Paxil for Depression User Reviews (Page 4)

• She...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 5, 2018

"I have been taking Paxil since 1999 and have slowly had to increase my dosage to 60 mg. Have been stable with that dosage for a while now. I do not think I would have been here to this day without it. I have HUGE anxieties and panic attacks back to back. I had no idea what was wrong with me. Finally, after many different meds, these work. I know that I will always have to take these for life, and I am okay with it. My father (RIP) committed suicide in 1996, and I refused to go down that route. I think that is what triggered my breakdown. I am glad that before my 'breakdown,' I chose not to have children. I am now 47 and very thankful that I made the right decision to not have children, I would never have been pregnant and taking meds. Things happen for reasons."

• Gus...
• December 6, 2008

"On its own, Wellbutrin SR 300 mg/day didn't really do much for me. We then added Paxil 20 mg and Klonopin 2 mg along with the Wellbutrin, and I have to say, this is a great combination. The Wellbutrin counteracts the sexual side effects that go along with Paxil. Wellbutrin by itself is okay, but in combination with Paxil and Klonopin, helped immensely. Highly recommend. My mood is consistently good, lots of energy. I feel social and light-hearted again. No side effects and I feel great."

• xam...
• July 19, 2016

"Well, this is a very strong drug and an effective one, but it has a lot of side effects, and the withdrawal is an absolute nightmare. I started taking paroxetine because of depression, social anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. The drug has helped me to overcome the crippling anxiety, but it also made me emotionally numb. This numbness is a common side effect for SSRIs, but in my case, it caused an aggravation of depression. While taking Paxil, I felt like nothing made sense anymore. It was a horrible experience, but then again, it allowed me to see things more objectively without the overpowering emotional ballast I had before. I stopped taking paroxetine, and now I feel like I was on a long vacation from myself and my mind."

• Sta...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 18, 2020

"I have been on this medication, Paxil, for over 30 years. It has worked great for me, but one of the side effects is having GI problems. I have just found out I have IBD. The GI doctor said SSRIs are the cause of it. Now I have to change my medication from this medication to something else with no SSRIs in it."

• Anonymous
• December 9, 2008

"I have been taking Paxil for 15 years now, and it does the job most of the time. I still have bouts of depression when things in my life go sideways. The worst part is the weight gain and the lack of sex drive. It is a tough choice, but without Paxil, I was suicidal. It is a part of my life now."

• AFL...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 21, 2019

"I thought I had symptoms of Parkinson’s. Discussed meds I was on with a neurologist. He found that Paxil was causing my symptoms. I changed meds, and symptoms have disappeared. It worked for the depression, but it is not worth the side effects for me."

• 30...
• April 7, 2010

"I have been taking Paxil for over 1 year. I tried Prozac, did not like it, made me feel out of control. I tried Celexa, still felt depression. I take 20 mg of Paxil every night before bedtime since I feel this medicine makes me sleepy and relaxed. I usually sleep very well. I don't have that weird feeling of anxiety anymore. I feel relaxed and can see life in a realistic perspective. My mood is good, not bad or great, but okay. I cry only a few times a month, especially during my PMS time, so I really think this is good medicine for me. I can go on every day with little negative thoughts and usually can block them out and change my thoughts. So yes, I like it. I do feel a bit numb at times, so I will seek doctor's advice, but overall it has been a great experience."

• Sar...
• April 23, 2017

"The good: - Improved motivation - More stable moods, fewer deep lows - Improved self-confidence - Decreased anxiety The bad: - (during the first few weeks) Insomnia - (during the first few weeks) Drowsiness - (transient) Vivid bad dreams - Difficulty reaching orgasm - Forgetfulness - Emotional blunting"

• Tee...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 21, 2014

"I began taking Paxil in addition to Celexa two years ago when I was 16. It is not bad-no stomach aches, weight gain, or horrible headaches-but I have noticed the total disappearance of my sex drive. Totally gone. This might be because of the Celexa as well. Not sure. I was taking 40 mg Celexa, 20 mg Paxil, 1 mg Ativan, and occasionally trazodone or doxepin to sleep for a while, and when I cut my dosage in half over the summer, I was a mess. Constant migraines and irritability. So I suggest that if you use Paxil, be careful to come off it slowly."

