Fournier's Gangrene Can Leave a Survivor Severely Depressed

Diabetes Drug Infection Lawsuit News

There are few surgeries as horrible as genital amputation and needing a colostomy that causes survivors of Fournier's Gangrene psychological trauma

Friday, December 20, 2019 - In an internet first, a 34-year old Oklahoma man suffering from Fournier's Gangrene and a host of other related ailments, tells his story to Yahoo Lifestyle News (YLN) of the severe depression the disease has caused. The young man was suffering from flu-like symptoms in 2018 and when he could not attend his friend's wedding due to his fatigue became alerted that he might have something more serious than merely a bad cold. The man noticed necrosis, i.e., dead rotting flesh in his peritoneal region, the part of the body between the anus and the scrotum and was panicked into immediately seeking medical treatment at the nearest hospital. It is a good thing he did as doctors there intubated him for the next three days with a diagnosis of Sepsis and Fournier's Gangrene. Standard treatment for Fournier's Gangrene includes an intravenous antibiotic drip and surgical debridement (amputation) of the area around the penis and scrotum. Genital mutilation is also commonly required to attempt the stop of the disease. Our patient was required to undergo eight surgeries related to Fourniers and Sepsis with the probability of more to come. The patient now has to use a colostomy.

Given all of the physical pain and suffering that the flesh-eating disease of the genitals can cause, the patient also suffers from severe mental depression and tells of having "cracked" at times from dealing with the disease. Illness and surgery for his father and the death of his last-surviving grandparent contributed to his depression. The patient reported sleeping for days at a time and had wild, frequent, mood swings. The patient was hospitalized for six months and developed osteomyelitis.

It is difficult to estimate the number of actual cases of Fourniers' Gangrene because so few medical personnel know about the disease. Most experts think that Fournier's Gangrene is linked to taking SGLT2 sodium-glucose blocker drugs and others that severely weaken the immune system. There could be many more cases of Fournier's Gangrene than the 55-100 that have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control. Some cases are confused as the traditional necrotizing fasciitis. For example, a recent case of necrotizing fasciitis that looks strikingly similar to Fournier's Gangrene was reported in England by the UK's Daily Mail. A 22-year old cosmetologist developed necrosis in the region of the body between the thighs and the torso. Like the Fournier's victim above, the women complained of flu-like symptoms stemming from a previous cosmetic surgical procedure which progressed to pain and vomiting. The patient developed sepsis and a blood infection and was considered clinically dead. The newspapers in the United States were full of stories each week of people young and old that contracted the flesh-eating disease from a trip to the beach on their summer vacation. Many lost arms or legs to the disease.

More Recent Diabetes Drug Infection Lawsuit News:

Lawyers for Fournier's Gangrene

OnderLaw, LLC is a St. Louis personal injury law firm handling serious injury and death claims across the country. Its mission is the pursuit of justice, no matter how complex the case or strenuous the effort. The Onder Law Firm has represented clients throughout the United States in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation such as Pradaxa, Lexapro and Yasmin/Yaz, where the firm's attorneys held significant leadership roles in the litigation, as well as Actos, DePuy, Risperdal and others. The Onder Law Firm has won more than $300 million in four talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits in St. Louis. Law firms throughout the nation often seek its experience and expertise on complex litigation.