Anti-Depressant Creates Conflicts For Patients

[Guest guest]

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/3586157/detail.html

Anti-Depressant Creates Conflicts For Patients

POSTED: 5:35 am EDT July 28, 2004

UPDATED: 10:28 am EDT July 28, 2004

It's called Paxil -- a widely prescribed antidepressant drug -- but thousands of

patients question its safety and accuse the manufacturer of hiding information

about dangerous side effects.

In 2001, Craig Schleunes lost his job, was having trouble finding another one,

and was suffering -- understandably -- from anxiety. His doctor suggested the

anti-depressant Paxil.

He began the drug in August, but by December, he started getting light-headed

and dizzy. His doctor didn't think the Paxil could be to blame, but Craig

started doing some research about the drug on the Internet and what he saw there

frightened him.

" I found out that indeed many people have the symptoms I was feeling and even

worse symptoms, " said Schleunes. Craig's doctor upped his dosage to 40 mg. He

began having unbearable nightmares every night.

" Extremely violent, long nightmares, " he said. " I didn't know where I was when I

woke up in the morning. "

WBAL-TV 11 News reporter Donna Hamilton said, " Craig decided he had to get off

the Paxil. On his doctor's advice, he began to taper down his dose. Over 3 weeks

he dropped to 20 mg, 15, then 10 to no Paxil. He says that was when a living

hell began. "

Craig began experiencing lightheadedness, sensations of electric shocks in his

head, seeing and hearing things. He still had the nightmares, and now, panic

attacks.

Barth Menzies is a California attorney handling thousands of plaintiffs.

" (They are) telling the story of taking a medicine that was supposed to help

without realizing that when they tried to come off the drug they wouldn't be

able to, " said Menzies.

Her clients include 50 families of people who committed or attempted suicide

while on the drug.

Hamilton said, " Menzies claims those incidents are Paxil-related and that the

maker of Paxil -- Glaxo Kline -- has deliberately withheld many of the

risks of the drug. "

In Great Britain, Paxil has been banned for use in adolescents and the World

Health Organization says there have been at least 2,000 reports from doctors of

patients having problems getting off Paxil.

" One of the things about treatment with antidepressants is that the response in

very individual and, unfortunately, pretty unpredictable, " said Dr. Marc

Fishman, medical director of Mountain Manor.

Fishman treats drug-involved adolescents in and out patient and often uses

antidepressants including Paxil. He said the class of drugs Paxil is in -- SSRI,

or selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors -- has helped millions of people, but

they all have what he calls discontinuation syndrome.

" That's a fancy way of saying that if you stop the medication, you get symptoms

from withdrawal, " said Fisherman. " They're not dangerous but they can be very

uncomfortable. "

Fishman admits Paxil is probably the worst offender of the SSRI's and says it is

crucial patients know about the side effects up front. When patients do want to

get off Paxil, he said they taper them off slowly.

" But even when you do your best, the final step to zero can sometimes be

uncomfortable, " said Fisherman.

Hamilton asked, " In your opinion, is Paxil a good drug or a bad drug? "

" I would say Paxil is a good drug, " he replied. " It is effective for depression,

but people who continue to use it need to use it judiciously. "

Craig Schleunes's symptoms did finally stop. He is one of the patients filing

suit against Paxil's maker.

While he doesn't think Paxil should be taken off the market, he said, " My

concern now getting better information to the general population. "

WBAL-TV 11 News contacted Paxil's manufacturer, Glaxo Kline. The company

said it would be against its policy to comment on any accusations.

Stay with TheWBALChannel.com and 11 News for the latest health updates.

Copyright 2004 by TheWBALChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not

be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistribute

[Guest guest]

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/3586157/detail.html

Anti-Depressant Creates Conflicts For Patients

POSTED: 5:35 am EDT July 28, 2004

UPDATED: 10:28 am EDT July 28, 2004

It's called Paxil -- a widely prescribed antidepressant drug -- but thousands of

patients question its safety and accuse the manufacturer of hiding information

about dangerous side effects.

In 2001, Craig Schleunes lost his job, was having trouble finding another one,

and was suffering -- understandably -- from anxiety. His doctor suggested the

anti-depressant Paxil.

He began the drug in August, but by December, he started getting light-headed

and dizzy. His doctor didn't think the Paxil could be to blame, but Craig

started doing some research about the drug on the Internet and what he saw there

frightened him.

" I found out that indeed many people have the symptoms I was feeling and even

worse symptoms, " said Schleunes. Craig's doctor upped his dosage to 40 mg. He

began having unbearable nightmares every night.

