Paxil side effects

All i can say is WOW-
i am so relieved- i have mild to moderate OCD/anxiety which has not been diagnosed "officially", but i have done a lot of research on this and i definitely am-
my Dr tried me on wellbutrin first, which i had a lot of freaky side-effects- twitching, Bruising and Crazy Itching- i would become itchy, and then scratch- and i would welt up like crazy- of course my doctor determined that i was allergic-
next she tried me on celexa, and wow- that was a mess- besides SEVERE mid-day exhaustion, i had headaches, terrible twitching (so weird!) and SEVERE bruising- i read in the warnings that bruising is very rare, but can happen- my palms of my hands would bruise, weird spots that you couldn't even hit hard enough to, bruised, it really looked as if i was beat-up at times on my arms- so of course i went off- i had terrible dizziness and major withdrawal from celexa.
now i am on paxil, i really don't like it- it did not do anything for my OCD and anxiety, and i actually felt depressed on it- i have decided to ween myself off, and now have awful nausea(all day and night) severe dizziness,depression, and i almost feel as if i've been drinking (all DAY!), can't sleep, because when i close my eyes i feel the bed spinning, but i'm tired, a bunch of crying, (that i wasn't doing before!) and crazy rage that i can barely control, the rage thing totally scared me, but thankfully it is a lot better today than it was yesterday, and hopefully it will keep getting better! -

i am so thankful for this site because i just thought i was going crazy, and that this was all in my head- someone in a previous post said that people just want to complain on here because she/he thinks paxil is amazing- good for you! it's not for everyone, and i appreciate everyones "complaining" because i now know that, this too shall pass, and i am not losing my mind! i am in search of natural meds, so if anyone has any suggestions, i'd love the post, because i now know that i am not meant to take SSRI's

i wish you all luch in your journey off this "non-addictive" drug-

I have been on Paroxetine which is the generic for Paxil, I was put on it for panic, anxiety and depression..I have been on since about sometime in March. Now if anyone can avoid running out of their medications it would be a good thing to make you don't.
I have recently ran out of my medication and I have noticed today mostly of the two days I have been without it some differences in my moods, and attitude. Today I have really noticed that I have been very impatient myself with family, husband, and pets, I get angry quicker about anything. I just don't feel right at all..
I am exhausted, I have no concentration, no focus at all. I am having a hard time right now. I go to a clinic to get my prescriptions and lately with what I have going on in my life,my needs get pushed aside.I am a full time student and now my husband goes to school so he can get a better job, and he has to be driven there two days a week by me, so that takes time out of that day to go and see the doctor.

I am a 44 year old woman and recently went to the ER for depression. I have lost both parents recently recently and have a very ill biological mother and Gramma. I thought I would be admitted for psych. Instead a Physicians Assistant prescribed me Paxil and sent me home. I have very little memory of the following week, but I did get arrested for drinking and driving with my son in my car. I don't remember doing either. I have had episodes of memory loss, sweating so badly I was akin to a human fountain, shivering uncontrollably, dropping things, total confusion and sleepwalking. My doctor says none of these are side effects. I have since quit taking it, and other than my legal problems life has returned to normal. I think the depression was better than what I went through for those 8 - 9 days.

I am a 21 year old female and just started taking paxil for anxiety & depression. My mother is on the same thing (heart problems run in the family), and I have only been on it for 2 weeks so far, but have experienced many side effects. They have included: Dry mouth, headaches (only a couple slight ones and this wasn't bad since I do get migraines now and then), urinating more frequently--especially the first few days but this has already gotten better-- strange, vivid, night-marish dreams, flu-like symptoms (I missed 2 days of work last week due to this, and it is hard to know if it was the meds or not since the flu is actually going around!), a very itchy rash on my left inner wrist that came and went the same day, mood swings--which I also had before-hand, however-- More hungry but also get full fast, so I eat more often but have smaller portions.

The plus-side so far is that my boyfriend and I both notice I am happier. I feel more like I use to and it's nice. I just don't know yet if it is worth the side effects now and when I need to get off of it.. I am concerned also about getting pregnant and what will happen then if I am still on the paxil. I have read about a lot of health problems with pregnancies and birth with women who are on paxil even during the first trimester, yet you are not suppose to abruptly stop taking it. Has anyone else gone through this I can talk to or who can post about it?? I'm nervous that I am just too young still to be on it and I do want a family.. also has anyone heard of paxil causing infertility? I have been looking for more info but not found what I'd like...

Thank you, C.

I just started taking Paxil six days ago for severe anxiety, OCD and PTSD. Already, I have experienced dizziness, out-of-body feelings, muscle spasms/jerks and forgetfulness. I am hesitating to continue taking this medication. It has not decreased my anxiety significantly, although the OCD and PTSD panic seem to have decreased.

The comments I have read here are slightly alarming to me, as I have always tried to stay away from becoming addicted to any medication. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Please stay away from this drug if you are not already addicted to it. I have tried unsuccessfully to get off of it many times by "Weaning" into another drug, but the side effects are unbearable. I have memory loss too, but what really gets me is how physically sick I feel if I haven't taken it for 2-3 days. I get nauseous and VERY dizzy, to the point where it makes me sick to even turn my head too quickly. I've had to miss work/school until I had a prescription refill.

I didn't realize the memory loss I have been experiencing may be due to Paxil, but it makes sense. I have forgotten the year on numerous occasions, and cannot recall names of people I used to have no problem recalling. It seems to be getting worse. I am only 27 years old, and my friends don't seem to have these issues...

