PAXIL Reviews (PAROXETINE HYDROCHLORIDE)

Average Rating: 2.9 (1018 Ratings)

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 ANTIDEPRESSANTS

 Type: Rx Drug

  

PAXIL  (PAROXETINE HYDROCHLORIDE):  Paroxetine is used to treat depression, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. It works by helping to restore the balance of a certain natural substance (serotonin) in the brain. Paroxetine is known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). This medication may improve your mood, sleep, appetite, and energy level and may help restore your interest in daily living. It may decrease fear, anxiety, unwanted thoughts, and the number of panic attacks. It may also reduce the urge to perform repeated tasks (compulsions such as hand-washing, counting, and checking) that interfere with daily living.   FDA Approval Date: 1992-12-29 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

Results are sorted by Age oldest to youngest.

Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR PAXILCOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 5  social anxiety & depression I took paxil for little over a year. It completely eased all my social anxiety and depression. I experienced difficulty getting an erection and achieving orgasm. I also felt very sleepy and wasn't able to keep up with a college night course I was taking. I had to go cold turkey in order to finish my academic requirements for my teaching credential and had no major withdrawal symptoms. M 47 13 months
2/2/2008
 5  Depression Severe nauseaus, dry mouth, just wanted to die @ 1st.Extremely tired, dehydration,dizzy then the sweating started and I remembered the last time I started them after the sweating begines, the side effects seem to subside when the sweating begins, yesterday was the 1st day I could get outta bed and the more I move and sweat the be%er I feel. Atleast Im not crying and not thinking doom and gloom, I feel better you gotta stick with it, F 47 3 weeks
40MG
7/23/2015
 5  suicidal thoughts, depression Initially a lack of libido but it came back. This drug saved my life. After decades of living in the hell of extreme depression, feelings of worthlessness, lack of any hope whatsoever, suicidal thoughts, etc., my doctor put me on this. Life is good! Depression runs in my family and I lost a dear one to suicide last year. It would have been me if Paxil weren't around. F 47 15 years
11/3/2009
 4  Stress-related anxiety None to speak of... NOW. (My earlier post is a few down, which mentions EXTREME EXHAUSTION; 47-yr-old female). I began to wonder if anyone ever reported BACK after posting on this blog to update how things had progressed, or deteriorated, whichever the case. So, since I personally was desperate to find out what to expect, "should I continue this", "when is this going to help", and any other number of questions and anxieties about this treatment, I thought I would report back. I'll give it to you totally straight - the first 2.5 weeks, I truly, truly felt like I was going to die. I didn't WANT to die... no suicidal tendencies or anything like that, but I just felt so freakin' HORRIBLE that this treatment just didn't seem WORTH ALL THIS ~ horrible nausea, debilitating fatigue and sluggishness, my skin was burnng, sweating, muscle aches and very "flu-ish" like symptoms. BY the end of 2 weeks, I really began to try to remember what feeling "okay" felt like. The 13th day, I had to call in sick and take a long weekend, and for 3 days, I just laid there. Not sleeping, reading, nothing. Just laid there feeling achy, nauseaus, completely sluggish (as if I was carrying a 50 lb. sack of wet sand everywhere), pee'd every 10 minutes, and couldn't even must the energy to wash some underwear. The dishes in my sink were attracting FLIES! Luckily, I at least mustered enough to feed my dogs. But that was IT! How I managed to get to work and back, I will NEVER know, but the question was beginning to be asked "what is she on" and I had to confe F 47 26 days
6/2/2009
Email
 4  Panic Tiredness. Loss of libido M 47 6 years
15
7/14/2014
 4  PTST severe clinical depression Initially decreased appetite, then steady weight gain even with caloric reduction to leveled off at 25lb gain still have to watch diet. Night sweats, labido intact but cannot achieve orgasm as before, very blunted. Frankly, paxil saved my life. I had been trying St. Johns Wort, Meditation, Vitamin B therapy, Hypnosis, ect. I was just coming apart, I was sucicidal and desperate I had not slept more than 2 hours at a time for over 7 months, I was desperate to end the emotional pain. I had a very negative opinion regarding the overuse of anti-depressants as a panacea. (eg; Prozac Nation) But a severe sudden injury triggered latent PTSD and life was a waking nightmare, Stephen King could not have done better. First prescribed Zoloft and this made me very angry and in a constant state of agitation. There is no perfect drug, each of us has a delicate chemistry with our brains... no two exactly the same. Extreme caution with ANY anti depressant, but used as a tool of last resort can be very beneficial. I started with very low dose and am maintained on 20 mg in addition to very low dose of amitriptyline 10mg. It did take weeks on Ambien to get my sleep patterns back to quasi-normal, but in the last year have not needed any sleep medication. Taking Paxil at bedtime did help with the fatique. This is the F 47 2 years
8/21/2004
 4  anxiety depression weight gain. I am far more irresponsible in terms of getting necessary things done, at work and at home. It saved my sanity in the early stages of divorce. But two years later, I am going to try to switch off of it to a medication that does not produce such apathy in me. I just realized recently that my lowered job performance exactly correlates with my Paxil prescription. But stopping PAXIL is HARD. F 47 2 years
4/13/2004
 4  Anxiety, Rage, Irratablility wonkie head when I try to cut back, diarriah several times through the day if I take a whole one everyday, instead of 1/2 one day 1 the next. Forgetfulness if I have a drink or two....duh...feeling and slow. Very very bad feeling whenever I've tried to quit. Might be addictive??? Desperate Lows that I didn't really have before I started taking the meds. I expect to be on it always. M 47 4 days
12/23/2005
