Paxil helps

I’ve been on Paxil for 11 years, and very recently (like this week) me and my psychiatrist decided to switch to Prozac to see if it helps with multiple issues (weight, low energy, generally see if something else will work better).
I have been tapering my Paxil dose since January, I’ve gone from 45mg to 20mg. Paxil is crazy to get off of but I powered through. Now as of 4 days ago, I’ve been on 10mg Paxil and 10mg Prozac.
So far I’ve felt pretty okay (I mean it’s only been 4 days but you know) but I am DIZZY. Like it’s not TOO bad, but it’s annoying. I’ve also noticed some GI issues.
So this evening I decided to get to worrying and work myself up into being afraid that these symptoms will get worse… next week I am supposed to drop Paxil all together and take the 20 mg of Prozac. I’ve had Paxil withdrawals that were really shitty, and I’m scared it’s going to get really bad when I stop it altogether. Being on the Prozac though, that should help shouldn’t it? It won’t be like quitting it cold turkey right?
My psychiatrist also prescribed me propranolol to take as needed, but I’m pretty anxious about new medication. I’ve heard great things about propranolol, but my anxiety brain is just like “hey what if it has the OPPOSITE effect and you GO CRAZY???” 🥲
So yeah… just looking for advice on this switch really, and other people’s experiences who have switched meds. Is it worth it to try the propranolol while I’m in this switching process?

Any advice. I took Paxil for 9 years and klonopin and seroquel. My dick never used to twitch on its own and it’s hard to get hard and stay hard for sex. I have lost some feeling In it but now that it’s back it’s like I’m always thinking about sex and horny and I know these twitches and urges are from being numbed by Paxil for so many years. Any advice on supplements that can help restore penis health and circulation and maybe balance out test has anyone else experienced issues similar to this thanks.

Hey everyone! My GP instructed me to do a direct switch from Paxil 10mg to Trintellix 5mg last week. It was not a good choice for me. My anxiety went through the actual roof for several days. I reinstated my therapeutic dose of Paxil and have noticed small improvements but the anxiety/OCD is pretty bad. In my experience, stopping Paxil was always very difficult with severe withdrawal effects starting after 2-3 weeks. This would always occur even after four month tapers from 20mg down to 0.
My question to anyone who has reinstated Paxil in the past: Do you remember how long before you felt normal? I only stopped the medication for 4 days but the anxiety has been pretty serious now for 5 days. I was hoping that maybe my body would recognize that it’s only been a few days since the last dose and would bounce back quickly. So far, that’s not the case. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

I was on Lexapro for at least 3 years, probably closer to 5. I was on 10 mg. I tapered myself off approximately 2.5mg per 3 to 4 weeks. Once I got to 2.5mg I took it every other day for about 2 weeks. Didn't notice any symptoms. [Very different from Celexa that I was on for 2 yrs and stopped cold turkey due to my doctor not sending my prescription]
One of the reasons I came off the lexapro, and I feel silly for not realizing it as the cause, was trouble swallowing. Idk why I didn't make the connection sooner. I thought maybe I was just eating too fast? But I always needed water when I ate. I had 2 major choking incidents that required intervention and several smaller ones I was able to resolve myself. My partner was convinced I was going to choke to death when I was home alone. It took me just a few months before tapering to figure out that's what was causing it.
Other symptoms that I had been experiencing include emotional blunting, low libido, general numbness. However, it did significantly reduce my depression.
I've been off of it for about 6 months. And, as usual from past experiences, my depression is back. Idk if I even want to try another drug.
I'm curious what other people have tried after lexapro if they found it helped but had unbearable side effects?
Only other one I've used is Paxil and it made me a complete zombie. I couldn't stay awake on it.

