Paroxetine for Anxiety and Stress User Reviews (Page 5)

• Pin...
• July 30, 2017

Paroxetine "Taken off Escitalopram 10 mg, which I was on for years, and put onto Paroxetine 20 mg for generalized anxiety and sleep disorder. Experienced terrible side effects-dizziness and almost fainting, headache, tingling extremities, nausea, weight loss. I was feeling like a whole different person in general. But nothing was worse than the withdrawal effects. I basically felt like a walking dead person-all of the above plus severe flu-like symptoms-I literally couldn't leave bed for days. Took a couple of weeks to feel good again, but had to start taking Escitalopram again to get there."

• Men...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 26, 2025

"I like this medicine. It has drastically decreased my anxiety levels. It has helped me react positively and not panic unnecessarily, especially when my three kids are just playing around being kids. It also has helped me with my appetite in a good way. I am much calmer and remember to drink my water regularly than I used to. The chaos in my head has subsided. I wish I had known about this drug many years ago. I am a new person, and I argue less, and I can pay more attention to details than before. I can only give positive thus far. I take it at night because it makes me sleepy, but it still works during the day because my day can be very busy with kids, work, and my elderly aunt. I love the feeling. I hope it stays the same."

• Jel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 15, 2021

"Started paroxetine 2 months ago for anxiety and PTSD, and the experience I have had within the 2 months of taking it has been absolutely horrific. It took me till now to realize how much it has worsened my existing mental health issues. It made me feel as though I had a very bad hangover from alcohol. My eyes would be very sensitive to light, things would sound so much louder than they were, and it got to the point I couldn’t even leave the house to get my grocery shopping. I flushed the tablets down the toilet, good riddance to that horrible drug."

• FR3...
• March 28, 2017

Paroxetine "I used to be on 20 mg Aropax for 7 years for my borderline personality disorder, social anxiety, anxiety, and depression. I used to self-harm and not be happy. I was always hospitalized and going down a destructive road. Other medicines made me worse, like Cipramil, Zoloft, and Valium. Aropax did not make me 100% cured but helped me deal with everyday issues better. I still find that you need to practice mindfulness techniques and practice cognitive behavioral therapy. This drug is only if you have severe depression and anxiety and find it difficult to use standard coping skills. I was off Aropax for 3 years and coping well, now I have had a relapse and anxiety worse than ever. I am now back on it for 3 days, hopefully, it will work soon."

• pet...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 10, 2024

"The medication had helped me a lot and I really feel great on it. Had a strange side effect where I started retaining water and it trapped nerves in my hands. It was very painful. You need to exercise and drink liquids to avoid that."

• Anonymous
• January 11, 2009

"I am 41 years old and never took a drug in my life. I am a normal father of two teenagers with a very good job...basically what I thought was a very normal life. I started getting what I now know are panic attacks on a more frequent basis. I had a serious issue one day driving over a bridge to the point where I couldn't drive over tall bridges...ridiculous, right? Well, I finally went to the doctor and have been taking Paxil for 1 year without any side effects. I have not had a panic attack since beginning the medication, and my moods are much more consistent. I still have a bit of fear with the bridges, but rather than increase the dose, I can deal with it. I would recommend this to anyone because I could not address this situation prior."

• Maz...
• January 16, 2017

Paroxetine "I was given 12.5 mg of generic Paxil 5 days ago. My anxiety started to manifest itself with uncontrollable crying. While it has been only 5 days, the crying has stopped. So I'm happy with that. However, I am experiencing side effects: lightheadedness, pinprick 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."