I have been on paxil for ten years . I decided after doing some research and talking to other people that I want to get off of this drug. I am tired of my doctor telling me that it is not addictive. I am seriously thinking on getting another dr.
It has been almost two weeks since I took any pill. My withdrawal seems to be getting worse but I read on one of these forums that withdrawal will not kill me and I keep plugging. I did give up anything with caffeine. I loved my coffee. I just switched to decaf tea or herbal tea. Sooner or later I figure I will start to feel better. It may take months though as i have been on ten mg for years. Then for about 6 months I took a half pill. Then I lowered it to a half pill every other day and then I went to when I could not stand the withdrawal. Now I just said the heck with it and quit. Any advice what I can do yet to help with the withdrawal. I hate the dizziness. That has got to be the worse. I feel like everything has gotten louder to me. And I snap everyone's head off. I hope this wont last much longer. Just need to vent.

im a twenty four year old student on paxil since i was fourteen.
coming off this medication is nearly impossible, i have tried at least ten times. The reason i have decided to come off it for good is because of memory loss. I can spend up to one hundred hours studying for a test and still only get about seventy percent.
Another reason i have decided to come off paxil is tooth decay. I now have a cavity in every single tooth and have lost three teeth due to paxil.
A common side effect of paxil is dry mouth. With out salivia in your mouth, it becomes difficult for your mouth to wash away bacteria, leaving you with tooth decay.
Im coming off slow, cutting up pieces of paxil to take each night, about two milligrams less per night. Ive been all the way up to sixty milligrams and im now down to twenty and hopefully will be free and clear within a few months. This is not a medication you can come off by cold turkey. you must cut it down very slowly

I have only been on Paxil (20mg) for a week and all I do is sleep. I am also dizzy, and I yawn, an awful lot. Just wondering if the tiredness and yawning will go away.

I've been on Paxil for the last year and every so often I check around on the web to see if anyone has anything GOOD to say about this medication ;-)
For a change I thought I'd throw in my input too to help anyone who may be contemplating using this drug.

I have to say that I think paroxetine hydrochloride (Paxil's generic name) is really a wonder drug in the sense that it completely re-balanced my neurotransmitter chaos and intense panic attacks I experienced last year when I was completing my PhD. Yes, there were changes in my life and my body--easier to gain weight, delayed orgasm/climax (but honestly I would say I have an increase in sex drive, not a decrease), occasional tingling in my fingers or some tension in my jaw, and those absolutely psychedelic dreams. But all in all it's really all positive, not negative. I've experienced a lot more pleasure in my life, calm, mellowness. I have more space around things that used to really bother me intensely. I no longer obsess about this and that. And together with acupuncture, massage, exercise (hot yoga is great), good therapy sessions, and a total restructuring of the way I approach my life, I feel quite confident to come off the drug now.

For those of you worried about withdrawal, you should get the book "The Antidepressant Solution" by Joseph Glenmullen, which is a very clear, methodical guidebook to coming off these powerful medications. His point, as a neurologist and psychiatrist, is that basically our bodies wonderfully adjust to the influx in serotonin by calibrating to the new chemical balance in our blood-- and this takes time--usually a month, for us to biologically come up with the exact "mix" appropriate to our own body. The Paxil starts working the day you take it, but it doesn't produce the desired effect until your body has balanced it out and integrated it.

And the same is true when you withdraw, because your body has to gently adjust again. For reference, I'm down to 5mg from my original 20mg and I feel great. I have had no side effects in withdrawal except for sleepiness and wild dreams, and maybe a touch of dizziness here and there, but I understand these all to be side-effects, and so I'm just gentle with myself and take my time-- I'm tapering off the drug over the course of four-five months, by the way.... The people who complain of all the zaps and the crazy horrifying withdrawal symptoms are people who don't do the tapering gradually enough and don't realize the mechanics going on in their bodies. Stopping cold turkey is never a good idea-- It's like attempting to run a marathon without building up your body first or even stretching.

Your body needs to adjust to the new chemistry bit by bit-- that's all. So long as you observe this and listen to your body every step of the way, I think Paxil is a very trustworthy and friendly tool to integrate into your therapy regarding anxiety, depression and panic. But it's just a tool, and that cannot be stressed enough.

I would like to make a general statement about Paxil. The indications are so broad spectrum that I believe this medication deserves an award for, in many cases, effectively treating a plethora of conditions. It is known and purported to treat anxiety, depression, phobias, panic, and other forms of common psychological maladies. Those interested in Paxil and the benefits that it can bring into one's life should seriously discuss this option with a medical practitioner. Medical doctors aren't the only ones who can prescribe this medication; in several states (or possibly all states), you can get a Nurse Practitioner or Physician's Assistant to prescribe it. Clearly you must always consult a licensed medical practitioner before considering any prescribed drug. I'm not a doctor, but I believe that discussing one's mental health with a medical practitioner is one of the smartest choices one can make in life (if you think you have a mental health condition). Go see a doctor or practitioner to get checked out, if you think it's appropriate.

hi im from mexico but i went to see the a doctor in san diego, three years ago i was diagnosed with anxiety panic attacks etc.. my life was horrible i would never leave my house i was scared of everything even to eat, to be at the movies, TO DRIVE, it was a nightmare. So I took paxil for three whole years and my life was back, i was happy, nothing appeared to affect me i was strong,then i started to notice that my sex drive was non existent. i would never want to have sex, or have an orgasm, i felt very sleepy, so i decided to get off paxil, and for eight months everything was great i had the best orgasms ever it was me again, i was ver happy, until a couple of days m anxiety came back with the panic attacks, right now i would not leave my house, im terrified i dont want to drive anymore, so i guess i have to start taking it again as Sad as it is, the quality of life without paxil is worse than anything even an orgasm, it is just sad to not have it all. Anyone knows how to have a good sexual life taking paxil?

I never had anxiety or depression before and consider myself quite happy and well balanced. A unique life event all of a sudden through my head on a tail spin. I became very worried, had panic attacks, became depressed, emotional and lost a lot of weight. My doctor prescribed Paxil (20 mg). He told me that it could take up to a month for the drug to be effective. At first I was miserable. The stress and the Paxil taken before bed, gave me insomnia for almost a month (I never had sleeping problems in the past and used to brag about my solid daily 8 hours of sleep). After 3 or 4 weeks on Paxil, I became a new person. I do not feel depressed, anxious, and I am now able to sleep without taking medicine. The issue that triggered my depression is still present but somehow it does not seem that threatening as before.
I did however started having night sweats. At first I was very worried as night sweats can be related to some kind of infection, but having no fever was reassuring. I was at peace when I found out that Paxil can indeed cause the night sweats. I intend to wean off Paxil in a few months, once my issue is put to rest and will do so with the help of my physician, but for now I must say that I highly recommend its help.

