Paxil for Anxiety and Stress User Reviews (Page 3)

• Daydr...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 16, 2015

"I have been on Paxil for a year now. I can honestly say overall it works wonders for my anxiety and stress. However, the weight gain is too much for me to deal with. It is difficult to lose weight on Paxil. I am going to be changing meds soon. If you have no weight issues to begin with or not self conscious of weight gain, give it a try. This medication is great for its intended purposes."

• JDano
• July 5, 2018

"I started taking Paxil 3 years ago. I was changing jobs after 20 years, had a second child and my wife and I were no longer close. I was angry and stressed out all the time and started having euphoric dizzy sensations so I was put on 20mg. What a life changer! I started to notice that the small things didn't bother me anymore and a lot of the big things were manageable. I still got the dizzy sensations, but slowly over the next year, they went away. I'm 6'4" and weighed 250lbs. when I started taking and now weigh 300lb now. I definitely suffered from weight gain. Also, if you miss taking one, you know it. That sucks. Take it at the same time every night. It evened everything out. I take it before bed, as I wasn't sure if it would make me tired or not. Also, as an occasional beer drinker, after one I get REALLY sleepy.Despite these effects Paxil has worked great for me. Would recommend."

• black...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 28, 2016

"Yeah, Paxil definitely saved my arse really. I tried prozac first and went totally off the rails with anxiety and 2 days on paxil and I slept and knew that it was the one for me. I am a fool though because I keep trying to come off it because it works so well for anxiety. I have been reduced to 10 mg's from 20 and have been enjoying that but noticed that my mind fluctuates between optimism and pessimism really quite quickly. The mind is a strange thing. Anyway, it keeps me grounded, no panic attacks, no anxiety. Amazing how we all react so differently to these various SSRI's. Pity about the sex drive with Paxil. I fall in love still but I don't have that physical thing going off like people off antidepressants do."

• Rotag
• January 25, 2020

"I have taken Paxil twice. Once in my twenties and I'm currently on it again in my early 40s and for different reasons. Having gone through the withdrawal before I can tell you that it is difficult and you should not do it without being under the watchful eye of a dr. My main side effect is sexual, which in my 20's worked well. Now that I'm older, the delay in ejaculation is fine however the lack of feeling isn't great. Normally, you can feel the semen rising up through your urethra but on Paxil you can't. It still feels good to orgasm but not the same. After I got off of it last time I became so sensitive that two thrusts and I would explode. Not good for the ladies although my wife always said she didn't care. At this point, my agreement with my dr. is that I'm going on the drug for a short period and will begin my tapering again soon. I will say that this does keep me from getting aura migraines and it is wonderful not to have those."

• Byrd...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 30, 2018

"Second time trying Paxil. First time it worked within a few days, had some side effects, but helped with my panic attacks and anxiety. I felt better after a couple of months, so I got off. So now, I'm having bad anxiety again, along with panic attacks. My Doctor put me back on Paxil at 5mg for 2 weeks, then wants me to increase to 10. This time, really bad side effects, dizziness, and panic attacks are worse than ever after taking for 5 days. But......in between it is helping with my anxiety and panic, so I am going to stick it out and see if these side effects will stop."

• Marym...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 17, 2017

"I've been taking Paxil 10mg for 3 years and I'm not looking to increase dose. I did gain weight but that’s also cause I was not so stressed about being thin , when I do exercise I am super fit . Paxil works , orgasms were harder but by no means impossible, just takes longer . I feel normal on it , went off for six weeks and there were mild side effects but nothing crazy . Had to go back on as there was a major trauma that happened while I was off them and I crumbled . I say do it but keep the dose low , you don’t need to take a lot ."

• 42ano
• February 26, 2017

"It worked, a little too well. I became indifferent to EVERYTHING. inside it was like a part of me was screaming, but my whole body and 90% of my brain just did what it needed too. I am normally a goofy, fun loving, hyper personality. I do get bouts of seemingly unshakable depression and anxiety, but while on this medication, I noticed a change in myself... beyond the tunnel vision, and kaleidoscopic hallucinations I had when waking up in the middle of the night... every night. the final straw was was seeing my now wife, looking like she lost her best friend, as I just wasn't myself. I stopped taking the mediation, and within 2 days started singing to her again, and nothing brought a smile like that to her face until we said "I do"."

• Lin
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 9, 2019

"Family physician prescribed Paxil thinking it would alleviate my anxiety. I don't have anxiety but he believes I do. I tried the prescription, and I thought I was dying. I had the most horrible allergic reaction. I couldn't breathe and my heart was racing. He told me that I was having an anxiety attack. He's determined to keep pushing this on me and is threatening me to remove me off diazepam. Never had problems with diazepam. I told him I'm not depressed but he's insisting I am and insisting I have anxiety."

• Big...
• August 22, 2015

"I was having trouble with erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculating. I thought it was either my blood pressure or diabetes so I went to the doctor and I didn't my BP was normal and tests showed that I didn't have diabetes. I was prescribed Viagra months earlier but I stopped taking it because it clogged my sinuses. Then my doctor prescribed me 20mg of Paxil and it's been a life saver. Not only does it take seconds to get an erection but I am able to maintain it longer than I have been able to for a while. I have not experienced any side effects."

