Paxil and Pregnancy

There is no greater comfort than knowing that you are being supported emotionally. The presence of loved ones, depending on quality and quantity, greatly influences that character of an individual. People's behavior is normally molded by numerous factors which may include circumstances, belongingness and, to a little extent, outward stimuli such as environment, lifestyle and diet. Most people are usually inclined to solicit acceptance and approval of other people while others assert personal dominance over others.

Encouragement is one of the most powerful tools in helping a person soar through life in spite of adversities. Some people may be facing a tougher situation than others but the depressive symptoms that goes along with it is more or less the same. Feelings of guilt, loneliness, melancholy and despondency are highly indicative of depression which may weigh a person down. A report from the World Health Organization emphasized that mental disorders such as depression are one of the leading causes of disabilities in the United States, even incurring productivity losses. While pessimism may be considered common, it becomes a serious disorder when it impairs a person's ability to function normally on a daily basis.

Having a companion such as a family member, friend or a prayer partner greatly contributes to the emotional well-being of any person. For married couples, his or her spouse becomes a pillar of strength oftentimes. For single individuals, a family member such as a sibling or a parent or a best friend may serve as a source of inspiration. For people called in religious vocations, their relationship in God and high spirituality may become their stronghold and refuge. In these relationships, there is a sense of security ensuring acceptance no matter what happens to an individual's life.

Every person needs an audible voice of assurance of his or her value as a person and may need occasional reminders that his or her life was born out of purpose and love. These encouragements spring out usually from a person who cares unconditionally for the person who momentarily needs help. Hence, it is very essential for a depression-stricken patient to have a support-system all throughout his treatment. While no studies have been shown to support its efficacy, however, this may actually make the tormenting experience worthwhile and not a waste of a person's life.

Encouragements may be delivered verbally through writing or oral affirmations, however, it may also be surprisingly be given without words but through gestures such as cooking, laughing, touching or kissing. For a handful of patients, even the mere presence of a loved one already moves mountains giving them enough strength to face their mental disorder with a positive attitude. The severity of treatment and therapy for depression is not a light matter. It requires the patient to invest not only financially but emotionally. A helping hand and a comforting soul may very well be the wellspring of hope for many patients as they look to the light out of a dark tunnel.

For a separate information on antidepressants, click here.

Pregnancy is a time of joy for a couple because the incoming child embodies their love for each other. A woman undergoes a lot of changes physically and emotionally during the period. These changes can be a source of stress and anxiety for her. Women are at risk of developing depression during or even after pregnancy. Postpartum depression (PPD) is often misunderstood. At times they are blamed of being irresponsive to their baby’s needs. PPD is often kept in the dark because family members may not be able to comprehend it. To those who aren’t familiar with PPD would label women having this illness as bad mothers. Women who have this illness may be regarded as bad mothers by those who are unfamiliar with the disease. Women can now address this problem by taking antidepressants. The use of antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs can even be interchanged because they have the same level of effect, according to a recent study.

According to Hippocrates back in 460 BC, PPD is caused by the blood and mucus that were stuck inside the body after giving birth. PPD has gone a long way since ancient times. PPD is believed to be a product of the hormonal changes after delivery. Hormones like progesterone and estrogen shoots up during pregnancy and kept at that level up until delivery. PPD is thought to develop due to the rapid normalization of the two hormones after delivery. Each woman may have a different reaction to these changes.

The recovery an individual from a mental illness is often associated with the identification of its signs, according to psychologists. Some women who have not received treatment may slip from depression to psychosis. Those women who have felt a lack of interest in their baby have gotten professional help. These women were diagnosed and treated by giving medicine and going to counselors.

Some women who are already taking antidepressants before getting pregnant are consulting their doctors if they can still take the same medicine while on the family way. However some antidepressants are not safe to take during pregnancy. Risk of birth defects is seen to be higher in Paxil than any other antidepressants as found by two separate studies conducted on this subject. Paxil birth defects are one of the main concerns of pregnant women who are taking Paxil. There are reports about babies developing heart defects when it is taken during the first trimester of pregnancy.

