Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Zelnorm (ibs Drug) Pulled Off The Market For Deaths


Fiddle-Faddle

Recommended Posts

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular

Zelnorm, made by Novartis, was pulled off the market on March 30, 2007: Open Original Shared Link

It was prescribed to people diagnosed with IBS.

I can't help wondering how many of those people to whom it was prescribed actually have celiac, and their doctors never bothered to look for it but just handed them a prescription.

I noticed in my local paper today ads about this from some of the law firms who specialize in medical malpractice. I was thinking this might be another way we can get celiac awareness "out there." We can contact these law firms and give them info about celiac, which should totally win their cases for them, both against Novartis and against the doctors who wrote a band-aid prescription without ever looking for a dietary cause of symptoms.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



phakephur Apprentice

I thought this part was interesting. I'm sure these patients don't try gluten-free diet before their doctors pronounce their condition unresponsive to any other treatment.

Though the drug will no longer be widely available, patients who have no other treatment options could still get access to the drug. The FDA said it is likely to allow Novartis to continue selling Zelnorm to patients if their doctors say they have disease that does not respond to any other treatment and if the benefits of treatment with Zelnorm outweigh the risks of serious side effects.
MrsM Newbie

I noticed that the Zelnorm story on WebMd has a link to a WebMd message board: Open Original Shared Link

One person posted a message saying that if she/he can't take Zelmorn anymore, she/he will go back to the Atkins Diet "which seemed to help". If someone here has a username/password at WebMd, it may be worth posting a reply letting that person know that gluten intolerance could be the problem.

Lisa Mentor

I was put on Zelnorm prior to my diagnosis.

Nantzie Collaborator

Ugh. This is why I consider the first few years of a prescription being out on the market to just be another phase of their clinical trials. Soooo many drugs get pulled that I wouldn't trust anything until it's been out on the market for a few years.

Nancy

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
I was put on Zelnorm prior to my diagnosis.

Did it help you?

Anonymousgurl Contributor

I was put on zelnorm by a doctor who refused to test me for anything. He said that all I had was IBS. I took zelnorm for a year, and it made me even sicker. It was horrible. Finally I switched to a private M.D. who practices alternative medicine and he took me off of zelnorm immediately and started testing me.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Lisa Mentor
Did it help you?

Did it help me? I never thought that I could regulate it, or rather regulate me. I do recall that it kept me in the house in the morning for several hours. I don't remember any side effect other than that. Soon after that Celiac kicked in, and found way no need for it.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - ElenaM posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      0

      I think I am gluten intolerant

    2. - JulieRe replied to JulieRe's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      6

      Oral thrush question

    3. - Ceekay replied to slkrav's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      3

      Gluten free beer ?

    4. - Rejoicephd replied to JulieRe's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      6

      Oral thrush question

    5. - Scott Adams replied to oscarbolduc's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Advice while waiting for testing


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,894
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    catsrlife
    Newest Member
    catsrlife
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • ElenaM
      Hello everyone. I am Elena and am 38 years old. I suspect I have a gluten intolerance even if my celiac panel is ok. I have the following symptoms : facial flushing, Red dots not bumps în face, bloating abdominal distension, hair loss, depression anxiety even with meds and even bipolar. Fatigue extreme to the point of not being able to work. All of these after I eat gluten. Could I have non celiac gluten sensitivity? Thanks anyone else with these symptoms?
    • JulieRe
      Hi Everyone,  I do appreciate your replies to my original post.   Here is where I am now in this journey.  I am currently seeing a Naturopath.  One thing I did not post before is that I take Esomeprazole for GERD.  My Naturopath believes that the decrease in the gastric acid has allowed the yeast to grow.    She has put me on some digestive enzymes.  She also put me on Zinc, Selenium, B 12, as she felt that I was not absorbing my vitamins. I am about 5 weeks into this treatment, and I am feeling better. I did not have any trouble taking the Fluconazole.  
    • Ceekay
      I'm sure it's chemically perfect. Most of them taste lousy!        
    • Rejoicephd
      Hi @JulieRe.  I just found your post.  It seems that I am also experiencing thrush, and my doctor believes that I have fungal overgrowth in my gut, which is most likely candida.  I'm seeing my GI doctor next week, so I'm hoping she can diagnose and confirm this and then give me an antifungal treatment.  In the meantime, I have been working with a functional medicine doctor, doing a candida cleanse and taking vitamins. It's already helping to make me feel better (with some ups and downs, of course), so I do think the yeast is definitely a problem for me on top of my celiac disease and I'm hoping my GI doctor can look into this a bit further.  So, how about you?  Did the candida come back, or is it still gone following your fluconazole treatment?  Also, was it awful to take fluconazole?  I understand that taking an antifungal can cause a reaction that sometimes makes people feel sick while they're taking it.  I hope you're doing better still !
    • Scott Adams
      I'm so sorry you're going through this—the "gluten challenge" is notoriously brutal, and it's awful to deliberately make yourself sick when you've already found the answer. For the joint pain, many people find that over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen can help take the edge off, and using heating pads or warm baths can provide some direct relief for the aches. For the digestive misery, stick to simple, easy-to-digest foods (like plain rice, bananas, and bone broth) and drink plenty of water and electrolytes to stay hydrated. It feels like the longest month ever, but you are doing the right thing to get a clear diagnosis, which can be crucial for your long-term health and getting the proper care. Hang in there; you can get through this! This article, and the comments below it, may be helpful:    
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.