"Paxil worked wonders when I first started"

I have been on Paxil for 5 years now. It worked wonders when I first started. For the last two years I have been trying to get off it. Like some of you I tried to quit cold turkey. I ended up in the emergency room with a headache so severe, they thought I had ruptured a vessel in my brain. Depressed by the event, I went back to Paxil. Then I tried to taper it down, from 20mg to 10mg a day, and now I take half of that for last two months, when Itried to quit that, I fell into a depression so severe that I became suicidal, so I went back again. Now a friend (a psychiatrist friend of mine tells me that if I substituted it with Prozac, it will be easier to wean off Prozac. I havent tried because I am afraid of the side effects. I have gained 20lbs, and lost the motivation and spunk I had before. It is sad that the general practitioners dont know about the adverse effects.

I will be trying the Prozac maybe next month. If it works, I'll let you know. Good luck to you all. Whatever you do, NEVER quit suddenly, especially if you have been on it for more than a year.

-- submitted by Dr. Swadud, 39

"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

"Paxil was very beneficial in getting me through a rough patch"

I have been on paxil for over 2 years. At one point I self-upped my dose to 60mgs/day. Paxil was very beneficial in getting me through a rough patch but I don't need it anymore and am trying to wean off. I self weaned down to 30 successfully, but when I went down to 20 I started having mood swings, headache, flu/cold symptoms. I am an attorney and can't afford to not be sharp. I will probably go up to 25 and take it more slowly from here. It sucks that it could take another year before I am free of it.

I wonder if anyone has successfully used st. john's wort to help them wean. What about prozac? I had a friend get off paxil onto prozac with no problems. Is it possible to go to prozac and then get off prozac which doesn't have such terrible withdrawal?

-- submitted by John, 27

"I feel that Paxil saved my life"

Before anything I want to say that I feel that Paxil saved my life. It transformed my life- and got me out of a severe depression which I suffered for three years which one year of therapy alone was not able to cure.

However, now that five years later after taking 10 mg a day (initially I took 60 mg daily) I am having some withdrawal symptoms from trying to stop too quickly. My doctor says that I can successfully withdraw if I do it slowly enough. I realize there are some side effects, but I also experienced side effects for two weeks when I began, which eventually went away. SO I want to say while there are clearly side effects which are negative, I think this has been a very useful and positive medication, which helped me to return to my highest functioning, while I took it.

-- submitted by John, 31

"I've tried twice to get off of paxil"

I've tried twice to get off of paxil. The first time with the weaning process under a doctor's care. It didn't work and only after three weeks I was back on my full dose of 40mg. I then decide to stop completely, which was a bad choice. I went a total of five days and had to have my husband go to the drugstore and have it refilled. I seemed to be ok for the first two days, and then my husband and son would notice that I was talking a lot to myself, which I'm not in the happen of doing a lot of, especially if someone is around, and when they would bring it up to me, I didn't remember this. I just thought I was "thinking" to myself. Then there was the chest pains, the arm pains and the worst ever dizzy spells I have ever had! I was sick at my stomach, lost my appetite, I had chills one minute and the next I was burning up. I did take my temperature once during the period of have this hot flash and it was 96.1 I'm back on my 40mg. per day. I don't like the drug, feel even more depressed on it, and someday I will sleep 19 or more hours! And did wake up tired and sluggish. I was totally unsuccessful my two times getting off of this drug.

-- submitted by Crrickkett, 37

"I lost weight on Paxil and my sex drive went through the roof."

I was one of the first to post here so I thought I would comment on some other posts.

I went through major twitching episodes which lasted OVER A YEAR (I was on SSRI's over a 4 year period). Eastern medicine (such as Chinese and Indian [ayurvedic]) explain that the drug may be out of your blood but not out of the organs. Yes 4-6 weeks to be able to switch drugs but the remainder stays in your liver, spleen, kidneys, and BRAIN for up to a year. Therefore, the longer you are on these drugs, the more ingrained they become with the organs in your body and the longer it takes to get out.

My experience with Paxil was atypical. I have been turned into a rapid cycling Bipolar because of the SSRI's. I lost weight on them and my sex drive went through the roof. I feel like I am getting back to normal (after TWO AND A HALF YEARS since my last dose). Yes, I am a bipolar controlling it without medications. What am I using? Polarity Therapy, Ayurvedic medicine, Therapeutic Body Massage (this is INCREDIBLE for those energy twitches and headaches), and orthomolecular medicine (see this month's "Natural Health" magazine for the article on Margot Kidder for further information.

As in other posts, remember that your doctors can't POSSIBLY know everything about everything. They are seeing patients all day and don't have the time to do updated research on EVERY medication that is out on the market. It is up to US to be vigilant and tell our doctors about things like this web page to get the word out. Don't let a doctor talk you out of what your intuition is telling you. THEY are NOT the ones experiencing what you are. You know what your body did before you were on this medication and it is up to you to insist that there is a problem.

