Who Makes Paxil?

Paxil is manufactured and distributed by the pharmaceutical corporate giant GlaxoSmithKline, and the company that’s commonly known as GSK has long been a leader in the pharmaceutical industry. Paxil alone generated billions of dollars in revenue every year at the height of its market penetration.

Paxil’s Intended Use

Paxil is a member of a class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or more commonly as SSRIs. Paxil is used to treat several psychological disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and several other maladies. It works by altering the chemical balance in the brain that would otherwise lead to the development and persistence of some of these conditions.

Side Effects of Paxil

There are two levels of side effects that have caused serious concern to arise. The first group of side effects is actually less severe in general than the second, and these side effects include:

• Feelings of nervousness
• Insomnia
• Weight changes
• Decreased libido
• Dry mouth
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness

If you are experiencing any of these side effects, contact your doctor to schedule a medical evaluation.

The second, and much more severe side effect that’s been discovered with Paxil is more psychological in nature. Studies and reports have shown that some patients who have taken Paxil, particularly young people, have developed the tendency to experience thoughts of suicide, and tragically, many have acted on this impulse.

Perhaps what’s most important is that if you are using Paxil and experiencing thoughts of suicide, do not simply stop taking the medication, as this can lead to disastrous results. Contact your doctor immediately and tell him or her that you have a drug-related emergency.

FDA Warnings on Paxil

The FDA has gotten involved with the problems arising from Paxil, but unfortunately, this involvement does not appear to deal directly with suicidal tendencies. In September of 2005, the FDA published several Paxil-related warnings on its Web site that concerned the tendency for pregnant women taking Paxil to unintentionally inflict harm on their unborn fetuses in the form of serious physical and mental malformations.

The FDA published a warning letter to be disseminated to medical professionals and also announced a label change that warned of the potential side effects in a fetus if Paxil is taken by pregnant women. To date, Paxil has not been recalled by the FDA, although several studies have been released that feature this growing problem.

Your Legal Rights regarding Paxil Use

If you or someone you love has suffered harm as a result of using Paxil, you need to contact the Oklahoma law firm of Atkins & Markoff immediately to schedule an initial consultation. You and your attorney will be able to meet and discuss your situation in detail, and as a result you’ll be able to make an informed decision as to whether or not to move forward with a legal claim against the manufacturer.

During your initial consultation with your Oklahoma defective drugs lawyer, you should be prepared to explain your situation in totality, and this explanation should include such facts as when you started taking Paxil, why you started taking it, what problems you experienced, when you reported these problems and what, if any, additional medical care you required as a result of taking Paxil.

You should also spend some time gathering whatever documentation you can reasonably locate, including your prescription slips and receipts, your medical report and diagnosis, and any and all documentation that was disseminated between you and your insurance company. Rest assured, though, that if you cannot locate any or all of these documents, you should not hesitate to contact an Oklahoma defective drugs attorney at Atkins & Markoff, as he or she will be able to gather these documents after you execute a release.