Paxil for Depression User Reviews (Page 4)

• Candi...
• May 1, 2017

"I have been on Paxil for 19 years, the side effects are becoming too much to bare so recently I attempted to wean from it, I became so physically ill and mentally disturbed I had to be hospitalized and put back up a dose to stop the withdrawals, now I have to take the liquid for to slowly wean off, it is worse then heroin withdrawal and methadone withdrawal both which I have over come cold turkey. I cannot get off this medication and it is sad because I want to have children but pregnancy is a no no while on Paxil, I'm 34 I've been on it since I was 15, I was put on it and never told anything about the addictiveness and withdrawals or any of the problems associated with it, it was a bandaid solution that has become a life long addiction"

• Jenna
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2016

"I personally WILL NEVER recommend Paxil to ANYONE. It literally ruined my life. At first, I felt that it was ok. But, quickly and suddenly, I started gaining weight. ALOT of weight. Literally, my pants fit one week and did not fix the next week. And that wasn't all. I was feeling much worse. I was very manic. So depressed that I could not get out of bed. My life was work, eat, and sleep. I had no motivation and I started fixating on thoughts of suicide. It wasn't until the unexplained rapid weight gain that I started to ask myself what had changed in my routine. That's when I realized that Paxil was the newest addition to my life and I began doing research. I've been off of it for about 2 months and I still can't lose the weight."

• xaman
• July 19, 2016

"Well this is a veeeery strong drug and an effective one but has a lot of side effects and the withdrawal is an absolute nightmare. I started taking paroxetine because of depression, social anxiety and suicidal thoughts. The drug has helped me to overcome the crippling anxiety but it also made me emotionaly numb. This numbness is a common side effect for SSRI but in my case it caused an aggravation of depression. While taking paxil I felt like nothing made sense anymore. It was a horrible experience but then again it allowed me to see things more objectively without the overpowering emotional ballast I had before. I stopped taking paroxetine and now I feel like I was on a long vacation from my self and my mind."

• Anonymous
• May 26, 2008

"I am on Paxil for depression for the second time in my life. This last week I have had a lot of things going on and have missed taking all of my medicines, even Paxil, for several days. I have experienced a lot of side effects from these missed doses and did not put it together until today. Works great for the depression when I take it right."

• The...
• May 24, 2008

"Paxil CR has been the most effective treatment of both my anxiety disorder and depession. Lexapro just made me much much worse - suicidal in fact with chest pain and edema. I have found I am alert and well balanced on Paxil CR w/out the side effects some encounter. 100% happy to be back on it."

• Saraa...
• April 23, 2017

"The good: - Improved motivation - More stable moods, fewer deep lows - Improved self-confidence - Decreased anxiety The bad: - (during the first few weeks) Insomnia - (during the first few weeks) Drowsiness - (transient) Vivid bad dreams - Difficulty reaching orgasm - Forgetfulness - Emotional blunting"

• 46yrold
• August 18, 2016

"I was prescribed Paxil for situational depression that was pretty severe, merging on PTSD. (I went through a really bad relationship breakup that was traumatic) I also had GAD (general anxiety). I took Paxil for about 8 weeks. It started working right away and I felt so much better I'd say within a day or two. I slept better and woke in the morning without massive anxiety and intrusive thoughts and my depression began to lift. BUT I gained a whopping 20 pounds in the 8 weeks I was on Paxil. It was so awful that I had the doctor wean me off of it . I thought once it was out of my system that the weight would slowly come off but it didn't - I gained another 10 lbs. I think Paxil messes with your metabolism. Will NEVER take it again."

• Anonymous
• January 5, 2011

"I've been on Paxil for two months now and have seen significant improvement in my mood (no longer crying for no reason) and decreased feelings of anxiety. No side effects. The medication has also helped me deal with my PTSD. I'm able to breath and make good decisions in situations that would otherwise be triggering. After years of attempting to fix myself and deal with my problems on my own, I finally asked my doctor (with analysis by a counselor) for help. Paxil is just the right thing for me. I still don't like the idea of being on medication, but the benefits are too great."

