Paxil side effects

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.

I've been on some form of Paxil for about 9 years now. Overall, it has been fantastic. My anxiety is nowhere near as bad as it used to be. The only time I've had any trouble with it is if I go off it for a couple of days. The withdrawal is terrible. I get very jittery and shaky and the stomach aches I used to get before I went on this drug come back. I've tried going off it before, but have only manage to get down to 20mgs, which is where I am now. Any lower and I get withdrawal.

Paxil CR, on the other hand, was a bad idea all together. My doctor tried to switch me to that several years ago, and it was not a good experience. I became severely depressed and started having suicidal thoughts. Needless to say, I was put back on regular Paxil and everything went back to normal.

its my 3rd day off Paxil and Klonazepam now. ive been experiencing these weird withdrawal symptoms once before and know how sick i was so now i took 7 days off work. i am definitelly not able to function as a normal human being as of now. feel light headed, confused, dizzy, my musles twich, am easily irritaed , cant sleep at night, sweat a lot. i bike a lot since day one off pills to help me get my mind off what im going through. it works. it worked first time, it works again. its nice fall in austin texas, not hot, not cold.i bike for hours, 4,5,, with ipod in my ears. it helps me get through the day easily, and detox faster. i just hope ill be ready to work before next monday because nonone knows whats up with me. i remember, the first time took me about 5 days for the w/d syptoms to disapear.

weight gain, numbness, diminished (non-existant) sex drive, dependance on the "daily fix".

Any suggestions on how to discontinue usage, with the least troublesome withdrawal symptom? I would love to stop taking Paxil, but am scared of the withdrawal process.

I was on Paxil for about a year and have stopped taking Paxil about 5 months ago. I had to stop taking it because I do not have health coverage BUT my main reason is because i've been depressed and have fought anxiety my entire life and I do not want to be medicated my entire life. I did it for one year, it worked somewhat but coming off of was hell, but I feel that I want to fight my anxiety and depression with God and myself, not any drug, I excercise more now and EVERYDAYYYY! is a struggle! I feel droopy still from the after effects of paxil, im not doing well in college because I have a hard time concentrating, my eyes are always glossy, im nervous in large crowds (going to the groceery store is HUGE for me) and I feel like Ive done something to deserve this. But I know it is a battle that I need to overcome without a drug, I understand some people need to take it, but as for me, I may be struggling in school or feel tired all the time but if I have to struggle and fight through, I want to do it!

Another thing, I soemtimes feel alone when it comes to talking about anxiety and depression and being medicated on Paxil. It is sooooo NICE to write to other people and hear there stories. It makes me feel sooooo much better. THANK-YOU! God Bless!

I would like to stop taking paxil, I have been on it for 3 yrs. When I skip my medicine I get what feels like electrical shocks in my neck & head. I wasnt sure if I had a pinched nerve at 1st but began to associate this with the event that I had not taken my meds. I also have onset of panic attacks & rapid heart, & terrible terrible forgetfulness, as to even what cabinet I would like to open, I open the wrong one, go into the wrong doorway, wrong driveway. I am very concerned. I have told my Dr. that I would like to get off this Paxil but Ive been told that it would be best since I was suffering from anxiety attacks in past. I would like to be committed to be able to handle the withdrawls. If anyone has been successful in stopping Paxil and now feels pretty back to normal, please let me know. Thanks

How about being totally anxiety-free for the first time in YEARS. I'm able to move smoothly from one thought to another without being sidtracked by useless worry.

