Paroxetine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

• Ellie_v
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 9, 2024

"I love this drug. I was on it for 9 years, and I got weight gain was slightly less creative and my sex drive was slightly lowered. BUT, My anxiety went away completely and my OCD repetitive thoughts stopped. I went off it completely after tapering slowly, the withdrawal was extremely difficult - if you do this make sure you have support. I went off it as I wanted to see how I would be. I ended up needing something again and went on Lexapro as it’s more common - this reacted horribly to me. I am now just starting back on Aropax and I already feel relief from my repetitive thoughts after day 1."

• King...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 4, 2014

Paxil (paroxetine) "Was on it and later Remeron for 3 months. Remeron was an near-instant help; Paxil did some good things. Apparently, a great anxiety med. Effects didn't really last and I got anxious/depressed to a large extent. Went off and had a hard withdrawal."

• Beckham...
• August 8, 2017

Paxil (paroxetine) "I was prescribe this medication for anxiety, and it worked. I had panic attacks on the nyc subway before taking the medication but when I was on it really helped me to gain a normal life. I was on it for about 8 months then my doctor decided to take me off it cause my life became organized. That was the worst experience ever, coming off paxil was the hardest thing ever, and I recommend when you come off it to taper down very slowly because it just was absolutely hell. This drug does help but it's addictive and hard to come off. Also I gained about 30 pounds on it. I'd recommend the medication if you are having panic attacks, but for general anxiety disorders I would ask to try something else before paxil."

• Benny
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 29, 2021

Paxil (paroxetine) "Paxil works mediocre for anxiety, but the side effects are horrible. For anybody on this and wants to get off the drug, taper it real slow. My doctor said at 20mg/day, I could go cold turkey. I think I felt as if i was getting off heroin, horrible 2 weeks. Try something different if possible, the side effects are worse than the disease."

• Anonymous
• May 8, 2016

Paxil (paroxetine) "I was dealing with anxiety in college my junior year and so I decided to talk to my doctor about it and he prescribed Paxil. When I started taking it, my appetite increased, energy went down, my emotions were just monotonous like I couldn't feel anything. I also gained 15 pounds in 4 months which is not normal for me, especially since I had been working out and hadn't changed my eating habits at all. After being on this drug for 5 months, I am weaning myself off it and I am feeling a million times better. I would recommend a different drug if you are having problems with anxiety."

• Spencer
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 22, 2022

"Finally at 30 years old I can live my life, paroxetine saved me after battling generalized anxiety disorder for 18 years. Talk therapy only does so much. I strongly recommended anybody suffering from OCD or any kind of anxiety to take a SSRI! Trust me it works"

• Azdin
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 9, 2019

Paxil (paroxetine) "Hi,i was taking Paxil from 2004 to 2009 in Canada and it was an amazing drug. Then when I came home to my country (morrocco) in 2009 I couldn't found Paxil here, just the generic. I have tried lot of generic and nothing helped. "

• Bbbs
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 3, 2020

"I used to take escitalopram, but after 4 years my anxiety returns. So I was prescribed paroxetine, first 3 months not good, it caused me panic attacks and depression. But I knew it would eventually stop. And it did, now I feel extremely stable and very pleasant, sleeping is great. I strongly recommend but beginning on this drug is for strong people"

• Trace...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 28, 2021

Paxil (paroxetine) "Paxil has been lifechanging for me dealing with my generalized anxiety disorder. There was a point in time where I couldn't drive without getting a panic attack, after years on Paxil, I barely even think about it when I get in my car. One thing that surprised me to learn is that Paxil is an antidepressant. I always figured Paxil was essentially a depressant with the way that it treats anxiety symptoms. Personally, for me, Paxil does nothing for my depression. Given the choice of treating my anxiety or depression, it's a very easy decision. My depression ranges from mild to average, makes it difficult to be interested in things, get out of bed in the morning, interact with friends, etc. My anxiety makes it almost impossible to live a normal life. I would definitely be interested to know if there's something that can be paired with Paxil that doesn't affect its ability to treat anxiety but helps with depression."

