Paxil Warning!

Lucy · 08-11-2002, 04:24 PM

Just wanted to let everyone know, what my doctor did not tell me.

Paxil IS ADDICTIVE. I found this out when I was out of town and ran out of it. I went two days without it and found out what a junkie feels like when they are going through withdrawls. I was nausiated, light headed, sweaty, shaking, could not stand up without stumbling. It was the worst thing I had ever been through.

It took me almost three months to wheen myself off of them. the DR. was no help she just said "Oh well you must be one of the 1 in a 1000 that becomes addicted. Well just stop taking them and you'll feel okay in a while or I can call you in another presciption."

Oh My God!!! I started slow by taking one every other day or cut them in half, and gradually increased my days between taking them until I did not get sick without them.

I now know what triggers my panic attacks or the overwhelming anxiety I feel. So I remove myself from the situation until I feel in control and return. If I can't do that Deep breathing has helped.

I hope my story helps just one of you out there.

Bibi · 08-11-2002, 06:07 PM

Yep, this happened to me to also...forgot my pills and YOWZA!!! sweating, nausea, dizzy, light headed it was horrible...my doc said the same thing to me until I did a little research and found out that withdrawal se's are very very common and can be severe if you do not wean off of them. I had to cut my dosage in half until I reached 5 mgs and thank goodness I was ok. But if you stop abruptly get ready for the shakes, dizziness, nausea and many other things. There is a whole website dedicated to those who are weaning off of paxi so be careful if you decide to get off of it. Bibi

Lucy · 08-11-2002, 08:40 PM

I forgot to mention until now, most mind altering medications ie for deppression, anxiety or chemical imbalances, Most have the withdrawl effect. Be Careful.

KlassicalKat · 08-12-2002, 12:05 AM

Another thing to consider about Paxil is the long term effects. My sister is addicted to it and has taken it for over 10 years. This is much too long. While it has definitely helped her anxiety and depression, it is causiing her head to shake slightly, like a Parkinson's tremor. A cyster on this board posted a link to a medical article that confirmed that this is a danger of long term effects. I don't mean to scare you, but you may look into this and consider Paxil as a temporary solution, but not for the long term. And yes, when you do decide to quit taking it, be sure to wean off it slowly, under a doctor's care.

Kathryn

Kate721 · 08-17-2002, 04:17 AM

I Hate Paxil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've taken Zoloft, Prozac and Paxil all at different times
in my life.
Zoloft is fine, Prozac is better but Paxil is the insanity drug
probably devised by some evil scientist.
It made me nuts and did absolutely every thing to send
my anxiety shooting through the roof not to mention
my BP.
Oh, and don't let me forget the BRAIN EXPLOSIONS and
flashing lights and nausea and loss of memory and aches and pains...................and I wasn't EVEN going through withdrawl THEN
Yep, Then there was the withdrawl period.
Well, lets not even get into that because there's simply not enough space or time.
Suffice it to say that I wouldn't be one bit surprised to see Paxil pulled from the market sometime down the road.
However, Prozac, Zoloft? I think they are good medicine for those who need that kind of brain connecting.
I was given a combo of Elavil and Zoloft(first) to help deal
with my post hysterectomy surgically induced menopause even though I was left with one ovary.
For me personally, that combo has worked amazing wonders.
I have not had a migraine headache in 2 1/2 months.
I no longer need the controled substance I was being given for my migraines.
My allergies are next to nill. I was a daily pseudaphed and any
OTC that worked daily habit user. Now, nuthin! except for an occasional Benedryl and some asprin when a heavy storm rolls in.
I suffered with chronic pain for 20 years and poof, my ovary and uterus come out and I'm given Elavil and Zoloft to handle the pain and the menopause and the moods and POOF my chronic pain is gone. I suffered bowel complications from the hysterectomy
which are still touchy and iffy and troublesome but what the heck.
I would have lost the use of my colon any way if the endo and adhesions had continued to grow, so the current belly issues are a small price compared to how much better I really feel.
At least now it's just my gut and my remaining ovary that acts up.
Not my pelvis and my head and my acne and my urinary problems and my constipation and my lower back and that horrible shooting pain down the leg and the leg cramps and the shooting stabbing pains in my uterus and chronically itchy skin and who knows what else.
Eventually I asked to be shifted from Zoloft to Prozac because I read reports on using SSRI's and Elavil to treat Neurological pain (which I had after the original surgery) and it looked like Prozac did a better job in the pain department.
AND also in it's favor it has now gone generic.
Much more economical than Zoloft even at pharmecy insurance prices.
So in my opinion for my particular body, Prozac handles pain much better than Zoloft (which I thought was doing a pretty good job)
So that's my 2 cents.
For the long run? oh who knows. I'm not thinking that far ahead right now.
This is the first time i have been this pain free in 20 years and I don't care about my future on these medications because at least on the SSRI/tricyclic antidepressant therapy I am not having to run to the ER all the time to get hooked up to a bag of Demerol and Phenegrin.
When I weigh my balance, Prozac and Elavil seem to be the lesser of the evils for me at this point in time.
Here's to sanity and a reasonably pain free life.
Kate

