bmj.com: Lawyers may seek judicial review of panel reviewing paroxetine.
This is the latest volly in a conflict between patients and pharmaceutical manufacturers over what happens when the medication is withdrawn.
It's been well described that Paroxetine is associated with more symptoms of withdrawal than other SSRI's. I've seen this so often that I no longer prescribe Paroxetine. I also do my very best to switch patients to another SSRI if they were prescribed it by a previous physician. Most patients are happy to switch. It's a 1:1 switch .. so there is no need to taper OFF Paroxetine when starting another SSRI:
| Paroxetine | Fluoxetine | Sertraline | Citalopram | |
| 20 mg | 20 mg | 50 mg | 20 mg | |
| 40 mg | 40 mg | 100 mg | 40 mg | |
| half-life | up to 21 hrs | 4 – 15 days | 22-36 hrs | 36 hrs |
While the short half-life may account for some of this effect, I think that there is also something unique about this drug that causes trouble when people discontinue it.
One drug counciler who got hooked on paxil just sent me alarming side effects of the paxil that was prescribed to them. She also talked to the FDA who told her that Paxil is not addictive because they did not feel it would drive people to steal.