Depression Blog.com

I can't believe all of us are going through this.
Why didn't our doctors tell us what would happen?
I'm so pissed off. I tried to wean myself off of this drug & it was a complete nightmare. The pains in my head, the noises in my head, the sadness, & nausea I couldn't funtion. I went back on it. I have 3 kids & a full time job. I can't be laying around with these withdrawl symptoms. I gained 60 lbs since I've been taking paxel. I've never had a weight problem in my life. I'm waiting for life to hopefully calm down so I can try again to wean off this medicine. My daughter has a drug addiction & her doctor prescribed paxel for her. I wouldn't fill it for her knowing what this would do to her.

hello,
just surfing around looking for some web info that is not the typical doom and gloom about paxil.
Like Brooke, I was prescribed paxil for the severe post partum depression which was waiting for me on the other side of my delivery.
It has saved my marriage, my relationship with my baby and possibly my life. I am grateful.
I feel like trying to get off of it is like pole vaulting into the dark and have been told that I should probably always take it, at least around my psycho,er I mean, cycle times.
If I have another child, I am hoping to be off the stuff and will be okay if I do not have another child because of my brain chemistry limitations. The real nightmare has been my family doctor and her arrogance of knowing exactly what I need for my ‘diabetes of the brain‘ as she calls it. I am looking for a new doc who may have a more refreshing point of view. Psychopharmiceuticals are not for wimps and I have had to grow up ALOT!

Tremendous weight gain, sinous problems and lack of sex drive. The worst of all is that you get a big belly and huge breasts. I ended up being hesitant to take off my shirt even at the beach. It was a hell for me but panic attacks did go away.

Hello Everyone, 2 years ago I suffered terribly from Panic Disorder and was put on Paxil 20mgs when I found out I was pregnant with my 3 child and my last. the paxil has turned my life around I am able to leave the home and really supports the depresson side, however I can't lose weight and I am gaining it now, I was always little ~petite~ and now I am not, I want to get off of the Paxil but the hear of all of my panic coming back scares the hell out of me, does anyone have any other suggestions for me or a med that you would think would help as well as Paxil? please email me and let me know
Thanks everyone
Tracie

I am now going off the paxel but under my doctor's supervision. So far i am having no problems but i am walking 3 miles every night. I have still weight to loose but I am trying to eat healthier. When I read about people that have such terrible side effects I wonder if they let the doctor know about problems. I will be glad to get off this medicine and I do realize taking a pill is not going to solve my problems but I also know there are people that do need to talk with medical proffessionals while on medication.

Thank you to all who have shared their words and wisdom. As depression affects many, and is acknowledged by few, I found this site to be helpful...if only I knew now what I did then. paxil placed a large cationic Band-Aid on my personal turmoil for the duration of 13 months. Up to 40mg/day I tapered off just how the medical world had advised. I finished my nursing degree at the age of 25 and thought I could kick the paxil.
THIS DRUG DID NOT MAKE SENSE! I had gained 28 lbs. eating well balanced meals, dropped my grades by 1.0 (3.? from 4.o likely d/t poor memory and concentration levels) broke up with my partner (no sexual desire) therefore, my conclusion was that I needed to regain control of my life from the dreaded clutches of paxil.
Coming down/major withdrawal: loss of bowel control, diarrhea, sweats, nightmares, massive confusion, dizziness, blurred vision, uncontrollable crying, N&V.
July 26/2005 and I am 21 days clean and right back to the gaping wound that my paxil Band-Aid had covered all these months. This sucks, I feel like a socially accepted junkie, out of control and now I need to "choose" to take more drugs??? I will never recommend this drug to my friends, family, client's or patients.
Advice: READ, REASEARCH, AVOID PAXIL!

Was just looking around the web for some Paxil information..
I wanted to leave a positive comment here too.

About three years ago...I was finally put on Paxil for my GAD and mild depression/anxiety.

It saved my life.

I had suffered for years (like 30!) with anxiety and such but never knew there was help.

I took Paxil for about a year, it was like I finally, after so long...saw the light. - but then I had to stop taking because I was a struggling single mom who could not afford it.