• Anxs
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 24, 2021

Paxil (paroxetine) "I took this when I younger for extreme anxiety and it really gave me my life back and fairly quickly. I found the sexual side effects tolerable when I was younger but as I got older not. Getting off it was crazy I felt brain zaps and a feeling like I was dropping on an elevator. It took weeks before these feelings went away. My sex life was never the same although it did come back to near normal. Citalopram is better for me."

• Amazing...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 14, 2023

"Since I started taking Paroxetine, I’ve become outgoing, less stressed, less neurotic and happier. My obsessive and intrusive thoughts calmed down drastically, and I’m now able to sleep well. It really changed my life to be on this medication, and people around me have noticed the change and they feel happy for me. Downside is I often feel like sleeping and need lots of rest, but it doesn’t affect my daily functioning. I just need to rest more and then I’m back to normal. Also I’ve experienced blurred vision and nightmares which I will talk to my doctor about. Other than that, it suits me perfectly."

• stars...
• March 5, 2009

Paxil (paroxetine) "Taking 20mg. Thought it was starting to help at about the 2nd to 3rd week but now my anxiety is back. Also have faintness daily. Don't know if it is from the Paxil or the anxiety but it started the same time I started the Paxil."

• PAOLA...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 27, 2016

"I love this med although at first like the first I felt like a zombie no emotions whatsoever. It was like numb feelings wise for a day. As time passed my med helped my insomnia significantly. The insomnia had been affected my mood that caused me to have crying spells. Paroxetine definitely helped with these spells. Recently my dad passed away and my mom was scared that I would have a bad crisis but all I have is the normal grieving process. Thank Goodness because my mom needs me strong."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 20, 2021

Paxil (paroxetine) "I have been on Paxil for probably a year and a half now and while it does cause some problems (sexual dysfunction, weight gain, bouts of depression, acne, dry mouth) it has really helped with my anxiety, I had really bad anxiety to the point I would hear things and see things, I felt crazy all of the time and almost had to be committed to a mental health hospital. But Paxil really helped for all of those thoughts to go away. Yeah I have some side effects but what do you expect, I would much rather have the side effects than feeling crazy all the time and being scared constantly. I give it a 8"

• Kayle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 18, 2015

Paxil (paroxetine) "I've been on Paxil for about two months. The first two weeks I was on 10mg, and I could feel a big change. My pupils would dilate huge, which I read was because my brain was finally being flooded with serotonin. I actually would relate the side effects I felt as similar to MDMA (I spent from 19-23 as an avid drug user..have been clean now for 4 years). I felt awesome, but it didn't last. Two weeks in, my doctor increased my dose to 20mg. Since the increase, the "good feeling" has kind of went away. I feel how I did before I started Paxil, PLUS it's hard to think clearly&feels like something is pressing on my chest at night. I have absolutely no sex drive and have lost more than 20lbs due to not eating. It's done nothing for my anxiety yet."

• Worst...
• November 4, 2015

Paxil (paroxetine) "PROS: relieved GAD symptoms, rested better at night, generally in a better mood most of the time. CONS: gas, bloating, erectile dysfunction. Stopped taking the med 10 days ago and the withdrawal symptoms are awful! vertigo, electric shock sensations throughout my body, dizziness, mood swings etc. coming off this is like trying to break a coke addiction. antihistamines help with the vertigo,.5 mg of klonopin helps with mood swings. L-TYROSINE AND P-5-P helping also to control symptoms. find an alternative medication. Dr will not tell you how hard it is to get off this crap."

• Ericka
• August 31, 2016

Paxil CR (paroxetine) "I was prescribed Paxil CR 12.5 for GAD which was mostly situational. I cannot tell you how awful of an experience it was for me. My anxiety went through the roof to the point I didn't want to leave home which is not like me at all. I became very depressed which I wasn't to start out with. Crying uncontrollably. Pacing and restless, could NOT sit still. Went from 140 pounds to 124 in 3 weeks. No appetite, intrusive/racing/all negative thoughts, couldn't sleep for more than an hour or two at a time, paranoid, confused, no concentration, no motivation, sweating, constant diarrhea, jaw clenching, stomach pains, body aches, dry mouth, yawning and dizziness. After 25 days on this med my doctor pulled the plug because I was better before it."

