View Full Version : Horrible medicine by all accounts. I wouldn't touch this stuff if it was the last med
There are many dangers of Paxil that patients should be aware of before they begin a treatment regiment that includes the use of Paxil. Paxil is a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) that was approved by the FDA in 1993 to treat a variety of emotional conditions including depression, general and social anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder.
There are some people for whom the dangers of Paxil outweigh its intended benefits. The dangers of Paxil may make the following patients poor candidates for Paxil treatment: people with a history of seizures, glaucoma, poor circulation, kidney, and liver problems, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, people who have had problems with similar medications, people under the age of eighteen or older than sixty, and people who are taking or have recently taken MAO inhibitors or other drugs that interact with Paxil. People who consume alcohol might also experience the dangers of Paxil.
The dangers of Paxil also warn patients about the adverse side effects of a Paxil overdose. In the last decade there have been nearly 500 accounts of Paxil overdose; 49 of which resulted in fatality. The largest reported overdose of Paxil that was survived was thirty-three times the maximum recommended dose of Paxil (at 2000 milligrams). There are several dangers of Paxil overdose including the following health symptoms: somnolence, coma, rapid heart beat, tremors, convulsions, vomiting, confusion, nausea, aggression, renal failure, and much more. To avoid the dangers of Paxil overdose, it is important to take Paxil exactly how it is prescribed by your doctor. If you suspect a Paxil overdose it is vital to seek medical attention immediately.
The potential side effects of taking Paxil are also a major concern surrounding the use of this drug. The dangers of Paxil side effects pose a threat to the physical and emotional well being of patients who take this medication. Dangers of Paxil side effects can include the development or worsening of emotional conditions, sexual dysfunction, aggression, agitation, anxiety, dizziness, drowsiness, gastrointestinal complications, and a variety of other concerns.
The dangers of Paxil can be serious in relation to withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when one discontinues the use of Paxil. Negative withdrawal symptoms can range from flu-like discomforts to extreme physical and emotional anguish. The dangers of Paxil withdrawal can last for days or several months and may include these symptoms: insomnia, abnormal dreams, anxiety, "zapping" sensations throughout the entire body, profuse sweating, and aggressive, violent or suicidal thoughts or actions.
The dangers of Paxil have been the subject of numerous lawsuits in recent years. In 2000, a California lawsuit charged GlaxoSmithKline (Paxil's maker) with failing to warn the public about the dangers of Paxil after patients experienced extremely damaging withdrawal side effects. In response to lawsuits of this nature, Paxil labeling now includes information about the dangers of Paxil withdrawal.
Any antidepressant or antianxiety meds can have bad side effects. For some people though, Paxil could genuinely help people out. I haven't tried Paxil myself but i would try any treatment if it meant not feeling the way i am at the moment
Sunflower2
27-12-15, 21:24
Why don't you look up what alcohol and benzodiazepines can do to a person and how dangerous they can be?
But don't stop there, what about sugar and salt and chemicals in food, pain killers, cold and flu medicines.. Everything and anything CAN be harmful.
Any antidepressant or antianxiety meds can have bad side effects. For some people though, Paxil could genuinely help people out. I haven't tried Paxil myself but i would try any treatment if it meant not feeling the way i am at the moment
I might be very bad but I will not take any chemical which is keeping the drug companies rich whilst I suffer some living hell on earth. They dish out these medicines which are supposed to make me better but could end up with people feeling so messed up that they could potentially end up committing suicide or experiencing sexual dysfunction, aggression, brain zaps, tremors and spasms, violent thoughts and/or actions. What a nasty, dirty creation Paxil really is.
Bloody hell you could take an illegal drug and not even get such a long list of revolting side effects.
We go for help and they poison us with these disgusting chemicals that can potentially do more harm then good and Paroxetine/Seroxat seems to be very well documented for ruining people's bloody lives.
---------- Post added at 21:39 ---------- Previous post was at 21:29 ----------
Why don't you look up what alcohol and benzodiazepines can do to a person and how dangerous they can be?
But don't stop there, what about sugar and salt and chemicals in food, pain killers, cold and flu medicines.. Everything and anything CAN be harmful.
