paxil success story

I have been on Paxil 20mg for the last 5 years. I have always been sure to keep up on any news pertaining to the drug, some of which has been very disturbing. However, for me, this has been a lifesaver. My panic attacks ceased within days of starting the script. I was able to drive a car for the first time in a dozen years, I was able to find a job. The only side effects I've had are weight gain, about 40 lbs., and an intensely increased sex drive. Though I can't say I'm pleased with the weight gain, the other side effect has been most pleasant. When I look back to what my life was before taking this, it seems like a nightmare. I went from being a panic stricken, homebound, dependent person to someone I can feel proud to be. I can't say that it has altered my moods, I still cry, I still get depressed, but to me that is as it should be. However, now I am more capable of handling those things that do bother me. My physician told me that my brain chemicals were disrupted by a bout of spinal meningitis when I was a teenager and since that's when the panic attacks started, I believe him. He has also told me that in time my body may adjust the levels back to how they are supposed to be and I can try to discontinue taking the medication to see if I can live "normally", without panic attacks, etc. I realize this medication has been truly harmful to many people, with horrid side effects, and also that the withdrawal process can be a nightmare. Some day, I guess I'll find that out on my own. For now, I guess I just wanted to say that this does work for some people, myself as one of them.

[FWM]

Hello Ace and welcome to the board.

It is so confusing and hard to understand how a drug can have so many different effects on people. I have started Paxil to try to alleviate the anxiety that prolonge and daily use of Benzodiazepine had given me without too many success.

I will try to make my story short...hummm...

I was started on a Benzo because of abdominal pains and sleep problems. Since I was going through stressful life events, my doctor concluded that my problems were caused by anxiety. I took Benzos and it did not do anything for either my abdominal pain, digestive problems nor sleeping problems. However, after a while, I started feeling a lot more anxious. I needed to take 3-4 benzo per day in order to relieve the anxiety.

On top of my existing problems, I also started to experience dizziness, tiredness, short memory problems and agoraphobia for the first time in my life. All of this made me feel quite depress which lead my doctor to start prescribing me anti-depressant medications.

I was started on Zoloft. Did not feel any difference for 3 months. The dr upped my dosage from 100 mg a day to 200 mg a day of Zoloft. After 2-3 weeks of constant diarrea, flu like symptoms and weight loss, I ended up in the ER. The ER doctor did not relate my problems to the Zoloft.

I saw a new doctor which had me stop the Bromazepam (benzo) and Zoloft I was taking to replace it with Trazodone (Desyrel) and Librium (a different kind of Benzo). I almost immediately felt great and that lasted for about 3 months. Then, my original problems came back plus a constant dizziness and foggy feeling in my head.

I then started the anti-depressant trial circle, Effexor, Manerix (IMAO), could not stand the side effects and was not doing me any good. Stopped those after a few months. Was then taking only a benzo and was feeling anxiety as never before in my file along with depression.

I was then prescribed Paxil. I was so messed-up physically and emotionally that I have decided to give it a try. My dr. and psychologist were so caring that just that, helped me felt better along with the support of my family. I started Paxil 10 mg and after 1 month, I had the first and worst panic attack of my life. I ended up in the ER again. I did not even know that it was a panic attack. I though it was a heart attack or a cardio vascular accident. Note that I did not have any side effects at Paxil 10 mg.

After that panic attack, the psychiatrist I saw in the ER upped my dosage to 20 mg to be re-evaluated in 3-4 weeks. I have started feeling EXTREME anxiety and agitation plus suicidal thoughts for the first time in my life. Thanks to my family and my 2 kids if I did not do it. This has lasted for about 1 month. My dr. upped my dosage again to 30 mg since I was still a nervous wreck, could not go out in public and feeling suicidal.

Finally, after 3-4 weeks on the 30 mg, I started to feel more calm, thanks to the addition of Klonopin (Rivotril), another benzo. I could then go out of the house, as long as I was taking my Klonopin.

After that, I just felt lazy, spacey, no more ambitions, wanted to sleep all the time, no energy and extremely tired. If I could, I would take back my original abdominal pain and sleeping problems. They were NOTHING to what I was going through and what was laying ahead of me.

Anyway, I will stop here. I would have LOVED my story to end up like yours and I am very happy for you that Paxil worked without any major side effects other than the weight gain.

I have also seen other people (and know of) that were helped by Paxil (or other AD) as far as anxiety and panic attacks are concerned. However, most if not all of them also need to take benzodiazepine along with Paxil for it to work. I wonder if Paxil alone can really alleviate anxiety and panic attacks and if it can do it without putting someone into a constant state of tiredness, lazyness, sleepiness and emotionless.

You say it did in your case and I am happy for you.

In my case, I have to say that Paxil (along with benzos) did more harm than good. Now, I must try to get rid of those drugs, without too much damage.

Thanks for sharing your story and I am sorry but I felt like I had to give my side of the Paxil story. I find it so amazing how Paxil can save someone life while ruining the one of another.

[genevieve]

Hi!
I am happy to see that you have no problem with the paxil. It was the case for me for 5 years... I took paxil because of panic attacks and agoraphobia. I did not want to go to school at that time because I was too afraid. I took paxil and I had my life back. For 5 years I took it, and everytime i tried to stop, I was feeling so bad that my doctor told me that "I needed to be on it for the moment". those 5 years where great for me : I worked, I went to school (only A+), I was taking the metro, bus, I had good friends, I was going out, did some trips, had a wonderful relation with my boyfriend. I lived the "normal" life of a 18 to 23 years old. I was like everyone else except that I was taking a little pink pill each night (20 mg of paxil). I did not take a benzo like francois. paxil was enough to make me feel good. I had some side effects : the fatigue and the fact that I could feel less emotions (that meant for me also no inspiration to write...) but I though that I "needed" paxil so I was not asking to much questions...
In 2002 I tried for the 4th time to stop paxil and it was the WORSE experience of my life. I lost appetite and for 2-3 days I could not eat without forcing myself... I started the paxil and in hours I was feeling good again. I did some research, found about the withdrawal... I decided I did not want to be on this drug anymore. Since july 2003 (my last paxil), it has been a roller coaster of emotions, physical pain and different feelings.

