Depression Blog.com

I have been taking paxil cr for about two months now. I was told that I would not feel anything for about a week. Within 30 minutes after taking it I was really really high. This went on for three days. After that the next two nights I was up puking. Then after that passed I started having really bad dreams. Yes it did help with my stress and panic. But it seems like as soon as one syptom is over another starts. Now after reading this I want to stop taking it asap. I will talk to my doctor cuase i would rather be nervous then not be me.

I took paxil for over 2 years. I was numb for 2 years. I didn't care about anything, I couldn't feel any emotion (good or bad) and I had absolutely no sex drive. I was severely depressed the last 6 months I was on the drug. I quit it cold turkey which was a big mistake. My skin felt like it was crawling and I felt a shocking sensation almost continuously for about a week. After that, I started taking 10mg for several days to wein myself off it. On about the 3rd day of that I attempted suicide. Needless to say, I'm off paxil now. My dr. now has me taking effexor xr and has just started me on wellbutrin as well. So far this has worked out well for me. The wellbutrin makes my skin itch and I have terrible hot flashes but the depression is under control and the mood swings are at a minimum.

Sorry to hear about the bad experiences you all had with Paxil. I started taken the drug when I became pregnant with my second child. I was one human being that no one wanted to be around, to sum it up I could have killed someone. I was also to help with my OCD. I will tell you that Paxil was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I did suffer with insomnia and a few nightmares, but those soon resided. The only thing that I hadn't realized, that what this wonderful drug was doing for me was making me gain weight. If I had known that from the beginning I would have only taken it through my pregnancy and that's it. I have been weaning myself off from paxil for about four months now and I am still having side effects. The worst is the swooshing sounds and the headaches. They suck, but I refuse to put myself back on paxil. What I would like to know is how long it takes for this drug to leave your system? when will start feeling better? Or will I. I thought myself to be a pretty normal person, but I really don't feel that way now that I am no longer on the drug. My hand washing has gotten worse, but I don't care. I'd rather wash my hands then get FAT!!!!!!! You would have thought that my doctor would have been concerned knowing that I have been though all the weight issue scenarios, anorexia, bulimia, exlax, etc., why would she put me on paxil? I have heard that a multi vitamin can help with the seritonin levels and also help you lose the weight that you have gained from this hellish drug. These which include: 5 hydroxy tryptophan vitanutrient, n-acetyl tyrosine, St. john's wort, s-adenosyl methionine (SAMe). YOU cannot take these if you take HRT. Medications that make you gain weight are: anafranil, prozac, luvoxx, zoloft and celexa. My only advice if you want to get off this drug is to wean slowly. Take the meds three time a week instead of seven. Work yourself down to twice a week after about a month, than once a week after two months. you'll eventually get yourself off paxil, with less side effects and hopefully they will disapear in due time. Sorry if I rambled and some may not make sense, but I'm sure I got my point acrossed.
Truly Yours,
Rhonda

I have been on paxil for about 8 years since it was released to treat panic-anxiety disorder. At first it wired me up, couldn't sleep. So i was given Klonopin to help me get to sleep, and for quicker relief of panic attacks. I soon noticed I became semi-manic. I also was slightly compulsive, as i began to shoplift! (I got a real rush from it) that began to level off after some time, and I'm back in control as far as that goes.
When i started paxil, at 175 lbs. within 2 years i was around 250 lbs. I also noticed if i missed a dose, even for one day, I would have that 'shock' sensation.

So, move up to about 2 years ago, Panic attacks started creeping back, my weight is up around 265lbs, and I am told i have built a tolerence to the drug, time to switch. Sounded good. So I begin to wean myself off from 20Mg. to 15Mg, for the first week,I had a bit of that "Shock" sensation. about ten days in, I get sweats, nausea, shaking, a real spaced out feeling, diarhea, and extreme panic attacks. My Blood sugar was also severly effected and dropped very low. I was told at the hospital it couldnt be the paxil (Once they hear Panic Disorder, they seem to shrug you off as some loon) so i went Home, and went Back up on my Paxil to 20Mg. after about a week of severe symptoms, they seemed to subside.
found some great sites such as this one and www.quitpaxil info and have found getting off paxil is no easy task. I was also using the message boards at WebMD, but many of my posts were being censored (Big sponser of WebMD is GlaxoSmith Kline, makers of Paxil) I am ready to try to get off the paxil again, but have been told by numerous people prepare for months, up to 6 or more, of hell to do it.

I decided after reding these feedbacks that I will not go on Paxil. I went to the doctor for a headache and dizziness. I have NO depression. NO anxiety attacks. I am always upbeat and outgoing. I just can't understand why he gave me a Paxil prescription. He also wanted to give me zanex. I think because I am in sales he thinks I am stressed out. I have been in sales for years and have had no problems and nothing has changed. I think these doctors are gettin kickbacks from the makers of these drugs!!

I just started to go off Paxil and I have been very dizzy and a bit crazy and very very angry.. help..
[moderator response: if you are noticing adverse side effects right off the start then you should talk to your doctor and get him to change your prescription.]

I had a brain injury two years ago - about 9 months ago the doctor put me on Paxil, I noticed no difference on Paxil or before I took it. I have a pretty mellow personality. However, I have been off of Paxil for a month (weaned off slowly) and I do not like who I am. When I get angry I get very angry, unreasonably so. I laugh longer than I should and I cry pretty easily.
Am somewhat anxious at times.

I had none of these symptoms before I took Paxil or while I was on it. Is there something in the drug that would bring these things out when not on it. I have no intention of going back on but wondered if anyone else had ever heard of this?

In January 2000, I started taking Paxil because my panic attacks were happening on a daily basis - sometimes 3-4 times a day. A few weeks after I started taking it, things improved rapidly! In fact, I had never felt so happy and so free from worry in my life. I was full of energy and woke up early (and with a smile!) every day. I got involved with several volunteer organizations and was constantly over-booking my social calendar. I became the carefree person I had always wanted to be. Needless to say, the panic attacks had decreased. I still had them on occasion, but they weren't a big deal. My therapist said I should be the "poster child" for Paxil... things were going so well. In the beginning, I think I started out on 20 mg, but whenever I started to feel "less than wonderful," my doctor upped the dosage. Three years later, I was up to 60 mg and still feeling fine. In October of 2003 I got married. Because we are planning to start a family, I decided to stop taking Paxil.
I discussed this with my doctor, and he assured me that it would be okay to stay on Paxil during pregnancy and that he had treated many women who had successful pregnancies and healthy babies. I insisted that I would rather "try" it without any chemicals, just in case. I would never forgive myself if something happened to my baby because of my taking Paxil. In December 2003, I slowly lessened my dosage and eventually weaned off of Paxil. The day after I took my last pill I was shopping with a friend and started feeling dizzy. We sat down and had lunch, and I had trouble focusing or trying to contribute to conversation. I felt nauseous and numb, and I had to cut our outing short. I figured it was a withdrawal symptom, as the doctor told me I might have "slight" withdrawals. Well, little did I know that it was the beginning of 3 weeks of total hell for me. I felt dizzy all the time, I had those awful electric shock feelings constantly, sometimes I would shake uncontrollably. My doctor suggested going back on the Paxil, but I knew that I would never go back to it, and why prolong the withdrawal? The doctor kept telling me that he had never seen this severe of a withdrawal, and that it should subside soon. Well, it ended up taking 3 weeks for the withdrawal symptoms to subside. And now, it's 6 months later, and this is where I am: I have panic attacks every day, I develop new fears all the time - I'm afraid to fly, to drive by myself, of storms, of roller-coasters, of being out of the country, of being on a boat, of going through the car wash, elevators, and I'm sure there are many more. With the exception of flying, none of these things used to bother me. In fact, I used to love storms and roller-coasters! Unfortunately, my first few months of marriage has been horrible. I am extremely moody and hard to get along with. I'm not the same person my husband fell in love with. Anyway, I found this site because I did a search on "Life after Paxil." I have been seeing a naturopathic doctor for a couple months now, and she put my on calcarea carbonica, as well as a nutritional plan. I hope it helps, but it is not the instant fix that Paxil provided... I sometimes think about going back on Paxil, just to make the panic attacks go away. If I do, though, I have decided that I cannot get pregnant. There are so many kids waiting to be adopted, but it's just that I will never experience my own pregnancy... And then, what if Paxil doesn't work this time? I can't bear to go through the withdrawals again! I wonder what my life would be like if I had never found Paxil. Thanks for letting me vent...