I have been taking Paroxetine (Paxil) for about 3 years for anxiety I decided to cut down gradually until I was taking about 5mg daily then gradually tapered off from there but I get a pulse like feeling in the side if my head when I move my eyes mainly to the left which makes me feel off balance this happens every time I move my eyes worse when i look to the left has anyone else got this i would be grateful to hear from you thank you x

I was prescribed Paxil and started out at 10mg. then they gradually increased it up to 60 mg a day. Later on they added I think it was 200 mg of Wellbutrin. I was on Paxil for I think 2.5 to 3 yrs. What happened was I was so out of it I didn't know what day it was. The HMO would have to call me to remind me to come in that day for my doctor visits. I slept most of the time and was just worthless. I didn't care about anything much and didn't have the energy to do much of any thing. This was a drastic change in me and my family hung in there with all this. I actually drove which is not a good idea at all. But when they put you on this you don't realize how bad you are on this stuff and once you are on it for so long then you are either a captive at home not able to do anything or you try to take back some part of your life. You also can't just go off of it cold turkey at 60 mg. I tried and it got bad and went back on it. After I got really bad all I did really is drive to therapist appts or to nurse practitioner who managed the Paxil and Wellbutrin. After being on 60 mg of Paxil and Welbutrin for awhile/months and I was so out of it, that is when they said we need to back me off of it. I think it accumulates in your body and I think you can kind of have an overdose in a sense. They didn't really monitor it that well and took their sweet time recognizing it. But they didn't say anything about it. I think that is what happened to me but no one at the HMO said that. Instead they got me scared that I was going to run out of therapy sessions allowed while on Paxil and that is why they were going to back me off of Paxil. I guess another patient had that happen to her and they didn't want that to happen to me. I then say my therapist very rarely while I was backing off of the Paxil. She acted like I was ready to handle everything on my own. I had no idea that suicidal thoughts were in my future when backing off of this drug. But they sure knew it, a lawsuit in California had been filed the month after I started taking the drug and it was all about the lack of disclosure about the withdrawal issues. First I got off of Wellbutrin and then they slowly backed me off of Paxil. It was physically wrenching. Throwing up and diarrhea all at the same time. Painful is not the word. I have given birth to two kids and pneumonia and this was much worse! Chills, tremors, I felt sick all the time. This went on for months. When I talked to nurse practitioner they pretended that it was no big deal. I wasn't sure what was happening. I finally got pissed off about the whole thing and never called them back and they didn't follow up either. Not even therapist. They hoped I would go away quietly which I did. When you are in the throws of this and you know who did this to you, you really don't want any more of their harmful help. It took at least a year to feel better. There is this uneasy weird feeling and zinging noise that lingers for a long time. But my memory is a fraction of what it was. My short term memory is very difficult. I know that Paxil was responsible for this. How do I know? Well when you are on Paxil and if you have a recall on a bad incident and you start to emotionally react to it, Paxil will offset it by making you sleepy. It literally targets your emotional reactions and those thoughts connected to it. It tries to disconnect the feelings from the thoughts. These disconnects also disconnect your ability to remember other things. Even after I got off of Paxil I noticed that I would get sleepy when I thought of stressful things. It has taken me about three years and I am talking better and can remember many more words. I talked very simply for so long since I couldn't recall basic conversation. It targets emotional responses and I got to a point where I was really numb about a lot of stuff due to the constant tapping down by Paxil. I feel like it disconnected those connectors to your brain that talk to each other. My family made jokes about me and how simple I got and how I couldn't remember anything. They are worried that I have alzheimers disease or will get at this rate. I could not work on Paxil at those high doses I was on and while I was withdrawing. I found that afterwards my memory was so bad that I missed so many simple things that I would have never missed before. I am concerned that my memory lapse will cause a big mistake that may hurt someone. I was out of work for so long. I volunteered to keep myself busy until I got too bad. It would keep me busy. I also noticed that while on Paxil I was uninhibited and said things that hurt folks and I was unable to monitor myself like normal and couldn't determine what was not appropriate to say all the time. I had an emotional disconnect to myself but also to others. This hurt some folks and cost me a job. My memory is so bad that I have to write down important things if I really want to refer to it again. I also have given up on going back to school. I couldn't test well at all. I can not remember what I did 5 minutes ago let alone a chapter I have read. I am only 52 now and I feel so much older due to this. I suffer from Fibromyalgia and IBS. I was so upset with my doctors at HMO since they didn't warn me of the withdrawals. When they put me on Paxil I was adamant about not taking an addictive drug. My family has had a history of addiction and I was not going there. I know how bad it can get. Paxil's withdrawals is very much like the withdrawals that addicts go through. I was devastated by not only how doped up I was on Paxil but also all time I wasted on it and with the year just trying to withdraw from it. Then the time just trying to get some of my memory back to function. I am mad that there is no way I could go back to school to better myself. I am mad that no one warned me of any of this and if they would have I wouldn't have taken it. How many of you would take a drug knowing that you memory would be messed up? Not many. Certainly not me. My daughters know what a tyrant I am about drugs and alcohol. This is not something I would have opted for if the whole truth were known. They certainly don't warn you that your memory will be like swiss cheese afterwards. No one in my family has had such memory loss. No alzheimers disease. In fact quite the opposite is the case. My grandmothers were very clear at older age, so menopause can not be a big factor and beside this happened before menopause. Also grandfathers and father were very clear getting older. My family noticed a definite change while I was on and after Paxil. The irony was that when I started to go back to HMO for regular care which took me a long time to trust them enough for them to do even that, someone at HMO had put in my automated chart that I was allergic to Paxil. They won't say who put it in either. I was not allergic to it but they are now saying that I had a bad reaction. But what I say is after seeing so many "bad reactions" on websites like this I am convinced that this is more than isolated cases but rather the norm of what happens to patients who take it. HMO doesn't want to admit wrong doing. Paxil seems to have kept a lid on it. Besides how do you measure a bad memory and how do you prove it after the fact? You are getting older and who is to say it isn't genetic. But I was on it for maybe 2.5-3 years. I was so out of it I don't remember how long I was on it. I also was suicidal when coming off of it. I even called a crisis line since I couldn't trust the HMO. I was irrational. For those of you still on it I think you are doing more harm than good. I don't believe all the facts have come out about the side affects from these types drugs. Who would be doing the studies? Certainly not he drug companies, FDA is a joke and if you think the attorney generals are doing much think again. Yeah a couple states like CA an NY they did settle on suits about suicide for kids but they settled quietly. The doctors who prescribe these drugs also are in a catch 22 like my HMO. They don't want to be linked in this and will avoid it too. What attorneys can afford to go up against all those high powered attorneys for those loaded drug companies? Not many. No one is actually dying from this and that is another reason there won't be much done on this either. Fortunately today we can hook up online and share our stories and this is the first step in documenting what is really happening to patients.

