Re: loose stools on Paxil?

August 6, 2003

Hi Becky,

Sudden loose stools are pretty common during the adjustment phase on an SSRI.

It was certainly the case with my son, but not for quite that long. If Dr. G

wants you to ride it out for only five days, it won't hurt your little guy to

keep going just a little longer. Dr. G has been working with kids and SSRI's

for a long time and has undoubtedly seen this kind of thing clear up at the end

of the three-week adjustment phase.

Good luck!

Donna

loose stools on Paxil?

Anyone noticed sudden loose, foul smelling stools with the onset of

starting an SSRI? My son has been on Paxil for almost 2 weeks now, and his BMs

are getting worse and worse. They became looser than normal when we started at

1/8 tab, but got much worse when the dose was upped to 1/4. His stools are not

frequent, just runny and generally awful looking about 1x a day.

Dr. G. wants us to keep taking it for another 5 days, feeding him a very

bland diet ( can we get any blander than we already are, lol?) He has had no

new foods, and his poops were actually looking pretty good for once before the

Paxil. I don't know what else could be causing it except the Paxil. Dr. G's

office said they don't consider GI problems a side effect of Paxil, but the

pharmaceutical co. does list diarrhea, nausea, and constipation as possible

side effects.

I'd like to keep him on the Paxil, because the initial spaciness is all

gone now and it seems to be helping him with his social anxiety, but I don't

know how long to ride out the GI problems. Once his colon gets really out of

whack, it takes a lot of effort and time to normalize. His stools are only this

bad when we feed him something really atrocious like macaroni and cheese, and

they're not getting better with clear liquids or BRAT diet.

Other than that, he feels fine and is not ill at all, appetite is normal.

Any ideas??

Thanks, Becky

August 6, 2003

We haven't experienced diarrhea with SSRIs, but just thought that you might

want to ask Dr. G about giving Kyodophilus to your child to help colonize

the intestinal flora (he had us do that when ours had an upset stomach from

an antibiotic). I don't know if it would apply here (because theoretically

it shouldn't be killed off by an SSRI), but it wouldn't hurt to ask if you

are not already using it.

Caroline

> On 8/6/03 12:19 AM, " & Becky " <beckeric@...> wrote:

> Anyone noticed sudden loose, foul smelling stools with the onset of starting

> an SSRI? My son has been on Paxil for almost 2 weeks now, and his BMs are

> getting worse and worse. They became looser than normal when we started at

> 1/8 tab, but got much worse when the dose was upped to 1/4. His stools are

> not frequent, just runny and generally awful looking about 1x a day.

> Dr. G. wants us to keep taking it for another 5 days, feeding him a very

> bland diet ( can we get any blander than we already are, lol?) He has had

> no new foods, and his poops were actually looking pretty good for once before

> the Paxil. I don't know what else could be causing it except the Paxil. Dr.

> G's office said they don't consider GI problems a side effect of Paxil, but

> the pharmaceutical co. does list diarrhea, nausea, and constipation as

> possible side effects.

> I'd like to keep him on the Paxil, because the initial spaciness is all

> gone now and it seems to be helping him with his social anxiety, but I don't

> know how long to ride out the GI problems. Once his colon gets really out of

> whack, it takes a lot of effort and time to normalize. His stools are only

> this bad when we feed him something really atrocious like macaroni and cheese,

> and they're not getting better with clear liquids or BRAT diet.

> Other than that, he feels fine and is not ill at all, appetite is normal.

>

> Any ideas??

>

> Thanks, Becky

August 7, 2003

thanks Donna!!

He actually had a " semi-normal " little poop today, which just

absolutely made my day. I never thought BMs could bring me so much joy and

pain simultaneously.

I just wish we were told these things up front before starting the

meds so we could be prepared and avoid all this excess worrying.....

Thanks again! Becky

loose stools on Paxil?

