Remeron SolTab (generic name: Mirtazapine) has been linked to side effects that include: suicidal thoughts or behavior, violent behavior, liver damage, bone marrow damage, and birth defects of the heart and lung, such as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN).
What is Remeron?
Remeron SolTab is primarily an antidepressant medication that is taken orally in a tablet. It is produced by Organon Inc, and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of mental depression on Janury 12, 2001. Remeron is a tetracyclic antidepressant that affects chemicals in the brain that cause mood problems. It increases the activity level of the chemical serotonin, which helps improve a person’s mood.
What are the side effects of Remeron?
If you have any of the following side effects while taking Remeron, seek emergency medical attention immediately. These symptoms can be life-threatening, or they may be signs of a more serious problem.
- Suicidal ideation
- Suicide attempts
- Agitation
- Liver damage
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Loss of coordination, fainting
- Blood and Bone Marrow problems
- Birth defects, including Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)
Birth Defects
The New England Journal of Medicine published a study in 2006 that linked the maternal use of antidepressants during the first trimester of pregnancy with several types of birth defects affecting the heart. Antidepressants have been linked to the following types of heart defects:
- Heart Murmur
- Tricuspid Valve Stenosis
- Atrial septal defect
- Ventricular septal defect
- Tetralogy of Fallot
- Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
- Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome
- Transposition of the Great Arteries
- Coarctation of the aorta
Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) is a birth defect linked to the use of Remeron during pregnancy. Some side effects of PPHN do not appear until the child is several years old, when they show signs of developmental delays.
PPHN occurs immediately after birth, and is a complication that happens when the baby’s circulatory system is “switching over” from life inside the womb to independent life. Normally, the pressure in a baby’s lungs drops significantly right before birth, causing blood to fill the lungs. When the baby takes its first breath, the blood becomes oxygenated. When a baby is born with PPHN, the pressure in the lungs does not drop, and very little blood goes into the lungs. When the baby takes its first breath, the oxygen does not reach very much blood. Consequently, the baby is oxygen-deprived in is first hours of life. Severe oxygen deprivation may have long-term consequences for the child’s mental development, and there is a link between babies born with PPHN and developmental delays later in childhood.
If you took Remeron during pregnancy and had a child with PPHN or other birth defect, contact The Clark Firm, LLP for a Remeron attorney who can help you get the compensation you deserve in a Texas Remeron lawsuit.
Suicide in Adolescents
One of the biggest risks of taking Remeron is that it may cause suicidal behavior or violent behavior in adolescents. The FDA has only approved the antidepressant Prozac for use in people under 18 years of age. If a doctor prescribes Remeron to an adolescent, this is an off-label prescription that can have serious consequences. One in three drug-related suicides have been linked to Prozac. Experts warn that when a taking Remeron or other antidepressants, the patient should be monitored for worsening of their symptoms or the emergence of suicidal or violent behavior. Early warning signs often include agitation, irritability, and aggression.
If you or someone you know has committed suicide, become suicidal, or exhibited violent or destructive behavior while taking Remeron, you may have a Texas Remeron lawsuit and be entitled to compensation. Contact a Remeron lawyer at The Clark Firm, LLP for a free consultation.
Bone Marrow Damage
Most antidepressants cause bone marrow damage in some people. Remeron is no exception. Bone marrow damage usually occurs 4-6 weeks after a patient begins taking the medication. Patients who are taking this medication should be aware of the warning symptoms, which include fever, sore throat, stomach pain, and infection.
During clinical trials of Remeron, several patients developed bone marrow problems. They discontinued use of the medication and recovered fully. Because of the risk of bone marrow damage, doctors warn that people who have had previous bone marrow issues not take Remeron.
Liver Damage
Some people who take Remeron have experienced a liver side effect, in which the medication dramatically increased production of a liver enzyme known as “alanine transaminase” (ALT). Small amounts of ALT are normally released by damaged liver cells, and they leak into the bloodstream, where a doctor can detect them through a blood test. Some people taking Remeron had ALT levels that were three times higher than normal. Experts warn that people at risk of liver damage undergo periodic liver enzyme testing, so the use of Remeron can be discontinued before it causes serious damage.
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