URL References:

• health.harvard.edu/press_releases/antidepressants_pregnancy
• depression.about.com/cs/babyblue/a/postpartumdep.htm
• babyzone.com/pregnancy/symptoms/article/pregnancy-understanding-your-hormones-pg2#bm4
• anxiety.emedtv.com/paxil/paxil-and-pregnancy.html

Pregnancy can be very stressful to a woman, not only to first time mothers but also to those who have already experienced it. Changes in the woman, physical or emotional, are brought about by the changes due to the pregnancy. Pregnant women undergo mixed emotions that can be a reason for depression. Each trimester, the woman will have different concerns thus also different state of emotions. A woman may also experience other stresses during pregnancy that can become an anxiety. Females are more likely to be taking antidepressants according to a survey about prescription medications that was conducted recently.

Depression and emotional imbalance during pregnancy can lead a woman to turn to antidepressants. Some women may not be able to function effectively anymore due to the stresses of pregnancy. Paxil is one of the depressants that are offered in the market. This drug is one of the Category D for Pregnancy Risk Category. A pregnancy risk category D would have human fetal risk upon taking the drug and should be weighed with the benefits in using the drug.

There is a greater risk for a woman taking Paxil than others who are taking other antidepressants. Some babies are born with heart defects like Atrial and Ventricular Septal defect to mothers who have taken Paxil while pregnant. Stopping while pregnant when you’re already under Paxil has high incidences of relapse, so it is best to consult the doctor for other options. Reports regarding some of the babies have shown that they are in need of surgical intervention to close the hole in their heart. Risk and benefits should be thoroughly discussed to the person who will be using it as advised by the FDA.

Some women who have taken Paxil during the first trimester of their pregnancy that resulted to the birth defects of their babies have filed Paxil lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline. A newborn baby may experience severe side effects if Paxil is taken during the third trimester. Having plans of getting pregnant should be aired to the attending physician if one is under Paxil.

URL References:

• safefetus.com/fda_category.asp

• medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=57323

Paxil Side Effects

Recent data analysis showed that antidepressants such as Paxil may not be the best treatment for depression. This is mainly because of its alleged harmful effects including life-threatening ones. This analysis was published in a recent issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics and an article appearing at the Medical News Today also said so.

Both published articles disprove the previous analysis of the British Medical Journal (BMJ) that said antidepressants are the best treatment for depression.

Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics said BMJ’s analysis was “faulty and biased by conflict of interest,” especially because BMJ was accused to have ties with certain pharmaceutical companies while the study was still ongoing. Additionally, the Medical News Today said that BMJ clinical trials were not conducted properly and the researchers did not amply justify the research outcome.

With these new analyses, people with depression including pregnant women should consider another way of treatment other than Paxil intake which has been consistently accused of causing harmful side effects. Other than the clinical findings and research studies, reports from patients present that Paxil has caused severe damages on their life in general and health in particular. These reports are manifested through the Paxil lawsuits charged against GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturing company of Paxil.

Paxil is to be Avoided by Pregnant Women

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautioned pregnant women including their doctors about the increased risk of heart problems in newborns due to the antidepressant Paxil. This FDA Public Health Advisory was based on early results from studies which found out that women who took Paxil on their first trimester were up to two times more likely to bear a child with cardiovascular deformities compared to pregnant women who did not take Paxil. Mostly, these birth injuries involve holes and distortion of the baby’s heart chambers. The deformities may be minor and mend on their own but in extreme cases, some requires surgery.

A previous study which was further published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found out that babies of mothers (who were on antidepressants) were three times more possibly to suffer from irritability, tremors and seizures in the first weeks after birth.

Moreover, the FDA officials said that Paxil “should generally not be initiated in women who are in their first trimester of pregnancy or in women who plan to become pregnant in the near future.”

