Walgreens didn’t call me and tell me to stop taking this dangerous pill? I am so pissed right now I just have to quit here sorry Thanks for this board!
I think it’s disgusting that they take so long to notifi the people taking this drug. I was originally put on digitek on Sept/2006 not long after that I changed doctors and the first thing he did was take my digitek level. It came back that I had a toxic amout in my body. He had me start taking it only on even days. Before I heard about the recall, I had been so sick , feeling extremely bloated all of a sudden. I started taking beano when I eat. At first after feeling so bad, I was afraid to eat at all.
I had my digitek refilled on April 28th, the recall was sent out on April 25th. My question is how can a pharmacy not know of a class 1 recall?? I did not even know of the recall until May 3rd when I received a letter form the pharmacy. This is so crazy, it is first hard to understand how pharmaceutical company could make such a mistake but more scary is the fact that my pharmacy did not comply or did not know about the recall. I wish I could find the words to express the anger and shock i am feeling right now.
A pharmacy tech called a few days ago to say they had a question about one of my husband’s medications, and I thought that perhaps a refill couldn’t be done because it was too soon. My husband became very ill last week…we thought he was having a heart attack. He’s prone to a-fib. but he said it didn’t feel quite the same. I had to call an ambulance, and he was told it was ventricular complications from not going to dialysis. He’s missed dialysis before because he didn’t feel well, and this didn’t happen. When I went to pick up a prescription the tech told me about the digoxin recall, so I immediately looked it up online, and now I know just what the problerm was. He could have died!
I am 82 years old. In August . 2007, I had a stroke. I made a miraculous recovery, with very few problems. I was taking many medicines and doing well.
Around the end of December I started to feel very tired, depressed, not hungry,sometimes dizzy. Over the next three months all of these symptoms increased. I have lost 40 pounds. My M.D did many tests over the whole period of time and on April 23, took away my amlodopine. I think he did a test for digoxin at that time. He increased my Celexa and gave me Megase for my appetite
Now they have recalled the digitek, My druggest (Raleys) replaced the pills I returned with digoxin. According to this article I am stil not sure if this is o.k.
The maze of generic drugs is beyound me
My husband is 49 and has atrial fibrillation. He has been taking Digoxin for several years. In the middle of the night a month ago he just passed out in the bathroom, broke his front teeth, began vomiting and had severe diarrhea. There was nothing we could think of that would have precipitated such an episode. He felt fine when he went to bed (he takes the Digoxing at bedtime) and was okay the next day. Then we received a letter from MedTrak telling us of the immediate Class 1 recall of the Digitek tablets. We instantly called his doctor and got in to see him the next day. The doctor ordered blood tests and an EKG and is now requiring an appointment with a cardiologist. We are very concerned as medical and dental costs are escalating.
I have been on digoxin since sept. of this year, Walgreens did not call me on the recall. i changed over to walgreen this last rx, i had a 90 day precription. Walmart sent me a letter today, i do not use them any more, but will change back in 90 days, walgreens should have contacted me, I am very upsetr, i called my heart dr. the nurse called walgreens, the DRUGESTsaid the manafactor (LANNETT) was ok, I called my heart drs. nurse, she said Digixin was ok, just digitek, well i sure hope so, i am still afraid.
Carrol Kowis
I’ve been a heart patient of over ten years and have been taking digoxin for the same amt of time. i was informed of the recall on May 1st by my Home Delivery Pharmacy, and requested a refill from my dr (who still have not sent the perscription in) …. i have some of the same symptoms that many have text here as well …such as: dizziness, lethargic .. heart palpitations and vomiting. It has been difficult to undergo simple daily tasks for the past few weeks … and in some cases a month and a half or so.
this definately should have been better handled by all comppanies involved to inform all those taking the medication of the recall.
btw: i contacted Mylar for two days now to report my info and such. i was unable to do so …….. thier machines are full of complaints/ concerns.
On Friday I called in prescription refills for all my meds. On Sunday I went in to Wal-Mart to pick them up and was told “None of the Wal-Mart pharmacies are going to carry Digitek anymore.” When I asked why the pharmacist just said he didn’t know and that I could try Lanoxin but they were out of it. He said to call my doctor and ask him. It was not until I called the doctor this morning that I was told the reason why Wal-Mart was “out of it.” The nurse tried calling a prescription in for Lanoxin to another pharmacy only to find out they did not have any because of the number of prescriptions being changed. I am completely out of the medicine and am trying to locate a pharmacy in the area that has Lanoxin in stock. It dawned on me after calling the doctor that my husband is taking it too. The nurse never mentioned changing HIS prescription! This whole situation angers me especially the pharmacist at Wal-Mart not telling me the real reason they could not fill my prescription! Was it going to take too much time to explain so he didn’t want to bother? When was Wal-Mart or my doctor going to notify us about this drug. If I hadn’t needed a refill I would still be taking it daily, as would my husband. I work at a hospital and get e-mails routinely about drugs available in the hospital formulary but have not gotten anything regarding this. What’s going on??? Why hasn’t this been all over the news?
My mother died in December. Yes, she had just turned 90. But she was put on Digitek in July of ’07. My sister, with whom my mother was living, received a letter from Wal-Mart pharmacy on 5-5-08 about this recall. How long did this drug company know about this error. How long did Wal-Mart know. Did Mylan Pharmaceuticals murder my mother? The jury is still out. I will report back.
My brother had been on Digoxin for around 20 years. In January he got his prescription re-filled . A few days after starting his new prescription he started getting symptons of fatigue, sweating, coughing, gagging , vomiting, and he lost his appetite. After a week and a half of taking him to doctors which said he had a virus or some sort of infection, he did not get any better. I took him to the emergency room(Saturday Feb.9th) and they could not find out what was wrong with him. After a full night of testing, they then told my mother that he had toxic levels of Digoxin in his system(not knowing how dangerous this was) they talked like he would be o.k. and he would eventially go home. A few days after him going into the hospital, that Tuesday morning I got a call at my work that the doctor told my mother all they could do was make him comfortable. He died less than 12 hours later. My brother had a heart problem his entire life,(tricuspid atresia, ) but he was always healthy and active until a few days after taking his refilled prescription he was 35.
I have been taking Lanoxin for several years. I have been taking Digitek for several months. My health has been on the decline. I have been experiencing extreme shortness of breath, weakness, lethargy, dizziness, hair loss, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and A-fib. My blood pressure has plummeted many times and hospitalization has occurred as a result. One day it was 60/40 and dropped even more while in the Emergency Room. My heart rate can vary greatly as well. I am basically housebound unless someone accompanies me to the doctor, etc. because of the above symptoms. I currently have an ICD which the doctor has recommended replacing because the A-fib is getting worse. Saturday I received a letter from my insurance company regarding Digitek. My daughter and I immediately went to Wal-Mart’s pharmacy and they replaced the Digitek with Lanoxin. I find it interesting that I had to switch to Digitek because that is the generic my insurance would cover. I had been doing fine with my ICD until recently. Like many others, I wonder why this recall did not make the news. It might have saved lives.
My husband has been taking Digitek since 1999 for a heart arrythmia.
He is also on 2.5 liters of oxgen for lung disease. however, on Apr.13 I got his prescription refilled and in the last month his breathing has become much worse and he has had to up his oxygen use to 4 liters, as well as some nausea, lack of appetite and generally not feeling himself. today I found out about the recall of digitek. I can only pray there are no irreversible effects from ingesting too much digoxin for such a long period.
WHY did it take so long to find out.
China’ Killers on the loose!!!
Stop dealing with China! They are a third world country that care not for the people, just the $$$. Kinda like the U.S. Congress!
Digitek’ almost killed my mom… No one contracted her. Not’ her Doctor or her Pharm….
I just found out about the recall and the double dozing pill today on Jeff Rense’s website, just by chance.
I am so enraged by the comments you folks have written.
We must stop this from ever happening again!
The FDA is a joke…Thanks to the Bush Adm. and the Congress.
GD them!
This will call for a Class Action Lawsuit!
I switched my mom’s Doctor today, and also going to a new Pharm. Maybe Costco, they seemed to have called and notified their customers…
NOT” mine.. They will no longer get this families business… Rite Aid’ on Mission Gorge, in San Diego, Ca. 92120.
What stupid jerks!
Damm mad.
We justt got a call from the Kaiser Pharmacy today. 9 days after this newletter came out. My mother had massive stomach problem earlier in the year, she had multiple issues that can be attributed to this drug. there must be some kind of punitive damages for all who were taking the drugs both for the risk involved and the actual damges incurred1
My cardiologist called me today 10 minutes after I had taken my digoxin dose. He was very unhappy that Walgreen’s pharmacy had not contacted me. I called Walgreen’s pharmacy and was told that if I had not recieved my meds from that batch I probably was okay but it was a precautionary measure to recall it all. The pharmacist went online and came back and stated that unfortunately I had been given the bad batch. It has almost been a relief to read some of these comments. I have been very concerned over the past several weeks. I have been so fatigued that I had to focus to stay alert on my drive home from work. I have musculoskeletal pains that seemed to have developed for no reason. I have a-fib and hypertension and am also on Coumadin. I have Meniere’s disease and a have to take 60 mEq of potassium daily. I had told a coworker last week that I had upper right sided chest wall pain for several days last week. Also been having diarrehea off and on for weeks. I want this resolved. I wish all of you who commented the best and better health for us all now that this has been uncovered. This was way to scary to go through.
I have been taking Digitek for around 6 months or more now. I have ended up in the hospital twice and have had many periods of time in recent months to where I feel extreme fatigue and exhaustion, am wondering if taking the Digitek may be the reason for my inability to function as a normal 33 yr old woman should. I would be interested to learn exactly what to do and to expect concerning this recent recall. What are the long term effects?? I talked with a pharmacist tonight about the recall and will discuss further with my Dr. I’m worried about taking it, but am also worried about not taking it….Don’ t know what to do……..Shannon
i have been taking digitex 0.25mg TAB UDL LABS 2 or 3 years but now i have digoxin 0.25 mg
i am really scared to take it also i got the letter today from walmart called the 800 number all it was a recording giving basic information still have’nt heard from no one i have been nausea for about 2 weeks now how long has this med been on recall no one knows now we are the ones who are suffering with this mess all the testing medical bills money for the meds i am very upset about it my mind is just a spinning what else we dont know about anything that is going on i dont know why it was no on the news if it was anything else it would have been i think we deserve to know it is our bodys not there’s
My mom has been taking the recalled med for several years. Last several months she has been hospitalized multiple times.Symptoms have been severe stomach aches, nausea, vomiting, cold sweats, very low blood pressure, passing out, shortness of breath, & drs. couldn’t figure out what was causing it. Recently she hospitalized due to developed massive infection to heart. Mom ran out of digitek a few days ago and she recv’d recall letter TODAY! Wish I had video recorded how many times my mom has suffered horribly physically and emotionally. If they could only feel our fear. Unbelievable and shameful.
Well I am very worried, do I take the digoxin 0.125 mg., it is suppose to be the generic to lanoxin? i would rather pay more & get lanoxin, my heart Dr. called this morning ( the nurse) saying the digoxin is ok to take, it does not have digitek in in. I just do not know what to do, who to trust, since walgreens did not even contact me in any way. I asked the pharmacist at walgreena if they notified there customers om rx recalls, he said he did not know, so it seems that they do not ,by also reading everone s letters walgreens did not contact anyone. I will go back to Wal-Mart after my 90 days are over, walgreens is also higher, by $3.00 per 90 day supply.
I called Wallmart and they say my presciption of digitek (.25mg) will be ready tomorrow, May 7. They did not say anything about it being recalled. I am going to hold off on taking my last pill. I called my doctor, left a message and they will get back with me.
We have war stories of loved ones on this drug. Does anyone no of a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT PENDING?
WAL MART’s data base disclosed our daughter was taking Digitek last summer.
Our daughter’s DEATH CERTIFICATE shows CARDIAC ARREST as primary cause. Examination of medical records disclosed very low blood pressure. Combined with extremely low Ejection Fractions (EF) during this period and other symptoms, we will investigate this matter to the fullest extent. Digitek might be a KILLER DRUG.
We received the WAL MART notice less than two weeks after the actual FDA Class 1 notice. It is good WAL MART had the presence of mind to act concerning this recall, unlike the competition (Walgreen). Or we would have likely never known. THANK YOU WAL MART.
We will report findings on this blog in the future in case our situation can help someone else.
One more thing. China, Europe and other so-called “emerging nations” perpetually send poisonous stuff to our country. Seems like I read defective Digitek was made in ICELAND. Rather than blame Dubya and the FDA, seems like it would be better to hold manufacturers accountable and responsible for their actions. JAIL TIME FOR CEOs.
I didn’t know about the recall until Friday when I went to get a refill. Fortunately,
the pharmacist (at WalMart, of all places) found me a 30 day supply of lanoxin
at Walgreens at reasonable cost. Just hope the generic is available again
when I need it.
Dealing with recalls in my business (appliance repair) I know how “panic” can occur, so I called my local, small town pharmacist about my Digitek refill yesterday. He informed me that they were aware of the recall and there were no other substitutes available; consequesntly they are continuing to sell Digitek WITH A PHYSICAL SIZE INSPECTION (double dosage being much larger in physical size). I have faith in my pharmacis, but will be more aware of any reactions I don’t have insurance, and my cardiologist is 60 miles away and hard to reach without an appoitment, or emergency.
my husband is also diabetic and takes Digoxen. We just heard about the recall by going ot the Kaiser website. The doctor said nothing the pharmacy said nothing. He has been confused and actually had a car accident hitting a guardrail. Thankfully no one was killed or injured. This is outrageous!
I have been on digoxin for 3 years in addition to Coreg. Seven days ago, I got a refill of the “bad stuff”, and I started taking it on March 30th. Immediately, I got nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea and I was sick for 3 days. Although I ate nothing different from the usual, I deducted that it was food poisoning (salmonella) and took CIPRO to kill it. Then, yesterday, I went to my cardiologist for a normal checkup; he took an EKG and detected Arterial fribulation. That was yesterday after 6 of the bad pills. After that appointment, I went to the gym. Normally, I can work the treadmill for 50 minutes without any strain. Yesterday was different. I was so weak that I could hardly walk out of the gym. I felt that I must have a heart failure crisis. Not knowing, I took a final digitek tablet last night. Today, I returned to the cardiologist who measured A Fib and he ordered a toxicity test of my blood.
My feeling is that Rite Aid should not have used snail mail to contact me. They should have spent the extra few bucks to telephone me immediately since it could have been (and still might be) a matter of life and death. I just wonder who was the executive at Rite Aid who made the executive decision to advise customers by mail rather than by phone.
Error – Started the bad stuff April 30, not March 30 as above
I am back, I decided to get the Lanoxin, not the generic. YES I did pay more but my health is more important, I feel ok so far. The sad thing that people on a fixed income will have trouble paying for Lanoxin, compaired to wall-mart & other discount rx. I am on a fixed income?
Our Mom took Digitek 0.25 mg for 30 days… She was put on them 4 March 2008 and passed away on 5 April 2008. She had been in good health up till the dosage began. She then experienced nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low bp, shortness of breath, and no longer enjoyed food and drinks, as the taste was different. We have her pills, what was the batch number? does any one know?
I only found out when I went to Walmart a few days ago about the recall. The pharmacist did know the reason–up to double the dosage, etc. As it turns out, I wasn’t taking digitek for two weeks prior (I messed up changing insurances), and I didn’t see any major change. My doctor though still took a digoxin level blood test. I have a month’s supply of Lanoxin. I had to pay for the brand name price. The insurance companies should make a temporary exception to brand name prices for Lanoxin. But that would cost money…aaghhh. No word in the news around here!
For years my dad’s friend (my dad is has passed away ) used to pick up my mom’s meds at the naval base because the meds are free and he had promised dad to take care of mom
lately with the friend having some health problems of his own, he has not been available to drive to the naval base so I have been obtaining my mother’s meds from Walmart
I just got the notice yesterday in the mail regarding digitek
WHAT A REVELATION!!!!!!!
mom has deteriorated rapidly for the last 3 months with dizziness, weakness, nausea, confusion, no willingness to eat or drink, falling
3 months ago she was a vital 87 year old in church 3 times a week, playing cards outside of the house 2 times a week, beauty parlor etc…
we could find no reason for her deterioration.. even on a hospital admission..
her only complaint is dizzy, nauseated and i think i am dying
i have “brought her back” from refusing to swallow meds, food or fluid by using a picc line to her heart for her hydration… each time she got better and i got in charge of her meds and gave them regularly… she suddenly deteriorated again
this has happened more than 4 times…
the last time she said pull the picc line and let me die
we called in hospice with the diagnosis of failure to thrive… she has lost 25 pounds over the last 3 months… with no diagnosis that can be solid….
nausea,, diarrhea,, dizziness, confusion, weakness, . ;now she cannot get out of bed… she is 88 pounds .. i lift her and it hurts her and hurts me
My mother is currently in critical condition because of the symptoms this pill has given her. She started feeling sick about a month ago she was doing fine till the pills side effects. She could not eat or drink because it tasted different and she was always vomiting and felt dizzy blood pressure low and was getting weak. Today the doctors have not figured out what is wrong with her but with the recall now I understand why mom felt this way . I hope its not too late but I am going to tell the docotrs right away that she was on this medication for a long period of time perhaps this is our answer we paryed so hard to get.
My father passed away about 3 weeks ago. A letter from CVS Pharmacy just came today about the recall. They said my Dad died of cardiac arrest. He has not been on diditek long but this still makes me wonder. He first complained of his stomach hurting, food tasting bad, no energy and finally heart racing. Makes me wonder if it was this drug?
My mother-in-law passed away in January after taking digitek. for several months. We are currently checking into when she received her last prescription and whether it was from the doubled batch. I checked with a friend who works in the Attorney General’s office and he informed me that this is not being investigated by the AG here in Ohio, but that a private civil lawsuit has been filed in Cleveland regarding this drug. I was told to hang on to the pills we had left from Mom’s prescription as they are evidence. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you as we deal with this horror.
My husband of just over 4 years, passed away last June 15. We had changed pharmacies for financial reasons, less than a month after getting his prescription from there, he died. We went to the doctor’s during that month because he was rapidly going down hill in those weeks. He would sweat profusely, stayed nauseous, couldn’t walk from one room to another without feeling like he would pass out. His heart would be beating out of his chest one minute and then just the opposite. He kept telling me he didn’t understand the sudden extreme change, that he felt useless and exhausted, he would often times cry about it. I would like some answers and hope that the attorney here will contact me. He had taken this medication for years like everyone else, but when I saw the pills pictured here it just left me numb.
I have taken Digitek many years. April 4th I developed flu like symptoms which lasted about a week. The next week my heart started beating irregularly. I could not even walk across the room without the rapid heart rate. Felt fatiqued and loss of energy. I went to my doctor and he has put me through blood tests, echo, holter monitor, stress test etc. I heard about the recall on Digitek from a nurse performing the stress test. No one has called me about it. Disappointed that nothing was on TV or that we were notified properly. I am now on Lanoxin and still dealing with rapid heart rates. I am hoping I will feel better soon. I would like to know what lot numbers accompany the recalled product.
I am a 74 year old male, who had been taking one Lanoxin 0.25MG TAB for several years. About 36 months ago, my insurance carrier insisted that instead of the brand name Lanoxin, I would be required to take the generic equivalent, which was detemined to be one Digitex Tab 0.25MG daily. Therefore, I have been taking the Digitex TAB 0.25MG TAB for more than 36 months. About 6 months ago, I begin complaining to my wife that I feel like old age is catching up with me, as I feel tired most of the time and for some reason my energy level is not what it used to be.
I found out about the recall today (5/6/08) and called my pharmaceutical supplier, who advised I should stop taking the recalled drug. They are going replace the Digitex TAB 0.25 TAB with Lanoxin 0.25 MG TAB. I will be going to my doctor tomorrow for a blood test to document the digoxin level in my blood. Hopefully there has not been any permanent damage and the Lanoxin prescription will solve my problem. This we shall see.
In my mind this issue raises the following questions: How long has the medical perfession known about the Digitex problem? What prevented the FDA from finding this problem earlier? How effective is the FDA in regulating the pharmaceutical industry? Since the FDA is not protecting the public, how do I know that other Generic Drugs are actually equivalent to the primary drug the doctor initially prescribes?
My father passed away in January after months of inexplicable fatigue, depression, night time hallucinations, fainting, wildly variable blood pressure, and peripheral and pulmonary edema. Twice we called 911. The first time the paramedics initially couldn’t find a pulse or get any reading on his blood pressure. The second time was similar, but they noted with some alarm that his T-waves were inverted in a way they had never seen before.
This wonderful man survived WWII and Korea, and then evidently succumbed to digoxin poisoning. The horrible thing for me is that he had asked me to lay out his pills for him each day, because he was concerned that he would make a mistake due to his sudden mental confusion. In instructing me what his medications were, I clearly recall him commenting that it was odd that the digitek pills were larger than they had been in the past. Now I am devastated to think that I played a role in his suffering and death.
Please, please forgive me.
My mother was taking Digitex TAB 0.125 TAB . she has been taking it for 10 days and after the first 5 days had nausea, vomiting, dizziness,. she only got a letter in the mail from walmart. I dont understand how this could happen.
only notifacation by mail? I think matters of the heart should be took alot more seriously, this makes me very angry this could happen..
I have been on Digitek for the last 23 years and within the last few weeks have been so dizzy and sick to my stomach that I was getting very concerned. I also had diarreah and have felt extremely tired. I did get a call from my pharmacy last week and stopped taking the pills on Wednesday night. I saw my doctor on Friday and he didn’t think this was my problem. He thought it might be an inner ear problem. I did go yesterday for blood work and am anxiously awaiting the results. My doctor said that “IF” my problems were from the digitek, it would go away within a few days because of being off the pills. Yesterday I felt great!!! Today, not as good. Somewhat dizzy again, but the nausea and diarreah are gone. I too have kept my remaining pills and at this point have invested money in lab work and a doctor’s office visit. I don’t understand why we can’t find out anything more about maybe the lot numbers that were affected, or how long this has been going on. Maybe too long to give us lot numbers??? This certainly is scary and I’m mad as all get out!!!
Oops! We posted a query May 6th at 5:41 pm about the dosage of Digitek our Mom took it should have been 0.125 mg. She was vital, healthy and alert till she was put on this medication Marchl 4th, she suffered from bouts of nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweats, loss of appetite. low bp, she passed away suddenly 30 days later on April 5th. We were heartbroken to read a letter sent to her on May 5th from Sam’s Club Pharmacy informing her of the recall of her drug! It was too late for her! When is this recall going to be announced to the general public?
i am 46 and have been taking digitek for quiet awhile for afib along with diltizem. now im switched to lanoxin i was not informed at all by my pharmacy i just happen to read it in the newspaper i couldnt believe the y never called . well now i know why i have felt so ill for the past 2 or 3 months with nausea tiredness headaches and dizzy spells i also have been retaining fluid with some irregular heart beats i have went to my doc and had blood tests done had my level tested ekg and soon hope to find out results. i was realy surprised how so many people have similar symptoms i wonder how long this drug has been like this i know for me its been at least 2 mths.
My dad who will be 78 this month has been on Digoxin for awhile now & my mom was just told about the recall from Wal-mart in the mail a couple of days ago. My dad has had shortness of breath, no energy at all, hasn’t been wanting to eat & has had to go on depression medication because he’s been so down in the dumps. This is so unlike him….and for months now our family has been wondering what the problem is. Now it’s hard to find Lanoxin since everyone is transferring to it…but we finally found a Walgreens who has it. I just pray that the affects aren’t permanent from this. I work @ the local hospital and I was telling my co-workers about it & they had no idea about the recall… If the FDA knew about this problem months ago…why didn’t anybody inform us about the recall sooner? My dad’s Dr. didn’t even know about the recall….now that’s just sad. How many people do they need to get sick or possibly die to finally get the word out? I’m very angry!
My mother has been taking this medication for some time now. A couple of times I mentioned to her doctor that she got very dizzy with cold sweats. She mentioned it was just her blood pressure dropping and this can happen when people with heart problems exert themselves. I mentioned the exertion was nothing unusual and she said perhaps for you or I, but for your mother it might be. I had my doubts. She has been feeling more tired lately, but I put that down to old age.
Just spoke with my pharmacy and they advised me – the pharmacutical company is recalling the medicine from March 2006-April 2008. I am quite angry over this, especially cause my future father in law was taking this and he just recently passed away.
Well I am back again today, I have taken the Lanoxin 0.125 mg tab. for two days now, my blood pressure is not so so low, I had mentioned to my heart Dr. that my B.P. was low all the time, he said if I was not having any problems just watch it. Well it was low Today I feel better, I am not so tired, I hope as time goes all of the Digitek will get out of my system, if that is possiable. I am still very mad about the entire thing.
I recently learn that a prescription i was taking in 2004 was recalled.At the time i found out i had a very slow heart rate.I was tired all the time.I dizzy many time and couldn’t function with simple tasks.I confered with my cardioligists,He sugested i i wear a monitor at home two fined out what was troubling me.The results was i had bradycardia,a slow heart rate.Which as i recall was below 30 bpm.I havn’t had these symptoms before.I only had atra-fib,enlarge heart thyroid problems,Fast heart-rate.I started taken the digoxin april 2004,October 2005 I was diagnois with the bradycardia,which i had the guidant pacemaker implanted in february 2006.I stop taking the drug afew months there after.Until a few weeks ago i learned my heart rate was fast again.At first they thought my pacemaker was not working.I really am not familuar with what really going on,doctors started me on digixon again,now i am learning this drug may be the cause of all my problems.I do not know what is going on but i am scared.MY heart rate is jumping all over the place.I don’t even want to go to the hospital,I am scared as to what they will give me next.i will say no more. john gutowski
This is very upsetting and frustrating! Is anyone getting answers?? I have been taking Digitek .25 tablets for a few years, last August my dosage was changed to alternating .25 and .375. I haven’t felt right for awhile, but have been through a lot the past 6 months and attributed it to that. I received a call from my pharmacist last week about the recall. They gave me digoxin in place of the digitek, but now it seems that my symtoms are getting worse. Anyone else changed to digoxin? I called my cardiologist, who didn’t even know about the recall, and my PCP, who didn’t even want to talk about it. Where do we go from here??
My grandmother who is 83 has been taking Digitex since 2006. She was admitted in the hospital in January for being dizzy. She stated in the hospital for 1 week, they released her with no cause just telling her she had virtico (dizzy). 5 months later she is still very dizzy, she has had the nausa the vomiting, being tired and complained of no energy I have noticed she seems depressed. Mind you during these five months she has had every test under the sun with no cause or reason to why she is dizzy! Yesterday she received a web site print out from Rite Aid of the recall and asked to return her pills.
It just really irretates me to know she has been suffering and so many other people have been suffering along with their family’s and they are just now telling of the recall?? Why didn’t the Lanoxin /Digitek Manufacture announce the recall on TV?? They are hoping their ooops will blow away in the wind! NOT!!!
I have been on digetex for less than a year. i have had dizzy or equilibrum problems since i have been on it. As of May 7 i have not recieved any notice from anyone about the medicine. I saw it on TV and i am concerned I am not taking it.
I have been on digetex for less than a year. i have had dizzy or equilibrum problems since i have been on it. As of May 7 i have not recieved any notice from anyone about the medicine. I saw it on TV and i am concerned I am not taking it.
I have been on digetex for less than a year. i have had dizzy or equilibrum problems since i have been on it. As of May 7 i have not recieved any notice from anyone about the medicine. I saw it on TV and i am concerned I am not taking it.
My mother (age 83) had taken 10 pills from her most recent refill before we were notified by the pharmacy that the medication was recalled. She has all the symptoms of the drug overdose and is now taking the brand name drug. Doctors are monitoring her blood levels regularly but she remains in serious condition. Why hasn’t the news media been concerned enough to make this information public?
Have been on Digitek 0.25MG since I had some Atrial Fibrillation about 10-months ago. Had electrocardioversion, was back in normal sinus rythem and was feeling great until a few months back. A few months ago started getting really bad hives (urticaria), had tingling in the left hand fingers, headaches, light headed, dizzy spells. About 3-weeks ago started getting really short of breath (scary short) fast heart beats over 100, went to Dr. referred to Cardiologist. Placed 24 halter on me showed bad ekg, Arythemia and some a-fibs, had echo showing really poor EF and other Arythemia problems. Dr said I may need an implantable defib/pacemaker. This has all scared the life out of me. Have stopped the digitek because I just read about it but on one called me or heard nothing on the news about this. I only hope that this has not caused any permanent damage.
Well we are having an investigation into my grandfathers death, he past on March 9th. He had all the signs and symptoms when we found him on the floor of his bedroom. His doctor and the attorney have both agreed, after reviewing his medical records, that Digitex was the cause. They have no reports of death because we have just begun the process. We received the letter 3 days ago, if only it had come 2 months soon, he would still be alive. This recall has not been published or announced on any of our local news channels or new papers. He was a relatively healthy man that was very active and we find him dead on the floor of his bedroom. I just do not understand why it took so long to find out that there was a proble with this medication. There are no excuses for this type of mistake.
My husband has been taking this medication for quite some time. He passed away at a very young age of 52. I called the company and they told me he had been taking the bad medicine. I think I have a lawsuit.
I guess I should have put a little more details in message. My husband died Feb. 26. I went home and talked to him at lunchtime because he wasn’t feeling well and came home after work and he was gone. I would like to hear if anyone else thinks a loved one has passed away because of this drug and what steps do I take now. I hear the words class action suit, but am new at this. Never thought this would happen to anyone in my family. I just receive the letter Monday of this week their was a problem with drug. I wish i would have heard about it much earlier. Any ideas???
My grandmother who is 78 has been on digitek for several months.She has been so sick since she’s been taking that medicine along with many others. She has congestive heart failure. A couple dr visits ago she did stress tests and every other test you can think of. she has been going to her dr for a long time and he could never find anything wrong with her heart and he put her on the digitek and after that her condition keep getting worse and she has had drastic drastic weight loss, constant vomitting and nausea. Recently found out she had an heart attack and didnt even know about, and has one of the severist cases of congestive heart failure weakened muscle valves. dr even suggested an ICD her heartbeats contantly and i havent heard any comments about this, but my grandmother has a persistent cough that she cant get rid of. she has been sick for a very long time, shortness of breath, and all the other symptoms. we just got the mail from our pharmacy today, but nothing heard from dr yet. this is very disappointing and i hope something will be done, specially if your messing around with someones health and a lot of these people are elderly and my grandmother hasnt been the same since. she really hasnt.
I just heard about this from a co-worker and was appalled that there has been no information on the airwaves. With all of the big pharma bashing it makes you wonder why they are protecting the generic producers since this is a major safety issue. I called the local (San Diego) news station to ask if they were going to report this news story. We will see.
I took my wife to the doctor because she was feeling poorly. They called her in, while I remained in the waiting room. Soon I was called to go back to where she was. Her blood pressure had dropped drastically and they had already called for an ambulance. I followed them to the hospital. She was admitted.
They were taking blood samples every 4 hours or so all night. She was released around noon time.
My wife has been taking Digitek for some time now. When we went to pick up her prescription at WalMart end of last month, we were told it had been recalled.
Today we got form letter dated May 2008 confirming same.
Rich Martin
(817) 483-0230
I have been on Digitek for years and other heart medications.
about last october I would have to vomit about an hour after taking my meds
I was nauseated and so dizzy I would walk into the walls. several times at night
I fell off the toilet because I would get so dizzy also my knees and elbows would
ache and my feet would swell. In Feb. they reduced my digitek and except for
some muscle weakness I feel better but my feet swell but I do not gain weight
when they do.
How are we going to be reimbursed for months of misery.
My grandfather died after taking this double-dose toxin for only FOUR days. He complained of back pain (kidneys), fell down after standing up (low blood pressure), vomiting, and eventually died when he suffered a PULMONARY ADEMA.
These people need to be held criminally and financially responsible. No amount of money can bring him back though.
I have been taking digitek at least 4 to 5 years,have had most of the symptoms everyone is speaking about except starting about 2 years ago I have had complete numbness in my left hand went to several doctor’s they are baffled by what is causing it, it is to the point now where i do not have full function and am dropping things. Has anyone experienced this symptom seems like my right hand now is starting same symptom.
Would appreciate any comments!
In defense of pharmacists….the FDA didn’t alert pharmacists to this any sooner than anyone else. My only notice of it was an e-mail that I received from the corporate chain I work for, 3 weeks ago. Unforutunately, the e-mail is often deleted before everyone in the pharmacy has a chance to read it. I was working that day so I was fortunate to see it. The FDA sends pharmacists letters about every little piddling medication guide, why in the world weren’t letter sent out about something this vital?
I have been taking digoxin (digitek) since November 2007. I still don’t know if I was taking the double dose or not. But…..the past month or so, I too have felt the same symptoms that most everyone else has. The dizziness, slightly sick to my stomach, tired and when I would go upstairs, my heart was pounding like I had climbed 20 flights of stairs instead of one. In the past I suffered from SVT’s, but since my ablation in January 2008, they had stopped. The past month I have had what I considered mild SVT episodes. My cariologist appointment was coming up in 2 weeks and just thought that I would discuss it with him then. When medco contacted me regarding the recall, I was actually relieved because I didn’t know why I was feeling so bad and if I was getting the stronger tablets that would explain why. When I first started feeling bad, I thought I was coming down with something, but after a couple of weeks of these symptoms, I was wondering what was wrong with me. I don’t know when the pharmacies were notified, but medco called me 4/30. They also sent a letter. I felt they were good about letting me know.
I have been taking digitec for over 10 years following by-pass surgery. In last few months I have felt tired and weak. I have had increased heart rate on occation, and some angina. I have had headaches which I had not had in the past. My doctor gave me a stress test which showed nothing new. When problems continued my doctor had me undergo a heart cath which showed no new problems apparant with my heart. I recieved a letter from rite aide about the recall and to come in and exchange digitec. I am not thrilled with lack of notification. I feel problems that came up in last few months could be connected.
I have been taking digitec for over 10 years following by-pass surgery. In last few months I have felt tired and weak. I have had increased heart rate on occation, and some angina. I have had headaches which I had not had in the past. My doctor gave me a stress test which showed nothing new. When problems continued my doctor had me undergo a heart cath which showed no new problems apparant with my heart. I recieved a letter from rite aide about the recall and to come in and exchange digitec. I am not thrilled with lack of notification. I feel problems that came up in last few months could be connected.
I have been taking digitec for over 10 years following by-pass surgery. In last few months I have felt tired and weak. I have had increased heart rate on occation, and some angina. I have had headaches which I had not had in the past. My doctor gave me a stress test which showed nothing new. When problems continued my doctor had me undergo a heart cath which showed no new problems apparant with my heart. I recieved a letter from rite aide about the recall and to come in and exchange digitec. I am not thrilled with lack of notification. I feel problems that came up in last few months could be connected.
I can not believe this is happening to so many us with heart problems, I got a letter from Wal-Mart Pharmacy and yes how scary. After 2 open heart surgeries and a bypass and then a pacemaker, and then a recall on the medicine that was helping. In the last 2 weeks keep telling everyone that I wasn’t feeling good, tired, weak, sick to my tummy . And to top everything off after calling my heart doc and then going in to get the new meds they are out and don’t know when they will get more in. I feel really feel that who ever messed up needs to go through what all of us out there are going through.
My mother has been taking digitek for years to stabilize an irregular heartbeat. She began feeling poorly in December, 2007 – complaining of tiredness, lack of appetite, dizziness and general malaise. She passed away on January 10, 2008 while hospitalized for tests to try to determine what was causing her symptoms. The tests which had been completed, presented “normal” results. Her death certificate reads “apnea due to unknown etiology”. Her doctor is puzzled as to the cause of all of this, as are my brother and I. I am eager to know of other deaths possibly related to the misuse of this medication. WE feel as if we have been robbed of a very special part of our famiy.
My Mother was always a happy and positve woman who always found the best in every situation. She was prescribed Digitec by her cardiologist. Prior to October of 2007 she was active and happy and able to live a full life. However, In October of 2007 she began to experience nausea, vomiting, sleepnessless, anxiety, dizziness, and swelling of the ankles. Her heart rate and blood pressure dropped dangerously low. She was hospitalized in October 2007, December 2007, January 2008, March 2008 with these symptoms. In March of 2008 she went into renal failure and had to go on dialysis. She passed away 3/21/2008. I just received notice today from both Rite Aidand Walmart Pharmacy about the Digitec recall.
What is the recall lot #, how do I find out if I was taken the bad stuff , I called Walgreens but did not get anything from them, I am still worried.
I care for my 84-year-old, post stoke mother 24/7 since August, 2004. Needless to say I’m completely familiar with physiology! She has been on DIGOXIN this whole time. The last several refills, at least, contained pills manufactured by BERTEK. Over the past few months, our family as well as the medical staff that comes to our home have noticed a steady decline in her health. Frequent loss of breath, upset stomach, dehydration, lack of appetite, loss of coordination, extreme fatigue, major confusion, praying every day for the Lord to take her, and various other symptoms. Due to her age and the stroke, we knew she was declining slowly, but all of a sudden, she started declining rapidly.
