Side effects of Paxil in relation to personality changes

Hello,

My question relates to the side effects of Paxil in relation to personality changes.  Since coming off of Paxil, my wife's personality has drastically changed.  She has gone from a loving, Christian wife and mother, to someone who no longer feels that she wants to be married or does not care about maintaining her family.

It begain in November of 1997 when here PCP placed her on 20mg of Paxil per day for depression.  In March of 1999 she had an ovary removed due to a dermoid tumor (also had a tubal ligation at this time).  She came off of her birth control pills at the same time.  Around June or July 1999, her personality showed some signs of change, I thought she was still recovering from her surgery.

In August of 1999 she decided that she wanted to come off of the Paxil.  Her PCP directed her to cut the dose in half (10 mg) for about a month and then stop.  Within 2 days of decreasing the dose her personality changed dramatically.  It has only gotten much worse over the last 6 ~ 7 months.

She no longer cares about working with the girl's club in the church, she says she is unhappy and no longer wants to be married, she does not have the close ties she always had with her parents (they remarked to me about how she had changed), she is also doing other things that she would never have done before.  She is alway irritable and easily angered, also she lashes out with hurtful remarks frequently.

We have been together in a close Christian relationship for 12 years and she, in Aug. '99, became a different person.

I do not know if it is a hormone or chemical imbalance, I just know I am very concerned about her and would like some direction as to how to obtain help for her.

[HFHS MD - RG]

Discontinuing the birth control pills in addition to removing her ovary plus discontinuing Paxil may all contribute to her change in behavior.

You may want to give her PCP a call and update him of what is going on. I would assume that your wife trusts her PCP and upon his/her recommendation go back to either of the birth control pills or Paxil or both if necesary.

You may also want to spend more time with her listening than telling her she needs her medications and commenting on her changed behavior, so you can find out if the surgery she had in the past affected her in some way.

If she agrees, you may want to accomapny her to consulkt a psychiatrist for an evaluation.

[Heather Griffin]

I would say that your wife may have a Chemical/hormone imbalance her behavior sounds like mine when I try to go off Paxil I hate the world and can honestly say that I know how you feel please e-mail me at ***@**** and we can share some thoughts

[Julie]

Chad
I feel for you.  I too am in a Christian marriage and my husband also just came off Paxil.  It was making him manic and he just had an episode where he was hospitalized for mania.  They put him in hospital with truly mental people that made all of us crazy just being near these people.  The doctors say the mania is bipolar, but I know him and I know the Lord and I do not believe this could be bipolar.  I think paxil can screw with the neurotransmitters in the brain and cause normal people who probably never should of been prescribed the pill to become totally different people.  I will pray for you and your marriage.  Stay faithful and the Lords will will be done.  You will come out gold after this fire!

[Pam]

The description regardings Chad's wife describe's me but the difference is I am not taking medication, at least not at this point.  My family physician has prescribed Paxil for my depression and my GYN has prescribed birth control pills for symtoms (symptoms) related to my menstrual cycle.  I am 45 am I do believe that I am suffering from symtoms (symptoms) relating to perimenopause.  Should I refrain from taking both birth control pills and Paxil together.

[Tammy]

To Pam and To Chad,

Sounds very hormonal to me.  I am 39 years old and have been on Paxil for 8 months.  Recently, I went to a hormone specialist because I was rapidly gaining weight and felt fatigued and extreme exhaustion.  My regular doctor is very conservative, so I thought that the hormone specialist would help.  (I had a hysterectomy at age 34 and felt fine until 8 months ago.)  I cannot tell you how much better I am feeling now that I am on 1 mg. Estradiol (Estrogen).  I believe that all the past years of tense feelings, clenched teeth/grinding at night, mood swings, etc. were related to an imbalance of hormones. The fatigue and exhaustion were related to a thyroid problem.  I believe Paxil contributed to this (and to the 20 lb. weight gain). I am weaning off of the Paxil and feel great.  Will never give up my hormone medicine until they make me.  Paxil is a great band-aid, but band-aids can be removed when the wound is healed.  Estrogen is an ongoing situation.  Chad, I urge you to encourage your wife to be checked out by her gynecologist.  Sounds like she needs some lab tests for evaluation.
Good Luck and God Bless,
Tammy

[JG]

To all the dr's,pharms,and smithkline & beecham sales reps, I hope you all burn in hell for ignoring the torcher of paxil withdrawl (withdrawal). When I was presciribed paxil I wasn't told of the extreme withdrawl (withdrawal) symptoms. Word of the withdrawl (withdrawal) problem had long been heard of at the time of my dr. prescibing paxil. I'd rather go back to the panic attacks than deal with the nausea, diziness, headaches, nervousness, and the added anxiety of not knowing how long this nightmare will last. I've seen some postings about a class action lawsuit being implemented. Well, count me in. E-mail me if you know of any info regarding any treatments for the withdrawls or the lawsuit against smithkline & Beecham. e-mail (***@****)

[clay]

Hi,
My mother age 61 was put on 20mg of Paxil (10mg in morning and 10mg at night) for tremors after taking this for 2 weeks she went back to her doctor and said she felt less anxiety but her tremors were the same. At this he put her on 60mg a day ( 40mg morn. and 20 at night) she took this for 5 days and then started to tremble all over. She then dropped to 40mg for the next 3 days and then went back to her doctor who then took her completely off of paxil and put her on enderol. She has now been off of paxil for about 4 weeks. Her personality has changed completely from being meek, quiet and mild to someone who will run over you and says what ever comes into her head (very talkative) she even cussed out her sister-in-law, shes never said a cuss word in all her life. Shes spoke of leaving my father who shes been married to for 35 years. Her check book is a total mess, shes writing wild dates and names on them. The worst part is she thinks shes totally fine other than talking more than usual. Paxil can change a normal persons personality into one that looks manic.