Be so careful coming off of these drugs. Give yourself plenty of time to get normal. Make sure you are seeing a therapist you can trust and is trustworthy. It takes an alcoholic about a year to rid their bodies of the toxins that have built up in their tissues. I do believe that is also true of Paxil. Be kind to yourself and get good support while doing so. It can be a very lonely physcially and mentally anguishing time. Think of yourself like someone who has had a brain injury or stroke. You need to practice to get things to reconnected as best as possible considering. You will never be like before you took Paxil but with time and patience and hard work it can get better or you can develop ways to compensate or work around or cope with such memory loss. Financially this can be devastating and it was for us. The loss of income and finally a bankruptcy. We paid dearly for taking this drug. It can be very frustrating and you have to look long term. I think it is very easy and cheap for HMO's to pass out pills rather than schedule needed appointments for therapist and other alternatives. Before they started to take me off of Paxil I was warned by my HMO that I had exceeded my number of appts allotted for a 2 or 3 yr period. So I may end up without any therapy while on Paxil. That is the reason why they decided to back me off. I had apparently used something like 32 appts in two or three years and I was getting close to not being able to have any for a long while. This was interesting approach since by then they knew that suicide was linked with Paxil. They will put you on Paxil and they will leave you high and dry without at therapist if you actually use one regularly and use up a normal amount of visits. I have very little compassion for HMOs. What was amazing was listening to the nurse practitioner tell me if these drugs don't work there are lots of other ones we can use. These are the easy going drug pushers of today and they prescribe these drugs without much thought. They make it cheap and easy and they will swear to your face they aren't addictive but are basing it on very little research. They regurgitate what ever the drug companies tell them. The cost cutting with HMO's is almost frightening. I also have problems sleeping too. I wonder if the drug messes up your serotonin levels since it does make you sleepy so much of the time and when you are off of it the brain is fried from all that artificial serotonin that it no longer knows how to manufacturer it well. I think that is what maybe causing my Fibromyalgia since this is a condition where you muscles never repair themselves at night due to lack of sleep is one theory. I was always a deep sleeper before all of this. I think there maybe a connection.
Finally depression. When you can't remember what you did 5 minutes ago or simple things it gets more than frustrating, you get depressed at how limited you are now. The pain from the fibromyalgia is constant and that too is depressing. I wish someone could put together the data on this to prove the link to memory loss and how it has affected our serotonin levels.
The only way you can stop companies is to sue them. Government won't do it really. A class action suit might work.

I have been on paxil for over ten years and it was my life changing drug, i always had depression and then i started getting panic attacks driving and it took it all away now that i am taking a generic i don't know if i am taking enough but i cant drive at all except locally and i swear it because i think generic is not as good as real paxil but insurance will not cover.

i have been on paxil 30 ml for over a year before paxil was not able to leave my hous i have had 0 side effects for me this med has been great however not wanting to be on meds the rest of my life im 35 i have started weening myself VERY slowly cutting 10 ml every month i am hoping by doing this i will not have those awful withdrawals has this worked for anyone thanks so far none

I just recently began taking Paxil for major depression because I am still nursing my options are limited. My symptoms aren't too bad. I have hot flashes all the time, and I'm sooo tired. It's hard to get anything done because I have NO energy at all. 5 yrs ago I took Lexapro for anxiety (I had extreme anxiety!!!!) and it worked great w/o any side effects. I would recommend it to anyone. Unfortunately nursing moms can't take it. I'm not so sure I want to continue w/Paxil. I've heard so many bad reviews about it.

I'm a 22 year old student that has been on paxil for three and a half years. Paxil changed my life--my anxiety was absolutely debilitating. But like a lot of you, I'm now facing a new problem: memory loss. I constantly 'misplace' words, forget appointments, and periodically even forget things like my age. My studies have suffered because of it, but again like a lot of you, the withdrawal symptoms and the potential of my anxiety returning is terrifying.

I'm not sure what I can do. I am physically addicted and emotionally dependent on this drug, yet I'm also a young man with a worsening memory and grad school ahead of me.

Holy crap this website is depressing! Paxil is not all bad people! I've been on it for 1.5 years. I'm a 24 yr old female. I take it for social anxiety and panic attacks. It takes about 3-4 months for your body to adjust to taking it. You are likely to experience MINOR side effects. I had a lot of sweating, tiredness and HAPPINESS. Yes, I was really happy...its an anti-depressant after all. After that you might be a little more tired than you use to, but other than that it is fine. You can't quit cold turkey, you have to be weaned off of it...just like you will be gradually put on it. I take 30 mg a day, but started at 10 the first couple weeks. Don't get freaked out because of all the bad reviews on here. Everyone just wants a place to whine about their bad experiences and how horrible their life is. Paxil cured my panic attacks and my anxiety. I feel so much better. I think so much more clearly and I don't constantly worry about what everyone thinks of me. Would recommend paxil to a friend.

I started on Paxil about 14 months ago for extreme panic attacks. The doctor first started me on Zoloft but it made me dizzy sick and I got off of it after 1 dose. So he switched me to Paxil. The Paxil helped a lot with the attacks but if I'm even 2 hours late taking my pill, I'm so dizzy I can't walk. I cannot focus on a book or the computer screen. The lights are way WAY too bright for me all of the sudden. Moving my eyes in my head makes me feel like I'm spinning in circles. I start sweating and have to go outside in the 30 degree weather in a T-shirt to cool off. After about 2 hours the pill gets in my system and I'm fine again. I can think clearly and see fine. My concentration is back and my ears stop ringing. The first 6-8 months of Paxil I lost weight, had gotten down to a very low weight. Then it turned around and I gained weight in the next 6-8 months. Paxil is wonderful at getting rid of anxiety/panic attacks or panic disorder. But it seems as though you must stay on this forever. I am terrified of coming off of this drug. My husband came off of it with a little dizziness. He just stopped one day and that was it. But me, knowing if I'm late with the pill I'll be ILL.. I just know it's going to be horrible coming off of Paxil. I'm only on 10 mg. Never more, never less. That's a fairly small dose compared to what I've been reading. But it has a large effect on me. Good luck to you all when trying to get off of this drug. Consider staying on a small dose for a while then very very slowly coming down from that.

