Paxil and anxiety and depression

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 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.

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!

This is both one of the BEST and WORST drugs for anxiety/depression. I was on Paxil CR 37.5mg for five years for moderate anx./dep., and yes, the weight gain (10-15 lbs.), vivid dreams, sweatiness, etc. were all side effects. But the Paxil so thoroughly balanced out my anxiety and depression that the side effects seemed a fair tradeoff.

(P.S. Nothing kills a libido like Paxil.)

And then, I went off the Paxil b/c I was changing insurance companies. Having read all of the terrible withdrawal symptoms, I scheduled myself a full four months to taper off. I lowered my dosage every week by only 2-3mg at most. (This involved cutting up the pill, which *they* say never to do, but of course *they* also claim that there are no withdrawal symptoms.) As a result, my withdrawal symptoms were negligible at best.

This past year, I went back on the Paxil CR 37.5mg and for a short while it worked again. And then it suddenly STOPPED. *They* don't want us to know that once you've been on, then off, Paxil, when you return to it, its chances of working again are slim to none. I took less time (only 2 months) to withdraw this time around, and the withdrawal symptoms were HIDEOUS. I've never felt so scared of what my body exhibited--unbelievable dizziness, terrible electric "shocks," headaches. And abject rage that I've never experienced before in my life. So much incredible nervous energy that I couldn't sit still. A rotten memory and confusion. Horrible symptoms. And yet, while I was withdrawing, I could see my body improving in other areas--far less appetite, for one, far less need for sleep, and less exhaustion.

While my anxiety and depression have returned, and while I'll probably need to be put on a different pill, I now at least know to research not just "official" medication Web sites but also patients' anecdotes. If I'd done so the first time around, I never would have stopped the Paxil at all. Pharmaceutical companies are just pimps who own doctors, so drs. are never going to warn you about the bad side effects of what they prescribe!!

I have been on Paxil for 10 years.
Overall, it has been a wonderful medicine for me.
I am saddened to hear it has not been that way for
everyone.
I was having lots of trouble with anxiety and depression and
Paxil has been a great healer for me.
I did have pretty bad insomnia for the first couple of weeks,
but I just toughed it out and stuck with it, and I am glad
that I did.
2 negative side effects- I do sweat a lot more easily, and
I don't seem to have much of a sex drive.

I have been on generic Paxil 30 mg for 4-5 months. Overall, my anxiety and depression are much better. I no longer have severe nervous breakdowns. My only complaints are that I am tired all the time and I have gained about 10 pounds. If I don't force myself to get out of the house in the morning, I end up napping on the couch all day long (which is bad because I have two young children that end up watching tv all day). The weight gain is due to me eating nonstop at night. I don't know if the drug is to blame for the late night cravings and the tiredness but overall it is worth it.

I've been on Paxil CR for about 13 days now for mild depression and social anxiety. I was on 12.5 mg the first week and now am on 25 mg. The only side effects I've had are slight nausea, yawning, and being tired earlier in the evening than normal. Since I've been on it, my tolerance is a little better, my self-consciousness (feeling like people are always talking about me) has slightly subsided and my feelings of guilt have gotten better. I've barely been on the drug for two weeks, but I feel it will help my anxiety and depression even more as time progresses.

I've been on Paxil for 8 months now and it has helped tremendously to control my panic attacks, anxiety, and depression. However, for the past 2 months or so, I've been feeling, off and on numbness throughout my body. It comes and goes quickly, my head, my arms and legs, my chest seem to go numb for a few seconds and then back to normal. Very annoying situation....hope it doesn't get worst