It was the worse mistake of my life. Everything returned. The dread, the anxiety, etc...

I called my NP last week, I will finally, after almost two years of anxiety/depression - be going on Paxil again.

For some this helps so many...and for others it does not. I am so very lucky that for me it helps with my anxiety and such.

I have suffered cyclical depression since age 18, and am now 48 years of age. I began taking paxil eight years ago and experienced relief within a few weeks. I do not feel numbed emotionally at all, as some people describe. I am still able to be sad, and down when theres a reason to be. Paxil has allowed me to be myself full time instead of 1/2 the time. I can now comfortable accept social engagements instead of wondering if I'm going to have a depressive episode which usually lasted 10 days to 2 weeks at a time. My sister also has depression and responds to paxil successfully. I have not had side effects such as weight gain,however I do eat very healthy and I exercise daily. I highly recommend Paxil for people with cyclical depression. It has broken my cycle of depression, and continues to do so after 8 years.

I started taking Paxil 4 months ago for general anxiety, and a never ending adrenalin drive that caused my blood pressure to rise at times of high stress. It has been great!! My BP is down, I sleep very well and my personality is much calmer. On the downside, it can impair sexual climax, but by dropping the dosage slightly for a couple days before, that can be remedied. I hope that after a year of so of adjusted metablism, I may wean off completely.

I suffer from Social Anxiety and Panic Disorder. My doctor prescribed Paxil CR. I have been taking Paxil CR for 1 month as of today and I have not felt this normal in several years! The only thing I notice is that I have occassional headaches but nothing too bad. I have so much patience now and look forward to things I haven't looked forward to in a long time. It's great being ME again! My doctor said it would take about 3 weeks for me to feel normal and that is exactly right. In 3 weeks I started feeling back to normal. It took every bit of those 3 weeks. In the 3 weeks I went through major ups and downs but I knew there would be light at the end of the tunnel and there was.

I started taking Paxil about a month ago. I have begun to feel a little better, but am considering talking to my doctor next week about switching to something with fewer side effects. The biggest side effect that I have noticed is the fatigue. There are some days when I feel tired all day. The fatigue factor has worn off a little bit, but I wonder if it will ever really go away if I continue to stay on Paxil. I cannot afford feeling tired with 2 small children. My mind still continues to race with anxiety on some days. I have been reading others' comments on Paxil and have noticed a lot of people talk about weight gain. I have not had any problems with weight gain even though I have a healthy appetite. I am fairly active, though, and have never really had an issue with my weight.

Hi, I am currently on seroxat and have been for 7 years. I have found that this is the only way to deal with my panic attacks. Since taking this drug I have been able to get on with my life. However, many doctors keep saying different things in regards to taking this drug. Some are saying that my condition may be hereditory(chemical imbalance) there fore I may never be able to come off it and others have said I should come off the tablets yet everytime I have tried it has resulted in my life being turned completely upsie down and not being able to leave the house to get to work. Please could some one clear up the confusion. I would quite happily take this medicine as it has a very positive effect. However is it safe to take forthe rest of my life. Please respond Thanks Andrea

I have recently been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I think it started when I moved down to Pennsylvania from the NY/NJ area to get married. Slowly, my mind and spirit became crushed and I forgot how to be happy again. Just recently, I found my depression to be getting worse with bouts of anxiety that lead me to seclude myself from others, even my newly wed husband. I started on Lexapro and found that it was way to strong for me (I'm 1/2 asian and am very sensitive to meds). The first couple nights I took it, I couldn't sleep and felt like there was a subway running through my body. My doc dropped the dose, but I still had bad effects.

So she tried me on Paxil. I took it for 2 days while doing as much research as I could on this drug. There are so many horrible side effects and withdrawl symptoms that I did not want to take it any longer. This could potentially lead to a bigger problem and I wasn't ready for that.

So I did some more research and found that caffeine can break down the vitamin B complexes in your body. These vitamins are responsible for keeping a healthy mind. Previously I wasn't taking any vitamin supplements and drinking a lot of coffee and soda.