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

Paroxetine "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 worst medicine to get off of. It took me 3 weeks of weaning with smaller and less each day to get off it, and it didn't do anything 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 doctor's behind for talking me into trying it."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 7, 2018

Paroxetine "I have been on Paxil for over three months. I stopped taking it 2 weeks ago (cold turkey) and since then, I am dealing with the withdrawal effects. I experienced brain zaps, vertigo, severe anxiety like I never had before. Although the medication worked instantly at first, it stopped working (anxiety was worse than pre-medication intake), and this is the reason I stopped taking it. In these 3 months, I gained 30 (thirty) pounds and I am still gaining despite the fact that I have been off it for two weeks now. Before taking them, I was 100 pounds. I have flu-like symptoms including severe sinus infection, dizziness, headache, lack of appetite, etc. Not worth taking it. If it doesn't fix the problem, what is the purpose of taking it?! If you absolutely have to take SSRIs, consider other medication that has fewer side effects. Coming off of it is awful. Worst possible side effects."

• Har...
• April 26, 2018

"A life changer - I’m on 2 tabs each morning. Before taking this, I was always on edge, and now this has taken it away - I’m not on edge anymore. I used to have the odd panic attack and haven’t had one since I started on these. I’m more confident in life and don’t want to go back to my old life without these. Solid overall - life easier & more enjoyable."

• Sam...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 13, 2020

"This medication is effective, however, it causes weight gain, and the withdrawal is horrendous. I went off the medication because of the weight gain. I suffered horrible withdrawal, including panic attacks, chest pain, and depression. I lost 30 pounds fast but developed health anxiety and fear. I went back on the medication just a few months later. I felt better after a few weeks, but I gained the weight back, and it’s the one thing I hate about this medication, but it’s what works for me. I don’t recommend paroxetine as a first choice. Try other medications because, once again, the weight gain is unavoidable because the hunger pangs are constant. It also causes fatigue, but the fatigue isn’t overwhelming, and I never experienced nausea. Overall, it’s an effective medication."

• Sep...
• May 27, 2009

Paroxetine "Worked great in reducing my panic attacks, almost down to none after a few short days of being started on it. However, it has drastically reduced my energy, and its side effects can really be a pain if you've been on it for a long time (like me). Most commonly, the small electrical shocks are rather annoying."

• Mic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 10, 2021

"I noticed that my anxiety was worsening and going out was getting more difficult. I admit this was worse after a traumatic event in my life. The doctor put me on paroxetine 20 mg. I was always wary of taking SSRI meds, so I deliberated for a while and checked reviews, most of them very good. First pill I noticed a little more anxiety than normal and for no reason too. Second pill, WALLOP, sudden panic that lasted for many minutes, burning skin, total shakes, racing heart, and no sleep. It was awful, again, these had no reason behind them. I was not in an unsafe place nor stressed. The feelings were there out of the blue. It took 5 days to get back to normal. Each day better than the one before. As for sleeping, getting there, but I did have to take a sleeping pill or two. I’m only recording this so if anyone else gets this reaction, please be assured it will calm down and the feelings are a reaction, you are not going mad. I stopped taking them at once."

• Ash...
• August 1, 2011

Paroxetine "Generalized anxiety disorder - 22-year-old male. Paxil did help with my anxiety, however, it made things seem more dull. The things I used to enjoy became boring. I stopped taking it after 2 months. I'm now starting Effexor XR. No other side effects."

• van...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 30, 2018

Paroxetine "I've been on Paxil for many years - and I mean many. 1 - CON: weight gain. A pound for every mg, and it won't come off no matter what I do to exercise and eat right. 2 - PRO: I like life again. 3 - CON: dosage increases every few years due to either getting used to it or the weight gain due to the meds... a vicious circle."

• Anonymous
• September 21, 2009

Paroxetine "I've been taking this for 6-7 years now (started at 20 mg, then to 40 mg, now back at 20 mg), and I think it's time for a change for me. It's stopped working for me in the past year (my anxiety has come back). I also never liked the side effects, mainly: leg muscle spasms at night, easily electrically shocked, and drowsiness."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 17, 2023

"I have been taking it for one month, and so far, it's been good. I have experienced clarity, being able to communicate without getting irate, improved functionality, better sleep, and the ability to make plans and follow through. It instills a sense of calmness and reduces reactivity. I can smile, sing, and go about my day. I take 7.5 mg once a day, specifically at bedtime. Initially, I experienced some diarrhea when starting, but that symptom dissipated after a few days."