Please try to read the post, I’m sorry it’s long but it is worth it if you have taken SSRIs/are currently taking them
So let me start this off by saying I haven’t gotten the SIBO test yet I will be getting it on Tuesday & will update this post. That being said I am 99% sure I have it due to the fact that I developed weird gut issues and a full blown histamine intolerance (I’m talking the works- severe insomnia like I’ll be awake for 48 hourd, crazy rapid heart rate, this terrible feeling of pain & sinking feeling in my stomache, bloating & burping & hot flashes all when I eat high histamine foods & it’s very hard for me to avoid them) and I this all started as a result of quitting my SSRI Paxil.
I started taking Lexapro back in like 2018 (I’ve had multiple attempts of trying to get off them) and the one thing I noticed the first time I weaned off is that my stomache had this uncomfortable sensation during the withdrawal & I developed a low grade chronic hunger, some bloating, fatigue etc. that stayed with me from that point on. i hadn’t dealt with these things before so I would go to my doctor for help (I was 18 & naive) only to be gaslit into thinking that this was just my baseline anxiety coming back (when it was far worse than the baseline I had before starting the meds) and she would convince me to go back on. This process has repeated over the last 6 yrs or so. However, this most recent time after coming off Paxil (this time I’m off for good- it’s been 3 months & I’d rather die than go back on that poison) specifically my gut issues got 1000 x worse then they’ve ever been & I developed this insane histamine intolerance. At first I just assumed it was a horrific AD withdrawal however i ended up pinning down the symptoms to histamine intolerance after doing an elimination diet I am 99% sure it’s SIBO. That’s when I learned that I can basically induce the “panic attacks” I believed where just part of the withdrawal process, by simply eating some very aged food like salami or Parmesan an hour later on the dot my heart begins to race & bloat up & start feeling hot & dizzy. Now not everyone with SIBO develops a Histamine Intolerance but most people with the overgrowth end up with some variation of it, it may be extremely mild like a runny nose or itchy eyes. This is a sign of the extreme damage & dysbiosis that has taken place in the small intestine, as you are no longer producing enough DAO enzyme.
In fact this experience has made me completely rethink the concept of protracted withdrawals from antidepressants that so many people are dealing with sadly months after quitting. I think a lot of it has to deal with the damage they have done to your gut in most cases dysbiosis and SIBO and that’s its manifesting as all the fun things people would associate with SSRI withdrawal like insomnia, anxiety, low libido, etc.
Now I’m very concerned because I’m thinking I’ve probably had it for like 6 yrs without realizing it. My digestive system has never been the same after taking these meds. For some reason Paxil specifically seemed to be the worst. My assumption is this is due to them severly slowing down motility or something.
I’m just so happy that I finally realized this is what’s going on cause I’ve been thinking I was going insane this entire time. If I hadn’t figured this out I would’ve kept listening to the docs who keep saying “It’s rebound anxiety-clearly you need psych meds” and the cycle would’ve just kept repeating.
Sorry for the rant here but bottom line: has anyone had similar results?? Developing SIBO from SSRIs?? If the SSRIs are the root cause in both my own & many other cases does that mean the antibiotics will have a high likelihood of fixing it since the original problem is now removed if the person has weaned off the SSRI??
And an even more disturbing question: how many people here are going through countless SIBO treatments without results but happen to be taking SSRIs??
Please if anyone has experience with this situation I’m dying for help over here along with the many poor people in this sub who have suffered the same fate <3 the whole purpose of this post is to seek help from people who have recovered from SSRI-induced SIBO and how you did that!!
I will continually update the post with my SIBO results as well as my antibiotic journey & keep in mind i am officially 3 months sober from that SSRI so the “root problem” has been removed so let’s see how this goes

Was on welbutrin for symptoms of ADHD and got depressed and had severe anxiety. was only on it for4 weeks and it’s been 3 weeks of HELL since coming off of it. the depression and despair is getting worse so I”ve given in to taking an SSRI. It worked for me 30 years ago and I’m going back if only for a short tme to get back to MYSELF and on track. these feelings cannot persist. I have to do something. I was only on welbutrin and xanax for less than 4 weeks and left with pure HELL. I”m praying the low dose Paxil puts me back on track. I haven’t taken any meds in nearly 30 years but convinced welbutrin and Xanax messed me up. Now I’m desperately seeing LAURIE once again. Anyone experience this