Now that I've changed my habits... take a daily women's vitamin from GNC that has all of the B-Complexes, stopped drinking caffeinated coffee and soda, and trying to get in some physical exercise every day, I have been feeling soooo much better. Of course there are those issues of leaving my old life behind, but now I have a clear head to do so. No more anxiety attacks, no more feeling like I don't want to be around anyone, etc.

I would suggest to those who have depression to take a look at what your eating, drinking, and putting into your body first. All of these new antidepressants do have side effects that you may feel now or when you start to come off the drug.

I don't think it's worth it!

Kim from Pennsylvania

i was prescribed paroxetine 20mg for anxiety attacks 13th july 2005 the first day i took it i felt very sick,the 2nd day i was very nervous and didnt want to talk to anyone,the 3rd day i was to scared to go out of the house,the 4th day was hell i felt suicidal for the first time in my life i wanted to kill my newborn baby i hated him so much i couldnt look at him,i experienced extreme panic attacks all through that night also,i didnt sleep at all,i didnt take anymore of the paroxetine after that,,its now 11th september so nearly 2 months ago since i took it and im still very ill from it i am so off balance 24/7 i go to bed dizzy and get up in the morning dizzy,,i have lost 2 stone in weight, i am extremely anxious 24/7 and very shaky,all through taking paroxetine for 4 days!!! i was perfectly healthy and LOVING life with my new baby until i took paroxetine,,now it has ruined my life,,im just starting to wonder if these after effects will ever go away or if im left with them for life,,i need my normal,happy,outgoing,loving self back soon before i go absolutly crazy,,DONT TAKE THIS DRUG!!!ITS EVIL!!!

I have been on paxil for 6 mos. now and feel so much less anxious and depressed- not a total cure, but nothing is. If i miss a dose or two, I get extreme vertigo (cant stand up or I fall down) and a hollow feeling in my head. I also get extremely horrific nightmares when I forget to take it, crying out and all. I am scared to get off of it!!!

I took paxil for around 3 months for stress. In the third month I yelled at my girlfriend "what in the hell is your problem!" (to which she found amusing and laughed at me). I went back to my room, came back out and asked what I just did cause for the life of me I don't know why I got mad. This drug can make people have pshycotic episodes and I highly recomend not taking it. The withdrawl was kinda neat too. Felt like some one was following me around with a cattle prod and hitting me in the head with it every 5 min. I'm on my second day of lexapro now and im about to throw those in the trash if I can stay awake that long. I don't understand why doctors are giving people having stress or anxiety attacks SSRIs.

I've suffered from depression since I entered menopause 8 years ago. I'm a professional mental health counselor with a history of physical and mental health. Paxil was perscribed to me and I took it for 1-1/2 weeks. I remember almost nothing of that time. My dreams were so vivid and real that I was not able to differenciate between my dream state and reality. I developed dangerous psychotic symtoms. If I were not a trained professional I might have continued on this drug expecting relief. I am horrified that this drug is being perscribed without daily follow-up from a doctor. It is very dangerous in my opinion.

How long after you start the first does of Paxil CR 25 mgs. start feeling the changes??

How long after you start the first does of Paxil CR 25 mgs. start feeling the changes??

I have been on Paxil for at least 6 years. It has given me my life back.

i have depression/ panic attacks. the attacks are pritty bad, i don't go to stores, i make my boyfriend do all of the shopping. i don't go that far, i stay right here in the neighborhood, if i go far, i start to feel panicky and just want to go home where i feel is the safest place. i am 28/female. since i was 19,i got the deprovera birth control shot off and on for several yrs. and every time i got the shot i would get very very bad panic attacks, they would disappear after the depo shot was completley out of my system. well, since i couldn't handle the shot, after i had my daughter in 2004, i got my tubes tied and now the panic attacks and depression are worse than ever. it seems weird that every time i have somehing done to me that involves messin with my female organs (overies), this crap happens. now, i am considering getting a tubal reversal(untied). hopefully i will get back to my normal self. i don't want to take any anti-deppresants. it's to fake to me!!!! i've tried st. john's wort, it really helped with my depression, but not my anxiety. eating tuna or fish stix really makes me feel better.

oh ya, if they tell you that you have a chemical imbalance, which "chemical" would that be? i heard that depression and anxiety are an under lying sign of a disease that you may have and you may not know it. could be thyroid, or magnesuim deficincy. before you get on anti-depressants, make sure to get some blood work done, just to be sure nothing "major" is wrong with your body.