-- submitted by Orty, 47

"withdrawal was one of the worst weeks of my life, nausea, confusion, rage, sadness, incredible dizziness and horror"

Just wanted to follow up with my post from last week. I took my last dose of Paxil on a Thursday, with dizziness starting to take place on Sunday, becoming worse through Thursday the following week. It is now Saturday and I feel I've come through the worst of it. The withdrawal was one of the worst weeks of my life, nausea, confusion, rage, sadness, incredible dizziness and horror that it went on for five days relentlessly. I was bed-ridden, and feared it would never end. I have been successful in getting off of this poison and would never take it again. I found that my experience with prozac was much more positive in treating my depression and did not have the horrendous withdrawal. And I encourage all those who are having trouble getting off this medication to get lots of rest and persist through it. My withdrawal took about nine days, and I still have a little lightheadedness here and there, though it's been manageable. Good Luck to you all!

"I am hoping I can come off Paxil cold turkey with the help of this drug"

I am on my fourth or fifth day of withdrawing from Paxil and I am very nauseous some of the time and my head spins now and then. Sometimes it is extremely bad and sometimes its not as bad but today I went to the drug store and got some thing for motion sickness and nausea and it helped tremendously. It makes me sleepy though but it is much better than the alternative. I am hoping I can come off Paxil cold turkey with the help of this drug. Also my hands and feet are icy cold and I am alternating rage with sadness but I felt so much better to read other accounts which described the same thing. This is the second time I have come off Paxil 20 Mg. and before I weaned myself by taking less and less but it took 3 or 4 weeks i think. I am hoping taking none at all might get me off faster. Paxil has worked pretty well for me but I don't have any sexual desire or much ability to have an orgasm.I also thought it would help me control my overeating and it certainly hasn't.

-- submitted by John, 46

"I started taking Paxil about 5 years ago for depression"

Believe it or not but this is my third time to wean myself off of Paxil. I started taking Paxil about 5 years ago for depression. I took 20 mg a day for 2 years. I decided to get off and went cold turkey. It was not a pleasant experience to put it mildly. I had severe nausea, dizziness and was extremely distressed emotionally. I felt like I would never feel right again. After a couple of grueling weeks I felt better. I got back on it again about a year later because I had started getting depressed again and the Dr. encouraged me to. I took it for about a year and got off again. Same lousy symptoms getting off. Oh how we forget! I got on it again because I was having panic attacks. The Dr. told me that this was the best medicine for the panic attacks and that studies show that there are no long term effects from staying on the medicine indefinitely. I thought I possibly had mitral valve prolapse, but in fact it was panic attacks because the Paxil immediately took the symptoms away. Which at the time was a good thing. I just wonder how good it is for your body if it causes such a toxic reaction when you quit taking this drug. I've been on it a year and have just had it with this medication. I have put on 30 lbs. and feel horrible. The Dr. said that for some reason people who have been on it for a while sometimes experience weight gain. In my case I feel like it makes me hungry. I also feel like it gives me a feeling of complacency about my eating and weight gain, even though at times I feel disgusted with myself. Anyways, I've been off for 5 days and feeling lousy. I've been extremely nauseated, hot and cold (my hands have been like ice cubes), dizzy, and I feel like an emotional wreck. I ended up taking 10 mg today because I have a party scheduled at my house in 2 days and have too many things to do. My plan is to get through the next 2 days as best I can on the least amount of medicine possible. After that I will continue to refrain from the medicine and get off of this for good!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to hire someone to clean my house and I told my husband that he and the kids are on their on for the next week. I had him read all the testimonies so he would understand better. I don't think he really understood how bad I felt until he read what others were experiencing trying to get off this medication. The last 2 times I got off I tried to maintain my same pace with the kids and school and the house and tryed to put on a 'good face' when all I wanted to do was tell people, "Hey I feel like you know what so just get out of my blanketey blank face!" It was brutal. The last couple times I got off I remember after a couple weeks I felt better and after about a month I was back to normal. The first week is really rough. It's hard to get off this medicine but I have done it and I will do it again!

-- submitted by Dr. Marso

"I was experiencing anxiety due to some overwhelming situations in my life."

I began taking the 20 mg of Paxil approximately 15 months ago when I was experiencing anxiety due to some overwhelming situations in my life. I began trying to wean myself off the medication about nine months ago. I started taking 10 mg per day and then 10 mg every other day. Everytime I went more than three days without taking the medication, I began feeling sick at my stomach and somewhat disoriented. I would feel better if I took another 10 mg pill. I asked the doctor who told me that if it makes me feel better, it does not hurt to continue taking it. It has made me gain over 25 pounds and I do not want to take this drug for the rest of my life. I am now taking 10 mg every other day.