I came across this site desperately looking for answers of why my life and my husband's life had turned into a living HELL.
After reading some of the stories posted I decided to write about our experience with paxil.
My husband and I had a heavy loss in the stock market about 3.5 years ago. He went into a depression..so the Doctor put him on wellbutrin which kept him up at night. Then they changed it to paxil. Yes, he was depressed but that was only the beginning of our hell.
I am a mother of three children ages 13, 6, 2. I also have sezuires and lupus. I have helped my husband run his business for the past 6.5 years. The ambisous, caring, loving, well built, nicely dressed with slacks and shirt and tie daily, weighing about 200lb..turned into someone who didn't care about his appearence or his family, his business, his life or anything else. He gained about 60 lbs. Has gone through 3 addictions- beer, tabacco, drugs. Two dui's within 5 months..which most straight level headed person would not have put themselves into a position to get the second one. He have had numerous side effects such as: high blood pressure, weight gain, sleepless nights, sweats, hyperthyroid, gi problems, anxiety, irritable, fatigue, tremors, panic attacks, binge drinking, binge eating, low blood sugar, can't focus, nightmares, heart palpations, loss of sex drive, memory loss, orgasm problems, hallcinations, paranoid thoughts, more depressed than before, didn't care about anything, well I could go on and on. We had know idea that all of this was coming from the paxil. I kept telling him that he needed to go to stress and anger classes / therapy. He even saw doctors for the symptons above and nobody picked up on the paxil being the problem.
This medicine has turned my husband into a person that I didn't know and most of the time didn't like. I would look at him and say to myself were did my husband go? I was now pulling the load of mother, wife, friend, office manager, scheduler, book keeper, and father. I just can't keep this up! I love my husband very much and would do anything to help him get better, but I feel like he is dragging us down with him ( the kids and I ). I just want my husband back the way he was before all of this happened. I feel like this medicine has taken away 3.5 years of my families life with him.
Well the HELL is not over yet. He is determined to take his life back. He started coming down off the paxil. Now he has the zaps, anger outburst, headaches, gi problem, nightmares, frustration, sweats, sleepless nights, etc... So the ride isn't over yet but at least he is trying to work out everyday. The side effects are getting less but it is taking along time...it has been about 4 weeks. Of course we still have the 2 dui's to deal with...
My husband and I have been fighting frequently over the last 3.5 years. We have almost seprerated several times. This medicine has taken over my husband's mind and body. It turned him into a non caring more depressed person. He actually told me and the kids to leave numerous times. (half the time he doesn't even remember what he said). I see a little bit of light at the end of this tunnel...I just hope that we as a family can make it through this. I just don't really know at this point...I just take one day at a time. I hope this may help whoever may read this. Please write or talk about your experience ..it is the best way to heal when bad things happen. I also think more people need to be aware of what this medicine can do. We sure can't depend on the drug manufacture to tell us everything or our doctor's.
FDA- please report to them.
Drug Manufacture- Glaxo-Smith Kline.

Just weaned myself off of Paxil over a 3 mo. period of time - haven't taken in 2 weeks.

I'm getting a Field Grade Article 15 for Assault and 2 counts of Drunk and Disorderly behavior.

1.) Prior to joining the Army/being on Paxil, I've never gotten so drunk to be completely incapacitated nor have I ever gotten violent or hit anyone - drunk or not drunk

I'm so depressed about the whole thing. All these
people think I'm this crazy girl that gets drunk and hits people.

I'm enrolled in this freakin' asap program starting in July.

I'm worried about getting an OTH discharge and having problems finding work.

I just can't freakin' win.

I've had anxiety/depression my whole life, but have pretty much dealt with it (swept under rug), managed to get by. Get through Basic training and AIT and start taking Paxil at first duty station. Paxil causes me to drink excessively, out of control, and then I turn into a psycho and black out for hours remembering
nothing of my rampage. So I take medicine to help me and now it's getting me kicked out of the Army.

It just never ends. Always one thing after the other.

Trying to find evidence in medical journals of SSRI's and correlation to alcohol craving (increased levels of serotonin in brain/alcohol/violence)and some people not being able to metabolize seratonin thus leading to
excessive behavior- violent outbursts, out of
character.

Doctor named "Peter Breggin" has written some articles on subject.

woe is i, woe is me

know anyone else who has had same problem -
taking an SSRI and acting out of character and/or
drinking excessively?

Dear All
I suffered with bad panic and anxiety attacks 7 yrs ago ,my dr put me on seroxat from then on i was in and out of hospital with attacks couldnt find anything wrong just kept treating my asthma and sending me home.
headaches ,sweats ,etc etc
put on 3 stone ,then my stomach started playing up couldnt tolerate certain foods paid private to see an allery dr asked me what med. i was on and when i told him i was on paxil he said thats the causes of all the symptoms im getting their not helping their destroying my system ,it felt like my bodily organs were closing down thats how i can describe it ,i came off paxil dec 28th 2003 have lost one and a half stone but having trouble with esophagus and breathing and head zapps never had trouble before i went on the tabs its now july 30th 2004 and i still get head zapps dont know whether its still withdrawing as i was on them for so long or anxiety.
kind regards
michaela
good luck everyone
p.s we need a petition to stop glaxo from ruining more and more lives

My name is Mike. I recently started taking paxil again. Now I know why I stopped taking it. My girlfriend ,and I broke up after 4 years. Iwas okay with that. I started having sleepless nights again, and thats when I consulted my doctor again. At 37 years of age, I found myself weeping to my mother. I was out of control once the drug took effect. I finally stopped about a month ago. Now all I think about is suicide. I think about it every day. I wonder to myself if taking the drug has made me worse. My answer is yes. I hate being anxious all the time. I have also been paranoid. I hate feeling this way. I am now going into tears just writting this email. I hope that I can make it, because I am afraid to drive my car now. I decided to stop taking the drug, and now my world is upside down. I dont wish paxil on no one.

Mike- Forgive me if you know this already but I just wanted to suggest that you try some of the other SSRIs rather than give up now. There are also other meds like the combination of SSRIs with Geodon. Geodon is an atypical antipyschotic developed for schizophrenia but researcher's have recently found it effective for depression at low doses combined with SSRIs. It hasn't developed long track record but it might be worth exploring with your doc. Are you seeing a psychopharmicologist? Make sure you see someone who really knows about medications not just any old shrink or general practitioner. I'm not a doc. I just have been through the mill for fifty some years and have learned a little bit. Good luck!