• Anonymous
• March 5, 2013

"Paxil worked well for the first few months and then stopped. My doc upped my dose and the same thing. I took it for 6 months from half a tab to two tabs a day. I gained 15lbs and became more depressed and lazy to the point that I wouldn't get out of bed. I also had side effects of agitation, vivid dreams, and problems concentrating. It did not worked great at first but is not for me. "

• Paxil...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 13, 2016

"Thanks to paxil (paroxetine) my life got basically destroyed. I was depressed before taking it, yes, but i hadn't mood swings, 0 emotions, sexual disfunctions, cognitive issues, tremors, memory not working. I feel like an empty shell. Avoid please"

• Doc
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 25, 2020

"Paxil made me gain about 50 pounds so I got off it. It didn't even work that well for my anxiety. The withdrawal coming off it were a nightmare - seriously - this drug is awful. My doctor said the weight gain is likely permanent :("

• trishlm
• March 22, 2013

"I was able to cope with people better and it eased me from flying off the handle. The downfall was when I owed my Dr money and she refused to refill. The withdrawal is terrible and now I am back to the anger issue."

• Anonymous
• October 19, 2010

"Works great to keep me from being anxious. I take 40 mg daily for last 5 yrs. The only thing I don't like is the weight gain and I need lots of sleep. My leg also jerks when I sleep. Until I read the reviews I didn't think about Paxil causing it. It also keeps me from getting really angry easily. If I miss doses my family knows it immediately because I get very emotional, weepy or angry."

• cobbler
• April 2, 2009

"I've been taking Paxil for 3 years. It has been the only medicine that has given long term relief from anxiety and stress, and occasional depression. I've had no drastic side effects to speak of. I take 60mg/day."

• Panic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 1, 2016

"Had a severe reaction to this medication one first dose including waking in the middle of the night dizzy and disoriented, proceeding to vomit repeatedly, numbness in fingertips and gums, severe chills and then soaking in sweat, and difficulty speaking. Took a trip to the ER. I am sure that it works for some people, but the side effects can be very scary. Make sure someone is aware you took it and keeps an eye on you. It is very unlikely you will have a reaction like I did, but having someone in the know will save you some trouble if you do have a bad reaction."

• Anonymous
• August 7, 2010

"I completely stopped having panic attacks after taking this medication for a few months. I had become house-bound by several debilitating panic attacks every day. I have been on Paxil for close to a year, and it is still working. Side effects I experienced were bruising for the first few months. I also experienced numbness and tingling (my arms and legs started falling asleep all the time). I began taking magnesium supplements and the tingling stopped. I am still experiencing weight gain and tiredness and constant yawning, as well as decreased focus and memory. I am also unable to orgasm, which is strange for me because I used to be able to reach orgasm very easily. Overall, I can work and live again so it's worth the side effects."

• Sore...
• March 17, 2015

"I have been on Paxil for 18 years now. Within the last seven years I have developed severe muscle tightness. I go to massage Thearapist and chiropractor every two weeks... This helps sometimes other times I'm still in pain. I'm going to see a rheumatologist next week who thinks it's I might have an immune disorder since I was just diagnosed with raynauds in my toes. Paxil has helped my anxiety but sometimes I feel like I have no emotions and don't react to things that I should be. Which is good and bad. Take care of yourself if you're not feeling well see if a different medication works are different alternatives!! It just took me 18 years."

• Nickel
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 22, 2021

"Been on paxil with Wellbutrin since early 2000. When I've tapered down below 10mg/day it usually ends up with me needing to up the dosage to 20mg for a while following which I tapered back to 10mg. At 10mg the sexual side effects are less troubling. My doctor added a low dose of gabapentin to my daily paxil/Wellbutrin regime and it's been helpful. All in all, I'm very happy not to be the person I was before my anxiety/depression diagnosis when I started paxil. Has it been life changing? Yes, and in a very good way. It just works for me."

• Mazzy...
• January 16, 2017

"I was given 12.5 mg of generic Paxil 5 days ago. My anxiety started to manifest itself with uncontrollable crying. While it's has been only 5 days, the crying has stopped. So I'm happy with that. However, I am experiencing side effects: lightheaded, pin prick feelings in arms and legs, some joint pain, lower back pain, and lethargy that makes me feel like doing/caring about nothing. Because the side effects come and go, I'm willing to wait it out to see if everything mellows out."

• worm
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 12, 2019

"If you are male and over the age of 40 and have any sex drive, stay away from Paxil, it is male birth control, it is the worse medicine to get off of ,took me 3 weeks of weening with smaller and less each day to get off it, and it didn't do nothing to control depression or anxiety. I don't know why I took it almost a year before I said NO MORE. I could still kick my doctors behind for talking me into trying it"

• Anonymous
• September 2, 2010

"I am so happy to have found this board. These success stories are amazing. I've been taking Paxil for about 2 weeks and 2 days and have experienced some tough side effects, lots of trouble sleeping, headaches, mood swings, but it seems a lot of people seem do really well after getting through those first few weeks. I think I want to try and stick with this. It's also helped ease a lot of pain and stress I experienced from a brutal gall bladder surgery."

• Anonymous
• April 22, 2009

"I have been on Paxil for 5 years now. It has done wonders up until I had a baby a year ago and I just don't think it's working anymore. The only thing I hate about this drug is weight gain but other than that it has been a life saver for me and I would recommend it to anyone."

• Psych...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 14, 2017

"Horrible drug. Paxil is garbage. I've been on the majority of these psych drugs. Pure poison. Now that the horrible withdrawal effects are lessening--I'm getting much better. While on and coming off them, it was pure hell. That's my experience."

• Anonymous
• November 24, 2009

"I have been on Paxil for 3 months and had gained 6 pounds. Doesn't sound that bad, except I've been going to the gym like crazy to counteract this side effect and still the scale keeps creeping up. I have almost zero interest in having sex and when I do have sex, I cannot have an orgasm. Any interest in sex I do have is counteracted by the fact that I feel gross having gained extra weight. If I were single, I might not mind the sex issue as much, but if you are in a relationship, I would consider a different drug."