[Christina86]

So YAY! I convinced my pdoc that I needed different meds after going cold turkey (his advice) off of 20mg of Lexapro.

So I'm starting at 5mg (for a few days, up to 10mg until I see him in 2 weeks) ... I talked to my pharmacist, read the stuff that DocJohn has here, and read people's recommendations and ratings...

But how do you find the drug to be? He said it was also a sedative so I could take it and might sleep better (sooner) ...

Typical side effects or positive/negative things about the drug?

[embarassed]

Paxil doesn't have a sedative effect on me. It hasn't really helped with my depression. I still hate myself and feel worthless. Also ,when I first started taking it it actually made me more depressed for about two weeks. I've heard that it can be addictive and it's hard to quit because it has a short half life. I would be very cautious about taking it. Good luck.

[annabelle3]

It made me feel a little better, but it made me gain weight

[Christina86]

Boo. Well, had my first dose last night... I had pins and needles. EVERYWHERE. Also nausea and dizziness... and I did eventually go to sleep, but I shouldnt have been fighting the tiredness so I could have gone to bed earlier.

[Christina86]

So I decided something. Tomorrow night I will go to 10mg. I was supposed to do 4-5 days, but he said it was up to me. If the side effects are manageable and I'm not performing brain surgery, I should be able to cope more, and then will know sooner if the meds actually work well for me. Make sense? Hope so.

[Jully]

I didn't tolerate this drug very well, but everyone is different. It caused horrible insomnia for me, as well as extreme irritability (of course, that could have been due, at least in part, to the lack of sleep.)

[Christina86]

Anyone experienced being "out like a light" on this drug?

... I take it at night, and I had taken it last night (as in Sunday night) ... gone to sleep for a nap tonight (Monday night) without taking Monday's dosage...

And I still feel I fell asleep really quickly.

... I dont know... something about this drug doesnt sit well with me. I'm going to phone my shrink tomorrow and see if I can talk to him.

[trippinmickey]

It made me dumb. My mind just didnt work right plus coming off of Paxil is bad very very bad If there was a problem getting my pills or if I for got to take them the withdraw is as bad as some street drugs.

[obsids]

Just browsing some of the comments here. Wanted to make a few clarifications about Paxil.

Paxil is an SSRI med used primarily for depression. That means it will take many weeks to reach its full effectiveness. Meanwhile, there may be some or many side effects. It is not a sedative, nor is it an addictive drug.

However, one should not simply stop taking it. SSRIs alter the way the neurotransmitters work, so you will have to taper off of it, just like any SSRI. Your brain needs time to change the way it works... just like it takes several weeks to reach full effectiveness, it takes time to reverse that process.