Thank you marc for the info. I really have had a hard time. I assumed that these drugs were working. Paxil has consumed my life. I hate life right now. My son came to visit me for a week,and all that I could think about is keeping it together. I have never felt so unasure of my life.My Doctor seemed to be a good doctor.I just wonder why he is always pushing paxil. I am a purchasing agent, and a couple of years ago my employer filed chapter 11. I couldnt sleep at night, and so I just paced the floor. We had contracts to build barges, and with no money the buyers had to locate material through unconventional means. It was very streeful, but all that I wanted was something to put me to sleep. He prescribed Paxil. Then In April of this year, I went to him again. Because I was having trouble sleeping . Again Paxil. If I missed a day I was a nut case. I look at the calender somedays, and wonder will I make through this day, or that day. Suicide is a bad thing, and I have always been a strong person, but this is all that I think Of. I posted my last notice on august the 4th.

Thank you marc for the info. I really have had a hard time. I assumed that these drugs were working. Paxil has consumed my life. I hate life right now. My son came to visit me for a week,and all that I could think about is keeping it together. I have never felt so unasure of my life.My Doctor seemed to be a good doctor.I just wonder why he is always pushing paxil. I am a purchasing agent, and a couple of years ago my employer filed chapter 11. I couldnt sleep at night, and so I just paced the floor. We had contracts to build barges, and with no money the buyers had to locate material through unconventional means. It was very streeful, but all that I wanted was something to put me to sleep. He prescribed Paxil. Then In April of this year, I went to him again. Because I was having trouble sleeping . Again Paxil. If I missed a day I was a nut case. I look at the calender somedays, and wonder will I make through this day, or that day. Suicide is a bad thing, and I have always been a strong person, but this is all that I think Of. I posted my last notice on august the 4th.

This drug should be pulled from the market and banned world wide IMMEDIATELY. This is a mind altering drug which is the cause of many uncomfortable neurological adverse events. My experience with Paxil had been my worst nightmare. I had taken 20 mg daily of Paxil for a full year when I could NO longer stand any of the awful side effects that are all very well explained in the above posts! I decided that it was time to quit taking Paxil with the help of my physician. The withdrawals experienced coming off of the product was enough to keep me home from work on many occasions and I felt as if I should have been in a drug rehab. I have NEVER experimented with any sort of chemical drugs or alcohol! Yet, the horror stories shared by recovering drug/alcoholics sound similar to the agony I experienced when weaning myself from the Paxil. I could not function properly at all. This company should be sued for every blessed cent of profit that they make considering the many lives they have interrupted and destroyed by the use of this medication. As a wife, mother and person responsible for the care of my elder parents (along with being a full time employee at a job that I find amazingly rewarding)I do not have time for such disruption. Most of us don't have time nor do we ask for such problems when seeking medicinal therapies for depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder. In my situation, I was having mood swings associated mainly with my menstrual cycle. In an effort to get those mood swings under control, my doctor and I agreed to Paxil first because my insurance company did not cover name brand Prozac (generic fluoxetine was not yet available). The suffering that I have endured for simply trying to find an answer to this common problem was unbelievable.

Having had these experiences, I would urge you to think long and hard about using Paxil. Discuss other options with your doctor and find out if medicinal therapy is right for you. This class of drug in general (SSRIs) has serious side effects that can be harmful or even fatal if given to the wrong person. Do yourself a big favor and investigate fully your options!

What exactly were my side effects during therapy? Extreme night sweats, vivid nightmares which interrupted sleep, shakiness all day every day, nervousness, twitching, sinusitis, irritable bowel, nausea, sexual dysfunction, hypersensitivity to heat and cold, ZAPS (felt like electrical shock waves), etc. Withdrawal symptoms were all of those stated above only intensified by a million! Add to that migraine, vomiting and fainting, and you are better able to get the big picture.

If the FDA truly has our best interests at heart, this product should be pulled from drug stores immediately! I am quite certain that the results of any safety and tolerability studies done by this company had to be falsified! DIG DEEP AND GET TO THE BOTTOM OF PAXIL!

I have been taking 40 mg of Paxil since Mars. I started it because I had feelings of overwhelming anxiety and had boughts of severe panic attacks. It was my first year of college as well. Although, this wasn't the first time I was prescribed Paxil. I had been diagnosed, by my family Medical Doctor at 12, with depression and Paxil was my second or third medication we had experimented with. I remember, vividly, that with Paxil and Prozac I experienced adverse effects. With Paxil, I was extremely suicidal and felt as if I were going "mad". I crawled into a corner in the bathroom and cried.
Last Novembre (2005), after describing my symptoms to the Nurse Practitioner, she prescribed Paxil, once again. I was reluctant to take any antidepressants but wanted to anxiety to be subdued by finals. I also felt that I was older and could possibly feel differently on Paxil. The first month I felt completely fatigued and nauseated. I didn't notice (neither did my family) any positive reactions to the medication. I continued the 20mg for the next several months. After, I was advised to increase my dosage to 40mg and did so. I still felt nothing but severe nausea and fatigue.
In the beginning of Avril, I took it upon myself to ween myself off of Paxil. After several days without Paxil I started to experience "road-rage" and was in an accident. Two days after the accident, I was arrested for shoplifting. During these two events I felt irritable and a numbness throughout my body. My thoughts were racing, about nothing in particular and I had mania and flu like symptoms.
I told the nurse practitioner about the symptoms. She preceded to ask me about the mania and after two minutes of explaining my symptoms she diagnosed me with Bipolar and gave me a prescription for Zyprexa (5mg). I have not began my medication and have strong intentions of seeking a second opinion from a psychiatrist.
My Paxil withdrawal has costed me hundreds of dollars and has given me a RECORD. In my opinion, I believe that any mental illness should not be diagnosed lightly and should NOT be diagnosed by a Nurse Practitioner or Medical Doctor, but by a Psychologist or Psychiatrist. I plan to major in Psychology in college and have no intention of taking these illnesses lightly myself.
Thank You!

I was prescribed Paxil by my doctor 4 years ago for depression. Prior to that I had been taking effexor for two yers. I have been taking 30 mg per day until 4 days ago.

The most sever side effects for me were sexual dysfunction, blurred vision, and sleepiness.

Since I stopped taking the drug I noticed an improvement in sexual performance within 48 hours. My vision has also improved.

Oh, I don't know where to begin about my negative feedback from paxil cr. My husband hates me...and so do I. I crave alcohol...I crave food...I have gained lots of weight. I can't seem to wean myself off of this drug. I have been on other anti-depressants before, but none have affected me like this one has!!! i feel like i might kill myself

