man shoots wife on Wellbutrin, Celexa and Seroquel

[Guest guest]

http://www.ironwooddailyglobe.com/0505lag2.htm

Laguna 'stepped out of his body'

Published Friday, May 5, 2006 11:27:34 AM Central Time

By MARGARET LEVRA

Globe Staff Writer

HURLEY -- An Ashland psychiatrist testified Thursday that Mark Laguna mentally

had stepped out of his body when he shot his wife to death on March 16, 2005.

Laguna is on trial in Iron County for intentional homicide in the shooting death

of his wife, Laguna, in March of 2005.

Laguna " felt as if he was watching the episode from two feet behind, "

psychiatrist Dr. Burrows from Ashland testified. That's called

depersonalization, one of the many symptoms of mania, Burrows said.

She testified that Laguna's psychotic state was brought on by Selective

Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors that he was taking. She also diagnosed Laguna as

having a bi-polar disorder.

Laguna became Burrows' patient at the request of officials from Iron County

Sheriff's Department, where Laguna has been jailed since he killed his wife.

" He had recently stopped taking his medication. He said he was doing much better

after weaning himself from the medication, " Burrows said, " but he was still

depressed. "

When he came into the jail, Burrows said Laguna was taking Wellbutrin and

Celexa, Ceroquel, for schizophrenia.

Mania can be brought on by anti-depressants because of the overload of serotonin

on the brain, Burrows said.

Asked if the drugs should be taken by a person with a bi-polar disorder, she

responded, " Absolutely not. Just one of these drugs could trigger a manic

episode. "

The manic episode could go along with depression, or it could be independent of

depression, " she testified. " You could have anxiety along with it. "

Taking four drugs would increase the risk for bi-polar disorder sufferers, she

added.

Burrows testified people in a psychotic state " could come up with a plan to kill

people. "

District Attorney Marty Lipske outlined Laguna's activities prior to the

shooting.

" Is it possible for a psychotic person to be that organized? " he asked.

" Oh, yes. They are fully caught up in their own minds, " Burrows said.

Burrows confirmed Laguna was taking 60 milligrams of Celexa when he left a

hospital in Rhinelander in late November. He was also taking Wellbutrin twice a

day.

In December, nurse practitioner Harma added 15 milligrams of BuSpar per

day to his medications. BuSpar boosts the effectiveness of antidepressants,

Burrows said.

" That's a very high starting dose, " Burrows said. " We usually recommend five

milligrams, two times a day, " she testified. " If a person is bi-polar, it is too

much chemical in the brain, causing them to go into a mania. "

Laguna's attorney, public defender Fred Bourg said that the Federal Drug

Administration in September 2004 added " black box " warnings to anti-depressants

about possible adverse effects.

" There have been events of people killing people, " Burrows said.

Asked again about Laguna's condition at the time of the shooting, Burrows said

he was suffering from " complete decompensation, " described as falling apart

mentally, occurring during onset of a psychotic process.

" He was very agitated. His world was gone, " Burrows said. " The gun came up. He

was standing behind himself when he shot his wife. It wasn't any more.

She turned into this thing. She wasn't even a person. It wasn't he was

killing. "

Burrows said psychosis does not wipe out the entire memory, only " bits and

pieces, because your thoughts are moving so fast in your head. "

Laguna " could not appreciate the wrongfullness of what he was doing, " she

testified. " He came to me and said he stopped taking his medications and he felt

better, " she added.

[Guest guest]

http://www.ironwooddailyglobe.com/0505lag2.htm

Laguna 'stepped out of his body'

Published Friday, May 5, 2006 11:27:34 AM Central Time

By MARGARET LEVRA

Globe Staff Writer

HURLEY -- An Ashland psychiatrist testified Thursday that Mark Laguna mentally

had stepped out of his body when he shot his wife to death on March 16, 2005.

Laguna is on trial in Iron County for intentional homicide in the shooting death

of his wife, Laguna, in March of 2005.

Laguna " felt as if he was watching the episode from two feet behind, "

psychiatrist Dr. Burrows from Ashland testified. That's called

depersonalization, one of the many symptoms of mania, Burrows said.

She testified that Laguna's psychotic state was brought on by Selective

Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors that he was taking. She also diagnosed Laguna as

having a bi-polar disorder.

Laguna became Burrows' patient at the request of officials from Iron County

Sheriff's Department, where Laguna has been jailed since he killed his wife.

" He had recently stopped taking his medication. He said he was doing much better

after weaning himself from the medication, " Burrows said, " but he was still

depressed. "

When he came into the jail, Burrows said Laguna was taking Wellbutrin and

Celexa, Ceroquel, for schizophrenia.

Mania can be brought on by anti-depressants because of the overload of serotonin

on the brain, Burrows said.

Asked if the drugs should be taken by a person with a bi-polar disorder, she

responded, " Absolutely not. Just one of these drugs could trigger a manic

episode. "

The manic episode could go along with depression, or it could be independent of

depression, " she testified. " You could have anxiety along with it. "

Taking four drugs would increase the risk for bi-polar disorder sufferers, she

added.

Burrows testified people in a psychotic state " could come up with a plan to kill

people. "

District Attorney Marty Lipske outlined Laguna's activities prior to the

shooting.

" Is it possible for a psychotic person to be that organized? " he asked.

" Oh, yes. They are fully caught up in their own minds, " Burrows said.

Burrows confirmed Laguna was taking 60 milligrams of Celexa when he left a

hospital in Rhinelander in late November. He was also taking Wellbutrin twice a

day.

In December, nurse practitioner Harma added 15 milligrams of BuSpar per

day to his medications. BuSpar boosts the effectiveness of antidepressants,

Burrows said.

" That's a very high starting dose, " Burrows said. " We usually recommend five

milligrams, two times a day, " she testified. " If a person is bi-polar, it is too

much chemical in the brain, causing them to go into a mania. "

Laguna's attorney, public defender Fred Bourg said that the Federal Drug

Administration in September 2004 added " black box " warnings to anti-depressants

about possible adverse effects.

" There have been events of people killing people, " Burrows said.

Asked again about Laguna's condition at the time of the shooting, Burrows said

he was suffering from " complete decompensation, " described as falling apart

mentally, occurring during onset of a psychotic process.

" He was very agitated. His world was gone, " Burrows said. " The gun came up. He

was standing behind himself when he shot his wife. It wasn't any more.

She turned into this thing. She wasn't even a person. It wasn't he was

killing. "

Burrows said psychosis does not wipe out the entire memory, only " bits and

pieces, because your thoughts are moving so fast in your head. "

Laguna " could not appreciate the wrongfullness of what he was doing, " she

testified. " He came to me and said he stopped taking his medications and he felt

better, " she added.

[Guest guest]

http://www.ironwooddailyglobe.com/0505lag2.htm

Laguna 'stepped out of his body'

Published Friday, May 5, 2006 11:27:34 AM Central Time

By MARGARET LEVRA

Globe Staff Writer

HURLEY -- An Ashland psychiatrist testified Thursday that Mark Laguna mentally

had stepped out of his body when he shot his wife to death on March 16, 2005.

Laguna is on trial in Iron County for intentional homicide in the shooting death

of his wife, Laguna, in March of 2005.

Laguna " felt as if he was watching the episode from two feet behind, "

psychiatrist Dr. Burrows from Ashland testified. That's called

depersonalization, one of the many symptoms of mania, Burrows said.

She testified that Laguna's psychotic state was brought on by Selective

Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors that he was taking. She also diagnosed Laguna as

having a bi-polar disorder.

Laguna became Burrows' patient at the request of officials from Iron County

Sheriff's Department, where Laguna has been jailed since he killed his wife.

" He had recently stopped taking his medication. He said he was doing much better

after weaning himself from the medication, " Burrows said, " but he was still

depressed. "

When he came into the jail, Burrows said Laguna was taking Wellbutrin and

Celexa, Ceroquel, for schizophrenia.

Mania can be brought on by anti-depressants because of the overload of serotonin

on the brain, Burrows said.

Asked if the drugs should be taken by a person with a bi-polar disorder, she

responded, " Absolutely not. Just one of these drugs could trigger a manic

episode. "

The manic episode could go along with depression, or it could be independent of

depression, " she testified. " You could have anxiety along with it. "

Taking four drugs would increase the risk for bi-polar disorder sufferers, she

added.

Burrows testified people in a psychotic state " could come up with a plan to kill

people. "

District Attorney Marty Lipske outlined Laguna's activities prior to the

shooting.

" Is it possible for a psychotic person to be that organized? " he asked.

" Oh, yes. They are fully caught up in their own minds, " Burrows said.

Burrows confirmed Laguna was taking 60 milligrams of Celexa when he left a

hospital in Rhinelander in late November. He was also taking Wellbutrin twice a

day.

