By: JJSavage

JJSavage — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:57:11 +0000

I would like to know where (if possible) I can find peer-reviewed studies of longitudinal use of antidepressants? I’m curious because (1) I was on 20 mg. paroxetine for about 6 years, without interruption or questionning by my GP, only learning from a psychiatrist in 2006 I had “plateaued” (reason why I didn’t understand why I had become depressed again) and (2) I’m noticing a new disclaimer on SSRI commercials on TV to “report any unusual behavior changes” that I find extremely coincidental with meeting more and more individuals who are cautiously admitting when first on SSRI, particularly Paxil, they experienced unusual behavioral changes. I’m also interested in lack of motivation without concern about this deficit on job, family, and social responsilities and issues. I’ve shared this with many people on Paxil, too, yet have not found it on any lists of symptoms of use or discontinuation. Do these studies exist? Are they possibly “in the works” somewhere I can’t find??? How did drug companies know to add the “unusual behavior changes” warning on these commercials recently? Are doctors prescribing without attention to follow-up to monitor a need for plateau effect, creating a risk I haven’t seen anywhere in my searches yet? I also wonder why knowledge of discontinuation/ withdrawal syndrome and symptoms has taken so long for family practitioners (and psychiatrists in my experience) to let patients know about this? Many of us went for several years being told we were hysterical or hypochondriacs when presenting with these symptoms…yet, I’ve found in professional journal searches that this information was known as early as 1996! I often wonder if it is really wise to inform the public that SSRI use can be “indefinite”, when we really don’t know the truly long-term consequences. As far as how long to be on SSRIs or typical treatment period–I have found variations Internet and university library searches (so far) from 1-6 weeks before effect can be felt or noticed, typical treatment lasting 6-8 months to 2 years–and withdrawal symptoms lasting likewise, from a few days to a few months! I’m very disturbed by what is beginning to feel like a free experimentation by drug companies who successfully achieved approval of these drugs and getting them on the market with limited (indeed, if ANY) studies on long-term effects beyond 18 mos. to 5 years. Instead, it appears patients who are using these drugs long-term as “free and unwitting” research subjects, with no ethical consequences. I’m even more baffled why and how prescribing physicians accepted this powerful mental health psychopharmacological treatment with no better information that what we’ve had!

Comments on: What You Ought to Know About Antidepressants

By: JJSavage