Anybody here on/tried Paxil?

all74 · Aug 10, 2017, 08:22 PM

So, I have a psychiatrist appointment this weekend. I need to get on a different medication. I'm on Luvox right now but my OCD is getting worse and I'm getting panic attacks for the first time in years. I've been tried on just about everything except Paxil and am wondering what other people's experiences with it have been. Any info is helpful.

Thanks.

Maven · Aug 10, 2017, 11:39 PM

I'm back on it now, at a low dose. It worked very well on my OCD when I was on it before. I wanted to try to function off all meds, is why I went off of (among others).

all74 · Aug 11, 2017, 12:36 AM

Thanks. Did you have any bad side effects? I'm worried about weight gain

JustJenny · Aug 11, 2017, 03:01 AM

Hi there,

I was on Paxil during my burnout to help me deal with anxiety and depression. It did help me with my symptoms, but it also made me very numb. I was on 20mg and I stayed on it for about 3 months. I decided to stop it because of the scary withdrawal stories and because the side effects were pretty bad. Some time later I was put on Lexapro (another SSRI), I liked it better in terms of side effect.

Back to Paxil, my long term side effects that I found most unpleasant:

Weight gain. Not sure if it was just Paxil alone or in combination with ice cream diet. I gained about 10 kilos. With my short statue it made me look pretty fat. The weight did not come off after I stopped taking it. Two years later I lost only half of what I have gained.

Fluid retention. I found this one very annoying, I couldn't wear rings on my fingers. This disappeared shortly after I stopped taking Paxil.

General apathy and complete lost of libido. Didn't care much about anything.

The "fun" side effects were occasional hallucinations (floating walls and such) and vivid dreams. The dreams were absolutely ridiculous, I kind of liked them.

All in all, if I had to take an SSRI again, I would go for something other than Paxil. But everyone is different, so it's really hard to suggest anything.

Maven · Aug 11, 2017, 02:36 PM

I have struggled with weight gain since I was 10. Same age I went on meds. Never realized that until now. I assumed it was puberty and the way I was raised to eat. Probably both. One helped the other. I can't say if Paxil itself caused weight gain, because I was already gaining and on other meds as well.

Maven · Aug 11, 2017, 02:37 PM

Also, experience (not just past tense) a lot of what Jenny described.

JustJenny · Aug 11, 2017, 11:42 PM

Forgot to mention insomnia. That one was pretty bad, I would fall asleep normally and then wake up 2-3 hours later. In contrast, I slept well on Lexapro. Somebody I know was taking Paxil at the same time, his side effects we're similar. Despite the weight gain, our appetites were deceased.

all74 · Aug 12, 2017, 04:08 PM

Well. I suggested Paxil and my pdoc vetoed it

He's afraid I wouldn't tolerate it well. He wants me to try something like Ambilify which I am not a fan of that option. So we are at a bit of a stalemate for the next 3 weeks until I see him again.

Thanks for the replies all the same

fuzzyowleyez · Aug 12, 2017, 04:12 PM

Hi there. I was on Paul for about a year and like it. I personally didnt have any negative side effects.

fuzzyowleyez · Aug 12, 2017, 04:14 PM

*paxil not Paul lol ****ing auto correct

*Laurie* · Aug 12, 2017, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by all74

Well. I suggested Paxil and my pdoc vetoed it

He's afraid I wouldn't tolerate it well. He wants me to try something like Ambilify which I am not a fan of that option. So we are at a bit of a stalemate for the next 3 weeks until I see him again.

Thanks for the replies all the same

Why are you opposed to Abilify?

Rosan7534 · Aug 12, 2017, 09:27 PM

I've been in it a couple of months and no bad side effects so far

Maven · Aug 12, 2017, 10:41 PM

Actually, I remembered the weird side effect I had. I would wake up suddenly, sometimes crying out, calling for my dad (long gone), or making some kind of sound. Then, there were other times I'd suddenly awake, feel just like I pooped, but nothing was there (thank goodness). It felt so real! And it all stopped after I got off Paxil. Now that I'm back on it, I haven't had that so far.

all74 · Aug 13, 2017, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Laurie*

Why are you opposed to Abilify?

Because in grad school we learned about the tardive dyskinesia that older AP's caused and that while the newer AP's are less likely to cause it "less likely" does not equal "doesn't happen." I've got enough mental quirks already - worrying about ending up with a permanent movement disorder doesn't need to be in the mix.

That said, if he refuses to switch me off of Luvox and my current state of anxiety keeps up I may give in. My skin has felt electrified all day and my OCD is not doing well. Lots of hand washing and wet wipes

all74 · Aug 13, 2017, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustJenny

Hi there,

I was on Paxil during my burnout to help me deal with anxiety and depression. It did help me with my symptoms, but it also made me very numb. I was on 20mg and I stayed on it for about 3 months. I decided to stop it because of the scary withdrawal stories and because the side effects were pretty bad. Some time later I was put on Lexapro (another SSRI), I liked it better in terms of side effect.

Back to Paxil, my long term side effects that I found most unpleasant:

Weight gain. Not sure if it was just Paxil alone or in combination with ice cream diet. I gained about 10 kilos. With my short statue it made me look pretty fat. The weight did not come off after I stopped taking it. Two years later I lost only half of what I have gained.

Fluid retention. I found this one very annoying, I couldn't wear rings on my fingers. This disappeared shortly after I stopped taking Paxil.

General apathy and complete lost of libido. Didn't care much about anything.

The "fun" side effects were occasional hallucinations (floating walls and such) and vivid dreams. The dreams were absolutely ridiculous, I kind of liked them.

All in all, if I had to take an SSRI again, I would go for something other than Paxil. But everyone is different, so it's really hard to suggest anything.

Ouch! It sounds like this was terrible for you

all74 · Aug 13, 2017, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maven

Also, experience (not just past tense) a lot of what Jenny described.

I'm sorry to hear that

Given that I've been sensitive to med side effects before I guess I can understand my PDoc's hesitation to try me on Paxil. Maybe I should take one of those genetic tests that suggest which meds you'd respond best to.