I will make daily updates in here. It's been quite a journey for me. Will post my history prior to effexor below.. So far am on day 3.
Day 1 - 5/13/2024
Took at 10:00
Anxiety was sky high when I took but settled some 45 minutes after taking.
12:00 feeling jittery and kinda spaced out?
14:00 extreme anxiety
17:00 nausea / dry heave
18:00 headache
Stomach rumbling at night which was kinda funny listening too tbh.
Day 2 - 5/14/2024
Took at 10:10
Really bad anxiety after taking.
Felt really weird before noon
At noon stated reading a book called Hope and Hell for your Nerves by Dr. Claire Weeks.
From 12:30 - 13:45 I felt an overwhelming calmness that freaked me out kinda. I felt at peace, really strange.
16:00 nausea when I yawn
Increased jitters and burning chest (anxiety) at night while settling down for bed.
My story and history :
since December I have been suffering with anxiety which has progressively gotten worse to the point where it has made me depressed as well. As of this post I am at an all time low and am in desperate need of relief. If you make it to the end I will explain what I am going through.
I am a male in my late 30s and have had two bouts of anxiety / depression in my life both of which lasted 3 months (2015 and 2020), and were cured with therapy. This time seems different..
I have a very stressful job which requires me to work 7 days a week with the only break being when I take vacation or slow times in the industry. It pays really well and helps me provide my wife and two young kids a good life so I put up with it in the hopes I can manage the stress better in time. I mention the above because I truly believe it has alot to do with the state I am in now.
I have always been caring, outgoing, light natured, and humerous throughout my life and also pretty sensative. I really want to go back to that and hope treatment will help.
I also realize I am my own worst enemy in getting treatment as you will see in the paragraphs below.
When I was a teenager into my early twenties I was carefree and would try most drugs to fit in. Extacy, lsd, mushrooms, pills, etc.. Never touched the extremely hard stuff. Marijuana was my best friend and I smoked a ton of it. Hello panic attack! I remember the first time I got one after smoking Marijuana in my early twenties. It was horrible! I couldn't smoke Marijuana anymore afterwards because it would induce a panic attack. I told myself it was God's sign telling me to stop so I did. I haven't smoke Marijuana since.
Fast forward a few years from then I was introduced to a medical condition called gout. It is very painful and the first time I was treated for it I was given narcotic pain medication and an anti inflammatory. I took both when I got home and it provided relief. Being this was my first experience, I wanted to research gout a little more and I did just that on the internet. Here comes the part where my life changed for the worse..
For some reason, I also asked google if you could overdose on the pain medication I was currently taking. No clue why I wanted to know but as soon as I read you could, I instantly had the worst panic attack I ever experienced.
Ever since that point in my life I have refused to take medication in fear of another panic attack. From that point forward, my mind associated taking medication with panic. For the years afterwards I always had a panic attack when I tried to take anything including something as simple as advil.
Anytime I would be prescribed something I would obsessively research it, watch videos on it, read reviews, etc.. I would psych myself out and not take it.
Fast forward to 2015 when I finally moved out of my parents house. I won't go too much into it but I had my first bout of extreme anxiety and depression from it. It was a big change for me and it took a few months to pull myself out of it with the help of a therapist.
Life was absolutely WONDERFUL after that. I was on my own, found the love of my life, got married in 2018, and was the happiest I had ever been.
2020 was my second episode of anxiety and depression. In a matter of 6 months I lost my grandmother, godmother, my one year old boxer puppy, and my father in law. I also had my first child. Not to mention it was covid time...After everything settled down from the chaos it hit me like a ton of bricks. Bam!..anxiety and depression. It was awful and I knew I needed help. I started therapy and it helped tremendously. It was suggested that I also see a pyschiatrist. I did and he prescribed me prozac to take along with therapy. I was not going to take it. We all know how I am with my phobia of medication.
One day I said screw it and out of nowhere threw it in my mouth and swallowed. I expected the worse. Nothing happened...I continued to take it for 4 days and didn't notice anything bad happening to me. I was happy about that.
The 5th day I had a panic attack because I started to feel really strange. I don't remember exactly how I felt but I remember calling my sister and telling her I feel really weird. She assured me it is normal and to keep on which I did.
The 6th day I took my pill in the AM and all was well. I was tired so I stayed in bed. Out of nowhere I felt a rush of bad bad bad energy take over my body. It is hard to explain. It was like a rush of anxiety but with it was a sense of hopelessness and dread. I had experienced in my first bout back in 2015 but not this severe. I was scared and called my psychiatrist and left a message. I immediately went to my mother's and cried cried cried. The feeling subsided. My psychiatrist called me back very quickly and when I explained what I felt he told me to stop taking it and to take the ativan he prescribed if needed.
I stopped the medication and never took an ativan. I got better over the next couple months through therapy and all was well.
I did have a tiny breakthrough and convinced myself to take a medication to stop my reoccurring gout attacks. It is called allopurinol and is regarded as one of the safest medications out there. It took alot of courage and of coarse I read every review there is on it but I eventually just threw it in my mouth and fell asleep. Have been taking it daily for two years now.