I found this website because I was looking for advice on how to ween myself off of paxil. I have been taking 40mg of Paxil for about 6 years now. I tried Zoloft then Prozac then Paxil; and that was the pill for me. I was diagnosed with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Fortunately I have mostly had great experiences with Paxil, the only time things went bad is if I forgot to take a couple of doses, which usually kicked in by day 2, you know the nausea, irritability, fatigue and the zaps. I tried to ween myself off once before by just cutting my dosage in half; back to the nausea, zaps etc. So I went back up to my 40mg and decided to do a little research, and so far 5mg is what I have come up with; that is I cut my dosage down by 5mg every 7days. I am down to 30mg going down to 25mg's in a few days. So far, so good. No side effects at all; when I get down the 5mg for 7days I then plan on doing 5mg's every other day for 7days then maybe 5mg's every two days, it depends on how I am feeling. I have read all the comments so far and I am concerned for everyone involved. Like I said Paxil was my 3rd try at an antidepressant and I think it is very important to talk to your doctor, tell them Paxil isnt working for you tell them lets try something different. I also believe it is EXTREMELY important for the doctor to not push certain drugs, schedule a follow up visit or phone call with their patient to make sure they are responding as hoped; overall it is the doctors responsibility to "help" not to "hinder" but patients need to realize and accept their responsibilities too: get a second opinion, do some research, if your spouse doesnt like the way your acting on a drug then tell them to help you, make phone calls, read up on the latest available info, ask questions, then ask more questions. Not satisfied? ASK MORE QUESTIONS! If you come across a doctor that doesnt have the time to answer, doesnt care to answer, or doesnt know the answer? Well then, find a new doctor. It seems that a lot of people tend to get misdiagnosed with mental disorders and general practitioners (which we all mostly go to) seem to use drugs like paxil, prozac, zoloft etc. like a blanket and they hope it will cover everything and obviously by the comments on this website we see thats not true. People given a medication, especially one that doesnt work should keep in mind that there is a reason why there are so many different types of antidepressant drugs; for the same reason there are so many different types of antibiotics, they all (for the most part) have different goals and targets in the body. I know how difficult it is to be so full of anxiety that a stupid ring around the toliet can set your world into a tailspin and my heart aches for all of us that just want to feel 'normal' all the time-to tell you all the truth I am very scared of letting go of my paxil but I want a baby and after some research I am finding that Paxil could cause heart defects in the fetus. I tell you what, there arent enough antidepressants in the wide world that would make me feel better knowing I took paxil and ended up harming my child. Well in any case I hope my suggestion about cutting the pills down by 5mg every week helps someone; ya know whats funny is that just last week my health care provider told me "oh just cut your pill down to 15mgs..." I told her nope, I was gonna do it by 5's and she said "well if you really think thats necessary..." I realized then that this nurse practitioner (not my reg Dr.) is obviously not aware of nor experienced the lightning and the thunder of PAXIL. So I just calmly said "Yes, yes I do feel that it is absolutley necessary...

Hello all~ I wanted to update everyone on my "weening off the Paxil" process...down to 20mgs from 40mgs (see above blog~from Dawn) and so far so good. I am convinced cutting your dosage by 5mgs every 7 days is the way to go...good luck to all...I will keep you posted. Thanks. :)

Well where do I even begin. Paxil has ruined me and I hope I can get that back. I am a healthy outgoing 25 year old male who loves weight training and martial arts. I started taking paxil for OCD, (obsessive compulsive disorder)and WOW! Let me tell you how crazy this stuff makes you feel. I have had many altercations with family members and people I have never met, and I'm talking about nasty altercations to where I have hit people for dumb things. The anger rage paxil gave me was unbeleivable. I felt like I couldn't be stopped by anybody. I snap at the drop of a hat, and that's just not me. I also have some of the worst dreams you would ever imagine, and I'm talking very real and scary dreams. Now I have had enough of it and have finally opened my eyes and am able to see what other people could see, and am currently trying to come down off of it. This would pose to be the hardest task of all. The vomitting, sleeplessness, dizziness, flashes, racing heartbeat. It's like I'm coming down off of heroine or something. I would not recommend paxil to anyone. It will ruin your life. I hope I could go on and on but to some it up I would rather live with OCD, then to take that garbage. Please don't ruin yourself stay away.

Thanks,
Barry

Reading all of these stories about the devasataion that GSK and Paxil has wrought in the lives of these individuals is so sad.

It is hard to believe that the FDA does not address this issue.

I began taking Paxil in 2001 for Anxiety attacks brought on by the deployment of my youngest son in Iraq following the WTC terrorist attack. I was really having a hard time dealing with the day-to-day issues that all of us face and felt I was going crazy.

The DR first prescribed Adavan which turned me into a Zombie almost immediately.I researched it only to find out one of the uses was for patients prior to surgery to slow brain functio. Just what a person trying to work for a living needs.

My next visit I was changed to Paxil. I thought I had found nirvana. I was started on 10mg a day and felt the effects within hours of my first pill. After a week the DR told me it was time to move up to 20mg/day which was concidered a proper maintenance dosage.

I was on Paxil at that level for 4 years.

After the third year I tried to determine with my Primary Care Physician if there was some way they could determine if Paxil was necessary. Was there a test? No there are no tests but if it was helping me that was all that mattered.

He assured me that there would be no problem in taking Paxil for the rest of my life, if it was helping. He said if I wanted to begin lessening the dosage that would probably be okay.

I did not begin the weaning process and continued with the 20mg/day.

Into year 4 I began having some really weird symptoms. I was becoming delusional and felt disconected further and further from reality. I had become convinced that I was not human and had very little in common with normal human beings. I honestly began feeling as if I was and alien in this world.

I began to feel as though whatever decision I made was justified no matter how bizarre. It was as though I felt I was creating my own reality as things progressed hour-to-hour, day-to-day. My breaking point was one day on break after a particularly stressful completion of an assigned project at work.

When I had come back to work only to find someone else parked in my parking space at work. I went to find another space and then returned to my own and thought;"That SOB has no business in my space". "Who does he think he is", BTW it was a new full-size truck. I then proceeded to back into the front end of this poor guys truck, 5 times to be exact. While I was in the process of doing this I was yelling out the window of my own truck at the lot security guard that there seemed to be some problem, that I was unable to get into my space. I faced the angry truck owner and told him it was his fault, I faced the police and insisted that it was his fault. I rationalized my behavior to any and all who asked or saw the incident. I had caused $10,000 damage to this poor guys truck and felt justified.

You might think that I was institutionalized by this time. No I was still commuting 200 miles a day and working my 10-12 hours.

About a week later I was in shock that I could have carried on so bizarrely, I called my sister to try to determine just where my family had gotten me. I did not think I was human.

I again inquired about Paxil from my DR. He just didn't seem to care. I suppose it had a lot to do with my inability to verbalize these issues to him, I didn't want to end up in the State hospital.

2 weeks later I decided I could not go on like that any longer. I had read the warnings about the risks of stopping Paxil "Cold Turkey" but felt I had no other choice. I decided I would ride out the withdrawl and take my chances. I took my last Paxil on that day.

It was 3 weeks in Hell, I felt all of the symptoms that everyone described. It got so bad at times I would lock the door to my office and turn out the lights, laying there quietly, not sleeping but just trying to survive.

That was almost 2 years ago and I am grateful everyday I took the step. There are times that I am sad, life is that way. When sad things happen, people feel sad. The other side of the coin is "When happy things happen you are free to be happy"

I am convinced that the poor state of our Medical system almost cost me my life. How Dr's can treat individuals like cattle is amazing but that is how our HMO/PPO world is these days. Unless you can get everything out in the 6 minutes that are allotted to you to speak to your Dr., forget it.

I feel that I needed some help back in 2001. But that was a temporary situation that did not need to have a lifetime prescription solution.

I thank all those who went before me on www forums to voice the truth about Paxil.

I hope and pray that all of you who are questioning your need for a drug solution find a Dr. who will spend the time to diagnose you correctly and not just throw samples at you and see if they help.

Good luck to all those in pain, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I was 16 when my first panic attack hit. I was sent to the ER as if I were having a heart attack. The results were negative and the docs told me it was a large release of addrenaline. Five years and a zillion of medical tests later, I now know it isn't my heart, diabetes, or cancer. It's anxiety/Panic disorder. Doc put me on Prozac. BAD Stuff, so I swtitched to Paxil. Thought it was great until the side-effects hit. Now they are the every-day effects. Headeaches from Hell, jolting nerves, weak muscles, nausia, vertigo, unable to focus my eyes, and all the other ones everyone else suffers from. I am so concerned with death. I think I am dying 24 hours a day. I sit around waiting for it to happen. I guess I am extremely paranoid. The problem is I have a 14 month old little girl to support so I somehow make it to my job every day of the week. I sit at my desk praying I am not dying. My hands are sweaty and my head is numb and dizzy as I try to do the accounting work my boss gives me. All I know is that before taking this demon drug I had the occasional panic attack, took a adivan, and went too sleep. Now, nothing helps. I am trapped in the sticky, poisonous web of paxil. Oh, and trying to wein off is ridiculous and torcherous. I can't bring myself to try to wein again. Anyhow, that's my story. If anyone wants to sue the company, if I am still alive, you have my support.