• AFL
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 21, 2019

"I thought I had symptoms of Parkinson’s. Discussed meds I was on with a neurologist. He found that Paxil was causing my symptoms. I changed meds and symptoms have disappeared. It worked for the depression, but it is not worth the side effects for me."

• Gus
• December 6, 2008

"On it's own Wellbutrin SR 300mg/day didn't really do much for me. We then added Paxil 20mg and Klonopin 2mg along with the Wellbutrin and I have to say, this is a great combination. The Wellbutrin counteracts the sexual side-effects that go along with Paxil. Wellbutrin by itelf is okay but in combination with Paxil and Klonopin, helped immensely. Highly recommend. My mood is consistenly good, lots of energy. I feel social and light-hearted again. No side effects and I feel great."

• Freia
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 12, 2019

"If you have depression do yourself a favor and avoid this medication at all costs. I am 1 week into withdrawals (this isn't the first time I've tried to discontinue paroxetine) and its basically the worst. I was on Paxil for years, it made me gain so much weight and it didn't even help that much with my depression, in some ways it made my depression worst. For me lexapro is a much better choice, so much more effective. Not only are the emotional withdrawals worst than you could imagine but its physical as well. its hard for me to move my hands, arms and fingers, its as if they are numb. I'm also getting headaches and brain zaps but nothing beats this depression. I think it is not worth it."

• 30...
• April 7, 2010

"I have been taking Paxil for over 1 year. I tried Prozac, did not like it, made me feel out of control. I tried Celexa still felt depression. I take 20 mg of Paxil every night before bedtime since I feel this medicine makes me sleepy and relaxed. I usually sleep very good. I don't have that weird feeling of anxiety anymore. I feel relaxed and can see life in a realistic prospective. My mood is good not bad or great but okay. I cry only a few times a month specially during my PMS time, so I really think this is good medicine for me. I can go on everyday with little negative thoughts and usually can block them out and change my thoughts. So yes I like it, I do feel a bit numb at times so I will seek doctor's advice, but overall it is has been a great experience."

• Teenage...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 21, 2014

"I began taking Paxil in addition to Celexa two years ago when I was 16. It is not bad--no stomach aches, weight gain, or horrible headaches--but I have noticed the total disappearance of my sex drive. Totally gone. This might be because of the Celexa as well. Not sure. I was taking 40mg Celexa, 20mg Paxil, 1 mg Ativan, and occasionally trazodone or doxepine to sleep, for a while and when I cut my dosage in half over the summer, I was a mess. Constant migraines and irritability. So I suggest that if you use Paxil, be careful to come off it slowly."

• Anonymous
• December 9, 2008

"I have been taking Paxil for 15 years now and it does the job most of the time. I still have bouts of depression when things in my life go sideways. The worst part is the weight gain and the lack of sex drive. It is a tough choice but without Paxil I was suicidal. It is a part of my life now."

• What...
• November 27, 2016

"Just started this medication about 5 days ago. The thing with me, I've lived a pretty happy life til about 3 years ago. It has gotten worse over time. I've got a medical condition known as Nerofibromatosis. I have a inoperable brain tumor. I recently lost my job cause I couldn't work because of the pain and short temper I have. I lost my gf about 3 years ago. I would always think someone was out to get me. I would strike out for no reason. Just recently I started having suicidal thoughts and just wanted to give up on life. I would cry for no reason. I just wanted to end. Since taking this. It has kinda helped. I get sleepy real quick. I take at night and sleep all night. Hopfully it will continue to help"

• Lindsey
• June 18, 2019

"I struggle with depression and OCD. This medication has helped me tremendously with my depression and OCD. I have so much less suicidal thoughts now that I am back on this medicine; I don’t even want to commit suicide. I still have problems, but they are much less severe. The only thing I really do not like about this medication is what it has done to my body. I am naturally thin but this medication has made me gain weight, about 10 pounds. And the worse part is that I have bloating in my stomach area. The rest of my body is fine, still thin, but my stomach sticks out to the point where people have asked me if I’m pregnant. I’m sure a good bit of my belly fat is a result of me drinking so much soda and not eating the best foods, but when I was off this medicine my stomach was a lot less fat. Literally it’s just my stomach that is fat not the rest of my body. This medication does also increase your appetite. Still, it’s a great medicine for depression and OCD."