I can say that this drug DID help me while on it.
But coming off of it I found myself getting addicted to opiates to calm the effects of withdrawal from Paxil.
Im not blaming Paxil for this. Just stating what I did to get off of Paxil wasn't worth taking it in the first place.

I was put on Paxil CR for panic disorder that came on one day out of no where. I have been on it for just over 1 month now and have been sick to my stomach,Tired and the panic attacks keep coming.And after reading hereI now realize why I'm gaining so much weight.
This obviously isn't the drug for me.
Is there an easy way to come off of it?
I told my Dr. that my sister took Paxil for her panic disorder and his response was wanna try it heres a prescription.
He didn't talk to me about it at all.

I have had anxiety disorder since I was 26. It got really bad when I was 32 & had to quit work. I am still now working. My dilemma is not panic attacks it's this wierd feeling in my head that changes in ways & intensity that I cannot describe. Paxil was such a blessing in my life but for some reason after a year it stopps working. I have been trying to heal without it & I have been off it for a year & a half with NO LIFE, no outside world hardly. I have never enjoyed anything without feeling wierd in my head. Do you guys suggest another drug or should I just go on Paxil again & buy myself some more time. I have done so much counselling, I no longer have anxiety, anger or any issue but because I did in the past it reprogrammed my brain to have these symptoms all the time. Any suggestions?

Some days I feel great. Other days I feel like I want to lay in bed all day or veg out on the couch in front of the TV. My panic attacks are leveling out and I must say that I feel a lot better. I got this stupid idea to stop Paxil CR one day. I never dreamed of all the horrible things that would happen to me. I started off feeling nautious. I thought it was the flu. I threw up a bit and slept for 12 hours. I called in sick to work. The next day I felt dizzy but able enough to go to work. On the drive to work I had to pull over several times because it was like everything was swirling around. I eventually got to work and I had INTENSE Vertigo. I felt like I was falling backwards in my chair. I heard scratching noises in my head and it felt as if my whole body was on pins and needles. I was paranoid. I felt like a junkie. I cried and sweat until i could sweat no more.

I ended up doing some research online and found out it was withdrawl symptoms.I was very sick and afraid. I felt betrayed by my doctor.

I am still on paxil, 60 mgs (1 40mg pill and 1 20mg pill). I take it every night before bed.

I hate them because of the addiction my body has to them but I love them because they help me to somewhat free myself from depression's grip.

hi ive started taking paxil becasue i started having panic attacks and panic disorder, i fel tense in the throat, anxiety all day and soemotimes shortness of breath, iw ould like to know if possible for someone to tell me , if one can have a due date per say, of how long this will last, ive been having it for almost 6 motnhs now, and am taking paxil and xanax, does it ever go away??

I DID IT!!! I want everyone to know that after six years on 40mg of Paxil I was able to ween myself off! I cut my dosage down by 5mg every 7 days. It wasnt easy, every 5mg down my withdrawal symptoms got a little harder to overcome and 10mg was the worst but honestly it was nothing I couldnt tolerate; on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the hardest, I would say the hardest it ever was was a 6, and that was at the 10mg mark. I have been completely off of Paxil for 2 weeks now...so good luck to everyone, it can be done, just be patient, resolve yourself to letting the paxil go. Give it a try, cut down your dosage by 5mg every 7 days, or go more days if you need it. I would start my new lower dosage every Monday so therefore Weds and Thurs were always my most difficult days (as far as withdrawal symptoms go) but I did it, it can be done....GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

Seroxat has been amazing for me... got me through many periods of depression and anxiety. My doctor's always very careful to wean me onto it, and then wean me very slowly off it when the time's right. If i try to stop taking it too quickly then I do get the classic shocks in the head side-effect. I'm very thankful for this drugs existence, but I know people have had problems with it and therefore describe it as evil. There's no drug on the planet that suits everyone, and this one is doing some pretty hardcore stuff to your brain. I think it's often the doctors at fault for not giving proper advice on adverse affects and what to do if you have them... i.e. go back and look at trying something different. As for stopping, I take 30mg when I'm on it, and wean myself off very gradually over about 2 months. Never had any problems doing it that way, and I've been taking them off and on for over 10 years. I wish I didn't have to take anything, but it's the only thing that's helped at times.