I don't deny that benzodiazepines and alcohol are bad for people.
Sugar wont cause you to commit suicide though and salt wont cause aggression and brain zaps.
Paxil isn't a case of CAN be harmful. It has been proven that Paxil IS harmful. Even if you don't notice it whilst you are on it then just wait until you try and withdraw and then you will know all about it. I have done my research on this particular chemical and it always comes back with negative reviews and a bad stigma attached to it.
I'm sorry I upset you so much by the way.
---------- Post added at 21:44 ---------- Previous post was at 21:39 ----------
Any antidepressant or antianxiety meds can have bad side effects. For some people though, Paxil could genuinely help people out. I haven't tried Paxil myself but i would try any treatment if it meant not feeling the way i am at the moment
How bad do you feel with your anxiety Ssmith?
Sunflower2
27-12-15, 21:55
Calum, I didn't mean to come across badly, I just wanted to state that many many things that are used every day can have just as devastating effects on people. Alcohol is the number one cause of death in the world, yet you can buy gallons of it off the shelf. What does that say about the consumer industry? Alcohol retailers get rich from selling a substance that literally can kill people.
Calum, I didn't mean to come across badly, I just wanted to state that many many things that are used every day can have just as devastating effects on people. Alcohol is the number one cause of death in the world, yet you can buy gallons of it off the shelf. What does that say about the consumer industry? Alcohol retailers get rich from selling a substance that literally can kill people.
OK. I'm relieved. I thought I had created conflict within the forum and I do not want that at all. This should be a place for calm and relaxation and not the opposite which could be detrimental to all of our well being.
No conflict Callum but I see Kinberley's point. It's usually a question of weighing up the pros and cons. If you have severe anxiety and paroxetine is the only med that really helps, it leaves you with an informed choice to make about which is worse. I take venlafaxine and people have said the same about that, with countless horror stories if you google it. Without it (and believe me I've tried everything during my 40+ years of anxiety), my quality of life is terrible.
I had a truly terrifying experience on one SSRI which made me virtually psychotic, yet the same drug helps millions of others. It's so often a subjective experience that it's hard to generalise.
I always try to take a balanced, pragmatic view on these topics as it's never as black and white as it seems.
Pip x
Oh Cal....
It's so sad to see you fighting everything that may be beneficial to helping you. Granted, meds have side effects, some more than others. But to dismiss them due to what MAY happen is just keeping you from the possibility of getting well.
IMO, getting off the alcohol, getting therapy and prescribed a med that will help you manage your anxiety is the path to healing. Having watched and read about your journey, I believe it's the best way to get well.
My daughter was on Zoloft. It stopped working. She had to go through three different meds, ramp up, cross taper and stop cold turkey before she found one that worked. She's doing great now :)
One thing is certain. The path you're currently on is one of sure destruction. It's worth the risk to at least try some alternatives.
Positive thoughts
MyNameIsTerry
28-12-15, 07:20
There are many dangers of Paxil that patients should be aware of before they begin a treatment regiment that includes the use of Paxil. Paxil is a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) that was approved by the FDA in 1993 to treat a variety of emotional conditions including depression, general and social anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder.
You are in the UK, the FDA is meaningless to you. You should be looking at what the MRHA say, our equivalent. You should also look at the NICE site which includes the NHS Evidence Base.
There are some people for whom the dangers of Paxil outweigh its intended benefits. The dangers of Paxil may make the following patients poor candidates for Paxil treatment: people with a history of seizures, glaucoma, poor circulation, kidney, and liver problems, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, people who have had problems with similar medications, people under the age of eighteen or older than sixty, and people who are taking or have recently taken MAO inhibitors or other drugs that interact with Paxil. People who consume alcohol might also experience the dangers of Paxil.
This warning exists on ALL the ones I've looked at. You've highlighted nothing other than a generic drug warning here and you will find such warnings on meds people take daily that are incredibly safe - BUT they may not be anything other than dangerous to someone will a certain condition. If you lived by this rule meaning a med is bad, you would have to stop medicines in general and a lot of people would be dead ever day...one of them is on this thread!