• Sta...
• September 29, 2019

"A few months ago, I was given this medication by my doctor because I was going through severe depression. I took it for 4 days, and I couldn’t deal anymore. After 30 mins of taking it, I went numb. I then started to cry uncontrollably for about half an hour for no reason. When I went to sleep, I started to have brain zaps every time I was falling asleep. My eyes started to roll back, and I stopped taking it. 2-3 months later, and my anxiety is now way worse. I started having out-of-body experiences. I am now numb even when working out. I have severe headaches. I regret ever taking this. My brain will never be the same! It caused problems I didn’t even have."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2016

"I personally will never recommend Paxil to anyone. It literally ruined my life. At first, I felt that it was okay. But, quickly and suddenly, I started gaining weight. A lot of weight. Literally, my pants fit one week and did not fit the next week. And that wasn't all. I was feeling much worse. I was very manic. So depressed that I could not get out of bed. My life was work, eat, and sleep. I had no motivation, and I started fixating on thoughts of suicide. It wasn't until the unexplained rapid weight gain that I started to ask myself what had changed in my routine. That's when I realized that Paxil was the newest addition to my life, and I began doing research. I've been off of it for about 2 months, and I still can't lose the weight."

• Lin...
• June 18, 2019

"I struggle with depression and OCD. This medication has helped me tremendously with my depression and OCD. I have so many fewer suicidal thoughts now that I am back on this medicine; I don’t even want to commit suicide. I still have problems, but they are much less severe. The only thing I really do not like about this medication is what it has done to my body. I am naturally thin, but this medication has made me gain weight, about 10 pounds. And the worst part is that I have bloating in my stomach area. The rest of my body is fine, still thin, but my stomach sticks out to the point where people have asked me if I’m pregnant. I’m sure a good bit of my belly fat is a result of me drinking so much soda and not eating the best foods, but when I was off this medicine, my stomach was a lot less fat. Literally it’s just my stomach that is fat, not the rest of my body. This medication does also increase your appetite. Still, it’s a great medicine for depression and OCD."

• Anonymous
• March 10, 2009

"I've tried three other anti-depressants, and this is the only one that actually works and the only one that didn't give me horrible side effects. Ladies, it also helps PMDD! I hadn't known that it would treat so many of my other problems. Asking my doctor to write me a prescription for this was the best idea I've had in years, and I don't know why no other doctor gave me this before. Good luck finding your best antidepressant."

• Fre...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 12, 2019

"If you have depression, do yourself a favor and avoid this medication at all costs. I am 1 week into withdrawals (this isn't the first time I've tried to discontinue paroxetine), and it's basically the worst. I was on Paxil for years, it made me gain so much weight, and it didn't even help that much with my depression. In some ways, it made my depression worse. For me, Lexapro is a much better choice, so much more effective. Not only are the emotional withdrawals worse than you could imagine, but it's physical as well. It's hard for me to move my hands, arms, and fingers, it's as if they are numb. I'm also getting headaches and brain zaps, but nothing beats this depression. I think it is not worth it."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 30, 2019

"I give it 0. I took it as a teen over 15 years ago. Worst thing I could have ever taken! The first time I took it, I wanted to die. I was so sad. I didn't want to feel like that. Now, 15+ years later, I can barely orgasm. When I do, it's not the same and never has been since. It makes me depressed just thinking about that. I was misdiagnosed with depression because I was a rebellious teen. Now I'm stuck with the side effects for life probably. I don't know if I'll ever be the same after this drug. Don't take it. Please."

• Red...
• December 6, 2014

"Paxil was the first antidepressant I was put on when I was first diagnosed with depression roughly a year and a half ago. While it did stop the suicidal thoughts, the side effects were just not worth it for me. It made me tired ALL THE TIME. And not just kind of sleepy. It was more like I could get a full night's rest, wake up, and not half an hour later feel so exhausted that if I laid down on the ground, I could take a nap right there. It also took away my ability to orgasm. I'm a 21 y/o (20 at the time) college girl who is a pretty sexually open person. So to say I was not down to never have another orgasm while on it would be a huge understatement. Did work, but not worth the side effects."

