Paxil and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say (Page 5)

• 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."

• n0t...
• January 12, 2011

For Depression "I've now been on Paroxetine for about 10 years for severe, chronic depression. I was on Prozac for roughly 15 years before it appeared to lose its effectiveness, so I was prescribed this instead. My initial dose was 40 mg daily. It was initially extremely effective as an anti-depressant, and I went from being hospitalized for a week every year for my own safety to 6 years without a hospitalization. Just a 'blip' in mood every year instead of a crash. However, I'm now on 80 mg, and the side effects at this dose are appalling: chronic insomnia, 100 lb weight gain, constant tiredness, muscle aches, migraines, memory loss, zero libido, and all-around apathy. Attempting to drop my dosage results in uncontrollable weeping, numbness, and terror."

• Med...
• January 12, 2012

For Panic Disorder "I took Paxil for 10 years. Started on 20 mg and had intense anxiety, confusion, panic. Doctor insisted it was all in my head. Therapist told me to cut the dose in half. Felt somewhat better. Went up to 20 mg after a few months and began to get brain zaps. A close friend told me I had lost my personality. Slept 10-14 hours a night and frustrated my partner because of sleeping, no sex drive, and no ability to feel sexual pleasure. Effects of alcohol intensified-passed out from 2 drinks or became over-emotional. Tapered from 20 mg to 0 slowly over the 10 years. Each tiny decrease resulted in a ~2-week period of increased anxiety. I think overall it numbed the panic, but CBT therapy and getting older may have been more or similarly effective."

• Anonymous
• May 16, 2010

For Anxiety and Stress "It's working. I haven't had any panic attacks since I started about 3-4 months ago, but my memory was bad before and still is bad. I've been getting constipated, decreased sexual desire, and ability. I'm only 19. I have to fix that. I am always tired randomly and need a coffee. I can't stop yawning all the time."

• Anonymous
• April 24, 2011

For Depression "This is my 2nd bout of depression. I am in my early 60s and had my first bout about 10 years ago. Paxil has been the most effective antidepressant for me. A major side effect is sexual - great erections but hard to ejaculate. Otherwise, Paxil does an excellent job of controlling my depression. Each episode for me lasts about 6 months of treatment. Don't forget to taper off according to the doctor's advice."

• Bec...
• March 26, 2019

For Depression "I suffer from depression. I always feel everyone hates me. That I am useless. Etc. Paxil started off wonderful. Was on 20 mg. I was on this high for weeks. I was goofy, fun, talkative. A massive opposite to what I was before when I started Paxil. It felt like I was in another body. Now and then I would go out with friends or have a date night with my husband and have a drink or two. As soon as I had that ONE drink since starting Paxil... that led me down a very, very dark path. Being only 22 years old, I basically became an alcoholic out of nowhere. My tolerance for alcohol was incredible. I never felt a hangover. I was constantly buying beer. Drinking six a night. Every night. Weekends would be double the amount. I missed many days of work. Suicide became a friend. Paxil ruined me. I started cutting out of nowhere. So deep that I had to go to the hospital one morning. My libido. Gone. Nowhere to be found. Which really sucked as a newlywed of only 1 1/2 years."

• gin...
• October 4, 2009

"Paxil changed my life. It's a miracle. The only bad things about Paxil I've experienced (in 13 years of taking it) are sexual side effects (libido loss) and severe withdrawal symptoms when I stopped taking it 'cold turkey.'"

• gin...
• October 4, 2009

"Paxil changed my life. It's a miracle. The only bad things about Paxil I've experienced (in 13 years of taking it) are sexual side effects (libido loss) and severe withdrawal symptoms when I stopped taking it 'cold turkey.'"

• 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..."

• 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."

• sja...
• October 20, 2015

For Social Anxiety Disorder "Has changed my entire life. Only side effect is delayed orgasm."

• Jay...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 21, 2018

For Anxiety "I have tried other SSRIs, they haven't worked as well. I take it with 100 mg of Wellbutrin, which completely counteracts the sexual side effects for me."

• 50 ...
• January 4, 2011

For Depression "Depression is gone, but so is sex drive."