At first, we thought it was a result of WELLCARE arbitarily deciding not to cover certain drugs anymore for my mother although they were still available for other plan members. We were forced to change to Wellcare at the beginning of the year by Social Security to continue receiving a subsidy. At that time, Wellcare promised that Mom would be able to continue on her drugs. Regardless of docments sent by her doctor, Wellcare refused to cover her life supporting drugs and made her change to similar chemicals. So naturally, as Mom started failing rapidly, we thought it was due to changes in meds forced upon her, not dreaming that it was the DIGOXIN. Then yesterday, 5/7/08, I called to refill her prescription at Walgreens. It was then that the pharmacist advised me of the recall!!!!! I immediately withheld her next dosage and called her doctor. Her doctor said she had just found out late afternoon the day before!!!! This doctor is one of the most thorough doctors I’ve ever dealt with, and for her to say that even she just found out shows just how poorly the recall system is!!!
We immediately took Mom into the doctor’s office for a checkup and complete blood tests, poor woman was too dehydrated to give any blood at the office. I “forced” fluids the rest of the day and night and a specialist in drawing blood came to our home this morning to draw, this time with success. We are awaiting the results.
As I stayed up all night to monitor her, I turned on my computer and started spreading the word to everyone. I sent a note to everyone in my email address book and posted bulletins on MySpace. You wouldn’t believe the response I’ve been getting! There’s a lot of sick people out there because of this! We all know that Digoxin and Digitek is one of the most common heart pills out there! Please take a moment and notify your friends and family! ~ and check on your elderlly friends and family as well!
When I finish writing this note, I’m contacting our local news station to help spread the word. You might want to consider doing the same.
My wife has been taking digoxin since August or September of 2007. During this time she experienced weight loss, weakness of muscles, memory loss, and constant diehria…just to name a few…not to mention loss time from work and increased medical expense’s. We were referred to several different specialists to no avail, she has had and upper and lower GI, complete body scans, lab work, etc. We were at one point considering filing disability, so that she could take a leave of absence from work while continuing seeking help for her unexplained symptoms. And even after the medication recall, never not once did she receive a call from her Physician who prescribed the medication nor the pharmacy, which issued the drugs. I hope and prayer is that the medication has not left a long term damaging effect on her heart or her body.
DO NOT THROW AWAY your digoxin / digitec pills ! They are your proof that these company’s made them twice as strong and killing people for some time ..
I personally was so listless for months on end, finally was throwing up every day for 10 days, unable to eat or keep any water down. THEN my eyesite went crazy..blinding bright yellow on everything white or light colored, then it was as if my eyes were dialated. Went to the eye specialist, he dialated, and said they are fine. My nurse practioner told me to go to the emergency. My levels were so high ..called Digoxin Toxicity, and heart beat was 30. Another day and I would have been dead. Was in hospital for 13 days, on the 6th day they had to put a pace maker in. Thank goodness for blue cross the bill was 214,000.00.
This is wrong that these companies knew that these pills were harming people, the word is greed !
So far my heart is fine, but I am having bladder problems, this may be another problem caused by these pills.
My father passed away of a sudden heart attack on April 2nd. He was taking Digitek. He has not had any prior heart attacks. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure five years ago and has been on this medication. He had his
Digitek prescription refilled at the end of February. Six weeks later he died suddenly. I am very angered by the fact that had this information been received sooner that his life might have been spared.
I am a 51 year old and yesterday received the form letter from Walmart that my digixin manufactured by Bertek was a double dosage. I have been feeling very run down, nauseous, dizzy with a lack of coordination, shortness of breath and no appetite and after receiving the letter went to Walmart and they were only interested in changing the medication with no thought of asking if I was feeling okay. I am going for blood work tommorow. I called the number on the letter I received and was electronically asked name, number and address, no response from a human being. I am just so upset that the drug company did nothing to inform the public and hoped it would pass, that is what really pisses me off most. Just had to vent.
My brother has been taking the digixin for about 5 months.but here lately he has been in the hosipal twice with in a month. he has to have the digixin because it help his heart to keep working. he has about 5% of his heart working so what are we to do until the new digixin get in the stores.
THIS IS INCREADABLE I HAVE BEEN DIG TOXIC I HAVE HAVE A PACEMAKER AND DEFIULATOR IMPLANTED ECT THSI IS NOT THE FIRST TIME, I AM THAT ONE IN A MILLION WHOSE HEART WAS ATTACKED BY TEGRETOL WHILE BEING TREATED FOR A NERVE CONDITION (RSD) BEEN SICK SINCE 1994. THERE IS NOTHING THAT SURPRISES ME ANY MORE . RECENLY WHILE VISITING MY GRANDSON AT THE HOSPITAL I SPECIFACIALLY ASKED THE NURSES IF THEY KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE DIGOXIN RECALL ALL OF WHOSE REPLIES WERE SURPRISED AND (I THINK THEY THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY) SIMPLY NO! UNFORTUNITATELY I AM USED TO BEING SICK I AM RESIGNED TO THE FACT THAT MEDICINE WILL KILL U FASTER THAN DISEASE!
THIS IS INCREADABLE I HAVE BEEN DIG TOXIC I HAVE HAVE A PACEMAKER AND DEFIULATOR IMPLANTED ECT THSI IS NOT THE FIRST TIME, I AM THAT ONE IN A MILLION WHOSE HEART WAS ATTACKED BY TEGRETOL WHILE BEING TREATED FOR A NERVE CONDITION (RSD) BEEN SICK SINCE 1994. THERE IS NOTHING THAT SURPRISES ME ANY MORE . RECENLY WHILE VISITING MY GRANDSON AT THE HOSPITAL I SPECIFACIALLY ASKED THE NURSES IF THEY KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE DIGOXIN RECALL ALL OF WHOSE REPLIES WERE SURPRISED AND (I THINK THEY THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY) SIMPLY NO! UNFORTUNITATELY I AM USED TO BEING SICK I AM RESIGNED TO THE FACT THAT MEDICINE WILL KILL U FASTER THAN DISEASE!
THIS IS INCREADABLE I HAVE BEEN DIG TOXIC I HAVE HAVE A PACEMAKER AND DEFIULATOR IMPLANTED ECT THSI IS NOT THE FIRST TIME, I AM THAT ONE IN A MILLION WHOSE HEART WAS ATTACKED BY TEGRETOL WHILE BEING TREATED FOR A NERVE CONDITION (RSD) BEEN SICK SINCE 1994. THERE IS NOTHING THAT SURPRISES ME ANY MORE . RECENLY WHILE VISITING MY GRANDSON AT THE HOSPITAL I SPECIFACIALLY ASKED THE NURSES IF THEY KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE DIGOXIN RECALL ALL OF WHOSE REPLIES WERE SURPRISED AND (I THINK THEY THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY) SIMPLY NO! UNFORTUNITATELY I AM USED TO BEING SICK I AM RESIGNED TO THE FACT THAT MEDICINE WILL KILL U FASTER THAN DISEASE!
The recall also includes Linoxin my pharmacy told me ..so anyone taking Digoxin, Digitex, or Lanoxin need to call their doctor and get off of those pills immediately. People are dying taking these pills.
Please go to google and put in Digoxin Digitek Lanoxin for these are all bad. We have to take care ourselves and be know what we are taking.
Thanks take care
WE WENT TO GET MY HUSBANDS REFILL BEFORE VACATION THE 1ST THEY SAID THEY RAN OUT AND WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK FOR OUR REFILL NOTHING SAID ABOUT A RECALL.
WE BOTH TAKE SAME DOSAGE, HE FOR 5 YEARS AND I HAVE BEEN ON IT FOR OVER 14 YEARS. LIKE EVERYONE SAID BEFORE WHY WERE WE NOT TOLD WHEN WE WENT TO THE DRUG STORE WAL-MART WE WERE GONE FOR 5 DAYS CAME HOME TO A LETTER FROM WAL-MART. CALLED THEM THEY DID NOT ASK IF WE WERE FEELING OK OR WHAT THE SYMPTOMS WERE. JUST SAID WE NEED TO SWITCH TO NON GERNEIC YEAH MORE MONEY. CALLED MY CARDIOLOGIST AND THEY SAID TO CALL THE PHARMACY TO SEE IF THE ONES WE GOT WERE ON THE RECALL NO CONCERN ABOUT HEALTH ISSUES EITHER. HUSBAND HAS BEEN SHORT OF BREATH AND GET DIZZY ALOT OF THE TIME. I DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE THE SYMPTOMS AS BAD AS HE DOES. CANNOT IMAGINE HOW THE COMPANIES CAN LET PEOPLE GO LIKE THIS GUESS I WILL JUST NEED TO GET SOME REPLACEMENT AND PAY THE PRICE JUST BECAUSE OF A SLIP UP OF A COMPANY THAT SEEMED NOT TO CARE. CAN ONE JUST TAKE 1/2 TABLET TO GET BY UNTIL THIS MESS IS CLEARED UP????.
Well….I am reading about all these things that no one found out until April. What? I thought it was recent. I just found out yesterday and it now the middle of May! I am also a Digitek user and got a notice in the mail. I really wish someone would have called me rather than the time it takes to get mail to me. I am frustrated because I have felt like CRAP for about 2 1/2 -3 months now and couldn’t understand why! NOW I know why. I called my Dr. who said they would refill it with the brand name. I guess Lanoxin. But they haven’t called me back yet and it has been two days. I see him Monday anyway and I was going to talk to him about how I have been feeling. I am on the lowest dose possible so maybe that is why I haven’t been vomiting etc..But I have been dizzy, nauseated, my eyes have got really heavy and gone cross eyed on me. I have been sooo exhausted! And out of breath laying or walking or sitting. Anyway it is very disturbing when you have a medication that is suppose to make you feel better recalled.
I had a quad-bypass in oct.,had a stroke 10 days later,then became very ill from the digiteks &f7 was readmitted to the hospitol for 6 more dayswith digitex toxsicity. they told me they didn’t know why it built up in my system. as soon as I quit taking it I got better. now I know what happened &I would like some one to pay for it..any ideasout there?
I thought I was just out of it; weak at times, diarrhea, dizzy,fatigue,
Doctors were amazed my husband was still alive. He was so toxic they had to remove him from Digoxin for a short time. It was so scary…he was so fatigued he couldn’t hardly walk across the yard, he had no appetite, lost weight, and if he would try to drive the car, he was all over the road until I said “NO MORE”. He would be so weak, he could hardly get out of bed and when he did, he would sit in the recliner and sleep. He would sweat profusely. NOW WE’RE TOLD China has sent us some bad medicine. Are we at risk of losing our lives for the almighty dollar, and WHY are we getting pills from CHINA? Their irresponsible behavior in medicine manufacturing and lead paint is, at best, unexcusable.
There is no lot number – they are recalling ALL pills. Hold on to some of your pills but have your doctor also turn it into the FDA. Everyone ask your doctor “What is the future damage to your body with this mistake by the drug manufacturer? Did it do additional heart damage? Ask and post back here.
My mother died April 22nd. She had been taking Digitek for several years. She was taken to the hospital from a nursing home with low blood pressure. If anybody knows who to contact for a Class Action Law Suit, please let us all know.
Thanks
My mother in law died suddenly in July 2007 while on this medication. I am wondering if this is the cause.
My father is 93 with a pacemaker and has been on Digitek. He has gotten diarrhea a few times that was not related to flu. I took him to the doctor each time to make sure. Then when he coughed for several days, he spit up blood tinged mucous. I gave him a nebulizer treatment and he got better. Then he coughed up blood tinged mucous a week later. The doctor said it was not from his lungs, did he have an ulcer. He doesn’t. He lives with me so I observe everything. His pulse was always normal thanks to the pacemaker. His blood pressure is 140/79 without Digitek and 119/59 with it. That sounds normal but the doctor said it is better for the elderly to have a slightly higher BP, research has shown. It is unusual for it to be that low for him. He seems OK but he sleeps a lot. Due to dementia from a stroke he can’t tell me much about his symptoms, I only know what manifests itself outwardly.
My mother has CHF but, over 2 months ago was so sick, she is still not home today!!! confused, vomiting, diarehha, drowsiness, falling, coughing, lost over 10 pounds in a month,she also had these episodes that I thought it was her blood sugar, but her blood sugar would be fine, and her shortness of breath was getting worse. My mother is only 67! I took my mother to the emergency room where she was in bad shape. They told me she had digoxin tocity in her blood. She had heart surgery, cannot swallow food or liquids, has a feeding tube in her stomache to eat now. She can walk with help but is still very weak. I have her in a place where she is getting pyhsical thereapy, speech therapy. She has lost a lot more weight. Hoping to bring her back to her home, but I can’t afford the 24 hour care and nurse they say she needs now. What are they going to bring my mom back!!
Digoxin was prescribed by my Cardiologist late February. Since I had been taking Toporol for 4 years, I made the decision to hold off taking the Digoxin as I wanted to allow time to get the Toporol out of my system. Good thing my gut instincts kicked in to hold off taking Digoxin as I came down with pneumonia the end of March and am just now feeling almost human. Interesting enough, I saw my Cardiologist on April 30th and we discussed the medication she had prescribed. She was irritated with me that I had delayed taking the Digoxin. On May 1st, I found out on my own about the recall of this drug which was reported on the FDA website on April 28th. When I called my cardiologist’s office to inquire about this recall, the office staff already knew about the recall as they said that some of their other patients had called. Should I find it disturbing that my Cardiologist didn’t know (or mention anything) about the recall when I saw her on April 30th?
Subsequent to a heart bypass operation in Seattle12 years ago my Cardiologist prescribed Digoxin for which a daily dose of 0.025 MG, Digitek was substituted at a later date. We are “snow birds” and winter in AZ. In late 2007 I began to feel poorly: listless, fatigued, hives, light headedness & disoriented and almost passing out. Started recording my own blood pressures and heart rate with a wrist BP monitor. Got readings ranging below 98/46 with heart rate below 56 with some readings over 120. Alarmed, I called my Cardiologist in Seattle WA who made arrangements with a hospital in Casa Grande AZ to wear a holter monitor for 24 hours on 3/31/08. After the CG hospital Cardiologist read the tracings which showed Atrial Fibulation with several episodes of my heart stopping for over 3 1/2 seconds.He alerted Seattle Cardiologist and on 4/2/08 received a call from a Nurse Practioner to stop taking the Digitek immediately and to get back to Seattle post haste. In Seattle another holter monitor was placed and an ecocardiogram test was accomplished on 5/6/08. Was told I had Atrial Fibulation & the possibility for the need of a pacemaker was discussed. However the holter monitor showed signs of improvement in heart rythum. The Eco showed some loss of heart function compared to tests taken a couple years ago. Decision was made to stay the course for a couple more weeks. I am feeling somewhat better since eliminating the Digitek. My main concern is did this drug cause lasting effects.?
I still have not received a notice from Caremark about the recall.
We are sorry for those that lost loved ones over this drug problem.
My grandma was taking digitek and she ended up in the hospital she said her heart was racing, her hands where trembeling and she said she just didn’t feel right. They diagnosed with dig toxicity and that her body was not processing the medication properly and due to the stess on her heart ended up having a heartattack as well. Now it all makes sense!!!
My father is 72 years old and he had a pacemaker installed 2 years ago. He started taking Digitek(digoxin) about a year ago with no noticeable problems or side effects until four weeks ago. Four weeks ago he started having unexplained symptoms: Headaches, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, weakness, short of breath(difficulty breathing), slow heartbeat (60 bpm), loss of balance, and at times he felt as if he was going to pass out. When he first complained of these symtoms, we thought it was just a virus going around, but on April 30 Prescription Solutions(my father’s prescription drug provider) called to tell us that Digitek was being recalled and to immediately stop taking it. He followed their advice. We thought his symptoms would diminish and eventually go away in a few days after he stopped taking it, but they didn’t, so we decided to take him to the hospital on Sunday May 4th. He was admitted and they performed an electrocardiograph, echocardiograph, stress test, CAT scan(brain), angiogram, and blood tests. We were very happy to find out that all these tests showed his heart and brain were ok, and since he had stopped taking Digitek on Wednesday his Digoxin levels in his blood were down to normal. So what was causing his symptoms? They couldn’t find anything wrong physically, so they attributed these symptoms to Digitek, and eventhough he had already stopped taking it, they thought these were residual effects from having taken Digitek. He was released from the hospital on Wednesday May 7th, and was told these symptoms should go away with time. Today is Friday and he says they are slowly diminishing.
I read some posts from people who went through similar ordeals either personally, or with a loved one, and I understand some of the pain, grief, and frustration you went through. Fortunately for my father and my family everything is looking better for now, but who’s to say that he or other people who took Digitek won’t suffer later from long term side effects.
My father and others had to go through these types of ordeals, all because this drug company couldn’t keep a watchful eye on quality control. There is no excuse for this. Of all the types of manufacturing companies in this world, I believe drug manufacturer’s should have quality control at the top of their list of priorities.
On the legal side, I don’t know what type of lawyer to consult with. Should I seek the assistance of an attorney in my local area or should I go to the link provided on this webpage and fill out the contact form? If anyone has any suggestions, please let us know.
I am actually relieved to FINALLY find out why I have been feeling so tired….extremely fatigued at times. I have Atrial Fibs. (abrev. spelling for rapid heart beat ) I have been treated by a wonderful heart doctor for several years now. I am on four different heart medications and the one is Dijoxin/Digitek, (I understand that they are the same, only different names of the medication ). I’m also an18 year cancer survivor. I have been concerned that perhaps the cancer had returned. I’ve stayed calm and continued to put one foot in front of the other, trying to keep a positive attitude…of course worrying about that horrible possibility. I noticed that I didn’t even have the desire to leave our home. The thought of having to pick out an outfit and shower and drive my vehicle, has been too much for me to deal with, being so tired. I have also noticed that I have felt very confused at times. I have been resting as often as I could. Thank God I don’t have to drive every day to a job. I noticed that I was withdrawing from all activities, almost bursting out in tears at the thought at times thinking about having to go out or even talk to friends I have always felt comfortable with. My household activities changed a lot. I haven’t been able to keep up with what I use to be able to do. I have pushed myself. I signed up for things ( like taking our two grandchildren to a youth group and being in charge of auxiliary activities ) to help motivate myself. I’m concerned about what damage my heart/body has received. I did receive the letter from Caremark/CVS on 05/06/08, which was dated 05/02/08, signed by Jan Berger, MD, MJ, SVP, Chief Clinical Officer – Medical Affairs, CVS Caremark. Please help me to feel better by providing me and my husband with more details. I am honestly afraid deep down inside.
I have been researching this all day because I was never notified by Medco of the recall. I found out they are only notifing patients who were dispensed the medication 120 days ago. This is gross negligence on their part. Many people have their dose changed, or interrupted, etc, so there are many people who were never notified and are still using the product. Activis is recalling ALL lot numbers. This dictates a complete recall and notification of all medications dispensed by anyone for an indefinite time.
I had a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted in October of 2007. I was on Digitek both prior to, and since the surgery. I went today to get my prescription refilled, although I had about a week’s supply left. I was told when I picked it up, that the pharmacy was out of Digitek, but the new bottle shows “Digoxin”….just by chance I asked the pharmacy to give me my old bottle back, because I wanted the bottle for another use. FORTUNATELY they had my old empty Digitek bottle in the bag. About an hour later, the pharmacy called me and told me to stop taking Digitek because of the recall, and to throw any old DIgitek away. Today is May 9th. I had all of the symptoms for the past year…headache, lightheadedness, low BP and super slow heart rate at times. Simply amazing that the communication regarding a recall is so poor. I called my uncle, who is a physician, knew I was taking Digoxin, and he hadn’t even heard of it, either. It doesn’t go too well with Coumadin, either.
My father also took the digitek from march 2006 to December 2008.
He had the same symptoms. But was a very strong man and continued with his normal life. One day he really felt terrible and took him to the er. His blood pressure had dropped and they told me there was nothing they could do it was his heart. My father passed away in December. I also think this was from the pills. This company needs to pay. and my heart goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one from this, or is suffering from this companys mistakes.
my mother has been taking digitex since jan. been in and out of hospital since being on digitex. my mother died suddenly, may 5th.recived letter from rite aid
may 5th after my mother death
After taking digoxin for a few years and not seeing anything in the news papers,TV, or any calls from the Pharmicist or my Doctor about the danger I have decided I will not take this drug ever again! I am so sick and tierd of drug companies getting away with bad drugs I guess I;ll take my changes without most of the drugs. and just how much will people collect with a class action lawsuit, a few cents? I was in a class action lawsuit once and my share of the suit was a WHOPPING 10 CENT CHECK! Keep your damn drugs! Besides I do not want any drugs from another country! Infact I don’t know as I can drugs from here in the USA.
I had been on Lanoxin since 1995, never had a single problem, Jan. 1, 2008
changed insurance and without asking switched to Digoxin. I started feeling
tired alot and in the last 4 weeks have been experiencing dizzy spells. When I called in to refill my digoxin perscription today the pharmacist said there was a recall on the Digoxin and hung up before I could ask any questions. I decided that instead of going through Walgreens drive thru I would walk in and talk face to face with the pharmacist and find out exactly what this recall was. I questioned the fact that they had not notified me of the recall–how could this happen. I mentioned that they had the ability to automatically call me when any meds. were ready why couldn’t they call everyone automatically with a certain medication to notify them of a recall. I was told that my insurance should have called me. No one had notified me of this recalll!!!!!!!!!!! I am not happy about this whole mess
this is carelessness on everyone’s part.
I was told by my pharmacy that this recall may stretch back to as far as 2006. Is this information for real?
The sad thing is…when a heart patients worsen or die of heart related complications…it goes unquestioned and unnoticed and I am afraid to think of how many people have been caused injury…even death. If what my pharmacy told me is truth…honestly I would not be suprised at all.
I grieve with those that have lost family members to this.
Now it’s all clear. For the past three months I have been feeling very run down, dizzy and short of breath; I was told it was probably GERD. Nobody bothered to check my digoxin levels.
I was just informed on the 8th from my pharmacy and on the 10th from my insurance company. The pharmacy has switched me to Lanoxin.The thing that upsets me the most is that the pharmacy acted like they could care less and I should pay for a new prescription,
I’ve even seen a few posts on here that Lanoxin was recalled too! Is that true?
Hell it’s no wonder I’ve had V-Tach since December and have felt like I was getting worse. Its bad enough the leads from my defibrillator have been recalled, now this?
Does anyone know if damage has been done to our hearts or bodies?
Sorry had to vent.
My husband is a 60 year old man, diagnosed with heart failure since 1996. His first prescription was lanoxin, then it turned in digoxin and now digitek. All with the pharmacy assuring us that this was exactly the same medication, just a different manufacturer.
He has been taking digitek for months. Recently he started to feel very ill. He experienced the following problems, extreme weight loss, diarrhea, extreme exhaustion, weakness in his legs and loss of body mass, nausea, heart rythym irregularity, dizziness, shortness of breath and instability when he walks, like he is going to fall and depression like I have never seen him. He did have a sexual drive and that’s gone too. He even sleeps with his hand over his heart.
Then our pharmacy called, around 8:30 one evening and said there was a recall on Digitek. I found out that this is why he has been so ill. The pharmacy gave him a new prescription for digoxin, however, he is still ill and I don’t know if he will ever recover.
This is such a shame. He had trusted the pharmacy and I did also. This all has made him almost unable to cope. Heart Failure is a serious disorder, but can be handled with medication. However, if the medicine was hurting him, which it was, something needs to done. Someone needs to help all of us, especially our loved ones that have been so violated.
I take digetek currently and was not aware of the recall either. Why did they only send out letters which takes longer to get notified. I already have a slow heart rate and am recovering from hear surgery, This does not help, I have been tired all the time still from the new perscription. There needs to be action taken immediately from the fda and the government to protect us.
I have been taking Digoxin for many years and when I went for a refill my pharmacy told me of the recall. When did they begin this recall? Was this recall on the news? Why were we not told of this recall? I know there are thousands of people on this medication, but we trust the manufactures and they should have sent a letter or made a phone call to each and every person on this med. Sure it would have almost been an impossible job, but do they not care about the many people that trust that the prescribed drug is safe and will help the patient with their condition? Shame on them for no notice of this recall…….the company only thinks of the $$$$$$ and not us patients. I am very dissapointed in the way this has been handled.
mom has been off of digitek now for 6 days…. she has shown improvement in a wonderous way……SHE IS EATING…. SHE HAS NO DIARRHEA…altho still weak and nauseated she is not dehydrated,,, and can sit UP!!!!
yayyyyyyyy
she still shows a lot of residual effect…. but now can recognize her family and her pet. THANK GOD
MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU ALL both the injured and the caretakers.. THIS HAS BEEN A PREVIEW OF HELL
My husband took digoxin for 20 years—started getting real sick dec. 2007, stomach, really bad sweats etc—in & out of hospitals & rehab for strength training—came home in late Feb—drs said there was nothing they could do—i brought him home only to wake up Mar 6, 2008 and finding him dead. I am livid that this went on for so long.
I starte digitek two years ago I came home from the hospital so dizzy I could not walk by self, started to tell the doctors about my dizzy and some time confusion , was told that I was getting old they gave me no hope of any relief , every time I had a doctor visit it was the same story. when Walmart notified about the recall of Digitek my doctor said I could go a few days without the digitek and gave me a new RX for Digoxin I was off the Digitek for 4 days , I was not dizzy and felt good, but after starting on the new Digoxin I became very dizzy again so I stopped taking Digoxin with the O.K. from my primary care doctor.It is now 4 days and I feel good not dizzy after 2 years of feels good to be able to walk a straight line I will be 88 years old July 4
My father was having dizzy spells, low blood pressure, excessively tired, faliing from weakness, etc. All of the same symptoms. He pased away in December due to heart failure. I will not rest until I have closure for myself and the rest of my family.
I have been taking digoxin/lanoxin/digitek for many years for atrial fibrillation and have found it has done a good job of controlling my arrythmias. Most of the anecdotes told here are by or about old people like me. Old people have many more health problems now than when they were younger. When they do get sick, many try to blame their problem on some outside source such as their medication. Sometimes that might be the problem. More often it is because we are old and wearing out. This current Digitek problem is because some of the tablets were twice as big as normal tablets and contained twice as much active ingredient. You would think a person who has been taking this medication for a while would notice the change in table size and ask their pharmacist about it. I guess a lot of folk will take anything they are presented without asking a question. I have serious doubts about this particular issue and would like to see more scientific analysis before I sign on to any legal claims.
My mother was taking digoxin for a low heart rate and back in April of this year we took her to the ER of a local hospital. They said her heart was to low and they thought she needed a pace maker. She was Life Fighted to a bigger hospital and they found that she had Digtoxicity and was very sick and in the intensive care unit . She never really recovered from it and one week later had the symptoms of blurred vision, low heart rate and her pulse was very low. Again took her to the ER and was once again Life Fighted to the same hospital one week later, as a result my mother is no longer with us. She passed away almost one week to being admitted to the hospital for the second time in less than two weeks. Someone needs to be accountable for this tragic mistake.
I have had weakness, dizziness and fatigue for a while now. Feeling badly, yet unsure as to what may have been causing this problem. I just found out today while getting a refill that the Dioxin I had been taking was under a Class 1 recall. What is being done?
My mother is 89 and has been on digitek for 2 years now. She has complained of weakness, dizziness, lack of energy – didn’t want to get out of the bed, she can’t comb her hair because it falls out by the handfull, vision problems – even years after cataract surgery, odd metallic taste in her mouth, weight loss, and other problems. She received a letter in the mail advising of the recall and called her doctor who has called in a different medication. Why were people not made aware of this medication problem before so many people have had problems? It will take patients time to adjust to the new medication, but this does not relieve them of the ill effects that they have had to suffer through. There should be some recourse or action taken. Companies should be accountable for errors that they make especially when it involves someone’s health. I wonder what permanent damage has been caused by the buildup of the excess medication and if there is any resolution to it.
My husband has been on Digitek for years and we just now received the letter from Walgreens. He has been complaining of back pain, light headedness, and has been quite depressed for over a year. How long has this been going on??????And is it only Digitek? This needs to be publicized over the national news, CNN, etc. It’s all about money, isn’t it? Who cares about the patients!
I became sick also. I haven’t read all of these comments but don’t think it wise that a few posters indicated that they were going to return their remaining double strength Digitek pills to the pharmacy or where ever else. I am going to keep mine. I think that everyone who hopes to receive some fairness regarding the suffering to which they were subjected because of the faulty manufacturing process related to these pills should keep them so as to be able to prove that they actually did take the bad medicine. KEEP THEM. You may need to produce them later on. Who knows what your long-term prognosis will be. I have no legal or medical training – I am just interested in keeping my options available. This is just my own opinion.
I became sick also. I haven’t read all of these comments but don’t think it wise that a few posters indicated that they were going to return their remaining double strength Digitek pills to the pharmacy or where ever else. I am going to keep mine. I think that everyone who hopes to receive some fairness regarding the suffering to which they were subjected because of the faulty manufacturing process related to these pills should keep them so as to be able to prove that they actually did take the bad medicine. KEEP THEM. You may need to produce them later on. Who knows what your long-term prognosis will be. I have no legal or medical training – I am just interested in keeping my options available. This is just my own opinion.
I have been taking Digitek for 3 years. I suddenly started feeling teriible. I was fatigued, nasaus, headaches, shaky, experienced low blood pressure and went to my doctor. She did extensive tests and came up with nothing. I now know what was wrong. I had gotten a refill from Medco in March. I want to know how to submit bills for medical and how this happened. Was this made in the US or overseas?
Well I had just recently been in the hospital due to Atrial Fib. This is very disturbing news. I took mine back to the pharmacy and they replaced them. Now I am not sure if I sould even take these. I have been feeling weak and lightheaded at times, but then it would pass. One time I almost passed out about an hour after I took this medication. This is very serious , This is my heart they are messing with.
My mother just came home from the hospital today after what I now believe to be DIGITEK poisening. I happened to need to call her on call doctor only to find this has been recalled. Mom was suffering from low low blood pressure and High high potassium levels. This is NOT over….I will leave no stone unturned. I wonder how long this will take to reverse the effects. I will not let her send these pills back in…I am furious….Ironically enough, she has only been taking this med since mid march following the removal of part of her kidney. NO WONDER the recovery has been so slow….the pills were killing her. In none of her follow up appts. and even the nurses and doctors looking at her OWN pill bottles noticed that she was on DIGITEK and not DIGOXIN…..This is really scary
NOTE TO EVERYONE:
This Nationwide recall is for Digitek 0.125 & 0.25. This recall is NOT for any strength of Digoxin or Lanoxin. Once again this recall is only if you are taking the name brand Digitek, Digoxin and Lanoxin are generic versions of Digitek. Don’t panic. Once again this recall is only if your pill bottle says Digitek, not Difoxin or Lanoxin. If you have any questions, call the makers, Stericycle at 1-888-276-6166 Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm or go to http://www.actavis.us
I’ve take a number of heart related medications and just about every one of them have nasea as a symption. However, like most people, I’ve been having more dizzy spells, the severe drop in blood sugar, sweats, feeling like I might pass out. Its especially bad when it happens while I’m driving. Also, I’ve recently started having really bad muscle pains for no apparent reason to the point where my doctor suggested I see a chiropractor. I noticed a few others have reported similar symptions. I plan to do a whole lot more research. On a side note, I’m concerned about NOT taking the recalled drugs; this is the first time in years that I haven’t been to the emergency room for heart related problems in over 12 months.
Jim McCollum…
I wish you the best, but we are not all old people here, clinging to life by a thread. I am 47. I have been on this crap since being diagnosed with A-fib in October of 2006. And with all of the above symptoms, and telling my cardiologists that it’s PROBABLY prescription related, because other tests are normal, they actually saw the light and said I may be right. But they keep right on prescribing it to me.
Oh, and yes, I still am taking Digoxin, even after having a defibrillator / pacemaker implanted in October of 2007.
And AMEN, Eileen…it IS our hearts they are messing with ! And it IS our body that we are told to put this crap into. I used to work for Bristol-Myers / Squibb, but not directly with the pharmaceutical division. I also am an insurance agent, so I know something about how the prescription drug business works.
To us, it may seem like we are always whining about our conditions, but the medical professionals at times, don’t seem to care that it IS our LIVES and OUR BODIES….THEY don’t have to take this stuff.
My father (85) was a active senior until a few months ago. It had become impossible to wake him up or get him to eat, all he wanted to do is sleep. His breathing was labored and his heart rate went up and down. He was in the hospital several times each time the doctors would add new medicines. My husband and I began looking at nursing homes. Three weeks ago I explained to my father our plans. I told him I was concerned he was being overdosed and wanted to take him off all his medicines. Within 3 days he was back to his old self. About a week ago I put him back on the Digoxin and I noticed he was having labored breathing. Then the letter came two days ago-Am I mad? YES
i have been taking this medicine since 2001, i know only have about 40% of my heart left i have some of these symptoms like nasua, vommiting, fatigue, abnormal heart beats and skips for awhile now but the last 3 or so months it really got worse i seen my cardiologyst around the 1st of april (after canceling my other appointments a couple of times for not being able to go cause i was sick) i asked him to refill my Promethazine ( i believe thats the med I take for nausia & vommitting ) he asked why i told him i had that med for awhile and i take it when i feel sick and that i have been sick quiet a bit and i hate taking pills but if it keeps me from throwing up or feeling sick i’ll take it. my blood pressure stays low low, also dizzines or light headed,the walgreens replaced my digoxin 2 days ago with the same name medicine but told me it was the good batch that the phamasutical company sent to fill replacement orders and new orders im not sure i trust that and i cant get ahold of my DR.
Like everyone else that has written – I am very angry that it took so long for someone to tell us that there was a problem with the dosage of digitek. I had called digitek to find out how far back this problem goes & they said two years. My father has been on digitek for at least the last 7 years after receiving a valve replacement in 2000. Unfortunately, he passed away May of 2007 after going thru gran mal seizures & strokes since 2006. He had many of the symptoms written about – dizziness, shaking & fatigue. After receiving the notice from walmart regarding the recall, my family is wondering could his strokes & seizures been avoided had he not taken this medication? Too many questions and like everyone else wondering why has this not been mentioned in the news. Where was the FDA? In the pocket of the drug companies as usual. I am so angry!! Could my dad still be alive today?
my exhusband has been on digoxin for the past 4-5 years. Last month he ended up in the emergency room with sweating, out of breath, weak, couldn’t see, he actually thought he was going to die. He thought it might be his sugar but the levels were fine and inconsistent with his symptoms. He left on a trip with me and his mother who is also on this medication was contacted by wal mart where she used to fill her prescriptions, she took this information to walgreens where she now fills her prescriptions and they had no knowledge of this recall or so they claimed no knowledge. We came home a week later and was not contacted by walgreens about the recall. We heard it from his mother. Information of this nature needs to be passed urgently, as lives do depend on it.
My mother, 81, has been taking Digitek for a year after 5 stents and CHF. Just this past few weeks, I noted to our family that she seemed weak and frail lately. Then my Dad notified us of the letter from Rite Aid. We were with her yesterday. She has no appetite, is very nervous at times, isn’t sleeping well at night (restless) yet very tired, said she doesn’t know why “I just feel depressed.” She’s pale, sometimes seems short of breath. She complains of being very cold, very tired, yet she is warm to the touch. We are wondering if she’s starting to have further issues…now I read the postings here and it all sounds very familiar.
Rite Aid didn’t advise my father of symptioms. They did tell him they had no more left of the replacement and that if she seemed OK to continue to take the recalled meds! Unbelieveable!
We’re going to the Dr tomorrow. Reading all of these other postings I cannot believe such things can happen in this day and age.
My father was notified by mail!!! So he was continueing to take this double dose a few days longer than should have been. Not to mention how long this has been a double dose he has been getting. What if that letter didn’t show up in his mail? Pretty poor communication process. He too had a mini stroke as the Dr. has called it had him in the hospital twice in the last year. Trouble breathing, sick to his stomach, just an overall ill feeling. Where do we all go from here?
again i lost my mom, my heart goes out to the people whom lost your love one, i know what you are feeling, god bless you all !!!
I am apalled that we did not know about this recall sooner!!! My mom takes Digoxin and her bottle said it was manufactured by Bertek, which is one of the ones recalled. We got a letter from Walgreens yesterday advising of the recall and telling her to call her physician. I called Walgreens today and got her a new 30 day prescription of one of the generics that is not on recall.
For the last month or so, she has had a lot of dizzy spells – to the point that she actually fell (very scary) when she was just getting up off the sofa. We couldn’t figure out what was causing her dizziness and I was really pushing her to go to the doctor because I was worried about it. She also has had a lot of hair loss recently, which I am now wondering about whether it could be caused from having twice the level of digoxin in her bloodstream. This has been handled very poorty and I now am worried about what long term effects there may be with having had this level in her bloodstream for months now.
Does anybody know exactly when this was recalled by the company?
Digitek almost killed me! Pulse rate was less then 40. Hosptial won’t release test results. The attorneys advice above is stupiod. I promise there’s a class action suit in the making. Can’t imagine where that attorney went to school. What an idiot!!
