Getting back on Paxil

My aunt suffers from manic depression and had taken Paxil coninuously for 2.5 years.  However,  in December 2000 she starting having brief seizures and gradually stopped taking PAxil.  She has been completely off the medication for the past 4 weeks.  Now she wants to start taking it again, because she feels she needs it, because her depressive and manic episodes are worsening.  Do you think she can start taking Paxil again, or should she try a different drug?

Thanks a lot.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

There are better drugs than Paxil for manic depression, including anticonvulsants like tegretol that would help with the seizures and the manic depressive symptoms. Her doctor should know about all the other mood stabilizing drugs she can take.