Paxil and Tiredness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• ikn...
• February 9, 2012

For Anxiety and Stress "Been on Paxil almost 2 years. Been taking it in the morning the whole time. Have to take a 2-hour nap every day round lunchtime. I'm switching to nighttime to see if it helps. I gained 50 lbs and I'm emotionless, however, I like that because I'm no longer screaming at my kids about every little thing and never cry like I used to. Had a hard time reaching orgasm the first few months, but the side effect does pass. I take 20 mg, and when I feel myself fixing to have a fit, I take an extra 10 mg. I love my Paxil, just hate the tiredness and weight gain. Highly recommended."

• Pht...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 2, 2016

For Social Anxiety Disorder "I've recently gotten off a 2.5-year Paxil treatment for my social anxiety. My main issue was a sweaty face/body and a red face breakout. I was first prescribed 20 mg, but as nothing changed after 2 months, I was put on 40 mg. It certainly helped. I was quite tired in the beginning, but it got better. I felt the side effects as I gained over 10 kg in the past 1.5 years, and also I didn't have much of a sex drive and it was almost impossible to orgasm (I'm male). Regardless, though, it helped my life for the better. Unfortunately, stopping recently was a bad idea, my anxiety has returned along with a certain feeling of depression. I'll be returning to Paxil starting tomorrow with 20 mg and see how it goes. Regardless of the side effects, etc., it did help me in my life."

• Jb1...
• January 25, 2012

For Anxiety "Paxil is wonderful. I am 14 years old and have anxiety and depression. This month has been wonderful, but I have to get a higher dose of Paxil because my body got used to it. It made me feel like I was normal, but the beginning side effects were tiredness. Felt like I was on a boat, hard to breathe, and blurred vision. But after 2 weeks, my body got used to it, I feel like a new person."

• kwa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 24, 2022

For Panic Disorder "I've always been more anxious, even though I was very active, had a lot of friends. 15 yo: I started thinking at night about the universe/the world/who we are. This anxiety moved on. Then, as an 18-year-old, I started to have panic attacks. I went to therapy, it went away. I lived my university years (going out, just being young, traveling). But the last couple of weeks (25 years old) have been hard. It started with being stressed out. Then I had a major panic attack: ended up in the hospital. Since then, I couldn't go outside, even inside the house, I was scared, and I lost connection with myself. Everything and even I looked so weird. Went to a psychiatrist. I am on my 3rd day of Paxil (combined with Alprazolam), and I can already feel positive effects! Only thing: I am tired and a bit struggling with 'rollercoaster emotions.' But I am reconnecting with myself! I also do breath work, yoga, etc., learning about science/panic and the brain. I will keep you up to date! THERE IS HOPE, I WANT AN ANXIOUS-FREE LIFE!"

• Red...
• December 6, 2014

For Depression "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."

• Red...
• December 6, 2014

For Depression "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."

• Anonymous
• August 7, 2010

For Anxiety and Stress "I completely stopped having panic attacks after taking this medication for a few months. I had become housebound by several debilitating panic attacks every day. I have been on Paxil for close to a year, and it is still working. Side effects I experienced were bruising for the first few months. I also experienced numbness and tingling (my arms and legs started falling asleep all the time). I began taking magnesium supplements, and the tingling stopped. I am still experiencing weight gain and tiredness and constant yawning, as well as decreased focus and memory. I am also unable to orgasm, which is strange for me because I used to be able to reach orgasm very easily. Overall, I can work and live again, so it's worth the side effects."

• Anonymous
• August 7, 2010

For Anxiety and Stress "I completely stopped having panic attacks after taking this medication for a few months. I had become housebound by several debilitating panic attacks every day. I have been on Paxil for close to a year, and it is still working. Side effects I experienced were bruising for the first few months. I also experienced numbness and tingling (my arms and legs started falling asleep all the time). I began taking magnesium supplements, and the tingling stopped. I am still experiencing weight gain and tiredness and constant yawning, as well as decreased focus and memory. I am also unable to orgasm, which is strange for me because I used to be able to reach orgasm very easily. Overall, I can work and live again, so it's worth the side effects."

• Nma...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 20, 2019

For Anxiety "I was on Prozac for many years. I felt that it was time for me to get back on it due to increased stress and menopausal symptoms. I have been anxious and depressed. My doctor recommended I try Paxil. It is an SSRI like Prozac but has additional properties that help with menopausal symptoms. I am only on it 4 weeks, but I am going to switch back to Prozac. I am taking 10 mg of Paxil, and I am constantly tired. I feel out of it. It has helped with anxiety and heart palpitations, but instead of giving me a sense of “clarity” when I am annoyed or anxious, I am overwhelmed with a sense of exhaustion... like a sedative feeling. Not much of an appetite either. Zero sex drive. I hope the Prozac will work again, and it’s not that my body chemistry has changed."

