"Digitek Maker Ruined People's Lives"

Pasadena, TXWinnifred was prescribed Digitek in December 2003 for congestive heart failure and A-fib. She was doing fine, no problems with her health until early 2007.

"I went to hospital because my heart was racing," says Winnifred, "and they kept me for three days.

Then in March of this year, I had severe chest pains and had to go back in the hospital. I feel like my heart is damaged—I can't take a deep breath. When you don't get enough air, you can't think properly and can't make good decisions. And I am pretty much depressed all the time. Before this happened in March I was in good spirits.

I can honestly tell you that Digitek damaged my heart.

And I am convinced that I had a bottle of the double-dose Digitek because the size of the pill was almost double of what it had been before. As soon as I got it from the pharmacist I noticed the difference; it occurred to me to call the pharmacy but I thought otherwise because they are very reliable and careful not. In other words, I trust my pharmacist.

But on April 26, my pharmacist called to tell me about the Digitek recall. Right away I knew that I had taken the double-dose pills. I wish I could remember when I got the bigger size but the reason I know I got them was because when I first got them, I compared the pills with my high blood pressure pills. Then I compared this batch—they were definitely bigger.

I remember having vision problems around that same time, and I suffered from dizziness. And I had never experienced colored circles around light before. I live in a townhouse and by the time I get upstairs I am out of breath. I am a small person so that amount of overmedication hurt me more.

I also have problems sleeping. I can't relax enough to get to sleep. I have always been careful about the medications I take but now I am afraid of any pharmaceutical, even if it is prescribed.

I want to say this to the manufacturer: be more careful! You are fooling with people's lives. I am 83 and my life has been degraded now. It is a tragedy."