GlaxoSmithKline, the drug manufacturer, is now facing various Paxil Lawsuit including class action lawsuits for a number of frustrating and harmful side effects it caused namely birth defects, pregnancy risks, suicide, psychosis, sexual problems, eating and sleeping disorders among others. If you, a friend or a relative suffered from Paxil, you may be entitled to compensation for the damages it brought you. Seek legal aid on this.

Antidepressant Paxil (paroxetine) and other SSRIs are successful in treating depression, just not during pregnancy because of their association with a growing list of serious birth defects. Paxil, the brand name of Paroxetine, is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) drug which works by increasing available levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin surrounding nerve cells in the brain, which helps boost mood thereby treating depression.

Because of its ability to relieve symptoms and keep patients feeling their best, antidepressants are the first line of treatment for most types of depression, however, pregnant women who are prone to depression or women planning to get pregnant are advised of being cautious in taking antidepressant drugs.What was once believed that pregnancy hormones would protect women from depression no longer holds true, according to researchers. Although pregnancy does not exactly make depression worse, it triggers a range of emotions that can make it more difficult to cope with depression.

Treating depression among the pregnant women has become a conundrum as they are presented with two dire choices, to take Paxil or other SSRIs for the sake of their mental health but at the risk of their babies’ health. Both mother and infant’s health could be jeopardized if depression during pregnancy is untreated. Leaving pregnancy depression untreated could result to premature birth, low birth weight, developmental problems and an increased risk of postpartum depression.

Taking the medication while pregnant could potentially harm the developing fetus, according to studies about Paxil and pregnancy. Some serious side effects dredged up by the studies are neonatal persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), septal heart defects, omphalocele, anencephaly and craniosynostosis are among the growing list. Paxil is classified as a pregnancy category D drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which means that there have been studies made for this drug that conclude taking this medication in pregnant women but it could potentially cause harm to an unborn child. Problems are also reported to occur during delivery such as difficulty in breathing, seizures, lack of oxygen in the blood, feeding difficulties, tremors, irritability and constant crying. Infants who suffer these problems often require hospitalization, respiratory support and tube feeding.

Doctors should only prescribe Paxil if it outweighs the risk that it poses to the newborns with the list of birth defects caused by Zoloft increasing. Doctor and patient should discuss whatever is beneficial to both mother and infant including alternative treatments.

The FDA granted consent on Paxil, an antidepressant that belongs to the SSRI group, to manage depression and other psychiatric problems.

Results of recent studies illustrated a more likely occurrence of birth defects on babies whose mothers were taking Paxil on the first trimester of pregnancy compared to those who were not. A life-threatening health problem among newborns, heart defect, is a main untoward effect of the drug.

Mothers who took Paxil during the first trimester were one and a half to two times more likely to give birth to a child with a heart defect. The FDA evaluated this figures last December 2005 which came from two individual studies conducted. The result showed that the heart defects, in most cases, were atrial and ventricular septal defects. Holes in the wall of the chambers of the heart characterize these conditions. These conditions differ greatly according to its severity, minor conditions may not necessitate further management while severe conditions usually require surgical repair.

With the advent of these recent studies, the manufacturer of the drug reassigned it into another pregnancy category. A Category D drug is regarded as a drug not suitable for pregnant woman and has shown risk to the fetus. Health care providers must reflect on distributing this drug to pregnant mothers, Food and Drug Administration advices, because of its probable effects. The positive effects of the treatment may prevail over the probable risks to the fetus.

It is essential to keep in mind that these results are preliminary and are based on two results of two studies. The FDA is still collecting further information regarding these and other studies as well to completely characterize the effects of this drug.

Pregnant woman or women who have plans to be pregnant soon, is asked to seek your doctor’s help first before and while taking this drug. He/She can help you on what action to take so as to prevent the above mentioned side effect of Paxil.