I am 34 yrs old and have been suffering with panic disorder for 10 years now. I have tried all the natural approaches but none of them work for me. I have tried prozac paxil, paxil cr and zoloft. I have had terrible side effects with all of them. I recently tried taking paxil cr 12.5 mg. i cannot not even try to explain the headache i got days into the medication. i took it for 4 weeks and today my doctor told me to stop completely. my head feels tight. my lower bach ached everytime i took a pill within a 1/2 hour. i dripped sweat and coulnt catch my breath. it actually caused me to experience more anxiety from it. the stuff is toxic and i dont reccommend it to anyone!

I have just started ti take paxil 5mlgs to start, and then my doc would like me to up it to 10mlgs, in 2wks, i have had panic attacks and social anxiety for 18yrs, i have heard good and not so good things, i hope this works for me.
I have had no side effects yet in 3dys of it, so i dont feel i should really experience any now, this shpuld have already shown me something, if it was going to react, sometimes i feel tired, but thats okay. I also take clonazapam, low dose till paxil gets in me, how long does this take for paxil to get in your system? thanks terrylynne

I have been on Paxil for 6 months and I have no motivation to do anything and an always tired and have gained 30 lbs!! I want to try something else and am very concerned about going off Paxil. This drug is a nightmare that should never have been allowed to be prescribed to the public and although it helped my major depressionin the short term, it really is not helping now. I hate to say it but in a small way i wish I was like I was before Paxil.

After having just read the blogs posted on Paxil, I have to say that I feel totally betrayed by my doctor (whats new!) and that the lack of information portrayed to me in regards to this medication is deeply frustrating. I have had anxiety my whole life and would have not started taking medication had it not been for the fact that I was having constant chest pains, shortness of breath, HORRIBLE anxiety and inceased heart rate. Finally, after 22 years, I decided I would give medications a shot...starting with Buspirone, then Zoloft, and then to Paxil and Xanex. I specifically told my doctor that I was very fearful of getting on anything that I would have addictions to, especially coming from an increadibly addictive background. I was given no warnings concerning side effects. If I miss a single dose (30mg sid), I get increadibly dizzy, nauseous, and feel "fuzzy" in my head. I have also felt "out of my skin" so to speak, although I am not totally sure if this is due to the medication. I have also been experiencing exponential weight gain, and have only just thought it may be due to the medication, which has now been confirmed...which, more or less makes me want to kick my f*&%$ing doctors ass...especially when I asked him for all the information...this weight gain has been increasing despite a very healthy diet, 2hr gym work outs five days a week for over two months now and a decrease in the quantity of food I take in. After reading blogs...now I am scared to stop it. How about this for a thought....general practitioners should not be able to prescribe medications like this, a therapist who actually cares about your well being should...and secondly, although therapists can prescribe medications, its totally rediculous that my (and most people's I would assume)health care doesn't cover such visits! Research this drug before you take it...it does help with anxiety etc...but, honestly, now I'm wondering if it was worth it at all. Lastely, it definatly does have an effect on your sex drive. Honestly, I would rather be anxious with chest pains occasionally, then a fat, addicted blob with no sex drive.

I have been on Paxil for six years. I have a long history of depression and only started taking meds for it six years ago. It has made a huge, positive difference, and makes it possible for me to have a full and worthwhile life. I have not suffered from many side effects except for restless legs. No weight gain, agitation, or anything else. I realize that this med is not for everyone, but for certain people, it can make a huge difference. It's a life saver.

Many people who take Paxil or other antidepressants often have little knowledge of the important role specific nutrition and supplementation plays in depressive/anxiety disorders, especially when taking medication. Unfortunately, most psychiatrists and other medical practitioners
who dispense the meds are even more in the dark about this. As an example some people are sensitive to carbohydrates, even the 'healthy' ones which can play havoc with the blood sugars resulting in anxiety attacks. Food allergies can also lead to depressive states. Because the information in this area is simply to large to include here I would recommend that people do their own homework over this. You might be suprised in what you find and what you can do to help youself.