The dangers of Paxil also warn patients about the adverse side effects of a Paxil overdose. In the last decade there have been nearly 500 accounts of Paxil overdose; 49 of which resulted in fatality. The largest reported overdose of Paxil that was survived was thirty-three times the maximum recommended dose of Paxil (at 2000 milligrams). There are several dangers of Paxil overdose including the following health symptoms: somnolence, coma, rapid heart beat, tremors, convulsions, vomiting, confusion, nausea, aggression, renal failure, and much more. To avoid the dangers of Paxil overdose, it is important to take Paxil exactly how it is prescribed by your doctor. If you suspect a Paxil overdose it is vital to seek medical attention immediately. .
A Paxil overdose is because the person has taken one. That's got nothing to do with the medication, you could jump in front of a train or take a load of paracetamol if you want to end your life. Stating someone is on Paxil at the time is spurious. Those who overdosed could easily have done so because of their mental state regardless of the drug and to me this demonstrates a lack of knowledge of meds because there is assumption of association here and I can't see any link in that text, only that something occurred alongside treatment. For all we know these people may have been just as bad before as when they were on it, needed higher dosages or just had a catastrophe in their lives which pushed them too far.
The potential side effects of taking Paxil are also a major concern surrounding the use of this drug. The dangers of Paxil side effects pose a threat to the physical and emotional well being of patients who take this medication. Dangers of Paxil side effects can include the development or worsening of emotional conditions, sexual dysfunction, aggression, agitation, anxiety, dizziness, drowsiness, gastrointestinal complications, and a variety of other concerns. .
Have you looked at EVERY med there is? The above can be seen on many of the first line antidepressants in the SSRI class.
If hanshan sees your thread I'm sure he will point out the mistakes here. For instance, an association can literally be 1 person in the history of the med! How many people are run over & killed by motor vehicles each day...yet are cars bad?
The dangers of Paxil can be serious in relation to withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when one discontinues the use of Paxil. Negative withdrawal symptoms can range from flu-like discomforts to extreme physical and emotional anguish. The dangers of Paxil withdrawal can last for days or several months and may include these symptoms: insomnia, abnormal dreams, anxiety, "zapping" sensations throughout the entire body, profuse sweating, and aggressive, violent or suicidal thoughts or actions..
Yes, Paxil is noted one of the worst 2 to withdraw from along with Venlafaxine. Pip & co will tell you just how much that med has helped the, though.
I will also tell you that when you start meds is when you are really unwell and when you withdraw from them, you do so when you are much better. This means that you come off them FAR easier.
You also need to separate out all the people in these cases who are not recovered as I felt. This issue of withdrawing is often full of spurious data because people are switching, and you only do that when you NEED to be on one because you are not well...not when you are recovered. Have you done this? If the answer is no, your information is contaminated with spurious data. If you've worked in a research role like me where you design & conduct experiments to improve peoples businesses, you would know straight away how flawed this could be & why.
The dangers of Paxil have been the subject of numerous lawsuits in recent years. In 2000, a California lawsuit charged GlaxoSmithKline (Paxil's maker) with failing to warn the public about the dangers of Paxil after patients experienced extremely damaging withdrawal side effects. In response to lawsuits of this nature, Paxil labeling now includes information about the dangers of Paxil withdrawal.
Yep, just like many of these meds. Try looking up the one I'm on, Duloxetine, and the links to liver disease...BUT whilst you do that I would advise you to also look how it is linked to heavy drinkers where this occurs...so it really only sped up the process for them, they probably would have ended up with liver disease anyway.
There are many meds linked to suicide. This warning is on EVERY SSRI/SNRI on the market and there is guidance for doctors to follow to PREVENT this. In some cases these meds not even licenced to certain age groups hence have to be prescribed by a specialist, not an ignorant GP.
Whilst I disagree with FMP on how a doctor should treat you, as there is an alcohol bias argument involved, I do agree with him that you are looking for reasons.
You are focussed on disproving Paxil. But Callum you forget that's not the only med they can offer so why focus on it. You could easily tell your GP you are afraid of this and he/she might just through Sertraline or another at you. Will you then look at all the worst stuff out there about it and scare yourself away? Don't you think we were all scared before we started these meds? I know I was.
