Question:

: I was on Paxil from over five months this year to treat a condition of : depression. Sometime around June, I became manic, more talkative, more : social, and started spending more money. I also began to lose sleep.  I had : never had this level of mania in my life before, and my family was very very : concerned. I came off of Paxil in mid July, but was still manic.<edited for brevity> Took Paxil for about a month, give or take, did not like side effects and it seemed to help little with depression. Not long after discontinuing Paxil, a change from lithium to depakote was done.  The combination of these actions resulted in a humdinger manic episode, that still has lingering effects over 3 years later.  I have surmised that Paxil may have set the stage, and the meds switch triggered this episode. Vern :

Response:

I am in the same position, and I was discouraged from seeking legal relief for one main reason….mis-diagnosis (unipolar for bipolar and the administration of ADs to treat unipolar) is not necessarily malpractice. It’s wrong, and too many people have needlessly suffered through AD triggered hypomania for it to be excusable… particularly when major academic and scientific bodies specifically inform pdocs to suspect bipolar illness first when doing a patient assessment (see the APA guidelines and the Stanley Center’s most current assessment guidelines.) The forces of the whole psychiatric drug industry are marshalled against any such suit as well…note the Bryn Hartman case (Zoloft plus cocaine abuse). But…all it will take is one successful suit and precedent will have been set. I would also think you have a much better ADA case and that you should at least talk seriously to a good lawyer about that…and let us know the name of the company so we can boycott them. Jim "…sick of living unwilling to die" Words scratched into a Riverside, CA library desk. Attributed to the Zodiac, 1967.

Response:

You wouldn’t get past a telephone consultation.  Take it to the bank kid, & get on with your sissy life. V-man – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->ubject: Re: Paxil induced Hypomania (lawsuits) >I am in the same position, and I was discouraged from seeking legal relief >for >one main reason….mis-diagnosis (unipolar for bipolar and the administration >of ADs to treat unipolar) is not necessarily malpractice. It’s wrong, and too >many people have needlessly suffered through AD triggered hypomania for it to >be excusable… particularly when major academic and scientific bodies >specifically inform pdocs to suspect bipolar illness first when doing a >patient >assessment (see the APA guidelines and the Stanley Center’s most current >assessment guidelines.) The forces of the whole psychiatric drug industry are >marshalled against any such suit as well…note the Bryn Hartman case (Zoloft >plus cocaine abuse). But…all it will take is one successful suit and >precedent will have been set. >I would also think you have a much better ADA case and that you should at >least >talk seriously to a good lawyer about that…and let us know the name of the >company so we can boycott them. >Jim >"…sick of living unwilling to die" >Words scratched into a Riverside, CA library desk. Attributed to the Zodiac, >1967.

Response:

Word of caution: since arriving at this newsgroup one month ago, I have witnessed Manic Obsession posting  information about his so called "lawsuits" against countless individuals within this newsgroup.  Although I don’t know the exact details (it would seem those indivuduals being threatened are also quite baffled), Manic Obsession seems to be obsessed with the idea that he is connected with the best lawers, doctors etc in the country. I am replying to this post because you seem to have a genuine concern, and I’d hate for you to have to waste your time with false leads from a delusional shit. Unfortunately, it is likely that a court case would take a great deal of time and would cost a great deal of money.  Before you decide to do anything you should speak with a lawyer to make sure you do have a case, and then determine if the cost both financially and time-wise is worth the effort.      An unfortunate reality of bipolar disorder is that it does disrupt the lives of sufferers.  I was initially diagnosed with bipolar illness while recieving treatment for clinical depression.  I was also taking Paxil (50mg) and receiving light therapy. Unfortunately, the episodes continued long after I stopped both treatments.  Thus far bipolar depression has cost me three (?) jobs, disrupted my education, and resulted in the general disarray of my life at present.  But it does get better, and once stable you shouldn’t have nearly as many problems at your next job. I wish you the best of luck, and caution you from taking any of the responses you recieve (including mine) all that seriously.  We’re all in the same boat here, trying to live our lives the best way we know how.  We all have problems and none of us can proclaim to know all of the answers (although some of us try). Take care, Joolie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Contact Michael Smerconish at: http://www.mastalk.com/Pract.html  OR: > James Beasley, Marsha Santangelo, and Paul Lauricella at: > http://www.tortlaw.com/ > Jim Beasley is probably the best attorney in the U.S. for your case. > ~e them a narrative. > Viscount > I was on Paxil from over five months this year to treat a condition of >depression. Sometime around June, I became manic, more talkative, more >social, and started spending more money. I also began to lose sleep.  I had >never had this level of mania in my life before, and my family was very very >concerned. I came off of Paxil in mid July, but was still manic. >I began having "problems " at work because my bosses felt I was too social, >too talkative, and too confrontational. I put it off to drinking too much >coffee (which I thought would element the mania; it didn’t). Sadly, I had a >jerk of a boss who kept hammering because of these behaviors; this is >because I do computer programming work and was expected to stay in my cube >like a nice little nerd and create thousands of lines of code and not speak >with anybody. >I finally disclosed my illness to this boss last Thursday, because he said >"from now on I’m playing hardball with you about your confrontational >behavior and your access socializing".  To make matters worse, this same >boss had caused numerous people to transfer or quit the company, yet his >behavior was tolerated because he made the company  money.  I finally had to >admit to him that I had been diagnosed as having a "Bi-Polar" disorder by my >psychiatrist and that I was in treatment. I let the Human Resource Staff >know that I had this mental condition, but expressed my desire to try and >stay with the company in another department. I stated that if I was harassed >or fired without cause, that I would sue them under ADA/EEOC guidelines, >etc. >I was all set to interview in another department this Monday at 11:00 A.M. >when my immediate boss (who had acted like my best friend for over two >months) fired me with the Human Resource person standing in his office. >I’d like to ask the group several questions: >1) Do I have a case of a lawsuit here? An employment lawyer I’m speaking to >next Tuesday says I don’t have much of a case.  Are there any lawyers in the >house? >2) I’ve spoken to other people who’ve been driven into mania by Paxil. They >now have a "Bi-Polar" label attached to them when before they had no prior >history of mania. Is anybody in this group aware of a class action lawsuit >against the makers of Paxil for inducing mania in selected patients (they >claim it is only 1%, but I think that it must be more).  Basically, I lost >my job, spend a huge amount of money, etc. because of this >HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE drug.