-- submitted by Dday, 35

"symptoms I had prior to taking this medication seem like a minor annoyance compared to what is happening to me now"

I am a 42 year old female diagnosed with severe depressive disorder accompanied by manic episode. I have been on paxil about 2 years over the course of the 2 years my dosage has had to be increased several times until the most recent increase to 40 mg ...this is the point where I decided I no longer wish to live on this drug... under the guidance of my doctor - who I must tell you said "the withdrawal is bad from paxil" would have been nice if that was told to me in the beginning or if the information was provided with those handy little inserts that accompany your prescription....anyway I am on my 3rd day drug free and the symptoms are getting worse by the day....the symptoms I had prior to taking this medication seem like a minor annoyance compared to what is happening to me now...I am dizzy, I have the swimming feeling in my head, unprovoked rage, uncontrollable crying spells on and on ...unfortunately my appetite is fine and the food is tasting good and staying down(kidding) I am actually waiting for the nausea to set in because all the testimonials I have read include nausea...I will keep you posted on my progress....because I will be damned if I ever take another Paxil..or any other prescribed antidepressant ...

-- submitted by Pam, 42

"I decided to get myself off the Paxil"

I had been on 20mg of paxil for almost 4 years. About 2-weeks ago I decided to get myself off the drug. Anyway, I dropped down to 10mg a day for 2-weeks and last Wednesday took my last pill. At first I thought I was losing my mind and falling back into depression, but after reading postings of others' experiences I am relieved that what I am going through is "normal". Overall, the drug was beneficial and helped me through a difficult period in my life. The withdrawal symptoms are rather brutal - nausea, brain-shocks, periods of intense sadness. However, I am determined to manage without it. I am on day 4 with no meds and am feeling a little better. At times I just want to go back on it. But, I do believe there is a light at the end of the tunnel and bravely I will face each day. Thanks to all the postings for shedding some light on getting off this drug. It has certainly alleviated some of my fears.

-- submitted by Lisa, 32

"I started taking Paxil for postpartum depression"

I started taking Paxil in November 1999 for postpartum depression. I started feeling great right away and had no side effects. In January 2000 I tried to come off of it and had dizziness and nausea. My pharmacist told me to go back on it and to wean off of it. I went back on it (feeling better immediately) and decreased the doses as advised. It is February 28 and my last pill was last Wednesday. The dizziness and sick feeling is getting worse by the day. The dizziness has become so severe that I cant stop thinking about taking a pill to make it stop but I am determined to get away from it (I hope I win). My doctor and pharmacist assured me that this drug was not addictive and I would not have any trouble coming off of it. I trusted them both. This website is just what I needed. It feels good to know that this is real and not because of an underlying illness which is what I was told. I did not understand that if was not from withdrawal then why did taking a Paxil make the symptoms stop? I am wondering just how long the withdrawal symptoms last because I need to know what I am up against. I am desperate to get back to normal and enjoy my beautiful family without Paxil.

-- submitted by Jane, 32

"I have overcome the physical sickness of the withdrawals, I am dealing with the mental side of it now"

Well, I have been off Paxil going on 2 weeks now. That first week I felt like I was going to die. But GLORY TO GOD I feel normal again and I can't tell you how great that is! I'm not sleeping my days away. I actually look better.( not like a zombie ) I feel like I am dropping weight and that is awesome!!! I really feel for people on Paxil and are trying to come off. I was on for 2 years and once I made the decision to come off, I was fine until the withdrawals kicked in. It was a very sickening experience but I think I have made it through the worst. I have heard that it takes only a short period of time to leave your system but a very long time for it to rid itself from your body totally. Even though I have overcome the physical sickness of the withdrawals, I am dealing with the mental side of it now. I had a crying spell yesterday that lasted 30 minutes. I don't even know why I was crying but it felt good afterwards. I would like to tell all the people who are trying to come off to not give up. Middle way of your withdrawals, don't give in to Paxil. I thought about it, believe me but I felt as though I had come too far to go back. Just be strong and head strong that you are going to win this battle. I owe all my success to the LORD. Without him, I don't think I would have been physically or mentally strong enough to come off this medication. I still have a ways to go but I know I have got it whipped now. I will continue to keep you updated.

-- submitted by Ola, 31

"physician has prescribed this medication for me is to prevent my migraine attacks"

I have been on paxil for about a year now, and the primary reason why my physician has prescribed this medication for me is to prevent my migraine attacks. Oh, let me tell you I do not have as many deadly headaches as I used to have but now I am suffering from many side effects.

I first started @ 10mg and now I am taking 40mg which my doctor says that is usually the(kick in dosage). I have my own business I am forgetful, with a careless attitude, I shop at the mall every week and spend from $250 - $1,500 a week, I currently own 132 pairs of shoes, I have gained 30lbs,I eat alot, I am trying to diet, I do not eat beef nor pork, But I LOVE SWEETS>>>>>>.