I get the same thing zapp of electric shock thru my body! It sucks Its annoying uncomfortable, scary , brings on my anxiety till there gone I want to know what it is and why it happens and what it affects!

Also I want to know if the other drugs can make them more severe?

I get the same thing zapp of electric shock thru my body! It sucks Its annoying uncomfortable, scary , brings on my anxiety till there gone I want to know what it is and why it happens and what it affects!

Also I want to know if the other drugs can make them more severe?

I get the same thing zapp of electric shock thru my body! It sucks Its annoying uncomfortable, scary , brings on my anxiety till there gone I want to know what it is and why it happens and what it affects!

Also I want to know if the other drugs can make them more severe?

5 years ago paxil saved my life !I had anxiety/depression and dibilitating panic attacks constantly. i was at the end of my rope and starting to hallucinate! I was so scared i finally got on paxil and within a week i felt like a new person and never so happy.I'll never forget wanting to kiss my doctor as i told him of my amazing and complete recovery!! I still take it though i have been off of it several times.Dont ever quit cold turkey,I felt so bad i became suicidal for the first time ever or since. I just didnt want to live if it had to be that way.ths symptoms were just as bad as ever almost,I was so lost.As for weaning off,well you must go slowly starting with every other day especially if you feel withdraw symptoms.I too got the strange zaps in my head and when i moved my eyes a certain way. My doctor said he had never heard of that as a withdraw symptom but i have read many posts that have convinced me that is a very common side effect even from missing 1 or 2 doses.Paxil is my mirical and curse!

my mother is 88 and has been taking paxil about 7yrs.and wants to get off it because she said it keeps her from crying.she was put on paxil for being parnoid and depressed.she is very mean when she isn't taking it.how is the best way to come off it without a dr.to monitor it as i know she will not go to a dr.far this.thank you

my husband started paxil since last 4 years.since last 9 months sexual side effects are worse.if someone can give me helpful information about how to improve or what can we do.because i am totally clueless & need help

I am on paxil. My Dr. insist that I stay on it. I have been on it for more than a year and a half. I notice when I forget to take it for a day or two,i feel dizzy,lost,confused,and some weird feeling (possibly zapping) when I move around,or take a shower. The water on my skin feels like a million pins and needles. I am currently trying to ween myself off this drug. The only thing is my Dr. informs me to be careful,i could have seizures while I go threw this. All I know is I want off. I know I have certain medical issues that cause me to have to have something like paxil,but I wonder if there is something out there other than paxil to help me out. I was prescribed this pill because of my OCD,and panic attacks.
Any suggestions????

Is it possible that 3 years stopping Paxil that I could feel effects again. I have started a weightloss program and wonder if that stuff is stored in my fat cells. I feel as if I am going through withdrawal again!!!!!

i too felt the immediate high the first days of paxil. just broke up with my partner of 12 years and couldn't handle it. i drank before paxil but found i drank everyday on paxil. weened off after one year and it seemed to go ok. now 6 years later i developed hyperthyroid had radiation and soon found myself crying all the time for no good reason. back on paxil 20mg. i immediatly quit crying but if i missed a day i cried over nothing. been taking 10mg for the last week and going to 5mg tomorrow. this round of paxil use has been a short one thank god. been dizzy, zapping, and had headaches. also gained 30lbs but assumed it was because i had no thyroid. i'm so glad i came across this web site.

Been on paxil 20mg for many many years...
Never gained weight (well a little bit but not
due to the Paxil, more from the beer)
I drink with it and do whatver else with no problems

Did go off of them a couple of times and YES it sucks to go off of it... even missing a dose 1 day will cause massive shock sensations (wierd to describe) but it does go away...

the only side effect from taking them I would say is that I can sleep whenever or whereever... (sort of tired but not... hard to explain)

I caution anyone that starts taking it the first time that to stay at home when you take the 1st pill because when I took my first one 2 hours later when I was driving to my friends house I almost crashed the car because a sudden wierd feeling hit me like a bomb and I was going to puke... made it back home and after a few days the side effects went away... takes 4-6 weeks to start feeling the good effects of the drug though...

I have been on Paxil for 6 years and I am a prisoner to this pill. The withdrawels are horendous if you try and wean down off of it. Dizziness, nausea, ears ringing, world spins, fatigue, anger, and the worst is the neck shocking sensations that ZAP you. If I run out or skip a day or two due to insurance or financial issues I immediately return to symptoms listed above. I am a prisoner. I feel I don't need Paxil anymore, my life is much calmer and happier but i have tried tapering down several times and in all different ways as listed below by others. I absolutely cannot handle how i feel when I try tapering off. I'de rather not be living when i get those symptoms, seriously. My husband knows all about it and sees what I go through when I tried getting off. I do not ever suggest cold turkey withdrawel it is dangerous and should be monitored by your MD. I will have insurance again now that i am married but I tell you I'm scared to death to ask Doctors to taper me off and put me on something else during the tapering because I don't know who I will be. I do have days of mania and grand behaviors where i feel i could conquer the world and then I also have days that I feel nothing. My sex life sucks, NO sex drive at all. I am prisoner! My advise never start.

I am going to sum up my story. In 2006 I went on Paxil for severe panic attacks and soon I began drinking a pint of vodka a night. Before long I had two DUI charges in a month, totalled my car with my son in it and lost my job, my house and my son temporarily. It is a NIGHTMARE - and no one believes me. The craving that paxil makes you have for alcohol is UNBELIEVEABLE. I went off Paxil cold turkey in January of 2007 and haven't drank since. WHAT IS UP? The doctor certainly never explained this to me and my life - which was good before is now RUINED :-(

i was on paxil 20mg for 8 years, yes way too long. i have now been off for 7 months and still feeling the side effects..when does this end or atleast get bareable? i went through hell weaning myself off and still feel dizzy and nauseous and panik attacks everyday, which i never had before, it's made my anxiety worse and it's so hard to breathe at times. i though i was dying and i was preparing my husband and close family that this was going to happen and that the doctor is wrong cause i'm not ok! i have had a virus in my inner ear and glands for over 3 months now and it sucks, the doc says it's not going away because my body is too stressed and i am inable to heal..not too sure if i believe it. sometimes i think what if it isn't a virus and paxil screwed something up and the doc is not going to find it till it's too late! i have 2 little boys and no patience and it's hard on them but i cannot control it. all i do is cry and sleep..when will this nightmare end, if ever???

I am new here and am looking for advice about weining off of paxil

Paxil is indeed hell on earth! It made me more anxious and nervous than I already was, affected my vision making everything blurry 24/7. Made me grind my teeth to the extent that my jaw clamped! Coming off it turned me into psycho girlfriend that wud scream at my boyfriend for the most irrelevant of things! The electric shock sensations when coming off is like someone stickin thin extra long needles into ur brain, nothing can really explain the extent of how disturbing this experience is! I say we make the owners of Glaxo take it for 6 months nd see what they have to say for themselves! If there's no harm in the drug then I'm sure they will have no problem trying it!

