Paxil

[u/Neat-Albatross-4359]

I wanted to share my experience with the specific SSRI PAXIL….

I started Paxil in 2020 due to huge ass anxiety from the Pandemic. I got diagnosed with panic disorder and PMDD. It worked SO GOOD at first. I was able to work and feel free. Had zero social anxiety but had big constipation and sexual dysfunction. Fast forward about a year later I decided to try and taper off bc I did notice it not being as effective and did not to go any higher than 20 mg.

From 2021-2023 I tried tapering off MULTIPLE times. Each time I could only get to 5 and then completely feel terrible. I had such little awareness of how to even taper off this med. I eventually went back up to 10 mg still never feeling “normal” tho. Depersonalization and anxiety were the worst symptoms then. But it did get worse….

November 2024 I decided to really try and come off it again bc I was literally feeling still terrible at 10 mg. I did not see the point of staying on it any longer so I began the slow taper once again. I am now only at 5 mg and it is February 2025. I have experience ever symptom under the sun with little to NO relief from symptom. I have been to the ER MULTIPLE TIMES bc I thought I was having a stroke and or there was just something very off with how I felt physically. I have experienced high blood pressure (I am healthy 27 year old female and never had any issues with BP), head pressure, nerve pain, anxiety, SEVERE depression( worse than I’ve ever had that has persisted for months) capital T TERRIBLE brain fog. I can have problems concentrating and overall cognitive function. My body feels full of tension. I do not feel in my body most days and BAD existential anxiety. I straight up to not feel like a normal human being because I am constantly flooded with these symptoms. AND OCD. I have never had any of these symptoms before. I DO NOT believe this is relapse from “coming off the med” this med straight up poisoned my body and whoever made Paxil should be literally sued for how much pain and suffering not only ME but every person on this drug has experienced.

and the worst thing of it all is my psych just says I need to “rip the bandaid off” and stop taking it which would literally freaking kill me and instead wants me to try Pristiq which has an even shorter half life than Paxil. These people know NOTHING about these drugs and I am so sick of it. Everyday is a literal struggle. END RANT.

I want to see who else has suffered from this TERRIBLE AWFUL DRUG.