Digitek almost killed me! Pulse rate was less then 40. Hosptial won’t release test results. The attorneys advice above is stupiod. I promise there’s a class action suit in the making. Can’t imagine where that attorney went to school. What an idiot!!
Does anyone know how far back the recalled pills go. My sons 14 and takes digitek once a day. Kroger Pharmacy called me to let me know about the recall and asked me to bring the unused portion and they would replace them. Now I’m wondering if the digitek pills we had were the recalled pills. He’s had alot of heart rate problems since August 07 we have been in the emergency room numerous times with his heart rate as high as 165, chest pains, he also has been very tired just wants to sleep. He also has had alot of back pain. Not sure if there is any connection to this pill because I’m not sure if he had the recalled pills. Tomorrow I’m going to call the pharmist and ask I hope they can tell me because I didn’t keep any of the pills that were recalled I wish I did.
Lynn (male 68 yrs old I have had two heart attacks and currently have a pace maker) May 11, 2008 06:20 pm
I have been taking Digitek for about a year and I’m very disapointed that I wasn’t notified of the recall. I just received a e-mail from a friend and called Fred Meyer pharmacy. They said I should have received a call, but I had not and I have a message recorder thats always on. I have had some discompfort with sweating and have been having trouble with my breathing. I also have been very tired lately. The pharmacist told me to stop taking the digitek and come in tomorrow to pick up a new prescription.
I too have a 92 mom on Digitek .0125, every other day, since Oct 2007. When she left the hospital form CHF, AFib, and rapid heart rate, she was on this med and recuperated slowly. Then March 2008, she had CHF again. This time she has not inmproved at all. She has been on coumodin also since Oct, 7 mg per day. Someone that posted a comment said they thought digitek did not mix well with coumodin. We were never told this by the dr or the pharmacist. My mom has had low blood pressure, loss of appetite(weight loss) , diarreah, confusion, headaches, muscle aches, depression, extreme ankle and feet swelling but most of all she cannot walk 2 steps without getting short of breath. It was so difficult taking her out to dinner this mother’s day(today). I monitor her fluid intake to 16 oz a day. She has leaky valves and her body produces a great deal of fluids so she does take lasix twice a day. Before Oct 2007, she hadn’t had CHF for 4 years. She lives with me now and I weigh her every day to check for fulid retention. Like everyone else, I am worried if this pill has done damage to her body. We checked the digoxin level once after she got out of the hospital in Oct 07, and it was ok, but now that she is worse, I will call the Dr to get it checked again. She is on zoloft for the depression and we had to cut her blood pressure pill in half. Her blood pressure is better and her appetite has improved. Every time we go to the heart Dr or her Med Dr, they both think she should be walking better and they do not understand why she is worse. Maybe a recent script had the double dose. I will call the Dr tomarrow and try to get the Lenoxin for her. Now I am very worried. Oh, I did not mention that the family owned pharmacy never called us. I am in New York and my firiend from Kentucky saw the recall on her local news and emailed me. How could no one contact us? This is just horrible and someone has to be accountable for all the added expenses all of us must incur . I am really outraged.
My mother has been taking the medication for 2 years now. She has CHF. We heard about the recall on the news last night. I contacted her pharmacy and was told to throw out the medication and they would replace it.
For the past 6 months or so my mother has exhibited similar symptoms to everyone else on this board. She was hospitalized in Sept of 07 with a blood pressure of 50/20–and yes I mean fifty over twenty. We thought we were going to lose her. The hospital eventually gave her a diagnosis of exhaustion! Since then she has had no apetite, tired all the time, and says she just feels “like she has the flu”. We thought she was depressed, but it all makes perfect sense now.
My mother has had to suffer miserably over the past 6 months, and “they” are just now releasing this information?! This is absolutley unacceptable. Someone should be held accountable for this as well as the needless suffering these people have endured.
My mother is 70 years old and a very active, positive and energetic woman. For months now she has gone from a vibrant woman to almost a shell of a human being. 4/18/08 she had a routine doctor’s appointment. They checked her blood pressure and it was very low. She told her doctor that her kidneys really hurt and she just didn’t feel right. He told her she had a bladder infection and take the antibiotics and she would be fine. She told him it was not her bladder but her kidneys. Unreal to me how a doctor won’t listen to his patients. Not uncommon, I am sure. My mom took everyone of the recalled digitek. Everyone of them! I am shocked and amazed she is still here on this earth! It outrages me to the point of tears! All for the love of money! Lose our loved ones so someone can cusion their pocket with the almight dollar! Pharmacutical companies make me sick! Money has superceeded the value of HUMAN LIFE!!! Can you imagine one day when these people will stand before the ALMIGHTY. Murder innocent people to save a buck or two. MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE LOST A LOVED ONE. Truly, words could never heal the the wounds inflicted on the American people. How this can happen, and it does every single day, leaves me dumbfounded. May the Lord comfort and bring peace to all of those who have suffered and are still suffering from such an unjustness as this!
IN THE PAST YEAR MY MOTHER WAS HAVING SOME HEART ISSUES AND THE DR. PUT HER ON GIGOXIN AND FROM THE START I CAN REMEMBER HER STSTING MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THE SIDE EFFECTS OF THIS MED. HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN OUT THERE IN THE DOUBLE DOSE FORM? IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR SHE CONTRACTED PNEUMONIA AND WAS RECOVERING QUITE WELL . THEN IN EARLY APRIL SHE WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE BLOOD PRESSURE DROP , VERY LOW HEART RATE, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, THEN HAD TO BE AIR LIFTED TO ANOTHER LOCAL HOSPITAL WHERE THERE WAS A CADIDO UNIT TO CARE FOR HER. SHE LOST FIVE DAYS OF HER LIFE IN THIS BATTLE FOR HER LIFE. SHE WAS SENT HOME AND WAS THERE ABOUT SIX DAYS AND WAS SENT AGAIN TO THE HOSPITAL WITHT THE SAME PROBLEMS, AIR LIFTED AGAIN, THIS TIME SHE WAS NOT SENT HOME. SHE SPENT HER FINAL SIX DAYS ON PAIN MAINTENENCE AND ASLEEP FOR ALL OF THAT TIME, UNTIL IT MERCIFULLY ENDED. THIS WAS NOT GODS WAY OF TAKING HER ,RATHER VERY POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE RICHEST. THIS IS SICKENING. MY HEART AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO ALL THAT HAVE SUFFERED.
IN THE PAST YEAR MY MOTHER WAS HAVING SOME HEART ISSUES AND THE DR. PUT HER ON GIGOXIN AND FROM THE START I CAN REMEMBER HER STSTING MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THE SIDE EFFECTS OF THIS MED. HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN OUT THERE IN THE DOUBLE DOSE FORM? IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR SHE CONTRACTED PNEUMONIA AND WAS RECOVERING QUITE WELL . THEN IN EARLY APRIL SHE WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE BLOOD PRESSURE DROP , VERY LOW HEART RATE, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, THEN HAD TO BE AIR LIFTED TO ANOTHER LOCAL HOSPITAL WHERE THERE WAS A CADIDO UNIT TO CARE FOR HER. SHE LOST FIVE DAYS OF HER LIFE IN THIS BATTLE FOR HER LIFE. SHE WAS SENT HOME AND WAS THERE ABOUT SIX DAYS AND WAS SENT AGAIN TO THE HOSPITAL WITHT THE SAME PROBLEMS, AIR LIFTED AGAIN, THIS TIME SHE WAS NOT SENT HOME. SHE SPENT HER FINAL SIX DAYS ON PAIN MAINTENENCE AND ASLEEP FOR ALL OF THAT TIME, UNTIL IT MERCIFULLY ENDED. THIS WAS NOT GODS WAY OF TAKING HER ,RATHER VERY POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE RICHEST. THIS IS SICKENING. MY HEART AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO ALL THAT HAVE SUFFERED.
IN THE PAST YEAR MY MOTHER WAS HAVING SOME HEART ISSUES AND THE DR. PUT HER ON GIGOXIN AND FROM THE START I CAN REMEMBER HER STSTING MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THE SIDE EFFECTS OF THIS MED. HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN OUT THERE IN THE DOUBLE DOSE FORM? IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR SHE CONTRACTED PNEUMONIA AND WAS RECOVERING QUITE WELL . THEN IN EARLY APRIL SHE WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE BLOOD PRESSURE DROP , VERY LOW HEART RATE, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, THEN HAD TO BE AIR LIFTED TO ANOTHER LOCAL HOSPITAL WHERE THERE WAS A CADIDO UNIT TO CARE FOR HER. SHE LOST FIVE DAYS OF HER LIFE IN THIS BATTLE FOR HER LIFE. SHE WAS SENT HOME AND WAS THERE ABOUT SIX DAYS AND WAS SENT AGAIN TO THE HOSPITAL WITHT THE SAME PROBLEMS, AIR LIFTED AGAIN, THIS TIME SHE WAS NOT SENT HOME. SHE SPENT HER FINAL SIX DAYS ON PAIN MAINTENENCE AND ASLEEP FOR ALL OF THAT TIME, UNTIL IT MERCIFULLY ENDED. THIS WAS NOT GODS WAY OF TAKING HER ,RATHER VERY POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE RICHEST. THIS IS SICKENING. MY HEART AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO ALL THAT HAVE SUFFERED.
My mother passed away on April 1st 2008. The day before my birthday. She came home from rehabilitation on February 22, 2008 doing o.k. We were hoping she would continue to improve, but after a couple of weeks it was apparent that she was declining. We received a letter from her CVS pharmacy asking that her prescription for Digitek had a recall and to return the prescription to the pharmacy. This is a month later and we have already disposed of her pills. Any advice on how I can find out if this is what caused her death? This won’t bring my mom back I know, but at least my brother, (who is still feeling a bit of guilt as he was taking care of her outside of working), my sister and I will know the truth. I spoke with my mothers’ caregiver and she said that this overdose would explain a lot of what my mother experienced in her final weeks, which were very hard to watch. PLEASE HELP.
Thankfully, my pharmacy called and told me of the recall. My husband can attest to the fact that, lately, I’ve been feeling “very bad”, without specific complaints other than a general state of malaise, weakness, shortness of breath, etc.
This oversight on the part of the manufacturer is unconscionable and should be rectified sooner, rather than later. We’re all at the mercy of these pharmaceutical companies and depend on their validity, security, and honesty for our very LIVES.
My blood pressure had been vacillating, also, but all my M.D. did was to increase my BP meds. Who’s in WHOSE pockets?
MY HUSBAND HAS BEEN ON DIGITEK FOR OVER A YEAR.A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO HE STARTED WITH SHORTNESS OF BREATH,THEN HE WAS TIRED ALOT AND JUST DIDN’T FEEL GOOD.HE HAS THYROID PROBLEMS WHICH TOOK 6 MONTHS (AT LEAST) TO GET UNDER CONTROL HE IS ALSO ON BLOOD THINNER HE TAKES DIGITEK TO REGULATE HIS HEARTBEAT.HE HAS HAD TO GO THROUGH STRESS TEST,CAT SCAN,UTLRA SOUND BLOOD WORK ETC.WE WERE JUST NOTIFIED THURSDAY MAY 8 2008 ON THE RECALL. I CALLED THE PHARMACY WHICH WAS VERY RUDE ABOUT THIS AND NOW WE HAVE HIM ON ANOTHER MEDICINE BUT WHAT I DON’T UNDERSTAND IS HOW THIS HAPPENED THE GOVERNMENT CONTROLS EVERYTHING ELSE HOW CAN THEY LET THIS HAPPEN AND HAVE NO CONTROL.WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLES LIVES NONE OF US KNOW WHAT KIND OF OUTCOME THIS REALLY HAS ON OUR LOVED ONES.I WISH THE VERY BEST TO ALL WHO HAS SUFFERED FROM THIS AND MAY GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU AND HOLD YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN HIS HANDS.
I have been takeing this digitek one and a half years for rapid heart beat. I have gone to Mayo Clinic in Scotsdale ,AZ a year ago and had alot of test. My initial problem was high blood pressure and with many different medications could not get it to stabilize. The rapid heart beat episodes followed. I wonder if digitek was keeping some of these medications from working. I have just had total knee replacement. My pain pills was propoxyphen-apap I became very nauses and thought I was getting the flu, it just kept on. I had such terrible taste in my mouth and no appetite I had the doctor call for a refill and on April 29 they refilled it, nothing said. May 8 I had an email saying they were filling my prescription and I’m wondering why again I had just received one, I called my pharmacy only to find out the prescription I had just received was recalled. I had not heard about this , like I said I was house bound for 6 weeks and watched alot of TV and saw nothing about the recall. I am waiting to hear from my doctor. I have 90 pill plus left. I’m having an awfull time with exercising me knee and am very depressed.
I received a phone call from Kaiser Permanente my health care provider informing me that my heart medication Digoxin was being recalled because the strength was doubled at point of manufacture and if continued could cause death. I was advised to call my pharmacy and my doctor at once.
Can you imagine?
I have been taking Digitek Digoxin since 1999 for Atrial Fibrillation
with no side affects. However, for the last 4 to 6 months I have been complaining to my husband and my Dr. about feeling tired, sick, general weakness, feeling dizzy, having bouts with feeling nauseated, vomiting in the morning, heavy sweats, hot flashes, severe depression and heavy chest. My Dr. took blood tests and physicals. The test results are perfect, except high on cholesterol.The Digoxin level was not checked at that time?
I am devastated that it has taken so long to come to the attention of our doctors and the FDA that indeed, there is a life threatening problem with this medication.
The reason I’m so upset is this medicine would have been a good thing, except for the fact that they made a huge mistake (which we all do), by doubling the dosage. Dads eyes were too bad to see a difference in the size of the pills. It doesn’t matter how old we are, we deserve to live until we die of natural causes. I understand that doesn’t always happen but we all deserve that fair chance regardless of how old we are. This has been happening for at least a year and a half. They didn’t want people to panic, so they tell them to only take a half dosage, etc. They know and don’t stop people from taking it. I only received a letter this weekend regarding.and many people are still taking it not knowing about the recall. My Dad was falling all the time and for months the Drs. And community nurses tried to get his blood pressure back up to normal. They were using this medicine to do it and they couldn’t understand what was wrong. I don’t want revenge and I know I cant bring him back. But how do you throw the letter away and all the evidence of negligence. The biggest thing I want to do right now is make sure people who are taking it (because there are thousands) stop before its too late for them also. In December my Dad fell due to weakness. This is a 79 year old guy who has had his right hip replaced twice and this time when he fell he crawled across the kitchen floor to get the phone and his left hip was broken to the point that it was completely out of the socket. Because he was taking this medicine. How do I just get over it and walk away from it? I wish I could but I cant.
As soon as I finish typing this, my wife is driving me to Walgreens for a new RX. Our mail-away Walgreens told me when I was ordering a re-fill about the recall. They sent it to me but with a warning to call my doctor. I called both my Cardiologist and GP; the cardiologist called in anew RX. I have been taking this medicine since July of 1997 when I had open heart surgery and a repaired mitro-valve performed. I complained to my GP about the diarrhea six months ago and about the dizziness. I have been retired for three years but I didn’t think that I needed to take rests in the afternoon, but I have been napping for the past two weeks alomost everyday; I am feeling very fatigued. Slight headaches have been periodically happening and I have never had them. I only found out about this last week. I had blood work done last week and am looking to see the results. Thanks for sharing your experiences; I hope I feel better tomorrow.
My daughter was put on Digoxin, to be taken after dialysis, but I noticed that her blood pressure was mostly normal, so I did not give it to her, then her blood pressure went up and I would give her one. Early one morning she woke up saying she could not breath and was gasping for air, I called 911 and they took her to the E. R., This was in April. I just received a letter from Walgreens Pharmacy informing us about the recall. My daughter could have died, if not for our quick thinking and calling 911, she stayed in the Hospital for 10 days.
We were not aware of this recall until today 4/12/08. If it had not been for the local TV station airing it on the news this evening we would not have known anything about this recall. The mail order pharmacy has not notified us about this at all. How many people have to suffer or worse die before anything is done!!! This is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had an emergency visit to the ER and they gave me a prescription for Digoxin that was prescribed by my cardiologist. I started taking the Digoxin the next day and for the next 3 days. I could hardly move, I was so tired and nauseated and very weak. I had abdominal pains that were getting worse every day and nothing was helping to ease the pain. Then I thought what have I been eating or drinking or whatever that was different. It was the Digoxin. I stopped taking it and started to feel better. I ended up throwing them away. But then I had to make an appt. with my gastroenterologist who couldn’t figure out what was wrong, had to go to the gynecologist, and he couldn’t figure it out. Now I’m supposed to go to the Univ. of Mich. in Ann Arbor. However, I feel my intestinal problems were caused by the Digoxin. Just don’t know how to heal this. I’m thoroughly disgusted. So I guess I’ll have to make a 3 hr. trip to Univ. of Michigan and see if they agree with my diagnosis and what they can do to heal this mess.
Dolores
I responded earlier but didn’t specify that my mother had been experiencing weakness, problems breathing, slept most of the day to the point of commatose, was nassieated constantly. She was in and out of the Hospital and rehab 4 or 5 times since October of 2007. Doctors said it was due to her health problems but she was on Digitek all that time and they didn’t check her blood level for this. They didn’t do an optopsy but after reading all of the comments I don’t need one to know this is what killed her. IT IS NICE TO KNOW THAT SOME WILL GET THEIR MONEY BACK, BUT I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THOSE OF US WHO HAVE LIVED WITH THE SYSMTEMS AND WATCH THEIR LOVED ONES DIE NOT KNOWING WHY. HOW MUCH IS MY MOTHERS’ LIFE WORTH? NOTHING TO THIS COMPANY BUT EVERYTHING TO HER CHILDREN SHE LEFT BEHIND. WE SHOULD DEMAND RETRIBUTION. I haven’t gotten through all the commets yet. I am on #43 and have counted 4 deaths including my mothers. How many more will I find. I have contacted my Estate Attorney and intend to sue for retribution. This won’t bring my mom back, but it will hopefully prove a point and change the way the FDA and these companies operate when it comes to our lives and welfare. I don’t even know what I am feeling other than angry and hurt that my mother has been taken away when I just got her back in my life a couple of years ago. I’m 41 and barely new my mother. I feel cheated that she died of what I term an unmeditated drug overdose!!!! Anyone agree?
I and my daughter take the medication. I take the brand name lanoxin and she takes digitek for almost a year and she alway complain of being tired. at the times when she runs out and I give her some of mine, she feel better.
I have always taken the brand name and it cost about the same.
I have been taking digoxin for the past 7 years. I started feeling badly about 8 months ago. Weak, dizzy, shortness of breath. I also had a bad case of the “flu” in December of 2007, but now I realize all the symptoms point to DIGOXIN /DIGITEX. This is UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! What is the problem? I just changed from CVS pharmacy to my insurance mail order pharmacy. I just recieved a 90 day supply 3 weeks ago. Now I have to have a different med.
Also, my 83 old Mother died in November of 2007 with low blood pressure and irregular heart beat. She was also on this medication.
I THINK WE ALL NEED A LAWYER. Someone should have told us about this sooner. I just recieved my notice in the mail today.
Like so many of you, I too lost a loved one recently due to the GREED of a pharmaceutical company. This is OUTRAGEOUS! My mom was an active, vibrant 81 year old who went to the hospital with the flu on 2/14/08. Dr was ready to release her 2 days later but decided to keep her 1 more day to be sure she was recovered. The next day she was worse. She had contracted a severe blood infection in the hospital that caused AF. After a week or so, she recovered from the infection, but was left very weak. I brought her home on 3/1/08. On that same day, I filled a RX for Digitek. (I assume she was on it while in the hospital). She went down hill fast and died 3/11/08. Something needs to be done to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. How could drugs that have twice the ingredient ever get to the public.? Don’t they have any quality control? With so many people suffering from this the drug company will simply declare bankruptcy before anyone gets compensated. They can never bring our loved ones back. Can you tell I’m mad as H***?
My husband Earl Baker, has been taking Digoxin for over 10 years. Earl has experienced headaces, tireness, dizzness and anginia for the last 6 weeks. His blood pressure has been lower than usual and we thought that was the reason for his fatique. Not realizing that the medication dosage was more than the reommended amount. When you trust the Pharmacetical companies to provide medications, you are trusting them with you life. I think this is horrible and the public shoud have been made aware of this ASAP. We are still recieving mail from our drug store to tell us about the recall. Earl is still not his usual self. I am not sure if it is stress or the recent medication.
My mother-in-law has been in digoxin for several years in combination with other drugs due to congestive heart failure. She was recently quite ill (stomach problems, choking, difficulty breathing, swollen ankles, etc) She was put in the hospital and we were told she had been given “too much digoxin) and her levels were too high. She was admitte thru the ER and we were told she was caught just in time. Unfortunately she seems very confused now and we are putting her in a nursing home. She is having a chest scan tomorrow. They got her up to walk after thinking she was under control with her breathing and her oxygen level “plummetted”. The doctor said this was very unusual. All eyes were looking at her family as having been incompetent with her meds (we’ve been administering them for years) Now we KNOW THE ANSWER Where can we turn to get the care that my mother-in-law so desparately needs now. She cannot afford to pay for proper care in a facility. WE NEED HELP!!!
I was wondering why i was feeling so tired all the time now i no has anyone else had problems breathing and coughing i have had alot of dizzyness this make nosence why we all had to wait so long to be told about this recall and i for one think this recall should have been put on all news stations .
My 83 year old mother has been taking digiteck for years. she was in the hospital April 11 th and 12th. they said she was dehydrated. She had been feeling bad for weeks, she was so weak she would fall,she was very confused, At the hospital they said one of her kindeys was not funtioning right,her blood pressure was very low,she had a fever, dizziness and diarreah. she also now gets a B12 shot,now it will be every month. I took mom to her doctor a few days after she came home from the hospital for a follow up, No one new about the recall at this time. I have four sisters, we all are very upset about this. we could of lost our mom! I am really having a hard time with this. Mary Lou
why did this happen? so upset!!!
My husband died of heart failure Feb. 28th, 2008 at the age of 58. He has been on Digoxin for 3-4 years and we received a letter from his pharmacy today warning him of the recall. It’s a little too late. For at least 10 months, he has been taking a pill that was killing him. He went into the hospital with heart failure on 12/31/2007 and was released 3-4 days later. He went back into the hospital on Feb. 4th of heart failure and again was released 3-4 days later. On Feb. 28, while I was at work, he died of heart failure. Did they kill my husband?
I am down right pissed off!!! I received a letter from Walgreens on 5/10 telling me about the recall. The letter was dated 5/1/08 and mailed 5/8/08. Why did Walgreens take 7 days after they knew to inform me I had was taking a bad drug? The call me immediately if I am late in picking up a prescription I called in. Why in God’s name do they not care enough about me as a person to inform me by phone about the danger I was exposed to the same way the do when they need my money. I was having all kinds of symptoms and thinking it was other resons. I have been on this drug for many years. Patients need to unite and take this matter into their own hands. We need to be calling our Radio Stations CNN NBC ABC, blogging, venting down right making a STINK. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. We need to unite and “be heard”. I want to start something. Let me know your ideas….
After reading all of the postings, I wanted to give my information I received from my Sams Club Pharmacy and Stericycle’s infomercial at the phone # given on the written recall notice I received last week. WHAT EVER YOU DO – DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT GET RID OF THESE PILLS. The reason Sterycycle wants you to send your unused pills to them so they can dispose of them “Properly” is so there isn’t any evidence available to shut this company down. This company is recalling ALL LOTS. At this time there isn’t a specific lot. Linoxin is the Brand Name. Digoxin is the generic name. Actavis Totowa LLC is the US manufacturing division of the international generic pharm com Actavis Group. Digitek is the generic name that Actavis Group chose to name the Linoxin/Digoxin product so they could distribute it and sell it worldwide. When a company chooses to distrubute and sell a brand name product, they cannot use the brand name (obviously because someone else is using that brand name) so they have to use a different name. Digitek was the name they choose. Linoxin is the same as Digoxin and Digoxin is the same as Digitek. THEY ARE ALL THE SAME PILL FORMULATION WITH DIFFERENT NAMES!!!! As per my pharmacist, all of these drug names WILL be recalled in the next few weeks. The recall had to start somewhere so they choose Digitek which are digoxin tablets USP all strengths) This company, Stericycle and the FDA are OVERWHELMED with this recall AS THEY SHOULD BE!!!!! Since everyones system is different, some people can take this drug for long periods of time with small side effects while others take it for a short period of time with MAJOR side effects.
I read everyones comments (Humans) I am just wondering if there were any other dogs or animal owners that were prescribed this drug for heart failure. If so please e-mail me at drtdi1@comcast.net. I am FRIGGIN DISGUSTED BEYOND BELIEF that this recall came a little over a year since my Woogy’s passing. There will be a class action lawsuit. The press releases just came out on April 25, 08. By the time the pharmacists, doctors received the letter in the mail and by the time is was distributed, by mail to patients, in some cases it was too late. The people on here that received phone calls. consider your self lucky. Not everyone is receiving phone calls.
My fiance died july 5th 2007 of a heart attack. HE WAS 52 YEARS OLD. We received the recall letter from Walgreens today MAY11, 2008. DATED , MAY 1,2008 .
IT STATES “OUR RECORDS INDICATE THAT BETWEEN APRIL 25,2007 AND APRIL 25TH 2008 YOU RECEIVED ONE OR MORE PRESCRIPTIONS…” . WELL I KNOW FOR A FACT I HAVEN’T FILLED A PRESCRIPTION FOR HIM SINCE MAY OR POSSIBLY JUNE OF LAST YEAR!
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE LAST APRIL! DEAR GOD- DID THIS KILL HIM??? WHAT DO I DO? THERE WAS NO AUTOPSY. OF COURSE I DON’T HAVE ANY OF HIS MEDS REMAINING. I THREW THEM AWAY- HE DIED 10 MONTHS AGO!!! I AM IN SHOCK…
I just received a letter today from Walgreens telling me of the “possibitity” (like they didn’t know what drug they gave me) that I may have received one or more of my prescriptions for digoxin that were Digitek tablets. Today on May 13th when they have known this for at least a week now. They chose to mail me a letter when they have my phone number and my email address. I don’t get it. I too for the last several weeks have been feeling “out of it” tired, upset stomach, chest pains, and low blood pressure. I find this so disturbing and I’ll be calling my Dr. first thing in the morning.
I have been taking Digixon for some years now…Everyone is saying the dosage was deffective per the manufacturing Co…..
My doctor says the med. levels will die down eventually..
My question is now that the dig.. levels are being adjusted to the proper dosage what will happen to our bodies systems with the dramitic decrease..
How will this affect us , Do I need to worry about my system going into shock , Thus sending me into (A. Fib). or even a full blown heart attack.
Because I am not getting the level of Dig. doses that my body is used too?
I’m so very angry. My husband was put on Digitek in early November, on Warfarin in December, had cardioversion for A-Fib in January, and has continued to have the symptoms of fatigue (slept all the time during the winter months), severe nausea, food tasting like plastic, felt dizzy and weak to the point of falling (which now appears to have been due to low blood pressure), and has lost about 60 lbs. since November, 2007 dropping to 167 lbs. We’ve complained to his cardiologist and his family doctor. His family doctor put him on Metroclopram 10 mg for the nausea, and that didn’t help. It was my sister-in-law who called Sunday, May 11th to say she heard on the news that there was the recall. I came to this website last night, then called his cardiologist today. The cardiologist’s office said he can’t stop taking the medication (like the newscaster said to do), as that may cause some additional problems. I was told to have the pharmacy put him on the Lanoxin. My husband picked up the prescription, it is Digoxin not Lanoxin. Is the Digoxin safe?????? I’ll call the cardiologist and the pharmacy back in the morning, since I won’t get any answers this evening, although I suspect that they will tell me it is safe because they don’t seem to have the Lanoxin available. I really thought during the months from Dec. through April that my husband may die, he looked and felt so bad all of the time. He continued to go to doctor appointments, but nothing helped. He’s fallen in the house and has scarring on his face from hitting the woodwork. How long has the drug company been aware of their mistake?? After my sister-in-law called, my husband said that he received a letter from Wal-Mart Pharmacy a few days earlier “that said that one of my medicines may kill me”. Were they waiting until they got in a shipment of the digoxin to offer to people to take instead of Digitek before they contacted anyone? This article was dated April 28 – I had his last Digitek refilled on April 24 and the letter arrived on May 8th. I have a lot of questions, but don’t seem to be getting many answers. As so many of the posts have pointed out, the noncaring manner of the drug manufacturer, pharmacy, and those in my husband’s cardiologist’s office is quite difficult to take. I know that the pharmacy and cardiologist didn’t cause the mistake, but they didn’t alert us to the problem or try to resolve it, either. My trust in them has been severely breached.
My mom was on this medicine also. She passed away on April 6, at 82. She fell twice that week. Once was out of a double bed which has never happened. She was weak , lose of appetite and confused more than normal. I am now wondering if these pills had anything to do with it. Does anyone know where we can have her an analysis done on the pill to see if it is a higher dose? IF these helped cause her death I am angry. She went in her sleep which is what she always said she wanted to do. I am glad she went peacefully in sleep but MAD if these were the cause. Nothing will bring her back but I would like peace of mind knowing one way or the other.
My father died while I was out of town. I was gone for three days and we came home and found him on April 28th. The medical examiners and investigators said it was an apparent heart attack so they said that it wasn’t necessary to order an autopsy so we didn’t. My dad was A-fib and had double bypass last year. During that time he had been taking digoxin. I just found out about this by getting a letter in the mail from Walgreens. During the past year his dr could not seem to regulate his heart rate or blood pressure, they would go up and down and said said that he felt sick. I noticed my dad had been sleeping alot lately too. I am wondering if digoxin is to blame for my dads death. My dad was only 50 yrs old.
I have been off Digitec for two weeks now, and am beginning to feel stronger and am breathing much easier. I still have nausea after eating, but not as bad. My doctor prescribed Lanoxin and I’ve been taking it for a week. I also discontinued the Amiodarone and began taking Sotalol for my a-fib. After 6days, the a-fib stopped for the first time in over a year. Interesting what the correct medication can do. I can see now that I was being poisoned by two medications at the same time, Amiodarone and Digitec.
I’m 72 and have CHF and atrial fibrillation and had a quadruple bypass just ten months ago, so I’m lucky to still be alive!
The irony of all this is, when I was so sick, I skipped a regular doctor’s appointment because I was too weak to shower and get dressed and I was afraid if the doctor saw how sick I was, he would put me in the hospital. If I had been in the hospital, I would probably have died between tests.
I’M SHOCKED AT ALL THE MESSAGES I’VE READ ON THIS SITE ABOUT THIS DIGITEK PROBLEM. MY DAD WHO WAS 81 HAD BEEN TAKING DIGITEK FOR YEARS ALONG WITH MANY OTHER MEDICATIONS FOR CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND ALZHEIMER’S. HE PASSED AWAY ON APR. 10. I DON’T KNOW IF THIS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT BUT IT’S CERTAINLY UPSETTING TO RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE AFTER HIS DEATH. WE RECEIVED THE NOTICE FROM WALMART WHERE WE PURCHASED THE MEDICATION FROM. I HAVEN’T EVEN TOLD MY MOM ABOUT IT BECAUSE I DON’T WANT TO UPSET HER.
To Joyce Fowler:
re. your mother-in-law’s care
My wife’s confinement in the hospital used up all our days on Medicare and I was facing over half a million dollars worth of hospital bills if she stayed in as long as they projected. The welfare worker in the hospital referred me to a group that specialized in processing applications for federal and state aid and for a few thousand dollars this group saved me what proved to be a hospital bill for $890,000. The company is Linker Financial in Fresno CA., 1(800)299-7138. If they are too far away to help, they may know of someone who can. Good Luck!
I’ve been on Digoxin for a couple of years and have had extreme shortness of breath and have been very tired. I can’t believe there has not been some type of announcement made to let people know what’s going on!
Speaking as a pharmacy student, I can say that there is something funny going on with this recall. I was working in my hospital pharmacy and we received the recall notice for the generic digoxin — no lot numbers. Same thing when we received the recall notice in my community pharmacy — no lot numbers.
This is bad. The fact that they sent no lot numbers means that the manufacturer doesn’t know when this started or how extensive the problem is. Inadequate manufacturing supervision at the factory would be my guess, but how tablet punches could be so badly miscalibrated for so long without someone noticing seems to indicate a massive failure of quality control as well. Without a doubt, Actavis is the primary culprit here, and hopefully the upcoming class-action lawsuit will duly chastise them. But the FDA needs to be called on the carpet to account for their failure to ensure Actavis followed good manufacturing processes, particularly as regards to a drug that has such a narrow therapeutic index, i.e. there is a very small difference between digoxin’s effective dose and its toxic dose.
Between this recall and the heparin recall from earlier this spring, I would not want to be a cardiologist right about now.
My husband was diagnosedwith A-FIb in sept of 07, he was prescribed Diditek 0.125 mg. On 10-31-07 doctors done a cardioversion on him and he was also placed on tykosin. He said after this his heart would race and beat really hard, the tykosin dose was adjusted and the symptoms got better, but about the same time he also got his digitek refilled. He was only in normal rythym for a few days and went back into a-fib. He had been to the doctor on 11-13 and was going back to another doctor on the 29th.
On November 15, he told me he loved me, kissed me and collapsed, i called 911 they worked for over an hour and were unable to bring him back. Did the drugs have somthing to so with his death? I don’t know, but would like to find out.
He did have a history of heart problems he had 3 openheart surgeries before he was 20, but nothing in the last 21 years.
He was only 14
A friend recently learned of the recall from Walmart…and her husband got this drug from them only for one refill. The rest of prescription was filled at Walgreens. They’ve not contacted her. Her husband had been experiencing very good results recovering from a virus in his heart. Then, he exhibited all the symptoms and the mental confusion exacerbated the problem because he was not a reliable reporter of what was happening to him. He declined medical assistance until the week before he died at age 49. He left 4 fabulous kids behind. This notification is a relief in one sense, as his passing so baffled the medical community, the family had no logical medical rationale that made sense. This, tragically, in this perspective, it makes perfect sense. To all who have suffered losses from this mistake, you’ll be in my meditations.
My dad was diagnosed with a blood disorder called ITP. While in treatment for ITP, he went to his cardiologist complaining of difficulty breathing. The doctor prescribed digoxin and a strong diuretic. My dad continued to get weaker and weaker and his blood pressure got lower and lower. Exactly one week after starting digoxin, he died. He started it on April 29th and died on May 6th.
My mother-in-law passed away suddenly on April 20, 2008. Prior to her death she experienced most of these same symptoms, more so in the last 4 -5 mos. Some days were better than others. We believed she was just going downhill because of her age (83). She saw her doctor the same week and told her she just hadn’t been feeling well. Her blood pressure that day was 110/46. I just called the doctor’s office yesterday to get the reading, as it wasn’t mentioned during her visit. I have contacted two attorney’s offices who are handling these cases. One just emailed back that they cannot handle her case. They were not specific in their denial, but one of their questions was whether she had a kidney condition. Because she had not been diagnosed with one, I checked no. I believe this is the reason they will not take this case. Actavis Totowa’s released statement states “the double strength tablets pose a risk of toxicity in patients with renal failure”. They think the adverse affect of this drug is limited to those who have been diagnosed with a kidney condition. This is my belief at this point and may be the deciding factor in any lawsuit.
We received a letter yesterday from Walgreens regarding the digoxin. My father was on digoxin for about 6 months. He passed away in March. He was suffering from congestive heart failure, and was in the middle stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia. He was 84 years old and had been relatively stable for awhile before experiencing low blood pressure, dizziness, fatigue and weakness a few days before his death. He began bleeding internally, but because he was under hospice care my mother decided not to have him admitted to a hospital. He had been stable – in fact he was doing very well, prior to this episode. I don’t know if digoxin could have played a role in his death, but I would like to know, I just don’t know how to go about finding out.
I was taking digoxin, I felt ill with hart palpatations, eye like rainbows, and depressed. I was taking other meds, i got off Digoxin and seem to be better.
People are humans the FDA should personally check all meds before marketing! They must me on crack or boozing or something to make huge
mistakes like this! They should certify all meds before reaching the market.
I started taking Digoxin in January because my cardiologist detected A Fib. I was scheduled for a bladder test and it was halted because of the A Fib. I am 70 years aold had never been diagonosed with the above condition. I was put on Digoxin and Coumidon to supposedly prevent me from having a stroke. Since going on Digoxin I have seen my cardiologist almost every week. I keep telling him I feel worse each week. I am so weak I can barely walk across the room. I have fallen twice and have a great deal of standing steadily. I sleep all the time. I gave up several volunteer positions because I can no longer function. My wife doesn’t want me to drive the car any longer, after over 55 years with an almost perfect record. Walgreens sent me a routine letter. My cardiologist just shrugs this off as only pertaining to 125mg dosage, yet the recall clearly states all dosages. Walgreens has purged my computer record of my history. of ordering. What is going on? I need help!