You are employing typical psychological traits seen in anxiety, Cognitive Distortions stick out a mile for me here as does Cognitive Bias.
You need to listen to others on here, not search for horror stories. We want to help you, they don't...and you made a mistake too because we have a Paxil board on here with people talking about it helping them.
Sunflower2
28-12-15, 08:18
I completely agree with Terry, couldn't have said it better! When I was first prescribed sertraline I googled it and found hundreds of horror stories on how it has ruined people's lives. Some website stated it gave them severe anxiety and nausea and they couldn't leave the house in fear they'd be sick. That they were stuck on it forever, that it made them really depressed. Everything and anything! Needless to say, being in the state I was, anxious, underweight, not eating and terrified of being sick, this put me off completely. I was certain it would make me feel so terrible.
A few months later I had reached breaking point. I was either going to have to do something about it, or I was going to end up going to hospital. I could barely function. So after much advice from my gp, I tried it. Nothing bad happened. I felt lighter, like the massive black feeling of dread had been lifted. All it did was chill me out to a level where I could cope with my anxiety. Sertraline certainly wouldn't be for everyone, but for me it pretty much saved my life. I was so adamant I wouldn't touch meds, and for a long time on it I couldn't get my head round the thought of a drug changing the way I thought. But I feel like me again, and that's the most important thing for me at this moment.
Using alcohol to mask anxiety is hardly a healthy option though? It's also a pretty "horrible medicine" when abused and used to excess. Why not defy your fears and seek therapy instead? What have you got to lose?
Using alcohol to mask anxiety is hardly a healthy option though? It's also a pretty "horrible medicine" when abused and used to excess. Why not defy your fears and seek therapy instead? What have you got to lose?
That's very true. I'm currently going down the route of anti-anxiety medication rather than anti-depressant medication. I would have no qualms about taking anxiety medicine rather than very strong SSRI's.
---------- Post added at 16:39 ---------- Previous post was at 13:43 ----------
No conflict Callum but I see Kinberley's point. It's usually a question of weighing up the pros and cons. If you have severe anxiety and paroxetine is the only med that really helps, it leaves you with an informed choice to make about which is worse. I take venlafaxine and people have said the same about that, with countless horror stories if you google it. Without it (and believe me I've tried everything during my 40+ years of anxiety), my quality of life is terrible.
I had a truly terrifying experience on one SSRI which made me virtually psychotic, yet the same drug helps millions of others. It's so often a subjective experience that it's hard to generalise.
I always try to take a balanced, pragmatic view on these topics as it's never as black and white as it seems.
Pip x
Hi Pipkin. How bad is your quality of life without any medication?
Which SSRI did you have the psychotic experience on?
I agree, I am normally balanced and non-biased! I just felt sorry for all anxiety sufferers and the fact that some have to take medicine to make them feel better that comes with all the terrible effects that occur with it! It was not a personal attack on anyone or on any particular medication!
I might be very bad but I will not take any chemical which is keeping the drug companies rich whilst I suffer some living hell on earth. They dish out these medicines which are supposed to make me better but could end up with people feeling so messed up that they could potentially end up committing suicide or experiencing sexual dysfunction, aggression, brain zaps, tremors and spasms, violent thoughts and/or actions. What a nasty, dirty creation Paxil really is.
Bloody hell you could take an illegal drug and not even get such a long list of revolting side effects.
We go for help and they poison us with these disgusting chemicals that can potentially do more harm then good and Paroxetine/Seroxat seems to be very well documented for ruining people's bloody lives.
---------- Post added at 21:39 ---------- Previous post was at 21:29 ----------
I don't deny that benzodiazepines and alcohol are bad for people.
Sugar wont cause you to commit suicide though and salt wont cause aggression and brain zaps.
Paxil isn't a case of CAN be harmful. It has been proven that Paxil IS harmful. Even if you don't notice it whilst you are on it then just wait until you try and withdraw and then you will know all about it. I have done my research on this particular chemical and it always comes back with negative reviews and a bad stigma attached to it.
I'm sorry I upset you so much by the way.
---------- Post added at 21:44 ---------- Previous post was at 21:39 ----------
How bad do you feel with your anxiety Ssmith?
