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Paxil Class Action Lawsuits Information
Paxil is an antidepressant drug that has been under a lot of
critical target ever since an FDA warning was issued in December 2003. As the
number of people diagnosed with depression continues to increase, with figures
tripling since the 1980s, the competition between drug companies trying to
capitalize on the growing market has also increased. Despite the fact that over
half the drug company studies through the 1990s showed no more effectiveness
than a sugar pill, the use of antidepressants like Paxil continued to flourish.
In the summer of 2003, British regulators issued a warning to doctors to avoid
prescribing Paxil to children due to the new data linking the antidepressant to
suicide attempts. The statement released by the British equivalence to the
U.S.'s FDA was that "it has become clear that the benefits (of Paxil) in
children for the treatment of depressive illness do not outweigh these risks."
In the U.S., the FDA did not issue a Paxil warning until nine days later.
For thousands of parents learning that a threefold increase of suicide existed
because of the use of Paxil, the news was frightening and upsetting. Other
parents that had already seen their children's ill response to Paxil, in
addition to some researchers and lawyers, finally felt like progress was being
made in their long pursuit to get Paxil restricted or banned. Paxil has been
linked to deadly side effects that some people claim was allowed to continue
because the company manipulated data to diminish the appearance of suicide risk
amongst patients and the FDA.
Paxil Side Effects
There are many Paxil side effects that patients should be
aware of. Paxil is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
anti-depressant that was approved by the FDA in 1993. Paxil is a prescription
drug approved to treat depression, general anxiety disorder, social anxiety,
obsessive compulsive disorder, and post traumatic stress disorder. Studies show
that nearly twenty percent of all clinical trial patients in Paxil studies have
had to discontinue treatment because of significant Paxil side effects.
Paxil side effects have been found to cause serious physical and psychological
problems in many patients taking this antidepressant. Physical Paxil side
effects can be increased in certain patient populations; therefore patients
should discuss their full medical history with their physician prior to
commencing treatment. Patients with a history of kidney problems, seizures,
glaucoma, or problems with similar medications might be at a greater risk of
suffering serious Paxil side effects. Serious Paxil side effects can also occur
with use of MAO inhibitors, and therefore these two medications can not be taken
together. Pregnant women are also advised not to use Paxil.
Other physical Paxil side effects that a patient can suffer may include:
allergic reaction, irregular heart beat, abnormally high or low blood pressure,
fever or chills, gastrointestinal problems, and other complications. Serious
physical Paxil side effects can also occur when a patient overdoses on this
drug. The serious Paxil side effects of an overdose can include: dizziness,
drowsiness, facial flush, nausea, sweating, tremors, vomiting, seizures, and
coma. Overdose of Paxil can cause a potentially fatal case of acute renal
failure.
Serious Paxil side effects can also occur as a patient attempts to discontinue
or modify their treatment. All SSRIs are habit-forming prescription medications.
Of all the SSRI drugs, Paxil is considered the most addictive. This means that
serious Paxil side effects can do injury to patients who are attempting to go
off Paxil. These Paxil side effect withdrawal symptoms can last one to three
months in some cases causing people to be fidgety, irritable, depressed,
aggressive, and suffer from a variety of physical Paxil side effects.
Extreme psychological Paxil side effects can also occur with regular use of this
drug. Paxil can actually cause or worsen the exact symptoms it is intended to
treat. Psychological Paxil side effects can include: mania, delusions,
hallucinations, the worsening of depressive symptoms, anxiety, agitation,
obsessions and compulsions, and suicidal and violent thoughts or behaviors. One
of the most dangerous Paxil side effects is a condition called akathisia.
Akathisia Paxil side effects are characterized by extreme motor restlessness and
agitation. This condition can be so bad that it leads people to have suicidal
and violent ideations. This Paxil side effect is often considered by experts to
be a precursor to aggressive or suicidal behaviors.
More Paxil Information
Paxil suicide is a major risk for anyone who is currently
taking this medication or has recently terminated their Paxil treatment. Paxil
is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant prescription
drug that was developed by British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. Paxil
was approved by the FDA in 1993 to treat major depression, social anxiety,
obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, general anxiety,
and panic disorder. Paxil has never been approved for pediatric populations.
Since this drug was approved for use in the United States, hundreds of reports
of Paxil suicide attempts and actual suicides have surfaced in patient cases all
over the world. There have been several studies that have found that Paxil
suicide risks are double, or even quadruple, for patients taking this
medication. Despite a growing body of evidence which suggests that Paxil is
unsafe for adults and children, the FDA and GlaxoSmithKline consistently adhere
to the false claim their Paxil suicide risks are not significant enough to
warrant action that would protect consumers.
A British Paxil suicide study conducted in 2004 found that patients taking Paxil
were four times more likely to develop Paxil suicide behaviors compared to trial
participants who had not taken this dangerous SSRI antidepressant. Researchers
found that a patient's Paxil suicide risks are greatest within the first week to
ten days of treatment and again when a patient terminates their treatment.
Several Paxil suicide studies have found that Paxil suicide risks are greatest
for children who take this prescription drug. A GlaxoSmithKline sponsored
clinical trial found that children who began Paxil treatment often went through
"hellish ordeals of out of control behavior, suicide threats, hallucinations,
and hospitalization." The FDA has stated that more than 110 American children
have already committed a successful Paxil suicide attempt.
In one FDA Paxil suicide investigation, researchers found at least four hundred
cases of adverse side effects suffered by children who have taken Paxil. It is
estimated that twenty to forty percent of all Paxil patients experience side
effects that are significant enough to terminate treatment. Because of the high
risk of Paxil suicide in pediatric populations, the British government has
ordered doctors to stop prescribing Paxil to children, though the FDA has not
followed suit.
If you or a loved one is taking Paxil and you are concerned about Paxil suicide
risks, it is important to speak with a doctor before making any treatment
changes. Because of the addictive nature of this drug, Paxil suicide risks can
actually increase as a patient attempts to go off this medication. If you
witness any signs or symptoms of Paxil suicide behaviors in yourself or someone
you know, it is important to speak to a medical professional.
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