• Keyia...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 7, 2016

Paxil (paroxetine) "February 2015 I had an overdose due to depression. I still haven't admitted I was depressed but the anxiety is real. I couldn't go to class when I did go to school. My stomach would go crazy and my mind wouldn't stop racing. I was then put on Paxil. I have been on it for a year and a half now and I'm trying to get off it. not that it isn't working for my anxiety but my emotions are uncontrollable when I try to get off it and when I am on it I feel like I'm just going. I find myself looking back on a week and not remembering a time I took to just chill and think. because Paxil thinks for me. I don't like that so I am trying to get off it."

• 101fo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2017

"I take Paroxetine (Paxil) 10mg/day. I have Anxiety, OCD & I suffer from daily migraines. Paroxetine has cured me of migraines. When I started the medication I noticed after only the 2nd day I wasn't getting headaches. I have also noticed an increase in my general well-being, feeling allot happier and more confidant, It has helped tremendously with my OCD & I have less anxiety although it is still there, It's not as severe & I have not had any panic attacks. I also haven't noticed any side effects which is rare for an SSRI drug. I'm still early on the medication (only 1 month) so although migraines and OCD has improved, I think I'll see an even better improvement on anxiety as well over time."

• happy...
• February 29, 2012

"I have neen taking 25 mg of paroxetine for 5 years and have had 1 panic attack and basically no more anxiety. My overall mental and physical health has increased dramatically due to paroxetine. It takes around a month to take full effect and side effects slowly disappear. Go get a gym membership and work out 3 to 4 days a week, be conscious of what you eat and your quality of life and overall happiness will return."

• Joe_6...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 22, 2022

Paxil (paroxetine) "I’m a 26 year old male who is into fitness and bodybuilding. I’ve been on Paxil for 11 year now for anxiety and depression at the time. I recently tried weaning off it and had all the side effects everyone on here is talking about brain zaps, severe anxiety, bad depression. I didn’t really know that was part of the withdrawal process I just thought it was my depression. I was put back on it and ever since I was put back on it I feel small boned, joints feel small, I feel like my structure shrunk and feel sucked up. I went to see an endocrinologist please if anyone else has anything that can relate to this or help let me know."

• Nell
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2019

Paxil (paroxetine) "I took Paxil years ago for GAD and MDD and it made me mean. I went from extreme bouts of crying from being depressed, to making other's cry by being mean to them. I didn't realize how mean it made me until my boyfriend and my best friend told me that I needed to get off of it. I was put on Celexa instead and it worked very well."

• ginge...
• July 24, 2013

Paxil CR (paroxetine) "I remember feeling weird on Paxil. I guess you can say it helped because I was so focused on that foggy feeling that I stopped thinking about feeling anxious! But, of course, that wasn't a reasonable ore or comfortable way to be treated, so I told the psychiatrist I didn't want the Paxil. And unlike what most folks here experienced, I became anorexic instead of gaining weight. I had no interest in eating at all. As a result, I lost about 10 lbs in 2 weeks, and I was only about 115 lbs to start. My pain doctor has just given me a sample of Cymbalta. He told me to wait til the weekend, in other words, not to take it and try and go to work, until I knew how it would affect me. "

• Anony...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 31, 2019

"I have been on Paroxetine 10mg on-and off for almost a year now. Within the first couple of months I gained a huge amount of weight and that is the reason why I'd get off the medication for a couple of days in efforts to try to control the weight gain. I am now several months on the medication and have overall gained 40 lbs... It's very upsetting, but I do not want to get off of it only because it does actually help with my anxiety and panic attacks. As bad as gaining so much weight in such a short amount of time sounds, I rather not have anxiety back. It sucks, but I have realized I will just have to cut back on eating and work harder than the average person to prevent from gaining more weight"

• BreeB
• December 12, 2014

"I started taking Prozac after failing to be able to deal with some traumatic events happening in my life over an extended period of time. The Prozac made me quite shaky and left me with a feeling of extreme nervousness. I kept imagining flying off my balcony (for real). My doctor said it was very rare to have this sort of reaction. I hired a therapist. I switched doctors. I was prescribed Paroxetine. It made me feel normal again. If you have a bad reaction to Prozac, don't be afraid to let your doctor know. People react differently to medicines, even when they're supposed to be close to the same thing."