 4  IBS No sex drive unable to orgasm. I was put on this medication for IBS which was wrecking my life. The Paroxetine stopped the diarrhea bouts that would hit me 20 mins after a meal, or for no reason. I didn't want to go anywhere. And had to know where every bathroom was in all of the stores and other places. I am glad to have my life back. And to be able to eat when out with friends and family without the worry. F 47 11 days
40 mg 1X day
8/5/2012
 3  anxiety jaw clentching,body tension,30 lb. weight gain, extreme sleppinees during the day, no motivation, some twitches... I have been increasing my dosage very slowly...I will say it helped my anxiety, however I will not stay on a drug with this kind of weight gain even while staying active & proper diet, I'm tired of feeling my body all tensed up, yawning and so tired I feel like I have to lie down at that EXACT moment! I'll slowly take myself off and try something else with my doctors help. F 47 8 months
6/18/2006
 3  Stress-related Anxiety/Depression EXTREME fatigue - I can't wait to rush home and lie down! I was a bit nauseas the 2nd and 3rd day, but today I still have no appetite. I had trouble sleeping before, so I'm not sure if Paxil is affecting that or if that's perimenopause. ? Ditto for sweating - could be pre-existing perimenopause symptoms, so I don't know that Paxil is responsible for that, either. No overwhelming cravings. I've never had a brain "zap" that I know of, although I do remember one night, I bolted upright in bed because I had the sensation my brain had just switched OFF for a second. And yet, I was aware of it. Hard to describe, but very frightening. But just the once, and truly nothing else. I'd taken Paxil previously for about 4-6 months very successfully (I was having shouting matches with neighbors, fighting with EVERYONE and I didn't know why), but just quit one day. I don't even remember why, actually. I had no withdrawal symptoms at all that I recall. However, when NOT on Paxil, I have rage issues, anxiety, argumentative, and am currently trying to juggle a number of already-stressful issues. I asked to be prescribed this again, but only for a limited time period. I was also given Xanax for sleep, if necessary. Reading thru these posts, the satisfaction level seems to go way up AFTER 6 months or longer! I wonder how significant that might be. I'd prefer to not stay on this longer than 6 mos. My sister is bipolar and swears by Paxil; she said she was lethargic for 2 weeks, but then woke up one morning feeling great. I should have a similar experience, if genetics plays any part. Good luck to all! Please email me if you have any advice or suggestions for the fatigue. I can't afford to get laid off! F 47 5 days
5/14/2009
Email
 3  social anxiety, depression, panic a Sleepy, no sex drive, emotionless. Cannot seem to get off of it, I have tried many times, end up getting sick. Has helped with the panic and anxiety though, which I had dealt with all of my life. Started taking it after experiencing a terrible tragedy, then noticed that it helped in other ways. Having done it again, I think that I would have asked for something less addicting. M 47 11 days
2/20/2008
 3  Anxiety Increased appetite, poor judgement. I tapered off of a low dosage for over 10 months (very gradual). The withdrawal symptoms were a "zap" feeling on my lips. This withdrawal symptom lasted until about 4 months after I'd taken my last paxil. (Amazing!) My thinking was sharper after being off but my anxiety returned so I turned to Zoloft. It's amazing for me. No side effects but reduced appetite. I'm lucid and normal on zoloft. I still have justfied anxiety in extreme situations (a family hospitalized, financial, loss of job risk). I feel very lucky to have this med. Srsly!@ F 47 8 months
3/8/2009
 2  Fear of becoming bipolar. Had to sign a release at my psychiatrists because I suddenly had severe bruising--without injury to the bruised areas. She said if I'm bruising outside, I'm brusing inside too. It was a very rare side effect. I was eventually changed to Paxil CR about 3 years ago. Over 6 months ago, I developed TTP--a very rare blood disease--that involves platelets dropping, bruising, blood spots on skin. F 47 3 years
11/17/2004
 2  Fear of becoming bipolar. Had to sign a release at my psychiatrists because I suddenly had severe bruising--without injury to the bruised areas. She said if I'm bruising outside, I'm brusing inside too. It was a very rare side effect. I was eventually changed to Paxil CR about 3 years ago. Over 6 months ago, I developed TTP--a very rare blood disease--that involves platelets dropping, bruising, blood spots on skin. F 47 3 years
11/17/2004
 1  insomnia / slight depression Hands shook uncontrollably. Didn't work for me. F 47 14 days
5/19/2004
 1  Anxiety Had some electric jolts down my legs, leg cramps in the beginning(subsided), and some mouth sores (went away). Sleepy all the time. Tried to get off after slow tapering but WD was difficult so went back. Reinstatement did not work. Lots of leg muscle aches, cramps, pain. Like my nervous system was on overdrive. Try to drop this garbage for good. M 47 8 years
10 1X day
3/16/2012
Email
 1  migraine prevention total inability to orgasm, tachycardia, flat effect overall with occasional episodes of panic. Perhaps due to the short duration, there were no withdrawal symptoms. Heart rate and rhythm resolved and full normal range of emotions returned within a short time of stopping the medication. F 47 2 weeks
11/18/2007
 1  Anxiety Turned into a zombie. Extremely sleepy during the day, can't fall asleep at night. Tried getting off it and experienced immense anger at everything. Short blackouts and "electric shocks" with accompanying flashes of light. Hot flushes (I'm male). Shaking, increased perspiration. Works wonders for anxiety. Hell to get off this thing. M 47 18 months
8/2/2007
 1  Depression I never had a sweating problem until this medication. In -20 weather I would be tearing off coat, sweater while sweating uncontrollably! It's been at least 14 years and I still have this problem today! When I tried to stop this medication it was the most painful experience. I was on it for a month and it took just over 2-3 months to wean myself off of it! Painfully! This medication should be banned from production! The side effects do more harm than the drug itself!! F 47 3 months
10 1X day
7/18/2014

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