LCpl Janos “Johnny” V Lutz was medically retired in November 2011 after honorably serving as an assaultman in the USMC on the front lines of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Diagnosed with severe PTSD & TBI, he was only treated for PTSD with dangerous cocktails of psychotropic and opioid drugs from the VA. His TBI was never addressed. June 2010 they treated him with benzodiazepines and 1 week later he attempted suicide. His attending psychiatrist noted in his chart “Do not give Mr. Lutz Klonopin” but failed to tell Mr. Lutz the causation of his suicidal ideations. 3 months later Mr. Lutz was in Poplar Springs Hospital for inpatient treatment for PTSD, this facility put him on Klonopin and in 3 days Mr. Lutz was having suicidal ideations. The doctor immediately stopped administering and noted in his chart “Do not give Mr. Lutz Klonopin” but failed to tell Mr. Lutz the causation of his suicidal ideations. Summer of 2012, Lutz had taken himself off all medications except for a very low dose of morphine for back & knee injuries he sustained in service. The change in him was remarkable, he traveled with family, reconnected with friends, was adventurous again, enrolled at FAU, and was adjusting. At the end of the summer Lutz’s PTSD was triggered and unfortunately he sought help at the Ft. Lauderdale VA and their treatment was drugs. They gave Lutz Klonopin and 8 days later he was dead.

Lutz isn’t the only one prescribed benzodiazepines and died because of it. We know there are many out there who experienced similar situations and lived. We want to hear your story. If you have lost your veteran, we want to hear their story also.

We need your voices to be heard to make change.

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