Response:

The official monograph on every bottle of Paxil says: Activation of Mania/Hypomania: During premarketing testing of immediate-release paroxetine HCl, hypomania or mania occurred in approximately 1.0% of paroxetine HCl-treated unipolar patients compared to 1.1% of active-control and 0.3% of placebo-treated unipolar patients.  As with all antidepressants, paroxetine HCl should be used cautiously in patients with a history of mania. (Aside):  Please save what’s left of your money for your loving and supportive family, who will get you through this crisis.  Let me know how you do. * Sent from AltaVista http://www.altavista.com Where you can also find related Web Pages, Images, Audios, Videos, News, and Shopping.  Smart is Beautiful

Response:

Contact Michael Smerconish at: http://www.mastalk.com/Pract.html  OR: James Beasley, Marsha Santangelo, and Paul Lauricella at: http://www.tortlaw.com/ Jim Beasley is probably the best attorney in the U.S. for your case. ~e them a narrative. Viscount – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I was on Paxil from over five months this year to treat a condition of >depression. Sometime around June, I became manic, more talkative, more >social, and started spending more money. I also began to lose sleep.  I had >never had this level of mania in my life before, and my family was very very >concerned. I came off of Paxil in mid July, but was still manic. >I began having "problems " at work because my bosses felt I was too social, >too talkative, and too confrontational. I put it off to drinking too much >coffee (which I thought would element the mania; it didn’t). Sadly, I had a >jerk of a boss who kept hammering because of these behaviors; this is >because I do computer programming work and was expected to stay in my cube >like a nice little nerd and create thousands of lines of code and not speak >with anybody. >I finally disclosed my illness to this boss last Thursday, because he said >"from now on I’m playing hardball with you about your confrontational >behavior and your access socializing".  To make matters worse, this same >boss had caused numerous people to transfer or quit the company, yet his >behavior was tolerated because he made the company  money.  I finally had to >admit to him that I had been diagnosed as having a "Bi-Polar" disorder by my >psychiatrist and that I was in treatment. I let the Human Resource Staff >know that I had this mental condition, but expressed my desire to try and >stay with the company in another department. I stated that if I was harassed >or fired without cause, that I would sue them under ADA/EEOC guidelines, >etc. >I was all set to interview in another department this Monday at 11:00 A.M. >when my immediate boss (who had acted like my best friend for over two >months) fired me with the Human Resource person standing in his office. >I’d like to ask the group several questions: >1) Do I have a case of a lawsuit here? An employment lawyer I’m speaking to >next Tuesday says I don’t have much of a case.  Are there any lawyers in the >house? >2) I’ve spoken to other people who’ve been driven into mania by Paxil. They >now have a "Bi-Polar" label attached to them when before they had no prior >history of mania. Is anybody in this group aware of a class action lawsuit >against the makers of Paxil for inducing mania in selected patients (they >claim it is only 1%, but I think that it must be more).  Basically, I lost >my job, spend a huge amount of money, etc. because of this >HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE drug.

Response:

 I was on Paxil from over five months this year to treat a condition of depression. Sometime around June, I became manic, more talkative, more social, and started spending more money. I also began to lose sleep.  I had never had this level of mania in my life before, and my family was very very concerned. I came off of Paxil in mid July, but was still manic. I began having "problems " at work because my bosses felt I was too social, too talkative, and too confrontational. I put it off to drinking too much coffee (which I thought would element the mania; it didn’t). Sadly, I had a jerk of a boss who kept hammering because of these behaviors; this is because I do computer programming work and was expected to stay in my cube like a nice little nerd and create thousands of lines of code and not speak with anybody. I finally disclosed my illness to this boss last Thursday, because he said "from now on I’m playing hardball with you about your confrontational behavior and your access socializing".  To make matters worse, this same boss had caused numerous people to transfer or quit the company, yet his behavior was tolerated because he made the company  money.  I finally had to admit to him that I had been diagnosed as having a "Bi-Polar" disorder by my psychiatrist and that I was in treatment. I let the Human Resource Staff know that I had this mental condition, but expressed my desire to try and stay with the company in another department. I stated that if I was harassed or fired without cause, that I would sue them under ADA/EEOC guidelines, etc. I was all set to interview in another department this Monday at 11:00 A.M. when my immediate boss (who had acted like my best friend for over two months) fired me with the Human Resource person standing in his office. I’d like to ask the group several questions: 1) Do I have a case of a lawsuit here? An employment lawyer I’m speaking to next Tuesday says I don’t have much of a case.  Are there any lawyers in the house? 2) I’ve spoken to other people who’ve been driven into mania by Paxil. They now have a "Bi-Polar" label attached to them when before they had no prior history of mania. Is anybody in this group aware of a class action lawsuit against the makers of Paxil for inducing mania in selected patients (they claim it is only 1%, but I think that it must be more).  Basically, I lost my job, spend a huge amount of money, etc. because of this HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE drug.

Response: