Does anyone have experience with Paxil?

[mickey65]

If you do and you don't mind sharing your expereince, can you either PM me or post here. Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

 

[ilovedale3]

I take Paxil daily to help with depression/general anxiety disorder. I have been taking Paxil CR (controlled release), but due to maufacturing problems, the company has stopped making those temporarily. So now, I am taking the regular Paxil. I have tried several medications over the past six years including Celexa, Lexapro (several different doses), and Zoloft.

I like Paxil. It has really helped me to function normally. My panic attacks are so bad that my speech and motor skills are affected (slurred speech, numb hands and feet, and inablity to walk). Paxil is the only medicine that has gotten rid of this problem. My mood has improved as well.

That is not to say that I have not experienced some side effects, most notably a decrease in... well, let's just say the desire to get physical . It's not terrible, just enough to notice. Also, when I first started taking Paxil, I did have some problems with insomnia, but that has passed.

Of course, everyone's different, but I hope my opinion has helped.

 

[Ronda93]

This piece at Slate caught my eye years ago.

 

[Beauty]

Wow, I've never read that article but I can see so much truth in it. I've been on Paxil for over 10 years now. I had extreme anxiety and panic attacks. So bad that I considered suicide many times back then. Now, after 10 years the panic is few and far between. I have a much better understanding of them and can control them most of the time to keep them from flying out of control. I don't agree with the writers not feeling feelings. I definately feel sadness, love, happiness etc. Heck I will cry at a sad or happy commercial! I've always done this and that hasn't changed. The truth I see lies in the horrific withdrawel that you feel if you decide to come off of the Paxil. I missed three days once, ran out of my RX and the zaps were horrific!

I would like to "test the waters" now and come off the Paxil but I am literelly terrified of the withdrawel. I asked my Dr. and he said we could ween me off slowly by slowly decreasing the dosage but he wouldn't recommend it. He says that the side effects are not serious and that if I stopped the Panic would most likely come back full force.........I DON'T WANT THAT!!! So I guess I'll stay on my little miracle pill at least for now.

 

[mickey65]

Thank-you for the responses so far. I have been taking the Paxil for 3 months, but began having INCREASED anxiety to the point that I could not sit still at all, along with many other awful side effects. My doctor wants to switch me to Effexor without weaning me off the Paxil (40mg) I have heard and read so many horror stories about coming off Paxil that I am terrified to just start taking something else and not gradually decrease the Paxil.

 

[Texan Mouseketeer]

I tried it for awhile and completely became backwards on my sleep - slept all day, up all night. Very strange. Luckily I teach and was home for the summer! haha Zoloft did the same thing. Ended up just not taking anything and working on biofeedback to calm myself down when I get too anxious!

 

[mamajoan]

being on it was fine...( low dose for short term for about a year after my accident) coming off Paxil was disasterous... what a mess...the auditory hallucinations were horrid when I did it cold turkey as first suggested by my Doc. This was my experience.. but I found out on a web site for Paxil that many others had the same experience.

Got off the right way.. by slowly weaning off of the medication under doctor's supervision... it long process, but worth it.. that is being off of the meds. Doc did give me low dose of Wellbutrin to help me get off the Paxil.
My Doc is great, I was the first patient she ever had to come off Paxil with severe side effects. She actually said she wished she had never put me on Paxil and now always considers other meds before going to Paxil. That being said, I think Paxil is a useful drug, cessation must be closely monitored.

 

[lsyorke]

Mickey, as a Mom who almost lost her son to suicide on paxil and then had to endure a HORRIBLE withdrawal that has lasted over a year, PLEASE try anything before using paxil. If you truly feel like you need an antidepressant there are others out there that have fewer side effects and easier withdrawal. I now run a website walking people through paxil withdrawal. Stop by! Realize that most on this website have horror stories about Paxil, but it will give you the other side of the story.Effexor is another one with prolonged withdrawal.

www.paxilprogress.org

 

[RadioNate]

I took Paxil for PPD and severe anexiety. I agree with most everything. Taking Paxil was fine - coming off Paxil was a nightmare. I went cold turkey. Not fun at all.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I was prescribed Paxil for depression several years ago, and after a few doses I had uncontrollable shakes, the feeling of my skin crawling, and I couldn't eat or sleep. I had to miss work because I was so spun I couldn't even drive. I switched to Zoloft, and was able to handle that fine. I don't take anything anymore, but if I had to I wouldn't try Paxil.

 

[mickey65]

Thanks for all your replies. I am quite scared to just switch from the paxil the dr. has me on to another drug with no weaning down at all. I guess we will see what happens.

 

[Mermaid02]

My son takes paxil for anxiety/panic attacks. My friends dd was just switched yesterday from Paxil to Lexapro.... the doc said weaning was not necessary because the 2 drugs were "fraternal twins" or something like that.

 

[Barb D]

I was on Paxil for about 6 months a couple of years ago. It helped me get through a rough time, and I didn't have to be on it for too long. I didn't have any problems weaning off of it, either.

It did feel weird the first couple of days I was on it; I could almost feel my brain rearranging. Pretty freaky.

 

[AllyandJack]

My doctor gave it to me to take at night. I have 20mg pills. Sometimes I take a half...sometimes a whole....right before bed. I wanted that new sleeping pill Lunesta since my problem is my mind racing at night and I can't sleep. But, my insurance doesn't cover it because it's new to the market. I think there is some loophole with my insurance and I'm going to look into it because I'd really prefer that.

Since I take the Paxil at night, if I have any side effects, I don't really notice them. I have to admit, however, that it has stopped providing me with a restful sleep. I think, after only 4 weeks or so, that I've become adjusted to it and now it really doesn't help as much as it did at first. I don't want to get into a pattern of going to higher and higher doses, so I'm going to talk to my doctor about something new.

 

[Carolinagirl1063]

I had many problems taking Paxil. I would cry some days for 4-6 hours for no reason after I was put on it. My family feared for THEIR safety, but did not think I was suicidal. I had uncontrollable shakes and very irrational thoughts. Coming off Paxil was very hard, I had to switch doctors because the one who put me on it would not help me get off of it. My new doc helped me wean slowly off of it and gave me something to help me sleep since that was my original complaint. Good luck!

 

[jajuan]

Reading all of this is so scary. I took Paxil for about a month over a year ago. I didn't like the way I felt at all. He then put me on Lexapro and I gained 10 pounds...I weaned off by myself with no problems...but now I thank God I was only on them for a month. Good luck to everyone...it is a scary place to be...needing a little something but scared of the side effects.

 

[Dee & Greg]

Wow..
I take Zoloft (100mg) and I had terrible side effects for weeks. Mostly the shakes. And waking up in the middle of the night for an hour or so. That side effect is gone, but I still don't have the "physical" urges back.
But my mind feels so much clearer.. I didn't realize how anxious and angry I was until the little things in life just didn't upset me anymore. My DH seems to think I'll just take it for a few months... he doesn't understand that it's a long process.. both starting and weaning off the medication.
Did you Dr. suggest Xanax for anxiety? I have taken 1mg when needed, and it has tremendous benefits with no side effects.
good luck

you might ask your Dr. about Zoloft instead of Paxil

 

[Aidensmom]

Thank-you for the responses so far. I have been taking the Paxil for 3 months, but began having INCREASED anxiety to the point that I could not sit still at all, along with many other awful side effects. My doctor wants to switch me to Effexor without weaning me off the Paxil (40mg) I have heard and read so many horror stories about coming off Paxil that I am terrified to just start taking something else and not gradually decrease the Paxil.

I took Paxil for a little while 5 years ago when I got divorced. I had the same experience with the anxiety - had to be given Xanax to control the anxiety from the Paxil! Paxil also made me very impulsive, almost like a manic stage of manic depression. I will never allow one of those pills in my body again. And the withdrawal is absolutely horrible. However, Effexor is a chemically similar drug, so I would think that would keep the withdrawal effects away.

 

[AllyandJack]

I took Paxil for a little while 5 years ago when I got divorced. I had the same experience with the anxiety - had to be given Xanax to control the anxiety from the Paxil! Paxil also made me very impulsive, almost like a manic stage of manic depression. I will never allow one of those pills in my body again. And the withdrawal is absolutely horrible. However, Effexor is a chemically similar drug, so I would think that would keep the withdrawal effects away.

OMG! This is so amazing! I've been having strange impulses, too. I'm not even kidding.....I've been contemplating tattoos....putting a blue streak in my hair. Now, I admit, in college, I had the blue streak in my hair and my belly button pierced. I've since stopped with the belly button rings and my hair is back to normal, but ever since I've been on the Paxil, I've been thinking about getting the blue streak and getting two tattoos....one of Eeyore on one shoulder and one of Grumpy on the other. I'm starting to wean myself off the Paxil. Since I only take it at night, I'm hoping insomnia will be my only withdrawal symptom....heck, I have that anyway, so who cares?

I have had Xanax. I prefer those. I have .5mg. Sometimes I take a half. Sometimes I take a whole. Sometimes I take 2. I'm allowed 2 at a time 3 times a day. I've never taken that dosage....some days I don't take any.

I want a sleeping pill....not Paxil. I'm going back to see my doctor next week to see if I can switch to Ambien or something.

That thing about being impuslive REALLY struck a cord with me!

 

[lsyorke]

It's speculated that the increased impulsivity is what contributes to children and teen suicides. Adults have reported excessive spending,verbal angry inappropriate outbursts, uncontrolled anger etc.. This drug is not a "happy" pill for some. It comes with a great price of multisystem chemical alterations in the body. We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg on suppressed information regarding this drug.