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

Paroxetine "Thanks to Paxil (paroxetine), my life got basically destroyed. I was depressed before taking it, yes, but I had mood swings, 0 emotions, sexual dysfunctions, cognitive issues, tremors, memory not working. I feel like an empty shell. Avoid please."

• Pam...
• May 20, 2015

Paroxetine "This was prescribed for anxiety. I had recently been diagnosed with several sleep-related issues, as well as my asthma increasing. I have a long-standing problem with recurrent bouts of depression, which I treat when they are present. I have a history of antidepressants causing an increase in depression. Since beginning Paxil as directed by my doctor two months ago at 10 mg daily, I have noticed a gradual increase in both my depressive episodes as well as my headaches... I do have a history of migraines for 20 years due to a head injury."

• Thb...
• May 16, 2021

"I have been on this for 4-5 years, dosages between 10-40 mg depending on my stress/GAD. I have tried Pristiq (2 weeks) and Lovan/Prozac (3 weeks), but these increased my anxiety dramatically. Pros: It's the only antidepressant that's worked long-term for me. I found this medication to be really safe. I used to have anxiety every second day and just a nervous manner, but I don't now. I used to have insomnia for nearly a year before I started this med. Cons: There can be withdrawal symptoms, but mine weren't that bad (headaches and some depressed days), nothing that wasn't manageable. I did my tapering off over 2 months. I did notice slight sexual and emotional blunting when taking the higher dose of this. Nothing that would ruin my quality of life though or make me consider discontinuing this though."

• Hop...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 20, 2016

"After nine months of anxiety and depression, I thought I finally fought through it when an event led me to spiral down again. Realizing I had nothing left to fight with, I decided to listen to some who'd been telling me to try something. I can't really rate this because I've only taken my fourth dose, but so far no side effects that aren't manageable. I am trying to keep the negative self-talk at bay and to recognize how my anxiety is leading me to make bad choices, which then lead to depression, and the cycle goes on. At least that's what I think is happening. I know a lot of people said they felt immediately better and that it was from the meds, but for me, I think it is more of a peace in deciding I can't live like this anymore. I am hopeful."

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 1, 2019

Paroxetine "This medication is terrible! The most horrible medication that someone could be on! I slept nonstop for 7 weeks while on it, and in three months, I gained massive weight (15 pounds), and, although I have been off it for 2 years, I cannot get rid of this excessive weight I gained while on Paxil! And, terrible withdrawal effects. It should be pulled off the market for its serious side effects, and it cannot help with anything!"

• Lef...
• March 21, 2011

Paroxetine "Within a week or two of taking a low dose of Paxil, I experienced constant migraines (never have had a problem with headaches before), extreme fatigue, and constipation. My doctor switched me to Zoloft after a month on Paxil, and I feel much better."

• Ant...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 18, 2019

"Started taking 25 mg daily middle of 2018. It's been making my anxiety worse. I quit taking it for a few days, and I had to leave work because I was super dizzy and nauseous. Also felt tingling throughout my arms. I started cutting the pill in half and have been 'fine' ever since. I want to try and get off of it. It makes my whole body feel weird, and my head gets all groggy, like I'm in a dream."

• I...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 4, 2021

"I have tried almost every antidepressant/anxiety med, and this is the only one that has ever worked for me. Once it starts working after about a month or so, you finally feel normal. No more obsessive thoughts, no more anxiety or depression. I literally feel normal, something I have never felt. Also, I don't have weird side effects. I don't feel like a zombie or spaced out. I feel in the moment and calm, and that is all I ever wanted. Weight gain is the only negative, but I also eat a lot, so I'm not sure if the medicine made me hungry or what. Overall, this is the best antidepressant/anti-anxiety med I have ever tried, and I plan on staying on it for the long haul. The first few weeks suck, you have a headache and don't feel like it is doing anything. Give it at least a month or two before you make up your mind. This is not one that works right away, it has to build up. Glad I stayed on it!"