My anxiety at the moment is probably the worst it's ever been in the 5 years I've had this alongside depression. I'm pretty much housebound and struggle to do most things. However, during those 5 years, I've been able to do a lot. I'm extremely frustrated at the moment because doctors don't seem to be doing anything for me since the start of this current episode and i feel if i had the proper treatment and support, I'd be a lot better or recovered. For me, a minute feels like an hour and i cannot relax for 1 minute. I am constantly severely tired. My eyes hurt so much, yet i can sleep. At the moment, i would take any pill given to me by a doctor if it had a chance of letting me recover
MyNameIsTerry
28-12-15, 20:39
Hi Pipkin. How bad is your quality of life without any medication?
Which SSRI did you have the psychotic experience on?
I agree, I am normally balanced and non-biased! I just felt sorry for all anxiety sufferers and the fact that some have to take medicine to make them feel better that comes with all the terrible effects that occur with it! It was not a personal attack on anyone or on any particular medication!
If you look at the Meds board you will find horror stories on every one just as you will across the Internet. Broaden it out to medication in general and the same can be true of many. But look how many they help. There are never guarantees with meds and just like Kimberley has demonstrated, you have to gain the courage to make the leap of faith... and often more than once.
Pulisa will tell you how bad Mirt made her yet there are people saying it saved them. I can certainly tell you how I'll my current med made me. I could also point you to horror stories about my previous med, Citalopram, yet it helped me more than this med.
You are looking at the negatives, the minorities, and also looking at the worst case scenarios. This is classic anxiety behaviour.
Why feel sorry about using meds? Would you feel the same when someone pops a paracetamol? They don't need pain relief, they could go without it. To not look at mental health meds the same as physical health ones is just buying into the stigma of previous generations.
---------- Post added at 20:39 ---------- Previous post was at 20:32 ----------
That's very true. I'm currently going down the route of anti-anxiety medication rather than anti-depressant medication. I would have no qualms about taking anxiety medicine rather than very strong SSRI's.
That's a misconception. Anti anxiety meds are just as strong and in the case of Benzodiazapenes, far worse!
I think you are being unrealistic and searching for things that don't exist. Even the lower side effect profile meds have bad ones listed and many a horror story.
What specific meds in the anti anxiety group have you identified? Considering you are looking for ones that only bring calmness you are probably looking at Benzodiazapenes and long term you will only become addicted and worse off. Anti psychotics maybe? Pregabalin? You won't get Pregabalin from a GP probably anyway and definitely not with a substance misuse issue as there is guidance to stop that so it will need a psychiatrist.
Fluoxetine, considered one of the safest SSRI's and best with side effects, resulted in me having one of the worst anxiety attacks I'd ever had. You can find some of my posts from Sept/Oct where i was out of my mind with anxiety. When i stopped it, i calmed down a bit.
Venlafaxine, one of the hardest apparently to come off, gave me no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever. Every medication is different for every person. That's why there are so many
Is it any different with meds for physical ailments? You should read some of the fun side effects of the meds I have to take! And then there were the drugs and side effects from all the meds and chemo from cancer treatment.
You know what? What choice did I have? Sure, I could have refused and died. And yes, I still have some pretty nasty side effects and will have them for life but I'm alive and living life.
I was on Zoloft for about 6 months after my heart attack for depression. I had some intestinal side effects but other then that I was good and it helped me get through a rough time along with some therapy. Now, I'm being advised to try Cymbalta for chronic nerve pain from cancer treatment. I've done the research and while there are some of the same side effects you mentioned (most psychotropics have the same warnings), I'm willing to try it if it's going to make my quality of life better. AND... it has the added benefit of being a "chill pill" which is beneficial with the amount of stress I'm currently dealing with in my professional life.
Cal...IMO, living the way you're living isn't really living. If some side effects are all you have to deal with to feel better, isn't that worth the risk? And in the majority of cases, once you're gotten through 4-6 weeks, the nastiest of the side effects wane. It's more about quality of life and what could happen if you don't do something at this point.
Positive thoughts
Is it any different with meds for physical ailments? You should read some of the fun side effects of the meds I have to take! And then there were the drugs and side effects from all the meds and chemo from cancer treatment.
