PAXIL and HIGH SUGAR READINGS

[dolphinlvr]

I'm considered to be in a pre-diabetes state as of now. I had a viral infection in my right ear approx 2 yrs ago that did some damage, the specialist I saw prescribed Paxil.....said it was a new approach, it has helped the vertigo alot(before the Paxil I couldn't even drive)!! My fasting BS have been in the 115-125 range, according to how good I've been....lol. I was having alot of problems with flushing on my face and breaking out in a HEAVY sweat,dizziness,etc. within 15 minutes of eating.....no matter what I ate. I've been off the Paxil for a month now and the flushing/sweating has totally stopped(2-3 weeks ago) and my fasting blood sugar readings have dropped to between 110-101. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm thinking that the Paxil was somehow affecting my readings and when I was good then my sugar dropped too low, hence the flushing/sweating. Anyway, thank you for any input...I've been to the Dr's more times in the last 2 yrs trying to get this stuff figured out than I have in my whole lifetime and I'm 53. (and no, it's not menopause....been there, done that...lol)Oh....my last A1c(?) was 6.5, that was about 6 weeks ago. Thanks again !! Joyce

[timmay2t]

This is very interesting.  I've been experiencing vertigo for over a year now, with 0 results from any medications.  I just started taking the paxil today.

What got me was i have the same issue with my vertigo, it is terrible when I wake up and slowly degresses throughout the day.  

I am extremely glad to read that the paxil helped somebody with vertigo, as i have been basically unfunctional for over 12 months.

Did the vertigo come back after you quit taking the medicine?  

[dolphinlvr]

Thank you for the reply. The symptoms of the vertigo and the (listed) symptoms of Paxil withdrawal are about the same, and yes, I have been having the dizziness...mostly when I turn my head back and forth as in driving however, it's only happened 4-5 times out of the last month or so(actually within the last week). For the last 2 yrs I've been telling Drs. that the feeling is worse in the morning, better in the afternoon. The ENT specialist I went to said I need to keep my fluid down to keep the ear canal dry, we all know that at the end of the day the fluid in our bodies have gravitated to the lower half.....when we recline(sleep) the fluid is distributed from head to toe......so, after saying all this...lol.....I think I've figured out that it is a problem with the inner ear and the Paxil was helping. Now....the sugar readings.....I will check into this farther to see if Paxil masks my readings, I know my BP medicine(atenolol)does.Thank you again for your input. Joyce

[JDRF-Team-CDB]

Hi Joyce,
You don't say whether your vertigo came back when you went off the Paxil. Did it? If it didn't, then problem solved, you don't need to take the drug, and your blood sugar will be more stable. Not that I know if Paxil causes blood-sugar issues-- I'm the mom of a diabetic, not a pharmacologist. I did some basic Google searching, and the Paxil website does list sweating, dizziness and nervousness as possible side effects, so perhaps you were just suffering Paxil effects, not blood-sugar effects.

If you want to go back on the Paxil for the vertigo, ask your specialist about these side effects and your pre-diabetes state. Only he/she would be qualified to properly figure that out.

Good luck with it all.