User Reviews for Paxil

I had taken Paxil when I was younger and it worked wonders with my depression and social disorder. However, this time around it is different, but still better with than without. My husband has been on it for close to 5 years. He used to be so angry all the time about everything, this helped him. It helped us because I am a person who does not do well with yelling and arguing. He did try to stop a few months back and it was terrible because his aggressiveness and irritability was off the wall, scarey. His mood swings came on quick and he realized he was better off staying on the Paxil. We are both on 40 mg a day.

I know its working but I have really bad breath. Never before have I had a problem with that but know I cannot eat enough mints. I will take that side effect because I feel 100% better.

I had been placed on depression pill upon depression pill and I seemed to be on an emotional roller coaster, then I was put on 20 mg Paxil. I have been on it now for almost four years and it has helped me through some down times. I was able to get through it the past years and am so grateful for it.

When I started Paxil 7 months ago I was clinically depressed. I had panic attacks that would come several times a day and my body was always tense. I had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I was wrecked after an emotional trauma. My brain was on overdrive. Within the first 2 months on Paxil I kept a journal blogging symptoms and changes and after a while I realized I stopped writing altogether. I would always write when I was sad. The medicine kept being more effective as time went on but I eventually got a dose upage from 20mg to 30mg. I have never felt so happy, ever.

I went on Paxil a year after father died 15 years ago. I was told it was non-addictive and started on a low-mid dosage, 20mg. It helped and was on it for about 10-12 years. I just accepted that I needed it. Everyone is correct about not missing doses - if I missed 2-3 days, I'd get very emotional, cry at drop of a hat, etc. - which I unfortunately took as proof that I needed to stay on it - I didn't understand it was the withdrawal effects! Over time, with ups/downs in career, I gradually increased dosages, going to 40 mg/day. In late 2010, after out of work for 2-3 years, I went back to general dr and he prescribed 60mg/day. Within a couple months, I was in downward spiral.

Before taking Paxil, I was on several different antidepressants which didn't work. At one point I had to be hospitalized, but since being on Paxil I am no longer depressed. Only side effect that I have experienced is dry mouth. It has been 17 years that I have been symptom free!

After about one week I was out and active. Engaging with others again and doing much better at work. I also do not have the desire to sleep all day. I have lost weight also due to increased exercise and a minimal loss of appetite. Side effects are minimal, but sex is impossible. I take Paxil 40mg once a day and Xanax 1mg twice. I am a new person! I tried Prozac, Effexor, Seroquel and Lamictal with few benefits. Paxil is by far the best medicine I have ever tried. I am nervous however when I read about the horrible side effects of missed doses and stopping Paxil.

Caused me to have very bad headaches. Light sensitivity. Dizziness.

This has been a miracle for me. I've been on it for two weeks and its already helping. The only thing is I have terr

If you read the other reviews, they are all correct in saying you must NEVER stop taking this medication suddenly. Coming off this medicine was one of the most difficult things. You must do it very slowly and possibly add some other medications to ease the side effects. It's so important to have a good doctor to guide you.

It has been incredibly helpful with depression, muscle tension, PMS, and premenopause and decreased migraines. I take 25mg extended release.

Took this med for a month at 20mg and I was one of those who began to notice positive effects overnight. It improved my mood exponentially and since I've never had a sex drive (from depression) I actually gained one while on Paxil. Sex was much more pleasurable. Unfortunately I thought I could find a med that was even BETTER, so was put on Cymbalta and Abilify, but have had miniscule improvements. Tomorrow I'm going to start back up on the Paxil.

I went to my primary doctor for a check up. I told him that I just was not feeling right. He referred me to the mental health clinic. The doctor there asked me a lot of questions about how I felt, was I suicidal. Discussed my military life. And any combat experience. That was to check on PTSD. She started me on Paxil. I had the usual side effects of dry mouth, couldn't sleep, excessive urination, constipation, and diarrhea. But I got over the side effects when my body got used to the medication. One of the main problems with this medication is that I cannot get an erection and cannot orgasm.

I was prescribed this medication initially for depression and then along with another medication for atypical depression and panic disorder. I had to give it some stars because it did help with the anxiety. Problem was I had no life. No sex drive. Emotionally flat. Slept 12-16 hrs a day (I craved sleep all the time) and ate non stop eventually gaining 80 lbs. Finally my husband encouraged me to go off it. I tapered the dose and experienced brain zaps and generally weird feelings for several weeks.

While paroxetine tended to keep my depression at bay; I wasn't functioning at a good level emotionally. Was on 20mg for approximately 4years, then 40mg for 3 months. When dosage was upped, I had major depressive episode (pretty much stayed in bed for 3 weeks) and realized that I had experiencing basically a "flat aspect" for quite some time. Also gained 20 lbs (105 to 125) in the 3 months on the 40mg. Horrible brain zaps if I missed a dose (20 or 40). Went back to 20mg for a week and have switched to Effexor (37.5/7days, then will be on 75mg daily). Mild zings and zaps for past few days as I've switched to the Effexor; was expecting a MUCH more horrendous transition as my zaps were extremely strong in the past.

