I will be starting on Paxil, this anti-depressent, supposedly for my anxiety & occasional mood swings & would like to receive any information anyone can offer me on this theraputic drug. Side effects? Improvements? Set backs, etc. Thank you!

EVerybody reacts differently but here are my experiences on Paxil. It was a wonder-drug for me and completely eradicated my phobia and helped with depression. I was very happy in general.
However - I was a zombie and had to go to bed at 8.30 every night and I also had ZERO sex-drive and could not orgasm.
Of course after about 8 months of Paxil - I made the classic mistake of thinking that I felt so fantastic and everything was so wonderful that I could come off it.
I didn't know about withdrawal symptoms at the time and so nearly ended up in ER as I was hit badly by withdrawal. Of course - once this happens the drs end up convincing you that you are suffering from anxiety and depression (as opposed to withdrawal) and need to be on meds.
Anyway - I then switched to Zoloft but it was never as good for me as paxil.
Good luck.
Love Sarah

Everyone reacts different of course. Knowing that my reaction to Paxil where as follow:
20 lbs. weight gain
it did control my SAD
I loved going to the gym and I ended up stop going and didn't care about
anything
high blood pressure that I am still dealing with
Now taking two meds for BP
Stopped cold turkey and went straight to Effexor XR

Know on Effexor and it is working great. Controlling SAD, back in gym, and actually able to start conversations with complete strangers. I would never been able to do this before. That is just my experience. Good Luck with dealing with your problem

Paxil was awesome in controling my panic and anxiety, HOWEVER, I gained 30lbs in spite of diligent exercise and watching my eating habits. I didn't gain right away. It was around the 6-8 month mark, then whammo, the weight just piled on. Oh and my cholestrol and BP went way up. I'm not taking any SSRI's at the present time but I'm having a very difficult time in losing the Paxil weight.

i only have negative things to say about this med. i took it once and once was enough!! i took it at 10 pm and by 3 i was awake, shaking, crying, out of breath, thought i was going to throw up and die, i paced my living room in a big circle for 3 hours!!!! that was the last time i ever took it it was horrible and ive never had anything like it. sorry i couldnt be positive about the med but i havent heard very pos things about it and im not sure why docs prescribe this pill since theres so many other ones out there that arent linked to major side effects and suicide.

Been on a low dose of Paxil for about 4 weeks. Feeling much better. Everybody is different, so you really can't judge on other people's reaction to it. I heard so many bad stories that it freaked me out to start it, but all is good. Hope it works out for you.

Paxil was the first drug my doctor put me on. It made very groggy and VERY hungry. As for the libido goes....forget about it. Paxil took me out of that game. I was on it for about 6 months. It did help me for a short while control my anxiety, but when I was getting hit hard by anxious situations...it pooped out on me.

Ii didn't work for me, but like the others have said, everyone reacts differently to every drug.

Been on a low dose of Paxil for about 4 weeks. Feeling much better. Everybody is different, so you really can't judge on other people's reaction to it. I heard so many bad stories that it freaked me out to start it, but all is good. Hope it works out for you.

meredith is TOTALLY right! You can't judge Paxil by what it did to others. It worked fine for me... but I did switch to Zoloft for a few reasons.

If your doctor thinks it is best for you... try it. If it doesn't work, tell him/her so and they will do their best to help you out!

Margaret

I have had a great experience with Paxil. After the first 2 or 3 weeks, it kicked in and my anxiety (abnormal anxiety) has gone way down. I get anxious now and then, as I should. I no longer stay awake all night worrying about how my heart is beating. The palpitations I used to get have gone away and my interest and joy in life has returned. I don't intend to go off it for quite awhile and when I do (or if), it will be with my MD's assitance. I am currently taking 25mg of Paxil CR and doing very well. I do have Ativan, that occasionally helps me sleep and when I had high anxiety, it helped. I don't take it very often. Hope this helps. My 21 year old daughter takes it too, and she is also doing well. Michele

I was on Paxil twice before (for about a year at a time) for panic and for the most part, I thought it was great. Both times I had zero start-up side effects. The first time I went off, I quit cold turkey and somehow didn't even get the withdrawal syndrome. The second time I did, but I just weaned myself off slowly and it was no big deal. It may be worse for someone who is on it more long-term, but they do make a liquid version so you can really taper off very gradualy. I did not gain any weight, either.

I found paxil to be very good for controlling my anxiety, which, at the time, was mainly panic attacks. It didn't eliminate them completely (I guess maybe upping my dosage might have done that - I was on 20 mg), but it definitely got them under control (less frequent and less severe) and made me feel like I could control them, which was really helpful when I did go off of it. It also elevated my mood a bit - I don't think I was really depressed, but I just somehow tended to feel happier.

