Paxil for Social Anxiety Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• May 24, 2011

"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."

• Jub...
• March 4, 2017

"Was on Paxil for 4 years because I could never handle the withdrawal symptoms. I had severe aches and electric shocks along with all flu symptoms. I finally slowly tapered off over 3 months with the liquid Paxil. I have been off of it now for at least 10 years. I have tried at least 100 different supplements and anti-anxiety treatments. I have tried them all, believe me. It is hell on earth when you can't provide for your family. I even spent $4,000 having all my mercury fillings removed. I had genetic testing of SNP polymorphisms that revealed MTHFR and MAO mutations. I found a genetic reason for my anxiety. In short, I can't make neurotransmitters, and when I do, I can't break them down, so they build up, causing social anxiety."

• Dai...
• July 22, 2021

"This drug changed my life in a positive way. I was put on (10 mg) for depression and social anxiety disorder. The only side effects were drowsiness, and it was a bit rough in the beginning as described (restlessness, loss of appetite symptoms got worse before they got better, brain fog, etc.). But it was worth it. I can finally live my life. My brain fog diminished by tenfold, and I was able to talk to people; I was surviving in situations that would make me have a nervous breakdown only months prior. My depression lessened, and I felt happier again; I feel like I'm allowed to live again. I was scared to take this after reading all the negative experiences, but I've had not one regret after going on Paxil. I finally feel positive for the future. Paxil is different for everyone, and you need to see which medication works for you. It may be either a great or a terrible fit; you'll never know until you try it."

• Gea...
• January 3, 2020

"Recently, Paxil has two side effects that I can't stand: nightmares and erectile dysfunction. Two things that a 40-year-old male doesn't need in life. I tried the newer AD, but they cause nightmares and panic attacks."

• DDa...
• August 8, 2019

"My review is kind of short and sweet. I've been on Paxil for about 10 years. No sex drive at all, still anxiety, but a few weeks ago I had forgotten to take it for about 4 days, cried uncontrollably until I realized. Is this drug just suppressing my feelings deep down? Maybe that's why I still have extreme anxiety? Just a thought."

• Ser...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2019

"I'm one month now on Paxil, prescribed by my psychiatrist, as I almost always had social anxiety and phobia. I feel more anxious on it, but when I stop taking it, I feel good, but maybe is that because of medication, idk. I just hope that this one will work. I will give it a chance, and I tried Zoloft, which made me just tired."

• Taw...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 17, 2016

"About 33 years ago, I was diagnosed with anxiety/depression. Was put on Paxil, and it was brought to my attention that they actually made me worse... more agitated. As I read these posts, I wonder, 'sure wish it worked for me, like that!!' Need less to say, all these years later, my anxiety is through the roof... HATE groups or crowds of people... I pretty much either go to work or stay in the house on days off. Makes me nervous to be around people I don't know. Call me crazy, it's like a phobia, and I think it's their stupidity! I'm not perfect by ANY means... but my word, people these days!"

• JC6...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 6, 2020

"My life is a little bit more complicated than just anxiety and depression. Paxil is good for depression and anxiety - I suppose, but it doesn't work by itself for me. Twenty years ago, my psychiatrist prescribed Paxil, but I continued to have intense anxiety in social situations as well as paranoia - no hallucinations; just delusional thinking, which I THOUGHT was part of panic disorder. I'm trying Paxil again, but starting at a lower dose due to ED. Currently, I take Lamictal, Klonopin, Paxil, Wellbutrin XL, and Trazodone for sleep. Remember, if you don't get your anxiety under control, it will lead to social anxiety, then agoraphobia, and finally psychosis. Don't play around."

• Rox...
• May 29, 2017

"Got a big rash on my abdomen that got increasingly painful and itchy. An allergic reaction to the medication (I wasn't taking anything else at the time). This was a shame! Because the medication had a substantial effect on my social anxiety. The first few days I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster, but then I started to really enjoy social interaction, I could understand why people talked to other people for fun! Only ended up taking it for a little over a week but wanted to share my experience in case anyone else is experiencing a rash."

• Anonymous
• July 13, 2010

"I was on Paxil CR 25 mg for 5 years and 37.5 mg for about 1 year. My doctor and I decided to wean me off due to feeling that it wasn't working as it used to, and I didn't want to increase the dose. The weaning process went too quickly, and I suffered withdrawal symptoms-brain zaps, brain fog, crying, severe mood swings, just to name a few. I also had a rush of emotions that were hidden from being on it. My family and friends said that when I first started taking it, they noticed that I had been withdrawn, but they thought that I was happy because my anxiety was gone."

