Paroxetine and Dizziness: What Users Say

• Nik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 19, 2021

Paroxetine for Anxiety "On this medicine, I feel like I'm actually living for the first time in 24 years. I was worried to try it, but am so grateful I did. For the first month, I would take it at night and would wake up from nausea every night. I suggest taking it during the day! Sometimes I get a little dizzy, especially if I forget to take it, but don't mind that too much. My perfectionism and social anxiety were destroying my work and relationships, and now I am productive, focused, and so stable!! If you are considering, try Paxil out! I couldn't be more thankful that I did."

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

Paroxetine for Panic Disorder "I have been on paroxetine for 30 years. It saved my life. Stopped my panic attacks. At first, it caused such nausea and dizziness, I almost quit. I am so glad I gave it a chance. Along with Xanax, my life was changed. I still get depressed and anxious, but it’s okay. No more debilitating panic attacks. It is a very serious drug. I had tried every natural treatment on the planet, praying they would work, but they didn’t. Paxil was my very last choice. I’m currently on 40 mgs nightly with 1 mg of clonazepam."

• Col...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 30, 2012

Paroxetine for Social Anxiety Disorder "Paxil has changed my life! Before: paranoia about people watching me, extreme anxiety walking or being in public places, such as cafeterias, college campus, small groups of people. Mind blankness during conversations, or 'social lock up' - inability to interact with others due to severe anxiety. Always woke up feeling tired even if I had a full night's sleep. Side Effects (lasted 2 weeks): 20mg daily. Severe fatigue/sleepiness. A little dizziness if dose was taken late. Headache the 1st two days. Now: Began working really well 7-8 weeks in. No more social anxiety, I feel normal walking around & talking to people. Also I sleep better than ever. Overall anxiety level has gone down & I no longer ruminate/worry constantly! Paxil rocks!"

• Ssi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 11, 2014

Paroxetine for Anxiety "I have been on this medication for one week. I have mild jaw pain and a bit dizzy, but I will take that over the madness I felt a week ago. Suicidal, anxious, crying, needless to say, I was a mess! I still have a few intrusive thoughts, but this is only one week, and I am grateful. I went through three medications before finding this one, and I am glad to say the least I can get back to being a mother and wife."

• Pan...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 18, 2014

Paroxetine for Anxiety "I have taken Paxil on and off my entire adult life. I have always stuck to a low dose at 10mg a day. I do not have depression, I am just very sensitive especially in times of high stress, and panic attacks start to take over my life. I had to put my degree on hold, I missed out on vacations with my family, and my professional life suffered as well. Paxil calms my nerves. It keeps me in check so I don't freak out in times of stress. The side effects do exist, but keeping a low dose helps. My libido is affected a bit, I do get dizzy from time to time, and I also have dry mouth. At 10mg a day, once I feel like I am in control again (usually 8 months to a year of being on the medicine) I can stop without any of the bad withdrawals."

• ash...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 24, 2013

Paroxetine for Depression "I've been taking paroxetine for a week. I haven't felt like this in years! I feel like myself again! The first few days I experienced nausea, dizzy spells, and dry mouth. But now the only side effect is dry mouth. This is a miracle drug!"

• Cub...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 14, 2020

Paroxetine for Panic Disorder "I was diagnosed with severe depression and panic disorder many years ago, which was associated with fibromyalgia. I had been on all types of medicines and even spent time in a mental health unit. Fast forward to the present, my psychiatrist and I discussed trying out Paxil, which my sister had suggested to me since nothing else was working. In February 2020, I started on 20 mg of Paxil. At first, I had horrible night sweats, lack of sleep, foggy, dizzy head, but I decided to keep on it. So the doctor increased me over time, and now I'm at 40 mg I take before bed, and I must say it's a MIRACLE medication for me!! I care about things, have more energy, and try to enjoy life as much as possible. Only side effect is my vision isn't the best, and I eat more than usual, and I'm having a lot of memory problems with forgetfulness. But I don't care, this medication is the best thing to ever happen to me mental health-wise!! Thank you, God!!"