I have been on Paxil for just over a year. I am on it strictly for PMDD, and I can not use regular hormones so Paxil was the next best thing. I LOVE how much better I feel as far as the PMS symptoms are concerned, but my memory is TERRIBLE! I thought it was just me, I thought maybe I had some sudden memory disorder at 35! I couldn't find anything listed in the side effects having to do with memory loss. Movies are thr worst for me, I can not remember a movie to save my life. I have started a new job that requires recall from a dvd as well as a manual. YIKES! It is hard. I have also experienced a harder time paying attention. Almost like I know someone is talking but I end up tuning them out, like there is a blocker or something. It is really hard to explain. Anyway I am a very healthy, no other medications person. I am POSITIVE Paxil is causing this especially with the time line of it. Now I am scared to death to get off of it as I don't want to experience the withdrawals and I feel so much better than I did before, but the memory loss is awful, so what is the balance?

I am currently weaning off the generic form of paxil. i went from ten mg to about 8.5, its been a week and I feel ok. I am not sure if maybe the effects haven't hit me yet??? can someone help me? thanks.

I've been on Paxil for almost 9 years. I suppose it's a success for me because it has kept the depression away most of these past years. I'm on the maximum dose - 40 mg a day.

I've always been an over-achiever, a type A personality, friendly...with the Paxil I am lazy, no longer care about details, VERY friendly.
My home used to be pristine and comfortable....now I rarely put things away, there are stacks of books, magazines, and 'stuff' everywhere. Because of the mess, we haven't had visitors in our home for YEARS! I used to host parties on a regular basis in our home but these days I would die of embarrassment if anyone saw my home!

My memory is shot...I can't remember names, faces, details...seriously, I can watch a movie over and over again because I NEVER remember the ending!

My sleep cycle is shot as well. In years past, I only required about 5 hours of sleep. On Paxil, I don't fall asleep so I take lots of over-the-counter sleep aids to fall asleep and they knock me out...I can't wake up until almost noon!

I MUST take the Paxil at the same time each day otherwise the "zapping" starts. It isn't painful...just very annoying.

On the positive side, I have achieved many great things because I'm no longer apprehensive about public speaking. I've chaired several successful fundraisers for charities. But because the memory loss has become so profound, I'm no longer capable of chairing these types of events.

I've gained weight but it may be due to having thyroid cancer & having the entire gland removed...metabolism is shot.

I've only tried to go off the Paxil once but the depression resurfaced immediately and I cried for days on end...it was frightening! Of course I went back on it.

Speaking of crying, when on Paxil, it's almost impossible to cry! The tears just won't come.

Now for the really scary part...the effect of the Paxil on my depression is not what it used to be....but I'm on the maximum dose! I've tried several other meds but they just don't work as well. So what in the world will happen when it doesn't work for me anymore? That black hole called depression is the last place I want to be.

I took paxil when I was around 24 years old. The stupid psychiatrist (who was so cold, and never smiled, and then asked me to tell her how I felt) at the time never warned me about NOT stopping it cold turkey. So one day I did stop and I experienced symptoms already described by other people: extreme relapse into depression and anxiety, felling like I "wasn't real", social phobia, agoraphobia and feeling suicidal. Now I am on Effexor and my doctor says "there are no withdrawal symptoms". I was put on Effexor due to a diagnosis of major depression last 6 months ago and I believe it was all precipitated by hormonal birth control. All the doctors and psychiatrists I spoke to about the possible link between hormonal birth control and depression and anxiety told me there was no link (or that it was very rare). I hate the attitude of the medical community:(

I took paxil for 6 years. IT takes a bit of time to start working, and for your body to adjust to it. So if you recently started taking it, and are having those symptoms, keep taking it. Your body will adjust. It really was an amazing drug for me. It eased my anxiety. However, when I stopped taking the paxil, it was terrible. The doctor gave me a plan to wean me off the medication. I still had the most unbearable side effects. I couldn't get out of bed for 2 months,felt nauseous all the time, was insanely dizzy constantly, and an emotional mess. I was also incredibly anxious. I wouldn't wish the symptoms I fely being taken off the drug on anyone. They were the worst feelings in the world to have to cope with for 2 months straight. So, as great at it was while i was on it, I would never recommend Paxil to anyone because of the way i felt when I was taken off of it.

I have been on Paxil for about 9 months now (20mg) and it has been a wonderful aid to my severe health anxiety and depression. Though the side effect have been around since the early months I have noticed an increase in them lately such as my vivid dreams have gotten very strong, ability to climax has decreased, but the insane sweating has improved.

All in all there a lot of side effects related to this medicine but in my opinion they do not come close to out weighing the benefits of the medication.

Before you begin this medication make sure you ask you doctor lots of questions and understand that this medicine can be a bit life changing since it comes with withdrawal when you decide to tapper off. But in my opinion it is a great tool when battling anxiety, another great tool is therapy too! Therapy has been a huge help for me and I totally recommend going to see someone if you are able!

Hope this helps.

I have been on Paxil off and on now for about 5 years.... the current length of treatment for the past 1 1/2 years. I need to be on it ( or something for that matter ) for my panic disorder. I am a 36 year old nurse/ manager and some days was almost debilitated by panic attacks. Depression was part of it, but not nearly as much as panic. I must say, that I have been experiencing memory loss now for about a year.... I thought maybe it was due to overwork/ stress...which I do understand it COULD be. However, I find it interesting that I am seeing so many more people with memory loss than I imagined. Is it due to stress in this type of people's lives, or is it in fact, the drug Paxil?
Keep in mind this is an SSRI ( Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor ) ~~ even though there is no solid evidence (YET!) this is a side effect of the drug, I would bet my license on the fact that that it is!
I have tried time and time again to wean myself off of Paxil.. ( with and without my Dr's advice )--- I did succeed for a few years to be without the medicine, however being on a slew of other meds in the interim did not help as much for the panic as does the Paxil. Paxil, honestly, scares the hell out of me!
Besides the "numb emotions", memory loss, sexual appetite decrease, yawning, lack of sleep, etc... the side effects of coming off of it are worse! As I read earlier, it IS addictive, indeed! The brain gets used to the drug being there ( as with any addiction ), and the "surges" of dizziness, sweats, and out-of-body-like experiences I experience coming off of the drug are excruciatingly harder to bare than the depression itself. Those above symptoms of withdrawal are just that....withdrawal!
Once your body is "allowed" to reuptake serotonin (as it is supposed to), this is when those symptoms raise their head...sometimes for weeks or months until they subside.
I would welcome anyone with help on this matter---is there another Drug out there that can help with anxiety/depression symptoms, and not cause the plethora of side effects we have all discussed here?
Diane