" Extremely violent, long nightmares, " he said. " I didn't know where I was when I

woke up in the morning. "

WBAL-TV 11 News reporter Donna Hamilton said, " Craig decided he had to get off

the Paxil. On his doctor's advice, he began to taper down his dose. Over 3 weeks

he dropped to 20 mg, 15, then 10 to no Paxil. He says that was when a living

hell began. "

Craig began experiencing lightheadedness, sensations of electric shocks in his

head, seeing and hearing things. He still had the nightmares, and now, panic

attacks.

Barth Menzies is a California attorney handling thousands of plaintiffs.

" (They are) telling the story of taking a medicine that was supposed to help

without realizing that when they tried to come off the drug they wouldn't be

able to, " said Menzies.

Her clients include 50 families of people who committed or attempted suicide

while on the drug.

Hamilton said, " Menzies claims those incidents are Paxil-related and that the

maker of Paxil -- Glaxo Kline -- has deliberately withheld many of the

risks of the drug. "

In Great Britain, Paxil has been banned for use in adolescents and the World

Health Organization says there have been at least 2,000 reports from doctors of

patients having problems getting off Paxil.

" One of the things about treatment with antidepressants is that the response in

very individual and, unfortunately, pretty unpredictable, " said Dr. Marc

Fishman, medical director of Mountain Manor.

Fishman treats drug-involved adolescents in and out patient and often uses

antidepressants including Paxil. He said the class of drugs Paxil is in -- SSRI,

or selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors -- has helped millions of people, but

they all have what he calls discontinuation syndrome.

" That's a fancy way of saying that if you stop the medication, you get symptoms

from withdrawal, " said Fisherman. " They're not dangerous but they can be very

uncomfortable. "

Fishman admits Paxil is probably the worst offender of the SSRI's and says it is

crucial patients know about the side effects up front. When patients do want to

get off Paxil, he said they taper them off slowly.

" But even when you do your best, the final step to zero can sometimes be

uncomfortable, " said Fisherman.

Hamilton asked, " In your opinion, is Paxil a good drug or a bad drug? "

" I would say Paxil is a good drug, " he replied. " It is effective for depression,

but people who continue to use it need to use it judiciously. "

Craig Schleunes's symptoms did finally stop. He is one of the patients filing

suit against Paxil's maker.

While he doesn't think Paxil should be taken off the market, he said, " My

concern now getting better information to the general population. "

WBAL-TV 11 News contacted Paxil's manufacturer, Glaxo Kline. The company

said it would be against its policy to comment on any accusations.

Stay with TheWBALChannel.com and 11 News for the latest health updates.

Copyright 2004 by TheWBALChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not

be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistribute

[Guest guest]

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/3586157/detail.html

Anti-Depressant Creates Conflicts For Patients

POSTED: 5:35 am EDT July 28, 2004

UPDATED: 10:28 am EDT July 28, 2004

It's called Paxil -- a widely prescribed antidepressant drug -- but thousands of

patients question its safety and accuse the manufacturer of hiding information

about dangerous side effects.

In 2001, Craig Schleunes lost his job, was having trouble finding another one,

and was suffering -- understandably -- from anxiety. His doctor suggested the

anti-depressant Paxil.

He began the drug in August, but by December, he started getting light-headed

and dizzy. His doctor didn't think the Paxil could be to blame, but Craig

started doing some research about the drug on the Internet and what he saw there

frightened him.

" I found out that indeed many people have the symptoms I was feeling and even

worse symptoms, " said Schleunes. Craig's doctor upped his dosage to 40 mg. He

began having unbearable nightmares every night.

" Extremely violent, long nightmares, " he said. " I didn't know where I was when I

woke up in the morning. "

WBAL-TV 11 News reporter Donna Hamilton said, " Craig decided he had to get off

the Paxil. On his doctor's advice, he began to taper down his dose. Over 3 weeks

he dropped to 20 mg, 15, then 10 to no Paxil. He says that was when a living

hell began. "

Craig began experiencing lightheadedness, sensations of electric shocks in his

head, seeing and hearing things. He still had the nightmares, and now, panic

attacks.

Barth Menzies is a California attorney handling thousands of plaintiffs.

" (They are) telling the story of taking a medicine that was supposed to help

without realizing that when they tried to come off the drug they wouldn't be

able to, " said Menzies.

Her clients include 50 families of people who committed or attempted suicide

while on the drug.

Hamilton said, " Menzies claims those incidents are Paxil-related and that the

maker of Paxil -- Glaxo Kline -- has deliberately withheld many of the

risks of the drug. "

In Great Britain, Paxil has been banned for use in adolescents and the World

Health Organization says there have been at least 2,000 reports from doctors of

patients having problems getting off Paxil.

" One of the things about treatment with antidepressants is that the response in

very individual and, unfortunately, pretty unpredictable, " said Dr. Marc

Fishman, medical director of Mountain Manor.

Fishman treats drug-involved adolescents in and out patient and often uses

antidepressants including Paxil. He said the class of drugs Paxil is in -- SSRI,

or selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors -- has helped millions of people, but

they all have what he calls discontinuation syndrome.