I must say that Paxil has helped me with my headaches I am not suffering nearly as much as I used to.

The side effects I have experienced: I have night sweats, weight gain, short term memory loss, muscle spasms in my legs, no sexual desires, irritable at times, impulsive spending, easy to talk to people about any and every thing, always tired, can easily go asleep, do things that I normally would not do, ringing in my ear, hands swelling, breast size 36C to now 38 D, clothes from 8-10 now 12-14, .,

I am not a happy camper with all of the side effects I am having however, this mild depresion that I am going through as my doctor calls it, will get better in time and he says that I will probably be on this medication called Paxil for a very long time.

I am dammed if I do and dammed If I don't.

-- submitted by SG,

"back at the doctors office with nausea extreme tiredness and electrical charges"

I am so frightened, sometimes I don't know what to do. I was put on paxil in november 1999, after going to the doctor for nervousness over a bad break up. Everything in my life was great until I decided I didn't want to take any type of drugs any more. I had met someone and we discussed having children. It was then I discovered I have a very bad problem. I took myself off the medicine feb, 1 2000. I was fine until about the third day, it was then, I found myself back at the doctors office with nausea extreme tiredness and electrical charges. He said I would be fine if I halved the dose making it 10mg for a week and the next week a quarter making it 5mg. 10 days ago I tried to quit. I gave in after the 2nd day . I then found myself calling the doctors office explaining to him the way I feel. He tells me I will be fine and wrote me a prescription for Xanax which is studied to cause birth defects. I refuse to take it under the circumstances. Nothing seems to help. I'm losing my life as I know it. I have quit my job after 11 years and am physically miserable, I feel sick, tired,dizzy,electrical charges,shaky,and totally miserable. I am very frightened, the doctor seems to ignore what I am describing like I am making it up. I need help.

-- submitted foreverluvme, 37

"Paxil is effective for social anxiety disorder"

I tried Paxil for 7 days in response to advertisement that it is effective for social anxiety disorder. In that period, I experienced just about all of the side effects that are listed to some degree. Worse than the side effects was the feeling of being drugged, similar to how you would expect to feel on pain medication. I found the feeling intolerable, to the point I was dreading having to take another pill. I stopped taking the drug on the 8th day, and did not experience any of the withdrawal symptoms. To the contrary, I felt very refreshed and clear headed the next day. I have concluded that drugs are not the answer to social anxiety, or any other kind of anxiety for that matter. My mother has "panic disorder" and is being "treated" with a variety of drugs, including Paxil. She walks around in a stupor most of the time, and is completely dependent on psychiatrists and their prescriptions. I will shoot myself before I allow myself to end up like her. Only by facing your fears directly can you overcome them. If something doesn't feel right, trust your instincts, not doctors or the marketing people at companies like SmithKline Beecham.

-- submitted by pgrub1, 39

"many doctors aren't well informed about what Paxil can do from a negative perspective"

I wrote last week about my problems with Paxil.... namely my withdrawal symptoms of having a dull headache and MUSCLE TWITCHES. The twitches are what bother me the most because it makes me feel like there is something wrong with my body/brain rather than it being a withdrawal effect of Paxil. Anyhow, I am still having these twitches to varying degrees and I cannot tell yet if they are disappearing to any extent. I am hoping they go away with time but its hard to know if/when they will.

What made it worse was that I spoke to my doctor's nurse two days ago and told her about the muscle spasms I was having all over (and especially near my right eye).... the response I got was that the dr. (a psychiatrist) said she didn't feel these muscle spasms were likely to be due to Paxil because I hadn't taken hardly any in 4 weeks (only one 10mg pill 10 days ago). Of course, that made me feel worse and made me feel like there is something medically wrong with my body or brain.

However, I get the feeling that this doctor is just very uninformed about the negative effects this medicine can have and doesn't really understand the length of time it could take to get this medicine fully out of your body.

I want to stress this to everybody. PLEASE READ THIS:

I think what you are going to find (and this is just my opinion) is that many doctors (NOT all) aren't well informed about what Paxil can do from a negative perspective. They know what it can do positively but when people start getting withdrawal effects (or side effects) that aren't the "usual" side effects (like sexual problems or gaining weight), the Doctors just scratch their heads or disagree that it is due to the Paxil.

Don't let any doctor tell you that it CAN'T be because of Paxil because I think it can be (in many cases) but the doctor just isn't educated enough on this drug to know. Doctors are HUMAN too.... don't make them into all-knowing Gods.

If anybody out there has muscle spasms/twitches as a withdrawal effect, please contact me via my Email address above.

-- submitted by Joe, 29