hi guys, i to am on paxil 10mg. been taking it for about 4 months for anxiety/panic attacks. worked fine for about a month. then all of a sudden i started feeling like i was loosing my mind. i could not concentrate, my (short term) memory was bad, feel as if my mind was running a marathon. of course i got scared and started back taking ativan for a quick fix. it eased my anxiety but i still cant concentrate. i am scared. can anyone tell me if this is an actual side affect to paxil? i am not trying to get off so why am i having withdrals? will this end or is it permanent? please shed some light on my situation if any one can relate.

wow, I'm officially terrified. I've been taking Paxil for 8 months now for chronic anxiety and panic attacks. Prior to paxil, my muscles became so tense, my entire body would seize up. Paxil has helped with that but left the rest of my life in shambles. Effexor used to work for me, but I tried to go off them then go back on and eventually effexor became ineffective. With the paxil I have night sweats (just learned that is a side effect from this website), dizziness, takes a couple hours to fall asleep and a couple hours to wake up, dreams that feel real, light sensitive, some days I shake so bad that I have broken glassware! What bothers me the most is my inability to read. Are there others who have this problem? I can't see the page properly, or I can't concentrate long enough to get through a page, and sometimes both. Is this a side effect of the drug?

When i was 13 i was put on paxil for major depression. I stayed on it till i was about 17 after a downward spiral of depression that lead to a suicide attempt. After that the doctors decided that Paxil wasn't benefiting me anymore and decided to take me off of it, cold turkey. At that time i was on 40mg.
I started getting zapping headaches, muscle spasms, i was sensitive to light, my body ached, i had hot flashes, pretty much anything over stimulated me... i was irritated with just hearing anyone talk, i was completely out of touch with anything around me and i didn't feel like i was real.. I basically shut myself in my room for over a month getting over paxil. My family was afraid i was planning suicide.
After that, it's made me afraid to take any of my prescribed antidepressants, but i just cannot go through that again. At the time they put me on it, there was nothing that said that it was addictive, i was even told that there was no proof that it was addictive.
Also, I still experience the headache zaps to this day, and im 22 now, and i never had those type of headaches before paxil. I really think my mental illness is a lot worse from paxil. I have depersonalization disorder now, my short-term memory's crap, im more uncoordinated, im a lot more depressed and social phobic.. i know part of it could be from not taking any meds at all.. but i know that paxils really screwed me up, and i would have been a lot better not taking it at all. I just wish they would have warned me before putting me on it, or warning me before taking me off.

I went on Paxil for 7 months. It worked great and took away my anxiety but I was engaging in dangerous behaviors--casual sex with multiple partners, drug and alcohol use and neglecting my job and relationships. I had a pretty good withdrawal. Had some head zaps, got a really nasty sinus infection and fever and experienced mania and rage for the first two weeks. I'd say it takes a good year for your body to come back to stabilization. ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION are survival mechanisms that your body uses to tell you that something is wrong in your life. It's a warning sign that something needs to change--you are on the wrong path. Once I started addressing my life issues, the anxiety slowly disappeared. The thing is that people are lazy. They don't want to change how the eat, their exercise, their jobs, their life, and the way that they view the world. This is the hard way. The pill is the easy way, but ironically the hardest way in the long run. Our modern world makes us sick. My advice--get off the couch, eat some vegetables and get moving. Meditation is a GREAT way to get the same effect as the SSRIs. Until you try all that and still haven't gotten anywhere, stay off the drugs.

My sister had horrible side-effects.....she said her brain acted like it was trying to "turn off", skin-crawling, stomach pain, extreme restlessness, insomnia, short and long term memory loss, and more. I saw drastic changes in her behavior, that she didn't seem to be aware of herself. She became quite impulsive, aggressive, and exhibited very bizarre behavior. I blame the Paxil, and caregiver burnout for the tragedy that resulted in the tragic, untimely death of our mother(who was also on Paxil).

has anyone experienced hair loss while taking Paxil? I have been on 25 mg. for 4 years now and yes I am in menopause, but I swear my hair has really thinned since going on this drug. It has done wonders for panic attacks I was experiencing. I am now in the process of weaning off of Paxil. I will be curious to see if I lose weight easily and how my hair thinning does while off of it.

You can read the tragic story of my sister and the use of Paxil at her website. It is very tragic. Some people claim Paxil has helped them. BUT for others it is like a time bomb waiting to go off.

******

In 1998, my father died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage. I was only 33. This was devastating to me being a single daughter who still had aspirations of having him walk me down the aisle and all. I became extremely depressed and cried all the time. I was prescribed Paxil by my GP in this state of mind. No psychology or counseling offered first. And nothing was said to me about it being an addictive drug that would be next to impossible to stop taking. Nothing was mentioned about the long-lasting side effects. It was only a few weeks into it though that I realized if I missed a dose or didn't take it on a scheduled time each day, I would experience these "brain lapses" or "shock type feelings" in my head. I couldn't think a thought through without confusion. Having a conversation was like being a walking-talking robot that was short-circuiting. My other symptoms from this drug was the weight gain (about 30 lbs by the end) and the total absence of libido (not that I didn't want it but that I was totally numb in parts that I wasn't before), which was not normal for me. It was like many of you have stated... sort of a no-feeling zone ... and I decided this drug was NOT for me.

It took me at least 4 months to taper off 20 mg of Paxil. The side effects included severe trouble thinking or remembering things, anxiety attacks, more gain weight (which I attribute to low energy or enthusiasm for most things), angry outburst, easily tearful, then the feet swelling. At first it was just my left foot that would swell up and I attributed it to maybe a hereditary condition and dismissed it being any part a Paxil withdrawal symptom.