~Sandra · 08-23-2002, 09:25 PM

Just wanted to agree….that’s the major problem with SSRI’s.
I tried zoloft and paxil and both made me really sick so I switched to effexor. I was on that for about 6months and tried to slowly wean myself off of it. It was hell! I had brain shocks and horrible shaking and sweating and literally lost 3 weeks of my life. I can’t remember it but my husband said it was horrible. I eventually switched to buspar and absolutely loved it. It’s a non habit forming, non-SSRI that is mainly used for GAD patients. It is amazing…I would recommend it to anyone. I’m even med free now!

AliciaMG · 08-24-2002, 03:12 AM

I was on Prozac a few times in my life. I never noticed any problems when I stopped taking them. I would be on it for 6 months and then I would be depression free for a few years.

AliciaMG

terilynn112 · 08-24-2002, 03:41 AM

For me paxil has been a lifesaver twice. I stopped taking them (at a 40 mg dose) abruptly when I found out I was pregnant with my son. I was almost 5 weeks when I found out. He's fine. I was fine, NO Problem. I didn't wean and I didn't have any problems. I'm on it short term presently following a miscarriage, and again I will stop abruptly when I don't need it. I again won't have a problem. Not to put anyone down, but could be possibly you have what is considered an addictive personality, which basically means your body becomes addicted to medications much easier than others. This would mean you're not a good candidate for long term treatment with many medications. Not a terrible thing. I however have not (not that I'm better than anyone else, just lucky) haven't got the addictive personality. Which is good since for years, I've had a chronic pain syndrome which feels like I'm walking on RED hot coals and have them inside my bones. I take morphine pills for the pain, and have often just stopped them to take a break from my meds, and without any symptoms of withdrawl.

None of this was said to put anyone down, it was only said to say..... If you're depressed and you need it, take it! If it's a choice of pills and being terribly depressed I'd much rather take pills. When I'm terribly depressed I can't see the light, but I can see I need help. For me it's a temporary thing, this time the loss of a ten week pregnancy. I've been on them now 3 weeks and expect to be on them into the fall. It doesn't take away the pain of the loss of my baby, but makes life bearable, and me a less angry person. I was angry at the world, angry at my family, my son (whom I adore and love with all of me), God, people around me, and myself. Feeling like somehow I'd failed my baby. Within a matter of two or three days of starting paxil, I could talk about my baby without sobbing, within a week without even crying. I feel stronger every day. So it's a you need to weigh the risks and the benefits. Without paxil for me, I didn't wanna go on, with it I can see my son needs me, and I need to go on, and even want to go on.

Good luck to you all

terilynn112 · 08-24-2002, 05:21 PM

I've gotten them since I was ten. I am 31 now, and have only been on the paxil for 3 weeks! SO I find it hard to believe I could have a side effect for 21 yrs before I start a medicatioN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!