• Anonymous
• March 10, 2009

"I've tried three other anti-depressants, and this is the only one that actually works and the only one that didn't give me horrible side effects. Ladies, it also helps PMDD! I hadn't known that it would treat so many of my other problems. Asking my doctor to write me a prescription for this was the best idea I've had in years and I don't know why no other doctor gave me this before. Good luck finding your best antidepressant."

• floot...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 15, 2022

"Paxil took my feelings away. It didn't feel normal for me to not be sad about my sons' deaths. They died 15 months apart from each other, in their mid-20s in motorcycle accidents. I couldn't even cry while I took Paxil. I stopped taking them, gradually, of course. Withdrawal made me feel strange - I know that doesn't exactly describe how I felt, but it is the only description I can think of. Now I can cry, which is normal."

• count...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 29, 2015

"I 've taken paxil in the early 90s .After a bad relationship and drinking lots. It has helped with social anxiety to a point. But I have gone through crying periods that didn't seem right. It's soon to be Jan 1 2016 and I have noticed these electric shocks if I miss a day or 2. And also my memory has gone to crap as well . Is this drug habit forming Yes I'm a recovering cocaine addict and free base addict. I got off that but this plays with your brain worse ! We should be compensated for the use as guinea pigs and the torture we face to get off this medicine it does work but too much is unknown. "

• Huro
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 7, 2017

"My doctor weaned me off of Paxil a few weeks ago as it wasn't working. Three days after the last dose was the start of the two worst weeks of my life. It included migraines, nausea, decreased vision, when I turned my head or moved my eyes there was a whooshing sound in my head accompanied by extreme dizziness. Then there were the bouts of crying for no apparent reason. In summary I would call this poison not medicine."

• Dallyd
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 8, 2018

"Paxil has been a double-edged sword for me. I have been on one dose or another for the last 15 years or so. I can't stop the meds, I've tried a few times in the past, but, just end up going crazy (crying, suicidal thoughts, extreme sadness and anxiety). I feel trapped and helpless to escape the medication's machevellian side effects."

• Anonymous
• May 9, 2009

"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."

• Craig...
• November 25, 2017

"I've been on and off SSRIs for years. Effexor XR and Zoloft caused gastrointestinal and sleep problems. Paxil which I started 6 months ago however has caused no GI issues, and it is for me slightly sedating. My mood has improved without the hypomania caused by other SSRIs. Prior to starting Paxil, I was in fairly deep depressive state. It was nearly impossible for me to experience a positive thought about the future. I also had moderate anxiety. In summary, Paxil might help anyone who experienced GI irritation from other meds, has trouble sleeping, and has some anxiety component to their depression"

• Becks
• March 26, 2019

"I suffer from depression. I always feel everyone hates me. That I am useless. Etc. Paxil started off wonderful. Was on 20mg. 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 no where. My tolerance for alcohol was incredible. I never felt a hangover. I was constantly buying beer. Drinking 6 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 no where. So deep that I had to go to the hospital one morning. My libido. Gone. No where to be found. Which really sucked as a newly wed of only 1 1/2 years."

• roxxy
• December 13, 2009

"I started to take Paxil 12years ago. I was getting depressed because of my panic disorder. I have been on Xanax for many many years and my doctor added Paxil. 30mg a day in the morning. I have never had a side effect not even weight gain and I know this can cause weight gain. It works great for me for my depression and my panic attacks. Would highly recommend this drug. I am a skinny person anyway, because of my panic but I never had any side effects. Good luck all."