Fast forward to December of last year 2023. The stress from work and medical issues throughout 2023 must have built up and I had a breakdown. I started to get anxiety and small feelings of the hopelessness I mentioned above. December into January into February I dealt with it and kept telling myself it will pass like the other times. It didn't and kept getting worse. I finally sought help from a psychologist in late February / early March. After the first few sessions I would immediately get a high from the previous hours talk. It was fantastic but eventually wore off a few hours later.
The anxiety I was experiencing / am experiencing is absolutely horrible. Non stop jaw clenching, chest pains, tension, blurred vision, lack of good sleep, extremely heightened senses, etc. I am good at telling myself it is anxiety and will go away. I don't freak out over it into full blown panic but I feel like I am always borderline panic while also being exhausted. It's very uncomfortable. I have had multiple health checkups and all is fine.
I decided to call my old psychiatrist because it had been 3 months with minimal relief. I was told he was retiring and he referred me to someone else who I am now seeing.
He prescribed me Paxil and klonopin in marxh and of coarse my phobia stopped me from taking it. We did a gene test to see which medicine would work for me and paxil was a good fit. I just couldn't do it. For the next few weeks I seemed to be getting better by getting out and doing things. I even started fishing again which was a huge passion of mine. Things were looking up!
Anxiety was going from an all day thing to maybe a couple hours type of thing! I was hopeful...
Let me introduce you to my buddy kidney stones...
Middle of April I woke up to EXCRUCIATING pain. I eventually went to the ER that day after hours of suffering and they told me I had 2 kidney stones. They sent me home with the same narcotic pain medication that started my panic attack journey when I was younger and also some other medication. From that Tuesday to Thursday I was in crippling pain and refused the pain medication. It got to a point where I almost blacked out from the pain so I had no choice but to take it. I popped it and finally got some sleep. I think I didn't freak out after taking it because my body was in shock from the pain. I woke up 30 minutes later to the excruciating pain again and said enough was enough. I went back to the ER and they did an emergency surgery and put a Stent in me to stop the pain. It worked and was a huge relief.
After catching up on sleep and recovering, I started to get my anxiety back. The next two weeks while waiting on my second surgery my anxiety, which was on the right path prior to this stone, came back to it's previous 10/10 levels. Jaw clenching, blurred vision, etc..
I toughened it out AND not to mention, completed a full 14 day coarse of a strong antibiotic due to a kidney infection! I was so proud of myself. With my newfound proudness, I called my Pyschiatrist and set up an appointment for the following week after my second surgery to discuss some things.
I had my second surgery last Friday the 3rd and they removed both stones. I went home Friday night with another stent in me which I was told to remove from home on Monday by pulling a string that was hanging out of my penis head (sorry for TMI) which in turn pulls the stent from my kidney down and out through my penis. I did that on Monday and it wasn't bad at all.
The Saturday after my surgery went fine. I'm sure I felt good because I was still coming off anesthesia but boy o boy that Sunday I woke up after sleeping 12 hours to a horrible panic attack. Imagine waking up from a dead sleep to the biggest adrenaline dump you could imagine. It was awful and lasted ALL day! I experienced derealization and every symptom you can think off. I should have taken a klonopin but my phobia told me it would make it worse so I didn't. It settled down into the evening and I was absolutely exhausted.
Monday I woke up to another panic attack but not as severe and Tuesday another panic attach which was even less severe. Wednesday the same and this morning has been the first morning I haven't woken up to an adrenalin dump. With that being said, this whole week has been absolutely horrible with 10/10 anxiety. I rarely get breaks from it. At night it calms down and I feel normal. Because of that, I chase that normal feeling and stay up way too late lol.
Anyway, leading up to my psychiatry appointment today, the last few weeks I have been obsessively looking up the 2 ssris and 1 snri my gene test said I was compatible with. Prozac (go figure), paxil, and effexor. I was also compatible with welbutrin.
Paxil I am terrified of because it is supposedly the dirtiest and worst for weight gain (I am a 240lb male).
Prozac I tried previously and I think I didn't give it enough time. I am not 100% sure that dread / hopeless feeling was suicide ideation but the feeling is in a class of its own compared to my normal anxiety.
Effexor I am scared of because of the withdrawel and alot of YouTube reviewers said it made them feel high and wired for the beginning. The horror stories of coming off it scares me too.
Welbutrin I hear great things about but heard it is bad for anxiety which is my main concern.
My overall fear is that any of these will make me lose control and make me not myself. I am also scared that I don't remember what normal feels like and feeling normal will scare me. Crazy to say that. Ultimately he prescribed me Effexor 37.5 for 2 weeks and then upping it to 75mg. He said to take the klonopin if I need it starting up. I have 15 of them.
I know I need to do something because I can't live like this. My wife, my 4 yr old, and my 2 yr old need their father and husband back. It's not fair to them. I'm tired of staying in bed all day. I'm tired of not caring if I wake up. I'm tired of not being the best employee I can be, I'm tired of not being in contact with my friends anymore, I'm tired of not caring about my hobbies, Im tired of being tired, and most importantly I'm tired of feeling like this.
I will start the effexor and update this thread with my progress.

