Preemie vs. drugstore lawsuit

[momathelete]

Hi all,

I just wanted to let you know about an article that was on the Chicago Tribune today.

A family had a girl born 11 weeks early and her ped perscribed phenobarbitol as a preventative for seizures. This I never heard of before -did this happen to anyone?? That drug is so potent that I am surprised by the preventative. Anyway, I digress.. I guess the girl was having alot of problems being on the pheno and was admitted to the hospital 4 times. She would get significantly better once she was there. The doc thought that maybe the drug perscibed was old. So, the grandma worked at the hospital and has a friend of hers test it to see if it was old and it ended up being a drug you give to adult diabetics. This drug actually causes huge problems in preemie kids. So, the odds of this were pretty slim -first the mix up and then her being a preemie. She is now 6 years old and is a quadrapelegic and has brain damage. This is just so sad. It just went to court this week and a well known drug store chain has to pay this family 23 million dollars. I still can't believe this. What an awful thing to happen. I picture this happening to my son who was born at 28 weeks and my daughter at 29 weeks. I feel so bad for this family. There are so many what ifs, and the possibilities are endless, but I am so thankful that my ped didn't use any preventative. The thing is, this girl was progressing fine, well, maybe she had a brain bleed? I still can't figure out why they would even think she would have seizures. So sad....

Keep an eye on all of your meds. Make sure your old meds compare to the new bottle, etc. Heck, I don't know how to prevent this..... I guess I needed to share this story with other preemie moms.



Michelle
Moderator -On Bedrest
Interim Local Coordinator -Illinois

mom to Cole (HELP pregnancy, 28 wkr) 5 yrs old
Lainey (preE pregnancy, 29 wkr) 2 yrs old
Ella (PIH, 17 wks bedrest, 37 wkr) 1 yr old

[raindrop]

Wow, something like that erally does make you think.. That would be horrible to have anything like that happen.

Donna - 32
Richard - 33
Whitney Lynn Rochelle- 6-27-99 - (36 wks due to PE) 5lbs 2oz 18in long
Wyatt Elijah Lawrence- 7-3-03 (34wks 6days due to PIH/PE) 4lbs 6.8oz 17in long
Expecting #3 EDD March 3, 2005 - gallstones

http://www.geocities.com/raindropzplace/Wyatt.html?1057812569412

http://www.imagestation.com/member/?name=raindrop1971

[julie f]

Oh my goodness, how horrible. Scares the heck out of me that one mistake can have such devestating consequences, the poor girl and family.

Julie (27)
Zachary James, 7/22/03-7/27/03, born at 26wks - severe pe

Miracle in progress... #2 is due February 2005!!!

Southern California Coordinator

[maxs mom]

Some drugstores now put on their labels what the medicine looks like for the drug in your prescription bottle. There is usually a side 1 and side 2 and that is where it lists any letters or numbers on the drug, also it says the color of the pill. I think they started doing this because of the mixups, so make sure you get your pharmacueticals from a drugstore that does this. And another thing, many prescriptions are similarly named, so make sure you know the name of what the dr is prescribing and make sure it matches when you get your prescription.

Kara (34)
DH, John (36)
Max, 1/20/03, 25 wks, 1lb. 3ozs. (IUGR), severe PE
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/m/mightymax/

#2 is on the way, EDD 4/18/05 (seems so far away!)

[jenn]

Wow!
That is really sad. :o(
I hope the family understands that $ won't bring happiness or health.
I assume they they proved the drug is what caused her paralysis? (sp?)
Just so sad, nobody wins here.
Thanks for sharing the story. Ya' never know, it may help someone prevent a smiliar occurance.




Jennie (24)
Shad DH (29)

Jaidyn 1.24.01 (30 wkr)
Severe PE/HELLP
2lb. 12oz.
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/jaid/

Natalia Rosse
Due Thanksgiving day!
11.25.04
Natalia's web page
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/n/nataliarosse/

[deerhart]

Unfortunately prescription mix ups are very common and not all of them are caught. What can make it even harder is if they give you a generic version of the drug so the name is different then what the doc prescribed.

Its always wise to ask about drug interactions as well. it is actually illegal to sell certain OTC (like asperin) drugs with specific prescription drugs, yet it repeatedly occurs at many pharmacies.
Also the literature they give you with your prescriptions can give you a ton of info (like this is the generic drug for x, side effects, drugs that shouldn't be taken with it etc..)

Erin

Moderator - Parents of Preemies
Missouri State Coordinator
Mommy to Alex (4)and Mason (1 1/2)
Law Student - 1 year done, 2 to go