You know what? What choice did I have? Sure, I could have refused and died. And yes, I still have some pretty nasty side effects and will have them for life but I'm alive and living life.
I was on Zoloft for about 6 months after my heart attack for depression. I had some intestinal side effects but other then that I was good and it helped me get through a rough time along with some therapy. Now, I'm being advised to try Cymbalta for chronic nerve pain from cancer treatment. I've done the research and while there are some of the same side effects you mentioned (most psychotropics have the same warnings), I'm willing to try it if it's going to make my quality of life better. AND... it has the added benefit of being a "chill pill" which is beneficial with the amount of stress I'm currently dealing with in my professional life.
Cal...IMO, living the way you're living isn't really living. If some side effects are all you have to deal with to feel better, isn't that worth the risk? And in the majority of cases, once you're gotten through 4-6 weeks, the nastiest of the side effects wane. It's more about quality of life and what could happen if you don't do something at this point.
Positive thoughts
Hi FMP. What disorders do you suffer from? Is it GAD, OCD, Depression?
I'm just scared of horrendous side effects FMP. I don't want to end up doing something terrible.
Everybody is different and reacts to medications differently. I had a few side effects starting lexapro, but nothing unmanageable. I continued to work full time through the startup. You never know until you try honestly and if it's bad, you taper off.
Everybody is different and reacts to medications differently. I had a few side effects starting lexapro, but nothing unmanageable. I continued to work full time through the startup. You never know until you try honestly and if it's bad, you taper off.
Thank you:hugs:
Hi FMP. What disorders do you suffer from? Is it GAD, OCD, Depression?
I'm just scared of horrendous side effects FMP. I don't want to end up doing something terrible.
I've had a couple of bouts with depression after my illnesses and have dealt with a bit of "scanxiety" since the cancer. With the chance of a recurrence rather high in Head and Neck cancer patients, it's understandable to have some stress/anxiety come check up time. I sought therapy and like I said, did a stint on Zoloft. I now have Buspar which I can take "as needed". I usually start taking it a few weeks prior to my followup appointments and it helps take the edge off the stress and worry. I can start and stop with no ill effects.
I have no prior history with mental illness until these rather traumatic physical issues.
Positive thoughts
I completely understand about not wanting to do something terrible Calumcco. I had and still have that same fear. I worry that I'm gonna lose it and turning crazy and suddenly hurting someone or myself. At the moment, I'm irritable and angry all the time. Someone can breathe and it irritates me. I'm constantly worried about hurting someone and definitely feeds my anxiety. But at the end of the day, no matter how bad you're feeling, you still have control over your actions. I need to remind myself of this advice as i often forget it. Thoughts/emotions are a lot different than actions
MyNameIsTerry
28-12-15, 23:00
I don't want to end up doing something terrible.
You will be under medical supervision (of sorts). They will be reviewing your condition a fair bit until you get through the worst.
I think you need to look at what people are saying, I don't think you are because many seem to get ignored despite them being helpful to you. I see that as part of the denial issue, Callum.
Being in denial, although a safe option, isn't going to help you in the long run, Callum. There are various options open to you regarding help with your entrenched anxiety disorder but if you continue to ignore advice you will be remain trapped within the disorder, looking for reasons either physical or mental as to why you are suffering so much.
Hi Pipkin. How bad is your quality of life without any medication?
Which SSRI did you have the psychotic experience on?
I agree, I am normally balanced and non-biased! I just felt sorry for all anxiety sufferers and the fact that some have to take medicine to make them feel better that comes with all the terrible effects that occur with it! It was not a personal attack on anyone or on any particular medication!
Calum,
To answer your questions:
1) My quality of life varies without meds but it's generally pretty miserable.
2) I'd rather not name the med in question in this context because everyone's different and I don't want to alarm anyone thinking of starting it. I was the exception rather than the rule.
And definitely don't feel sorry for anyone because they have to take meds to feel better. I'd be more inclined to feel sorry for people who won't accept help which is out there, including meds. Tbh, I hardly get any side effects at all - certainly fewer than all the physical anxiety symptoms I get when I'm off meds.
Take care
Pip
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