I've been taking Paxil since 1999. I'm 30, male. I started taking it because of severe panic attacks. My occupating is quite stressful and I've recently developed "situational high blood pressure". My doctor put me on Metoprolol which is a blood pressure lowering drug. One of the side effects is that it decreases the absorption of adrenaline which is one of the reasons people experience panic attacks in the first place. The cool part is that this descrease of adrenaline actually REALLY helped with my panic attacks. I feel that its actually enough to start the weening process and get off Paxil completely.

I wish that I had started this drug 10 years ago. I hope that my story will help you.

Nick

back when i was taking paxil for stress,seemed to help,had trouble getting off the drug,but one day i got the worst flu, in bed for seven days,never took one pill,when i got over the flu ,never took paxil again and had no side effects .

i have been on paxil since 1997, never had a problem with it, i did wean myself off and didnt take it for a whole year, i recently found out that i was pregnnt , every dr said stop it right away, today is day number 4 without it, the zapping and dizzines are crazy, i quit this time cold turkey and i would never suggest to anyone to quit cold turkey, i did just take 15 milligrams of it cause the zaps are scary and you can hardly function with them, i am going to slowly wean myself off,,, the baby is already exposed right, and it doesnt seem like it would be safe to quit cold turkey after everything i have read, and the stress your body goes through with the with drawals... please give me any suggestions.. thanks for listening..

I am so glad that everyone here is so honest and open about their experiences. I have MDD and have started having problems with anxiety. I have been on Wellbutrin for 5 years with NO problems. But, because the anxiety was new and starting to affect every aspect of my life, I agreed to try something new.
I really feel that my psychiatrist "pushed" Paxil on me after I refused Remeron (weight gain almost guaranteed). Well, I took one 10mg pill for two days, and on the second day, I was up all night, vomiting, with a terrible headache, nausea, blurred vision. I called my doc the next day, and he said it was a migraine (I used to have migraines, but have not had one in over a year). The symptoms (Paxil side effects and migraines) are really similar, so I agreed to go to half a pill for four days. Well, this is my fourth day on .5 mg, and I decided that I am not going to go any further. My insomnia is coming back full force (it has been treated well with Klonopin and Ambien). I also have the bizarre side effect of yawning every 15-20 minutes (very bothersome!). I am so fatigued I can't accomplish anything.
I am waiting for a call from my dr tomorrow when he's in office, but because I have been on such a low dose for less than a week total, I am thinking I am going to be OK not taking one today. I am afraid of the head zaps (I experienced these coming off of Cymbalta), but I am so, so glad that I read these posts and realized what I was most likely getting myself in to. I have to remind myself that as a patient, I have rights, and I can tell my doc NO to anything he tries to prescribe me.

I am a young mother of three little girls, and after the birth of my youngest in December I began suffering from Postpartum depression. I have a history of depression and severe anxiety. My doctor placed me on 20 mg of Paxil daily. The first night I took it, I felt high like another user posted. After a week my dosage was increased to 40 mg due to symptoms returning. I have horrid nightmares, I cannot do anything but sleep all day and night, I am beginning to gain weight, my panic attacks are getting worse by the day and I too have developed new fears. I tried to quit paxil 3 times in the 3 or so months of I have taken it. The first I did cold turkey- HUGE mistake. I had the head zaps every 30 seconds or so, terribly irritable (which does not do well with 2 toddlers running amuck), skin was crawling, and just miserable. The other two times I tried to wean but even decreasing to 30 mg daily I have these withdrawal symptoms. The nasuea and dizziness, and the head zaps are the worst. I found a psychiatrist here in town, and while making an appt her receptionist told me everyone is trying to get off of paxil right now. I feel helpless because I cannot get off of this drug. And goodness do not have even one alcoholic beverage on it. Last Sunday was the last straw for me. My husband and I layed the children down for a late nap and decided to have a drink. He was called away for 30 minutes and left me home alone. I was on the phone with my father, do not remember it, do not remember my husband coming home, and have memory loss for a little over an hour. The next thing I know I am lying on my bedrrom floor pulling out my hair and my husband is trying to stop me. I blackout again, and find myself running (literally) to his aunt's house. All of this after only 1 drink. I cannot go through this anymore. Though, I dont know how I will be able to get off of it. I feel more like a crack head than someone on antidepressants. Never did I think this would have happened, I pray they think twice before prescribing it to anyone else.

My wife takes Paxil, and it has gradually sucked the life out of her. For the first few months, she was happier than normal, and energetic. The next six years showed a gradual downward shift in happiness, energy, enthusiasm, optimism. There is an increase in explosive anger and criticism, of most people and things. People who have not seen her in years say she is a different person.

Things have deteriorated to where my wife has nothing to do with any relatives, and only unpleasant comments about anything.

Knowing her for 30+ years, it started a couple of months after starting Paxil, and gets worse with each day. She says Paxil is "important" to her.

I was on paxil two weeks before I had the overwhelmelming to kill myself. Fortunatenately since I am in this alone, I recgnized it and got help. The worst med for thosedeeply depressed.

my is short and sweet..had a baby #3 and started to have some anxiety..no biggie,so I thought go back on Kalonipin like b4 well..it gave me more anxiety ..ugh called dr he gave me zoloft w/Kalonipn wow no bad thoughts hated it,,they thought i was depressed No I was angry and upset that i didnt feel normal on these meds then they switched me to Xanax and Paxil worse..loss of memory ,felt nothing detached from everyone like I am in the room but felt nothing ..still have that I know will come back once this is out of my system !!All of this is normal with this drug but not for me i was only on it for 6weeks so Dr. and Pharmasist said I could stop cold turkey have head zaps and dizziness still not normal but only day 5 off it ..they said it would take a week before I started to feel better ..give me head zaps and dizziness for awhile rather than no feelings for life ..i am way to happy and busy of a person to take this UGH DO NOT TAKE if u donot have to!!

Well, while I expected to see some of the things said here to correspond to portions of my life, I am literally shocked at how many of you have described all of the issues with taking Paxil. I see Paxil on the other side (my wife has been on it 3 months prior to our marriage). It is weird how we attributed her 'craziness' (because that is what is was) to the jostles of living in a new city and being away from her family and friends network. Even scarier was how she was pregnant (twice). We fought constantly and so much so that I had to record her so she could see. How do you decouple pregnancy harmones and Paxil??? Recently, her doctor upped her dosage to 20mg. The effect was immediate. Both her and my 7 month old son were high and laughing up a storm. Well, my wife went to see a homeopath the other week and was advised to get off paxil using the weening process and some supplements (Vitamin B-complex, Omega 3-6-9, and microgreen minerals). I am scared because I hate of what it is doing to my wife and particularly my son. Probably more now after reading through the majority of these stories. While I have not heard of anyone supplementing weening with vitamins, I hope that it will do the job as we have 2 very young children (2 yrs and 7 months). Has anyone ever heard of this method? Are there any other methods besides littering your body with more drugs that someone knows about?

all these things sound like how i feel. Paxil is a nightmare. its the worst withdrawel off any drug ive ever tooken. Its been 2 days since ive had none. i tapered down from 40 to 10. now im taking none. i just want this out of my system. can anyone recommed anything to help with the head elctric shock thing?

