My mother was recently taking Vioxx and through their patient assistance program she received a free prescription.   My mother was a heart patient with multiple problems and her doctor prescribed vioxx  for her arthritis pain.   First off, I dont know for sure if it had anything to do with it but her condition went downhill fast after the prescription.   A week ago she passed away and I held her hand as she went,  I felt her last heartbeat and last breath It's the most painful experience of my life.     Now to the dilemma.  First off I could never profit by my mother's death, I think it's just wrong.   Next, I applaud Merck for having a patient assistance program and providing a very expensive drug at NO cost to my mother.  I do have a problem thinking they may have hastened my mother's death and should have known better.   I feel really bad as I was paying for her prescription and set up the application process with for the free medication.   I do feel alot of guilt here,  I did not want to speed up my mom's dying but I didnt want her to live with pain when a medication seemed to work for her.    Should I investigate the class action lawsuits that some are filing?  I would have to donate any proceeds to the local hospital that she was in, it wouldnt be right to take money myself.  I also really hate ambulance chasers, they are a pain in the ass and really piss me off.  What should I do????

Btw, in case someone here didnt know.  Her funeral, a simple burial, was about $6000 total.  Funeral homes do not take anything but cash or checks.   If you havent planned this for your family you should really think about how they will get along and manage expenses.   I learned alot and am making sure my family knows my wishes and my insurance will pay expenses.

My condolences friend. I'll say a prayer for you and your family.

I can't really help you on your question though. Since I'll have the Big Guy on the line I'll ask Him to send you guidance in your quest, as well.

Good luck.

Quoted: My condolences friend. I'll say a prayer for you and your family. I can't really help you on your question though. Since I'll have the Big Guy on the line I'll ask Him to send you guidance in your quest, as well. Good luck.

Ditto.

Hang in there, praying for you and your family.

Danny

Quoted: My mother was recently taking Vioxx and through their patient assistance program she received a free prescription.   My mother was a heart patient with multiple problems and her doctor prescribed vioxx  for her arthritis pain.   First off, I dont know for sure if it had anything to do with it but her condition went downhill fast after the prescription.   A week ago she passed away and I held her hand as she went,  I felt her last heartbeat and last breath It's the most painful experience of my life.     Now to the dilemma.  First off I could never profit by my mother's death, I think it's just wrong.   Next, I applaud Merck for having a patient assistance program and providing a very expensive drug at NO cost to my mother.  I do have a problem thinking they may have hastened my mother's death and should have known better.   I feel really bad as I was paying for her prescription and set up the application process with for the free medication.   I do feel alot of guilt here,  I did not want to speed up my mom's dying but I didnt want her to live with pain when a medication seemed to work for her.    Should I investigate the class action lawsuits that some are filing?  I would have to donate any proceeds to the local hospital that she was in, it wouldnt be right to take money myself.  I also really hate ambulance chasers, they are a pain in the ass and really piss me off.  What should I do???? Btw, in case someone here didnt know.  Her funeral, a simple burial, was about $6000 total.  Funeral homes do not take anything but cash or checks.   If you havent planned this for your family you should really think about how they will get along and manage expenses.   I learned alot and am making sure my family knows my wishes and my insurance will pay expenses.

My prayers are with your family.

Why do you think Vioxx might have contributed to her death?

Very rapid deterioration of her health after taking the prescription for about a month and a half.    I have also heard reports that it caused heart attack and other problems.   Her doctor indicated she had a heart attack the last time she was in the hospital a week before her death.   Her blood pressure was so low it could no longer support the functions of her organs.   38/16 is what stood out to me.  

I feel for your loss.
You should sue and you'll probably be awarded some money.
Right now Vioxx is the cash cow for families whose dearly loved ones have passed away while taking the drug.

In the end we'll find out that most of the people who are supposedly dying from Vioxx were in a similar physical condition as your mom.

did your mother die of the heart condition? Did she die of cardiac arrest? My grandmother had a heart attack on that and nearly died. There are lawsuits being filed. they knew it and they did the right thing  by recalling it. But it is up to you whether to pursue that route. I feel for you in your time of trouble and I pray for you. Your mother is at peace now. Take some time to heal, and think about what you want to do.

Vioxx caused maladies were after several months of use.  For 18 months or more of use there is a doubling of the MI and CVA rate.  Prior to the 18 months there is no documented bad side-effects.

First you need to know why your mom died.  If its not from an MI or CVA and if she didnot take the medication for over 18 months youre wasting your breathe.  If it was due to the medicine I hope they pay you what you deserve.  

I hate the ambulance chasers too, the fact that people are always looking for something to blame is a sad reflection on our society.  There is also a belief that medicine is a foolproof science.  Its not, in some areas we might as well be in the middle ages.  Progress is being made but the days of Star Trek are far away.

45, condolences and I hope youre handling the situation well.

My condolences on your mother's passing over.

There are no easy answers here.  My suggestion would be to wait until after you've grieved your mother's passing; by then you should be able to more  objective in your deliberations.  Right now is not the the time; the emotional pain will too easily override rationality........