My mom also passed away April 5, 2008 at the age of 83 and she also was taking Digitek. She had almost all of the same symptoms that everyone has mentioned. She was in the hospital for almost a week, sent home, back in, with worse symptoms, especially shortness of breath, put on a ventilator and then passed away a week and a half later. My family is sick over this. My dad received the letter about the recall in the mail also. How could this have happened? My prayers go out to everyone and especially the families that have lost someone. This certainly does make everyone have a lot of questions.
I –like everone else- have felt so bad in the last 6 to 8 months that i felt liike i was dead–just forgot to lay down, just a little humor everyones systoms are just like I have had. I had the Dr. running blood tests to check for anemia never thinking it was the digitek causing it. I still don”t feel good and also the drug store didn’t even call me and when I found out about it they said it was only a volontary recall. I went to the Dr to have a toxix test yesterday don’t no anything yet.I went back on Lanoxin Also have had problems with kidneys for about 4 mo. guess I’m thankful I’m alive at this time. I am only 62 years old and was doing very well last year
It looks like to me that everyone that got the double dose of digitek is sick. For my self Iv’e been sick for the last three mounths, not sleeping , weazing, severly fatigued, diarrhea, rash and hives, too name a few of the problems I experienced. I had all kinds of creams that my doctor had me get for the rash and hives. creams did very little to help, I also, felt like I had the flu, the doctor had me get inhalalers, and a chest x-ray. Now I know why nothing helped. Too bad i had to wait untill sunday may 11. at wal-mart to find out what the problem was. The pharmacist told me the digitek was recaled and could not be refilled, and they did not have anythink else to give me. I went to walgreens and they gave me 3-months supply of digoxin with the right dosage (0.125mg) NOT THE 0.25 that I was getting from the digitek. and my doctor told me to start taking the digoxin.I hope I will be feeling better soon. This company put me thru hell for three months. wishing every better health now.
As I stated before, I am 47 years old, and have been on Digitek 0.125 for 18 months. A couple of months ago, I went to taking it twice per day. Have all the familiar symptoms that have been mentioned in the previous posts. Have received no letter from anyone as of 5-13-2008, only a phone call from the pharmacy after I had my prescription refilled (with honest to God Digoxin) last Friday, telling me to throw the old Digitek pills away. No way in the world am I doing this.
My question is, as far as a class action suit is concerned, does it sound to anyone else like, we are out of luck unless we have either died or have had kidney failure? What law firm(s) is/are anyone supposed to contact? I don’t need the ambulance chaser 1-800-CALL-SAM type of law firm.
To be honest, I have really felt lousy since I went back to Digoxin itself last Friday, and almost completely blacked out on Saturday morning. I will say, that I have had the opposite problem….I have gained a LOT of weight since having my pacemaker/defibrillator implanted last October…and have also gone to taking 40mg of Lasix twice per day.
When I spoke with my cardiologist’s office yesterday, because my primary doctor ordered a digoxin level check for this Friday, (since I went back to true Digoxin pills), their response was “Oh yeah, we heard about the recall.” UNBELIEVEABLE…with their attitude.
Please feel free to email me at pj_blain@sbcglobal.net
My sister and I also lost our Mother on January 29,2008.
She had been taking Digitek also.
I am just SO PO’D and hurt to think THAT SHE HAD ALL THE SYMPTONS FROM TAKING THIS DRUG and THEY LET US KNOW JUST A FEW DAYS AGO with the recall lettter from Wal-Mart!!
Be thankful people that you are still alive………
I have been keeping track of the reports to this website – after 250 anecdotal comments, I have counted 43 deaths – a whopping 17.2%, including my mother. There had better be some reparations for those of us who have lost loved ones.
This is a follow up to my May 12 memo above. I went to Walgreens to trade in B/146 product made by Bertek. Walgreens immediately made the same product, same RX available to me, produced by Lannett JSP/545. Walgreens assured me that this was safe and that the product was the correct strength and that I did not need to take Lanoxin which is not a generic. I hope this helps someone who needs to get generic meds. I feel pretty good today.
Well I had a post on here to let people know that my dog was given Digoxin (.125 pill one every 12 hours which is .250 a day) for heart failure in Feb 22, 2007; however my post was removed. My dogs name = Woogy. He was 13 years of age with nothing but life, energy and playing left in him. You would never know his age. When his vet told us he had heart failure, the vet said we could do surgery or take the meds route. We took the meds route. The vet gave Woogy 6 mths to a year to live. He passed 2 weeks later. The day the vet gave him the drug, he was never the same. When we got him home that night, he was so dizzy, he couldn’t stand on his own. It was like he was drunk. He wouldn’t eat or even keep food down. His blood pressure dropped dramatically. We called the vet and was told to give him 1/2 pill every 12 hours. Woogy wasn’t improving. Then we were told to give him 1/4 pill every 12 hours. Still BAD!! I had to admit him to the vet hospital to find out, out of nowhere a mass appeared near his duendum. This caused him not to be able to keep food down. This drug poisoned my dog and then killed him. We know this now for a fact. On his last day, his heart beat was 10 beats a minute. This drug is poison.
I am infuriated with the fact that this has NOT been put on the news and that pharmacies are NOT calling patients that are on this medicine that has been manufactured incorrectly!! We found out by the medco health website on Sunday night, May 11th. My grandfather died 6 months ago yesterday suddenly, and he was taking this damned medicine since 2005 when he had a pacemaker/defibulator put in due to CHF(Congestive Heart Failure) and A-fib! He had nearly EVERY symptom mentioned with overdose of this medicine. He had loss of appetite, nauseated all day/everyday, EXTREME swelling of the legs and ankles w/red splotchy rash on them, he suffered 7 falls from August till his final fall on Nov. 4th, he had dizziness everytime he stood up, low and I mean LOW blood pressure(he was on 3 blood pressers for the final 4 days of his life), he was depressed(had pretty much given up), his kidney’s failed(was too late for dialysis when they realized), he had some form of liver disease that we had NEVER been told about, he pretty much stayed in bed, slept for hours upon hours, was confused at times, complained that he felt “fuzzy in the brain”. That damned drug sucked the life right out of him. I know nothing will bring my Papaw back, but I hope to God you all read this and ask everyone you love if they are on this medicine and if they are, to immediately contact their Doctor or pharmacy to get this corrected. I’d hate for anyone else to lose one of their loved one’s like we have due to an error by a pharmaceutical company, that has waited 2 damned years to admit they screwed up and were putting double the dose in the pills. I hope the big wigs at these companies and the people that have known about this screw up and purposely waited so long to get this word out to the public will ROT IN HELL! I’m beyond PISSED! I’m beyond enraged! I’m LIVID! WE are in the process of gathering all of our information, obtaining as many medical records as we possibly can, obtaining his prescription history as we have recycled most of it(not having any inkling this would have come up).
My heart goes out to everyone that has been effected by this devastating mistake, those who have personally taken the drug and those who lost a family member as we have! I’m still grieving the loss of my Grandfather. My grandparents raised me, so therefore he was my father too! I’m hearbroken all over again after finding this news out!
May 13, 2008 My mother had a knee replacement surgery in April, after leaving the hospital she came to live with me for awhile. I helped get her meds ready to make everything easier on her. Going thru them, I did not realize that her dr. had her on a 1/2 of her dig pill. Therefore I gave her a whole one every day. Thinking she was just not feeling well from the surgery never realizing that it was this pill. In speaking with her one day we realized she was taking a whole pill instead of the half she was to be taking. (Which knowing what I know now – she was taking double – way more than needed.) She lost her appetite, when she would try to eat something very small, she would feel like vomiting or would. Extremely tired all the time – all she did was sleep. Strange taste in her mouth, then the low fevers and severe shaking always at night when she took her pill – never once during the day! She would get extremely cold – blood pressure was way down not at all normal for her. And she would shake so bad, never saw anything in my life like it. Then she would break out in these terrible sweats, everything would be soaking wet. Her dr. had to admit her into the hospital – she has been there over a week and they plan on keeping her a few more days. She is just now starting to feel a little better. Oh yeah, and 6 days after being in the hospital she almost had a heart attack, they were able to get things under control – now they say they found she has to much fluid around her heart. Why in the world is it that the FDA is not finding these things out, if we would kill someone we would go immediately to prison – oh but they always come out smelling like a rose. Someone needs to put a stop to these things before they get this out of had.
PLEASE!!!
One more thing, for the people that have mentioned that their loved one or they had swelling in the feet and ankles. Do you have any pictures of that? WE happened to take a few of my grandfathers two days before he went into the hospital. Kind of curious to see if it looks similar with the dark red splotches and the EXTREME swelling/pitting edema. I posted a comment right before this, that might not show up as i used a few choice words, so it might not be approved. I will check tomorrow and if its not on there, I will take those words out and repost.
My husband had been taking digoxin for seven years for A-Fib. In the past 6 + months he has been so sick. He has complained of nausea, dizziness, flu like symptoms, weakness, muscle/joint pain, no appitite, to name a few. He has spent much of this time in bed, much out of his charactor. He’s so weak that he falls, he hasn’t had the energy to even shower regularly. He’s been to the doctor many times throughout this ordeal and three times in the last 7 days. The doctor can’t seem to find anything wrong. Sunday, May 11th we were watching the evening news and were shocked to see the recall for digoxin, since we had just pick up a new supply at Kroger pharmacy two days earlier and not a word was said about the recall. Yesterday we again went to see his PCP and he wasn’t sure as to what the problem was… until….I mentioned the recall. He then did blood test to check his digoxin level and said he would let us know the outcome. Today we rec’d a call from the PCP say that his digoxin level was extremely high and to discontinue the digoxin and pick up a new supply of Lanoxin (the brand name) and start the new med on Monday. The PCP said he should start feeling better in a couple of days. I am pissed that this has happend. I’m pissed that nobody bother to contact us regarding this recall. I’m even more pissed that nobody (the PCP, the Cardiologist, the Pharmacy) can’t tell me what the long term effects of this will be. Where do we go from here???? I will write again in a few days to update you all on how he is feeling. Please contact me with any info that you may have.
I just found out today that Digoxin was recalled. I take this med to slow my heartbeat down. No wonder I havent been feeling well latetly. This is not something that should have been swept under the carpet. I’m not letting this one go unheard!!!!!
I like all of you just recieved my letter from walgreens about digoxin.I have not really felt well in the last 6 months.Extreme tiredness flet like my heart was comming through my chest.Nausea after eating. Hard to breathe.I have been taking digoxin for 10 years now.I have cardiomyopthy the enlargement of the heart muscle.need to have a heart transplant for this condition. I wonder how much further damage this is caused my failing heart.My heart goes out to all of the people that has lost loved ones. theres no excuse for this at all.I hope that they get sued for millons of dollars.
My sister has taken this medication for sometime (ttwo years). She now has a rash which will not go away. Shortness of breath, depressed most of the time. Dizzy and leg weakness. The dermatologist has took a skin graft and sent it to the lab. They now think some of her organs have or are about to shut down. They are trying to say this is not caused by the double does of the medication. We (the family) do not beleave this at all. What is it going to take to make people in the medical fill responsible for there actions. What can we do to keep this from happening to others? She has an appointment this week with the lung specialist I pray to God its not any of her organs. I will also be praying for others who this medication has effected and the family of those who have lost love ones.
My mother received a letter yesteday 5/13/08 about the recall on the drug for my father. Little too late…my father collapsed and died on the golf course 4/23/08. They said it was his heart and he had an irregular beat and slow when the EMT’s got to him. We currently don’t know what action to take. My father was only 65. Someone needs to held accountable for this. My children are without their grandfather now and if it’s because of someon’s stupidity, I will make sure they pay.
I believe 100% that my Dad died in December from digoxin. How do we get a lawyer to respond to this? I sent the comment to a lawyer twice on the site and have heard nothing. I emailed our local news channel and heard nothing back. Is it because this is so big? I don’t know who to go to for help. I think we should start a group to find a lawyer who will take this seriously. My email address is admin@justquilts.org. Should we start a care page or something that will connect everyone to help get needed answers?
This is a follow up of my May 5th post. I just received word from my doctor yesterday, my test results are back and my digitek level was not toxic, I am one of the lucky ones.
I have been reading daily all the posts made to this site and am so shocked that there are still people just now learning of the horrod and deadly mistake made by this drug company, Actavis Totowa My prayers are with all of you who are suffering the loss of a loved one or suffering form the side effects and stress related issues of this tragicly mishandled recall.
My mom was taking Digitek and complained about nausea and of baing light headed. She went to her doctor and her doctor told her to take Dramamine and there were a lot of other odd things going on with her heart rate. She had a stroke on 11/15/07 and I found her in the kitchen floor she was taken to the hospital and put on life support and never came out of it we had to make the decision to have life support shut off she passed away on 11/24/07. I blame it on this drug.
my mother irene medaris of houston tx. has been takeing digitek has recently been verry sick she is 90 and has pacemaker we were not told by are doctor or anny one elese about the recall this has not been on local tv or raido how this went on so long is beyond me.we are getting a lawer so this wont happen again.
This is my second post – I seem to be addicted to reading these, but it is the only place where I can get any information and can vent. I’ve been to other websites and none have the comments that are here. My heart goes out to all of you who have suffered or lost loved ones. I live in Western Massachusetts and nothing about this recall has been on the news. I have contacted them, but nothing. Last night they had a recall about a beef product, but no mention about a heart drug that is actually killing people!! Neither my PCP (who wouldn’t even speak to me about this) or my cardiologist are even concerned about this. God bless us all!!
My father began taking Digoxin sometime after Sept 2006 thru Dec 2007.
He began experiencing constant nausea, dizzyness, lake of appetite, swelling, in middle to latter months of 2007.
No mention of any recall to us about this drug until yesterday’s letter dtd May1, 2008
He passed away Dec 29, 2008 of heart failure!
I also can’t believe that this hasn’t been in the news. My 93-year old mom has been taking Digoxin for the last 10 or 11 years. Within the last month or so, she has been feeling dizzy, faint, nauseous, has stomach cramps, acid reflux, and swollen ankles. She kept telling me that there’s something wrong with her medication. Since her doctor had just increased her dosage of Aricept, I had her stop that pill thinking it would help. No change. On May 10 she received a letter from Walgreen’s. I looked at the envelope and it looked like junk mail. I opened it today and was shocked that it contained a letter dated May 1, “URGENT DRUG RECALL INFORMATION”. The letter was mailed May 8, and there was nothing on the outside of the envelope regarding the urgency. I find this unacceptable. I too hope there are no long-term effects. My mother has enough health problems and doesn’t need more.
My partner had taken Digitek for years. She began to feel sick to her stomach frequently last year and the doctors were not sure why. In January 2008 she began vomiting uncontrollably and was so weak she could barely move, She had swelling in her legs that she had never had before, but I don’t remember seeing a rash. I brought her to the hospital and they said she had Digitek toxicity. This made no sense to any of us because she had been taking the same dosage as she always had. They took her off Digitek and she felt some relief but her condition continued to worsen overall. The doctors thought she was going to recover but she never came home again. She died unexpectedly 3 weeks later. She was only 45 years old. I think the Digitek affected her in ways we do not yet understand. This is clearly a huge problem affecting so many people. All the stories I’m reading here are so similar to what we went through. It’s torture to watch a loved one suffer this way. The drug companies must be held accountable when they are negligent. To claim it only affects people in kidney failure is a farce. All of us here know first hand how it is really affecting people. I am spreading the news about this to everyone I know, and so far I have not found a single person who has heard about this. I just stumbled across it last night by accident by noticing a message on the website of my health insurance company. Tell everyone you know, we have to help each other.
I was given digoxin for AFIB on April 17 and I have been feeling very strange. Tried to paint a door today couldn’t too tired. Nauseated and dizzy, my blood pressure when I took it was 121/73. Pulse is very irrerular and kept fading out so I could not take it. My ankles and feet are swelling severely. My heart is fluttering it seems like it will not get control and beat normally. My son in Illinois called and told me about the recall but I was told I was given lanoxin well, today I looked at the bottle – digoxin 1.25 tablets (yellow) take two daily, am and pm also mfg Bertek. Called pharmacy and they confirmed recall simplly told me to bring in the eight that I had left and they would refill anothr script for me – just business as usual. No alarm at all. Why wasn’t I called? why wasn’t I informed by mail? my physician still has not discussed it with me. Talked to her nurse and she just wanted to know how I had heard about it, and said I needed a blood test. For years I have avoided the medical profession and BIG PHARMA just because of incidences like this. They get you started on a drug and you need another to counter the bad effects of the first one. I am very angry – very disgusted with the whole medical community – pharmacies, hospitals, physicians, is anyone up on what is really going on in this country?? we are sheep following what the drug companies tell us to use and take, just heed the television. Well, I’ll not be a sheep again, the medication I was given for the AFIB could have killed me and may yet. Who knows how it has affected my heart, my wellbeing and my sense of fairness as not being important enough to have a call from the medical community nor from my physician.
My husband (60 y/o) died Jan. 19, 2008 – death certificate states cause as Dilated Cardiomyopathy, 3-4 months after diagnosis. He was taking Digoxin 0.125 MG Tabs every day.
After released from hospital, he was responding well to his meds – looked and felt much better than before going into hospital. He was doing his normal routine around the house with chores, went into bathroom, took his meds and died without warning.
My grandmother was on digitek from May 2007 until 4/30/08, when I was contacted by CVS that there was a recall. I have seen at least 10 medical professionals since the recall and none of them were aware of it. This is outrageous!
The first week of February 2008, my grandmother began being very confused, very suddenly. About 4 days following her confused behavior, she had a seizure. She does not have a history of seizures, nor does anyone in our family. While in the hospital for the seizure, she fell and broke her hip. She had hip replacement surgery the last week in February. She came home March 25th and would not eat or stay awake long enough to have a conversation. Prior to this seizure, my Grandmother did everything for herself. Now she can’t do ANYTHING for herself.
Just yesterday, I was told that my grandmother went from a very mild stage of dimentia to the last stage of dimentia in 3 1/2 months. I was just told that she has only about 2 weeks to live. She is dying from malnutrition and dehydration. She has not wanted to eat since her seizure in Februaryand now it is too late.
I immediately called her doctor following notification of the recall and he did not know about it. The first week of April her dig level was high and the doctor merely told me to change her dosage. With that knowledge, when I informed him of the recall, he did not feel that bloodwork was necessary.
She has also experienced low blood pressure, hallucinations, extreme fatigue, extreme loss of appetite, congestive heart failure, and seizure.
The manufacturer should be sued for negligence and her doctor for malpractice.
My father is on this medication, and at this time we don’t know if he is going to recover from this overdose. These pills have had the wrong dosages since January.
The author of this article needs to check facts a lot more carefully. While this medication is PRODUCED in New Jersey, it is actually manufactured in China. After manufacture, it is sent to New Jersey to be bottled and distributed. It is really not easy to find this out, because the main company has recently changed its name, bought two more entities and then closed one down, and also changed the name of the one still in existence. In addition, there is an umbrella company that is over only some of the entities. It is *almost* impossible to get this information from normal research. It took me a week of hunting, calling, asking etc to find this out.
Hmmm almost seems like somebody has something to hide. I want to find out what other medications are “produced” in NJ by this outfit. I want to know what I shouldn’t take.
I just got a letter today from Walgreens telling me of the digoxin recall so i guess they have decided to notify us. I had NEVER heard of this recall until today when i recieved this letter! I am 47 and have been taking digoxin for years just fine or so I thought. I have been taking it for arhthmia and to steady my heartbeat. For the past few weeks especially, i have had these weird episodes of a sudden onslaought of weakness. I would be standing or even sitting somewhere and suddenly get weak in the legs and could hardly lift my arms. I would feel very faint, start blacking out, and feel like I wasn’t breathing enough or getting enough oxygen. I’ve had blurry vision too. I had to sit down on the floor in some instances when I had just been fixing dinner or doing a light task that should not have taxed me. In one situation I was relaxing and having dinner out. The episodes lasted about 1 or a few morehours sometimes. When I took my blood pressure (when it happened at home) it was like 96 over 46 one time, another time- 108 over 58 or 56. I don’t usually run that low. I’ve had these incidents at work and driving too. I am very concerned that it is caused by the digoxin. These were some very unusual episodes for me. Not the normal complaint. Now I’m driving up my blood pressure because I’m mad they didn’t tell us before and it’s not being done in a huge way!
I more thing I remembered- I have been having a LOT of leg swelling and pain in the past few months that we could not explain. I don’t usually have to take water pills but had to start recently. They are so bad for you. I did not have kidney problems and better not now! Yes, someone should be responsible.
I’m beside myself, we called Medco today, and found out the manufacturer of his digitek. It was made by BERTEK!!! We are getting ALL the medical records we can! I would suggest any and all of to get ahold of the prescription companies NOW to get their digitek medication history before they decide to STOP giving it out! We have contacted a lawyer today, awaiting more word from them!
It was the worst time in my life watching my Papaw lay there and sleep for the final 4 days of his life. He went to sleep somewhere between 6-8pm on Thursday, Nov 8th, 2007 and never woke back up. That morning, we found out he had a blood clot in the left ventricle of his heart. By Friday morning, Nov. 9th, his kidney’s had failed. Saturday, Nov 10th, we found out he had liver disease. He was on 3 blood presser’s and other IV medicines. By Saturday evening, we were told that he had no hope and they needed to know if we wanted to turn off the medicines or if they could try again to put in Atrial line. They tried one time and he was too agitated and his heart rate spiked. So they needed to ok to intibate. He never would have wanted to be on any kind of breathing machines to keep him alive, so we made the gutwrenching decision to turn the pressers and medicines off and make his as comfortable as possible. We were told he wouldnt make it more than 2 hours without the medicines. They turned them off at 9:35pm, Saturday Nov 10. We spent 30 long and agonizing hours watching him slowly die. I took 3, 30 minute breaks, but spent the rest of the time in the room with him. I cannot express in words the terrible crys and loud agonizing moaning sounds he made each time they came in to roll him from one side to the other, and mind you, this is while he was on morphine. It was next to impossible to deal with. I kept on the nurses to make sure he got it every 4 hours. My uncle stayed with me Sunday night, so my grandma could go home and try and get some sleep. He was moved from the Neuro Critical Care Unit to the main hospital. I made them bring a heart monitor into that room so we could keep an eye on his O2 level and his heart rate. When he got into that room, his breathing became very shallow and as the fluids built up, he developed the Death rattle, which will haunt me forever. Thankfully, I jumped on the phone and got my grandma back up there so she could be there. At 3:36am, Monday, Nov 12th, his O2 level dropped, he took 1 breath each minute, and at 3:38am, with me, my mother, my uncle and my grandma holding his hands and feet, he took one final breath and then was gone. I had to silence the alarm on the monitor one last time as his poor heart flat-lined.
I can type no more now, I’ll post later.
My mother in law died in September at the age of 49 after being on this medication for 2 weeks. Most of the info Im seeing online tells of people who have had bad reactions dating back a few weeks or a couple of months. Was anyone experiencing symptoms further back than this? The two weeks she was on Digitek were miserable for her. She was vomiting daily, was very weak and fatigued. She was taking it for congestive heart failure so when she died and we were told the cause was heart failure, we were not too suprised. Now this makes us wonder if it could have been the Digitek. Her best friend always thought it was the medication. Now we are left feeling anger on top of the greif that we already have to deal with. Having this information wont bring her or any of the others who have died while taking this medication back; but I feel that the least we are owed is answers.
I was stunned to learn that Walgreens -with all that they tout about the knowledge of their Pharmacists, has done nothing to inform their customers of this recall-inlcuding my mother. By simply looking at the actual size and appearance difference between the “bad ” lots and the “correct” lots– one of these educated bastards should have noticed that something was wrong and notified someone. My mother has been on this drug for only 1 month, experiencing the edema, unexplained irregular heart rate, nausea –common throughout these postings. Why, for a class 1 Nationwide recall did Walgreens not notify people -has ended our trust in Walgreens Pharmacy going forward for every member of my family and as many people as I can tell– not to mention the enormity of this if something more severe occurs as a result of this deliberate act of negligence forced upon innocent people for no reason from the “Pharmacists Americans Trust” Hardly.
My Mother died on April 28, 2008… She was 88 yrs old w/chf and diabetes… After spending a week in the hospital, she was in a nursing home for 14 days or so, getting stronger.. She was then released to asst living w/my Dad and was continueing to do well… Of course, her heart was only working at 15% so we were all surprised at how well she could walk and eat, etc.. On April 16, she started taking Digitek from a different pharmacy as the asst living was giving her her drugs and that is how they wanted it… On or about April 20, she started getting weaker, EXTREMELY depressed, began sweating during the night even thought her blood sugar was fine… On the 27, I knew she was dying and did so on the 28th… She was cremated so no luck in finding out if the drug did this to her but I’m sure it did…
We got a letter from Medco telling her to call her dr about this drug but we get so much from them that it wasn’t until the past week that I really read it…
I do have Hospice to back me up as to how fast she went down hill…
DO NOT IGNORE SYSTEMS…. Even if the person is elderly with other serious problem… I hope we all can be compansated for our losses…
Patty
I have been taking Digoxin for 3 years. About 3 weeks ago, I started having flu like symptoms, even missed a couple of days of work which is very unusual for me. I mentioned to my family and co-workers that I just didn’t feel right. I wasn’t quite sure what was wrong. I have even been experiencing same feelings as when I first had congestive heart failure. When I would take my Lasix, it didn’t seem to do anything, but still felt kind of dizzy, light-headed, nauseaus, tired all the time. I received the recall letter and called immeditaely on it and have received the new prescription. My thoughts are with all of you who have lost family members.
Imagine my surprise today when i tried to refill my presciption of Digoxin at Wallgreens in Prescott Valley, Arizona and heard a message saying it could not be refilled even though I had two refills !!!
I waited about thirty minutes because Wallgreens said in the message, someone was going to talk to me about it. No one came to the phone.
I called the pharmacy back and got a clerk who said, we have to change your prescription and that is why it would not refill. She said, ‘didn’t you get a call from the pharmacy”, I said no and she said the pharmacist would have to over ride my prescription because it was coming up not refillable. This is all I was told.
Then I called the store manager. He said there was a problem and that they had a recall. I called the pharmacy back and talked to the manager of the pharmacy who said that I had been possibly over dosed. I asked him why no one called me and he said, they had about 1000 people who received the medication from that location alone and he was not about to call everyone that it would be a burden. He said he was relying upon Home Office to communicate to the customers and that a letter was to have been sent to me. It was 5/14/08, and no letter sent to me. This appears after reading all the above statements, the norm, the corporation to busy to tell people they could die. The pharmacist brushed off the problem as no big deal and claimed no harm would come to me.
I explained that I suffferred and survived a heart attack back in 1996 and was on this drug among others for 12 years without incident. I thought I was sufferring from allergies because the season in Prescott was here. I thought since I cannot take allergy medication that my sleepless nights, nights filled with a heavy chest, could not breathe, fatigued, could not work the longer hours I had been working, night sweats, swollen feet, and I felt like I could not get oxygen in my brain and lungs, etc., thinking that it would all be over soon when the winds stop. I told him how mad I was at Wallgreens for not alerting me and told him about my sleepness nights getting only a few hours of sleep which was driving me crazy. That I wanted to know how to contact home office. He said go on line and I did.
My husband has been so worried about me. He kept telling me that he thought there was something wrong with my heart condition. I kept telling him that it was allergy related because the symptoms seemed so alike to me. Now looking back, I am so angry at Wallgreens and the manufacturer. I got on line and goggled “over dose of Digoxin” and found that I could suffer from serious health issues now and/or cardiac arrest. This is very scary.
Now I have to go to my doctor, pay a co-pay, pay for the tests and blood work to see if I have Digoxin poisening. I am losing my health insurance the end of the month and if faced with medical bills due to the damage this drug caused my heart or body, I will be faced with huge medical bills I cannot afford and would not have had to incure had they told me “get off the drug” and “replace it.
In fact, the pharmacist said he was replacing the drug with another generic. How is that a solution. My doctor called him and said to give me Lanoxin. He finally agreed and gave me the new drug after charging my health insurance company.
He never told me that it could cause physical injury or harm.
When I got a hold of the executive office, Emma gave me her assurance that my faxed letter would be read and I would receive a reply.
One wonders if they could not call me or write to me to begin with, why would they respond to my three page letter of complaint along with the google printout of what an over dose of this drug could do so someone let alone death.
I have three children and three grand children with a fourth on it’s way. I have a husband who is disabled and had two brain stem strokes who relies upon me for his care giving. Had I died, this would have cause such grief and how would he take care of himself as he relies upon me for his care and income I earn.
Sincerely, Lourey Gottschalk
Today I was notified that Digoxin had been recalled by my pharmacy. I returned it and was given the namebrand as a replacement. I have been dzzy, no energy, swollen ankles, and blurred vision. They had been testing my blood every day because they could not fiquire out why it was so thin. I had 5 by-passes about 4 weeks ago and everyone was saying don’t you feel great now. I actually feel worse than I did before the surgery..
The news media has not picked up on this, but they sure can tell us about a hamburger meat recall. I feel the FDA should have made this a major media release. FDA dropped the ball here! I emailed hundreds tonight hoping to alert those who have not heard about the recall.
My father was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure in September, 2007. The cardiologist prescribed Digitek and Lasix. As soon as he started to take these medications, he started experiencing nausea, dizziness, etc. The doctor offered no explanation and neither did he perform any tests as some of the examples I read above. I suspected it was the prescriptions and in particular Digitek, so he stopped talking it for a a couple weeks but keep taking Lasix. Although he felt better, he was still retaining a lot of fluids (the cardiologist never asked him to reduce water intake or salt). The doctor scared him and asked him to start the Digitek again. He then developed irregular heartbeat and the nausea started again and shortness of breath as did fluid in the lungs. Then, they added Metalazone (a stronger diuretic). He should have been hospitalized as he was a category 4 by then. But the doctor was trying to save money apparently. So, they increased his prescription dosage and asked him to monitor his own pulse (yes a sick patient should monitor their pulse 24×7?) and sent him home. He became very weak, could hardly talk and died 3 days later in December 2007. We all were shocked as the doctor did not give us any idea that this outcome was even a remote possibility. Even the nurse was shocked. The doctor just shrugged off the whole matter saying it was cardiac arrest without even seeing him or doing any tests. Five months later my pharmacy calls us saying they had given him the recalled Digitek.
Like many others here, I believe my dad would have survived had he not taken Digitek. In fact, I found out only too late that there are alternatives to Digitek (like CoEnzyme Q10 and Magnesium) that are probably more effective with less side effects. I read in teh Actavis press release that adverse reactions should be reported to the FDA at 1800 FDA-1088. What can they do now to bring him back now?
Those whose loved ones died due to this “mistake” can never be compensated enough — what price tag can you give to a dear one’s life? Yet, we cannot let them get away with this either. If anyone knows of any good lawyer handling such cases of wrongful death due to this, please let me know. The laws already protect doctors from malpratice and now I see the the FDA defending the pharmacuetical companies. Yet, we should voice our concerns and fight back.
https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080514/hl_nm/drugs_liability_quaid_dc_1
I have been taking digitek since may of last year in february of this year I had a stroke. I am only 23 years old and I nearly didnt graduate from college because of the complications resulting from this stroke. After reading you testimonies I am sure that I came into contact with the tainted drug. nausea, dizziness, and fait feelings followed me for weeks prior to my stroke. This medication may have changed my life forever negatively. Our governement has failed yet again to protect american citizens.
My father has been on Digitek for years also. He was always strong and energetic until a few months ago. Suddenly he was feeling so sick and so weak my mother rushed him to the ER. They told him he had a big drop in his sodium level but they were unable to explain why. They restored his sodium level temporarily inter venously and sent him home, but it continues to be low. He has experienced the same symptoms described by these other people including nausea, loss of appetite, weakness, swelling ankles and an overall feeling of ill being. He has missed family events and has undergone many medical tests as a result of this. Now his pharmacy tells him that his medication, Digitek, may have had a double dose and to please return all his remaining tablets! I pray that the damage is reversible for him.
My husband is 77 years old and was put on digoxin in Feb to control atrial fibrillation. IN the ensuing weeks, he became confused, disoriented, paranoid and was hallucinating. His doctor put him on namenda (alzhiemer’s drug), he developed nausea, vomiting, pains in stomach. Called dr. who thought it was reaction to namenda, took him off namenda, but then started him on seroquel, an antipsychotic drug that has a black box warning against treating dementia in the elderly. He became so acute that I took him to hospital and he was admitted on April 14, blood work revealed toxic level of digoxin. My question is why are so many highly trained physicians missing the signs and symptoms of digoxin toxicity? I am a Medical Technologist and know that this is a therapeutic drug that must be monitored. I even asked his doctor at one point if we shouldn’t monitor the dig level, he said “well he isn’t taking that much.” Turns out, he was taking double what was prescribed due to the manufacturing error, but we would not have gone through all the stress that we did had the doctor ordered a simple blood test to find out what his dig level was instead of just throwing more pills at him. I consulted an attorney who said medical malpractice suits are very costly and hard to win unless the victim died as a direct result.
The hospital bill was $11,000 and that isn’t all, he was seen by a neurologist, psychiarist, had an MRI and EEG and lots of blood work. I had to hire home health to sit with him for 2 weeks so I could work without worrying about him. I even surrendered my cat to the Humane Society during this episode because I was worried that he would harm her.
I am sure I will never be compensated enough for what we have suffered this Spring and yet doctors continue to throw pills at the elderly because the pharmaceutical companies go in their offices everyday and buy lunch for the entire staff.
Our Healthcare system is broken bad and unfortunately, the lobbyists of the AMA and the Pharmaceutical companies will keep it that way.
My 9 yr old daughter has been on this since Feb. She HAD THE SYSMTOM THE WHOLE TIME ON THIS MED!!!! The dr kept saying she should be feeling like this…. heart racing … sooooo tired ……. wanted to lay around all day….. walking across the room made her feel bad!! ALL SINCE STARTING THIS MED!!!! I knew she wasn’t pretending!!!!!!!!
ABOVE ____ It should say the dr said she should ___not be ___ feeling like this … like she was faking!!!!
Let start putting information like this format:
I am putting this in for my father. Age 67 Male
Been on digitek for at least since 2006
Symptoms: Swelling in ankles, low blood pressure, low pulse, nausea, light headed, difficulty breathing, kideney problem, digitek levels 4 times the correct amount, fatigued, difficulty sleeping due to unable to breath.
Previous Health Issues – Quad bi-pass in 1997 and diabetes was diagnosed at that time also. Other than that in good health – been eating healhier and wathing sugar levels daily.
Pharmacy – Walgreens – called that night just hours after recall.
Future Health Issues – He is going back this Friday to have additional bloodwork and to ask Doctor.
Someone from the FDA needs to step in so that when there is a problem with a medication the recall does not take months to make it to the public! This manufacturer knew about the problem long before the letter was sent out and patients have gotten very sick and some have died because this lack of accountability!! Also, nobody is acting to make sure patients have a replacement when recalls happen. When will the health of the american people become a priority? It seems like every medication these days end up being recalled. Will we ever be able to trust the pharmaceutical companies in this country!
As I mentioned in previous posts, I stopped taking Digitec for two weeks and was feeling much better. Then I got a new prescription for Lanoxin and started taking it four days ago. Today I stopped taking it because I’m beginning to feel tired and out of breath again. I must still have high levels of it in my blood, so before I take any more, I’m going to get my blood tested.
For the last four years I’ve been dealing with the medical community up close and personal and I was amazed at how many wonderful people there are in it. But as good as the people are, they have one tragic flaw. They don’t communicate well at all. That, more than anything else, is the biggest problem with the medical profession. There is no better example of their lack of communication than this recall.
My father did not like taking his heart meds. because they made him feel funny (dizzy, queasy, forgetful). His new caridologist changed everything, got him a pacemaker and scripted coreg. Remarkable results! Well, that cardiologist went back to argintina and so we were assigned another (well qualified) doc in the group. He put my father back on digoxin, four days latter he died.
Digoxin is not a good drug to begin with, now apparently it is even deadly!
Today, May 15th, I received a letter from Walgreens telling me my digoxin had been recalled. I had a new bottle from May 7th, but had poured the remaining digoxin from April into it. I didn’t notice that the faulty tabs were slightly larger. I had been wondering why I was feeling so nauseous and dizzy. My chest was hurting and I was becoming bloated and breathless. One week ago Saturday, I was so tired and I ached all over with my fibromyalgia, so I took a half tab (5mg) flexeril.. I woke up ten hours later and when I looked in the mirror, my face was ashen gray. I was so scared I ran into the kitchen to chew an aspirin. Now I know because of the double dose of digoxin combined with even a small dose of flexeril, my heart had slowed down to an almost deadly pace.
My father had congestive heart failure and was prescribed digoxin almost a year ago. He experienced severe nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, severe fatigue, kidney problems, worsening fluid retention (he was taking lasix AND metalazone daily) and problems sleeping during that period of time. The symptoms worsened to the point where he decided to have his defibrilator turned off and passed away a week later on April 27 – two days after the recall. I feel positive his symptoms were caused from the digoxin. Yes, my father had congestive heart failure and death was inevitable but even if it was his time to go, he suffered needlessly for the past year. Someone should pay for this!
