SSRIs Side Effects and Withdrawal Symptoms

[Peagee]

They exist.  They matter.  They have ruined and, in some cases, totally destroyed, lives.  There is ample information out there for even an interested amateur to look for.  
Simply, for instance, go to Google and type in:
paxil side effects withdrawal symptoms
and the REAL picture will very startlingly show itself.
Cold turkey can be very disabling and even slow weaning can still result in big problems.  Research.  Educate yourselves before making decisions as to how to best to minimise these problems.

There are court cases, ethical research results by independent researchers, victims, petitions, articles and books written by eminent doctors such as Peter Breggin, David Healy, Dr Anne Tracy, Dr Mosher etc - those who retain the concept of the hypocratic oath they once signed - eminent doctors and psychiatrists who put people before profit.

You are also all invited to visit the following site where  quite a lot of accessible info has already been collated for ease of use.  
http://paxilsupport.homestead.com/Index.html

My Question?  Will the medhelp site be incorporating some of the information in future?

Thanks :)
Peagee

[Peagee]

Marti - you think SSRI withdrawal isn't CLOSE to depression?  Then you haven't suffered serious withdrawal yet.  God help you if you do.  Here's a response from someone (name deleted) to MY message of not feeling able to cope with withdrawal any longer, and I'd say that daily  suicidal feelings because of AND IN ADDITION TO the other withdrawal symptoms IS pretty similar to to the worst type of depression.

"Paula: You cannot give up on this process. I know six months seems like an eternity, and I thought so too as I hit that mark in my recovery. I toyed with suicide every single day thinking that I just couldn't go on in that state, and yet I DID go on for another 18+ months before I started to see any improvement. And there is no guarantee whatsoever that if you went back on Paxil that it would cure your problems. People don't believe me when I say to them that you cannot measure your recovery in weeks or months -- it takes, for many many people, YEARS to recover from taking these drugs. Some people never recovery fully and I believe that I am one of those people since it's been almost 5 years and I still have all the problems I had in year 2. You will start to see a pattern now to your recovery -- you will have periods of time with a respite of symptoms; you will get overconfident and think that the nightmare is over, but this is where you have to maintain a stress-free life because the minute you start to engage in the world the way you did before Paxil, with all its stressors and aggravation, your symptoms will come back with a vengeance. Even now, I have periods of where I say to myself, "Whew, that's over, I can go back to my normal life" and then I'll run around like crazy, going here and there, feeling like I am finally out of the woods, and then it will hit me all over again and I'll be literally bedridden for two or three days until it subsides. Now I appreciate the times when I feel normal, but I know that it is short-lived unless I carefully monitor everything I do. So don't give up. You are still in the very early stages of this Paxhell game."

Marti, I hope you never get withdrawal like this.  Because if you do you won't be so dismissive, you'll be struggling to survive - and your worst nightmare about depression will seem insignificant, do you have ANY IDEA how many have been given emergency ECTs EEGs EMGs etc - suspected strokes, brain tumours, brain damage, MS, neurological damage tests etc, and it turns out to be SSRI adverse effects? And how many actually HAVE strokes etc as a result as well.  YOU may never get this level of withdrawal.  You may be lucky.  But other people taking advice that 'SSRIs are OK' might right now be joining the list of victims.  Just like thousands and thousands of others.  Paula

[MartiH]

I had to try lots of antidepressants before I found one that worked.  And I've had withdrawal symptoms that were bad from some of them.  And just being on a few of them was pretty bad.  

But none of the symptoms were as bad as the depression - not even close.

It took a couple of years trying around 8 anti-depressants before I found one that worked.  (Very few people have this much trouble finding one.)  But it was worth it because now I don't have to worry about going into a severe depression and losing my ability to think & write and, thereby, losing my job.

The stupid thing was that I've had depression all my life but I didn't try anti-depressants until I was 35 because it wasn't an "acceptable" thing to do and because I didn't understand that anti-depressants can really work.  That's an extra 20 years of misery I had for no reason.

I don't believe medicine is the answer for everyone.  I believe counseling is very important, too.  But it was medicine that got me to the point I could function enough to work on everything else.

But getting the right medicine for some people is only found through trial and error.  And it's very hard going through the process.  One day medical science will develop a better way to do it, but this is all we have right now.