FWIW, I was taking Vioxx until I read about the recall.  With my family's medical history, I'm at an elevated risk for heart problems; however, I've no intention of joining in any class action suits.

I would actually be relieved if  Vioxx had nothing to do with it.   As I stated earlier, it's hard on me knowing I set up the prescription and bought her first month myself.  

First, let me offer my sincerest condolences and heartfelt sympathies.  I work in a field where I interact with dying patients and families day in and day out, and even though I have to show some professional detachment, its still heartwrenching.  I pray that in time, your loss will be felt ever so slightly less and the pain will ease.  

As for the lawsuit, I would discuss it in depth with her physician.  You mentioned that your mother had multiple heart conditions but didn't say which.  I would hazard a guess that its hypertension compounded with CHF and possibly diabetic problems.  Sadly, these conditions are tough ones to beat, and no amount of drugs or treatment can change that, only help to ease the pain and suffering.  I can't tell you whether or not to sue; that is your decision, but I will urge you to discuss it with her physician, get a second opinion, and speak with the hospital's patient advocate or ombudsman.  Do understand that lawsuits, whether filed individually or as part of a class action, are very expensive for the drug company, and also drags in other parties, namely the physician, physician practice and hospital while resulting in relatively little compensation for the plaintiff.  Most of the proceeds (up to 60%) go to the law firm handling the case.  This is in no way a discouragement.  If indeed Merck is responsible, they should be held liable, but if not, filing a lawsuit can and will create a situation that takes years to resolve.  

I'll keep you in my prayers.  

Sorry for the loss. Know it is hard.

Don't sue. It will prolong your loss. Also, the only people who will make any money off this are the trial lawyers who will take 40% plus expenses. This will end up as a national class action suit. The day after the news came out, lawyers were already advertising. The lawyers will negotiate a set amount to be paid by the insurance company, take their cut and divide the rest. Speaking from experience.

Put your mind at rest, time was just up for your mother and thats all.  You were being a good son.  A month and a half use of Vioxx would have done nothing to her but keep her from having pain.  You need long term use for 18 months or more to get the bad results.  

Several years ago [almost 20] I fell through a roof and developed a large blood clot in my leg.These broke

off and traveled causing multiple pulmonary emboli. The doctors put in a Geenfield filter to keep from any

more damage occuring. This turns out to be lucky for me.In thos 18+ years of no blood clots I took vioxx

for about 2 months. Guess what I now have a blot clot in my calf. I am waiting to hear more if the company

hid the research on complications.

Ardoc are you in the know about this or are you just speculating?

I forgot to say Im soory for your loss and a prayer said for your mother and her family

As it says, I am a CAT Doctor!  Yes I am in the know.  I have never prescribed Vioxx.  Its not covered by most insurances and its damn expensive.  I use a lot of Celebrex and dont be surprised if this drug causes similar problems.  Its in the same class as Vioxx and similar mechanisms of action.

The original cardiac problem was aortic stenosis (leaking valves) as well as needing a bypass.   Once again, I would NOT take any money myself.   The hospital is a not for profit organization, any proceeds would be donated.  The doctor and nurses were very helpful and understanding,  she was at Willamette Falls Hospital in Oregon City.   I cannot praise staff there enough, they helped my mother tremendously and were very professional folks.

Quoted: As it says, I am a CAT Doctor!  Yes I am in the know.  I have never prescribed Vioxx.  Its not covered by most insurances and its damn expensive.  I use a lot of Celebrex and dont be surprised if this drug causes similar problems.  Its in the same class as Vioxx and similar mechanisms of action.

What is a Cat Doctor? or am I to take that literally? Yeah, I heard about Celebrex in the news.

Armalite, I doubt the clots in your leg are due to the Vioxx.  The studies only show complications of MIs and CVAs.  

I wish the media would not mislead people in these things.  People need to do some research into the issues and they would see what is occuring. But most people are too lazy and will listen to the media.  

I would like to express my sincere condolences to you and your family over your loss. If Vioxx exacerbated her condition then that would be a tragedy. I am not certain that you will ever know.


I am a physician who had a lot of patients taking Vioxx. Most of them experienced an extreme benefit from the drug. The few who did not usually had problems with increased blood pressure. Merck was generous enough to provide thousands of dollars of free samples per week to my office so that many less fortunate (insurance-wise) patients could benefit from this drug. I think they did right to voluntarily pull the drug off the market.


Regarding the class-action suit, even if you choose to pursue it, the only ones that will make any real money from the settlement will be the attorneys on both sides. You might get $100. It is hard to say if it is worthwhile or not, spiritually or financially.

Maybe maybe not. I work hard and could be do to an injury.However  I dont believe at this point anyone outside of the drug company knows the actual rate and seriousness of complications.

I'm sorry to hear about your mom.

From what I understand, the basis for the problems with Vioxx was a study where there was a doubling in the incedence of heart attacks and strokes.  This is misleading though because of the control group(general population),  something like .025% of patients had heart attacks or strokes, and of patients taking Vioxx, something like .05% had heart attacks or strokes.  These aren't the actual numbers from the study, but it was something along those lines.  It was something I heard on the radio so take it for what it is.  I think Merck just panicked and pulled the plug before the lawyers really screwed them even worse.