I am very confused. My dad passed away on January 26th and now I don’t know if this medicine had to do anything with his unexpected death. He was diagnosed with heart failure last April (2007) and since then he was taking digitek .25. He was 57 yrs old and he also had lung cancer. However, his cancer was not giving him any problems yet. He decided to go through Hospice because he decided not to go through chimotheraphies. As he said, he felt good and he rather wanted to be in his house than in a hospital. He was doing well until he started to retain too much water, urinate all night long, and had problems breathing at night, which of course the doctors said all these symptoms were because of his lung cancer. My dad used to tell me that he was feeling very fatigued, that he could not even walk from his room to the kitchen, because he could not breath. And once again, everyone was blaming his cancer. He loss his appetite and was depressed. We found my dad on the floor when he died. Hospice used to visit him twice a month and they could not explain his sudden death. They just said that it had to be such a massive heart attack because he was only three steps away from the phone and he could not call 911. No autopsy was required due to he was a Hospice patient. At this point, I really don’t know what to think. I know my dad was sick, but not to the extreme to lose him from one day to another. We did not even do any of his legal documents (will) because I never thought he was going to die like that. Now I just want to know if this medicine had to do with my dad’s unexpected death. Hospice says that their opinion is that he died of natural causes. I guess they don’t want problems. I am willing to get an autopsy done on my dad because I really don’t buy that. I know my dad had heart problems that is why he was taking this medicine, to help him, not to kill him. Please advise what all of you are planning to do. Thanks
I woild like to know way this recall was not on t.v. . The people take it must not be worth the money for the price of the ad. Having been taking the med for about a year . I know now that all the problems that I have been having is not in my head . the heart burn that has been the last few month is explained. the being tired,and just not feeling good. So thing with the company better take care of things.
I have contacted the FDA regarding standard protocol when a class 1 recall is ordered. They state they alert the media ( nothing else), post on their websites about the recall and leave it to the state regulatory commissions that issue licenses as to how the companies distributing the medicines should notify their clients- physicians, pharmacies, et al.
i also contacted the health division of Public Citizen.org for help in getting this information out in the open. This is a watchdog group that tries to more get our govenment to be more vigilant about drug safety.I still do not for the life of me understand why this is not in the papers/ news broadcasts.
Doesn’t anybody care???
i need to add to my previous post that the FDA also alerts the state agencies in charge of public health.
My father died in Aug. of 2007, after being on Digoxin for only 3 days. After taking the first pill in the morning, he went to see his general doctor that afternoon and the doctor sent him by ambulance to the hospital. The doctor said he was having a heart attack then. When he got to the hospital they said he had not had a heart attack. They kept him overnight and the next day said he was good. He took his third pill the next day and that night suddenly died. My mother just received the letter about the drug recall on May 14th. My father was only 61.
can’t for the life of me understand why this isn’t all over the news !! my sister died suddenly in january of what they said was a heart attack.. she was on digoxin. she hadn’t had an appetite for months and i knew something was wrong..she went into the hospital almost dead in october due to shortness of breath and a massive irregular heatbeat.. her heart rate should have been 97 and was 207 at the time she was admitted.. she was never the same afterwards.. she was put on this drug and it never should have been prescribed in the first place without taking her off of one of the other drugs that counteracted with the digoxin.. and now to learn this…!! found out from a letter sent by Walgreens..She died very suddenly, fine at 5:30 pm and dead @ 7:20 pm without any signs that something was wrong…Walgreens and her doctor are responsible for putting her on these 2 drugs at the same time, and not catching it….the company who produces this drug will be held accountable for the overdosing…we need all to make them pay!
My mother has been on Digitek for over 10 years. About two weeks ago I took her to the ER to check her levels of the drug. They looked at me like I was crazy. A DOCTOR told me “You know you really should not believe everything you read on the internet” !!!! I could not believe my ears. We had to explain to him that the FDA even has it posted, and go over the severity of it. The feeling of a doctor, nurse, and everyone around you in a ER not knowing what you are talking about is quite scary. Then to be insulted because of it, is unheard of. These are medical professionals. Finally they did tell her the levels were okay. THANK GOD.
I feel horrible for all of you that have lost your loved ones because of something that is suppost to be known. My heart goes out to you. Hopefully communication will be learned better by some of the highest paid individuals in the USA.
It wasn’t until my mother received a letter from Walgreens in ILLinios that she was told to stop taking digoxin and contact her doctor. She got this letter on May 15, 2008. She saw her doctor last week because of not feeling well and he said nothing at all about the recall. Now we have very little faith in her cardioligist. My mother has been taking this med since 2005. We are very upset and concern because my mother has had alot of problems that we can now understand, that it was caused from the digoxin. The FDA needs to fire their staff. What a terrible world we live in. The worst government in history.
Well, consider the fact this news was received yesterday, May 15th, 2008, over a year from the prescribed medication. My father took this medication and experienced terrible nausea, vomiting when he walked from one chair to anotther, and extreme misery. We took him to a doctor in early June who immediately put him on a half dosage of the medication. We now realize that half dose was a quarter dose of the original medicine that wasmakng him ill. My father died of a massive heart attach on August 14th. We are sure his meds were wrong all summer, and what’s worse, we were never called or notified for over a year????? Class action lawsuit? could be interested.
Correction to previous email –
My father was taking Digoxin sometime after Sept 2006 thru Dec 29th 2007,
he started experiencing nausea, bloating, severe drowzyness in the middle to latter part of 2007.
I complained to the doctors about what I felt was incorrect or over medication,
but no changes were made and no knowledge of any “recall”.
He succumed on Dec 29, 2007 of heart failure!
My mother who is 67 has been on digoxin since 2006 or longer. She had all the symptoms: confusion,weak, sleeping, vomiting, diarehha, not eating, swollen ankles(doubled her lasik), shortness of breath, trouble swallowing ,etc….. I took her in to the emergency room over two months ago and had digoxin toxicity of a level 3.1, 3.2!! I HAVE THE PAPER WORK TO PROVE IT!! The level of digoxin should never go over 2.0! anything over 2.0 is very toxic!! Oh, I almost forgot she had open heart surgery has a feeding tube in her stomach to eat. Something happened to her swalloing and they can’t figure it out yet. My mother will be coming home this Monday because her insurance will not cover any more. I need 24 hour care for her, very weak, still can’t swallow, can’t walk she is fall risk. Going to lawyer next week!! They need to pay !! They took my mother and she need help for her care now.
I also have been taking DIGOXIN 0.125MG-
Swelling feet ankles and really bad pain in feet and legs and feet from ankles down are beet red and pains through my feet and toes also-tired and sleepy , can not walk without pain in feet and legs up to knees-out of breath and pains in head and itching and dry skin–sharp pains in both my sides at times –
I took the medication back and they repaced them with some other pills and I am still have the same problem- My ankdles feel like they have a tight band around them also. Can I stop taking them without bad results-?
What to do?
My mother died March 18th after a number of hospital admissions for Congestive Heart failure symptoms and heart issues. She had huge dips in blood pressure during this time. She complained of the fatigue, dizziness, and stated that she thought “the medications were making me sick”. Each bout was at night or early hours after taking digitek. She wished to be kept alive and had a DO Resusitate order on file. Her last hours in the ER were so bad that the ER Doctor started crying. I remember thinking that she had mixed up her pills since the night pill (digitek) looked huge. In checking, I found the pill to be the right one (except it killed her). I have constant flashbacks of my mothers last hours in the Emergency room. The question I have, since I questioned the huge size difference, how is it that all the Manufacturer quality control inspectors, the pharmacy staff and others did not catch this error. They killed my mother and made her last months a nightmare.
On April 30, 2008, my 93 year old mother lay dying in the hospital, while Doctors administered laxatives and enemas in an attempt to flush her system of an overdose of Digitek. That same day, Prescription Solutions left her a voice mail, with instructions to stop taking her Digitek, due to a recall. My Mom died on May 2nd.
Mom was in very good health and took only 3 prescription durgs – Digoxin Cumiadin and Metoporal. Mom lived alone in her own house, in Wisconsin, until she was 89. She drove her self to Piggly Wiggly for groceries, and cut her own grass with a riding mower, until she was 85.
When Mom turned 89, she moved in with us. She was a very happy person, and everyone commented on her wonderful laugh.
AT the beginning of 2008, Mom began a dramatic downward spiral in both her health and mental state. Each day, she became more lethargic, weak and confused. She complained that food tasted bitter, and she developed bouts of severe diarrhea. She became very depressed and lost interest in all the things she loved.
On April 20, 2008, she refused to get out of bed, and was struggling to breath. I took her to the Emergency Room and she was admitted as an inpatient. On April 23rd, Mom’s family doctor had transferred her to a nursing home for physical therapy and rehab. On April 29th, physical therapy was discontinued because she was too weak and unresponsive.
On April 30th, Mom took a bad fall in the nursing home. She was sent back to the Emergency Room with a broken cheek bone, multiple fractures in her face, a gash requiring stitches in her left temple, and severe bruising on the entire left side of her body.
When I got to the hospital, Mom was in a semi-conscious state. I was told that her blood work indicated toxic levels of Digitek, she had renal failure, and that doctors were working to bring her Digitek and Potassium levels back in balance. She had already been given several doses of strong laxatives to flush her system, and from her hips to her feet, her sheets were soaked in blood and diarrhea. As I sat with her, a team of nurses came into her room, rolled her on her side and gave her an enema of a thick brown substance, while she groaned in pain.
On the morning of May 1st the doctors told me that Mom was not responding to treatment and even though it was risky, the best course of action was to increase her morphine levels to keep her comfortable. I agreed, and she hung on.
On May 2nd, the doctors told me that Mom’s condition had continued to deteriorate, and the prognosis was bad. Her veins were collapsing and the doctors requested permission to pull all IV’s. She died at 3:30 pm.
I sometimes feel guilty for not removing Mom’s DNR request, but she was very adamant about this and made me promise to honor her wishes…I know She is now in a better place, but we all miss her so much.
I am a 63 year old female who had a heart attack 14 years ago and have been plagued with atrial fibrillation for over 40 years. The doctors tried many combinations until they finally found one that worked to left me live a normal life.
Now, I don’t know whether to be happy or really pissed off. I am glad to know why I have had swelling in my ankles and feet, difficulty in swallowing, blurred vision, bruising, pain in my chest, and a general feeling of being tired all the time. I saw my regular physician, my heart doctor and even my urologist. The answer was to take Lasix for the swelling. and tylenol for the general discomfort. I was beginning to think I was losing my mind. Little did I know that I could be losing my life.
I have been taking digoxin for many years and it was benificial in stopping the repeated episodes of tachacardia that I had experienced for years on end.
I don’t understand how the government agencies in place to take care of our welfare is so lax in monitoring the drug manufactors.
I got my new prescription yesterday and am hopeful that some of these symptoms will go away and that I will feel like myself again instead of a walking zombie.
Nov. 15, 2007 I was hospitalized for a heart condition and had catherization (stents) inserted. My cardiologist prescribed Digitek 0.125 mg, Zocor 80 mg, Plavix 75 mg and etc medications. I had experienced a severely low blood pressure, ankle and feet swelling, leg muscle tightness, nausea, dizziness. I was so tired I could barely shower and had difficulty standing and falling often.
In December 5th, 2007 I fell and fractured my ankle and was casted for 9 weeks.
In March 2008, I went to ER to be checked out. Lab work, xrays, ECO…I talked to my cardiologist about my medications and some of the difficulties I was still having. In just a few months time my health was slidding down hill fast. I went off the Zocor and Coreg and had leg muscle pain relief in a 7 days.
When we received the Urgent Class 1 Recall from Sams Club for the digitek on May 8, 2008 I sent a note to my doctors I was going off the digitek. I’m not certain how long it will take to get the medication out of my system. Some say 7-10 days (Mayo Clinic) and others say it depends on the amount time your on it…I’ll never be same, 62 years old and trying to look forward to a few healthy years of retirement.
My husband, (who gets his prescriptions through the VA), has been on Digoxin for nearly 3 years. He has had several problems in the past 3 months that were not present before, including nausea, vomiting, lack of energy sometimes quite intense, dizziness,frequent ‘cold sweats’, and has lost 30+ pounds because of all the nausea combined with a general lack of appetite. I tried to contact the VA today (Saturday) to get some information about this, but there is no one there on weekends to talk to about problems. Have to call back on Monday. I would not have known about this at all if my former boss had not sent me an e-mail. Nothing from VA about it. And it has apparently been at least 2 weeks since the recall? We are making an appt. with his local Dr. on Monday to do blood test.My husband is 63 and has always been a pretty energetic man in spite of his health problems but this has definitely slowed him down immensely. I hope someone comes up with a better system than we have now for announcing recalls
My Mom has had severe nausea, we tried EVERYTHING for it, dizziness, probably low blood pressure, she could NOT walk very far, instability, overall extra fortgetfullness, she had been doing great for about a year, until now!
My Mom has Congestive Heart Failure, ad COPD, plus a few small heart attacks. About a week ago, CVS contacted my Mom, and told her to stop taking her Digitek (generic brand) , when we asked them WHY, they did not know, and told us to contact her Doctor, he told her she had an infection somewhere, so she had an Xray done, and he didn’t seem to know either, so they changed her medicine and gave her the NON-generic Digitek, she is doing better, but she had taken almost all of that bottle, and who knows how log it has been going on. Answers would be nice!!!!!!
Also, need to mention my cardiologist called and ask me to go to the lab for blood work on my digoxin level. I’m saving my medication and recall notice.
I’m not surprised to see digitek coming from China. They look at quality assurance in a different light.
I read all the email messages here, we all seem to be on the same page. I’m saddened by your losses and I understand what it’s like to be takin around the block and suffer the ill effects of medication again.
Just to let everyone know When the recall began our helpdesk had no idea it was a recall. All they knew is our dispensing systems were not letting us fill anyone’s dig. scripts…..Patients knew before our coperate even told us! We sent letters out and called patients as soon as we learned what was going on to have the bring in the recalled dig. and we would swap it out for no charge…..
Just a RX Tech….
Thanks!
My Fiance and I are HUGE Lou Dobbs fans. Lou is now talking about how President Bush is protecting the companies in China that are dispensing drugs and sending them to the US and how the FDA isn’t doing much to protect us. TODAY I e-mailed Lou Dobbs to ask if he could get the Digitek/Digoxin story on his show. I also sent him this website link so his research team can take a look at all of our/your comments. He will be appalled. If anyone can get it this story out to the public, HE CAN. For those of you that don’t know Lou Dobbs -He is an independent who really tells it like it is and works to go after all of the things wrong in this world. Take a look at his site http://www.loudobbs.com. I am still trying to find ways of getting this on the news since the recall is very HUSH HUSH!! I have been very sick this week just thinking about what Woogy (my dog – my son) went through his last 2 weeks on this earth back in Feb 2007 and to think I couldn’t do anything about it. He was poisoned from the start and I had no idea. He was suffering so much and couldn’t tell me. I have cried so many tears over his urn this week. I just still can’t believe it. Feel free to e-mail Lou on his website. He reads ALL of his e-mails. He doesn’t mess around.
My Fiance and I are HUGE Lou Dobbs fans. Lou is now talking about how President Bush is protecting the companies in China that are dispensing drugs and sending them to the US and how the FDA isn’t doing much to protect us. TODAY I e-mailed Lou Dobbs to ask if he could get the Digitek/Digoxin story on his show. I also sent him this website link so his research team can take a look at all of our/your comments. He will be appalled. If anyone can get it this story out to the public, HE CAN. For those of you that don’t know Lou Dobbs -He is an independent who really tells it like it is and works to go after all of the things wrong in this world. Take a look at his site. I am still trying to find ways of getting this on the news since the recall is very HUSH HUSH!! I have been very sick this week just thinking about what Woogy (my dog – my son) went through his last 2 weeks on this earth back in Feb 2007 and to think I couldn’t do anything about it. He was poisoned from the start and I had no idea. He was suffering so much and couldn’t tell me. I have cried so many tears over his urn this week. I just still can’t believe it. Feel free to e-mail Lou on his website. He reads ALL of his e-mails. He doesn’t mess around.
My husband died January 2008, he was diagnosed with heart failure after taking this medication for a long time. He complained up many of these symptoms and the doctors were confused. They did not know what to do. He died of a heart attack in his home. In May my mother received a letter about digoxin and she told them he died. They told her to call someone else in he company and they said they would call her back in 48 hours they never did and she can’t get through to them now.
I have been taking Digoxin(Digitek)tabs 0.25 sometimes between April 2007 to May 2008. Recently I received a letter from Walgreens that the manufacture of Digoxin is recalling this medicatio because some tablets have twice the appropiated level of active ingredients.I returned the remaining Digoxin(Digitek) to Walgreens and they replace with Digoxin of another manufacture(BERTEX)
Since Dec,2007-May 2008 I susuffered , dizzines, sweats, loss of appetite, headaches, irregurarl heart beats and othe symtoms.
I was really surprise how so many people have those similar symtos.
For me it have been at least 5 months.
I only hope that this has not cause permanent damages
My uncle was taking these and recently passed away. The symptoms all match his before his death. Now we know where the toxins in his body came from, and it wasn’t likely natural causes that claimed him. This company is in trouble if more cases like ours come up.
Hello once again. I spoke about my situation approx: one week ago…May 9, 08.
I had notified my physicians offices ( General Prac., Secretary Marcy, May 9’08) (Heart Doctor, Secretary Karen, May 8,08, and secondly Mary on May 15, 08 ) and left messages with the secretaries. I expected ( never actually requested it ) to hear back from my main doctors, but I never did. I , like I mentioned it, am on four heart medications. One being Coumedin, requires me to go for lab work every month ( or more ) to check on my levels. I called this past week to ask if I should have a blood test to see if the Digoxin level is correct. My heart doctors secretary returned my call and said that my doctor said that it wasn’t necessary. I really couldn’t believe that response. I would have thought that he should have been more cautious and check to make sure things were back to normal levels. But the answer was no. His secretary ( Mary ) listened when I said that I really felt that I had been effected by this possible double coated (overdosed) digoxin medication. I repeated what I had originally told the first secretary ( name Karen ? ), that I was extremely fatigued and that I had been falling asleep at inappropriate times and etc. , but it didn’t appear to make any difference. I wanted to tell more details, but I felt as if it wasn’t wanted. So I am still concerned about WHY MORE ISN”T BEING DONE. Are we simply numbers to our trusted doctors ? To tell you the truth…I do now !
To boot, to date, as far as I can see and hear, there hasn’t been any mention on the tv or radio or in the newspapers. WHY ? I did call my health insurance company and told them everything that has happened to me personally. I was happy to have a nice person on the other end, but she was trying to listen and didn’t say to do this or do that. She did make mention to consider the other health problems that I have, that it may be connected in some ways. I said that I did think about those things, but that I felt that this was something very very different that I had experienced feeling.That I felt that my not feeling right for the last several months, was from the overdosing from the double coated Digoxin/Digitek tablets, from all the recent things that I read and heard since the recall alert ! I am not trying to diagnosis myself, but I do know how I was feeling and it wasn’t a normal experience, it was quite scary. Even my young adult children and my husband saw things that weren’t right. I have been racking my brain to remember things….anything that I have experienced in the last few years and I remembered-
A short time back I had a similar feeling with feeling weak and extremely tired and my heart doctor sent me for a series of tests (breathing ) at Albany Medical. Lots of tests with no found diagnosis. I had told my heart doctor that I felt totally out of breath upon climbing one set of stairs. I am feeling upset because no one is taking this problem serious ! Who do we all go to ? Is there anyone that has the guts to come forward and share some solid information and give us some peace of mind ? There are so many sharing their concerns and situations. It’s been a sad experience for all.
Forgot to mention, I am feeling better in the last few days. More energy for sure !!!
I work in a healthcare setting, and did not find out about the recall until 2-3 WEEKS AGO, and this was ONLY because someone who had been taking Digoxin informed me about it when I questioned as to why they were not taking this medication.
Personally, this has only worsened my already existing poor opinion of the pharmaceutical companies AND the FDA…… they are just as horrible as the oil companies, only especially in this case they seriously hurt people’s lives rather than budgets…
oh wait, they do both!
HAVE NO FAITH IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES….AND THE FDA!!!!!
(the FDA has many, many flaws- they DO NOT protect the public, because it is not the public who can pay them incentives; who else but the pharm. org’s?)
******they merely run like any typical money-oriented company- PROFITS OVER PEOPLE.
I was put on digoxin a year ago, when chemo damaged my ventricles, as I went through my radiation ,, I was sooo sick and tired..and weak…Oncologist kept telling me I shouldn’t feel so bad… Cardo doc had no answers ,, when I told him my blood pressure was always low.. he said it was o.k… then I had spells of passing out.. weakness,, Sweats… when i didn’t feel warm.. but my face would be wet….
back to all of my doc’s still no answers… no one has ever done a blood test for levels in my blood…
There should be a class action lawsuit charging public endangerment against all of the following: major news media CNN,MSNBC,ABC,FOX,TIME etc for withholding the story. When it was Red paint in China it made the news.
Against the manufacturer for blatant lack of Quality Control, Against the FDA for not requiring adequate safe guards. Against Walmart and other middle purchasers who obviously do not require Vendor Certification. against the US congressional oversight function who agin are nt acting for the Public Good.
THE PENALTY MAJOR APOLOGY AND IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION
The entire Pharma supply is possibly at risk. Enforced legislative safeguards are
desparately need.
That’s what the lawyers SHOULD be doing.
My daughter has been on digitek for most of her life. She was born with a heart disease. We did not receive a letter until last week from the CVS pharmacy about the Digitek recall.
The shock that this could happen in the United States and hurt not only adults, but our children is sad. My daughter has been back and forth to the pediatrician every week or twice a week with all of the symptoms of confusion, hullucinating, breathing problems, at night she has to sit up to help her breathing, nausea, abdominal pain, dizziness, increase urine at night. She has suffered so much that we are not sure if she will be able to have her sheduled open heart surgery this July, 2008. How could this have happened to endanger so many lives and we have to fight together to make sure this never happens again. Help!!!!
A MOTHER’S CRY
Contact me at crystalcarter14@hotmail.com
I had a mitral valve replacement in 2001and felt ok until I started on the Digitek in August 2007. Since that time I have experienced all of the symptons others have experienced in the comments. Since going on the Digitek I have had three procedures: cardiac ablasion (2) and cardio version due to atrial fib and wonder now if they were even necessary. Since coming off Digitek ~ 2 weeks ago I have become a different person in how I feel and my rhythm has been good and pulse ~ 72 versus the past range from 42 – 150 beats per minute. I would have to go home every day when on the Digitek and lay on the floor because I was so fatigued. When I went to the doctors it was always they could find nothing wrong. I just began accepting the fact I would always feel like this with the mitral valve replacement. What is the timeframe of their concern of manufactured Digitek? I am sure they should have quality checks on thickness and weight to know when it bagan. I have called the websight #’s and no one will tell you anything. Walmart initially notified me and then over a week later CVS sends a letter. Has the double strength always been a problem or just some of the tablets. My wife noted that CVS administered the Digitek in the standard plastic bottles while Walmart issued in the packets you punch out the tablets. She noted to me when we changed to Walmart about the larger size of the tablets but we thought it was because of changing suppliers of CVS versus Walmart so I took the tablets. I don’t think it is only from Walmart, but this is where were noticed the change in the pill size.
I have been reading all of these sad stories of people using the drug digitek and now I am adding one of my own. My brother Danny Wright just passed away unexpectedly on Friday May 16, 2008. He was taking Digitek and had just recently found out about the recall. He was concerned whether it had done any damage to this point, that was 7 days ago and now he is gone and no one can understand what happened. He was only 48 and just collapsed at work. He had just had his yearly checkup and ekg etc and everything was fine. We are having an autopsy done today and will soon know what caused my brother to just collapse for no reason after getting a clean bill of health from his specialist just days prior to this tragedy. The more I read the more I am convinced that this drug is responsible for taking my brother from us way too soon, there are no other explanations for this tragedy. I don’t know where to go from here but the people responsible for this drug need to be held responsible for all of the suffering and pain they have caused so many families and loved ones.. Nothing can ever replace the loss of my brother but seeing some kind of justice is definitely needed. These people are responsible and should be held accountible for they’re actions. We have lost a wonderful and loving person that had a whole life ahead of him to live and now he is gone because of this drug and we all want justice for our loved ones who have suffered and been taken away from us to soon. I love you Danny and will miss you more than I can put down in words. I love you always and my heart is broken. Love your sis Pam
I have read all the comment s on this website and am in shock at how many lives this drug has changed. My life was flipped upside down on april 22nd when my mom passed away suddenly @64. My mom was taking the medication when she passed and while in the hospital. She had every symptom being named by all the articles and we couldn’t figure what was going on with her UNTIL NOW!!! You Better Believe Somebody is going to pay for the loss of our mom and granny.
Mom We Love& Miss You!!
Love You Always
Rocky
I have been taking Lanoxiin/Digoxin for several years. My pharmacy had switched from Lanoxin to Digitek, Digoxin* from company called MYLAN/BERTE I have been feeling so VERY ill, since the first part of the year. I just got out of the hospital a few days ago, for a problem that was not associated with my heart problems; but, the hospital staff did not take my heart and health complaints seriously! I was in the hospital 4/30/08 through 5/15/08. When I got home, I discovered that the hopital dispensed the “digitek” from my personal supply of recalled medicine (I brought my medications/dose pack to the hospital) for an additional week,!!!! No wonder I was so sick.
I just opened a letter from my INSURANCE COMPANY about the recall, dated April 26, 2008. My pharmacy did not call, my doctors did not call. I am very upset.
I saw my cardiologist today. He said we’ll just have to do another Nuclear Stress test to determine how much damage may have been done.
I am still in shock!
I am a very upset daughter, My Mother & Father have both took this drug…NOT ONE WORD…has ever been said until NOW>>>? I dont understand these people that have (or think they have) the right to just hang people on a nail & forget about them & their rights to know that there is something wrong with a drug that is “going to help them”……My parents have shared the same symptoms and there was no reason for them to be going through the same things @ the same time. The only thing that connected to both of them was & is Digitek Digoxin.(they both take). Now…The Big Picture…The Pharmacy did not send one notice to my parents (or me) to inform them of this recall…UNTIL….I CALLED THEM about it..to say; this is what I am hearing …is this TRUE? I ask….they said;…”Oh,yes”…Can You BELIVE THIS…? “THEN”…a week later my parents get a letter in the mail…A statement of the “RECALL”…The Men,Women & Children that take this (and other recall med’s) should be informed “1st”, Even if there is “a chance”, that “maybe” something “could be” wrong with the med’s they are to take. I also would like to send a hug to those that have lost a loved one…This reason for a loss goes way beyond any thought of any person that has a heart…or a loved one. LORD please be with your people and all that is right & hold to the people that “were in the wrong” of these SAD & LIFE CHANGING DAYS…for they need to be counted for the wrong that they have done to other people. Let us depend on you and what is right for us to do in this matter…Responsible, Accountible, & Justice for all….Hear the voices that we have…….That the wrongs will be made right……
Oh my goodness Rocky , I am so sorry for your loss. I know exactly how you feel, my mother passed away on Feb. 6th and I could not understand why. She too had all these symptoms and she could not control her bowels. She had been so sick in her last few months, with vomiting, dizziness, just weak as a newborn baby. She could hardly walk. She was so sick and dehydrated she was in the emergency room 3 times before they finally admitted her. They were still giving her the same amount of meds then and they had to have known about this recall. She kept complaining that her heart felt funny, and had alot of pressure. Her blood pressure dropped dramatically and her heart rate soared to over 152 bpm. All of her tests came back normal, they tried to say it was a stomach virus that was going around. She got a clean bill of health from her heart doctor and her cancer doctor, she was finally cancer free only to have this happen to her. She would wake up several times a night to rush to the bathroom so she didnt urinate on herself. It finally got to the point that she had to wear adult undergarments because she couldnt make it in time. Today is the first time we heard about this recall. I got a letter in the mail today from walgreens. Of course the letter is dated May 1st but it is postmarked May 12th. I pray for all of you and the ones that do not know about this yet. Please spread the word through email and blogs about this recall. I know my mother is in a better place, but she didnt have to leave us yet and it is their fault!! God Bless all of you and Mom, I will fight for you and the rest of the ones affected until something is done. I miss you sooooo much.
I lost a very good friend and boss because of this mess up. I can’t believe their family and so many others have had to suffer through a death of a loved one because of an oop’s. Not to mention the people who took this medication and have been simply miserably sick and hospitalized. Where in god’s name is quality control in this country??? There is not enough money on this earth to right this wrong! Life is precious and should not be taken away from you in this way!
I didn’t realize what had made me deathly ill until I ran out of my Digitek then I stopped being sick. I was in and out of the hospital all of 2007 till it got to the point where noone could figure out what was wrong with me so I stopped going to the DR. and just laid here waiting to die.I was so sick with nausea and vomiting I lost over 40lbs and am now down to 98lbs.my stomach isjust now getting to where I can eat again but like a lot of you I lost a whole year of my life that I can never get back. I don’t know about the rest of you but nowI am still scared because I dont know if those pills caused any other damage.God Bless YOU all and I am so sorry that it took the drug company so long to recall those pills I just hope it’s not too little too late for thsose of us that took tose Damn pills.Thank you all for sharing your horror stories I’m sorry for all of you but I am glad that I am not alone in this.
My grandmother has been in and out of the hospital and seen several doctors, including a Gastroenterologist, for the past several months, for the side effects of this horrible error. I am a nurse, working in ICU, and I hadn’t heard of the recall until my grandmother got a letter stating that she had been unknowingly overdosing herself with this med. This is a very serious mistake, made by a pharmaceutical company, that has inadvertantly caused pharmacists and nurses as well make mistakes. I am nervous now, how can I expect to do the best for my patients if I can’t trust the company making the meds that I give every day? Now, to talk about my grandmother, she has experienced almost every side effect of dig-toxicity, except that her dig blood levels were within normal range! She, too, has lost weight, become very nervous and irritable, among some of the more serious side effects. I wish each and everyone of you well, and that this company that made such a horrendous, awful error, will pay dearly. There is no money amount that will make any of us rest at ease when it comes to medications from this point on, but the message needs to be sent that this kind of behavior will not go without consequences!
My father was rushed to the hospital just before New Year’s Eve. Yes, he had his health issues but he was stable and living a productive and happy life. Weeks before he was admitted into the hospital he had been complaining of exhaustion, fatigue, flu like symptoms, weakness, depression, and just plain tiredness. My family and I were concerned about hm but we didn’t know exactly what could have been happening to him. It seemed to have come out of no where. He was a very strong personality and gradually it was being taken away. Three weeks ago my mom received a letter from Rite Aid expressing the recall of Digitek. We discussed the letter and then started to do some research on the internet. After reading all of these blogs and looking back it is clear yet sickening that this shit caused my dad, father, friend, buddy, wonderful person to die before he was suppose to. While he was in the hospital the doctors had a very difficult time giving us answers of what was exactly happening to my dad. The would say that he is toxic. or has an infection, or just nothing. His blood pressure was low, he had a difficult time breathing on his own and there were never any good answers. Everything happened so fast that you don’t know how to react or what to do or what questions to ask. Being that he had some health concerns you think to yourself that maybe your just desensitized to his condition and think maybe you were in denial. Well, it wasn’t denial – it was Digitek! After reading all of these comments it is heart breaking that there is a really high chance that this is was caused my dad to die prematurely. He died on January 9th and you start to try to understand life but when you hear news of this caliber – life is not fair. I’m not saying life isn’t fair for me – but life wasn’t fair for my dad. He worked very hard at his job and recently retired. My mom was planning to retire in February so they could enjoy their lives’ together and Digitek fucked it up. My family and I have contacted a lawyer and we will take this to court. My dad deserves better than this. Finally, there were so many people at his funeral – I was so proud of him – but you know what – he should be here so I could be proud of him in person. I love you dad! I truly miss you! I miss my buddy!
IF YOU ARE IN WISCONSIN OR NORTHERN ILLINOIS, and you or someone you know have been negatively impacted by Digitek Digoxin, PLEASE CONTACT ME.
My name is Brad Hicks. I work at the Fox TV station in Milwaukee, and I am doing an in depth report involving the double dosage Digitek Digoxin.
I would like to hear your story.
You can email me: brad.hicks@foxtv.com or call me: 414-586-2145 (2pm-8pm)
Thank you.
I read about this recall on Digitek in the newspaper the latter part of April with another recall for lawnmowers. I think this recall should have been been in the paper in bold letters by itself. I talked to a druggest right away and he said not to stop taking it and I called my doctor’s office for a thirty day supply replacement rx to be phoned in until I could order by mail.
I received a letter last week from the pharmacy telling me about the Digitek. Since I order a ninety day supply at a time I feel lucky that I didn’t have the recalled ones.
I am now taking Digoxin.
You need to check again because Digoxin is one of those recalled, not only Digitek. Is there an attorney that is going to help us? How can we trust medicine coming from China, when they are the ones with all the lead in our children’s toys? I live in Paris Texas and if there is an attorney or reporter in the DFW area feel free to contact me. Word has got to be spread and something done about this. I can never get my mother back, but I can help to make sure that nobody else goes through what I am going through now. Feel free to contact me at vickie.devore@yahoo.com
Thanks and God Bless us all going through this.
My question is to all the people that had been taking digetek and now are off of it does your health feel any different. My mother passed away on April 18 2008 after taking digetek for 2 years. She died from cardic arrest after being sick many months of all the symptoms of someone being overdosed. She blacked out the day before only to be rushed to the doctors with them saying your blood pressure must have dropped go home and take it easy. If i only knew what i know now this could have been prevented.
I have entries on may 6th and 10th. Mom is stronger… still dizzy and confused..weak but still recognizes her family and can feed herself and takes a sponge bath on her own now… yay…
she is gaining some weight back.. Hospice workers who were called in when we removed the picc line .. before we knew of the Digitek problem…. say she may “graduate” from hospice care some day
would that be great.
I so pray for her to get her “head and balance” back and strength and weight. She wants to live so badly.. she doesnt really remember all of the details of the past months.. just the confusion and the pain and the fear.
MAY GOD STRENGTHEN ALL OF YOU
I do not understand how a company cannot update information like this and not take some kind of responsibilty. My grandmother was taking this medicine. I talked to her in Decemember around Christmas time and she was full of life still even at her age of 90 she was a trooper. She started to feel sick she had been to the hospital and they said she had a digoxin overdose. So they took her off of it for 48 hours sent her home and she took the medicine again. Same thing happened and she came home from the hospital to die. My grandmother was fine she took this medicine and 5 days later she was dead. Does this make sense no it does not this medicine took my grandmother from me before it was her time she should still be here today. Her great grandkids want her here also. The company called and said we are so sorry that this has happend admitting guilt then the next time they called they said we are so sorry for your loss. Yeah whatever this cannot bring my grandma back sorry doesn’t help when a life is taken from you before the time they are to go. Someone needs to help us get justice for all the people who have gotten sick or killed from taking this killer medicine. They need to pay.
My Mother is in the hospital now! What damage has this overdose done to her? Now she is on Lanoxin. I question that drug as well now.
Shame shame shame!
All these people gone before their time. Is there any quality control anywhere anymore? How did this happen? Did one person make a mistake at the drug company? Was it several people? What the heck happened?
Attorney’s will make money, the insurance companies will want the money back that they paid for the prescriptions and what will the families of the sick and dead get? Heartbreak!
The question is: How do we keep this from ever happening again?
Its DIGOXIN and DIGITEK that is being recalled, by manufacturers UDL labs and BERTEK labs. So make sure that you aren’t taking ANY of their screwed up pills. This has become ridiculous. I have just spent 4 hours going through approx 400 pages of medical records and for the life of me, I cannot understand why there was never a digoxin level ordered when my Grandfather went into the hospital with all the symptoms of digoxin overdose. They knew he was on it, we told them, but I’m not seeing it in the paperwork that they had. It ws listed in previous history. YET, still no one ordered a digoxin level test? WHAT IN THE HELL!!!! I’m baffled! I want to see a digoxin level test done after 09/07 on him, that’s what I want and by god, one of those damned doctors BETTER have done it. I’m irritated about this. Its like someone dropped the ball up there. Sad thing is, my grandma’s already asked what it would cost to have his grave dug up since we didn’t have an autopsy done on him in November. **sigh** I must go to bed now. Cant think about this anymore tonight.
My dad took this digitek for almost a year and complained the whole time that this medicine was killing him. The symptoms progressed and worsened and we had to rush him to the hospital on one occasion. Daddy died in his garden just weeks before we heard about the recall.
My sister and I lost our beautiful bright mother, on April 5th, she had been on Digitek, her prescription pill for exactly 30 days! Even though she was 91 years old, she was in good health, and very aware that her medication was making her sick, she went steadily downhill from this medication and we are heartbroken. We have ordered all her doctors records, especially the ones showing how strong and healthy her heart was 30 days prior to her death. She had a full body scan that took three hours and the doctor reported to us that her heart was very strong! Just a few weeks after her death, Sam’s Club Pharmacy, in Roseville, California sent her a letter telling her of the recall and to stop taking her medication, it was too late for her! I reported it to the FDA, but have not heard a word from them. Has anyone been contacted by the FDA? We are heartbroken over our loss. We cannot understand why Fox News or CNN is not broadcasting this recall!