Another blessing I feel is a result of my Paxil is a very sensitive stomach. I have GERT (or acid reflux) most of the time. The GP put me on Protonix which helped the acid problems but then my hands and feet would go to sleep at night. I didn't think that was a good payoff so am not taking that either.

The edema increased to an almost daily occurrence for both feet. Sometimes they are so swollen I cannot bend my ankles and my hands and face are swollen too. Over the past 7 years, my GPs have prescribed varying kinds and doses of diuretics to help elevate the fluid in my system, which at first helped some, but now it doesn't even effect the edema in my feet. The only thing that helps really is to wear a closed shoe (like a tennis shoe) or -- which instead forces the fluid up into my ankles. Just yesterday I was told that compression hosiery is the only fix beyond maybe losing weight (I am not obese but am about 45 lbs overweight at 185) and that the diuretics were really not necessary.

When I exercise on an elliptical machine both feet go to sleep after only 15 minutes. I am much more active now and play tennis 3-4 times a week and when playing my hands and feet get numb.

Ten years later, I have chronic (almost daily) edema in both my feet and in my hands and face sometimes. I am way more active and exercise regularly by participating in sports (tennis and other running sports) but I do not lose weight. I still get the numbness in my hands and feet when I exercise for any length of time.

In the past 3 months I have had my blood tested for any and all problems - diabetes, low B12, high sodium, cholesterol, heart Doppler exam, CT of abdomen, and more. I am healthy as a horse from the results, but I am still having daily edema in my feet. I was told by a friend living in Italy that they prescribe a drug called Daflon for circulatory improvement. It seems this drug is not available in the U.S., probably because it is known for having no adverse side effects. I did find that a natural plant extract called Pycnogenol is supposed to help with circulation and other inflammation. It is also known as a Vitamin C "action-helper."

The reason I am sharing my side effects from Paxil, is that before I took this drug, I had no known problems with my circulation and I feel it is what caused it. I also have the ongoing trouble of remembering things. I feel this drug did a number on my body and I was only on it maybe 8 months. I can't imagine what someone on it for years will face. Thing is, I was sad about my father; I wasn't suicidal. They prescribe something that has long lasting results to someone that is in a weak state of mind and then don't warn you that there are so many serious repercussions -- no. 1 being that this drug is chemically addictive to your body's delicately balanced system. NOW because of deaths and Paxil-related murders the FDA has questioned this drug's safety.

You have to wonder if the doctors are really thinking about the patient or if they are just promoting the latest new drug for some personal gain of their own. I feel like a live guinea pig and there's no solution to the side effects I'm left with.

I want to encourage those that are thinking of getting off this drug that the side effects will wane some over time -- you can't do it cold turkey or you will pay the price -- but don't take it any longer than you have to because the long-term effects are not worth it. Better to learn how to deal with your emotions and find something that will be a boost for you in a healthy, non-drug related way (or at least natural), than let this Paxil industry continue.

Just wanted to let you know that I took Paxil 6 years ago for about a month and had to come off because of the side effects. The medicine worked great for me as far as made me feel "normal". I was able to be happy and sad when most people do. My very first side effect was 2 to 3 days after I started I had my first hot flash in the K-mart. I thought it was weird then it became something that happened the whole month I took it. I couldn't sleep at night and would lay awake with my eyes wide open but was tired all day long. I also had stomach pains and would vomit often. I had a constant headache. So I came off and tried Zoloft. It didn't have as much side effects but it didn't help the anxiety/depression. My doctor did say if I could put up with the side effects they would get better with time, but I couldn't stand it.

On my posting the other day, I forgot to mention the sweating, day and night. I thought I was having hot flashes from hell but now am seeing from many of the other people that it is a 'normal' Paxil side effect.
For as much good as this drug can do to help you through a major depressive episode, I don't know if I can say it's worth it. I lost my ability to have normal reactions to sad events and could only cry when I saw a really sad movie. You could tell me my home burned down and I wouldn't have cried. This is some weird stuff and I think I like feeling my emotions better than having them masked.

My mom, 72, has been sick for a year and a half now with drenching night sweats, chills, fatigue as well as some other symptoms. She has undergone every test imaginable and has been to tons of doctors. Every test is normal and the drs. don't know what is wrong. We recently came to the conclusion that she switched to a generic heart medicine at about the time she became ill as well as recently started to take generic paxil because she thought she was having a nervous breakdown. We have just switched her meds to all name brands to see if this will stop the sweats and her general ill feeling. Has anyone heard that taking generic drugs could do this? Specifically Verapamil and the generic paxil. Thanks.

I was on Paxil for 9yrs, but have been off it now for 8yrs. It was prescribed by my family Dr for extreme PMS. At the time, it was a new drug just on the market, and there were no boards like this to describe any side effects.
After I was on it for several years, I tried to come off it. But the side effects were so bad, every time I tried, I decided to stay on it. I realized I couldn't stay on it any longer when it was affecting everything in my life. Paxil was making me so exhausted I was sleeping up to 20 hours a day. It almost ruined my life. Because I couldn't get to work, I lost my job and was out of work for 2 years while I was trying to come off Paxil. Of course my Dr refused to believe I was going through withdrawl, because he said Paxil was not addictive. We all know now that is incorrect. I had to slowly wean myself off it 1/4 of a tablet at a time over several month, and I still had horrible, very scarry withdrawl symptoms. I suffered from vertigo, tremors, tingling throughout my body, numbness in my hands, feet and legs, brain shocks, vomiting, dizziness, slurred speach, memory loss, heart palpitations and the hallucinations were the worst. I became easily aggitated by everything, unable to stand up without losing my balance. I was seeing floating black waves across my vision when my eyes were open. I can say it was hell, and I wouldn't want anyone else to suffer through it. I'm writing this to warn others that if you are on it for a long time, and then come of it, some of the withdrawl effects never go away. So be very careful how long you stay on it. To this day, 8yrs later, I still get numbness and tingling in my legs and feet. I still get brain shocks every so often. I still get short-term memory loss. The worst part is Paxil ruined my digestive system. Before I was on it I had no problems, now there are only certain foods I can eat. Paxil effects the serotonin levels in your brain, but it also effects the serotonin levels in your stomach and intestines. I went through several thousand dollars worth of health tests only to discover it was caused by all my years on Paxil. So please be careful and only stay on this drug as long as need be. It may have a negative affect on the rest of your life.