In December, nurse practitioner Harma added 15 milligrams of BuSpar per

day to his medications. BuSpar boosts the effectiveness of antidepressants,

Burrows said.

" That's a very high starting dose, " Burrows said. " We usually recommend five

milligrams, two times a day, " she testified. " If a person is bi-polar, it is too

much chemical in the brain, causing them to go into a mania. "

Laguna's attorney, public defender Fred Bourg said that the Federal Drug

Administration in September 2004 added " black box " warnings to anti-depressants

about possible adverse effects.

" There have been events of people killing people, " Burrows said.

Asked again about Laguna's condition at the time of the shooting, Burrows said

he was suffering from " complete decompensation, " described as falling apart

mentally, occurring during onset of a psychotic process.

" He was very agitated. His world was gone, " Burrows said. " The gun came up. He

was standing behind himself when he shot his wife. It wasn't any more.

She turned into this thing. She wasn't even a person. It wasn't he was

killing. "

Burrows said psychosis does not wipe out the entire memory, only " bits and

pieces, because your thoughts are moving so fast in your head. "

Laguna " could not appreciate the wrongfullness of what he was doing, " she

testified. " He came to me and said he stopped taking his medications and he felt

better, " she added.

[Guest guest]

http://www.ironwooddailyglobe.com/0505lag2.htm

Laguna 'stepped out of his body'

Published Friday, May 5, 2006 11:27:34 AM Central Time

By MARGARET LEVRA

Globe Staff Writer

HURLEY -- An Ashland psychiatrist testified Thursday that Mark Laguna mentally

had stepped out of his body when he shot his wife to death on March 16, 2005.

Laguna is on trial in Iron County for intentional homicide in the shooting death

of his wife, Laguna, in March of 2005.

Laguna " felt as if he was watching the episode from two feet behind, "

psychiatrist Dr. Burrows from Ashland testified. That's called

depersonalization, one of the many symptoms of mania, Burrows said.

She testified that Laguna's psychotic state was brought on by Selective

Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors that he was taking. She also diagnosed Laguna as

having a bi-polar disorder.

Laguna became Burrows' patient at the request of officials from Iron County

Sheriff's Department, where Laguna has been jailed since he killed his wife.

" He had recently stopped taking his medication. He said he was doing much better

after weaning himself from the medication, " Burrows said, " but he was still

depressed. "

When he came into the jail, Burrows said Laguna was taking Wellbutrin and

Celexa, Ceroquel, for schizophrenia.

Mania can be brought on by anti-depressants because of the overload of serotonin

on the brain, Burrows said.

Asked if the drugs should be taken by a person with a bi-polar disorder, she

responded, " Absolutely not. Just one of these drugs could trigger a manic

episode. "

The manic episode could go along with depression, or it could be independent of

depression, " she testified. " You could have anxiety along with it. "

Taking four drugs would increase the risk for bi-polar disorder sufferers, she

added.

Burrows testified people in a psychotic state " could come up with a plan to kill

people. "

District Attorney Marty Lipske outlined Laguna's activities prior to the

shooting.

" Is it possible for a psychotic person to be that organized? " he asked.

" Oh, yes. They are fully caught up in their own minds, " Burrows said.

Burrows confirmed Laguna was taking 60 milligrams of Celexa when he left a

hospital in Rhinelander in late November. He was also taking Wellbutrin twice a

day.

In December, nurse practitioner Harma added 15 milligrams of BuSpar per

day to his medications. BuSpar boosts the effectiveness of antidepressants,

Burrows said.

" That's a very high starting dose, " Burrows said. " We usually recommend five

milligrams, two times a day, " she testified. " If a person is bi-polar, it is too

much chemical in the brain, causing them to go into a mania. "

Laguna's attorney, public defender Fred Bourg said that the Federal Drug

Administration in September 2004 added " black box " warnings to anti-depressants

about possible adverse effects.

" There have been events of people killing people, " Burrows said.

Asked again about Laguna's condition at the time of the shooting, Burrows said

he was suffering from " complete decompensation, " described as falling apart

mentally, occurring during onset of a psychotic process.

" He was very agitated. His world was gone, " Burrows said. " The gun came up. He

was standing behind himself when he shot his wife. It wasn't any more.

She turned into this thing. She wasn't even a person. It wasn't he was

killing. "

Burrows said psychosis does not wipe out the entire memory, only " bits and

pieces, because your thoughts are moving so fast in your head. "

Laguna " could not appreciate the wrongfullness of what he was doing, " she

testified. " He came to me and said he stopped taking his medications and he felt

better, " she added.