Be careful with what your doctor tells you... the panic attacks you had after the meningitis where not necessarly biological... maybe you just had a big stress at that time and this is what triggered the attacks.
And remember that even for those for which paxil was working well, when we stop it, all the old demons come back and we have to face the withdrawal + the old problems... and it is hard!!!

[FWM]

Geneviève,

If I would have been feeling great or very good while on Paxil, I am not sure I would have stopped it (especially if I had been feeling so bad before Paxil).

Sometimes I just do not understand why would someone want to stop taking a medication if it truly help them ?

I know that you are afraid of long term effects, that you do not want to take medications for the rest of your life and other reasons.

I wished Paxil would have helped me. When I say helped me I mean brings me more benefits than problems. That the cure would not be worst than the problems for which I was treated. I would probably still be taking it. Unfortunately it was not my case

[Dream]

aceprices,

Welcome to the board and thank you for sharing your story!!! We have very few visitors who have a good time with Paxil, but it's good to be reminded from time to time that there are some who do.

Hugs,
Andi

[zimm]

Hi - I guess I am another success story about Paxil. Five years ago I was going through a stressful time and kept having bladder infections. Finally my doc sent me to a Urologist. He told me there was nothing wrong with my bladder and to go back to my original doctor and get something for stress. Enter the Paxil. I researched it on the internet and was afraid to take it. Knowing there was nothing wrong with me helped I guess, because I struggled along and got slowly better. About six months later another stressful thing happened and the bladder symptoms came back immediately, so I started the Paxil. It helped me with no side effects (except weight gain and sweating). I complained to my dr about both and twice tried something else (zoloft and lexapro). Both times the panic attacts and bladder problems came back so I thought it was my original problems coming back and went back to Paxil. I didn't know then that it was withdrawal. I finally got sick and tired of gaining weight and sweating all the time so I started weaning off in February. I made it for a couple months and couldn't stand it so I started taking 10 mgs. (half my original dose) daily again. That's where I am now and waiting to get to see my doctor.

Thanks for reading my story.

Rosemary

I guess I should have added that although my metabolism has slowed, I have began to lose weight with a better diet and exercise (8 lbs in the last two months). Also, on a rather odd note, Genevieve noted that she lost the ambition to write on paxil. I've always written and that has not changed since taking the medication. In fact, I've had more success, including getting a column in our local paper because I had the guts to walk in and talk directly to the editor. And believe me, I bet my husband, kids and friends wish it had slowed me down, or changed my moods, but I'm still as hyperactive and moody as always. My doctor did tell me of all the side effects that could occur, but in balancing out my quality of life, I chose to want to live life instead of being in my own private prison. Many doctors had "diagnosed" me before, none as being a depressed person, most just offered valium or zoloft, which I turned down. Paxil was the first medication that seemed to do exactly what my body was not doing on it's own.
And I feel sorry for all of you who it didn't work for, who still suffer though all the things that I once did. I wouldn't want to ever go back to where I was. My life has been a constant downhill slide, but I've always been a fighter, always refused to just lay down and take what life handed me. Which was why it was so hard for me to not be able to do the simplest thing like drive my kids to school.
No, I don't like having to down that pill every night, I wish my body would get back to how it once was, before the meningitis. And in the fall I will start cutting back my dosage, seeing if it has "retrained" itself, the way the doctor said it sometimes will. All I can say is that after over a decade of darkness, it sure is nice to walk in the light.

[genevieve]

Originally Posted by FWM

Geneviève,

If I would have been feeling great or very good while on Paxil, I am not sure I would have stopped it (especially if I had been feeling so bad before Paxil).

Well, in fact, all was not well. I began to have nausea on my 4th attemp to stop paxil and the nausea did not resign when I took it back so I was nauseus very often... it only stopped... 6 months paxil free!
The benefits of the pill where bigger than the side effects but still, I wanted to be paxil free because:
-long term effect? nobody knows...
-I feel like I have 100 others ways to treat my problems than paxil
-I dont think I needed a pill in the first place...
-I wanted to feel more, I had this idea that I was not myself on paxil
-Nobody could explain me what my problem was and what that pill was doing to me... this was to much mystery for a cartesian mind...
-I had done therapy and I had made progress in the 5 years I was on paxil. And each day I am progressing more!!!!

[Scott]

id say with me paxil did its job.. helped me get off xanax.. but there came a time when i couldnt stand being 70 pounds overweight.

[safarigal]

Paxil was great when I needed it.

I was under lots of stress and suffering panic while driving, depression, etc etc.

Well a few years later, 30 lbs heavier, with no sex drive, no emotions and other complaints I decided I no longer needed Paxil in my life. The source of my stress was gone so why take Paxil.

Its scary to think that the longest long term research done on Paxil was for 6 months.

For many of us Paxil is a nightmare to discontinue.

[emily]

Paxil worked incredibly well for me, too, quelling the anxiety I'd essentially sufffered every day since childhood. I never had the dreaded sexual side effects, never felt in any way emotionally dulled, or like I lost myself. I DID gain 30 pounds, though. Still, Paxil was an absolute blessing, & though the anxiety came back after I went off (which is why I'm on 10mg Lexapro now) I'll always be grateful for the ways it helped me.