Paxil and Depression: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Rom...
• November 16, 2015

For Anxiety "My physician prescribed me 20mg of Paxil daily when I saw her for anxiety/depression. The first couple of days, I had trouble sleeping and had a lot of energy, but no anxiety. This drug definitely reduced my anxiety, and I felt more sociable, but after a month or so I noticed that I couldn't focus and I started to lose motivation to do anything and had no energy. I felt more depressed than before I had started the medication, and on my days off from work I would end up sleeping all day. I quit cold turkey while taking 5-HTP and experienced the brain zaps for a couple of days, but now I feel like myself again. I can't recommend this med. I think exercise and a good diet are more effective at improving my mood."

• Rom...
• November 16, 2015

For Anxiety "My physician prescribed me 20mg of Paxil daily when I saw her for anxiety/depression. The first couple of days, I had trouble sleeping and had a lot of energy, but no anxiety. This drug definitely reduced my anxiety, and I felt more sociable, but after a month or so I noticed that I couldn't focus and I started to lose motivation to do anything and had no energy. I felt more depressed than before I had started the medication, and on my days off from work I would end up sleeping all day. I quit cold turkey while taking 5-HTP and experienced the brain zaps for a couple of days, but now I feel like myself again. I can't recommend this med. I think exercise and a good diet are more effective at improving my mood."

• Ash...
• August 1, 2011

For Anxiety and Stress "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."

• BZZ...
• September 9, 2011

For Depression "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."

• Mar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 24, 2015

For Major Depressive Disorder "I tried Paxil in 2000 when I had unstoppable panic attacks. I had been dealing with anxiety all of my life, and those years I had constant panic over a teen addict and a son with learning disabilities and marital issues. This was the first time I had ever taken an AD. The very first day I felt relief from it. However, looking back, the start-up dose of 20 mg caused me to be a bit withdrawn and weirdly unresponsive to my family after that first day. As time went on, though, I began to feel much better and happier. I will say the dose was probably too high, as I did make some regretful decisions from not thinking things through. I gained several extra pounds, and I 'thought' I had sexual side effects; it could have been situational. Not well since stopping."

• Bob...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 19, 2016

For Depression "I have been on Paxil CR for many years with good results. I started at 12.5 mg and over time have been increased to 25 mg. In the last year, I have found myself depressed three or more days a week, even though I take my pill religiously every day. In the last few months, the three days have turned into five to six, and now it doesn't seem to work at all. I was told by my pharmacist that Glaxo had begun production on a generic CR, so I agreed to try it. 'Wrong move.' I resumed the brand name immediately, but I noticed that the generic looks identical to the brand. I may be a skeptic, but could Glaxo be bottling generics in labeled bottles to maximize profits?"

• Lel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 10, 2017

For Anxiety "WORST DRUG EVER! Side effects were body shocks, headaches, worse anxiety, etc. I only took it for three weeks, and it caused me to feel numb mentally and emotionally. Drove me nuts! So I went off it, and let me tell you... WORST withdrawals ever! Lethargy, bad thoughts, apathy, brain zaps, mood swings, depression, etc. Before you take it, which I DON'T recommend as there are other options, read stories about the withdrawals. There's so many lawsuits against it. Oh, and it induced a mania in me, and now I'm stuck on antipsychotics..."

• Sun...
• April 25, 2018

For Major Depressive Disorder "I tried this medication, and it had the most horrible side effects and all around worsened my condition. It caused a more severe depression and rageful episodes, which destroyed a wonderful relationship with my boyfriend. After taking it for less than a month, I could not breathe and fell unconscious and had a seizure. It was also prescribed for hot flashes, which didn't work either. In addition, it caused nausea and flu-like symptoms and 10 lb weight gain. I felt worse than ever, and it had a deleterious effect on my life. Horrible drug!"

• Zab...
• September 10, 2009

For Panic Disorder "Didn't do much for my panic episodes, even at 80 mgs a day. What it did do is make me not care about sex, even years after taking them. And it made my emotions numb, I couldn't cry at a funeral for a beloved family member when I knew I should have been hysterical."

• Anonymous
• October 17, 2016

For Anxiety and Stress "The month I was on Paxil was the worst month of my life. It made me even more depressed, and I just felt an intense numbingness along with severe nausea, and when I sleep, I absolutely knock out for far too long. It also led to crazy stomach pain that persisted for months until I took an antibiotic. Not for me or probably anyone. Just terrible."