[Peagee]

NOBODY needs neurological damage by chemical assault, PARTICULARLY people who are already suffering. Most parents love their children.  But parents do not always KNOW what is best, are not qualified in biochemistry or medicine and so trust drug companies to know that for them, assuming that ethical research procedures were followed and that honest results have been disclosed.  Sadly, I know a number of parents who deeply regret having placed their trust in that direction.  

NOBODY deserves to be treated with medication where truthful disclosure of the real negative research results have been withheld.  NOBODY.  NO LOVING PARENT deserves to lose a child because of this lack of disclosure.  No CHILD deserves to lose a parent because of this.   BALANCED?  How the hell can anything be BALANCED until there is honest and transparent disclosure to the doctors by the drug companies?  How can it be BALANCED when the only disclosures that are made are based on deceipt?  I only hope that loving parents who do have access to information sites will research everything available about the drug their child is prescribed before more lives are ruined or lost.

Paula

[peacetrain]

my advise as a mother of three teens is to listen to your parents and your dr. they love u and want u to feel your best. Antidepressants are good but u need to have counciling also. I would reccommend counciling over any meds for less severe anxiety or depression, but as the condition worsens sometimes meds are good and today meds are safer than they ever were, i thank God for safe meds for disorders, some cannot be treated without it. I think we all need a balance of things and not go overboard about taking meds but certainly not take them when we do in fact need them. Listen to your parents, they love u.

[Peagee]

Just Java - sorry I didn't scroll down far enough until just now to see all your questions.  Am in a hurry now, but in amongst this long (but not inclusive) list of sites you will find information that will help.  Just copy and paste a line into the Address of your browser.  
All the best :)
Paula

http://www.outlookcities.com/psych/ATracyPhD.htm
http://www.outlookcities.com/psych/
http://www.drugawareness.org/Oldsite/tracyarticle.html
http://www.socialaudit.org.uk/5111-005.htm#underlying%20problem
http://www.socialaudit.org.uk/5100what.htm#981113
http://www.socialaudit.org.uk/425ssritable.htm
http://www.socialaudit.org.uk/4554-01SKB.htm#Dear
http://www.socialaudit.org.uk/4390EU61.htm#DRUG
http://abcnews.go.com/onair/2020/2020_000825_SSRIwithdrawal_feature.html
http://www.drugawareness.org/Archives/4thQtr_2001/92501Psychiatrist.html
http://www.socialaudit.org.uk/4200JOGL.htm#Prozac%20Backlash
http://www.breggin.com/paxilcomplaint.html
http://society.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4316640,00.html
http://www.socialaudit.org.uk/5016-112.htm
http://www.socialaudit.org.uk/4200ahyo.htm#A.H.%20Young
http://www.socialaudit.org.uk/4342SA98.htm#Dear%20Dr
http://www.socialaudit.org.uk/4200doan.htm#D.O. Antonuccio
http://www.socialaudit.org.uk/4200tjmo.htm#T.J.%20Moore
http://www.glenmullen.com/prozacBacklash.html
http://www.a-paxil-lawyer-source.com/html/paxil_general.html
http://www.a-paxil-lawyer-source.com/html/links.html
http://www.a-paxil-lawyer-source.com/html/paxil_media.html
http://www.glenmullen.com/reviews.html#globe
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,504775,00.html
http://www.classactionamerica.com/cases/case.asp?cid=1087
http://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/antidepressant_information.htm
http://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/media/zoloft/Australian%20Zoloft%20Ruling.htm
http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~z67psc/Lawsuit.html
http://www.pharmapolitics.com/cbcnational.html
http://www.namiscc.org/newsletters/August01/Healy.htm
http://www.backtolife.uk.com/news.htm
http://www.prozactruth.com
http://www.***@****
http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com
http://www.pssg.org
http://www.truehope.com
http://www.prozactruth.com/taper.htm
http://www.hotch.demon.co.uk/wc/sibut.htm (a slimming SSRI)

[Just Java]

help.

[Just Java]

Any first time experiences with the med would help.

[Just Java]

I have heard that Zoloft in combination with Ritalin can help with some of the initial side effects..any truth in this? Any first time experiences with the med would help.