>Anyone noticed sudden loose, foul smelling stools with the onset of

starting an SSRI? My son has been on Paxil for almost 2 weeks now, and his

BMs are getting worse and worse. They became looser than normal when we

started at 1/8 tab, but got much worse when the dose was upped to 1/4. >>>>>

//Message Thread Truncated//

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August 7, 2003

Perhaps a problem with the lactose filler? dye? Another possibility is that

his body has become healthier with the other treatments and has chosen now to

release some old garbage from his gut. We've had periods of that for no

apparant reason followed by better health and progress.

Gaylen

August 7, 2003

Becky,

We've been having similar problems with our son for the past 2 weeks

or so. We have no idea what is happening, but he's been on a

blander diet, etc.

I say this because I think there is something going around (it

generally lasts 1 week) that may be unrelated to the Paxil.

Garrett has not started any meds recently.

BG

> Anyone noticed sudden loose, foul smelling stools with the

onset of starting an SSRI? My son has been on Paxil for almost 2

weeks now, and his BMs are getting worse and worse. They became

looser than normal when we started at 1/8 tab, but got much worse

when the dose was upped to 1/4. His stools are not frequent, just

runny and generally awful looking about 1x a day.

> Dr. G. wants us to keep taking it for another 5 days, feeding

him a very bland diet ( can we get any blander than we already are,

lol?) He has had no new foods, and his poops were actually

looking pretty good for once before the Paxil. I don't know what

else could be causing it except the Paxil. Dr. G's office said they

don't consider GI problems a side effect of Paxil, but the

pharmaceutical co. does list diarrhea, nausea, and constipation as

possible side effects.

> I'd like to keep him on the Paxil, because the initial

spaciness is all gone now and it seems to be helping him with his

social anxiety, but I don't know how long to ride out the GI

problems. Once his colon gets really out of whack, it takes a lot of

effort and time to normalize. His stools are only this bad when we

feed him something really atrocious like macaroni and cheese, and

they're not getting better with clear liquids or BRAT diet.

> Other than that, he feels fine and is not ill at all, appetite is

normal.

>

> Any ideas??

>

> Thanks, Becky

>

August 7, 2003

Becky -

I believe Paxil has some small amounts of lactose in

it - may want to confirm that. If your child is very

lactose intolerant, this could be related, as you are

describing it pretty well.

Perhaps you could try some lactaid (ask Dr G first) to

see if this helps some...? If it does, you could

suppose they're related.

Hope it helps

--- & Becky <beckeric@...> wrote:

> Anyone noticed sudden loose, foul smelling

> stools with the onset of starting an SSRI? My son

> has been on Paxil for almost 2 weeks now, and his

> BMs are getting worse and worse. They became looser

> than normal when we started at 1/8 tab, but got much

> worse when the dose was upped to 1/4. His stools

> are not frequent, just runny and generally awful

> looking about 1x a day.

> Dr. G. wants us to keep taking it for another 5

> days, feeding him a very bland diet ( can we get any

> blander than we already are, lol?) He has had no

> new foods, and his poops were actually looking

> pretty good for once before the Paxil. I don't

> know what else could be causing it except the Paxil.

> Dr. G's office said they don't consider GI problems

> a side effect of Paxil, but the pharmaceutical co.

> does list diarrhea, nausea, and constipation as

> possible side effects.

> I'd like to keep him on the Paxil, because the

> initial spaciness is all gone now and it seems to be

> helping him with his social anxiety, but I don't

> know how long to ride out the GI problems. Once his

> colon gets really out of whack, it takes a lot of

> effort and time to normalize. His stools are only

> this bad when we feed him something really atrocious

> like macaroni and cheese, and they're not getting

> better with clear liquids or BRAT diet.

> Other than that, he feels fine and is not ill at

> all, appetite is normal.

>

> Any ideas??

>

> Thanks, Becky

_______________________________

``````````````````````````````

Responsibility for the content of this message lies strictly with

the original author, and is not necessarily endorsed by or the

opinion of the Research Institute.

--------------------------------------

August 7, 2003

Hi Becky,

That's great news!

I know what you mean about wanting to be forwarned about a drugs side effects!

I've started to make a point of asking every question I can think of during our

consultations with Dr. G, because he doesn't always remember to tell us what we

can expect.