• Sto...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 5, 2018

For Postpartum Depression "I was prescribed Paxil when I was 10 months postpartum and experiencing debilitating anxiety. My PCP diagnosed me with postpartum depression/anxiety and put me on Paxil. I became extremely calm, but completely apathetic and eventually quit my lucrative 10+ year career. Switched to Wellbutrin, which I've been on for 6 weeks, and notice a huge difference. The reduction in stress is the same for me with Paxil and Wellbutrin. I have so much more energy. I am more determined and do not mind going to the grocery store at all. I am more focused on a course I'm taking and am completely committed to succeeding in my new career endeavor."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 29, 2012

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

• Jac...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 16, 2022

For Anxiety "After using it for 7 years and suffering a lot from low libido, inability to reach orgasm, weak erection, and feeling of not being myself, I abruptly weaned myself and experienced several terrible symptoms for 2 years straight, with no day off. I had extreme dizziness, head shocks, insane panic attacks, sensitivity to movements, severe motion sickness attacks, even sleeping, I felt sick. I got depressed, I couldn't feel any good feelings, the world turned gray. I didn't sleep, I was walking around the house desperate, I felt intoxicated, and with an absurdly strong pressure on the back of my neck for months. I never imagined that a person could suffer so much in this life. Now it's been 5 years since I stopped using it, but I still have dizziness and bumps in my head, which often feel like a seizure. I'm still struggling to recover, and I've discovered dozens of other cases like mine. This medicine disgraced at least 15 years of my life... continue..."

• Anx...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 16, 2021

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Before I took Paxil, I never knew what a calm mind felt like! I always felt as though instead of me controlling my thoughts, my thoughts would control me. I couldn’t stand another day feeling this constant apprehension, so I started on 10 mg and I started to feel a difference in my anxiety around week 3-4. Although my symptoms had decreased, I experienced a whole lot of side effects. To name a few: anhedonia, indifference (apathy), emotional numbness, derealization, depersonalization, dry mouth, diarrhea, low sex drive, increased appetite, changes in taste, yawning, drowsiness, mild sore throat, etc. I increased from 10 mg to 20 mg in order to treat the anhedonia, it did relieve it to an extent, but I then felt too apathetic. I went back down to 10 mg and eventually discontinued due to other lingering side effects. Although this medication did calm me down and reduce my anxiety, I’d recommend trying this medication as a last resort! Try Lexapro before trying this one."

• Anx...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 16, 2021

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Before I took Paxil, I never knew what a calm mind felt like! I always felt as though instead of me controlling my thoughts, my thoughts would control me. I couldn’t stand another day feeling this constant apprehension, so I started on 10 mg and I started to feel a difference in my anxiety around week 3-4. Although my symptoms had decreased, I experienced a whole lot of side effects. To name a few: anhedonia, indifference (apathy), emotional numbness, derealization, depersonalization, dry mouth, diarrhea, low sex drive, increased appetite, changes in taste, yawning, drowsiness, mild sore throat, etc. I increased from 10 mg to 20 mg in order to treat the anhedonia, it did relieve it to an extent, but I then felt too apathetic. I went back down to 10 mg and eventually discontinued due to other lingering side effects. Although this medication did calm me down and reduce my anxiety, I’d recommend trying this medication as a last resort! Try Lexapro before trying this one."

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

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I’m a 26-year-old male who is into fitness and bodybuilding. I’ve been on Paxil for 11 years 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, my 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."

• Pop...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 25, 2015

For Anxiety "My first antidepressant/anxiety. Removed any anxiety 95 times out of 100 but at the cost of no emotions within your daily life, basically a rock."

• 515...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 29, 2017

For Depression "I didn't like Paxil at all! This really made me feel like crap, and made my anxiety, depression, and really dark thoughts worse. Trying to get off of it was also rough."

• Ano...
• August 3, 2010

For Anxiety "My anxiety has improved, and I am sleeping much better. Only possible problem I have noticed is a dip in my mood on the depressed side."

• meg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 27, 2015

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I get depressed, had low energy and serious sexual side effects. Prozac is better tolerated."