[Just Java]

I am a 25 year old male and am just getting started on meds.  I have just been prescribed Zoloft to treat my bipolar disorder (manic depression).  After reading some of the testimonials I am feeling a little nrvous about taking the drug.  I have been very lethargic and sluggish for the past 12 months and after repeated family adivse choose to see a MD.  I am to start with 25mg for a week and then switch to 50mg daily.  I am worried about the weight gain being that I am already 30lbs over my normal weight.  I am also worried about the keyed up feelings people refer to.  Does this medication make anyone over anxious or flighty?  I have heard that Zoloft in combination with Ritalin can help with some of the initial side effects..any truth in this? Any first time experiences with the med would help.  Also I am completely new to SSRIs.

[Just Java]

I am a 25 year old male and am just getting started on meds.  I have heard that Zoloft in combination with Ritalin can help with some of the initial side effects..any truth in this? Any first time experiences with the med would help.  Also I am completely new to SSRIs.

[Just Java]

I am a 25 year old male and am just getting started on meds.  I have just been prescribed Zoloft to treat my bipolar disorder (manic depression).   I am also worried about the keyed up feelings people refer to.  Does this medication make anyone over anxious or flighty?  I have heard that Zoloft in combination with Ritalin can help with some of the initial side effects..any truth in this? Any first time experiences with the med would help.  Also I am completely new to SSRIs.

[JustSayNo]

Withdrawal from paroxetine can be severe, warns FDA
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/324/7332/260

[Peagee]

Thank you for replying :)  With all due respect, a balanced view is the result of an informed view.  And if there were a true 'balanced view' then there would not now be several thousand posts on the two Prozac (7+ thousand) and Paxil (c. 3.5 thousand) Petitions that I know of , all of whom are suffering from adverse effects/withdrawal symptoms or, worse, have lost a child, relative or friend to these drugs.  If there had been a BALANCED view then several of my friends would still have their children, young human beings with a right to life, with them.  Alive.  If there had been a BALANCED view (an INFORMED view) then I, along with very many others, would not have been taken off Seroxat (Paxil) cold turkey because  information would have been provided to the doctors by GSK.  

Those victims who are 'lucky' enough to realise initially that something is unusually wrong, those who are lucky enough to have access to a computer, those who are 'lucky' enough to have had such serious adverse effects that a visit to the doctor was impossible (ie, those who had bad zaps etc) and so did an internet search that day  to see what would cause such symptoms (thinking it was the onset of stroke, or brain tumour) - THOSE VICTIMS are the ones who are bringing the information in the absence of it having been provided by pharmaceutical companies.  

Some victims are NOT so lucky.  They get to a doctor or go to site which does not have the facts and are convinced by uninformed professionals that the problem:  the side effects, the zaps, seizures, bleeding eyes, muscular pains, diaorrhea (sp), vomiting, inability to concentrate, out-of-normal character aggression, uncharacteristic impulsive behaviours including  suicidal ideation ... ad nauseum, are a manifestation of their depression.  And, having been convinced because "doctor is a professional so must know best however strange it seems" are willing then to take MORE of the drug, or a DIFFERENT drug and so the pharmaceutical profit making machine entraps more people who do NOT become a part of the statistical evidence showing itself.  So the considerable number of victims who ARE on petitions, support boards, etc are only a fraction of the true figure.

Why are the  FACTS not accurately given?  It isn't so difficult to guess even without the benefit of having researched and read things such as the legal case found here:
http://www.breggin.com/paxilcomplaint.html
Personal profit/power is quite the seducer.  As pharmaceutical companies are very well aware.  And it takes a strong character, with an equally strong concern for humanity and respect for lives under his/her care,  to retain his/her principles under the considerable pressures brought to bear by those pharma-companies.  And it is for this reason that Mosher, Breggin, Healy, Tracy, and a few other very honourable experts are the heroes.  I'm hoping that more heroes will emerge in time as more professionals BECOME aware and decide to do the right thing and so honour the Hippocratic Oath which, as  Mosher pointed out, states "above all, do no harm".  

In case you are wondering - no, I do not intend to become part of any legal action.  Yes, I would love to have the means to live comfortably but will, hopefully, get there eventually in my own slow way and without harm to others, not by taking dirty money accumulated by drug companies at the cost of lives.  

In the meantime, I'm doing my best, in my way,  to help in the fight to force GlaxoSmithKline into accountability  before more lives are ruined.   I do NOT intend  to be guilty of bystander apathy - and I'm sort of  hoping that, now having access to sufficient links available  to assist you in researching this matter,  neither will you?