• bra...
• July 11, 2009

"My son, then 12, started Paxil for social anxiety after going to a new school. The pediatrician gave us none of the warnings about the drug. He started him on 10 mg/day for 4 weeks and said, 'We know this dose does nothing, but we need to load him. After 4 weeks, fill this prescription for 20 mg/day.' At 2-3 weeks, my son was raising his hand and greeting teachers in the hall. At 4 weeks, he initiated a belligerent locker room incident with a boy who mocked him. After doubling the dose, he was verbally aggressive to us and ran away. When we found him, he was soaked in sweat. He later told a friend he'd 'felt like jumping off something but didn't know what.' His doctor had no idea how to wean him. We found a psychiatrist who did."

• May...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 8, 2021

"I was on 3 SSRIs before Paxil for social anxiety, and this one worked the best. I was a year and a half on it, but unfortunately, I started to shake too much, and I got black spots on my legs like someone punched me. My psychiatrist told me it was from Paxil, and I got hot, burning in some areas, which hurt. I had to quit Paxil, I was on 30 mg. Now I tried to quit, and my anxiety is slowly coming back. I was thinking of trying Zoloft because everyone is saying that it's great. So, yeah, sad, but I hope I will find some drug that will work great for me."

• Mm9...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 1, 2020

"I started taking Paxil after being SSRI free for 8 months. Side effects of citalopram were worrying in the long run. My very good memory was suddenly poor, and when I drank alcohol, I could barely remember the night. So I stopped the Paxil. But I could only live with my mind for 8 months. I had panic attacks at work daily, and it was too much to take. I'm 25, so having social anxiety is a nightmare. Paxil. Initial side effects of Paxil were bad considering I only started on a 5 mg dosage! Ringing in ears. Tingling in my arm. Constant and for weeks! Side effects stopped, and I really did feel better until now. 3 months in. And my hair is falling out in chunks. I'm female. My hair is thick and curly and one of the only things I liked about myself. Liked, because now it is thinner by half. I googled a link between Paxil and hair loss, and although poorly reported, I wasn't the only one that has experienced this. Pills are not a cure. This is not a cure. It's a disease."

• bin...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 14, 2015

"Paxil is good at first, but the 'good' influence will wear out as soon as your body gets used to it. While on it, I felt confident, but only on the surface (the med alleviates the physical aspects of SA). On the inside, however, I'm filled with self-doubt, negative thoughts, jealousy of naturally confident people, etc. It also made me careless, not give a damn about socializing, so I'm less interested in social situations, more isolated, fear people's views of me. Anyways, please do not consider taking it as it's only a temporary fix. I was dumb enough to believe the success stories written here and tried it. I now have trouble quitting because of the nasty withdrawal symptoms."

• ron...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 21, 2019

"Paxil is a terrible medication. It did not help me, I was worse. It took 6 months to get the side effects off, and it's been 1 and 1/2 years, and I still have panic attacks and claustrophobia. They don't last long now. Don't take Paxil or Zoloft, they are both bad meds."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 27, 2012

"I don't think Paxil ever worked for me, and it always made me feel really bad, but I think my social anxiety was a lot better. I feel much better now without Paxil, and I'm on Zeldox and Lamictal, but I'm getting pretty bad anxiety, so I'm trying to find a good medication for anxiety, and especially social anxiety because it makes me feel really bad at university. I was on Paxil, Risperdal, Lamictal, and Zeldox before, and I was always extremely tired. I think I'm less tired now, but I can't remember how tired I was before. I was on Paxil when I was 13, and it also made me feel really bad and didn't do anything for my depression, and it didn't help. I'm 24 now."

• Anonymous
• July 29, 2008

"It changed my life. I had severe social anxiety. I felt better by the 3rd day."

• Min...
• March 22, 2016

"I'm on Paxil one year, eight months. I'm a new lady, really nice and social now. I can go anywhere I want. The world knows I'm a new person. Thanks, Paxil, for giving me my life back."

• SJM...
• November 9, 2014

"It really works! But I gained 14 pounds."

• sja...
• October 20, 2015

"Has changed my entire life. Only side effect is delayed orgasm."

• Anonymous
• December 6, 2010

"I have already made a prior post, but I left out one piece of information: the withdrawal is harsh, but I found that by taking NeoCitran, I felt 100% better and free of the side effects."

• Sti...
• March 27, 2020

"Every medicine is different and it also depends on what else you are taking with this medication."

• Dea...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 17, 2021

"Works quite well, but it will induce fatigue if you have CYP2D6 enzyme problems."

• axe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 27, 2019

"Not for social phobia. Makes anxiety much worse. Nightmare. Couldn't sleep an hour after it."