The only problem that I did have was the sexual side effects (decreased libido and severe difficulty climaxing), and that is why, ultimately, I went off of it both times. From what I've read, this is a pretty common side effect, so I guess things depend upon whether you personally can deal with that or not.

Good luck!

I was only 18 when I started paxil. I was young and depressed. The paxil worked for me but its not easy. I saw the greatest turn around in my life when I started going to talk therpy. Paxil and talk therpy work great togther. If your insurence policy will cover the cost I say go for it. Try it once and see how you like it. Paxil and therpy work hand in hand with one another. Just my option. I am 20 now and i credit my happyness with paxil and therpy....

again I would like to stress that everyone is different and everyone's reaction to any medication can be completely different. I took Paxil for about 1 1/2 years when I suddenly started having panic attacks and anxiety. I was prescribed Paxil after taking Lexapro which I had a severe reaction to (became manic- couldn't sleep, eat, sit still. I paced around my house for 24 hours straight in a panic) but as soon as I stopped taking it and started on the Paxil I was SO much better. It really helped me and I had no weight gain and only a little of the sexual side effects. I was weaned off of it and got pregnant a few months later (which is the main reason I stopped taking it) and I had a wonderful pregnancy with no anxiety. I had my baby a month ago and have since returned to taking the Paxil because of the post partum stuff but I hope to stop taking it again once my hormones are back to normal (which I have been told takes about 9 months) but it helps me so much and has been a life saver for me. Good luck and remember that if it doesn't work for you there are many more out there that can help

I was on Paxil for a couple of years for anxiety. It worked fairly well for me except I gained weight, which made me depressed. And I couldn't get up the energy to exercise sometimes (exercise does help my anxiety and depression immensely.) My doctor originally told me that I could just be on it for 8 or 9 months. Yeah, right. Anyway, I tried Zoloft last year - not as good, and am now weaning off of Effexor XR. Effexor has INCREASED my anxiety since I started taking it. For the first time in almost four years, I am going to try without any medication, to see if this helps with other problems I have had.

I was on paxil 20mg day for 7 years. It worked fabulous for my anxiety and panic attacks, but I gained a huge amount of weight from it.

I was on paxil for about three months. At first, I felt no different because it takes a week or two to get into your system. After about a week and a half I felt less anxious but since I primarily have an anxiety disorder, I didn't find it to help this as much as i would have liked. I often forgot to take it, and If you dont take it for 2 or 3 days in a row, the withdrawl is very unpleasant. I went off of it and dealt with a few days of bad nausea and inability to concentrate. So i personally didn't have a great experience with Paxil - but that doesn't mean it wont work for you! just try it out and have faith :)

I will be honest I hated Paxil..Not only did it do nothing for me but it gave me night terrors really bad ones where I would wake up scared and sweating. Since going off cold turkey for 5 days I am back to where I belong on Lexapro..:)

:confused: I tried Paxil.....doc told me that the one xanax a day could end end up habit forming.....it has NOT.
Anyway the first day I took it, I was a basket case, could not function, napped in the afternoon....I NEVER DO THAT.....felt spaced, could not even think about driving, felt anxious and had nausea and dizziness. Nightmares and not proper sleep that night! Next day the same. Of course I didn't give my body enough time to get used to it. Tried Effexor and Zoloft . Finally went back to my GP and said leave me with my xanax......just need it for panic attacks really.

My younger brother is on Paxil and Doc has been upping his dose more and more all the time.....he is depressed.....I am not , just have the panic/anxiety thing.....no need for anti-depressants for me!! :)

I was on paxil for almost 10 years...I doubled my weight...UGH..now it's hard to get it off...I went drug free for 15 weeks and it was the hardest time of my life...I am currently taking prozac as my serotonin levels were depleted due to ?????? Best of Luck to you......Paxil suddenly quit working and I had terrible withdrawal symptoms.....

I was on paxil for 4 years for anxiety. I had several undesireable side effects such as sweating, sleeplessness, high blood pressure, 20 pound weight gain (I am only 5 feet 3 inches tall, but since getting off the paxil I quickly went back down to my normal weight of 105), I had alcohol cravings(I drink occasionally, but while on paxil it was almost everyday), I became a complete slob! The list goes on and on making paxil a negative drug to take in my opinion! The withdrawal symptoms were even worse(if you can imagine that!). It took about a year for me to finally feel "okay" again after discontinuing this drug. But that is only MY experience! Good luck!