I'm 40 and was on Paxil about a year and off now 3+ years. I gained 32 pounds- from a sz.2 all my life naturally because I'm just petite, to size 8!!!!! While on Paxil I did not care about anything, it was not like being depressed but I was totally mentally numb. I use to keep things tidy, and really care about how I looked, and be ambitious and creative. Yes, it took my stress away and that was good, but not for the trade offs! If I could go back I would never have taken it! I even started drinking a bottle of wine a night! It also made me vomit 6 + times in that year when I would drink too much, and I could drink plenty because I was SO numb! (I haven't puked from drinking since highschool) I briefly tapered off after a year of taking it with no side effects that I recall. I've just read several articles about lawsuits of those who commited suicide connected to Paxil and some killing others too - like the stories we hear all too often. The biggest advertisers in the TV & newspaper are PHARMA, so do you think we will hear any news on drugs like Paxil being linked to these stories, that are tradagies of real peoples lives!!!!! No.
I recently saw a billboard stating Paxil has caused LUNG & HEART DEFECTS! Which prompted me to start research and got me to this site. Turns out I have had several test on my lungs and heart over the last few years, cause I have an unexplained chest discomfort. I was diag. w/ mitro valve prolapse and have a spot on my lung?! So this is ALL now making me wonder if it's a side effect to that dam PAXIL. LIFE has stress, we all have to learn to cope by using psycho therapy or perhaps having our hormone and other levels checked in the body. Paxil is NOT a cure, it's HIGH RISK, and not worth it, drugs like this only MASK the real problem that still needs to be resolved, and there's not been enough long-term studies on all these drugs! I have wondered for a long time what side-effects I've had from it that I"m not even aware of. I've never felt the same as I did prior to taking it, my mind just doesn't seem as sharp. I never had SEVERE depression, HIGH anxiety, and suicidal thoughts until AFTER I quit taking Paxil. I got on it because my "family practice" Dr. like all of them was too quick to perscribe it when I told her I was having stress because of life changes having moved and just married and career changes.. normal life stress we all have to work THROUGH! I needed a therapist and maybe some valium, but NOT PAXIL!
I plead with you to do more exploration w/ natural approaches, excercise, and therapy don't just POP A PILL for your problems! The risk are too high.

I'm 40 and was on Paxil about a year and off now 3+ years. I gained 32 pounds- from a sz.2 all my life naturally because I'm just petite, to size 8!!!!! While on Paxil I did not care about anything, it was not like being depressed but I was totally mentally numb. I use to keep things tidy, and really care about how I looked, and be ambitious and creative. Yes, it took my stress away and that was good, but not for the trade offs! If I could go back I would never have taken it! I even started drinking a bottle of wine a night! It also made me vomit 6 + times in that year when I would drink too much, and I could drink plenty because I was SO numb! (I haven't puked from drinking since highschool) I briefly tapered off after a year of taking it with no side effects that I recall. I've just read several articles about lawsuits of those who commited suicide connected to Paxil and some killing others too - like the stories we hear all too often. The biggest advertisers in the TV & newspaper are PHARMA, so do you think we will hear any news on drugs like Paxil being linked to these stories, that are tradagies of real peoples lives!!!!! No.
I recently saw a billboard stating Paxil has caused LUNG & HEART DEFECTS! Which prompted me to start research and got me to this site. Turns out I have had several test on my lungs and heart over the last few years, cause I have an unexplained chest discomfort. I was diag. w/ mitro valve prolapse and have a spot on my lung?! So this is ALL now making me wonder if it's a side effect to that dam PAXIL. LIFE has stress, we all have to learn to cope by using psycho therapy or perhaps having our hormone and other levels checked in the body. Paxil is NOT a cure, it's HIGH RISK, and not worth it, drugs like this only MASK the real problem that still needs to be resolved, and there's not been enough long-term studies on all these drugs! I have wondered for a long time what side-effects I've had from it that I"m not even aware of. I've never felt the same as I did prior to taking it, my mind just doesn't seem as sharp. I never had SEVERE depression, HIGH anxiety, and suicidal thoughts until AFTER I quit taking Paxil. I got on it because my "family practice" Dr. like all of them was too quick to perscribe it when I told her I was having stress because of life changes having moved and just married and career changes.. normal life stress we all have to work THROUGH! I needed a therapist and maybe some valium, but NOT PAXIL!
I plead with you to do more exploration w/ natural approaches, exercise, and therapy don't just POP A PILL for your problems! The risk are too high.

Im a 20 year old male and about 6 months ago got injured and was forced to stop playing golf. This was very difficult and it gave me pretty bad anxiety, and i also had 2 panic attacks. All this occured all in about 2 weeks. I was put on 20mg paxil and about a day or two into it I started to see wonderful effects. I thought it was amazing. After about a month i was back to normal with minimal if any anxiety, had very minimal side-effects; drymouth,headaches. I just recently bumped it up to 40mg due to stress, worked good, but i did get a few new side-effects like trouble ejaculating, weakness, slight trembling, very vivid dreams(which is kinda neat just due to the fact that i would never remember my dreams and now i remember 2-4 a night) and a headache every once and a while. I think this drug is good and can be bad. Ive been reading a lot of troubling stories about other peoples experiences with getting off the drug, and quite frankly, its got me a little worried. But I plan to eventually got off this drug and get through the withdrawals and continue my life accordingly. I think if anyone is going through these problems and does get over it, it would be very helpful to all the people who are struggling, if you would write about your struggles and explain that this does happen and it does end. Show how everyone eventually gets over the hard times and gos on with the rest our their lives. Good luck to all, your not alone, and it will get better

Hello All - I have been on Paxil for about 3 years now. I'm a 31 year old male who suffered awful for years before Paxil with anger issues, constant depression, trouble sitting still & rushing through everything, not being able to feel "normal" - I had constant stomach aches, afraid of everything ect.

I have to say I have not one complcation from using Paxil - No issue with sex drive - no sweats, i sleep great, work at a normal pace, can hold friendships and foucus on everthing, small amount of weight gain but i"m very active and have a ton of energy so I stay in shape. I really cant find anything i dislike about taking Paxil, the other thing i find is that I'm in a constant state of ---------it's hard to explain, the line i typed is sorta how i feel, just even keeled, nothing gets me really excited much, and i dont get mad either - It's all just a feeling of ------ haha - anyone feel like that too? I tend to find myself being alone, and i have a big social life, but sometimes i rather be left alone.
Sometimes i feel like if i never talked to anyone, had a relationship, friends ect i would not even careless - It's normal to cry and get excited and mad and that's the only part that I dont enjoy, otherwise life is awsome but I guess it could be alot worse!!! and trust me it was!

I have been on Paxil for about 5 mo. Then it was discovered that I was miss diagnosed, I wonder how many people have heard that. It is very strange coming off Paxil. My side affects were the same but a little different. I am 34 and my sex drive went through the roof I mean from 1x a mo. to about 10-15. So I dont think that affects everyone. I had no appetite at all lost some weight down to 100. I went from 12.5 to 25mg in 5 mo. I feel better a little emotional and the brain shocks are scary at 1st but then when I learned about everyone had I feel better and they are kind of fun now. 3 more pills and I am done, and ready to take on side effects of my next medication.

I have been taking paxil cr 25mg for about a month now and it has really helped my anxiety. The first two weeks were hell but my body has gotten use to the drug and now I feel fine. My only side affects are yawning like crazy, no sex drive, and low appetite (this part I love I have lost 15 pounds) but will the yawning and no sex drive go away eventually? please if anyone has an answer please let me know

increased moodiness and irritability; more depressed -

extreme mania

my e-mail tells me someone is trying to leave me a message, but I am unable to read it. My # was 31531 and my e-mail is lmwoods1@hotmail.com. You can e-mail me directly please.

I know what most of you are going thru,I myself am still taking paxil. i have been taking the med on and off for about two years. The side effects for me right now are dimoralizig, Ihave perfuse sweats in the middle of the night ,sweaty palms,hand shakes,and worst of all i am a 35year man that went from sexual peak to not even being able tofunction sexualy. My wife who is 7years younger does not understand where my desire went ,but also wants me to take the meds. because it heps my anxiety out. For anybody just starting to take this medication be advised that there is side effects that can come along with wanting to feel well.

This is to #31213. I too was on Paxil for 6 months. It took me 4 months to get off that damn pill. This is how I got off it.
_reduce dosage untill you get to lowest dosage.
_Then only take pill every other day or third day(few weeks)
_Then cut pill in half and take every other day or every day (what ever works) Try to go to every other day in some time
_Then cut the half pill into another half (take a few weeks)
_Continue to lower dosage this way until you are only able to lick the powder because the dosage is so low.

When living your days with those awful dizzy spells and brain attacks, Look forward and down throughout the day as much as possible. Try not to turn your head alot! This will help the dizzyness somewhat!

I had all the same effects your girlfriend did and my doctor also said to go to 0 dosage or stay on. That was bull ****! I found the right way from reading other storys! Good Luck!

this is the worst experience ever. I started Paxil C.R. for PMS about 4to5 yrs ago,,,it stopped working so I thought time to quit. I'm having shock waves in my brain,,feels like sand bags when I move my head,,,and I'm so ready to rage. I'm a very kind and loving person,,,I was not told this and I'm putting my anger to good use. I want a lawyer!!

I have been reading a lot about some of the side-effects of coming off paxil. My girlfriend is attempting to do the same right now. Her withdrawal seems to be in line with some of the worse descriptions that I find on the net, and she is starting to question her ability to successfully come off the drug. I support her either way - on or off - but she really wants to come off for at least long enough to evaluate if she actually needs it any more (she has been on it for 7+ years).

She has had dizziness, nausea, and reported "shocks inside her brain" for the past 3 weeks while reducing her dose. Last weekend we went away, and she forgot her medication. In the past, we would have resolved the situation, but since she is in the process of reducing her dose (she went from 30->20->10) and was feeling OK, she decided to go from 10->0. At the end of 3 days, she is crashing hard!! Very distraught, emotional, slurred speach. Really having a rough time. She has gone back to 5 mg, which seems to have helped the physical symptoms a bit, but that is only 1 day after being off for 3. We will see... the emotional/self-questioning is the toughest part right now.

I think it would be good if I could pass along a "success" story... so many people have shared their problems online, which goes a long ways toward her feeling like she is not "going crazy". However, most people don't follow through when they get through it. I think she needs to hear that it is not all just trouble, and that there is an end to it (if, in fact, there is).

Just for the record... her doctor told her that she would be fine to reduce her dose to 0 over the course of 7 days... it was her own research that lead to her decision to try to do it over the course of 30 days instead. I can't imagine how she would have gotten through it if she had been so naive as to have followed his instructions!

Thanks for sharing...

I was on Paxil, 20mg then 30mg for about 2 years. My doctor took me off of it slowly, because he knew of the awful withdrawl effects. It took a month of tapering it off, and I still had withdrawl effects: Terrible dizziness, twitching of my legs and arms, itchyness of my feet when I tried to sleep, cold sweats, hot flashes, no appitite, and most scary of all was the nystagmus (uncontrollable jerks of the eye in horizontal directions when you move your eyes or head). My doctor said that not many people have this symptom, but that it was caused by the Paxil withdrawl. If anyone has jerky eyes they can't control while coming off paxil, mail me at ****** and I can tell you more, maybe reassure you that it will get better.
Long story short, about 2 weeks after coming off the last few milligrams of Paxil and everything (even the nystagmus) is gone.

I'm actually taken Proxiten,, the genaric version of Paxil. I just stopped taken it a couple of days ago and my body is going through seriouse withdraw. I feel light headed and dizzie most of the day, in spirts. Its really weird. I also feel aggression and angry and very irritable. One of the reasons why I stopped taken it is because it made me numb to everything. Its like I did not have an emotion on this pill, and lets not talk about my sex drive. It was already nonexistent when I started and after ... for get about it. The sade thing is Im still in the 20's. oh yes and the doctor never mentiond that I would have the the craziest dreams I have ever had in my life. Thinking about things that I should not or dream of uptopian places. There has to be something natural to take for depression. Any suggestion

I am extremely sensitive to SSRIs and most drugs that affect the CNS. However, Paxil always seemed to be a miracle drug to cure depression, at least until I have to taper off of the medication. I've been on and off for about 4 years now, because it always seems to make me too high to function, no matter how low the dose is. This time I came off of a low dose of Paxil after a couple of weeks (my body simply can't handle it).
The side effects seem to be that I never really went off of the drug. My thoughts are not as complex as they were, my libido is almost non-existant, I pay little attention to detail, and I can't get stressed about anything (not even to get my work done). My memory is bad and I don't fantasize or daydream about anything. It's almost as if I'm stuck in the present constantly, not thinking about the past or the future, thus causing little thought before I speak or act (thought about the consequences).
I don't know when this will end. It's been months and I feel slightly braindead, but happy. I need to bring myself back to normal so that I can do well at my job (I have a fairly high level job in higher ed), and plan for the future... back to grad school.
Oh, one last side affect is that if I do get pushed into anger or annoyance, about a second later I can't even remember what I what the outburst was about, while the other person is still recovering from the outburst. Not a good thing at all. I wonder if anyone has any suggestion or similar experience? I can't wait for this to be over, if it ever will be.