Sincerely, Helen Battleson – hewick1@yahoo.com
Joan Peachey penrynhillsranch@yahoo.com
I , myself would like to see whoever was in charge of this drug co. get the death penalty…….eye for a eye ksl
IAM AT A LOSS FOR WORDS WHEN I GOT THE NEWS RECENTLY THAT A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE WAS TAKING DIGITEK FOR A FEW MONTHS ..AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE DROPPED DEAD OF A MASSIVE HEART ATTACK !!! SHE WAS FINE EXCEPT HAD A HEART MURMER……. AND THIS HAPPENS ? WHY WAS IT NOT ON FOX NEWS ; OR CNN ??? IF IT WERE MY FAMILY ID SUE FOR EVERYTHING I COULD GET .. IT WONT BRING THE PERSON BACK … BUT JUSTICE NEEDS TO BE DONE HERE ……… THE RECALL LETTER FROM WALMART CAME 5 DAYS AFTER HER UNTIMLY DEATH … IM ANGRY AS HELL!!!!!! THET WOULD BE PAYING THROUGH THE NOSE IF I HAD MY WAY … PEOPLE HAVE DIED LEFT & RIGHT BECAUSE OF THIER STUPIDITY…… marlene….MPEDRETTI@AOL.COM
I don’t think there will be any consequences for anyone involved in this mess. The pharmaceutical company will say that digoxin is a therapeutic drug that has toxic side effects and must be monitored. If doctors had been monitoring this as they should have, it would have been discovered much sooner. I saw an attorney who said it takes $40,000-50,000 to get to the court house steps in a medial malpractice (I wanted to sue my husband’s doctor for negligence) lawsuit. Thankfully for us, my husband has been off digoxin since April 14 and is almost back to normal. No more nausea, vomiting, vision much improved, no more neurological symptoms. Guess we should just thank God, he got off it in time.
I can not believe they didnt know about this drug a while back, why do they wait so long to let the people know about this, my husband has been on this for five years and the only way we knew about it is when i went to pick the perscription up they said it was recalled. call your doctor, this is very serious my husband wasnt feeling very well, and he had a lot of sweating, and not feeling good to his stomach,and feeling dizzy, we just figured it was somthing about the pills, he is on a few, , who can we trust any more, his dr should of called us and told us about this. do they even care. somthing better get done of this situation, a lot of people have suffered when they shouldnt of had to. concerned family james and carol buntin
My Mom has been on digitek for years! She started out on Lanoxin but they (the pharmacy)gave her digitek because it was cheaper and it does the same job. Over this winter she has talked about being very tired,sick feeling and she has no appetite,also her hair is getting thinner and the other day she said she was see yellow spots in her vision. She can’t seem to gain any weight either.She has had her digoxin level checked before where they had to cut her dose to bring it down again,then she got a lot of irregular beats(the reason she is on this med) so they upped the dose again. Now in reading the dates on this site a lot of them were from April 30….Mom just got her notification yesterday May24. Why when this was a problem did it take almost a month to notify her? If she has some of the “bad batch” taking it every day for a month could have done alot more damage!!!! I sure hope all is well with all of these people and their families!! But why should it take the word of someones death or near death to get it pulled from the shelves?
Thanks for listening!!! God bless you all!!! Shirley
Wow!!! This is scary. I am a 69 year old with heart problems for quite a few years.
I have been on Digoxin for about 6 years.
In the last 6-8 months I have been in the ER and hospital manytimes (6-8) for cardiac problems. The problems that I have had were vision problems, felt very cold, couldn”t sleep, nausea, vomiting, diarreah, loss of appitie, loss of weight, light-headed, dizzy, lost of balance, confusion, excess of fluid retension, A-fib, bradycardia, congested heart failure, blood pressure going from very, very low, to very, very high, paulse from 28 to 180 bpm, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, miscle and joint pain, cold sweats, chest pqins, leg weakness, depression, personality change and heavy chest.
The last time I was in the hospital from May 6-13,2008 the doctor told me that I should have a defib put in. Hwe said that he would be gone until May 20,2008, and he would call me to set up a time. The time was set for this Tuesday May 27, 2008 at 5:00 A. M. The nurse called and got all of my info for the surgery.
When we hung up I told her that I will see her Tuesday morning.
Friday, May 23, 2008 I received a recorded message from my medical provider Kaiser. They said that I should stop taking my Digoxin and to call the Pharmacy to replace it. On May 13,2008 my cardiac doctor told me not to take it anymore. No reason why just don’t take it. I immediately went on line and found out about the recall. I have cancelled my surgery and going to call the doctor for some more info on this matter.
Thank you, so very, very much for all of the info. I am very blessed, because I could very well have been one of the individuals that had died.
I have about 77 pills left of my Digoxin. Counting backwards I discover that the first pill I took was about April 7, 2008.
I haven’t checked back all of you in a few weeks because I’ve been very busy at work, but WOW – this whole thing is terrible. I feel so bad for everyone on here. I also have been taking Digitek, but my pharmacy called me around April 29th. I’ve been on Lanoxin for the last 3 or more weeks now and the dizziness and nausea has gone. About 6 days after I quit taking the digitek, my doctor ordered a blood test but he said that my levels came back ok. Maybe they were 6 days later, but what about 6 days before??? My question is this: has anything more been said about this whole mess? Has the company reported anything about it yet? Any lot numbers??? I do still have my last prescription bottle, but what about the 3 or 4 before that one? I don’t understand why we haven’t been told anything else. Please send me a link if there is new info. I want to stay on top of this in case there are any long term ramifications. Thanks!
I’ve been reading all of your posts last night and today. Something told me to come to web site to check out this recall. I have been wondering for almost a year what caused my husband’s sudden death June 23, 2007. Earlier this month I received Walgreen’s recall notice saying my husband recieved one or more Rx for digoxin/digitek and to return to pharmacy for replacement. They said it was from April 25, 2007 to April 25, 2008 that he received the Rx. He had been on lanoxin and coumadin for several years and used to compain about weekness and dizziness from time to time. At some point hewas changed over to digoxin and warfarin, and about a year before he died he lost his sense of taste and appetite,had weakness, bouts of diarrhea, lost weight, swelling in one ankle, and a couple of years ago low blood pressure,60/40 that was said to be caused by taking a little too much blood pressure medicine and had to be taken to emergency room. Now I wonder!! Shortly before his death he finally told me he was passing blood now and then and I made an appt. for him with his doctor who in turn made arrangments for a colonoscopy. He had the procedure done on Monday and got word on Friday that everthing was fine. He was so happy when he read the results to me,that he treated himself to a bowl of chocolate icecream that evening. The next morning I found him dead at his computer.He was dressed for tennis. He was a very active and agile and young for his age of 76. Sometimes I had to remind him of his age because he tried to push himself too hard. About a month before he died he had a weak spell on the tennis court and his friends made him quit because he wanted to continue after a short rest.When I told his doctor of his passing he was stunned, and said “that wasn’t suppose to happen.” Now I don’t know what to do. He wanted to be creamated, and against my better judgement he was. I kept his meds for many months and threw them away just a few months ago. All I have is this letter from Walgreens to prove he took this digoxin. What a waste. He’s not here to see his two new grandbabies grow up. He was looking forward to that.
This is a special warning to all facing symptoms of Digoxin Toxicity. The medical profession is “legally” obsessed with SDC (serum Digoxin concentration), commonly called your digoxin level. Normal limits range from .5/.8 to 2.0. Don’t let the so called medical professionals fool you…You can suffer Digoxin Toxicity with all it’s damaging,unpleasant, life threatening symptoms, and still be within the “normal” SDC(Digoxin) levels. 1). What’s normal for one person may not be normal for another person. 2). Older people (71 plus), show clinical evidence of Digoxin toxicity despite having SDC’s within the recommended therapeutic range. Increased age is associated with enhanced susceptibility to Digoxin toxicity. Unfortuneately, some “medical professionals” are turning a deft ear to real life symptoms when scores don’t go beyond the normal range. You or your loved one could be seriously toxic even though your scores are “normal”. Find a medical professional who will listen to you. There are some good ones out there.
I have been staggering around like I was drunk. I was feeling weak, nauseated and as though my blood pressure would nearly bottom out. it went up and down during the day… very unusual the nurse said. My mind was so confused. I have several different illnesses and couldn’t figure out what was happening to me. My eyes have been weak and I had them retested over and over again. i began to itch in unusual places. The itching became worse.
I stopped taking digoxin May 13 after receiving a letter from Kaiser. My doctor said don’t take any for a week or two and then try the new prescription. One of the new digoxin pills threw me right back into itching and nausea.
Now my doctor with whom I have been close did not even speak to me after I waited for an hour and a half to see him. His nurse took my blood pressusre and symptoms and spoke to him. She returned to answer my questions. She went back and forth. I never did see my doctor. Is he afraid of a law suit? The nurse explained that I didn’t need to take digitoxin any more! I had been taking it for 40 years for Atrial Fibs.
Today is the first day I have been feeling well enough to be active washing clothes and dishes. It feels like a fog in my brain is lifting. I stagger less. I still don’t want to eat most of the food in front of me.
The recall is over two months too late for my mother. Taking it killed her. No lawsuit will ever bring her back but it could have saved her had they done the recall 3 months ago.
My mother has been on this medicine since I can remember. She has tachycardia and fell out in the front yard,@ the river house, my father did not even know what had happened, she kne how to press on the vagel nerve and that is what saved her. She had shotness of breat and feeling bad When they got home from the River there was a messege from CVS pharmacy regarding the recaa, Why wasnt this on the national news? All we ever hear about is murders and weather I know my mother is more important than either , or any of the other junk they focus on.. Brittany Spears etc…
My cardiologist says that the problem with Digitec is that the COATING on some of the tablets was TOO THICK and the digoxin was not being absorbed by the body, so the resulting symptoms were the result of NOT GETTING ENOUGH DIGOXIN RATHER THAN TOO MUCH. Luckily for me, I heard about the recall from my pharmacy and researched it on Recall News before I talked to the doctor. If what he said was true , I should be experienceing the symptoms right now, because I stopped taking the sh……ah, the stuff a month ago and I’m almost back to normal. Anyone else heard this bazaar explanation?
My father took Digitek as one of his daily medications. He was diagnosed with a heart failure and enlarged heart on January 29th. We took him back in again February 29th because he was weak. The doctors said that he had low blood pressure. He died on March 6th. I was thinking that it was a natural death, up until we got a letter stating that there was a Digitek recall. Due to the double-strength dosage, I’m starting to think that my father’s death may not have been natural. It really upsets me that he after his death, we got this letter.
Robert P. Smith Jr., my father had the same symptoms as you. It saddens me after his death that my family and I learn about the Digitek recall. 🙁
I’ve been taking Digitek for 7yrs now and have gone through every symptom that I have read in these other peoples experiences. Every time I ask my doctors what do
you think is wrong,its always well thats the way it is.What they didn’t know is that the
medicine they were giving us was so dangerous if not taken properly or manufact-
ured by a company that didn’t care and were inferior.I have a pacemaker/defib and
have always questioned in the last few years why the read outs have shown such a
bad heart rhythm.I got my recall letter about a week ago and have no answers from
the manufactures except to pass the blame.I have stopped taking the drug all to-
gather for a week now and do feel better, it could be a bad move to do this but I’ve
just about had it with all these medical recalls.Pres.Bush and the Supreme court
have been protecting big business to long,we must stop this now.We must all join together and replace all our political with representatives that will speak for
the people. leeb_49709@verizon.net
My husband has been taking Digoxicin since his first pacemake in 2005 he has been having similiar symptoms but thought flu and just didnt feel good, when he called Walgrens they told him that they had a recall, now I am hoping that he can have the bllod tests necessary to see what levels he really has. Its unbelieable that the parmacy did not call us, before this..who can you trust anymore I guess no one but God. THANKS for letting me vent this is truly a horrible thing, I have read some other peoples dilemas and my heart goes out to you.
Peace, Teresa
I been taking Digoxin for almost a year now, I am having a similar symptoms as others nausea, dizziness, shaking, short of breath. today 5/27/08 i just called the pharmacy to refill my medication, but didn’t say anything about the recall. when my BoyFriend pick my medication up they told him that it was recalled but still give the same dosage and told him to cut it in half instead.this is outrageous!!!! the pills is recall but still selling it !!!!!
ohh well my condition is still worsen every day i’ll stop taking it today let see what will happen….
I am a 46 year old female with a history of SVT since I was 36. I had my meds changed about 3 years ago to include Digitek. I hadn’t been feeling very well for month. I have to say I am feeling better; however, I am disappointed in the way I was notified; I was never advised to contact my cardiologist; only my pharmacist. Although they were nice, they really gave me no information on what was going on other than some of the pills had double the dose.
This was alarming to me in that I work in the medical malpractice insurance end and am quite familiar with the digitek murders which was the basis for legislative changes in NJ.
I am alarmed as to what residuals I may be left with and it there any possibility that my arrythmia problem could have worsened due to this error in the medications.
My mom passed away on January 29th, 2008. She was 61 years old. She was taking digitek 0.125.
For those of you who have lossed a loved one, I am so sorry and I feel your pain. My family has been in so much pain over losing her.
She started having wierd episodes right after Christmas. She was too tired to walk, feeling faint, wierd versions, feeling like something was washing over her, felt like snowflakes falling on her, her heart pounding out of her chest, felt like her head was going to explode. All of these sypmtoms where documented in her journal that she kept. She had went to the ER twice between the end of Dec and middle of Jan. They had no answeres for us and told her to see her doctor in the next day or so.
Now my mom is gone, I am 36 years old with a 4 yr old and 2 yr old, which my mom’s world revolved around around. It is very hard, everyday.
On her death certificate cause of death states: Septic Shock due to consequence of Cardiogenic Shock. While she was in the hospital dying, no one could give us any answers. We sat there for 32 hours straight with no answers. We have contacted a lawyer.
We received a recall letter in May 2008, four months after my mom passed away.
God Bless all of You, I know your pain.
I’ve been keeping track of this site since I first learned about the recall. As of May 28, 2008 a total of 21.8% of people responding have reported the death of a loved one. We lost our precious mother on Jan. 10, 2008 and every symptom that has been reported is one that she had. As I mentioned in my original entry, her cause of death was recorded as unknown!! I thnik we Do know now. If we can’t trust the groups which regulate our medication, who CAN we trust.? I, too, am appalled that there has been so little public reaction to this situation. All of you who have lost someone are in my prayers. IT JUST ISN’T FAIR.
I too have been watching this site as my husband died last Sept while taking digoxen. He started feeling badly in May when his defribulator activated. He spent two days in the hospital but they didn’t know what the problem was. He steadily went downhill. He had shortness of breath so much so that he had to sleep in a recliner for the last five months of his life. He complained food tasted badly and he lost a lot of weight. At the very end he couldn’t even walk a few steps.
His doctor said he could live a year or more but they suggested hospice so he could have oxygen. He died a month and a half later. In March we had taken a cruise and he was doing fine. He failed so rapidly no one could understand it. My son is a former paramedic and he kept saying something was wrong. Now we now what it was. My sympathy goes out to all who have lost loved ones.
My mother in law called me a week ago complaining of all the symptoms mentioned over and over above. She just had a heart attack on Friday, and almost died. It is interesting that it has been a month since these comments have been posted and my mother in law still had no explanation for her heart attack this last Friday. When she is well enough she will have a defibrillator placed, but has now suffered severe myopathy. Her Dr. said there was no explanation for her symptoms. The pharmacy called her a week or two ago to tell her to bring her prescriptions in. I am a nurse, and told her when she described her symptoms to have her go in for a toxicity screen. He never did that. This medical error has gone on too long without notifying the public.
Let’s set up the record staight. I read every single comment from day one to what I wrote. These are published quotes from a “Pharmacy Today” article, “results from an analysis of a key trial suggest that the popular HF (Heart failure) medication digoxin could be dangerous for women-women who took digoxin died more often than did women who received placebo”. “Digoxin therapy not only differs between men and women, but also that use of the agent could be dangerous for women”
I read about several men in this blog and elsewhere including my father who were affected by potential harm of digoxin as well as women. was it incentive that cause these women to receive Digoxin? Or Was it incentive that cause Digitek to combine with Digoxin? or Isn’t it digoxin provide much care to consumers from Having Atrial Flutter to having Atrial Fibrilation, Congestive Heart Faillure then death that cause the pharmaceutical company to put twice the amount the digoxin level in digitek to make it effective? Well it doesn’t work. both ways (subtherapeutically and digoxin toxicity ) killed consumers – men and women.
The pharmaceutical company knew of possible risk factors of Digoxin since 2002 and even prior to that-meaning in 1999.
In a warning letter the FDA specifically indicated that “there were six potentially serious and unexpected adverse drug events dating back to 1999 for products such as Digoxin, phentermine, and phenazopyridine that were not reported by the FDA. At this time, people silently died and I don’t want anyone to blame Michael Moore for saying “The system is broken”.
I went to this website: https://attorneypages.com/hot/fda-letter-shows-digitek-poor-safety-record.htm and this is how they formulated the quote in the warning letter to consumers : Six potentially serious and unexpected adverse drug events dating back to 1999 for products such as Digoxin [Digitek] … that were not reported to the FDA.
BY SAYING Digoxin [Digitek]…THEY WANT CONSUMERS TO BELIEVE THAT DIGITEK WAS THE ONLY cardiac glycoside that AFFECTED BY THE RECALL, BUT NOT DIGOXIN( the generic version- WRONG- THE WARNING LETTER INDICATED “DIGOXIN, not Digoxin [Digitek] IS ASSOCIATED TO 6 POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS THAT CAUSED HARM TO CONSUMERS, but Digoxin.
To exclude the generic version from this recall is just not fair.
To keep digoxin in the market and venture the lives of consumers, they come with false propaganda in that same article by saying “Researchers at Yale University’s School of Medicine performed a post hoc subgroup analysis of data published the 1997 digitalis Investigation Group study and found Digoxin used to treat heart Failure and depressed left ventricular Systolic function was associated with an increased risk of death from any cause among women but not men”.
My father was a men- he died and I’m mad as hell-how stupid we were to come to U.S to face ordeal treatment. Can anyone tell me the difference between Men’s heart and women’s heart or which receptor men have, but women don’t have that causes Digoxin to act better in men’s heart?
The article went further to say, “The reasons for the difference are unknown” Yeah right- Money talk, but everything works. My father was so naïve as consumer to swallow this pill- He didn’t know and her daughter knew when she assigned to shred files of men and women with digoxin toxicities.
My father didn’t participate in that heart study in 1997, took Digoxin in 2006, and went to the emergency room due to vomiting, dizziness and all the complications that people complaint about digitek.
Both Digitek and Digoxin caused harm to consumers. For all of you who took Digoxin only, but not digitek or switched to digoxin, do not let their misleading statements fool you- the answers are in Pharmacy today article and multiple warning letters from FDA to Actavis pharmaceutical company.
Both digitek and digoxin (the generic version) have potential mortality and morbidity.
My heart and prayers go to all of you, but that doesn’t prevent me to cry every day for my father- The entire health care system is approaching a crisis and if nothing is done about it, a great majority of people will end up trusting psychic more than our health care professionals and pharmaceutical companies who work for the incentive.
What is worst about digoxin (the generic version) and Digitek ( the brand name) is that, when people get confused and extremely confused, they misdiagnosed them with alzheimer disease.
Oh yeah the incentive is just predominant that they have to make money also on Aricept and Nmenda.
No one should allow one to call your love one moribund while the digoxin company and FDA failed to properly perform their jobs.
In health care, one cannot consider to be average.
what is a shame for a great country like U.S.A that pertains to be the super power-they should protect us.
For a drug to be released to the market it has to be safe and effective. both Digoxin (the generic version) and Digitek ( the Brand name) were adulterated and caused potential harm to consumers-both men and women.
To say it’s the brand name only that cause risks to consumers doesn’t apply. The company should take it’s responsibility and fix the problem in a timely manner.
I have had diabetis and heart problem’s for several years and the doctor put me on digoxin and now in the past year i had a kidney removed due to cancer of the uterer tube…and am now taking dialasys…my heart beat is around the 60’s…i have a heart murmur..lose of appetite…and most of the symptoms that i read about that these other people have had…as of this day …NO ONE has contacted me about the recall…i heard about it on the tv and oin my own i quit taking it.
My family: my mother, my brothers and I became very concerned when my mother received a phone call from the Walmart Pharmacy in town letting my mom know that there was a nationwide recall of Digitek the first week in May, 2008. They said that the prescription that my dad was taking should be discontinued because of the possibility of an incorrect strength. At that point my mom told them that my dad died on April 19, 2008. My dad had taken Digitek previous to January of 2008, but upon a hospitalization at that time he did not start taking it again until March. My mother was giving full care to him at home and after taking him for a doctor’s visit she had his new prescription filled for Digitek and began administering it to him on March 29. 2008. He started exhibiting some symptoms that he had never experienced, namely, a major loss of strength; hair falling out; sporadic issues with his sight; nauseousness; loss of appetite; headaches; and a bad taste in his mouth. At the time she wasn’t sure what was happening and after one issue with his sight and a headache he begged her to go to the emergency room. They checked him over, but had no answer to give her. Upon returning home he continued to decline and then died 21 days after starting his prescription. My dad was 85 years old, but we are so saddened now when we contemplate that he probably died from a toxic overdose of this medication. We are speaking out because we feel that no one should have to go through this kind of poisoning. This was a very serious mistake by the manufacturer and distributor of the drug.
My husband, Leonard, was put on Digitek in Feb. of 2006 for an irregular heartbeat and it was suppose to strengthen his heart, and the doctor said the heartbeat became regular. Over a period of 6 months he became weak, confused about a lot of things, very stressed, not as much energy (he was an extremely energetic man), headaches. He had his prescription filled in Hutchinson, MN at Wal-Mart when we were back there. His heart beat was in the upper 40’s to low 50’s and his blood pressure was very low. Less than 3 weeks after we got home from MN, he went to his part-time job, unloaded some boxes from a truck, sat down and died instantly. They said cardiac arrest.
Wal-Mart was very good in sending us a letter dated May, 2008 notifying us of the recall. By that time Leonard had been dead a year and a half.
I was on earlier on numbner 351. I just thought that we have to been kind of careful. Since I have been off of it now for about 3 weeks, I do feel much better.
Digitek, and Digoxin is made by other companies. They do not have a problem with it. The problem is from 2 manufacturers, “Bertek” and “UDL lab”. only. It is really amazing how much better I feel. Thanks for all of the comments.
I have been taking Digitek for quite sometime and been having adverse reactions towards it. I felt dizzy, difficulty breathing and fell so many times, hurt myself banging my head on the bathroom wall while getting into the bath tub. My mom told me as if someone was drunk was my reaction towards this medication. I got a letter from my pharmacy about the recall, never heard from my doctor to stop taking the medication. I have had bumps on my head due to the falls.
My dad has been taking Digitek since he had his pacemaker/defibulator put in several years ago. Starting in Dec 07, he started experiencing most of the symptoms noted in this post. My mom just learned of the recall from Medco website when she went to order other meds. My dad had to start dialysis in January 08 – I am not wondering if this is what caused him to go into kidney failure! They are at the cardiologist this morning for a pacemaker check and are going to discuss this recall with dr. What should they do, try and get another med for his heart or would just a replacement of the digitek be safe? No where do I see if this has been screwup has been rectified.
My dad has been taking Digitek since he had his pacemaker/defibulator put in several years ago. Starting in Dec 07, he started experiencing most of the symptoms noted in this post. My mom just learned of the recall from Medco website when she went to order other meds. My dad had to start dialysis in January 08 – I am now wondering if this is what caused him to go into kidney failure! They are at the cardiologist this morning for a pacemaker check and are going to discuss this recall with dr. What should they do, try and get another med for his heart or would just a replacement of the digitek be safe? No where do I see if this has been screwup has been rectified.
When are they getting off their butts and fix the problem? I go to pharmacy every 2-3 days trying to get fresh meds. I can’t always get to the pharacy when I run out, so I either have to skip doses or take the ‘tainted’ stuff I still have on hand. What a nice choice to make every morning.
Does anyone know if the new perscriptions we are getting today are ones where the issue has been rectified? My mom got my dad a new script yesterday and is suppose to go to CVS today to pick up.
I posted 05-10-08 also.
It sickens me after looking at this link—https://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Digitek
Someting needs to be done—and I mean immediately—all these recalls are sickening!!
The tears are overwhelming!!!
My beloved husand of less than 2 years is now dead and I firmly believe Digoxin was the culprit. He had all the same symptoms you all have. During his illness I told everyone, even more than a dozen doctors and health care people that “somethings not right”. They sent him home telling me there was nothing more they could do. He died 03-06-08. I waited 30 years for this man—loving him always—and him me—we shared the same heart—–
I have been on digitek since 2002 for atrial fibrillation. Took digitek under the “Bertek” label. I had a knee replacement in Aug.07. Went back to have a frozen knee freed up on Sept.26, 07. during surgery my heart rate went to 12 then paused. I wore a holter monitor home (Sept. 28,08) and it showed my heart rate fast then slow then pausing for 3.9 seconds. Had to have pacemaker Oct.18,07.
Seems fishey!!!!!! I was a pillar of health until having to have a pacemaker. I received 2 letters about the recall saying they are recalling dates from
April 2006 to April 2008. Seems funning that my problem happened right in the middle of the recall dates. Did I get a double dose? What’s the price you put on someone’s HEART? Is any medication safe? Was diagnosed with tachbrady reason for pacemaker. Does anyone know if these pills were a specific rx number?
Help!
My father-in-law was hospitalized over Memorial Day weekend when he fell in the bathroom. He was admitted to the hospital, experiencing dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, decreased urine output, depression, confusion and congestive heart failure. He also had pneumonia. He suffered two heart attacks while in the hospital, the second which nearly killed him.
I mentioned his symptoms to a friend at work on Tuesday, who informed me of the digitek recall and the symptoms – I had no clue prior to that! That night I asked Dad if he was on this medication, and he told me he had been for years.
I went home and “googled” more info, and then requested that his heart Dr. run a toxcicity test. By now 5 days had passed. The doctor did not perform the test, telling my father’s dad and his wife that too much time had gone by and it would not be valid (so, why not do the test and prove his levels are fine anyway? ‘wouldn’t this help his case?) The Dr. also said that he himself had only heard of the recall a week ago (a heart surgeon,, 3 weeks after the recall, had just heard of it?) In addition, his heart problems are , “due to a valve that they have been watching for 20 years”, yet have never mentioned to him. Now Dad, after more than a week in the hospital, will need to return for open heart surgery for a valve replacement during the summer.
He does not want me to pursue this, afraid that the Dr. will drop him as a patient.
This man is a recently retired college professor, but of the generation that has blind faith in doctors. My husband and I are beside ourselves with the knowledge that he could have been taking a lethal dosage of this medicine for a month after it was recalled without notification from the pharmacy or his doctor. It is even more disturbing that it was not mentioned by any of the hospital staff when he was admitted, and his own doctors have refused to test him for toxcicity or assume blame. They have yet to even admit that his symptoms could be related to a digitek overdose!
Should my father-in-law not survive this, the gloves are off. I can forgive a mistake, but detest the lying and cover-up! If anyone has any advise as to what I should do at this point to be prepared to do battle without alienating the doctor, please let me know! I feel so angry, yet helpless. Thanks.
I am so very sad to read that so many people have become sick and or died form taking digitek. My heart goes out to each and everyone of you and pray for all of you along with my own friends and family as they suffer with you due to the loss of my father on Jan 02, 2008.
My dad was only 64 when he passed away. He had suffer for several months prior to his death. He constantly felt week, dizzy, naseous and had low energy to name just a few of his symptoms. He was hospitalized (cartiology unit) back in October 2006. He had undergone several test including an EKG, ECCO Cardiogram and catherization into his hear but still the cardiology team could not find anything wrong with him. He followed up with his PCP who diagnosed him with “anxiety”. My dad didn’t feel this diagnosis was accurate, after another visit to his PCP and the same diagnosis he still knew something was wrong and just suffered until his death.
My mom received the recall letter from the pharmacy in late April three months after my dad passed away. Needless to say this was very overwhelming for my mom and saddened us all to the core as we know in our hearts that my dads death could very well have been prevented.
This is all just so overwhelming and I’m not even sure where to begin in pursuing this issue. My dad was cremated and we have already disposed of his medications so at this point I’m not even sure if digitalis toxicity can be proven.
May God bless you and your loved ones.
My husband’s doctor put him on Digoxin in May of 2001, right after his triple by pass surgery. He was put on Digitek in January of 2003. He had his last refill of Digitek on March 13, 2008. We received a call from our local pharmacy that we have been using since it opened for business, quite a few years ago. He wanted us to bring in the Digitek, and was going to give us a full refund of what my husband paid for it. My husband’s heart doctor phoned in a prescription for Digoxin 125 MCG manufactured by Lannett on the same day. Please note that he has been taking this Digoxin 125 MCG since that date(3/13/08). During the last 7-8 weeks he has been feeling tired with mild dizziness. These symtoms worsened until 6/4/08, when he could not even hold his head up because he was so weak and dizzey. I took him to his primary care doctor on 6/4/08 who stated that he could not get a blood pressure reading on him. He suggested taking him to the hospital. I did, and the hospital used a different type of blood pressure device. His blood pressure reading was 61/33. They did bloodwork on him. He was dehydrated and they started giving him fluids. His bloodpressure came up slowly and they dismissed him from the emergency room after 6 hours when his pressure was 101/45. I wonder if the Digoxin is okay for him to take.
My mother died August 3, 2007 and she had all the symptons mentioned above while taking Digitek. This was her downfall. She started getting sick in June when she was diagnosed with Digitek toxicity. While in the hospital for this problem, she contracted a staph infection and for the entire summer she was in the hospital more than she was out. Everything mentioned here happened to her. I’ve already contacted a lawyer’s office just to see what is being done. She may still be here with me today if we’d only known what was going on with the drug.
I have been on Lanoxon since heart surgery in 1994. I was switched to Digitek a few years ago. I have had many of the symptoms listed by others on this site, feeling bad, loss of appetite, nausea, low blood pressure, slow heartbeat[less than 50bpm], skipping heart beats[per EKG], lethargy, memory loss, vision trouble etc. In addition, I have had trouble with pimple type open sores that will not heal on my scalp. Many different Dr have tried to heal them up but have had no luck with everything tired so far. I took myself off the Digitek and within a couple of days I noticed improvement in most all symptoms, even the sores are healing up after years. I discarded the last couple of pills I had , now I wish I had kept them.
My son Nathan was 23 years old, he was diagnosed with cardiomyapathy 7 years ago, I moved him to Gainesville to be by Shands hospital which is a Trauma 1 hospital, as he awaited to be put on the transplant list, He was taking a series of meds for his heart, I di not receive the recall letter for him until after his funeral a month ago, his blood pressure dropped to 50/30 and his kidneys began shutting down on him, I dont understand, He did everything he was suppose to do, I layed out his meds, because he became so disoriented, There is no price for loosing the one’s that were apart of our life, The company that manufactured these drugs will not pay, they will probably just file bankruptsy protection. At least lets pull together and shut them down, some of you are lucky to be here, some of us lost a part of us through their death. But reguardless we are in this together. Stand strong and speak up to the country, reach every news station and radio you can, save some one elses life.
Earlier, I wrote about my mother’s death on April 28, 2008 and I am sickened at all the other letters after mine about death and illness from this drug!! I am hoping when someone sees anything about this drug on TV about a settlement, please come back to this site to let us all know of the number to call… Thanks
We can all help each other by passing on any info.. I know must of us cannot afford attorneys!
My husband was taking Digoxin before, during, and after cancer treatment in 2006/2007. Never had a problem with it. He was in remission in October/ November 2007 but his health was deteriorating. Mental problems, dizziness, fatigue, anexoria. We had been to the emergency room several times with these symptoms but the doctors couldn’t find a reason. They kept looking for cancer but could find none. When my husband was down to 125 pounds and we again visited the ER, Doctor #11 screened for digitalis (Digoxin) and my husband’s numbers were very “toxic.” They admitted him to the hospital and took him off of digitalis. His mental capabilities came back after 3 or 4 days, but I don’t believe his physical health ever returned to any kind of normal. He died in my arms on March 31, 2008. Did the toxicity cause his death? Probably not. Did it hasten his death? I believe it did. I spoke with his doctor after I received the “Digoxin” letter from Wallgreens. His doctor said that my husband’s toxicity episode in November 2007 “complicated an already complicated case.” Maybe I could have had a few more months with him.
Response to: (Patricia Neubauer-Conn on June 9th, 2008 12:50 pm)
Get help Patricia!
No attorney will ask you any money to sue the company. Find an attorney and enroll in a class action lawsuit and make them pay-there is nothing wrong with that. If you don’t want the money, donate it for a good cause so that this mistake will never happen again in the United States of America history. Don’t wait for people to tell you about settlement-put yourself out there and find a lawyer right away.
FDA always procrastinates to do its job (incentive is a big factor here). The incentive drives the moral practice of medicine down the sink. “Other doctors don’t benefit from cancer drugs, but Oncologists do” says Dr. Peter Eisenberg at MSNBC news. It’s not only cancer drugs that turned out to be problematic these days, but Digitek stunned the nation after the recall. Digoxin use is controversial to certain consumers.
In this tragic moment, myriad of people died from digitek (brand name) and digoxin (generic). FDA awared of digoxin to be defective in 1999 and they fed up with it.
I’m 100% convinced that they will market these drugs in a foreign country, especially Haiti and under the sun-families are sick of this.
My family personally used strategies to prevent my father from getting bad drugs in a foreign country- this is really disappointing to see the Health care system in the United States provides much to him- they jeopardized his health before he died. Even a big hospital like Mayo clinic couldn’t beat the system from giving bad drugs to patients-the system is corrupted.
Everywhere there’s an issue: If its not digitek or digoxin, it is contaminated Heparin, or defective devices, or Haldol or trasylol or Avandia or chantix, or peanut butter poisoning, or tomatoes that are infected with salmonella or something else. What is safe these days?
Water in faucets in most areas of the U.S turns out to be problematic for people’s health – It contains chlorine and breaks hair. My sister tested the water last week-we were surprised of what we saw-there was a big difference between the water that was filter and the one from the sink. While one concerns about cancer drugs to cause alopecia, water from our faucet is sometimes not too safe to wash neither hair nor drink.
Where is Michael Moore? Let’s do another documentary movie? CALL IT “INVISIBLE EUTHANASIA” or “INVISIBLE NEGLIGENCE” Or “I COMIT CRIMINAL ACT WITHOUT EVEN NOTICE”. That‘s what it is. During care giving, I put digoxin in my father’s mouth and I commit murder without even know it- lots of families who lost love ones face the same ordeal I believe. God will forgive us because we didn’t know.
There are lots of fingers pointing in different aspect of the health care system. Families demand more respect-It is heartbroken to see families with no money beg at pharmacies’ windows to get digoxin or digitek they cannot afford. As they finally get it, they died afterwards.
Before, the poor and the invisible poor were at risks, but not anymore. Everybody is in the same boat- this is a shame though and consumers cannot tolerate that routine.
FDA needs to do a better job for consumers to put faith in our health care professionals. Most people including my mother do not trust health care professionals nor take their medications because of this event- “stop engaging people in self identification while the burden could be lifted at the Actavis pharmaceutical company before it reaches consumers”.
I have only one father and I missed him dearly. He was a great achiever in his country.
Before this recall, I encouraged so many people in foreign countries including my father to follow treatment in the United States – Not anymore (the FDA has to convince families’ more before they can gain their trusts-put drugs out there that are safe and effective for consumers.
OOPs! They couldn’t figure out that digitek contained double digoxin dose- Lies.
Look at FDA pattern “From November 1997 to December 2000, the food and Drug Administration (FDA) received 7,111 reports of adverse drug events in infants and children below the age of 2. Of the reported ADEs, 769 involved deaths associated with a drug or biological product,” said in APHA article.
It was basically last year- approximately seven years later that the FDA took action to recall over the counter cough syrup for children over the age of two.
Digoxin has been an issue since 1999 and even prior to that says a warning letter to Actavis Company. Digitek was included in that warning letter in its generic version (digoxin). What in hell that digitek is recalled, but digoxin remained in the market to gradually deteriorate the lives of people? Well digoxin will not kill one right away, but it has no survival benefit and cause life threatening adverse events.
As a family victim, I demand that digoxin be reviewed. It is controversial.
Well, I assume FDA is waiting for another 7 years before he can recall the generic version (digoxin)-even if these drugs kill their mothers, they will not care. The pharmaceutical companies that make these drugs treat consumers like animal anyways. Even Woody (a dog) deserved a better care – digoxin toxicity should not kill that dog. When I read the Woogy’s story in the posting above, I understand its owner’s pain and suffering – a dog has a life just like a human being.
The pattern is continuing – FDA failed to inspect the contaminated heparin also. WOW!