" That's a fancy way of saying that if you stop the medication, you get symptoms

from withdrawal, " said Fisherman. " They're not dangerous but they can be very

uncomfortable. "

Fishman admits Paxil is probably the worst offender of the SSRI's and says it is

crucial patients know about the side effects up front. When patients do want to

get off Paxil, he said they taper them off slowly.

" But even when you do your best, the final step to zero can sometimes be

uncomfortable, " said Fisherman.

Hamilton asked, " In your opinion, is Paxil a good drug or a bad drug? "

" I would say Paxil is a good drug, " he replied. " It is effective for depression,

but people who continue to use it need to use it judiciously. "

Craig Schleunes's symptoms did finally stop. He is one of the patients filing

suit against Paxil's maker.

While he doesn't think Paxil should be taken off the market, he said, " My

concern now getting better information to the general population. "

WBAL-TV 11 News contacted Paxil's manufacturer, Glaxo Kline. The company

said it would be against its policy to comment on any accusations.

Stay with TheWBALChannel.com and 11 News for the latest health updates.

Copyright 2004 by TheWBALChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not

be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistribute

[Guest guest]

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/3586157/detail.html

Anti-Depressant Creates Conflicts For Patients

POSTED: 5:35 am EDT July 28, 2004

UPDATED: 10:28 am EDT July 28, 2004

It's called Paxil -- a widely prescribed antidepressant drug -- but thousands of

patients question its safety and accuse the manufacturer of hiding information

about dangerous side effects.

In 2001, Craig Schleunes lost his job, was having trouble finding another one,

and was suffering -- understandably -- from anxiety. His doctor suggested the

anti-depressant Paxil.

He began the drug in August, but by December, he started getting light-headed

and dizzy. His doctor didn't think the Paxil could be to blame, but Craig

started doing some research about the drug on the Internet and what he saw there

frightened him.

" I found out that indeed many people have the symptoms I was feeling and even

worse symptoms, " said Schleunes. Craig's doctor upped his dosage to 40 mg. He

began having unbearable nightmares every night.

" Extremely violent, long nightmares, " he said. " I didn't know where I was when I

woke up in the morning. "

WBAL-TV 11 News reporter Donna Hamilton said, " Craig decided he had to get off

the Paxil. On his doctor's advice, he began to taper down his dose. Over 3 weeks

he dropped to 20 mg, 15, then 10 to no Paxil. He says that was when a living

hell began. "

Craig began experiencing lightheadedness, sensations of electric shocks in his

head, seeing and hearing things. He still had the nightmares, and now, panic

attacks.

Barth Menzies is a California attorney handling thousands of plaintiffs.

" (They are) telling the story of taking a medicine that was supposed to help

without realizing that when they tried to come off the drug they wouldn't be

able to, " said Menzies.

Her clients include 50 families of people who committed or attempted suicide

while on the drug.

Hamilton said, " Menzies claims those incidents are Paxil-related and that the

maker of Paxil -- Glaxo Kline -- has deliberately withheld many of the

risks of the drug. "

In Great Britain, Paxil has been banned for use in adolescents and the World

Health Organization says there have been at least 2,000 reports from doctors of

patients having problems getting off Paxil.

" One of the things about treatment with antidepressants is that the response in

very individual and, unfortunately, pretty unpredictable, " said Dr. Marc

Fishman, medical director of Mountain Manor.

Fishman treats drug-involved adolescents in and out patient and often uses

antidepressants including Paxil. He said the class of drugs Paxil is in -- SSRI,

or selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors -- has helped millions of people, but

they all have what he calls discontinuation syndrome.

" That's a fancy way of saying that if you stop the medication, you get symptoms

from withdrawal, " said Fisherman. " They're not dangerous but they can be very

uncomfortable. "

Fishman admits Paxil is probably the worst offender of the SSRI's and says it is

crucial patients know about the side effects up front. When patients do want to

get off Paxil, he said they taper them off slowly.

" But even when you do your best, the final step to zero can sometimes be

uncomfortable, " said Fisherman.

Hamilton asked, " In your opinion, is Paxil a good drug or a bad drug? "

" I would say Paxil is a good drug, " he replied. " It is effective for depression,

but people who continue to use it need to use it judiciously. "

Craig Schleunes's symptoms did finally stop. He is one of the patients filing

suit against Paxil's maker.

While he doesn't think Paxil should be taken off the market, he said, " My

concern now getting better information to the general population. "

WBAL-TV 11 News contacted Paxil's manufacturer, Glaxo Kline. The company

said it would be against its policy to comment on any accusations.

Stay with TheWBALChannel.com and 11 News for the latest health updates.

Copyright 2004 by TheWBALChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not

be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistribute