Paxil and anxiety

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 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.

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 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.

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'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 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'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 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

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.

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.

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 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 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'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.

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!

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.

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

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

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.

For me, Paxil is miracle drug. I have taken Paxil for about three years with a brief switch to Zoloft in year two. Paxil's impact has been positive and dramatic with anxiety, depression, and OCD. Nothing has worked better. Nothing even close. After a gradual increase I eventually leveled off at 60 MG/Day. The sweats are annoying. But annoying is a small price to pay for the benefits I've seen. I've not had weightgain, my energy level returned once I got off my butt and started exercise again.

I HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT I AM EXPERIENCING ANXIETY AND MY DOCTOR HAD ME TRY A TRIAL BASIS OF LEXAPRO. I SEEM TO DO WELL ON IT ALMOST AS IF I WASN'T TAKING IT. WELL I HAD TO STOP THAT BECAUSE I RAN OUT WELL HE PRESCRIBED ME 11 MONTHS OF IT AND I COULDN'T AFFORD IT SO HE HAD HIS ASSISTANT CALL IN PAROXETINE (PAXILL) AND I TOOK IT FOR 3 DAYS AND I STARTED GETTING DIZZY AND FELT LIKE A ZOMBIE DIDN'T INTERRUPT MY SLEEPING HABITS BUT DID NOT LIKE THE WAY I FELT ON IT. WE I ALSO HAVE AN EAR PROBLEM AND MY DOC THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE VERTIGO IN RESULT OF THE DIZZINESS. TOLD ME TO GET OFF PAROXETINE FOR NOW TO SEE IF SYMPTOMS GO AWAY THEN CALL HIM BACK AND QUITE POSSIBLY START BACK ON PAROXETINE BUT CUTTING THE DOSAGE IN HALF. HE PRESCRIBED ME 40MG THAT'S A LOT IN MY BOOK. MY MOM TAKES CELEXA 20MG AND FROM WHAT MY DOCTOR TOLD ME WAS THAT CELEXAS LIKE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TOTUM POLE FOR ANTI-DEPRESSANTS. CELEXA/LEXAPRO/PAXIL . SO I DON'T KNOW. I DIDN'T TAKE MY LAST DOSAGE WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN LAST NIGHT AND I FEEL A HELL OF A LOT BETTER TODAY THAN I HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS. I WISH MYSELF AND EVERYONE ELSE LUCK WITH THE ISSUES WE ARE ALL ENDURING. GOD BLESS.

I started taking Paxil 20mg a couple months ago and at first it made me feel disoriented i didn't want to go anywhere and felt really lost, after a while it started to kick in and i slowly started to feel better, then i noticed for almost two weeks it was hard for me to get out of bed. I would sleep for on average 18 hrs. and the only reason I would get up was the fact that I could still stay sleeping for 24 hrs. and that scared me. I then abruptly stopped taking it because I was sleeping so long and I seemed to be OK. After a little while i noticed my anxiety was really high again so i started taking my paxil again thinking it would help. I started having panic attacks while on it and they were very intense and had high suicidal tendencies and negative thoughts. A complete nightmare and depressing time I'm going to my doctor to see what I should do from here

i have been on paxil for about 3 or 4 months now following several life traumas over a short time. my side effects from paxil have been as follows:

- very vivid dreams/nightmares, sumtimes hard to determine if it really happened or not.
- palms sweat like crazy
- gained at least 10 pounds
- hair texture seems to be dry and thinner
- urinate frequently (has gotten better after a few months)
- very sleepy, yawn frequently (yawning has gotten better)
- can sleep for almost 24 hours straight (18 hours last sat.)
- does not mix well with alcohol!!! enhances the effects of alcohol and has made me hysterical.
- upon waking up and laying in bed, objects appear to "jump" and colors look faded.
- no pain, just upper neck and back stiffness
HOWEVER the major BENEFIT outways all: no more panic attacks and much less anxiety...i feel so much calmer and like my old self again. Good luck to everyone!

about 9 months after Iraq I began taking 10 mg of Paxil. By july I was taking 40mg in adition of another drug to help. During the first 3 months I would sleep about 12 hours a day and sometimes 40 hours in a 48 hour period. Lets say the Army was not having a good time with me. There were many dizzy days and spells. It was hard to fall asleep and always imposible to get up. I had anxiety atacks about 3-7 per week and sometimes 2-3 per day. Sadly my leaders would not let me go home from the field. Now it has been 5 months sine I began taking the medication and I am getting round. I have been 145 pounds since age 24 until age 29. I began getting round at age 30 and it is not the age but the medications. I notised fatige during workouts and after long runs. I question my future in the military based on the condition I am in now. Of course, there is no sexual apitite but good thing myy wife was going through the end of her pregnancy. I have a few months before my wife gets an apetite. Allthough Paxil has helped me control my disorder which was out of control at one point, I now have other problems which are affecting me in my personal life and slowly clashing with my work

Weighgt loss, paranoid, exreme anxiety

I have been in and out of psychotherapy at least 7 times over the past 20 years for panic attacks and depression. The only thing that has ever worked is medication, and Paxil in particular. The benefits for me of taking medication considerably outweight the costs, bar none. Having tried everything under the sun, and having a Ph.D. in psychology myself, I know that I am not covering anything up, nor am I resistant or anything else. I have a chemical imbalance that is responsive only to medication.

Having said that, I had a drenching night sweat last night and would like to know if it is related to my taking Paxil. I take 20 mg of Paxil and 25 mg of Lamictal. Has anyone else had night sweats with Paxil? Thanks.

I went on Paxil CR (12.5 mg) because of constant panic attacks that lasted for about 1 month. I was so anxious for this period of time that I rapidly started losing weight, broke out in hives and eventually couldn't trust myself to function normally in common situations (i.e. work, driving, etc.). I was on it for 1 year and noticed a significant difference within 2 weeks. The panic attacks stopped, I returned to my normal weight and remained there, and I had an overall feeling of contentment. I went off of it 2 months ago because it was making me feel too content and I was starting to make bad choices (some anxiety is a good thing). I just want all of you to know that it can be used as a tool to help you get back on track, it should never be the solution. I had a few side effects coming off of it (dizziness, feeling electric-like shocks), but have not had any panic attacks or unusual anxiety. It sounds as if a lot of the side effects listed here could be a symptom of anxiety itself. If you make changes to your lifestyle, and are confident in your decision, you can leave Paxil behind.

I STARTED TAKING PAXIL 2 1/2 YRS AGO I HAD A REALLY BAD PANIC ATTACK THAT SEEMED NOT TO GO AWAY THE DRUG MADE ME FEEL BETTER I STARTED MISSING DOSES I WOULD TAKE IT ONLY 1TIME A WEEK BECAUSE LOSE OF INSURANCE WELL LATELY MY ANXIETY HAS GOTTON SO BAD LIKE PANIC ATTACKS THE WHAT IF HORRIBLE THOUGHTS BUT THATS WHAT ANXIETY IS RIGHT? WELL I WANTED TO GET BACK ON TRACK SO I TOOK IT TWO DAYS IN A ROW AND THESE SIDE EFFECTS FELT LIKE HOW I FEEL ONLY WORSE MORE PANIC TEETH GRINDING DRY MOUTH SO I WENT TO THE DOCOTR SHE SAID TO START FROM THE BEGINNING TAKE 10 MILLIGRAMS AND MOVE UP GRADUALLY IM SO SCARED OF SIDE EFFECTS I WANNA CUT THAQT IN HALF AND ONLY TAKE 5 MIL AND MOVE UP ALSO SHE GAVE ME XENOX SO I WONT FEEL THE SIDE EFFECTS AND TO HELP ME I WANT HELP I NEED IT BUT IM SCARED ITS LIKE I DONT WANT TO GO TO WORK IF I HAVE TO FEEL BAD SIDE EFFECTS ON THE OTHER HAD AFTER THE SIDE EFFECTS GO AWAY I WILL FEEL NORMAL IS THEREANYONE WHO HAS STARTED AT 5MIL & WENT UP AND IT WORKED FOR U ???? PLEASE EMAIL ME IS THERE ANYONE WHO STOPPED FEELING ANXIETY ON YOUR OWN ??? PLEASE EMAIL ME BACK ****** THANKS FOR THE OPPRITUNITY!!

I WAS ON PAXIL CR FOR ABOUT 7MOS. FOR ANXIETY. I HAD 20MG PER DAY. I EXPEIRENCED DREAMS, INSOMNIA, DIZZINESS AND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WEIGHT GAIN. I PUT ON 24 POUNDS WITHIN THE LAST MONTH. MY ANXIETY WAS BETTER BUT THE DREAMS AND DIZZINESS WAS VERY HARD TO COPE WITH. MY DR. TOOK ME OFF THEM AND I AM CURRENTLY TRYING ZOLOF. FOR THE LAST WEEK DURING THE CHANGE OVER I WAS EXTREMELY DIZZY. I DO FEEL BETTER WITH THIS DRUG. I AM SLEEPING BETTER AND FEEL CALMER. THE DIZZINESS IS GETTING BETTER. MY HUSBAND IS ON LEXAPRO AND SEEMS TO BE HANDLING THAT FINE. THAT MADE ME VERY ILL. I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT JUST ME.

I have been taking Paxil CR 25 mg. now for about 3 months. I don't really see any change and still have the anxiety, night sweats, no sex drive, dizziness, headaches, insomnia and a lot of other things. I am not sure what to do at this point. I was on Prozac before and felt kind of the same, maybe not as anxious. Zoloft did not work for me at all. I know for sure, you have to wean off of these drugs you cannot just stop taking it or the side effects get worse. I am going to talk to my doctor about something else. I know they do not like to give out Xanax unless it is on a short term basis.