I have been taking Paxil for a span of 9 years, on Paxil for 8. I had severe panic attacks as I have social-anxiety disorder. Immediately I started thinking more rational and stopped having panic attacks. Things were great for 4 years. I ten started drinking excessively, I felt such a craving for drinking every other day and would get drunk, there was never enough liquor. In these two years I gained 60lbs, from 120lbs to 180lbs and started shoplifting. I was so out of character, from top student to out of control and completely indifferent to everything. I broke up with my boyfriend at that time and decided to quit Paxil, to avoid withdrawal symptoms I took prozac instead for a month, after which I was on zero medication. I felt much better, like a haze was lifted, I started caring about things, thinking about my future, exercising, I lost 60lbs in 7 months.
I was off medication for a year, I started having panic attacks again at work and felt I needed Paxil to function, immediately I felt better. I then gained 40lbs in one year and currently do not care about anything. Unfortunately I was supposed to graduate this semester from my accounting program but I have had no motivation this entire four months, I don't care about anything, I'm neither happy nor sad, I spend most of my time watching tv or sleeping. I have recently quit smoking (patch) and have quit drinking. Drinking this paxil round has not been a problem for me. Because of my indifference I won't be graduating due to my social-anxiety mental illness/medication issues. After reading some comments on this page and because of my complete indifference to everything, I'm going to see my doctor tomorrow to switch over to Prozac again, then stop taking medications. Things can only get better :)
I feel Paxil can cause weight gain, intense alcohol cravings, shoplifting tendencies, excessive sweating, "shock"/motion sickness withdrawal symptoms, and intense feelings of indifference. (I won't be taking Paxil again if I'm in school!)
Paxil isn't all bad, it helps me interact with people (more outgoing, less shy/nervous), no panic attacks, I can go wherever I want with ease by myself, reduces stress, etc, before Paxil 9 years ago I couldn't even leave my house, nor could I look anyone directly in the eye.

I have been on 20mg of Paxil for about 10 years due to anxiety disorder. I feel that it has been the cause of weight gain. i want to wean myself off of this drug but I am terribly afraid of the side effects. i have already been through the dizziness, mood swings, and the ZAPS, at times when i forgot to take the drug occasionally. I have been taking 10mg now for the past 5 days and I cant seem to get enough sleep. Has anyone else felt this way?i have a full time job that requires me to be very active, happy, and outgoing. How long will this last? I am tired all the time!

I feel that paxil makes me crave alcohol. My Dr. says it isn't true. I never woke up in the morning wanting a drink until 4 months ago..6 months into taking paxil. I am trying to wean myself of the drug. I am now at 20mg from 40 mg.

The one thing Paxil was good for is pain management, and I am starting to hurt all over.

I started taking Paxil about 1 year ago, I was having problems with my heart, feeling like I was having a heart attack. I shouldn't have told my Dr. that, after being on paxil for a few months I was having the same problems, I was refered to a Cardiologist...My heart was beating to fast and I was feeling what he called SVT's. Everyone has them, EVERYONE, most people don't realize or feel them, some people do feel them but it does not bother them, then theres the percentage that I'm in, I felt it and when I did it hit HARD, I would Imediatly have to sit down because I was exuasted. The Cardiologist put me on a heart medicine, Nadalol, the feeling went away! Now I am still on Paxil.....for NO reason.....I got a new Dr. he told me how to ween myself off....It's not working, I am experiencing vertigo, dizziness, and intents anger and extreme hypersynsativity. I know if I take half a pill I will feel ok again, but the point is to quit. I need some help, I tired of being dizzy and jumpy every time I see something out of the corner of my eye. Don't just quit.....bad things will happen!

I just got prescribed Paxil from a doctor for stress/anxiety/depression.....things stemming from my wife dying (suicide). I can only say that the comments I've read here are far less than encouraging. I've already got a problem with pointing my gun at myself, now I read this & it seems that the stuff's only gonna make things worse!

I've read several of these postings, and it goes to show that everyones body chemistry is different. I can honestly say Paxil was the greatest thing that happened to me. I started taking it in 1999, it helped me in regards to my anxiety attacks, stress at work & personality. But at 47 yrs now, my doctor wants me to wean off, due to menopause, he says this combo has put the weight on me. The weight is the only thing that has been negative about Paxil. I haven't put too much on, and I would like to try to get off of the meds. If I can't, I would like to try something else that would not put weight on me. Anyhow thats what I think.

Paxil was a relief for me in 2000 when I first started the drug for my severe anxiety.
Slowly I started craving alcohol; I definitely was not a drinker of any kind.
I started to drink and became very promiscuious also. I had sex partners that I would not have went with if it weren't for the uninhibited moods that I acquired through this drug.
I was shopping and charging new items like there was no tomorrow.
My mania reached the sky. One night a woman called my house and told me to stay away from an ex of mine. I had people over at the time and we were drinking.
Mistake, I went over to their house and caused a big scene with one of my friends. The woman called the police on me. I came home and had a couple more drinks and we went back to the house and I yelled more profanity and also bent over with my pants pulled down and mooned her!

I could tell more manic stories that I did while taking paxil, but I won't.
I filed bankruptcy and weaned myself off of the drug and swear I will never touch it again. I don't drink alcohol or smoke or shop too much since.

Unfortunately, I need to take a medication and feel stunted from my anxiety and seizures.

im 21 and have been taking paxil 10mg for 2 months. the physical side effects for the first two weeks were AWFUL. I was passing out at work, puking, shaking and all that bad stuff. Eventually those side effects wore off and I started feeling more social and a little better. That was about a few weeks ago, and now I've never been more miserable in my life. I feel like I'm going insane. I've been having terrible crying and anger outburts. I was having dreams of seeing myself dead, but I haven't had any suicidal thoughts. I just feel like I'm not me and I'm loosing control. I've decided to get off this as soon as possible, for my sake and the sake of others around me.

I experienced Paxil-induced rage that landed me in the hospital. I was released when the drug wore off and told to try something else, as this was not for me. Very awful drug, in my opinion, I do not recommend it.

My Sister on Paxil lost her business after 25 years because she would fight with employees and customers. She lost her home at 48 years old moved in with my parents. Is a terrible mother to her 16 daughter. Her older daughter left and moved in with her father. Paxil mixed with Alcohol
ruined her life. She flies of the handle, gets physical blames everyone but herself and has constant outbursts. It is a horrible drug when mixed with Alcohol. And from what I have learned Paxil gives you the urge to drink. Just heartbreaking.

I started taking Paxil when I was 18yrs. old. I suffered from Panic/anxiety attacks. I am now 33 yrs.old and have decided to have a child.My gynocologist pleaded with me to get off Paxil while i am pregnant. So I decided to wean off of it. I always took 40mgs a day. So I started the first week with 40,20,40,20 etc. My body was going crazy so i went back to the dr and he suggested 40mgs one week,30mgs the second week, 20mgs the 3rd week and so on. I the first week I did fine the second week I started having anxiety attacks again and afraid to leave my house. My heart was beating in my ears and when I would turn my eyes to the side I felt like dizzy funny feeling. I got to a half of a pill 10mgs. and thought this was the end of my life I cant go throught these withdraws anymore once again I go back to the dr. and he puts me on Zoloft and said the dizziness will go away in a week or to. sure enough I am back to my old self. And with Zoloft you can take it while pregnant. I started on the lowest dose and it worked for me but on paxil I had the highest dose. It has been the hardest thing I have ever been through getting off paxil. Nut the smartest choice in my life and to everyone that is has and will go through this PRAY it does work!!!!!