Thanks for your time :)

Paula

[JustSayNo]

Dangers of SSRI's

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DiscloseTheTruth/messagesearch?query=ssri

I don't know anyone who has not suffered SSRI addiction and withdrawal unless it was not identified as such and considered to be "relapse".  SSRI withdrawal is severe and dangerous as SSRI's are complex chemical compounds.  

DiscloseTheTruth

[Peagee]

Thank you for replying :)  With all due respect, a balanced view is the result of an INFORMED view.  And if there were a true 'balanced view' then there would not now be several thousand posts on the two Petitions that I know of: Prozac (7+ thousand) and Paxil (c. 3.5 thousand), all of whom are either suffering from adverse effects or withdrawal symptoms or, worse, have lost a child, relative or friend to these drugs.  If there had been a BALANCED view then several of my friends would still have their children, young human beings with a right to life, with them.  Alive.  If there had been a BALANCED view (an INFORMED view) then I, along with very many others, would not have been taken off Seroxat (Paxil) cold turkey BECAUSE comprehensive information would have been provided to the doctors by GLAXOSMITHKLINE.  

Those victims who are 'lucky' enough to realise initially that something is unusually wrong, those who are lucky enough to have access to a computer, those who are 'lucky' enough to have had such serious adverse effects that a visit to the doctor was impossible (ie, those who had bad zaps etc) and so did an internet search that day  to see what would cause such symptoms (thinking it was the onset of stroke, or brain tumour) - THOSE VICTIMS are the ones who are bringing the information in the absence of it having been provided by pharmaceutical companies.  

Some victims are NOT so lucky.  They get to a doctor or go to site which does not have the facts and are convinced by uninformed professionals that the problem:  the side effects, the zaps, seizures, bleeding eyes, muscular pains, diaorrhea (sp), vomiting, inability to concentrate, out-of-normal character aggression, uncharacteristic impulsive behaviours including  suicidal ideation ... ad nauseum, are a manifestation of their depression.  And, having been convinced because "doctor is a professional so must know best however strange it seems" are willing then to take MORE of the drug, or a DIFFERENT drug and so the pharmaceutical profit making machine entraps more people who do NOT become a part of the statistical evidence showing itself.  So the considerable number of victims who ARE on petitions, support boards, etc are only a fraction of the true figure.

Why are the  FACTS not accurately given?  It isn't so difficult to guess even without the benefit of having researched and read things such as the legal case found here:
http://www.breggin.com/paxilcomplaint.html
Personal profit/power is quite the seducer.  As pharmaceutical companies are very well aware. And it takes a strong character, with an equally strong concern for humanity and respect for lives under his/her care,  to retain his/her principles under the considerable pressures brought to bear by those pharma-companies.  And it is for this reason that Mosher, Breggin, Healy, Tracy, and a few other very honourable experts are the heroes.  I'm hoping that more heroes will emerge in time as more professionals BECOME aware and decide to do the right thing and so honour the Hippocratic Oath which, I believe, states "above all, do no harm".  

In case you are wondering - no, I do not intend to become part of any legal action.  Yes, I would love to have the means to live comfortably but will, hopefully, get there eventually in my own slow way and without harm to others, not by taking dirty money accumulated by drug companies at the cost of lives.  

In the meantime, I'm doing my best, in my way,  to help in the fight to force GlaxoSmithKline into accountability  before more lives are ruined.   I do NOT intend  to be guilty of bystander apathy - and I'm sort of  hoping that, having now got information from which to research, neither will you?

Thanks for your time :)

Paula

[Peagee]

