"I had a sour stomach, and fatigue and reached a point that I could not get off the couch."

Now, to tell my story I have been on Paxil for 3 1/2 years and when I first started it felt an immediate improvement in my anxiety and depression. My attitude was a noticeable improvement to everyone around me. In the 3 years I tried to take myself off many times. I honestly don't remember all the physical side effects that alot of people have mentioned. But, I did experience extreme mood changes and extreme anxiety and depression. So, like everyone else I decided to go back on. Well, in the last 6 months I felt the PAXIL wasn't helping me. I felt I was (am) entering into a deeper depression. I have extreme fatigue, don't feel like working, much less taking care of my home and 3 children and HAVE NO SEXUAL DESIRE AT ALL. Oh, and not to mention the slow but steady weight gain.

One day I heard an ad on the radio saying "Do you want your sex life back" "Tried of feeling ...." The ad then when on to say that these are part of the long term effects of anti-depressants and gave an 800 number to call to see if you qualified to part of the study. Well, for some reason I did not qualify. But started believing that my lack of interest in sex was due to the Paxil. So in December I have slowly started to wean my self off. Again, I can't pinpoint the all the side effects like many people have mentioned. But, I can say that my depression and fatigue is so extreme all I want to do is sleep!

I have been completely off of Paxil the entire month of February and was forced to go t to my Doctor today and he told switched me to EFFEXOR. I now wonder that my feelings my all be part of the withdrawal problems.

I am remembered a period in December over the course of two weeks where I felt somewhat similar. It was December and that terrible flu was going around and I really thought it was that. But now that I am reading and remembering I don't think it was the flu and believe now it was the "withdrawals". I now remember telling my husband, God, if this is the flu why don't I have a fever like everyone else. I remembering one Monday I had such an extreme headache I took Excedrin PM and slept from 8:00am-3:00pm and the went to bed that evening at 7:00pm. And just like Friday, I had the same flu like symptoms. I had a sour stomach, and fatigue and reached a point that I could not get off the couch. I am getting worried that all these flu days were not flu days withdrawal side effects.

-- submitted Jane, 37