I have been on this drug for three days now and already I am sweating like a pig despite being in air conditioning, nauseous, light headed, dizzy and drooling like crazy during my sleep. I wasn't expecting these side effects to take place so intensely and so quickly! i'm only on 12.5 mg's- my doc says i may only have to be on these pills for 4-6 weeks. i'm a petite gal who is horrified of weight gain and withdrawal side effects. any advice?

hi my mom is on paxil for 3 weeks. no difference yet. how long does it take to work into the system? she seems to be extremely forgetful. very unusual - this happened almost overnight. any suggestions. thanks

I have been on paxil 3 years ago, it was fine for me, gave me a normal life, but my mom made me stop cuz she thought I was getting addicted. Anyway, to make a long story short, I switched to Cymbalta. The first year, it was fine, but then it got worse, and worse. I got off of it, and now I take Paxil again. I started on 12.5mg, I was taking that for 2 weeks, then I tried the 25mg, for one day, but I started the panic, dizzy, headache, lightheaded, etc, so I went back do3wn to 12.5mg the next day. Now since that day I took 25mg, it has been one week and 2 days with the 12.5mg. I juststarted getting the terrible headaches, and lightheadedness, and the feeling like I will pass out again. I had this feeling for 3 days now. I think the 25mg messed up the rhythm I had going, because after a week and a half of when I started on Paxil again, I was ok for a good week straight, and now I am getting all these stupid, horrible side effects again. The whole week I felt fine I wasn't eating too much bread, or cheese, and now I noticed I have been eating bread a little too much now. I think it may be because of what I eat as well as the 25mg pill I took. What do you think? Any suggestions? Thanks.

My name is Jamie Johnson and Im 25 years old. I have been living with depression for what seems to be a very long time. I am sick and tired of feeling this way, I dont even know what else to try. I am currently taking zoloft, an anti-depressant. It seems to be helping me a little but am still feeling down sometimes. I have been looking into alternative treatments, something to add on to what I am already doing. So now, with my therapy and medication..I also found out about certin stones that can help with mood and negative energy, I decided to try those as well. I now have been wearing my "healing bracelet", as I like to call it for 2 weeks. I can honestly say I feel a little better, I actually think this thing is helping. I now have been recommending them to other girls in my weekly depression group, because if it can help me, maybe it could help you. Im not saying that there magic or should take the place of medication or therapy, but every little bit helps, if you know what I mean. I am just gratefull that I have started to feel a little better, because I get so sick of feeling down all the time. Also, it really sucks because it feels like now one understands.

how long does it take for paxil to kick in?
What dossage is recommended?
Ive been taking anti anxiety (clonazepam),
for gAD ..
social phobies
Consetration problems
Unreasonable worry about a number of events, inability to control the worry
worthless
scared
sad depressed
tired
etc..

I also have to comment on the effects of paxil. I have had all the effects -- nauseous, dizziness, tremors, joint pains, etc. I started taking it due to continued anxiety and depression that's been going on for years but I kept ignoring it and it turned into agoraphobia (sp?). The only difference I have that is not common with those who have given their responses is that I have no appetite. I had this problem before taking the medication but the nauseous feelings have made it worse. My world is always clouded with this medication with ups and downs and lack of concentration.

If Rob from 6/21/07 is reading this, please email me. I think I have some food allergies.
deannaf1@hotmail.com

I was just wondering when paxil really starts working good and when is the full effect from it.

(Paxil)Waaaaan!!!! I here all this complaining, but I will tell you this.....It's better than the panic attacks......I know from experience. And If your gaining weight well don't blame it on the drug just quit feeding your face and exercise....