YES, do it. My wife is in on it. She is 40 now and Vioxx nearly killed her. After I begged her to get off of it she is doing great. Weekly visits were the norm for us to the ER with her heart rate and BP would drop to 18-20 BPM and BP of  45/20  were the norm at least once a week.

The ER docs couldn't believe it when we would get there and Michele was in that state.
She is doing lots better and her Parkinsons is under control.

I would also like to add that they could be pulling the plug on a drug that gave relief far into excess in the problems it caused. I damn well know I woke up 18 years old

I know it works.  I took a few for my shoulder and it was amazing how the pain went away.  But as pointed out earlier, the stats in medicine are very particular and misleading.  

Very sorry to hear about your mother.  

Vioxx has been pulled off the market...there are some questions as to the validity of the trials merck did, and also whether the FDA did everything they needed to do to make sure the stuff was safe before it hit the market.

I can't remember the class of drugs vioxx falls into...cox2 inhibitors, or something like that but the other major one, Celebrex, doesn't seem to have the same problems associated with it.  

Can't tell you whether to sue or not...most of the problems associated with Vioxx were from 18 month or longer time periods.  Anyway,  I'm sure you'll be hearing a lot more about this in the next year or so.  

Viox is excellent stuff.  I wonder if it will be available overseas?

GunLvr

My condolances.  Grieve and clear your mind, then approach the options with a clean slate.  Be safe, and take care of yourself and your family.

I can't remember the class of drugs vioxx falls into...cox2 inhibitors

thats correct

My condolences as well.

I doubt that the Vioxx had anything to do with her death and I would hope that you wouldn't sue the company that gave your Mom free samples. It is hard though. Typical grief response includes anger and it can be tough to get over.

That said I will give my little rant on meds in general. They are most all controlled poisons. They have to be to work in your body and in sufficient quantity most all are toxic. I see middle age people on 10, 15 even 20 medications because they won't do anything other than drive their doctors nuts. Most people would do very well to quit smoking, lose weight, excercise and wear their seatbelt. But a pill is easier. So people trash their bodies for years and think when the damage is done that a pill is going to solve it all for them. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It is not at all unusual for me to see 20-40 people in a day(some double shifts) and have only a handful actually need to see a doctor. Plenty expect a variety of meds, often narcotics, unnecessary antibiotics, etc, etc. It is almost like a status symbol for some people. Such a waste.

I am not trying to hijack your post but so many take such poor care of themselves and end up with surgeries, med interaction problems, etc. Most of this is unnecessary if we would just take better care of our bodies. I would put excercise on the top of my list for what people should do in this regard. I just had to take this opportunity to get that point across for those of us here.

I don't have any experience with Vioxx or medical suits as I work in computer forensics as an paid expert for attorneys. I can say this though, if you do go the plantiff route, choose your attorney wisely and always manage your case. I cannot stress that enough. What you get out of it will not only reflect on the getting the right attorney (not an easy task to begin with) but also the time you put into your case throughout it. If you don't have the time and commitment, I recommend not going that route.

May god bless your mother.

You forgot to mention smoking, drinking, overeating, recreational drug use, etc.  When you part take in these activities you should have to take responsibility and ownership when things go wrong.  Usually this is not the case and the blame game begins.  

Quoted: The original cardiac problem was aortic stenosis (leaking valves) as well as needing a bypass.   Once again, I would NOT take any money myself.   The hospital is a not for profit organization, any proceeds would be donated.  The doctor and nurses were very helpful and understanding,  she was at Willamette Falls Hospital in Oregon City.   I cannot praise staff there enough, they helped my mother tremendously and were very professional folks.

Ask yourself what your mother would have wanted you to do.

Quoted: I feel for your loss. You should sue and you'll probably be awarded some money. Right now Vioxx is the cash cow for families whose dearly loved ones have passed away while taking the drug.

My sympathies, but I don't think you should sue unless there is a clear indication that her problems and death were caused by the drug.

Too many people look at lawsuits as "cash cows" as BigZ apparently does.  These suits are destroying medical research.  While there is such a thing as medical malpractice in this world, and problems caused by real malpractice should be compensated, trying to milk the system just to make a buck is wrong and causes real damage to everyone.  It drives physicians out of the business, and it reduces the research that drug companies can afford to do.

Looking beyond the immediate effects, it also bankrolls the trial attorneys who are going after the tobacco industry, the firearms industry, the chemicals industry, the wine industry, the toy industry, the military, and anyone and anything else productive that they can destroy to further line their own pockets.

Terribly sorry for your loss  

I lost my mother at a young age... It's very hard no matter when it happens....

My thoughts go out to you.

Take care and hang in there friend.

JB


ETA:  I too took vioxx.. for well over a year.  Scared the hell out of me when I heard they pulled it and why....   Frightening sometimes to wonder how much more harm than good these medicines can cause...