http://www.antipsychiatry.org/mosher.loren.1.htm
"How Drug Company Money Has Corrupted Psychiatry
by Loren R. Mosher, M.D.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is the nationwide organization to which most psychiatrists belong. In some ways it is a trade union. A large proportion of its income is from drug company advertising in its journals and newspaper. It also receives "unrestricted educational grants" and convention revenue from drug companies. Drug company sponsored symposia and exhibitions dominate the two major annual psychiatric conventions. Of course, the symposia speakers are paid handsomely for their half-day appearances. In my opinion, the APA is so dependent on pharmaceutical company support that it can not afford to criticize the overuse and misuse of psychotropic drugs. Perhaps more importantly, the APA is unwilling to mandate education of psychiatrists about the the seriousness of the short and long-term toxicities and withdrawal reactions from the drugs.
The drug companies pay speakers ($1000-2000 per appearance) who give psychiatric grand rounds and/or evening speeches (dinner provided by the company) to local psychiatric societies. Speakers come from lists of psychiatrists who will basically endorse their products. Doctors training to be psychiatrists are specially targeted for these speakers.
The drug companies give contracts to university based and private psychiatric research companies to conduct drug trials that are required for U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the drugs they sell. The company provides the protocol and the researcher may receive as much as $40,000 per patient that completes the study. This allows the drug company considerable influence on the way the drug studies are conducted. All of these drug manufacturer activities have increased in scope and intensity since the introduction of newly patented drugs, beginning with Prozac in 1989. They must reap the profits before patents run out.
Research protocols used in studies of psychiatric drugs required for the approval of the FDA are supposed to be reviewed by Institutional Review Boards (IRB's) to be sure they do not pose undue risks to the study subjects. Members of these boards have been found to be highly paid consultants to drug companies whose protocols they review. That is, they have obvious conflicts of interests and are not objective, unbiased reviewers of the psychiatric drug studies over which they pass judgment. The latest "novel" anti-psychotic drug that has been approved by our federal drug regulatory agency (FDA) is Zeldox, which the FDA allowed to be introduced to the US market despite Zeldox's dangers.
In my view American psychiatry has become drug dependent (that is, devoted to pill pushing) at all levels - private practitioners, public system psychiatrists, university faculty and organizationally. What should be the most humanistic medical specialty has become mechanistic, reductionistic, tunnel-visioned and dehumanizing. Modern psychiatry has forgotten the Hippocratic principle: Above all, do no harm."

[Peagee]

Just one tiny example of info available on the internet:

Extract from:
http://www.citizen.org/eletter/drugprofiles/paroxetine.htm
"Adverse Effects

Call your doctor immediately if you experience:

signs of overdose: agitation and restlessness, convulsions, seizures, unusual excitement, severe nausea and vomiting, severe drowsiness, dry mouth, irritability, large pupils, fast heartbeat
signs of allergic reaction or serum sickness-like syndrome: skin rash or hives associated with burning or tingling in fingers, hands, or arms, chills or fever, swollen glands, joint or muscle pain, swelling of feet or lower legs, or trouble breathing
signs of hypoglycemia: anxiety, chills, cold sweats, confusion, cool, pale skin, difficulty in concentration, drowsiness, excessive hunger, fast heartbeat, headache, nervousness, shakiness, unsteady walk, unusual tiredness or weakness
suicidal thoughts or behavior
chills or fever
joint or muscle pain
skin rash, hives, or itching
difficulty breathing
cold sweats
confusion
excessive hunger
unusual excitement
swollen glands
swelling of feet or lower legs
difficulty speaking
dry mouth
decreased sexual drive
stomach or abdominal cramps
gas
tiredness or weakness
trouble sleeping
mania
Call your doctor if these symptoms continue:

anxiety and nervousness
nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
increased or decreased appetite or weight loss
constipation
frequent urination
change in taste
drowsiness
dizziness
headache
increased sweating
disturbing dreams
changes in vision
chest pain
irregular or fast heartbeat
stuffy nose
cough
impaired concentration
trembling or quivering
feeling of warmth or heat
flushing or redness of skin, especially on face and neck
Periodic Tests

Ask your doctor which of these tests should be done periodically while you are taking this drug:

supervision of depression with suicidal tendencies
WARNING
WITHDRAWAL REACTIONS WITH SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITOR ANTIDEPRESSANTS (SSRIS)

A withdrawal reaction has been reported with all SSRI antidepressants. The symptoms generally start within one to three days after stopping the drug, and generally resolve within one to two weeks after the drug has been discontinued. Withdrawal symptoms may occur even when the dosage of the drug is gradually decreased. The main symptoms of this reaction are: dizziness, vertigo, uncoordination, nausea and vomiting, and flu-like symptoms that include fatigue, lethargy, muscle pain and chills.

This reaction appears to be most common with paroxetine, and to a lesser extent with sertraline and fluoxetine. Withdrawal has also been reported with fluvoxamine. Because this is the newest SSRI how often the withdrawal reaction occurs is unknown."

[Peagee]

Whoops, lets try this url again and see if it comes up as a link:
http://paxilsupport.homestead.com/Index.html

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

I can't speak for the site administrators, but the information you have offered our viewers is quite valuable.  The problem is that there are so many other patients who do not have the side effects, so what is needed is a balanced view, and that view comes from the comparison studies, all of which indicate the true extent of side effects and positive effects compared to a control group.