• Pos...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 7, 2019

Paroxetine for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Give Paxil a chance. I looked at all the horror stories on here and am glad I chose to ignore them and continue with the drug. I was on it for 8 months total. It took about 4-6 weeks to take full effect, and weaning off was a bit uncomfortable. It controlled my symptoms and helped me gain control of my life back. I was not paid to say any of this, I just know I was scared to try it, and you shouldn’t be. Your doctor prescribed it for a reason. Be patient, the side effects I had in the beginning of diarrhea and dizziness went away as my body got used to it. Good luck!"

• kms...
• March 5, 2015

Paroxetine for Depression "I have been on Paxil for 3 weeks. Previously, I was on Lexapro and it worked well, however, I wanted to quit smoking, so I was switched to Paxil. I have noticed I am sleeping all night through without getting up at 2 or 3 am and staying up the rest of the night. I do, however, have vertigo, but I have suffered from vertigo for 20 years, so I cannot actually attribute that to the Paxil. I also have appetite loss. I can only eat 1/3 of what I ate previously. So far, so good. I have no problem taking a med for my depression, no different than a heart condition, just much harder to treat! Hoping it keeps going good!"

• JNo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 18, 2014

Paroxetine for Anxiety "I took Paxil for 5 years for severe panic attacks and anxiety. I got to the point where I could barely leave the house without anxiety. I was on 20 mg once a day and it worked wonders for me. I felt 'normal' for the first time in years. HOWEVER... I gained 50 lbs. I decided to get off and weaned myself very slowly but still had withdrawal symptoms: brain zaps, severe headaches, dizzy, restless, faint, weak, and the list goes on. I have been off for 5 months now and still have symptoms."

• Jpa...
• July 22, 2013

Paroxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I started Paxil 6 days ago. I get married next month, and my job switched me to sales. I couldn't take the stress - I went to the hospital thinking I was having a heart attack, to find out it was anxiety. I've had chest pains, palpitations, obsessive nail biting, and chewing. I couldn't take it anymore. I've used 3 vacation days up just because of anxiety. Also, I'm 27 years old. Since I've started Paxil, I've had a lot of side effects that I didn't associate with the medicine right away. I have trouble urinating even when I have to go badly. I've had short-term memory loss like forgetting my work number, I feel hungover and dizzy, blurred vision, shakes, nausea, and inability to reach orgasm."

• Mr ...
• August 11, 2015

Paroxetine for Anxiety "I began taking Paxil for my depression and anxiety. I started at 10 mg. The first night I took it, I had horrible dizziness, headache, sickness, and felt weak. The next night I felt fine. Now it is 3 months later, and I feel wonderful! No side effects, and I can get through the day without anxiety being the focal point. I am now up to 30 mg."

• Tox...
• February 7, 2010

Paroxetine for Social Anxiety Disorder "I took Celexa a few years back for my chronic depression. It didn't make me feel so good so after 6 months I went off it, cold turkey, and dealt with the withdrawal symptoms of that drug (zaps!). So when I got offered Paxil for my social anxiety and depression, and heard that there were withdrawal symptoms, I decided that if it helped, I'd try it. In just these few weeks, my friends and I have noticed a huge change. No weight gain, more energy, upbeat and outgoing, smiley and laughing, and optimistic for the first time in... my life? Only downfall I've noticed so far is the crippling nausea and dizziness the first three days of taking the medicine. I feel fantastic now!"

• Anonymous
• February 11, 2020

Paroxetine for Anxiety "I was very skeptical about taking Paxil, as I’ve never taken a daily medication before. I started taking it and was on it for 4 days. On the fourth day, I woke up with this dizzy/groggy feeling. I didn’t think much of it, and then I took my medication for the day. I decided to take a nap due to the dizzy feeling, and when I woke up, I had the worst suicidal thoughts, my head felt even worse, my eyes couldn’t focus on anything, my pupils were dilated, my body felt extremely limp, but I was shaking, and I also had cold sweats. I called my doctor, and she recommended I go to the hospital. I ended up not going because one of my friends had gone through the same thing and told me to stop taking the medication and just drink some water and eat some food. I felt better for the rest of the day, but that night I only got 3 hours of sleep due to nightmares and suicidal thoughts."