As I said before, “The entire health care system is approaching a crisis and if nothing is done about it, a great majority of people will end up trusting psychic more than our health care professionals and pharmaceutical companies that work for the incentive”.
GET TO THE POINT FED AND DON’T CONCERN ONLY WHEN YOU HAVE TO PAY THE BILL.
Before the recall, I investigated about digoxin -I found the answer in shredding files of victims who died years ago of all sort of drug toxicities, mostly digoxin, seizure medications, and psychotropic medications in a nursing room facility. I feel sorry for the elderly and the disables-their voices are quite limited in this society.
Digoxin (the generic version) and digitek (the brand name) killed people and some families didn’t even notice the error because most people trust the healthcare system-wrong. During a hospital visit, uncover the hospital sheet and make your own inspection.
Imagined some people has to wait for six months after either a psychiatric visit or family physician visit before they can detect drug toxicities or change their prescription drugs even though the caregiver notice that at certain Nursing home facilities. Most caregivers have the heart, but they could not do anything about it.
Digoxin as well as Digitek killed people – Besides the double dose that was added to the digitek, the generic version (digoxin) pause a threat to consumers (period).
My father died 2 months ago from Amiodarone Pulmonary Toxicity (however, his cause of death was officially labeled as “Interstitial Pneumonia”). He had only been on the drug for approximately 5-6 weeks, following a highly successful heart valve replacement surgery. He had some minor pulmonary fibrosis prior to this and was 76 yrs. old. In my opinion, his cardiologist should never have put him on the drug with the track record it has, especially because of my father’s age and pre-existing condition. The drug also killed his neighbor about 2 yrs. ago, after he’d been on it for a year. The neighbor was suddenly struck with symptoms of breathing difficulty and died within days. I watched my father suffer for over a month on a ventilator and was with him as he took his last breath. It’s interesting, because my dad researched just about everything to the extreme before he bought or tried it. But, I think he had blind faith in a way, in his doctors. I now warn everyone I know to stay away from Amiodarone and ask that they warn others. I’d like to think that maybe it’ll save lives, somehow…The FDA to me is just a money-hungry institution with utter disregard for integrity and the Hippocratic Oath.
I have been to this site so many times reading all of your tragic results of taking the poison that has been given to us and the lack of concern shown this CLASS 1 RECALL. It angers me so much to find that over a month later there are people who are learning of the recall. So many of us have been sick for so long or have lost loved ones. My heart goes out to all of us who have had dealings with this deadly medication recall.
i have just read these heart breaking stories. my husband suffered a heart attack on may 27,2008, his third one. however, this one was completely different from the previous. i know that digitek caused this. he has been on it for several years and recently experienced tiredness, low blood pressure, low heartrate, shakiness,depression, and general weakness. this started a few weeks before his heart attack. i am very angry at the drug company, my husband has been through enough. i want to know if anyone has any info on a lawsuit, or has anyone talked to an attorney? any info would be appreciated…it’s time for someone to pay for all of our pain…
I am in deep mourning at this time and can’t write fluenctly. My husband just died from these many symtoms described. the vomitting, nausea, his heart beat to fast to flow. He had a heart attack on May 3. I got a letter
finnally on 6/04, through the mail addressed to him telling about the recall. I am very upset I have lost my husband and my daughters father.
My Father had Heart surgery on August 6, 2007. He had a difficult recovery but continued to bounce back. The doctors said that his heart was strong In December He was doing very well and we talked about bringing him home. Then he went down hill again. He had many ups and downs and I believe he was on Digitek off and on as he had been in and out of the hospital and his meds kept changing. He would retain fluid and swell, get confused, his urine would get dark, he would get nauseous, not feel like eating and be weak. He had so many of the symptoms that is now being recognized. He came home from the nursing home on April 2, 2008 he was able to move in his wheel chair from living room to dining room and feed himself. My mom and filled the script for the digoxin on April 2nd. He was home for a week. By the 5th day he was confused. Couldn’t get out of the bed, couldn’t communicate. We had to call the ambulance He was admitted to the hospial to ICU. The doctor came in and said that his heart was operating at 25% rate and we had to move him to hospice as they said there was nothing more to do. He died April 20th. His death cert says COPD he hasn’t smoked in 30 years. I have been in contact with an attorney that will work on a contingency. If any one has any pointers or information they would like to share please do so.
Who should I be angry with? Did not even find out about recall till June 11,2008! Wal Mart or my post office with people that can’t read numbers dropped the ball. Her two Doctors never called. Mother was put in hospital after suffering chest pains and having violent tremors less than a week after refilling her prescriptions in early March. I even mentioned to the ER that her symptoms started with her refilled prescriptions. They seemed to ignore my observations. With her heart working at only 30% it is amazing she is still alive. Maybe now she will lose some of her dizziness that she has been complaining about for the last 3 months. Wal Mart refilled in April and I believe also in May. They are currently out of this medicine because they are just now supplying the safer drugs. Wal Mart used to be better than this. Post office has always been lousy in this area 30 plus years.
It’s been one month today since my last entry. My husband is still sick, still complaining of the same symptoms. The symptoms have aren’t as severe as they were but he’s still unable to do most things. He still has very little energy and most days he can’t even walk across the floor without resting. It’s been a long long time since he’s had a good day. He wen’t to the doctor 4 days ago and this time the dr even took him of of the brand name Lanoxin. What’s up with that???? Does anyone know where to go from here???
June 14, 2008 11:00am
As I sit here this morning reading all that has happened to so many people, it just blows my mind. I did not hear of this till I went to t get my refill of digoxin on Wed. June 11, 2008. My last refill was April 16, 2008. I heard from no one about this recall. I called the Dr’s office to be told by his nurse that she would let him know. There was no way possible for them to contact all there patients. No other explanation. Next day I called to have blood work done instead of waiting till the end of July when I am scheduled for my yearly check up. They called to say everything is normal and to continue on my same dosage which is 125 mg. I never told them that the pharmacy put me on Lanoxin. What does that tell you. I passed out at my son’s home when I was visiting in AZ this past Jan. They called the ambulance and my blood preasure was 64/44 took me in for evaluation. Have had many other symtoms, like what other people have mentioned. One that I do not know of, is if any one else has experienced and that was last year when I thought I was having a heart attack, that turned out to be an attack of pancreatitis. After 2 days of drinking water the count was perfectly normal. Who knows what that was about. Has anyone else had that happen to them?
I did have open heart surgery in March, 2004. Dec of 2005 is when I was put on digoxin and coumadin. Had an episode again where I was put in the hospital and told I have atrial fibrillation. I do not know who to believe any more. My heart and prayers go out to every one who has lost a loved one.
I am blessed to be here to speak my mind. May there be an answer to all of this.
I am doing lots better now. My last posting was about 3 weeks ago. On June 4, I put myself on Lanoxin, after being off of digoxin for 3 weeks. Almost all of my symnptons and pain has disappear now. I am so lucky. I took a blood test the end of may and my digoxin level was .05, I took it again on June 11, and it was .09. Good luck to everyone and God bless us all.
This is very strange. I had the same problem with Digitek but it was two years ago. The cardiologist put me on Lanoxin (no generic substitution) about 3 years ago. My regular dr. renewed the prescription but this time allowing generic substitution. The pharmacy filled it with Digitek. I spent several days with rapid heart beat, sweating, dizzy and exhaustion before I stopped taking it. I thought I was going to actually die.
Switched back to lanoxin (no generics allowed). The initial treatment ogf lanoxin was very successful in controlling irregular heartbeat. The Digitek seemed to take away some of the success but still use lanoxin which does improve the irregular heartbeat.
I was at work on March 21, 2008 when I started to feel horrible. Wild swings between slow/fast heart rate dizziness and totaly exhausted. An ambulance took me to the hospital as I almost died. I was in complete afib. People NEED TO BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE FUTURE DAMAGES TO THE KIDNEYS AND THE HEART. No one knows how long theses double dosages were out there. Since I had my open heart surgery in 2002 it is possible I had been taking this drug for six years! What permanent damage was done? I do not know but I know I am going to find out. I have an attorney and I have sued the bastards. I suggest everyone do the same. There is zero excuse for this.
My son Robert died April 28th. Digitek was one of the drugs he took daily. My first knowledge regarding a recall was June 10th in the news paper. Second was a letter from Unicare Life and Health Insurance Company, I received June 14th. Not at anytime did the pharmacy, doctor’s office, or anyone else contact me regarding this drugs recall.
My son took his medication about two hours before he died. Also, he had fought a constant battle to live, even with all he had to endure each day with, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. He loved life.
It is unacceptable to be notified weeks after a drug has been recalled. My heart aches for my son and everyone out there suffering from this tragedy. This Should Never Happen Again!
About a year and a half ago I went to an emergency room with an irregular rapid
heart beat. I was given a cardioversion, which shocks the heart into normal rhythm, and was sent home with a prescription for digitek, that I have been taking since. On May 22 of this year i went to the emergency room with the same problem. And was hospitalized for four days and was diagnosed with attrial
fibrlation(rapid heartbeat)and also bradycardia (the heart beats to slow) I am currently taking coumadin and will have another cardioversion.I was given Lanoxin in the hospital.When released my at home meds included digitek at
half the dosage i was taking before nothing said about a recall of this drug.
I learned about it from an add by a lawfirm on tV.I then went online to find out more, otherwise I still would not know. Not only should the manufacturer and
distributors of this drug be held accountable but those who should have let us know including the FDA.
I heard about the recall when my mom received a phone call from Aetna/Aetna Home Delivery and later from her doctor directly. I was on vacation when my mom called to tell me that they wanted the pills back and they would replace them with no explanation why? I told her not to send them and wait until I got back from FL. Later I started googling Digitek/Digoxin and found the recall and this info in particular. Note that my mom has a series of problems heart-kidneys-diabetes -pacemaker-defiblerator issues — blockages — TIA stroke in the past — many procuedures and surgeries ago. She is on many meds and my full time job is to organize all of her meds — figure out insurance and bills and coordinate it all including her doctors visits and what not. Everything was stable and going well before she started having unmistakeable night sweats, dizzyness, lightheadedness, fatigue, couldn’t seem to function as her normal self. We attributed some of this to her diabetes but found that her numbers were okay and not enough to be causing some of the persistent symptoms that she was having.
On 3/1/08, it started with her becoming so dizzy that she fell and broke a bone in her finger because may have passed out in the process of being dizzy and fell w/ all the fingers bent the wrong way causing her entire hand to look as if a car tire ran it over. She said she tripped but she also said she almost took a spill off the toilet and into the bathtub so not very consistent info from mom at times. I couldn’t believe it was only one finger for the look of it — spent about 9 hours in ER that day. Racked up a pretty hefty bill at Christ Hospital in Oak lawn. They kept her there a week adjusting her meds and took her off DIGITEK/DIGOXIN at the end of the hospital stay but didn’t say why.
Prior to this episode my dad had to call the ambulance out when she was sleeping in bed lathargic and moaning w/ her tongue hanging out her mouth and moaning — she was going into a coma of some sort. The ambulance people revived her and on they went.
The last couple times she was in the ER (THIS IS NEW AND NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE) She started having seizures which were not completely recognized by my dad, myself, or my sister not to mention when she started having one for the first time that I saw I couldn’t tell if it was a diabetic issue, or a stroke. Not once did I understand enough about seizures to be able to identify this as one. She snapped back pretty quickly except that her motor skills and speech became affected temporarily. She scared myself and my sister one morning (5-19-08) of my daughter’s playschool graduation when we got home after it was over and she sat at the kitchen table suddenly very QUIET (not my mom at all) and started to flip through the newspaper my husband was then looking at and then started looking at it repetitively from cover to cover back and forth on end for a while starring at the paper and would lift her head occasionally to look at you or noises around her with absolutely no response other than this repetitive movement w/ the newspaper which she never ever reads and didn’t even have her glasses on at that point. Suddenly she started rifling through my sisters purse like an infant who never saw it before — without speaking of course. I saw this situation once before and decided to help her to the car where my sister and I franticly took her home to gett her diabetic test kit to check her sugar numbers and to my surprise, they were normal. By this time she started to look very absent in the eyes except for her continuous curiosity of the things around her like loose change and when she started to proceed to place them in her mouth I knew this was new and not something we ever saw in her. She started to roll back her eyes and shake a bit and we drove her directly to the hospital (which if she was all there would never of gone voluntarily) all the way to the hospital which was not very far, she continuously tried to open the car door lever repeatedly (6-7 times) because she didn’t understand what it was and like a child kept pulling on it. While I held the door continuously closed my sister in tears drove and we got to the ER — We couldn’t get her out of the car and sought the help of the security guard to help us. He was wonderful. He snapped his fingers and called her name repeatedly and she walked reluctantly to the wheelchair. We got back to ER pretty quickly but before we got her in the room she snapped out of it. She resisted staying and being treated and signed herself out.
She kept having unexplained episodes — like being spacey — blanking out — sweating profusely — running through the house — going through drawers for no apparent reason — being out of it. — She would run out the doors in the middle of the night and my dad would have to go after her — bolting the doors closed and taking the key out to protect her that way. She would function to a degree — look at you — blink eyes but go in and out of these episodes over and over. I quickly got her in for an EEG (she kept waking during the test even though I had stayed up the entire night with her at my house to prepare for it)to test for/rule out seizures and her doctor put her on Plavix on 5/22/08 for the past stroke/blockage issues but it turned out the she had a total clonic seizures one morning on 5/28/08 and the ambulance came because her eyebrows and eyes were going up and down and her arms and body shaking (I didn’t actually see it but my sister and dad did and it scared them to death) my dad is in denial much of the time about everything but he did the right thing that day. She needed help and she finally got it. They took her to Christ again and when I first saw her I thought stroke. She looked like my grandfather did when he had his. It turns out she had about 7-10 separate seizures and now the Dilantin helps her function again without all of the other symptoms that I mentioned previously. She is back to her “Normal” self. I don’t know if this recall is the reason she had this onset of seizures and multiple other symptons during the start of all this but I can’t rule it out either. She has endured at least $2000 – $2500 out of pocket and Aetna many multiple thousands more. Please contact me at nwonknu.burbank@yahoo.com with any comments.
Thanks for reading.
My mother was hospitalized in December 2007 with extremely high toxicity levels of digoxin. Her toxic level was so high she had to have three blood transfusions and was in the hospital for almost two weeks. She was very listless and delierious at times and exhibited flu-like symtoms. The ER doctors were amazed my Mother was alert since her levels were so off the charts. It was a very trying time for our family. When I went to refill her prescription a few months ago I was informed by the pharmacist that the pills were being recalled. I cannot beileve there isn’t an immediate notification re the recall on the presciptions.
TO: L on June 27:
How unfortunate that so many people like your mother and my husband had to suffer so much last year. Lost in all of this, I believe, is how all of the family members have been directely affected by our loved one’s toxicity. It was a hell I wish upon no one and hope to never go through again. With my husband’s passing in March of this year, he will never again have to place his trust in the quality control of a drug company. Little comfort but it is something. . .
My father became very ill earlier this year after he renewed his prescription of digitek. He was given a new pacemaker with defibrilator. He couldn’t eat, was out of breath, lost weight, slept and was no longer able to do simple things in the house. He ended up in E.R twice in 2 weeks for congestive heart failure. Walking from the house to the street curb was a struggle. The doctors ran tests and said that his heart was just weak. It has taken 4 months of not taking the wrong digitek (he was taking 2-4 times what he should have, because of the mislabled prescription) and finally by the grace of God he is eating again, walking with a purpose to his step and driving and feeling very good. Something needs to be done for compensation for all the time lost, money paid out by him that insurance will not cover and almost losing his life over incompetant companies.
I guess I’m one of the fortunate ones that has not suffered any ill effects from taking Digitek — I too just found out this week when I refilled my prescription. My husband came home and told me the pharmacist told him that Digitek had been recalled and was substituting Lanoxin (at a much greater cost since it was a brand name — no insurance payment for it). Nothing else was said. I was very busy with a Cub Scout Day Camp and didn’t have time to do anything about it — I assumed that they had talked to my doctor — but tomorrow I’m calling him. Again, I have not experienced any symptoms. But from reading one of the above comments about a person’s mother getting spacy and doing things that were wierd, it recalled to my mind that back in 2003 my mother was living with us for the eight last months of her life, and she would go into what I termed as “la-la land” and do things like picking flowers (mimicing the actions), or picking lint off her clothes (nothing there) or sewing (with nothing in her hands, just the action). I was told then that her digoxin levels were too high when the first time I took her to the emergency room — I was not savvy enough then to research the drug, just took the ‘experts’ opinions and continued on — she had at least 3 or 4 episodes of it. Who knows what she was taking then. When I had to start taking it, I was very careful about following the instructions and getting my levels checked and have had no problem — guess I have a good physician — but am now very upset that my doctor didn’t call me about it — perhaps he didn’t even know!!
How very upsetting to learn about it when your prescription runs out and you’re there getting a refill and then left wondering, “My God, what damage may have been done to me?” You can bet I’m calling my doctor first thing in the morning and getting in for tests.
Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences — again, I may have been one of the blessed ones that has escaped a terrible fate.
I’ve posted two or three messages about my bout with Digitec and Amioderone poisoning and the unconcerned attitude of the medical profession. Little did I know that I was going to face one more life threatening incident because of a mix up in medication. I have atrial fibrillation and was taking Amioderone to control it, along with Metoprolol. I changed from Amioderone to Sotalol because I thought I was suffering from Amioderone lung toxicity. Since Sotalol and Metoprolol are both beta-blockers, my pulse stayed between 45 and 55 and, on my own, I started to slowly wean myself off of Metoprolol. Three days after I started reducing the Metoprolol, I saw my cardiologist and was given a schedule for weaning myself off of it which was much more accelerated than I had planned. Assuming that he knew more about it than I did, I followed his schedule and on the day after I took my last dose I went to the grocery store. As I was finishing my shopping I began to feel very weak, dizzy and out of breath and had to be assisted to my car by a nice lady that followed me home because she was so concerned about how sick I appeared to be. After I got home I collapsed in the bed. After a little rest, I went on the internet for some research and found that if the dosage of Metoprolol is decreased to quickly, it can be deadly and recommended that it should be reduced slowly over a matter of weeks rather than days, as my cardiologist had directed and, an hour after I took a small dose of Metoprolol I began to feel much, much better. I will never again assume that the doctors know what they’re doing without some research first. I no longer trust them AT ALL. My point is that trusting the medical profession too much can kill you and that a little research might save your life.
I have taken digoxin for over 10 years and about a year ago started having symptoms – Badly swollen feet and hands, extreme weakness, often feeling faint when trying to do any activity, feeling like gagging all the time and my hair was falling out. two doctors could not find the cause. I even had a blood test for anemia. In . I wondered why my pills looked so much like another that I was taking, but it never occurred to me that it was the wrong size. In May , I began to feel better, and recently got a letter from Walgreens about the recall. I feel better now , but wonder if there may be long lasting effects. Why did it take so long to notify us?
My mom got my dad a new perscription a month ago after we found out about the recall. Does anyone know if the meds at the pharmacies were all replaced by the non defective pills?
This medecine just killed my grandfather Saturday June 28th 2008.
He was the best thing in my life….
83…
who knows how many more years he COULD have lived.
I just learned of the recall 1 week ago and had to ask the pharmacist why there was a shortage, only then did I find out that I may have been taking a toxic dose. I am 30 years old and have been sick for a few months now and nobody has been able to figure it out. I am appauled that nobody new of this, why wouldn’t a notice be sent out to either the consumer or the prescribing physician. There has to be a change to the system there were many live lost and many disrupted because of this deadly error.
My Mom has been on this for years, and has been in and out of the hospital many times with all of these symptoms. Terrible. Nobody told us of the recall either. She almost died several times.
This mistake ruined many lives. The healthcare industry is always able to weasel its way out of their mishaps. This one has come to surface and whomsoever is to blame, should pay the highest consequences. Let us not sit silent. There must be something done. Too many people have suffered.
Have found a good attorney for my case against Digoxin–the drug that killed my husband!! I will not go class action –I want a one on one lawsuit so I can look these bastards in the eye and tell them how despicable and worthless they are. I am suing for 50 million—most of which will build a rehab facility for stroke patients in his name in Ohio. He was a wonderful man and deserved better treatment from our government–they are also to blame for they didn’t do their job right either by making sure these big drug makers followed everything to a T!! I’m mad as hell and will guarrentee someone will have to be charged with his dealth and the best way to get these idiots to get their heads out of their azz and be responsible for such actions is to hit them where it hurst the most–their wallets.
My mother took digitk for more than two years. In September of 2007, She became ill, in and out of the hospital. She couldn’t walk, was vomiting, couldn’t talk, had low blood pressure, lower stomach pain, confusion, hallucinations, etc. She passed away in December. Someone must pay for the lost of my mother. I will never see her wonderful smile again. The drug companies should stop using humans as guinea pigs.
I am reading comments on this recall and can’t believe some of what I am reading. There are some who are worried about the reimbursement of medication that had to be thrown away and stress that they have endured because of this. My family, like several families, have suffered the ultimate cost. My father, who was also taking this medication for A-Fib, passed away Friday July 11, 2008. He seemed to be doing good then suddenly had a loss of appetite, weight loss, low blood pressure, weakness, confusion, shortness of breath and extreme tiredness, along with many other symptoms. With all of this, he continued to be the happy, loving, and faith filled man he has always been to all of us. Our family Dr. admitted him in the hospital on June 18, and everything went down hill from there. His faith never faltered. He never gave up hope and fought to the very end. He continued to smile and express his love and appreciation to everyone who entered his hospital room, even the hospital staff!
My mother, nephew, children and I had to watch this beautiful, loving man slowly fade away. We,along with the many others who loved him, have suffered a great loss, but all feel truley blessed for having had him in our lives, and the honor to care for him until he took his very last breath!
How long had the dig been double dose? Does anyone know? My dad was on it for several years and died recently, one of the causes was dig overdose. We didn’t hear about the recall until I saw an ad on TV for a lawyer. What is up with that? Why didn’t they let the public know in a timely fashion???? Now i’m going to have to bring this up to my Mom.
My wife learned about this just earlier this morning and all in the family are shocked, hurt, and even slightly angry that such a potiently dangerious medecine was allowed to still be used so long after it was found to be so dangerious. We lost our father “in law” just 5 days ago and he had been taking this drug for about a year. He had many of the symptoms listed in the above letters. We are going to researce all of this extensively and if we discover that any of his suffering may be linked to this drug I will do everything I possibility can to cause as much pain and anguish to Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. I know that reguardless of how much damage this does to Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. they will not be damaged a fraction as much as the people “and their families” they poisened were. I ask the courts to have no mercy on these money hungry dope dealers!
MJL
I am 50 yrs old and feeling so bad for the past 4 months, very weak, sweating, dizzy, can’t walk 10 ft. without feeling faint and need to sit down. I have been on Digitek for 2+ years. I got a letter from Walmart but my latest prescription came from Walgreens. I called Walgreens and they said that I probably did not get the drug, but I used several pharmacies and don’t know the lot numbers. Nobody will tell me anything, they just don’t care about whether I got the overdose or not! Nothing in the news except when the lawyers go sniffing around and smell a good class action lawsuit, but for the lawyers we probably would not even know about the lawsuit. Why do we hear so much about tained TOMATOES and nothing about ALL of the SYMPTOMS Digitek overdose causes? The web site does not list ALL of the specific symptoms. My fiancee has been looking at me for 3 months telling me something is wrong. I have swelling around the base of my neck, it is extreme. She wants to go to Emer. Room immediately but I will go in the morning to deal with this I am just too tired to go now. Does anybody else have swelling around neck also? Everybody posting these messages I say THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW HOW YOU FEEL AND YOUR SYMPTOMS. Are we the only ones that CARE enough about each other to holler out and demand answers to our questions?
Does anyone have the list of recalled Digitek lot numbers?
Is this what we’ve come to– my mom died on 3/24/2008–a loving mother,wife and dedicated registered nurse for 35 years– all the symptoms were there– her levels of digoxin were high–she would have gotten the news but she couldn’t make 4 more hours to see the doctor– When do we outsource funerals cause they are cheaper in China? This should be on national news everynight– but then again does that make money– We have to shout loud enough to overcome the negligent bullets that took away so much from so many. Do everything you can to protect those mothers, fathers , husbands and wife’s who are at risk if this goes quietly into the night without justice
I am posting this message for Vernon. I am his wife, and he is tonight in intensive care. He started bleeding internally and is losing significant blood. He has an infection somewhere in his body. Vernon has been on Digitek for 2+ years. About 12 mo. ago I kept telling him I think he is over-medicated. He has dizziness, light-headed, passed out cold, sweating, pale, huge swelling between his collar-bones and neck, tongue swelling, and choking gagging feeling. He has had episodes of vomiting and diarrhea, bloating, and has been losing weight. He has slept and laid around for 3+ weeks now; he cried last night and said he thinks he is dying and is scared. Well, he is very ill and I don’t know if he will make it out of this. Walgreens says there is NO WAY to track lots or batches of the recalled Digitek, or whether or not Vernon received any. Vernon is only 50 and was strong as an ox until the past 3 months. He is weak and depressed. I wish I knew how to find out if he received the double dose pills.
Where do we look or turn to for help with this? I am so scared that he is passing so much blood out of his body. Is this another side effect or not, or a further complication of what Digitek may have caused? Please keep him in your prayers. I have read so many above postings and my heart goes out to all of your loved ones that have already passed…..these stories as so sad and countless people have been left as if to die in a ditch.
The generic name brand Digitex is made by the manufacturer Bertek. On the bottle I have it says Bertek PHA. There is no lot number involved that I am aware of. All the bad medicine thus far has come from this one manufacturer. I am currently taking pills from another manufacturer and have had no trouble. Their generic name is Lanoxin.
Hope this helps.
Bob Smith
My husband had conjestive heart failure about 5 years ago and he also was taking digitek. He passed away June 10, 2008. He was showing symtoms of fatigue, his hands were shaking very badly, he was urinating excessively, and he had a Dr’s appointment 2 days after he passed, the pharmist from Hannaford called about 2 weeks before he passed and told him they had been recalled and to bring them in and they would give him different ones, they didn’t tell him why the were recalled. 2 days after he passed a letter came from his insurance co. telling him, they had been recalled. His doctor never called him. I too am mad as hell because I feel he died as a result of this pill. I asked the funeral director for an autopsy but he told me I couldn’t order one. I have a lawyer working on this and he told me that I could certainly have ordered one and he never should have told me that I could’nt. I certainly think someone should be held responsible for my husbands death. He was only 64. The death certificate says conjestive heart failure. He died at home and because he had a living will with do not ressusitate orders they took him directly to the funeral home after the paramedics declared him dead. I hope someone is held accountable for the illness and deaths these bad pills have caused.
Have any of you had any problem with kidneys or pancreas from taking Digitek? My husband, Bill, had all the problems you have mentioned and they continued, to some extent, after his Digitek was replaced by Lanoxin (all the pharmacy said was that they were out of Digitek!) We finally tapered him off the Lanoxin and the dizziness got better. However, he had some back pain, at times, just above the waistline and to the left side. For the last ten days he has had severe back pain (same area) that doesn’t go away. It also radiates to the stomach at times. If anyone has had these same problems, please share it with us.
About the back pain, after ten days I would make myself an appointment with the doctor for sure. Until I got to see the doctor I always try sleeping in a different bed and sitting in a different chair in the hopes that I was just having another tussle with my sacroiliac joint pain. I’ve suffered that many times. In addition to sharp stabs of pain in my lower back, it tends to cramp up my stomach muscles – is uncontrollable. There is no comfortable position to assume. But, get him to the doctor for pain relief at least. This comment is from just another uninformed poster. Take him to the doctor!
was on this and over medicated to toxcicity o.d . levels they told me 3 more days and i would have died.
Is there really no way to track the batches of this and make sure that you got it or didn’t?? I really need to know. Any info would help. Thanks
My father passed away on June 23 2008 from cardiac arrest. He also was on the recalled digitek lot. Due to the fact we were unaware of all of these incidences no autopsy was performed and has been creamated. No only do I loose my dad, one of the best friends I ever had but now my family gets screwed over once again by not being able hold this pharmaceutical company responsible. I don’t know how they can live with themselves!
I STARTED TAKING DIGOXIN IN APRIL 07 I WEIGHED 130LBS. BU OCT. I WAS DOWN TO 106. I HAD DIARRHEA AND LOSS OF APPETITE THE WHOLE TIME VERY TIRED. dR. SAID IT COULDNT BE THE DIGOXIN BUT AS SOON AS I STOPPED TAKING IT IT WAS MUCH BETTER THEN I GOT THE RECALL LETTER.
Amy,
Maybe your fathers pharmacy should have the information on record that he was on this drug.
I do know your pain as our mother passed in January and she was also on this medication. I have hired a lawyer.
I began Digoxin for atrilfribillation and except for feeling drowsy, I was o.k. until
I renewed the perscripiton. I slowly began to feel extreme weakness and shortness of breath. I no longer had the use of my thigh muscles or legs to get off a chair-or the toilet-and had to discontinue many activities due to this. I wondered what was happening to me and thought I was about to die. The feeling was that bad. I received the recall notice that I was one of those receiving the wrong dosage. I had been on this digoxin for 10 days, but did not associate my problems at that time. However, after the exchange to the correct dosage, most of the symptons slowly went away but I still don’t feel the full strenth in my legs. I had had a knee replacement and had returned to full use prior to this.
my brother had a double heart bypass on dec12,2007 and was expected to make a full recovery, 4 weeks after he got out of the hospital he started doing well then was put on digitek some where along the way, after that he started having all kinds of problems nausea, low blood preasure, so weak he could hardly walk anywhere , he went to his doctor on a regular basis and was so looking forward to feeling better, i would call and talk to him and tell him that maybe it just takes longer for some people to recover after a bypass, he kept telling me something is not right,i am not feeling better and am feeling worse, he turned 50 years old on may 7 of 2008 and was so looking forward to the birth of a grandson on july 24th…….however my world would never be the same after the phone call i received on the morning of june 4, 2008 from another family member informing me that he died in his sleep…….now everyday of my life i ask myself why? what happened? he did not have any other health problems….then i find out he was taking the same drug that was recalled….i guess i have the answer,but i dont have my brother that i lovd so very much….my life will never be the same
My son was also taking digitek and since he was switched to digoxin, we have not had a problem, as I wrote on May 12th we were in the emergency room numerous times with a high heart rate, back pain, exhausted, and joint pain,, weak, always wanted to sleep. I was wondering if anyone has suggestions who to contact for legal help, and how can we prove that the digitek caused these problems.
My Mom, Pearl, was just put on Digoxin o.125MG on June 26th at a hospital. When she was released, we had the perscription filled at Walgreens, but the Dr.’s office called Prescription Solution for her mail order perscription. When it was received, my Mom started taking it. She was not feeling good, nausea, low blood pressure, feeling faint, no energy. She is 87 and very active for her age. On checking her meditation, I found that Prescription Solution had mailed her the Digoxin 0.250MG. They said that they received a verbal from the doctors office(which I am surprised at since I thought they required at least a fax from the doctors office, they said it was only a verbal). She is now back on the 0.125MG but she still has the same symtoms but not as severe. Should she continue taking the Digoxin? I will check with the Doctor, but after hearing the above stories I don’t know if I want her to continue with this medication. Lenora Johnson
My Mom was 94. On December 21, she started feeling nausea and dizzy. She came to our house for Christmas Day but couldn’t eat much because she was still feeling nausea and dizzy. We took her home early. She lived in a nursing home and i talk to them about her feeling nausea. They were concerned that she might be coming down with the flu. I called her doctor the next day and he was out of town until after the first of the year. I made an appointment for her to be seen right after the first of the year. she was still feeling nausea and she was having breathing problems. The doctor weight her and she was weighted 138 lbs. She had low blood pressure. He gave her a prescription for some anti-acid medicine to help the nausea.
In the middle of Jan and Feb, she felt a little better. Then in early March, she started feeling nausea, dizziness, and trouble breathing. She didn’t feel like eating. She started losing weight. My Mom was always a big eater so not wanting to eat was a bad sign. The nursing home was trying to come up with things for her to eat that wouldn’t make her feel nausea. They were feeding her lighter meals more times a day and put her on Ensure They talked to her doctor. My brother an i started taking in food that she had liked in the past. In our care meeting in March, they talked to her about the food they offer her. She told them that she liked the food and they made sure they wrote that down in their notes. I thought that was strange.
I took her back to the doctor on April 7. She had lost 18 lbs. We talked about the nausea, dizziness, breathing problems and her not feeling well. She had low blood pressure; lower than it had been in Jan. The Dr. took her off Digitek and did not answer my questions about why she had nausea. I asked if we could do an ultrasound to find out if had a cancer. He didn’t want to at this time. He was more concerned about the breathing problem. He prescribed some medicine to help her with that. I felt we left without getting our questions answered. The nurse at the nursing home was not happy. They needed help with why she had nausea.
One Week later, she went to the emergency because she couldn’t breath. She developed pneumonia and died on April 24. She was buried on April 29. On april 30, she received a recall notice for digitek.
I share your problems. Mine sounds just like the rest. More Later Gil.
My mother, who is 89 years of age, was taking digitek, and we were at the doctors office when her blood pressure was taken and the doctor said it was very low, I told her that that was unusual because it’s usually high, she also commented on the fact that she had other patients that were having unusually low blood pressure lately. I thought that was kind of strange and thought about it several times during the week. Then we were notified about the recall of digitek. It scared me that it could’ve caused a heart attack. The thing that I really noticed with her though, was that she was having problems with her kidneys and we were treating it with having her drink lots of water and also I had cranberry capsuls that I had gotten from the Health store she was taking those and also we were purchasing cranberry juice. Then she was getting a lot more incontinent, wetting her pants 4-5 times a day, which was not a problem before. My concern is that the digitek did damage to her kidneys. I forgot to mention this to the doctor so that she could have tests done. I just didn’t put the two together until lately. Before this she had episodes of spells where we thought she was really loosing it also, now it’s possible to think that it could have caused from this drug. Since she has been off of it she has more rational in her thinking. That’s interesting to think that this could’ve been the culprit. It’s scary that you could be taking something that is supposed to be helpful and find out later that’s causing a lot of your health problems.
last fall I started feeling ill. sick to my stomach , vomiting, hair loss, awful taste
in my mouth like metal, dizzy, I more or less blacked out while on the toilet
twice, and foot swelling and pain. After having my levels checked and my med
reduced I started feeling better except for foot pain which I still experience.
then after going to my cardiologist in May and a few days later recieving notice
of digitek recall and being put on another med I felt even better except for the
foot pain which comes and goes. does anyone else have this problem?
I am looking for a properly manufactured Digitek tablet for purposes of comparison of the measurement (thickness and diamete) and the pharmacological ingredients with a “suspect” Digetek which had been despensed to my wife who died on April 27, 2008 of symptoms consistent with digitalis toxicity. I will be happy to make reasonable compensation.
Sam H. Johnson
Is there any new news out about this now? My mom and I are still trying to find out some things. We need more info.
Is there anything that is developing on this case.
Any Info would be welcome.
peggy on sept.2 2008 my mother died when I was 8 yrs old. I never knew her because I was taken from her as a baby. When I grew up, I had 2 sons–they were my life. Then last yr. Aug. 28, 2007(on my youngest sons 28th birthday) I had everything 2 live 4-2 sons,1 stepdaughter,husband + grandbabies; but I was so exausted all the time. Just 2 get dressed,walk down my steps 2 my car -I would be zapped of all my energy. It was very hurtful not 2 be able 2 play with my grandbabies; I was only 53 yrs. old. On Aug. 28, 2007 I survived an abdominal anuesym. I was flown 2 a hospital 2 hrs. away; kept sedated for 8 days so my aorota would not tear further, I had 2 stay in the hospital another week, I never understood why this happen 2 me until almost 1 yr. later on my 54th birthday, April 28, 2008 when I received that phone call from my drugstore concerning a recall on Digitek I had been on for yrs. It was wonderful 2 still be living but now ; because of the anuesym I have a bone over riding another in my back ; I fell sure the truth my never come out–God bless the others of you out there that believed in Digitek for all those yrs I sympathy 4 people that lost love ones because of this expensive mistake. I can at least let my 3 grandbabies sit on my lap. Lucky 2 b here. Peggy
I was given digitek for tacyacardia and found that my heart was fluttering and felt like i was having a racing heart. I took it upon myself and stopped using this medication because it scared me. I latter had complications with my heart.
I have been taking lanoxin, then digitek for quite some time also. I have a congestive heart condition and I’m 64 years old at this time.
At one point, I remember thinking the size of my pills looked different, but then I dismissed it. I’ve had skin rash, itching, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, night sweats, unable to sleep and many of the other symptoms described in previous comments. I would like to find out if some or all of these problems are long term or will get progressively worse?. The skin rash and itching seems to have subsided somewhat since the pharmacy contacted me and informed me the digitek and be recalled. They requested that I return them right away and gave me some lanoxin pills to replace the digitek.
My Dad died on June5, 2008. He was on Digitek.
We are looking for information on what to do or who to speak to about this.
