Anyone have experience with Paxil?

DavisSR · 07-09-2003, 10:49 AM

Dr. is changing me to Paxil. I was on Wellbutrin SR and since my fetal loss and hysterectomy, I've been going down hill. I didn't realize how bad I was doing until I came back to work.

If you have experience, please let me know.

Sheri

jencarney · 07-10-2003, 02:06 AM

believe it or not Paxil helped a lot with my depression by reducing my anxiety after I was diagnosed. It does work. One thing that you should definitely do with it though is make sure that you have a well-balanced diet. I wasn't very careful in the first months and found myself going through episodes that seemed like they were manic-depressive swings.

After I got into a normal diet and started to really keep track of my feelings in a diary, I began to feel better. Medication shouldn't be your only avenue when dealing with depression. Using a journal to record your feelings and the times when you feel at your lowest point will help also. In the past few weeks I have not only been writing in my journal about my feelings but I have also begun putting it inot a novel form so that it may someday be published to help others in our situation and I have never felt this open about such a personal subject before. Just make sure your doctor doesn't keep you on Paxil for more than a year at a time because it can become addictive. But no matter what, assert your own feelings to your doctor regarding your treatment and your general feelings of depression, it will help him/her to alter your treatment as necessary.

DavisSR · 07-10-2003, 10:33 AM

Thanks Jen, I certainly appreciate your advice. I have been writing in a journal since I lost my baby and a hysterectomy. I would say that one of my darkest times was this past weekend. I haven't gone back and read my feelings, but I know it was a very bad time for me.

Sheri

KatrinaAnne · 07-10-2003, 10:41 PM

~*Sheri*~

I am really sorry Sheri that you are going through this hard time. I hope soon you will begin to heal and I hope that your pain will eventually become a lot less strong. I wanted to respond to your post about paxil. I have been on paxil for a year now and I am very greatful for it. I had severe anxiety and mild depression. When I first got on the paxil I did not think that is was helping and I became frustrated and even more depressed. But I decided to stick with it and try a higher dose....Thank God I did. I am know on a suitable dose...I am on 40 mg and it is really helping! I hope the paxil helps you like it helped me. Take care Sheri and keep on hanging on. We are here for you!

*Hugs*
Katrina

leisurelylady · 07-11-2003, 06:41 PM

PLEASE PLEASE reconsider the Paxil. I just went off Paxil COLD TURKEY 9 days ago and it has been H***L.

Please refer to my post of today under Medications-Metformin.
My gyno put me on 30mg Paxil one year ago and I have gained 32lbs, have flat lined with emotions and have NO sex drive. After returning to the endo last week and discovering my PCOS (first diagnosed in 1999) was OUT OF CONTROL he stated that his average patient gains 30lbs on Paxil. He is an author of a Hormone/PCOS book and seems to know what he is talking about. He put me back on met, spiro, yasmin and said wean off the Paxil. However, I was so sick from the rest of the meds, that I decided to just get it over with, rather than weaning off Paxil 5mg-10mg at a time, week by week. Even with weaning, the side effects will be severe, but not as intense as cold turkey.

The cold turkey withdrawal has been one of the toughest things I have ever had to experience physically, and I have been through LOTS and LOTS. Many people describe Paxil withdrawals akin to Heroin withdrawal. There are CLASS ACTION lawsuits being organized for Paxil sufferers.

PLEASE PLEASE RECONSIDER PAXIL USAGE!!!

Tigger2Cute · 07-17-2003, 03:21 PM

Last year I started having panic attacks. They continued for months with me hoping they would just go away and I finally had enough and went to the Dr. He put me on Paxil. I took it for a week and I had headaches every day and had another panic attack. so I called my dr and he switched me to Lexapro. It has done wonderful for me. No more panic attacks and I'm much more relaxed and easy going and a much happier person, though I wasn't even suffering from depression. I've heard that Paxil has bad side affects. If possible you should try switching to Lexapro. I have had no side affects at all from this medicine. I'm truly sorry for the pain that you've been going through. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must be. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

JulieM · 08-06-2003, 01:58 AM

Just wanted to add my two cents:
I've been on Paxil for 2 1/2 years, and for 1 year prior to that (stopped for ~9 mo, but decided to go back).
My results: Paxil has been a life saver. I don't think I could have made it through college and graduate school without it my panic attacks got so bad. I _never_ used to sleep through the night and would be up till 2-3 AM and get up at 6 for school. I was very athletic and should have passed out from exhaustion, but I would be up worry about anything and everything! Since being on Paxil, I have only had 2 or 3 times that I haven't been able to sleep b/c of worrying. I still get an occasional panic attack when I'm really stressed, but definately not an everyday thing anymore. I have my LIFE back.

A NOTE: Do NOT, under any circumstance, Stop COLD TURKEY! The side effects are horrible (as others have said) and NO doctor would recommend that it be stopped like that. And, work up to a high dose, don't expect your body to tolerate a high dose...start low, and if you think more will help in about a month, go up ~15 Miligrams. I have taken a lot of Neurology and Neuropharmacology classes in college and graduate school to understand all of this, and this type of medication isn't like others. You can't just stop and start without having problems.
My expierience: OK, one time I ran out while in school (out of state from my Dr.s) and had my mom mail me my prescription, although they had a fit about refilling it w/o meeting with me. I stopped for about a week and was SOOOO sick. I felt motion-sick all of the time, sweaty, and had so many panic attacks. BUT, I've also had expierience stopping slowly, and had few (if any) problems....but it did take a long time.

Hope I could help. I've taken Paxil for so long, I feel like an expert. I have only taken 20 mg.....a huge dose isn't needed as long as you are consistant....at least for me.

Good Luck!

Julie

DavisSR · 08-06-2003, 10:29 AM

Thank you for your positive experience Julie. I'm now on 30 mg. I take 20 in the morning and 10 in the afternoon. Yesterday I had a down day because of certain circumstances, but I didn't slip in the black hole of nothingness. I'm going to start counseling soon so hopefully it will help with the bad days.

Sheri

Reese77 · 08-06-2003, 11:56 AM

I took paxil for about 6-7 months a few years ago. It did help with the mood swings and anxiety..butif I ran out...watch out! The withdrawal symtpms were horrible. I also gained 30 lbs in the space of 6 months or so. My eating/exercise habits did not change at all during that time. I'm still trying to lose that weight, by the way.

Now I'm on Zoloft and that is working out much better for me.