• Nma...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 20, 2019

For Anxiety "I was on Prozac for many years. I felt that it was time for me to get back on it due to increased stress and menopausal symptoms. I have been anxious and depressed. My doctor recommended I try Paxil. It is an SSRI like Prozac but has additional properties that help with menopausal symptoms. I am only on it 4 weeks, but I am going to switch back to Prozac. I am taking 10 mg of Paxil, and I am constantly tired. I feel out of it. It has helped with anxiety and heart palpitations, but instead of giving me a sense of “clarity” when I am annoyed or anxious, I am overwhelmed with a sense of exhaustion... like a sedative feeling. Not much of an appetite either. Zero sex drive. I hope the Prozac will work again, and it’s not that my body chemistry has changed."

• Anonymous
• May 9, 2009

For Depression "My doctor started me on Paxil when I was 6 months pregnant. It made me emotionally numb. I kept taking it for about 3 years because the side effects of missing a dose were unbearable. I had to have the dose increased and eventually was on the highest dose, and Xanax was added. I gained weight, was always tired, had a decreased sex drive, and I couldn't cry when I needed to. I attempted to stop taking it 5 times before I was successful. I had horrible withdrawals for two months: sensitivity to light, nausea, a jolting sensation through my head and arms, and uncontrollable crying. It was worth it. I am now taking Zoloft and finally feel normal. I lost the weight I gained while I was on Paxil, and I cry when I need to."

• J-G...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 24, 2017

For Social Anxiety Disorder "Paxil definitely works for social anxiety. However, the side effects just became intolerable over time. What are those side effects? Well, for one, you will be tired all the time. Secondly, I found it really hard to focus, and I would forget things that just happened. Thirdly, and most disturbingly, I became a zombie who didn't care about anything and couldn't empathize with people! I couldn't feel any emotions; I couldn't cry. Not only that, but it was also hard to experience positive emotions/pleasure. This phenomenon is called 'emotional bluntness.' I didn't notice that I was experiencing this emotional numbness (and most others don't notice too) until people around me started pointing it out. That's just my experience."

• Pix...
• November 7, 2017

For Depression "I've been on it for about 15 years. It was exactly what I needed to combat depression and the behavior that went with it. These days, however, I find it makes me very tired. I can spend my entire day off just sleeping and retreating into dreams, almost like hiding. Maybe it's time to find a different drug."

• dep...
• April 7, 2010

For Depression "I have taken Paxil for about 6 months. I have not had any weight gain as I had previously with other medications. I feel emotionally much more stable, and the side effects have been minimal. I still feel tired occasionally and have some trouble with my short-term memory, but my overall quality of life seems to be better, and although I still feel mildly blue at times, the feeling is not as intense and doesn't linger for weeks. Happy with the medicine."

• Mom...
• August 23, 2011

For Panic Disorder "Panic Disorder/Bipolar/Manic Depressive: Today will be my 7th dose. I am having a love-hate relationship with my Paxil, it made me EXTREMELY tired for the first 4 days, headaches on day 4 & 5, dizziness day 2-7. I feel spaced out, and every morning I wake up and want to stop taking the meds because of how I feel. I am not like 'myself,' BUT I didn't like myself to begin with. I suffered from panic attacks that last for days on end, with only relief from Xanax. I would have anger outbursts towards the ones I love the most. Now, although my world feels off balance, I have noticed less anger and more smiling. I am going to stick with it for another week, even though I know tomorrow I will want to stop again. Just hope side effects lessen."

• Nik...
• August 31, 2010

For Anxiety and Stress "I have been off and on Paxil about 3 times in the last 2 years. I start on 20 mg and am told the first week to start with a half a pill once a day. I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and mild anxiety. I could not stop yawning. I felt tired all the time. I didn't notice any weight gain like others that have taken the medicine, but I could not deal with the extreme euphoria. I felt like I was floating through life in a bubble, if that makes any sense."

• Nik...
• August 31, 2010

For Anxiety and Stress "I have been off and on Paxil about 3 times in the last 2 years. I start on 20 mg and am told the first week to start with a half a pill once a day. I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and mild anxiety. I could not stop yawning. I felt tired all the time. I didn't notice any weight gain like others that have taken the medicine, but I could not deal with the extreme euphoria. I felt like I was floating through life in a bubble, if that makes any sense."

• anx...
• November 11, 2009

For Anxiety "I've had anxiety for five years, and started taking Paxil since my first anxiety attack. In all this time I've been on Paxil, I only had about 2 to 3 attacks. The problem that I have is feeling dizzy or lightheaded since my first attack. It won't go away, and it makes me feel tired and lazy. Paxil has helped me with the attacks dramatically, but the light-headedness is still there."

