Paxil and night sweats

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 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 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 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 been on paxil for two months my girl freind has been on it for many years and we want to know if it stops us from having kids dissy sleeping with night sweats nightmares bed wetting

RE: Guest # 10243
I have been on Paxil going on three months and I experience terrible night sweats. I wake up drenched and it feels like its freezing. Sometimes to the point where I get up in the middle of the night to shower. As time goes on, it doesn't seem to be getter any better or any worse. I have recently began having night terrors as well. And also I wake myself up at night from grinding my teeth. Since I have been on Paxil I have found myself again. I know who I am. My depression is almost non-exsistance as well as those dreadful panic attacks. The bad out weighs the good for me. To all of you who Paxil hasn't helped, I hope you are able to find what works for you..good luck.

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 CR 25mg for over 2 months and it has changed my life for the better. Hardly any panic attacks or depression. I can actually fuction is society. I have a few side effects like yawning and night sweats but nothing major. Paxil is the best thing that has happened to me. Good luck to all of you!!

I have taken paxil 2 - 3 years probably, started out taking 12.5 miligrams but during the last year and a half increased to 20.m.g. I have terrible night sweats, clinch my teeth really bad, have dreams that are "hair raising", not frightening all the time but just wake you up feeling strange.I've gained weight but that may not be the paxil, I have a real urge to eat sweets that I've never had before the last year or so. I have very hard to explain popping in my ears when I'm laying down. It affects my hearing and I even see flashes when I'm trying to go to sleep. I have miagraines and attribute some of this to that. However this did not happen prior to taking the paxil and I wonder if other people have the same symptoms. I'm in the process of stopping taking this drug and have just about gotten off it. How long will it be before its out of my system? Does anyone have these "strange feelings with their ears and head?"

I have been on Paxil (20 mg/day, taken in the morning) for 18 days now, and I am feeling way better than I was before starting it. Before, I was weepy, depressed, prone to panic attacks, quick to anger, and wondering why I was alive.

Now, I am thinking much more clearly. I do not feel depressed. I have not experienced any panic whatsoever, even during times when I usually had panic episodes before. I feel moments of normal happiness, which I had gone a very long time without experiencing.

I have experienced a slight sensation of detachment since starting the Paxil, but it's not awful. In fact, it is probably best for me, anyway. My emotional instability was pretty bad before--crying at the drop of a hat, freaking out at my poor husband for something minor--and the Paxil has put me back on an even keel again.

The only "bad" (note the quotes) side effects I have noted are night sweats (actually, increased sweating overall), insomnia (particularly bad the first week of taking Paxil), and teeth grinding in my sleep.

My doctor prescribed me a short course of low-dosage Xanax for just the first few weeks, so I pop two 0.25 mg pills before bedtime. This has helped the insomnia, and I am no longer grinding my teeth during the night. The longer I stay on the Paxil, the lesser I notice or experience the bad side effects.

Overall, for me at least, the good outweighs the bad with Paxil. I feel like myself again!

I have been on Paxil for 7months-it has helped me so much. I can actually think better,more clearly and my anxiety attacks have decreased. I am hoping i can go over within a year but for now it has helped me greatly. I do however have weird dreams and some night sweats but if that is all i can handle it!!

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.

i have been on paxil cr 12.5mg for 2 months and i have lost 6 pounds and it has helped me a lot-the only thing is that i do dream a lot and have night sweats but i guess this is normal??? it has helped with panic attacks tremendously.

Ive been on paxil for 5 months, never suffered from aniexty once in awhile little panic attacks, it positively took the "what if" out of my head. What if meaning what if it happens again? Normal side effects first 2-3 weeks otherwise feel like my normal self, wanted to stop at first but stuck with it. I dont know it these are side effects but I have dreams at night(nice ones) night sweats, constipation. Not sure if these are from the paxil though. I guess I will the first to say I recommend it.

Been on paxil for six months.....tried going without it, but almost went nuts..have gained weight, and have had a lot of sleepless nights, night sweats, forgetting alot..doctor said to take it or deal with the problems..I choose to deal with it

I have been on Paxil since March 7th and i will tell you this is the best thing that has happened to me-i have no more confusion and dizziness and less panic attacks-i am only taking 12.5mg at this time-i do however have some night sweats on occasion. I actually have lost like 3 pounds since i have been on it weird? since everyone has been gaining weight??