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Betty, Do you know why the Paxil was prescribed? Is your husband having nighttime insomnia causing the daytime sleepiness? Is he having symptoms of depression? Sleepiness is a common symptom that many of us PWP have. It may or may not be related to depression. Paxil is an antidepressant and usually prescribed for that purpose. It takes at least several weeks to work, but it is likely to relieve the sleepiness significantly but only if that symptom is related to depression. Unless the depression is obvious (crying, suicidal thoughts etc.) it is sometimes difficult to make the diagnosis. Many of the symptoms of PD overlap with those of depression such as sleep or appetite disturbance loss of interest in things. Also the mask-like face that many PWP have can be read by others as indicating that someone is depressed. Many individuals get a slight stimulating effect from Paxil and other Seratonin drugs (SSRI) the majority are not affected either way and a smaller percentage are sedated. By all means call your husband's doctor tomorrow. Whenever he starts a new drug or changes doses the only way the MD will know whether there is a problem is if you tell him. If he doesn't have a mechanism of getting your questions answered he is not doing his job.- And if you don't notify him of something that seriously concerns you then you aren't doing your job. Be polite but persistent until you are certain that he has taken your concern seriously. Good luck. Charlie Staley Mims wrote: > > On Sept. 30, my husband's neuro started him on Paxil for "serotonin reuptake > inhibitor"; Staley 66/dx't 3 (believes he's had about 7 or 8 yrs) had been so > sleepy all the time (every time he sat down, he would go to sleep, even while > eating!.) So, he has been taking 1 20 mg. pill a day since then and has been > even worse, like a zombie. All he does is sleep! Does anyone know anything > about Paxil? I know I have seen it mentioned on this list, but don't > remember anything about it since he was not taking it. I'm thinking of > calling his neuro tomorrow, but was wondering if anyone else this response > to Paxil. Do we just need to give it more time? His Dr. wanted to try Paxil > for 3 wks. and then put him on Mirapex. Should we skip Paxil and go to > Mirapex? We would appreciate any input on this. I would like to have my > husband back! He has a little tremor but mostly Bradykinisia. He is very > stooped over, very slow, can hardly be understood when talking, etc., but I > would rather have that than this being like a zombie! Please, can anyone > help? > > Thanks, > Betty (wife of Staley) -- CHARLES T. MEYER, M.D. Middleton, WI [log in to unmask]