Okay – so I’m stupid. My mother had been on Digitek since at least July 2007. Interestingly, I found out about this recall when a legal firm was advertising on our local television channel about TWO WEEKS AGO. She was taking .125 mg every other day. Her prescription was filled at the beginning of the year. She was hospitalized twice, the second being the most serious – on March 27. I took her to emergency with symptoms of heart arrhythmia, breathing difficulties, weakness. Once admitted, she continued to have Digitek given to her – some days she was really bad, some days she seemed a little better. At several points her blood pressure and her pulse would fall to alarmingly low rates. She was hospitalized for seven weeks. Not one word was said to me by any hospital staff or doctor about Digitek, so on May 15 when she was released, we went back to the same bottle of Digitek that we had before and finished it. When we had it refilled, it was simply changed to Digoxin. I spoke with her pharmacy recently about it and they said they phoned everyone – she has no answering machine, and she was in the hospital during that time. I’d like to know how they got her!!! They did not send letters. My question to them (that they could not answer) was: How long were the pills manufactured incorrectly? In other words, was her prescription a good one at the beginning of the year; and, if so, my question then would be: Did she get bad pills at the hospital, and why didn’t they say anything (even upon release when they reviewed the meds with me)? The pharmacist just kept saying that they phoned everyone, and that I would have noticed because he understood that the incorrect Digitek was twice the size of the correct one. It took Mom months to recuperate – and round the clock care from me for several weeks.
My husband of 47 years passed away in February, 2008 after months of nausia weakness and finally kidney failure. I learned to late about his medication being defective. Where is the quality control in the pharmaceutical industry. He lost his life as a result of someones incompitence. Please in the name of God do something to prevent anything like this from happening again? Where is our government oversight on the drug companies. I never again want to hear generic drugs are the same as brand names.
My Father passed away on August 27, 2008 at the age of 57. Heart Failure, he was taking this medication but I do not know if it was the one that was recalled how do I out if, this COMPANY at fault? I understand GOD, not this!
To Alice posting on November 13th 2008. Call the pharmacy that filled the script last. You need to get the NDC code off the prescription that was filled. If you still have the bottle or receipt that you get when you pick up the prescription. My father had heart surgery in August and the doctor had said that his heart was strong. In April when he got the digoxin and had to be admitted to ICU the said his heart was working at 25%. At the time we did not know. We didn’t know until after we took him to hospice and he passed away that he had received the wrong medicine and yes if you receive too much of the medicine if slows your heart rate and you cannot fight off the congestion in your chest. I have the NDC codes but not with me today. I will post them tomorrow. If the script has the same ndc code then he did receive the recalled Digitek. I am sorry for your loss. He was very young. It is also something we did not expect as he kept bounding back after his surgery. If you do have the recalled medicine you should file a class action law suit for wrongful death. Most attorney’s that handle this are contingent and keep a percentage. If you are awarded nothing they get nothing. It’s not about the money it;s about the company that was warned and didn’t do anything to correct their manufacturing process. Please check tomorrow
Kim
I’m 29 years old and started taking this medication at age 12. I haven’t taken this since my last pregnancy 6 years ago because of the way it made me feel. However, I have had all kinds of problems, other than the original ‘racing’ heartbeat, that the doctors could not explain to me! How do i know that the medication, on its own, for a long period of time couldn’t have cause all of my problems? Every single side effect that is listed besides death I have had, and still have! And they claimed that it was safe for me to take while i carried 3 babies? I heard nothing about this recall until I overheard it in the pharmacy! RIDICULOUS! I now am questioning all of my current heart problems! My arrhythmia is supposed to be pretty common and easy to control, however it’s turned into something completely different than a simple fast pace! How many times did this happen and we never heard about it?
I would like some answers!
November 19, 2008
I have been taking Digoxin / alternately with Digitek (for lower cost) for my atrial fibrillation . During this period I have experienced continual discomfort in my intestinal tract which can only be helped by a probiotic. None of my doctors seemed to know what was causing this symptom so I just lived with it. I received a call from my Walgren’s mailorder company a few months ago about the Digitek recall so I returned my recent batch to them and they replaced it with the new batch. In the last few weaks I have been experiencing a stronger abdominal sensation and fatique. In the last month I wake up with lightheadedness, dizzyness, and a headache that makes me somewhat dysfunctional. I visited my primary care physician about this two days ago and she asked if my cardiologist had tested me for digoxin….I replied No. It got me thinking so I went on the website to read all these personal experiences by consumers of this drug and feel angy and appalled by my present condition….I I FEEL VERY ILL RIGHT NOW, AND SCARED, AND ANGRY..
THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON NATIONAL TV. EVERY DOCTOR IN THIS COUNTRY SHOULD READ THE COMMENTS OF PATIENTS WHO EXPERIENCE THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED . AND WE WONDER WHY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC IS SO TIRED OF THE DRUG INDUSTRY AND ALL THE PRESCRIPTIONS DOCTORS WRITE EACH DAY.
in april 2007 i begin feeling uneplained dizzness, and vomiting, and thought
it was something that would pass, to my surprise the symptoms got worse, i
went to the emergency room, ny bkood pressure was low, i was told that it
it often happens with people diagnosed with conjestive heart failure, i was
released. i continued to feel bad, and had to be hospitaled, all the while still
taking digoxin. in 2008 i was hospitalized four times for chf, i recieved a letter
from the pharmacy, not the doctor, warning of the drug’s potential dangers, i
am still taking digoxin, a supposedly new version of the recalled, and have yet
to experience any adverse reactions.
My Mom died from this drug on May 30, 2008!! My father had her body cremated & 2 lawyers have turned down the case. She had every one of these symptoms & was hospitalized 0n 5/29 for dehydration. She was down to 78 pounds that day. Her death was horrific and basically, she died of the toxic levels of this drug.
this company makes me sick with their irresponsibility!
why didn’t the pharmacies do something???
Drug companies don’t know who the actual users are, it’s the pharmacies that should be responsible for informing the public.
My wife of 44 years passed away on March 28, 2008. She was a dialysis patient for 2 years, and had ATF. She was on Hospice care until I went thru training and began giving her dialysis at home. She got so much better that Hospice said she did not need them anymore. She was prescribe Digitex for her ATF and shortly thereafter began having all sorts of problems, such as has been described above. I received a recall notice on April 29, 2008
DIGITEK IS DISGUSTING.
there are over 10 deaths if not MORE from what i skimmed through for ALL THE SAME SYMPTOMS.
someone fucked up and needs to pay for this, thank god i didnt have anyone on this pathetic excuse of a drug, the FDA, THE DIGITEK COMPANY need to pay dearly, FDA needs to be reformed, while DIGITEK needs to be shut down and all there assets be frozen and paid to those who lost there love ones.
i personally would of took the law into my own hands, however wrongthat may be…
my heart and prayers go out to all of you who lost your love ones to this joke of a drug,i know money will not bring back your loved ones, but atleast it will help you take the time to relax and relieve some stress.
DOWN WITH DIGITEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I posted in here a few months ago when My Dad passed and was on Digitek, We recieved the letter from the pharmacy 2 weeks after he passed in April. We now have a lawyer that took our case and is on a contingent basis so I really think we have a case. I was hurt at first and now Im just mad!!! They will pay!!
The FDA ISNT HERE TO PROTECT US they are here simply to destroy peoples lives and peoples humanity all these things should have been checked BEFORE the pills were ever put into circulation.
Well I have not wrote since May 2008, I am on Lanoxin, my heart Dr. changed me, I had so so many side effects, I was not ever in the hospital, I was never real sick, but I still think I have a case, I can not find a lawer to take my case, i still have 2 of the digitek, they are very thick, i feel that i did suffer worring if I would die, or what would happen to me, so why want a lawer take the cases where people did not die, or have grave illness, we should be taken care of for all the worry , it was not our fault the medicines was double strength, so is there a lawer out there that will take my case with out dying? I deserve something for all of this mess.
My mother is dead. Shame on Digitek
I have been taking Digoxin for almost 2 years and believe I was informed by mail that I needed to return my unused medicine. I was really annoyed because I had just refilled my prescription and wasn’t having any problems.
I don’t quiet understand people who lash out at the drug companies who I do believe are trying to make peoples lives better. Just think back when we didn’t have the medicines we do today. You got sick you died. Today you get sick you take a pill and you may get better or you may still die. That’s life and sometimes it sucks. Mankind is not created all equal, some are created with more challenges than others and blaming someone else won’t make things better.
How dare you Larry Lee Purdy. My dad is dead because of Digitek. He would still be here if it wasn’t for this company that should have been shut down long ago. How can you be so insensitive.
I’ve been on Digoxin for many years. In the spring of 2008, I called my pharmacy to get a refill and was told that I could no longer get Digoxin and that I should call my doc for a different medication. I asked Why is Digoxin no longer available? I was told that the manufacturer is no longer allowed to make Digoxin because they did not follow guidelines. I called my doc and told him same. He said, “I don’t know, but you can take Lanoxin.” So that’s what I got, until Digoxin was again made available as a generic by another manufacturer. I WAS NEVER TOLD TO STOP TAKING WHAT I HAD LEFT. I WAS NEVER TOLD THAT THE DRUG WAS CONSIDERED A “RECALL”. I got the new Rx Lanoxin, but I continued to take the remainder of Digoxin that I had on hand here. (Wish I had been told the exact details.)
I suffered various adverse symptoms, but never attributed it to Digoxin — only because I had taken that medication for many years and because when I started taking it years ago, my doc had said that Digoxin was one off the safest heart medications “out there” and proof was in its “longevity”.
My symptoms were EXTREME weakness, extreme exhaustion. I’d wake up in the a.m., eat breakfast, then HAVE to go back to sleep; wake up at noon for lunch, eat and have to go back to bed for the afternoon; then wake up to fix supper, then go back to sleep all evening; wake up to feed my dogs, then sleep for the night. When I was awake at the kitchen table, my husband had to keep calling my name because I fell into a sleep — minute by minute, constantly. I could do very little housework at all. He did the laundry & vacuuming. I WAS A ZOMBIE. I thought if I died, it may not be so bad — Just sleep on and on. I had no life. No energy to do even one little thing.
I had blurred vision, double vision, and a gray blob that floated in my right eye. Eye doc said that the normal thin Vitreous fluid had turned into a thick gel in my right eye and had broken off and was now floating in front of my eye. Said it was permanent.
Developed a terrible pain and soreness in my right chest. I went to a specialist and had a mammogram/ok. I had a Bone Scan/ok. I had a Bone Density test & that was ok.
Had some heart palpitations. Several occasions felt like heart stopped — few seconds a “thud” and then it would tick ok. Had dizziness from time to time.
My BM’s were like spinach, had lots of stomach trouble, cramping, diahrea, gas.
This was not normal. Had sweats. Sometimes hot, sometimes cold. Had chills.
I didn’t know if it was an acute attack of immediate old age, maybe lack of hormones, or hormones shutting down completely. Just didn’t know. Had blood work and nothing reared it’s head to tell me.
Would you believe that it is Feb 2009 and I just started looking up this drug on the web and then I find out so many people had serious trouble with Digoxin. Today is the day that I find out that they called this a “Recall” drug. I had not known that fact. Also, I don’t personally know anyone that takes Digoxin so I could never discuss it with a friend or a relative. Furthermore, I have not read anything about Digoxin in the newpapers and I had not heard on TV that it was considered a “Recall” drug or that the manufacturer had been doubling the dose in the pills. I am now enlightened. Too smart too late.
My dad died due to this dam drug so to those that are still alive or have their loved ones, you are very lucky…digitek took the most important thing in my life away from me on May 18 2008 and I pray to God that the people involved are held responsible…they not only killed his heart but broke mine as well…I am a nurse and it really bothers me when i have to put a digoxin tablet in someones mouth knowing it killed my father… makes me wonder if I may be contributing to someone elses death…they need to take it off the market completely along with the company…
My mother was taking Digitek when she passed away on February 1, 2008. We received a notice from her pharmacy about the recall in April. I was going through her medicine yesterday and discovered the medicine and recall notice. I always felt that her medicine killed her. She was on other heart medications but I think this one put her over the edge.
It’s almost a year (April 12,2008) now since my mom past away and I can bring myself to talk about her passing. About a few months before she died she started to complain of a mental taste in her mounth. Not thinking it had any thing to do with her medications since she has been on the same meds for years, we thought maybe the new teeth . My mom was 85 years young and I do mean young, that was the new thing in her life. Her health was not great but she was living comfortably. It was time for her doctors appointment , this I made for Feb.4th 2008. She had started to complain of a litttle shortness of breath and water in her legs. The doctor did EKG, Blood Work, and Pulminary Breathing test. He came in the room and told my mom that she may of had a mild heart attack because her T Waves are alittle different from her last taken in June 2007. As only my mother could ,(she had a great personality and was very funny) she looked him in the eyes and said “ARE YOU FU**# CRAZY? We now made apppointment to see the heart doctor. She had an ECHOGRAM done and he said she does have a leaky value, but not a heart attack. To make this story short she was never taken off her DIGITEK/DIGOXIN. She started to deteriorate quicky, her legs had balloon twice the size and couldn’t do the stairs anymore, sick to her stomack, loss of appetite, and metal taste in her mounth. I lost my best friend April 12, 2008. The pharmacy called April 29,2008 please tell your mom to stop taking the pills, I told them I would but she died two weeks ago, they gave me a phone number to call right away. The phone (1800-276-6166) was Actavis Totowa the drug manufacturer I had to tell them of my mother’s passing and report the last refill for Digitak (digixon) which was Jan.31,2008 for 90 pills. After I spoke to them they ask me to call Myland Medical Corp. (1800-432-8534) the product is distributed by Myland Pharmaceuticals. They called me back to get information because it now had to be reported to the FDA. I still don’t know what I want to do about getting a lawyer. Did this kill my mom, I don’t think so because she did have heart and lung issues. Did it contribute to her suffering at the end yes. If any one reads this and would like to e-mail me, please do…………..Anna @ artanna30@msn.com
I was perscribed Digoxin 250 MCG tablet LNT a couple of days ago for my heart arrythmia and pretty concerned about this med..I ‘v e heard alot of horror stories about the side affects & overdoses from this medicine so if you could inform me if mine has been recalled it would be Gr8ly appreciated..Thanks in advance..
nickiekovaleski@yahoo.com
I wrote previously in June 2008, I recieved the recall letter of Digoxin the day after my sons funeral. It was explained to me, that certain heart meds taken along with digoxin causes toxity levels to rise, one being Amiodorone, which increases the toxity levels 100x. Fortunately, I still have the pills, unfortunately, I lost my beautiful son Nathan(23) who lost his right to exist in this world and to have a family and fall in love, Please look up drug interactions.. It is a key to alot of your answers.
Drs. make mistakes, phamaceuticals make them,they are human, we put our faith into hands because we have to. It is all of our responsability to make sure our loved ones are being monitored .
When the damage is done, what are we to do? TELL THE WORLD, STOP ANY FURTHER DAMAGE TO HELPLESS VICTIMS.
May God give each and everyone of us the strength and courage to stand up to manufactures and hold them accountable for their actions,
Our loved ones expect us to do that.
God Bless
Deadly
I have been taking this pill for several years. This is the second time that I’ve had a recall on it. When you ask the pharmacist what the problem is with the medicine they get quiet. I the patient have a right to know what I’m taking. I suffer from sever anxeity over these recalls. Do I or do I not take this pill. I will contact my Heart doctor tomorrow and see about switching from this pill to another. I’m concerned for my heart.
I have taken Digoxin (.25 MG) for many years and have had few reactions. Recently I have noticed symptoms normally caused by low blood sugar. Testing proved the blood sugar level was normal. I have had other symptoms such as leg stiffness which disappeared when I walked and leg cramps that were relieved from walking. A few times I have noted some unusual heart rhythm disturbances. Most of the time, exercise seems to ease them. I had no idea that the responsible agent could be digoxin. I am nearing 80 and in pretty good health. –SEdler
As I was reading these comments, I noticed that they all were made in 2008. I was just informed TODAY by an automated message from my mail order pharmacy that digoxin had been recalled. I don’t understand how this could have happened. I talked with a pharmasist and she said that it was recalled by the FDA because of the questionable dosage. She said also that they will replace the tablets I have with those from another manufacturer. I agree that the FDA , drug companies and the pharmacies need to get their acts together and protect the public. That’s their job!
I had been taking Digoxin for years until this January , when I was having strange symptoms that were not normal for me. I had many tests run and nothing seemed to be found. My Dr. took me off the drug but never mentioned anything about a recall.
The tests were very costly.
I checked my answering machine last evening and my pharmacy had left a message about the recall. When did this start?
Well, I’ve spoken to a 4th attorney and no one will take my case because my husband was 80 years old when he died (4 months after digitalis toxicity). They say he was just too old to justify a lawsuit–not much can be recovered. Imagine that. I lose a husband and the attorneys base their cases on his age and how much money they can recover. I feel like I’ve been screwed twice. Is there any help out there?
WE WERE JUST NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL LAST WEEK BECAUSE THE VA IN PHOENIX, AZ. DID NOT LET US KNOW. NORMAN’S DIGOXIN WAS SENT TO HIM ON FEB. 10,2009 {OLD PRESCIPTION}. WE WENT YESTERDAY {APRIL 6, 2009 TO GET NEW. NORMAN HAS BEEN HAVING ALL OF THE SYMPTOMS SINCE LAST SUMMER IN SEPT. HE HAS GONE TO HOSPITAL EVERY TIME. THEY COULDN’T FIND ANYTHING. ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO HE HAD A PACEMAKER PUT IN, THAT DIDN’T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. HE HAD ANOTHER ATTACK 3 WEEKS AFTERWARDS.I AM TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE TO HELP US FILE A CLAIM AND WHAT CONTACT FORMS WE HAVE TO FILL OUT
On January 25, 2009 my aunt died in the hospital. I was told when she went in that she passed out at the nursing home. The hospital said that her digitek levels were to high. She was toxic. She had been having large bouts of diarrhea off and on for year. I found out later that they were suppose to blood regulate this medicine. I also noticed that she was always asleep alot when I came to see her in the nursing home. Which before she was always playing bingo or something. I just read all of the side affects and she had a lot of the same symptons. She had also been in and out of the hospital last year in 2008. I am sorry to hear that so many people had to dye from this before they did something about this. She was 86 years old and I loved her very much!
My mom has been taking digatailus for about 60 years with no problem with it, about 2 weeks ago she had her pills refilled and she started taking them and in a few days she felt ill and her eyes swelled up and she went to the doctors and he treated her for an infection, a week later she gets a call saying they are recalling her digoxin which is a generic name for digitailus. What makes me angry is you asked why they are recalling the drug and nobody seems to know. I have found out that the strength of the drug can be as much as 2 times the proper dose. The pharmist did say that she recomend that you take name brand drugs, because you do not know where the generic drugs are made. I think we all should get our senitors and congressmen involved in the way they never let you know why or sometimes alot after the fact of the recall. I know when they recalled viox I was taking I didn’t find out about the recall until a month after my brother told me aout it. My ex doctor didn’t tell me until a month later. Something needs to me done to protect the people instead of protectting the companys.
My father passed away March 24, 2009. He has been on Digoxin for years. On April 2, 2009 I received a letter and a new bottle of digoxin and told to destroy the old digoxin and replace with the new ones. The letter also stated what symptoms to watch and for approx. the last 2-3 months he had complained about these symptons, but due to his age (90) and the fact he was not on any new meds, we did not think about wrong dosage with medication. My dad placed himself under Hospice care a few months ago because everytime he went to the Dr. they could not help him. Maybe if someone had known about this recall and his dosage was corrected to what it was suppose to be, we would still have him today. It is very sad to think our family and friends are not considered more important than making money. My dad was a WWII vet and proud of it. He was a tough person and a strong fighter. He would have kept fighting if something could be found to help him, but after fighting for several months his body got tired and he could not fight anymore. If his drug had been the correct dose he possibly would have felt much better and had more strength to fight to live. Every veteran is the reason all of us have the life style we have and unfortunately they have to fight every day to get the kind of health care they so deserve. I miss my father very much and hate the thought that something could have been done to keep him around longer with a good quality of life. When I notified the VA about my father passing and he was on the recalled drug. They said they were sorry about his passing and would stop sending his meds and he did not have to pay for any of his scripts so therefore he the best thing we could do is just dispose of it.
I cannot believe this!! I came home from out of town to find a voice mail telling me there was a recall on one on my prescriptions and the pharmacy needed to talk with me. Of course the pharmacy is closed and had to call the hospital to find out which of the drugs I’m taking I shouldn’t be taking. Thank God, the hospital knew or I would not have taken any of my prescriptions.
I cannot believe that this recall has been going on this long! What in the world is going on that it is taking this long to get it off the market!
I too, have been taking this drug for quite a few years. I have had “hot flashes” that have turned into “cold flashes”, dizziness, tired all the time and many more of the systems listed by the others. I chalked it all up to either change of life or my sarcoid problems especially with the bad winter we have had a blew it off.
What really bothers me is tomorrow is Easter Sunday and I am unsure if the pharmacy will be open, so I may have to wait until Monday to find out what options or things I should be doing! This scares me to death, if the pills don’t do it for me!
I feel the utmost contempt for those people that have let this continue and let people suffer , while this “medicine” is still on the market!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TAKING DIGOXIN DAILY AND JUST RECIEVED A NOTICE FROM VA THAT IT WAS BEING RECALLED IMMEDIATELY. THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION OF A DIAGNOSIS OF ATRIAL FIB. AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND IMPAIRED SIGHT WITH LARGE BLACK BLOTCHES THAT LASTED A WEEK. AND DR THOUGHT A MRI OF BRAIN WOULD REVEAl SOME ANSWERS ON THAT ONE.NO RESULTS AS YET.PULSE RATE INCREASED MAYBE DUE TO WARFARIN I WAS PUT ON FOR AF. NO STAMINA FOR LAST 2TO3 MONTHS AM A RETIRED RN AND WAS IN ANC HATE TO SPEND MY REMAINING YEARS WITH THESE NEW PROBLEMS. HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FAR MORE ENERGETIC THAN THIS. BETTYS BICE
In Jan,07 I had my complete aorta replaced and my aortic valve.I had two aneurysms ,one before the arch and one after the arch.Two days after surgery I was walking around the hospital and 24 days after surgery was released to go back to work.I have been rehospitalized for well over forty days since then, most of that time in the emergency room or I.C.U.,always with afib.along with another open heart surgery. .The digoxin medication was changed on a number of these visits.On 4/9/09 I was at my Dr. and she had me put into a wheelchair and taken to the emergency room again with Afib.
I have been told by my Dr./s that I may have a syndrom called poly myalgia Rhuematica,due to the constant pain I have and the overall unhealthy feelings I experiance most of the time.
Now i find out about a recall of a drug I’ve taken since my surgeury that could have been the culprit all along ,this is absurd to think that this recall has been in the works for over a year,and I just found out about this upon reciept of a refill.
My DOGS FOOD was recalled faster then this,and with a hell of alot more publicitywhat the hell is this country coming to.
For better or worse I have no choice but to continue taking DIGOXIN.
Thank God for the Digoxin recall. We thought mom was sinking quickly into the unreachable world of Alzheimer’s. Had it not been for the recall, she could have been killed by Digitalis toxicity.
Even better, once she was taken off the drug an emergency visit to her doctor revealed that her Atrial Fibrillation and heart murmur were gone. She has been taking four supplements for the last two months and apparently these supplements cured her heart problems. She has had a heart murmur most of her life. The A-Fib started in the hosptial with the Digitalis. The four supplements that cured my mom are listed in the “Sinatra Solution” – a book about how to cure heart failure.
During the holidays, Mom started Lanoxin (aka Digitalis) in the hospital during an emergency visit for a blood clot in her leg. The doctor put her on Digitalis because her heart was racing. Suddenly, she started having hallucinations, dementia, and all kinds of mental issues. It was so bad, the nurses demanded that the doctor put her on Seroquel, an anti-psychotic. Her health and mental state was out of control. Over the last few months she has been admitted to the hospital and to a rehab center (nursing home) for control of her mental and emotional issues. Never did we dream that the problem was Digoxin.
Fast forward to the present. My mom’s doctor, Dr. John Gonino of Rockwall, Texas, decided to try to cure her congestive heart failure and other heart issues with the Sinatra Solution supplements.
When it came time to pick up her prescriptions we were told that they were out of the Lanoxin. They DIDN’T tell us about the recall until i pressed them for further details. The Lanoxin company had also failed to notify Dr. Gonino about the recall so we found out about this very serious error on our own.
To make a long story short, my mom is now off Lanoxin and her symptoms of hallucinations, dementia, paranoia, and anger are mostly gone.
Thank heaven’s mom is back home now and back to being her old self.
I haven’t heard a word from any of the Class Action attorneys…
My mother was hospitalized three times including a nursing home. She has suffered greatly from weight loss. She will never be the same. I wish one of these class action attorneys would call me… I don’t want an email. I want a phone call.
At this point, I’d take any contact by any attorney in a class action suit. Why did we have to go through this without any kind of consequence to the drug company?
My mother’s pharmacist JUST INFORMED HER of the recall on her Digoxin approximately TWO WEEKS AGO !!!!! I called her cardiologist’s office to inquire about why she was JUST INFORMED of this when the recall was A YEAR AGO !!!! The girl in the office tried to smooth things over by saying that just certain lots were recalled and maybe hers wasn’t in the recalled lots when they were recalled a year ago. Her pharmacist took back all of her remaining Digoxin and now gave her LANOXIN. After reading another of these responses above, this is the same medication that they recalled from them ?????? I am very confused. My mom was having all of the same symptoms as everyone else stated, such as, weakness, fatigue, blood pressure dropping, dizziness, abdominal pain, nausea, vision problems, dementia, etc. These were all unexplained by the doctor and she was admitted to the hospital with these problems at least TWICE !!!!! This is really unbelievable that the drug company would keep shipping this toxic drug to the pharmacies. I blame them, the pharmacist, for not being more aware of this recall and doing something about it SOONER and also the cardiologist for not checking her blood levels for toxicity and for not taking her off the Digoxin and replacing it with a substitute.
My husband has been taking digoxin 0.25 for over eight years. In the last few years he has lost all energy, has trouble breathing, and is currently going through a batteries of tests at a Heart Hospital. His heart issues have increased since taking digoxin. Why have so many people died and experienced negative quality of life experiences without anything happening to the drug manufacturer? I still have a partial number of tablets that I have saved since the recall. The last thing the company should request is sending back all the evidence of there disaster. It shows that they want to take no responsibility for their irreprable damage to the people who have taken the product in good faith. Where is real followthrough with this. Their lact of concern for the damages people have suffered shows how they do not want accountability for their actions.
Melba Vallas
It was recalled in 2008 and I just received a letter in the mail about this! In addition, I started taking this about a year ago? Medical insurance is ridiculously expensive so I don’t know why they are prescribing the possibility of death??? I’m even more concerned being that I take other medications with this one.
My mother has been on Digoxin for many years. Just two weeks ago my mother’s pharmacist recalled her Digoxin and gave her Lanoxin in its place. I just learned that this recall has been in place for over a year now!!!!!! Why did my mom’s pharmacist just recall it now????? I blame the drug company, the pharmacist and her heart doctor. She was hospitalized at least twice for symptoms of low blood pressure, nausea, dizziness and no appetite. Both times, they could not find out what was wrong with her. After reading these comments from many people who were on the Digoxin, I’m convinced that her problems were caused by this poisoned drug. This really upsets me that they can get away with this and make people ill because of it.
I had submitted my comments about my mom on Feb. 24, 2009. Just a little update , A very nice attorney’s office contacted me from Cleveland TN. I had filled out the questionaire regarding “do you need a lawyer and do you have a wrongfill death case regarding Digitek/Digoxin ? Well it didn’t cost me anything and her office gave me some good information. I live in Brooklyn New york and she advise me that her office has over 400 cases and counting. She took her my mom’s information and is refering me to a lawyer in New York who is also taking cases regarding this sad situation. I have to tell you , I have found another site LawyersandSettlements.Com which came me alot of information you need to know. Again, this is not going to bring us our love ones back to us. I would rather have my best friend then a settlement. At least maybe I can bring justice to my mom. Feel free to e-mail me. Anna artanna30@msn.com
I have to put my husbands experiance with Digoxin in with the rest of them, he has taken it for 4years, the druggest said he had been on the one that was recalled but we don’t know for how long, we think the whole digoxin pill should be removed, he has been so sick , all this time, until K-mart called and said we could get a refund if we had any left over, and that was only three weeks ago. we even went to look at cemetery lots, no one told us anything about it, he was in the emrgency room three times , for shortness of breath, and so weak he could hardly dress himself.
keep us posted
I am writing in regards to my mother who has been informed of the digoxin recall. She has had a very bad winter; shortness of breath, hard time sleeping, and a bad case of gout along with a pneumonia. She has a leaky valve problem and was supposed to have surgery but because of the digoxin her blood levels are so bad she was told she cannot have the surgery. Where does this leave her???? Leaky vavles but you can’t have surgery. Needless to say I along with my four siblings are very upset about all of this. She is 78 years old and should be arond for several more years.
I had been on digoxin for 8 or 9 years and experienced the excessive sweating, lack of energy and rapid heart beats. In april of 2005 I had conjective heart failure and had to be rushed to the hospital. I thought I was going to die. I wonder if digoxin was a contributing factor in these problems. 2008 my doctor contacted me to change to lanoxin. I wonder if the digoxin caused my CHF. Please give me come answers. Thanks
My grandmother of 78 has been taking digoxin for awhile I ran across this site when looking up side effects on digoxin. My grandmother was in one hospital for 13 days then we took her home and she went back to hospital 3 days later and is still in there and its been 8 days. She was doing great Sat. evening sittin up in her chair working her puzzle book and alert. I got a call Sunday morning saying my grandmother wanted me there now!! When i got to hospital she was very cold to the touch but she was sweating and she wasnt very alert. She would sleep and barely open her eyes for a second or two. She told me she felt weak and she kept saying she was hot but her body temp. was droping and she was having a hard time breathing. Her body temp droped to 93 when i called her doctor. He was there within 30 min. he told me my grandmother was in heart failure he said her digoxin levels was to hight. She still isnt out of danger they are trying to get her heart to slow down, but I am thankful that she is still with me. I wonder after reading this if it was all caused by her digoxin she was taking.. If it is or could be then how come WE NEVER HEARD ABOUT THE RECALL ????
since last march o8 after my husband hospital stay he could get back on his feet what so much trouble could eat could sleep was in the hospital 5 times in the period of the year until dec 15 and them they say he was over dose on medecine they check his blood and it was from the medecine who had being recall and no one tall us after a stay in the hospital for 2 weeks he pass away on january 1- 09 on feb 09 i received a letter from his pharmacy and say for him to stop taking the medication digitek dioxin was was recall :: our doctor also tall us in the hospital the medecine had being recall but to late to do any for my husband ;; and he was to far gone after going back in forth to the hospital for 9 months hope every one stop taking the medecine before it was to late for my husband he took it from march until dec NEVER HEARD THAT MEDECINE WAS RECALL EITHER UNTIL FEB 09 I HAVE PROOF NOW FROM THE PHARMACY
My Dr. put me on digitek in Februrary 2008 for congestive heart failure. I took the medication as prescribed. In June 2008, I had sever complications and ended up in the hospital with extremely high level of toxin in my blood. I want to know why the public wasn’t informed sooner of the flawed medication? I filed a class action suit. I havent heard hardly anything from the Attorneys. This is just wrong. I know I have kidney problems from taking this medication. I had a stroke and no telling what else in my body this medication has messed up. Has anyone heard when the law suits will be settled. Thoes drug manufactures nearly killed me and I’am not happy about this. I verry sorry for thoes family’s who lost love ones. God bless you all.
I was given Digiteck in the hospital and had almost a year supply with refills. I found out about the recall by an article in the internet. The hospital never notified me of the problem, but the pharmacy did sent me a letter. While taking Digiteck i developed multiple symptoms that certainly have ruined my quality of life.. I feel strongly that there should be some sort of accountability by hospitals and pharmaceutical companies to compensate people like myself that have suffered by taking a prescription drug. The lack of quality control practices by pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and retail pharmacies caused double dosing patients resulting in toxic levels of digoxin with permanent physiological and cardiovascular damage.
on 12-28-2008 i had a heart transplant i was on digitek for about ten months .I became very ill after i started taken this drug I,would often complain to my doctor but she kept me on it.On 2-25-08 i went into a cardia storm afib and vtech the doctors said I would die , if they could not get my life threaten arrhythmials under control.i went from having light arrhythmiais to been admitted into the hospital 2 to 3 times a month for almost a year . ,often in intensive care . The doctors final toad me that my heart was damaged beyound repair.the medication that was given to me for one problem cause many more. i believe Doctors and pharmacy, should listen to their patience when they camplain about a drug or a problem ,we know our own bodies.my side affects from this drug were throwing up nausea weakness fatigue dairreha episodes v-tec a-fib even brady cardica low blood pressure an depression i thought it was the drug all the time .
Does anyone know of a physician who treats the damage digoxin has done. I was strong, healthy and active until I was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation. I was on the drug five months untll the A Fib was fixed. I have been sick in every way and so weak I can hardly walk and need help getting out of a chair ever since August of 2007. Apparently permanent damage that needs to be fixed.
I need help or this will never go away. My doctors won’t aknowedge the digoxin damage and blame it on old age, etc
I hope someone has the name of a doctor who has done this, anywhere in the country, as he might know one near me.
I am just writing an update. My moms story was told on Feb.24, 2009 and I wrote again on April 29,2009. I am still receiving some e-mails from you all regarding my April 29, 2009 writing. Its sad to say but “no one firm wants to take on my moms case. I was advised that since there is a class action suit that it is already out there and no one wants to touch it. So after three attemps I put it in Gods hands and what will be will be. It still won’t bring my mom back. God Bless to all who has had a loss. …….Anna (ARTANNA 30@ MSN.COM)
What can I say? My mother passed away.. on March 25th 2008.. after dinner.. mid conversation.. Just sitting there. Instantaneously… they said it was a Massive M.I.. everything was just starting to line out for her…. and then she was gone.
My father dies because of this and the attorney dismissed the case because it was too difficult for him. My dad was a healthy 67 year old.
Shame on all of them.
My brother passed in October of 2007 from heart failure..He had been taking the drug digitek for months..I found an old prescription bottle of the drug digitek and something told me to google it, and i am shocked to have found this out…My brother took a dramatic turn for the worse in the months leading to his death..Do i think digitek is to blame, yes i do…because he was doing better until he started taking digitek…if there is anything to be done, someone plz contact me and let me know..
My husband was put on Digoxin several years ago (2008) for AF and was hospitalized in January of 2009 for 3 months with what they said was pneumonia. I have doubts about that diagnosis now. He was continued on digoxin while hospitalized in 2009 , and left thospital a very sick man. When he was admitted he was active and alert as any 73 year old. He progressively began to be very neasous, weak, dizzy, heavy nasal mucous, difficulty breathing and lost 60 lbs with in a few months, even though he did eat fairly good, but his food did not taste good to him and his moods were altered. We went to several doctors with the complaints and even to our University Digestive Research Center where they did test after test and could find nothing wrong. They would just prescribe medications for gerd which never helped, and sent him home. We knew nothing about the recall of Diogoxin, which we now suspect is the poison.
He has had blood tests for his levels of digoxin, maybe 2 times in this period and they come back o.k., or so they say.
We changed heart doctor and he has now taken him off of diogoxin. We are praying that this is the culprit and its not too late – they say we won’t know for a few weeks, He has detiorated so badly, it will take many months to even begin to come back. If ever!
i have been so sick the last 6 yrs. Digitek has everything to do with it. I didn’t know i was overdosed. So my blood toxity level could not prove i was overdosed. In 2004 i was diagnoised with arta- fibulation. i was giving medicine and was doing very well until october 2005 When i discovered i had bradycardia.. I was getting weak and sleeping all the time. I then received dizzyness and lost consciencess. It was diagnoised as sezuries The cause my bradycardia.. i have never had a siezures in my life. They took me off digitek or digoxin. doesn.t matter i was taking both around the same time. But mostly digitek. then put me back on when i left the hospital. Had another episode of dizzyness and losing consciencess. A week later. I was taken off the medicine and sceduled a pacemaker procedure in january 2006. I was fine until my atra fibulation came back. I was placed on digitek again. In 2009. I had found out about digetek recall just recently before that. I was then giving a difulator in june 2010. I was weakening again and my heart fraction was at a all time low between 21 and 22 %. I was taken off my digixon and my defibulator set off 13 times. My atra -fibulation was back again. My surgeon has now fix all my atra- fibulation problems with a simple procedure in october 2010. I went to florida to recover and stayed with my son. I have since return back to buffalo in may, 2011. My stress test revealed my fraction at 32.2 %. I am getting stronger. The point is they all new about the overdose including the FDA. In 2005. But the imformation was purposely held until june 2007 or whatever so digitek could get their act together and now they are pertected by statue of limations laws. Some country we live in. All 50 states limations laws pertect these lawbreakers and murdering monsters.