• Fra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 5, 2019

For Anxiety and Stress "Was on Lexapro (escitalopram) for 5 years, then pooped out. Nasty side effects and withdrawals. Know your doctor, if you don’t like him or her, change. He had me taper off Lexapro without any help in meds for withdrawals from 20 mgs till nothing was in my system. I got off in a month. Lexapro is nasty when it stops working, by God, absolutely horrible. Got a new doctor who got me on paroxetine (Paxil). Started out, saved my life. Don’t be scared, it’s made to not make you scared anymore. 12.5 is what I started. Little dizzy, little hunger, nausea. Stay close to a bathroom if you catch what I mean (from your bowels). I take mine before I go to bed anyway, helps with all the side effects and 0.5 Xanax for anxiety spikes before the full effect of P hits in the next weeks. They work beautifully together."

• Sta...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 3, 2024

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I started paroxetine at 36 years old, after around 8 years of using escitalopram. I started it during a massive 1-year anxiety episode, and it kicked in around week 4. Being on paroxetine, I felt genuinely happy and content for the first time in my life. And that effect lasted. I was no longer depressed, I didn't have anxiety, I didn't have outraged anger, I just felt good and could finally experience 'good' emotions, like everyone else. At first, I was on 40 mg, which I slowly decreased to 10 mg for the last half year. 10 mg was the best because higher doses made me sleepy during the day. After 2 years, I decided to stop paroxetine because I wanted to see how magic mushrooms work. Withdrawal was awful, 2 weeks of crazy dizziness so strong I could only lie in bed. After 3 weeks, almost all withdrawal symptoms stopped. A few mushroom trips, while being interesting and new, didn't help with depression, which is now kicking in, so I am going back to paroxetine."

• Pun...
• January 31, 2014

Paroxetine for Anxiety "I felt so much less anxious initially, so foolishly, and with doctor's encouragement, I stayed on Paxil for 3-4 years. Two months ago, I started to wean myself off this medicine very slowly. I have never felt so bad in my 72 years of life. At first, I felt it must be the flu, though I'd had a flu shot in November of last year (13). The withdrawal symptoms of nausea, vomiting, hot flashes, not thinking clearly, fatigue, extremely vivid and frightening dreams, dizziness, and depression lasted 5-6 days. My doctor recommended that I go back on Paxil at half a tablet initially, and then a whole tablet after a week. So it has been two weeks now of my taking a 40 mg dose each evening. I tried documenting my terrible experience."

• KLM...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 12, 2022

Paroxetine for Anxiety "I rely so heavily on these reviews, so I wanted to come back and contribute my own! I started on 10 mg of Paxil daily three weeks ago for severe general anxiety and frequent panic attacks. I have suffered from mild anxiety off and on my entire life, but for whatever reason, it struck tenfold this July and hasn’t let up since. I suddenly began experiencing frequent panic attacks when feeling 'trapped' in places like the car, work meetings, church, etc. I canceled a Disney trip for my son last month because I couldn’t bear the thought of being on a plane. Paxil is working wonders for me! Three weeks in, and I no longer feel scared and shaky all of the time, I have energy and am motivated, I can focus, and my appetite has actually decreased (I’ve lost 5 lbs!). Push through the headaches and dizziness that the first couple of weeks will bring, it’s worth it."

• pen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2016

For Hot Flashes "I have been taking paroxetine for hot flushes, which were debilitating at work. I didn't sleep, always throwing the covers off/on. It has also helped with my anxiety and panic attacks at work, and mood swings at home that were affecting my marriage. Initially, I did feel dizzy and had no appetite. It has been 2 months now, and I feel so much better on the medication. I have also lost 5 kilos due to loss of appetite. Very happy."