Sometimes in anybody's life you must make serious decisions, especially if on that depends the quality of your own existence. paxil is a drug that generally works in people with panic and anxiety disorders...It worked for me once and I expect it will work this time again (after more than 10 years without using it).
However, It has been my experience as a herbalist that sometimes depresion and anxiety disorders [in women] have their roots in hormonal imbalances.
If you're a female with PMS -menstrual pains, water retention, mood changes and sugar cravings,etc- before yiour menses, I suggest you treat yourselves with medicinal roots capable of bringing your hormones back to balance.

I recommend you start with DONG QUAI [angelica] one capsule with your breakfast and use any progesterone cream twice a day.

I've seen countless results in women whose depresive syntoms were rooted in hormonal imbalances.

Remember this: neither your best endocrinologist nor your personal gynecologist or even your most highly qualified psichiatrist won't be able to fix the problem I've just mentioned above... and WHY?

Because they will only treat your sysntoms instead of the cause.

Do yourselves a favor... begin balancing your hormones with those two natural supplements, -remember that you don't have to leave your antidepressive drugs while using them- I've seen miracles happen before.

Good luck!

I am 21 years old and suffer from anxiety. I started taking 1 20mg paxil yesterday and I hated the symptoms. I was sweating.dry mouth.diarreha, and flashes. So I stopped taking it today and feeling much better. Think I will just stick to my xanax cause paxil is just so horrible, the feeling is just so uncomfortable, and the withdraw of it is even worse. I would not recomment paxil, xanax seems tp help anxiety a lot, and with the paxil I couldn't eat anything and today I could barely get out of bed but finally started moving a little, hopefull my 2nd day without taking it ill feel a lot better.

i have been on 20mg paxil. felt great for a year. one day, i got so angry and stressed. THE AD relapsed. why? how long does it take for paxil to re-kick in?

I have been on Paxil for about 3 years. I have suffered from IBS and anxiety for about 15 years. I would not go to social functions and find excuses to avoid them. Eventually my anxiety started to creep into my every day life. I started to hyperventalate and feel tingling in my face. Finally, my doctor prescribed Paxil and it is the first time in a long time that I felt normal. I did gain about 10 pounds, but have been able to control it through weight watchers. It does take about 3-4 weeks to feel the effects.

I HAVE3 BEEN ON PAXIL FOR 1 1/2 YRS BUT NO MORE ...

THIS STUFF IS POISON ......BEWARE

Hey, I just wanted to give some of you guys hope good feedback about paxil.

When I was 17 I had very severe panic disorder with agoraphobia and a whole list of other diagnoses to go with it.

I didn't tolerate any of the medications they tried me on, I became addicted to the many tranquilizers they had me on and within a month I was house bound and a month after that I was in a hospital.

I had the stranges phobias (thinking there was LSD on everything I touched, that water had chemicals in it that would harm me, that I would lose control of my mind and start biting off body parts, etc)

More than once I was "sedated" on 2mg of introveinous atavan and was still concious and aggitated. Most people would have been very much so asleep. That is how severe my anxiety was. I had panic attacks every few minutes all day and all night long.

And then I got into a real treatment center that treated the whole person. They made me leave the center to go to AA, NA, meeting even though I didn't consider myself an alcoholic and made me exercise and eat right.

They started me on 5mg of paxil a day (which was all that I could tolerate) and started to wean me off the benzos.

And by the time I was on 20mg for about three weeks I was ready to go home. Benzo free and all.

I had almost no side effects from the paxil aside from the visual disturbances and anxiety of getting on it. Getting on any medication has always been a bitch for me and my anxiety level is usually very high. I still wanted to have sex, I still wanted to paint, I did gain some weight but not for like 5 years when I was pregnant, so I'm gonna attribute that to the baby.

And with very few relapses, meaning one or two panic attacks in the following years that didn't even phase me, I was completely panic free.

I was on paxil for ten years. And I had tried several times to get off it and when I tried I experience the usual barage of withdrawel effects. I spoke to my dr and then a lawyer about his and at the time, NO ONE had ever heard of paxil withdrawl. I bet that lawyer regrets telling me that he didn't think I had a valid claim considering the class actions suits that followed.

And then I just went with it. I was at a thereputic dose of 40 mgs a day and I was just like a regular person.