I have been on Paxil for 14 years after brain surgery (meingioma). Recently diagnosed with non-alcoholic cirrhosis I decided to stop as medications as much as possible (Crestor and Paxil). Cholesterol went down from9,2 to 5 OK. But although I progressively diminished Paxil (on a period of 5 months all together. From 20 mg to 15 mg to 10 mg to 5 mf each for a period of at least 15 days. I found myself in complete hell: insomnia, nocturnal frights, cold sweats, trembling, chest pain, stiff neck, excruciating zap pains in my head and bursting with anger and tears for no specific reason and being bloody irritable and clumsy. It was wo bad this morning, when I wrote on this site, that I took 10 mg of Paxil to calm me down a bit. It did a little. How can I get off this poison ? I walk (in anger from morning till evening - when I usually a fairly calm and soft person usually). One wrong word and I could kill ! I don't have money to compensate with traveling or offering myself a perfume (although my olfactive and gustavie nerves were removed with surgery, I still have a "ghost" memory and to have the impression that I smell nice boosts my morale though it does not change anything in my life (I am now just over 60). I read an awful lot but my sight is now somewhat blurred after a short while reading. Muscle cramps make me "jump" while in bed. I walk a lot with my adorable dog and I hold on to some kind of sanity for her sake.. This afternoon I got Becozym (Vit B Complex) to help with my frozen trembling hands (which usually were always so warm and precise). I played the piano like a bulldozer, lacking any patience when making a false note. I took this 10 mg Paxil because I was in complete HELL. What should I do now ? Must I take it again tomorrow and start the vicious circle again ? I feel like a miserable drug addict and it is so difficult on my own. How long will it take till the WD disappear ? I can't bear it any longer.

I never drank heavily until I started ssri's. Then I craved vodka every morning.

Taking Paxil 20-40 mg per day 5 yrs, 20 mg for 11yrs
Unable to stop Brain Swooshing and dizziness with my last prescription.
Tempted to increase dose beyond 40 mg/day.
Marked increase in Brain Swooshing with this latest prescription.
I was never ever told about these side effects by my original prescribing psychiatrist, in the late ninties, and none of the half dozen doctors who have managed my meds since knew anything about Brain Swooshing or the dizziness, whenever I asked; nor was any attempt made by them to find out about it on my behalf.
I've tried everything under the sun to wean myself off of Paxil, but I can never get below 20 mg/day (and now even 40 mg) without Brain Swooshing and dizziness.
These symptoms are very debilitating to me and make me depressed in themselves.
I am disabled veteran (non service related)
I get social security disability (11 yrs).
I have a clean criminal record except for a fight with my brother about 12 yrs ago.
(831) 466-0335 54 yr old male
4573 Branciforte Dr.
Santa Cruz Ca. 95065

I have a good friend. She has been on Paxil for 20 years. She decided to go cold turkey and suffered for it badly. She went back on, then she decided to wean herself off it without her doc knowing. Over the last few months she's gone from being my friend to increasingly paranoid of everything I do. She goes from accusing me of really weird things, to being my best friend, to accusing me again. She's hiding that she's going off the Paxil and is furious that people know about it, though she told us! But she doesn't seem to remember many things very well. Now she's accusing my kids of weird things and accusing people of lying about her and gossiping about her, and we talk it out with her and she seems fine only to bring the exact same thing up again a few hours later. She hanged herself many years ago, and I'm afraid she may try it again. She is getting worse faster and faster, I'm scared. I'm scared for her, but also at this point I'm afraid to have my kids around her, she just called one a brat to her face, and said my 4 year old called her a thief. Her husband is, well, slow, and he just goes along with all her paranoid stuff, though you can tell he's stressed out. Can you guys give me advice on how to help her or what I might do?

when Mike started taking paxil the 1st. 3-weeks he was ok. Then he started talking &thinking crazy he would get lost driving for get where he was going he would watch tv and beleave he did what was watching. He told cops he was doing things he wasn't. He beleaved he would be killed by thecop if he didn't. He acted like a person who has alshimers
And don't remember much of if. And we're fighting charges in court help. He could not think right that night help me keep him out of Jail

well im a 28 year old and i got really sick 3 months ago. i strated to take paxil. well so ive been on it for 3 months now and about for 5 days i stopped it and i strated to get sweating bad then cold chills. i even got sick to my stomach really tired.i even felt really shacky.i strated to get scared all over again. like when i frist got sick. i called the doc. and she said it was withdrews of stopping the med. so she told me to take them again. i got the flu like. it was just feelings i didnt want to go threow again. if i would of know about this med when u try to stop it the withdrews it gives you.i would of never let them put me on it when i got sick for 3 months. then i strated to get panic attacks from being sick like i was. i would of tryed something else.

My doc gave me and Rx of this stuff like 3 days ago, for social anxiety disorder, and agoraphobia (which i know now he misdiagnosed me) before taking anything, i always research and draw my own opinion as opposed to listening to a doctor whos never had the shit in his body. The first night i was not happy with what i read at all..however decided i would take the pill as prescribed, whats the worst that could happen.....well this is where the fun begins. I took the pill about 1030 pm...and hour later was hit with a bout of nausea so i decided to try and sleep at about 1230am haha what a joke...i laid in bed with my eyes close asking myself over and over why cant i sleep cmon just fall asleep whats wrong? Aside from tossing and turning, my jaw was chattering as if i were freezing somewhere in the north pole naked or something...after feeling like laying there for a few hours i was getting frustrated at the fact i could not fall asleep and decided okay im just gonna get up forget it i have only been lying here for a few hours at the most. When i opened my eyes i saw daylight (it was 1130am)...i was horrified that my body seemed to "sleep" as my mind was completely awake the ENTIRE TIME...i got outta bed feeling like someone pulled me out of my body, scrambled me up and threw me back into my body. After just one pill and two days later, i CANNOT sleep, and have the worst hangover feeling i wouldnt wish on my worst enemy....idk how one pill of this can do this to someone, and i know everyone is different, but if at all avoidable...DO NOT TAKE THIS stuff EVER...save yourself from what im currently going through its been about 36 hours since ive taken that one pill...and i cannot do anything but lie in bed wishing when i was staring at that damn blue box, contemplating to take it or not, that i just flushed them down the toilet like i did yesterday...please save yourself from this crap....ive never felt so horrible in my life..

I WAS TAKING A NAP WHEN I HAD THIS STRANGE DREAM AND IT WAS ABOUT ELEVATORS AND BLURRED PEOPLE I COULD SEE BUT TALKED BACK TO ME WHAT COULD THAT MEAN

I have been taking 30mg of Paxil for about 2 years. My NP raised it to another 10mg to help with hot flashes versus hormones. I have struggled with high blood pressure but my blood pressure has consistenlhy been in stage 2 hypertension since. I am normally a perosn who is pretty athletic and had an injury recently that made it hard for me to excercise. My blood preesure with high blood pressure medicine has been as hight as 186/120. I am really scared since my parents both had heart disease. I eat healthy, love to excercise, drink more than I should but lately, this high is ridiculous. I can't help to think it is a combination of lifestyle and other medications that are rising my blood pressure. Any feed back would be appreciated!

Ive been on paxil for 10 years never felt that angry in my life
I am treated for anxity panic attack and a lot of other things
but whit paxil my symptoms got out of control i fell like killing someone . Every day is a strugle not to go crazy.
i almost shot my husband because he pissed me off .
ii am having episode where i black out because am so angry.angry about what .i dont know.
i have sucuide thouth.In my head its a linving hell.
When i tried to quit paxil omg worl war 3 in my head .
i couldnt take care of my kids.....just ...am lost an no one seem to know about how it feels...they say its gonna pass
Well after 10 years i still feel like hell
cindy

I have been taking Paxil for about 8 years now for anxiety and depression. The best thing that I can say is that it has sorted out my anxiety. I still do however suffer from mild depression but feel much better than I ever did before taking the medication. For me personally it has worked and I don't really have any side effects from it that I can think of

I'm off psychotropic meds and on Disability after trying every major anti-depressant. Odd note: despite stopping every drug cold turkey, and waiting months btwn new meds, I've never had withdrawals. Are we making big pharma rich on placebos?