I have been scheduled for an overnite sleep test at the hospital and was told I'd have to be off of Paxil for 3 weeks prior to the test. I tapered it down myself (now I know better) in what I thought was a reasonable period of 2 weeks. After reading all of the comments here I now know that I should have done this over months not days. I've been experiencing the "brain jolts" accompanied by the rapid distortion of vision for years and just assumed that it was another weird MS related symptom. Now I'm wondering if Paxil may have played a part in this all this time.
This morning I felt so much better about myself after reading all of the comments here. I was saying yes to all of the symptoms I've been having including dizzyness, extremes in emotions, nausea, less appetite, cold sweats, hot flashes, inability to concentrate, some paranoia, slurred speech, tinnitus, disorganized thoughts and disorganized physical space. I had no idea that Paxil was the cause of all of this. Not one clue.
Along with having less appetite I've noticed a change in tastes/flavors. I can taste really salty or really sweet and anything in the middle has almost no flavor. I also get a craving for something and finally make it, eat a bite and throw the rest away. The other thing going along with the LOUD tinnitus is that all sounds seem amplified. I don't know if anyone else has experienced these things. Thanks to all who have written because if not for this I would have continued to think I was losing my sanity.
I am supposed to go back on Paxil after the sleep test but have absolutely no intention of putting myself through this again. I haven't been able to work do to the crying at ever "Kodak moment" and really can't afford to miss this kind of time again. If only the doctor had told me what the withdrawal could be like at the time of prescribing it!

I am taking a few meds and im having trouble distinguishing which side effect goes with what lol ..i.e. paxil for anxiety panic attacks and depression topamax and HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE for borderline blood pressure ,well i have experienced tingling in the hands and the feet ..lack of appt,i wouldn't say my desire for sex is gone but im experiencing vaginal dryness itching and numbness like a tingling feeling as well as problems climaxing sorry tmi lol ... thought it was a yeast infection but its kinda different? any girls ever exp that before while on paxil ? would love any feedback on tihs been on paxil now 2 and half weeks take it in the morning because it was keeping me wide awake at night insomnia lol doctor told me to take it at bedtime i tried for a week and i was wired so the pharmacist told me to take it in the morn said it causes insomnia also when i first started taking it made me feel really jittery for the first few hrs then i would get a real mellow feeling lol so i guess i was getting my high then my low i dunno but now it has even out and i feel great oh ya btw the other day i was watching a sad movie and i wanted to cry felt the need to cry but the tears wouldn't come out lol i was laughing i said damn paxil hahahhaha but hey rather be non emotional than emotional wreck lol ...so far so good exept for the vaginal thing its driving me crazy any suggestions that may have worked for you ? thanks .....

I am on 10 mg. of paxil and have been on it for about 4-5 years. I would like to come off but am worried about all these crazy withdrawal symptoms everyone talks about. I have gone as many as 3 nights without takiing any and never experienced "jolts", maybe a little jittery and confused. I am thinking about doing 7.5 mg. for about a month, then go down to 5 for a month, then 2.5 for a month.

I hear all these stories and wonder if the people who have all these bad withdrawls were on high does and if they weaned themselves off.

PLEASE HELP.

Thanks.

I have taken Paxil for several years for Fibro and Neuropathy. Since I am in constant pain, I get very agitated easily so I was given Paxil to help take the edge off my days. Yes it has helped.

But I have a terrible sweating problem. It has been going on for several years also and no one has ever mentioned it could be caused from the Paxil. I am embarrassed to even go out anymore because I have sweat rolling down my face and my hair gets wet. I know people are starring at me.

After reading all the side effects, which I have many but always just associated them to my other problems, I think I may also try to get off this drug and just see if the sweating stops. If I could go a day, out in public, without this sweating, it would be the happiest day in my life. I am almost to the point of being a recluse now. So keep your fingers crossed for me and a prayer wouldn't hurt also!

Thanks

Hi guys, I'm just curious as to whether and Paxil users developed hyperthyroidism?

I have night sweats also, and from reading above, i can now say its from Paxil! thanks. and i have gained a lot of weight, 28lbs. my sister takes it also, and has lost a lot of weight. when she tried to come off it, she started gaining weight again. I'm switching to Effexor because I'm sick of being fat and lazy and tired all the time. i call out sick way to much.

good luck to all of you!

I was on Paxil for 12 years.
The early years I struggled to stay awake then gradually over 4 ti 5yrs I developed a boundless energy, with a constant elated and irritable mood, my thoughts and behaviors leaned towards the aggressive while highly confident. Never used a winter coat with temps well below freezing, I was always warm. Never needed more than 2hrs sleep each night.
Developed muscle aches, rash on both cheeks and along bridge of nose.
I read up on Paxil and discovered that these symptoms were Paxil related. I took myself off of it. I was on 20mgs then one month of 10mgs after that I quit cold turkey. While withdrawing I felt like my head was in a wind tunnel, a constant whooshing sound going round with dizziness, brain jolts, agitation, anger and crying, After 1 month of being off I began to feel better. If you want to quit you just have to tough it out. Once you get passed the withdrawals it is well worth it. I understand the link between school shootings, criminal behavior and serotonin reuptake inhibitors. It is wonderful after quitting to be in control of your thoughts and actions once again. I suggest you never start taking this medicine as it will be a nightmare withdrawing from not to mention the psychotic behavior it is known to cause in some cases.

I feel like I am loosing my mind. I feel dizzy, wishy washy, cry a lot, irritated. like I am on a 3 sec delay in my brain. My boyfriend is tired of dealing with me. I don't know what zapped is but if this is the feeling drug addicts feel. I don't want to be apart of it. I may try a herbal cleanse to see if that helps. I have bipolar and that is why they gave it to me. I don't have the headaches yet.

I had always been a teetotaller purely because I didn't enjoy alcohol and hated losing control. At the grand old age of 44 I was prescribed Seroxat and suddenly started craving alcohol.

Hello, I have been on Paxil for 9yrs, has anyone been subject to elevated liver enzymes??? please let me know..thank you.