So heres the good stuff....I got off of paxil, almost 10 years to the month by starting cymbalta. I was taking 40 mg of cymbalta for about 6 months and slowly I noticed that I didn't have to take my paxil at exactly the same time everyday. I found myself splitting it in half. And within a span literally two weeks I went from 40mg to 0mg. It was unbeleivable. And then a few months later, I just stopped taking the cymbalta cold turkey.

I had a few brain zaps, but not as bad or as frequent as they had been.

And I was drug free for a year.

Until recently when some a-hole pulled my shirt down to look at my tattoo on my chest and my ptsd caused a complete relapse of my panic disorder.

So here I am again, trying to re-adjust to the paxil. But its not that bad this time around. I took 5mgs for a week then went up to ten for a few days, then up to fiveteen, then twenty. Everytime I go up, I have a few days of feeling very spacey and having high anxiety, and then it goes away. I'm trying to remember all my skills and take my medicine as prescribed. I'm actually more fearful of taking my Xanax because I have to take so much of it for it to be affective. It will actually make my anxiety worse sometimes. I'm trying really hard to believe that it will work for me and that it won't get bad again. I have a very understanding if not annoyed boss, a loving boyfriend, a kickass dog, and a mother (3000 miles away)who knows how to support me through all this. I'm doing my tapping (eft) and it offers some relief.

That aside, I've decided that this time around, that I probebly won't ever be off the paxil again for the rest of my life. And I'm at peace with that. My old dr., who is amazing but retired told me once that for some people, taking an anti-depressant can be like taking insulin....NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL. And this was a man who prescribed evening primrose oil for my pms related depression, so not your average pharmawhore, more of an alternative medicine type.

So keep your chin up people.

I promise that nothing stays bad forever. You just have to be stronger than you ever thought you could or would have to be. And no, its not fair. And yes, it could get worse, but you will deal with that too if it comes to that. But even that won't stay the same. That is how life is. Its balance. And you will find it. But right now, this is your time to suffer. And one day, it will be your turn to rule again. Mental illness is not a plague, it is a test of your vulnerability and strength as a human, and by feeling your pain, and being empowed by it, you are passing that test. And you'll have a new depth to you that most other people don't when all this is said and done. Take it from someone who had a phobia of falling asleep, who was in the e.r. every other day, who LOST EVERYTHING...that it does come back and gets even better then you could have imagined.

Worse comes to worse, this time around, I'm gonna move back in with my parents and start colleting cats and take a whole shit load of drugs. Thats my safety net.

But until then, I'm not giving up without a fight. And you'll have to pry my paxil bottle from my cold dead fingers.

I've read so many of the comments but I haven't had the weight gain. I'm still a size 5/6. Wish my boobs would grow, but even that hasn't happened! Anyway, it has made the anxiety go away, the panic attacks. I'm only on 10mg which seems low compared to most others, but it works.

I must say though, if I'm even a slight bit late taking it...I hate the loopy dizzy feeling I get. I did once try to stop taking it and was physically ill. It was like the detox you see in the movies.

Eventually I want to stop taking them, or at least go down to 5mg. I figure that will happen when I no longer work and don't have to park in a parking garage (I was raped in a parking lot years ago).

Been on PAxil for a month now. was on it many years ago and gained weight. it also helped me through my worst depression ever, but now i am back into a bad depression, i wanted to ask when does the weight gain start, because i do not remember at all. I know the begining makes you lose your apitite, confused, please help

I started taking PAXIL 10 days ago, and taking 20mg. I have so many side effects like blur vison , fatigue, sweat.. and iam more nervous and anxious than before talking the medication that was going to cure my anxiety.

Will this get better in a few days time? or should i just stop now ....cos it feels so muc worse, 10 days if hell......will it get better? please help..

I just started to take Paxil one week ago, and I am very , very tired, and feel lifeless, also my appetite has decreased,, will these symptons subside at some point,,

hi there i been on paxil cr 25 mg for nine weeks and i get dizzy when i go out side form time to time and when i drive also. does this side effect ever fad away??? thank you hje373@aol.com.

It would be nice to hear something besides pissing and moaning about Paxil, that's all I see at every site I go to - Paxil has worked excellent for me, more for anxiety and depression and I'd probably be dead without it.