• Ree...
• April 25, 2018

Paroxetine for Hot Flashes "Brisdelle definitely helped and calmed down the night sweats, therefore, I gave a five rating. If I had to rate the side effects, it would be a zero due to the severity. I experienced all the symptoms mentioned in other comments, which include vertigo symptoms with the room spinning a couple of nights, fatigue, swooshing sound in head, sensitivity to light, headaches, etc. I have been off this medicine for three weeks and am still feeling fatigue, nauseous, light-headedness, head tremors/zaps, and, most of all, feeling weird. I believe I would rather deal with the hot flashes instead of going through all this drama. I gave it a try, and it's not for me."

• Wil...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 30, 2025

For Anxiety and Stress "Ok. I want to share my experience with this drug. I was taking paroxetine for several years and it was the happiest time of my life and ONLY ONE TIME when I was LIVING WITH PEACE IN MY MIND. I didn't have any side effects as dizziness, derealization, aggression, or others, which I had on each other medication that I tried. In the end, my neurologist tried to change my meds to venlafaxine. About 2 months after I started having daily panic attacks, derealization, depersonalization, and thousands of psychosomatic symptoms. In the end, after 3 years on venlafaxine, it started to affect my liver and I had to withdraw it and change it to escitalopram, which I have already been on for 3 months but it seems to be everything just worse. I literally can't continue like this and tomorrow I'm going to ask my doc to return to paroxetine. Maybe I was more sleepy when I was taking paroxetine, but at least I was able to enjoy my life."

• Chr...
• January 29, 2010

Paroxetine for Depression "Paxil saved my life. I was depressed and could not climb out. Tried Effexor, but it made my heart beat rapidly and made me really nervous. Paxil has been amazing. I feel like a regular person. I have highs and lows, but the lows aren't as low as they used to be... and they only occur when there is a real reason to be sad. The bad: the withdrawal symptoms are horrible! I didn't try to get off Paxil, but I forgot it once on a vacation trip. Got very lightheaded, dizzy, and I had the 'zaps.' It was like being shocked at random moments. I'll probably never get off Paxil... but it is worth it. My quality of life improved in the last 3 years, and it is worth any long-term effect this drug has on me."

• Anonymous
• May 30, 2008

Paroxetine for Depression "It worked great for 12 years. Then I decided to stop taking it and deal with some emotional issues. Bad idea. Incredibly difficult to get off of. Nausea for a month, and after that I was dizzy for another month. Fell into a horrible depression, saw and felt the gates of hell. Ironically, I'm now taking 3 drugs to deal with my depression: Lexapro, Lamictal, and Seroquel. Dealing with my emotional issues, but I definitely would do things differently if I had to do it over."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 15, 2018

Paroxetine for Depression "While on the medication, everything seemed fine. I can see why people like to take it. It helps with anxiety and depression both. What the doctor didn’t tell me was that there’s a chance of gaining 20-50 pounds in the first 6 months. I gained a total of 18 pounds in the first 4 months. I had taken other SSRIs before and never experienced weight gain, so I thought, “Why take Paxil if I can take something else that doesn’t cause extreme weight gain?” I began tapering off like I always have when I wanted to stop a medication, and what I experienced was pretty awful. Let me just give you the breakdown: brain zaps (constantly), electric shocks going through my head (constantly), dizziness when standing, vertigo, diarrhea every single day, chills, insomnia (I didn’t sleep once for 4 days straight), outbursts of uncontrollable crying, mood swings (I literally had lost control of all my emotions)."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 15, 2018

Paroxetine for Depression "While on the medication, everything seemed fine. I can see why people like to take it. It helps with anxiety and depression both. What the doctor didn’t tell me was that there’s a chance of gaining 20-50 pounds in the first 6 months. I gained a total of 18 pounds in the first 4 months. I had taken other SSRIs before and never experienced weight gain, so I thought, “Why take Paxil if I can take something else that doesn’t cause extreme weight gain?” I began tapering off like I always have when I wanted to stop a medication, and what I experienced was pretty awful. Let me just give you the breakdown: brain zaps (constantly), electric shocks going through my head (constantly), dizziness when standing, vertigo, diarrhea every single day, chills, insomnia (I didn’t sleep once for 4 days straight), outbursts of uncontrollable crying, mood swings (I literally had lost control of all my emotions)."