Investigation of Glaxo's Paxil widens: report (suicide risk)

[UpInArms]

Source: Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. Department of Justice investigation into whether GlaxoSmithKline PLC withheld data about the suicide risks of the antidepressant drug Paxil is widening, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

In its online editions, the newspaper said Glaxo confirmed that a previously disclosed Colorado-based investigation of its marketing practices also includes the U.S. attorney's office in Boston and is being coordinated by the agency in Washington.

Federal investigators in Boston last year asked lawyers for families that are suing Glaxo for information, documents and depositions concerning Paxil's potential link to suicidal behavior, and how the company portrayed that risk to doctors and the Food and Drug Administration.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUSN2041240520080620

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Paxil Is Bad Stuff

Much worse than other SSRIs. Bad withdrawal issues for many that take it.

[fight4my3sons]

2. .

Under the direction of my doctor I was weaned very slowly off of it. I had almost every withdrawal symptom listed. Horrible. I would not recommend coming off of it without doctor supervision.

[Dr.Phool]

3. I don't think any anti-depressent is safe.

A friend of mine was on Paxil for a while. When he was in his manic mode, he was spending money like Imelda Marcos at a shoe sale. Except he was going to gun shows. When he got under medicated, he handed his wife a shotgun and said "shoot me, then that dog, and then yourself. She got him committed, real quick.

A few years ago, I went on Zyban, aka Wellbutrin, to quit smoking. I started getting all kinds of weird ideas and behaviors. I had a seizure, and said fuck this shit, I'd rather have cancer.

[sendero]

4. Nobody suffering from mania......

... should be taking ANY SSRI. He should get another doctor/psychiatrist. This is 101 stuff.

[Mountainman]

7. The medications have different outcomes with people . The majority of people are helped with mental

illness by using medication. A doctor should be monitoring the effects of the medication. Real harm comes from people with anecdotal information and non fact based opinions that keep people from seeking professional help for their mental illness. Untreated depression results in more suicides than medication does.

I speak from personal experience.

[juno jones]

5. Many years ago I knew a rocket scientist

long retired (in his 70's), who had worked at Los Alamos, etc. Our neighbor, we got to know him over the course of about a year. he was taking a cocktail that included paxil. I remember him lovingly decribing the chemistry of the SSRI's and he would tell me exactly what processes were going on as he took them and what effects he was feeling. He loved the legal high, basically. Probably helped him live with himself and the results of his life's work.

And every damn time his medication hit a certain level (probably cycling down) in his system he would go nuts, threaten to kill his wife and himself and tear up his house. Once his wife fled to our house wearing nothing but underwear (lake Tahoe in winter, read freezing + snow on the ground) because he had gotten violent while 'coming down' or should I say 'crashing'.

Bad stuff, bad stuff. Google 'tardive dyskinisia'.

[TheModernTerrorist]

6. I was on this stuff

For over a year starting in 2001, I was on Paxil. Lucky for me I knew the symptoms and could tell that I needed to get off of the stuff.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. I am on Paxil

The fact is that SSRIs increase the risk of suicide. A depressed person is often so depressed that he won't even bother to kill himself. Consequently, the SSRI may get him to feel good enough to carry out such plans.

That needs to be disclosed by the drug manufacturers and the doctor prescribing the medication to the patient and the caregivers, if any (and hopefully someone is providing care). The alternative to taking this medication is -- well, let's just say I don't want to go there again. I found the risk worth taking.

That reminds me. I have to call in my prescription now.

[ryanmuegge]

9. Christ. How many people in America are on this shit or other SSRI or antipsychotics?

It seems like everybody I know, other than myself, takes some shit like this.


These medications have horrific side-effects that I would think could exacerbate depression (sexual dysfunction, nightmares, weight gain, etc.).