Paxil and sex drive

I've been on Paxil for the last year and every so often I check around on the web to see if anyone has anything GOOD to say about this medication ;-)
For a change I thought I'd throw in my input too to help anyone who may be contemplating using this drug.

I have to say that I think paroxetine hydrochloride (Paxil's generic name) is really a wonder drug in the sense that it completely re-balanced my neurotransmitter chaos and intense panic attacks I experienced last year when I was completing my PhD. Yes, there were changes in my life and my body--easier to gain weight, delayed orgasm/climax (but honestly I would say I have an increase in sex drive, not a decrease), occasional tingling in my fingers or some tension in my jaw, and those absolutely psychedelic dreams. But all in all it's really all positive, not negative. I've experienced a lot more pleasure in my life, calm, mellowness. I have more space around things that used to really bother me intensely. I no longer obsess about this and that. And together with acupuncture, massage, exercise (hot yoga is great), good therapy sessions, and a total restructuring of the way I approach my life, I feel quite confident to come off the drug now.

For those of you worried about withdrawal, you should get the book "The Antidepressant Solution" by Joseph Glenmullen, which is a very clear, methodical guidebook to coming off these powerful medications. His point, as a neurologist and psychiatrist, is that basically our bodies wonderfully adjust to the influx in serotonin by calibrating to the new chemical balance in our blood-- and this takes time--usually a month, for us to biologically come up with the exact "mix" appropriate to our own body. The Paxil starts working the day you take it, but it doesn't produce the desired effect until your body has balanced it out and integrated it.

And the same is true when you withdraw, because your body has to gently adjust again. For reference, I'm down to 5mg from my original 20mg and I feel great. I have had no side effects in withdrawal except for sleepiness and wild dreams, and maybe a touch of dizziness here and there, but I understand these all to be side-effects, and so I'm just gentle with myself and take my time-- I'm tapering off the drug over the course of four-five months, by the way.... The people who complain of all the zaps and the crazy horrifying withdrawal symptoms are people who don't do the tapering gradually enough and don't realize the mechanics going on in their bodies. Stopping cold turkey is never a good idea-- It's like attempting to run a marathon without building up your body first or even stretching.

Your body needs to adjust to the new chemistry bit by bit-- that's all. So long as you observe this and listen to your body every step of the way, I think Paxil is a very trustworthy and friendly tool to integrate into your therapy regarding anxiety, depression and panic. But it's just a tool, and that cannot be stressed enough.

hi im from mexico but i went to see the a doctor in san diego, three years ago i was diagnosed with anxiety panic attacks etc.. my life was horrible i would never leave my house i was scared of everything even to eat, to be at the movies, TO DRIVE, it was a nightmare. So I took paxil for three whole years and my life was back, i was happy, nothing appeared to affect me i was strong,then i started to notice that my sex drive was non existent. i would never want to have sex, or have an orgasm, i felt very sleepy, so i decided to get off paxil, and for eight months everything was great i had the best orgasms ever it was me again, i was ver happy, until a couple of days m anxiety came back with the panic attacks, right now i would not leave my house, im terrified i dont want to drive anymore, so i guess i have to start taking it again as Sad as it is, the quality of life without paxil is worse than anything even an orgasm, it is just sad to not have it all. Anyone knows how to have a good sexual life taking paxil?

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.

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

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've read all the good and bad.I am a Paxil veteran. 17 yrs, since I was 19.The yawns,sweating,no sex drive, and oversleeping get tolerable. If you have bad side effects after 4 mo. of use try something else.Paxil is addictive. I have had good results over the 17yrs. The Dr has tried to switch at times...I CAN"T. When you have had success for a couple of yrs, you might as well commit for life. My body is addicted. If I forget to take a pill my equilibrium in ears goes haywire. To dizzy for much of anything. Although the past year, as I am getting older my emotions are going numb. Anyone out there over 15yrs able to quit Paxil?As I have had success with Paxil in the past, I'm affraid of what's to come.
I also have ADD. Is there a link btwn paxils memory loss side effect and ADD????

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 Paxil 10 mg for panic attacks since 1998. I have to admit it's been a great drug for me and has helped remove the panic attacks. It makes me very sleepy and tired, and my sex drive is a lot less. I've also gained about 60 pounds on Paxil and don't feel like exercising or doing anything energetic. Still, the panic attacks were much worse, I was ready to kill myself. I cannot take the generic Paxil, it does not work for me at all.

I have been taking Seroxat for about 6 years now, for panic attacks and mild depression,at first i didnt like the feelings i was getting, but stuck with it ,glad i did coz they turned me into a very happier more confident person,very rarly get a panic attack now and i can even go out and get drunk without thinking im going to die,did not effect my sex drive at all,started remembering dreams for the first time ever. I have lost hair and i have put on a lot of weight but this could be put down to getting older and drinking ? who knows ,
I would like to stop taking Seroxat just to see if i lose weight , but I cant coz I know, after forgetting to take tabs for a couple days the cold turkey is horrible ,

Paul

I've been taking Paxil CR for over a year now for anxiety attacks and mild depression. I haven't had any problems with it until recently when my prescription ran out and my mom hasn't called the doctor to re-order it (I'm 17). I've had a chronic migraine for 3 days, dizzy spells where I have to hold onto things when I walk to keep from falling, nausea, difficulty breathing, and a racing pulse. I'm convinced these symptoms are withdrawls from not taking the Paxil for over a week. I, too, have had an overactive sex drive from Paxil. The constant feeling of being on the verge of an orgasm is truly annoying. Glad to know I'm not the only person with that problem.

I have been taking paxil, I get confused, frustrated,verry emotional,dizzy spells so bad I cant walk or drive I hold on to things to keep from falling, sleep on the floor now for 3 years have fallen out of bed,I have moodswings,sex drive has ran out the door, no energy no sleep at night hard to take care of family any thing sets me off, have trouble breathing,keep server miagrains,and more all this would make someone feel stupid but the dr just keeps writing it and others out and sayen nothings wrong, THIS IS NOT RIGHT you know when something is wrong and not normal

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.

WOW! Am I the only one who thinks Paxil is great? I am 61 years old and I emotionally hit a wall about four months ago. I had taken Zoloft several years ago and had bad headaches from it, so the Dr. tried me on Paxil. I feel great and my sex drive is still strong. Sleep well, but have weird dreams. Not bad dreams, just weird. The only real side effect I have encountered is aching joints, leg cramps and brusing. From what I have read, other people are experiencing the same side effects. I take two 10 mg. tablets a day. Don't plan to stay on them for ever, but they sure are helping me now!

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.

Experienced the side effect of llightheadedness, dizzy, fuzz like not all there when out. Xanax is the best drug for me for panic and anxiety attacks but doctors don't like to give it, it can be habit forming. 1/4 of a mg twice a day works for me, so why should I take Paxil or Prozac, Prozac had the same side effect as Paxillll, those mind altering drugs are drugs are just what the are called. Mind altering, lost sex drive, gained weight. Having problem with rapid pulse, have been off for 6 months now, will never go back. I have friends that use Prozac or Paxil and swear by them. These drugs are just what they are called drugs.

To add to my most recent post.... I forgot to mention that my sex drive was non-existant on the drug. Before taking the drug it was excellent.