Paxil questions?

Paxil can cause all of the side effects you noted, but that's no different from any of the SSRI's and it doesn't necessarily mean you will experience them all. The insomnia is temporary for those who get it and just as many people have the opposite effect and find it sedating. Paxil rarely makes people moody, though there a few who have a paradoxical reaction. As far as weight gain, Paxil can actually contribute to an initial weight loss followed by weight gain or difficulty losing weight after long-term use. At any rate, the average weight loss/gain is only 5# and people tend to blame weight gain beyond that on the med when it may be due to other contributing factors. The sexual side effects are much more common and can result in decreased libido or increased difficulty achieving orgasm and they do tend to be dose related. For some people, taking one 4mg periactin (cyproheptadine) several hours prior to anticipated sexual encounters alleviates the side effect. Periactin is an inexpensice antihistamine your doc can prescribe if you notice this. Additionally, many people do not experience any sexual side effects when Paxil (or any SSRI) is taken with Wellbutrin (Bupropion) and since Wellbutrin works on norepinephrine primarily (slight effect on dopamine) they may experience an added anti-depressant effect. Try the Paxil and compare and contrast the benefits versus the side effects, but give it at least 2-4 weeks at the current dosage before you make your assessment. The anti-depressant effects kick in usually in two weeks, anxiolytic effects in 4-6 weeks and most temporary side effects stop by then. If you continue to experience side effects at 4 weeks, they are unlikely to decrease thereafter and you can ask your doc about the alternatives above. I would suggest a trial of Wellbutrin alone, though I am guessing from your interest in Xanax that you are receiving the meds primarily for anxiety versus depression and wellbutrin isn't terribly effective with anxiety.

As far as Xanax goes, it works exceedingly well for anxiety, however it is extremely addictive and not a good choice for chronic or continuous conditions. It can be effective for long-term management of panic disorder provided that it is only taken prn (as needed), but not a good choice for generalized anxiety disorders. In my opinion, the addiction potential is a more serious potential consequence and does not make it a first line choice for any chronic conditions that may be effectively controlled with SSRI's.

Hope that helps-Good Luck!

Please don't look for ways to talk yourself out of the great benefits before you give it a try.

Paxil, like many of its kind takes some time to get into your system, and for you to feel the full benefits.

I started off with cutting the smallest mg in half, and then in 3/4, and finally = one full 10 mg pill.

It has worked wonders for me, and we have not had to increase the dosage.

I cah handle things in a much more positive way, and I can stand up for myself without anger, but inan assertive way.

I can ignore whatd does not affectd me, and - there are justd so many wonderful affecs that I have from Paxil.

Plus - the Big one is -- this is the Only anti-depressant type of medication that I have Ever been able to tolerate !

(Paxil has the least side affects of any )

Give it a try, and see if after a month, you are feeling So much better - but remember to stop looking up all of the negative parts, and to think positive.

Talk to The Lord, and He will help you !! :-)

It's smart to do your research before starting any drug. I have done paxil and it has been surprising.It really helped me but yet there is a backlash to it. Read the website below for more info on paxil.It will cause you to gain weight and the insomnia is so bothersome, among other things.

I am taking wellbutrin and zoloft. I was on celexa but it made my head real fuzzy. Most of the SSRI's cause some weight gain so you have to decide if you want to feel "normal" or drop some lbs. Personally, I'd rather feel normal. Anyway, Wellbutrin can offset some of the weight gain and moodiness caused by Paxil and it also increases your sex drive. Good luck. It takes a while to find the right cocktail.

Paxil can be very effective in treating both depression and anxiety. I suggest that you trust your doctor and address any concerns with him/her. It is likely that your doctor will see how effective the Paxil is before adding anything to the mix. For the most part, doctors will try to treat people with the least amount of medication possible.

I also suggest that you consider seeing a therapist in addition to your doctor, this really helped me in learning to cope with my anxiety and depression.

Don't ever take the sleeping pills route!!

1. They will damage your liver big time and you can get into serious health problems.

2. You will get hooked up on them and you won't be able to have a normal life any more if you don't take your pills everyday.

The sleeping pills industry is damaging our health by capitalizing on our ignorance, and by distracting people from effective and natural ways to deal with this problem. I had been taking prescription sleep medications [Ambien] for over 5 years. It stopped working and I simply took more. Still did not work. Nights were very difficult - medication put me to sleep but I would wake up after 2–3 hours with a strong sympathetic response (fast pulse, pounding heartbeat, wide awake alert). It was a very difficult cycle to break. I was really in bad shape due to lack of sleep.

After years of struggling I was able to cure my insomnia naturally and pretty fast. I followed the Sleep Tracks sleep optimization program, here is their official web -site if you want to take a look: http://www.insomniacure.net/

Ohhh..and Good Luck!

When i was on paxil....i slept fine, my sex life was about the same....paxil mellowed my moods....(i was on it for anxiety attacks and depression) Each person reacts differently....but i didn't really have any of the symptoms you mentioned.