• Anonymous
• May 24, 2011

For Social Anxiety Disorder "I have been on Paxil for 10 years now. I maxed out on the dosage at 60 mg/day. It served me well and improved my anxiety symptoms. Having gotten married 2 months ago and anticipating getting pregnant, I began to wean myself off. I went from 60 mg/day to 40, then to 20, then 10, and now 5 mg/day. Each time I started to feel better and adjusted to the lower dose, I lowered it again. The withdrawals have been awful. I have been so sick for the last several weeks. Nauseous, dizzy, insomnia, 'zaps', no appetite, no energy. Now at 5 mg/day, I feel better. The withdrawals are now quite tolerable. My next step is 2.5 mg/day, then done."

• sun...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 4, 2025

For Anxiety "At age 30, I developed severe anxiety, panic, and almost agoraphobia. I was put on Prozac, and it worked for almost 20 years. I regained about 70% of the life I once had. Could never fly again or drive long distances myself. But could enjoy most things, be productive at work, and have friends. I lived in my own small world. Prozac worked pretty well until one day it just stopped working. I then spent 2 years trying Lexapro, Wellbutrin, Celexa, and many other drugs, which made me worse. I found a new doctor, and he recommended Paxil. I started to feel better almost immediately. I was able to get my life back with no anxiety or panic. I would say I was 80% back to who I once was, but I gained 30 lbs (while exercising and eating healthy), more importantly, I was tired a lot, and my personality felt flat. My doctor suggested I wean myself off Paxil and try Viibryd 10 mg to start. My anxiety and panic have come back, and I feel racy and annoyed all the time. I am only on day 13 of Viibryd with no Paxil."

• Ang...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 7, 2016

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I was on this drug for a long time, and the only thing I can report is that I felt like a zombie most of the time, was so tired that I could barely function (lost my job as a result of it), and had absolutely no desire for sex whatsoever. I rarely felt that I was thoroughly enjoying anything that was going on in my life, it completely numbed me out to a traumatic experience that I should have been dealing with, and as a result of being on it, I did not fully process that experience until getting off of the medication. That and the withdrawal symptoms were debilitating and terrible. Brain zaps are not a fun experience, and they were bad with this one."

• anx...
• November 1, 2013

For Anxiety "Had severe panic attacks and agoraphobia out of nowhere. P doc put me on Paxil. Really rough startup symptoms. Dizzy, SUPER spacey, lethargic, bad sweats. After a week or two at 30 mg, I stabilized. Anxiety was a bit better, but still pretty bad. Eventually went off it because I was so lethargic and spacey. Felt depressed because I was such a zombie and didn't get excited or want to do anything."

• Bre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 18, 2015

For Anxiety "First antidepressant I tried after my first panic attack (which eventually turned into GAD-based depression). This med didn't seem to help at all. Made me super somnolent, yet I couldn't sleep without the aid of a benzo. My brain just felt overactive. The first time I took it was for about 2 and 1/2 weeks, hated how I felt, got off, and was fine. Second time, a few months later, feelings came back. I decided to try this one more time. Again, worse sleep and just made me feel super disconnected and tired all the time. Mind you, I originally tried at night, and after no success with sleep, switched to morning. After a month, I stopped it. It wasn't helping at all. Heard this is the most sedating of SSRIs, but wasn't for me."

• Eli...
• August 16, 2016

For Postmenopausal Symptoms "51 yo healthy female. Minor premenopausal signs, periodic mood swings, tiredness. Prescribed Paxil 10 mgs. Severe bouts of exhaustion, heart palpitations, breathing anomalies, sexual dysfunction, felt like a zombie. Slept 2 days. Quit meds day 6. 16 days from quitting, feel horrible. Severely depressed, anxious, tired (never have felt anxious or depressed prior). Still sleep too much, experience outrageous, wildly abnormal mood swings, have neglected my work, my house, my pets, my friends, and exercise (was running 5 miles daily prior, now do nothing). Still experience breathing abnormalities. Better each day, yet unable to function normally. Life and business in ruins, cry constantly. Nightmarish experience. Feel like I may never be the same again."

• Eli...
• August 16, 2016

For Postmenopausal Symptoms "51 yo healthy female. Minor premenopausal signs, periodic mood swings, tiredness. Prescribed Paxil 10 mgs. Severe bouts of exhaustion, heart palpitations, breathing anomalies, sexual dysfunction, felt like a zombie. Slept 2 days. Quit meds day 6. 16 days from quitting, feel horrible. Severely depressed, anxious, tired (never have felt anxious or depressed prior). Still sleep too much, experience outrageous, wildly abnormal mood swings, have neglected my work, my house, my pets, my friends, and exercise (was running 5 miles daily prior, now do nothing). Still experience breathing abnormalities. Better each day, yet unable to function normally. Life and business in ruins, cry constantly. Nightmarish experience. Feel like I may never be the same again."