• Dal...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 8, 2018

"Paxil has been a double-edged sword for me. I have been on one dose or another for the last 15 years or so. I can't stop the meds, I've tried a few times in the past, but I just end up going crazy (crying, suicidal thoughts, extreme sadness, and anxiety). I feel trapped and helpless to escape the medication's Machiavellian side effects."

• 46y...
• August 18, 2016

"I was prescribed Paxil for situational depression that was pretty severe, merging on PTSD. (I went through a really bad relationship breakup that was traumatic.) I also had GAD (general anxiety). I took Paxil for about 8 weeks. It started working right away and I felt so much better, I'd say within a day or two. I slept better and woke in the morning without massive anxiety and intrusive thoughts, and my depression began to lift. BUT I gained a whopping 20 pounds in the 8 weeks I was on Paxil. It was so awful that I had the doctor wean me off of it. I thought once it was out of my system that the weight would slowly come off, but it didn't - I gained another 10 lbs. I think Paxil messes with your metabolism. Will NEVER take it again."

• Hur...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 7, 2017

"My doctor weaned me off of Paxil a few weeks ago, as it wasn't working. Three days after the last dose was the start of the two worst weeks of my life. It included migraines, nausea, decreased vision. When I turned my head or moved my eyes, there was a whooshing sound in my head accompanied by extreme dizziness. Then there were the bouts of crying for no apparent reason. In summary, I would call this poison, not medicine."

• Wha...
• November 27, 2016

"Just started this medication about 5 days ago. The thing with me, I've lived a pretty happy life 'til about 3 years ago. It has gotten worse over time. I've got a medical condition known as Neurofibromatosis. I have an inoperable brain tumor. I recently lost my job 'cause I couldn't work because of the pain and short temper I have. I lost my girlfriend about 3 years ago. I would always think someone was out to get me. I would strike out for no reason. Just recently, I started having suicidal thoughts and just wanted to give up on life. I would cry for no reason. I just wanted to end. Since taking this, it has kinda helped. I get sleepy real quick. I take it at night and sleep all night. Hopefully, it will continue to help."

• Cra...
• November 25, 2017

"I've been on and off SSRIs for years. Effexor XR and Zoloft caused gastrointestinal and sleep problems. Paxil, which I started 6 months ago, however, has caused no GI issues, and it is for me slightly sedating. My mood has improved without the hypomania caused by other SSRIs. Prior to starting Paxil, I was in a fairly deep depressive state. It was nearly impossible for me to experience a positive thought about the future. I also had moderate anxiety. In summary, Paxil might help anyone who experienced GI irritation from other meds, has trouble sleeping, and has some anxiety component to their depression."

• Meo...
• January 31, 2017

"I absolutely hated this medication. I have been struggling with panic attacks and major depression since I was younger. I was put on this medication for about a year, and my panic attacks were not so often. The downsides of medication are that I felt little to no emotion and had zero sex drive."

• Anonymous
• April 24, 2009

"I was taking Paxil for 6 months for my depression. At first, I felt a major difference with the chemicals in my brain. But then I felt sleepy ALL the time, it also made my appetite off the wall. I gained 40 pounds and was back at my ending pregnancy weight, which didn't help with my depression. I would suggest anyone who takes this drug to truly watch what you eat. Paxil made me feel like my 'full signal' from my stomach to my brain was shut off."

• Anonymous
• February 8, 2010

"I tried Zoloft for depression, and it made me hyper. Paxil works. I have used it two times during my life when I was depressed, and self-help was not working. It worked great for depression, and I didn't have many side effects EXCEPT that I cannot achieve orgasm while taking this medication. Nada. I have a wonderful husband, and I am used to a good sex life. Paxil kills it. As soon as I'm off the drug for a week, everything comes back. I hate losing sex, but I hate being depressed more. In the end, that is the choice for me."

• Amb...
• January 25, 2018

"I've been on Paxil for about three months now, and it's been a welcome change from Effexor. I'm finding myself calmer, less aggressive, still have my bad days, but they're not as bad. Family and coworkers have seen a noticeable difference for the better. Effexor numbed me out, I wasn't depressed, but I wasn't happy either, and after a while, it just became less effective. So far with Paxil, I'm noticing better moods, actually smiling and laughing more, so I hope it continues. The only downside I've noticed so far is some drowsiness, but it's manageable."