Paxil and medication

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

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

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

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

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

I 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 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

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 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

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

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 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.

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...

this pertains to my post below, i forgot to mention that i am taking the generic paxil at 20mg a day in the morning. i am a 22 year old female. a few other side effects i forgot to add are:
- decreased sex drive (but not much!)
- a little scatterbrained at times, mild confusion
- some moodiness
- trouble concentrating and paying attention (ADD seems to be worse) but still managable and able to pass college courses and maintain a full time job at a receptionist.

some advice that i learned as i endured the extremely difficult days before taking the medication:
keep focused on a certain goal, mine was keeping my new job and never missing a day no matter how out of my mind i felt. it was hard to put on an act everyday and keep the tears inside but you have to do it and this kept me strong. afterawhile, i started to feel the best at work becuz my mind was occupied and i was learning something new everyday. coworkers were encouraging me and complimenting my hard work. keeping on top of this goal kept me afloat at my darkest hours. you can really help yourself if you truly try. it may all just be mind over matter....

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

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 have been on Paxil 40 mg for approximately 7 years now. I've never had a problem with it, and hope I never do, after reading all the messages posted. In the first week of taking Paxil I remember feeling great. I told my mom that everyone in the world should be taking this drug. There wouldn't be any war! But after reading these postings, I've realized that I'm very lucky. I suffered from Depression. I had suicidal thoughts but never followed through. I would cry every night in bed. I couldn't fall asleep at all. The list goes on. I also had anxiety attacks. Paxil has helped all of these things. I am more outgoing and comfortable talking infront of groups of people. I do remember feeling extremely tired when I started taking Paxil. I had the yawns. But that was it. I only wish that all of you could feel the way I did/do with Paxil. I did try weening myself off of it but I just wasn't ready. I had a baby 3 months ago and he's fine. I took the Paxil all through my pregnancy. I did my research on Paxil and pregnancy. So far so good. Yes I would love to stop taking it. It's medication that I'd prefer not to have to take but i'm just not ready yet. I'm happy with the way things are right now.

I am taking Paxil for approx. 5 years-20mg. as prescribed my my doctor. I am currently being weaned off this medication at my request for approx. 5 months now (Slow) taking 20m.g. every 4 days. Well, I am experiencing all kinds of side effects e.g. shakiness, tremor, dizziness, headaches, big time insomnia, coming down my stairs, I have to hold on the rail, pains in my back, legs, neck, lack of judement, concentration and the list goes on. But my goal is to fight this and move on without any drugs. But I am struggling at the moment.

In my opinion Paxil was only a coverup for me, it did more harm than good. It seems like you have to use it for the rest of your life.

I have been taking Paxil since October 2003, as I was suffering from panic attacks and mild depression.

After the initial two weeks of getting used to the medication (20 mg each morning) (I had to take a week off work as I was so spaced out, achy, shaky, feeling sick, sweaty), I found that my symptoms of depression and panic attacks eased off and have now completely gone.

I've been feeling great ever since. The only side effects I get now are the constant vivid dreams which are so real that I sometimes really don't know whether something has happened or not, I've put on a massive 28lbs which is loads for me as I've always been a petite size 8-10(UK). Every now and again I would experience what I would call a "judder".

I have started to come off the tablets (10 mg a day for a few weeks and then see what my doctor says) I am experiencing these "judders" all the time. I have also not had a period for six weeks - is this normal (I have taken three pregnancy tests so I am just waiting to see what my doctors says about it)??? I am also sweating a lot and feel very flushed.

I began taking Paxil CR for postpartum related panic attacks in January of 2004. By mid February I began to really struggle with terrible memory loss. It was impossible for me to leave one room and go to another without forgetting why...My healthy libido was down the tubes, I have gained about 10 pounds and my whole body aches. I honestly wish I would have put more thought and research into taking Paxil CR. However, my panic attacks were so terrible that I would not sleep for days on end. At the time it was so necessary for me to get as much sleep as possible while caring for my newborn. I spoke with my MD in March, during one of my monthly appointments, and she said that the side effects were more related to "being a new mother" than anything. Translation, your nuts! Little did she know I was not a new mom...this was my second child. My first is in his teens. It was at that point I realized I needed to be referred to a specialist. I also attempted to discontinue the medication over a 2 week period of time. That was a big mistake. The dizziness and out of body like experiences were way to horrible. I went back on the meds and made an appointment to see a psychiatrist. After months of this I now believe it is very important to see an MD that specializes in prescribing medications like Paxil. One who understands the side effects and can prepare you for what to expect. I don't believe Paxil CR is a bad medication. It is just like anything else, it works for some but not for others.

I did a study with this medication and im a healthy 18yr...but when i took it i was was dizzy, my heart was slow paced and my period has been going on for about 2 weeks..
i dunno..i don't think its a good medication becuase of the bad side effects..like nausea..sick..excessive bleeding, bruising, dizzy and jjust not all there

I took paxil for over a year, I stop cold turkey because I read one of the side effet,affect your liver, I felt dizzy spells my head felt disconnected, I had terrible nightmare my sex drive decreased, weight gain, chest pain , slow heart beat , felt so tire and sad after getting off paxil, I'm going back to my doctor . I'm reserching every medication prescribed to me before I take it.

Don't take Paxil or Paxil CR.

Not feeling any releif for depression. Loss of sleep, nervousness,shakey,Loss of appetite, Lack of concentration. However my moodswings are about 80% better and I don't get angry about things that would have before caused my Rage. I have been on Paxil CR for 3 weeks. Sometimes my heartrate is extremally rapid but this medication has it's pro's and con's.

Tiana Ponciano