While this medicine may not be for everyone, it's helped me immensely. I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and depression. I was having intense mood swings where I'd alternate between being so anxious I couldn't sleep for days and then so depressed I couldn't get myself out of bed in the morning. I felt like I didn't matter anymore and that I could stay in bed all day since no one would realize I wasn't there. I started out on 10mg of Paxil for 4 days before increasing to 20mg. After a few weeks the effects started to wear off and I fell into a deep depression, so my dosage increased to 30mg a day. I take it before bed, and all my insomnia problems have gone away. It's done wonders for me. I have my life back.

Paxil has saved my life. After my fathers death, I was in a major depression and suffered for panic attacks for 6 years. I used alcohol and drugs to numb of the reality. I finally decided to get my head straight and started using Paxil 30mg. I feel like a million bucks, everyday I wake up I'm happy and excited for what the day may bring. It does bother me that I have to rely on a drug to feel normal, but it is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I plan on staying on it for the rest of my life. I see it as I have a problem with my brain so I need a pill to fix it, just as a diabetic needs insulin. Thank you Paxil for giving me my life back. I highly recommend this medicine to anyone suffering from severe depression & anxiety.

I used Paxil twice for depression and mood swings while on chemo therapy. Both times I only used half the min dose (5mg/day) and it did help considerably reduce anxiety and depression associated with being on extended chemotherapy. It also controlled anger and road-rage associated with chemo therapy. Recently I tried Paxil a third time in preparation for another round of chemo - and Paxil made me feel lousy after a few weeks taking it. I stopped and switched to Celexa. Both previous times when Paxil did work I made the serious mistake of stopping it abruptly. I had to go back on it and gradually reduce the dosage by splitting pills over two weeks. I'd give Paxil a rating of 10 had I not had problems with it this time.

When my doctor asked me how I felt my Paxil 20mg was working (after being in Wellbutrin unsuccessfully for two years) I could only explain it as "someone finally washed both sides of the windows". Other medicines (Zoloft) helped with some anxiety but left me still depressed. Still others (Celexa) helped with the depression but the anxiety was left uncontrolled. I finally feel like I am back on track to take control of my life. I am pretty sure some dosage adjustments still need to be done, but I am amazed at the past four months on Paxil and what a difference it has made. The minor OCD I was experiencing is gone, the anxiety is a minimum and the depression no longer rules every day. I wish I would have done this for myself and my family years ago.

Weight gain, no positive aspects for me.

Thanx to Paxil I'm still here to type this comment, it saved my life. I was started on 20mg but had to go up to 40mg (max dose) for about 3 years after which I was slowly dropped down to 20mg, then right down to 10mg, which I was on for awhile then down to 5mg and eventually went off the medication. The times I did miss my dosage it was usually the second day when the zaps started along with the feeling of vertigo. The half life of this medicine is very short about 3 days that's why people feel withdrawal symptoms so quickly but I've found quite tolerable for the good it has done for me. A wonderful medication!

I took paroxetine (Paxil) for 2 months. It took a while to feel any effect from it. It did help regulate my moods a little bit, but after a month and a half it started giving me stomach pains and feelings of hopelessness and suicide. I am still experiencing the effects of not taking it anymore. It's been about a week since I quit. I was going to taper the dosage but it just made me too sick. I am sure this medicine is great for others but my body just did not agree with it.

I took Paxil 20mg for 8 years. It is excellent for depression, anxiety and social anxiety. I completely lost all anxiety, shyness and experienced relaxed euphoria. I excelled at work and dealing with people. However it is very sedating, I would drink coffee all day while on it. I look back on those 8 years and it all seems like a blur. Sleep very deeply and a lot but at least I was happy. I'm now in my mid thirties and was recently switched to Celexa because I started finding it difficult to achieve orgasm on Paxil. Bad decision...I now experience anxiety from the moment I wake up, shortness of breath, agoraphobia, terrible and obsessive thoughts, and racing thoughts and a feeling that I am going crazy. I'm going back on Paxil.

I was on Paxil for a month. I noticed a significant difference the first two weeks and then went back to my usual, on edge self, after that. Now, I'm trying Celexa. I know I need to take something. I'm just not sure which one it is. My doctor brought up Viibryd at my doctor's visit.

I have Bipolar 1 Disorder. Paxil is great! Mainly used for Depression also PTSD and anxiety. I take 40 mg a day for last 4 or so years. Caution do not abruptly stop Paxil if you've been on it for 2 months or more. Severe body shocks happen during withdrawal. They feel like electrical impulses throughout the body. My brain gets "heavy" and "dizzy" and I can't stop it or concentrate on anything. I have gone off Paxil and have been to the ER for withdrawal. The shocks are the worst and unbearable for me. 4 days without Paxil I begin to get these "shocks" I take my Paxil daily, try not to skip doses and I recommend you do the same. Doctors have told me it is one of the worst withdrawals comparable to heroin withdrawals. Taper Taper Taper!