Hi all, for context I have been on Sertraline for a month now after I relapsed on anxiety and worry after a month off Paroxetine (Paxil) which was a BITCH to come off of.
I initially started medication after my first and only panic attack at work, but it was so insanely severe it left me with agoraphobia (now completely cured) and the anxiety disorder.
Sertraline is AMAZING, but I am also looking forward to actually go back to normal. These meds are not meant long term and I definitely don’t want to be taking them for the rest of my life.
Looking for success stories of people who came off Zoloft and with the help of therapy continue to live on their lives healthily without medication.

Has anyone tapered off of 20mg Paxil, the zaps finally went away, but still feeling hopeless and not able to look forward to any events? After taking Paxil for twenty years, I tapered down to zero in seven weeks with a dictors help. Now I don’t have insurance and the doc visit is a few hundred bucks. Does the seratonin in our brain get back to normal, if so I’m wondering when? Shouldn’t have come off so quickly, the crying spells and isolation are crippling.

Hi all. Previous poster, here with not so great updates. I have severe colonic inertia and have tried essentially all medications in all combinations and my GI specialist is coming to a point where she feels she has maximized the treatment options she feels she can offer me with medication. She wants to refer me to Cleveland Clinic for a consult for a colectomy. I have, of course, heard a lot of negative outcomes from this procedure, so I am anxious. I am looking for anyone who has actually had this surgery who would be willing to share their experiences and what life is like now post-operatively. Also, if anyone knows of any support groups or other platforms where people who have had the procedure share their experiences, that would be helpful. Thank you!
Answers to questions in the guide: 1. I very rarely have the urge to go, but even when I do, it is difficult, and I never have the sensation of having had a complete bowel movement 2. Just constipation 3. I have always struggled with constipation, but it became significantly worse after I suffered from severe anorexia and food restriction in my late teens and early 20s 4. I have been on a plethora of antidepressants over the years, starting with Paxil in my tween years, run the gamut of SSRIs and even Seroquel, and eventually landed on Effexor, which I remain on currently 5. No

Tldr: Been suffering immensely for the past 6 months, mentally tortured from everything, tried Lexapro and it helped but now on day 17 Zoloft 50mg. Mainly for AGORAPHOBIA/panic disorder, GAD.
I'm 25 years old and have been battling panic/anxiety/depersonalization/agoraphobia for the past 8 years. 6 months ago, my med combo stopped working (Cymbalta). I quickly fell back into my baseline state. Panic/agoraphobia/constant anxiety.
I continued to take Cymbalta for 2 months, but it was not helping. I was already then a mental fucking wreck and fully agoraphobic. I managed to get a psych to do a video call consultation with me, and he prescribed me Effexor. I took it for 3 weeks and it did not help at all, I was even more miserable.
At that point, I was practicaly mentally dead, so I had to go to the psych hospital. This was my 2nd time. The first time they gave me Cymbalta and after ONLY 40 days, I was fully back on my feet, no more agoraphobia, no more anxiety, fully functional.
I expected the same results this time, but boy was I wrong.
I get in the back of my parents car and lie down, after taking 1mg of Clonazepam to survive the ride to the hospital. It was brutal, I was a dead man back then.
I get in there, I tell my doc everything and she asks me "Lexapro or Zoloft"? And I fucking chose Lexapro. Lexapro helped, not going to lie, I took it for 6 weeks, I tried 10mg, I tried 20mg. 20mg was too much, but 10mg was not enough. My agoraphobia lifted, but NO WHERE near where I want to be. No where near functional.
I had been there for 70 days in the hospital, where I went through so much shit from the staff and the fucking horrible people there, desperately looking for answers on Lexapro studies, asking other doctors opinions, hoping everything will be okay because, in my case "Once the meds start working, my agoraphobia is gone. I can just walk, I can just live." And that really was/is the case for me.
So I ask my doctor to switch me to Zoloft. She tapered of Lexapro and started me on 25mg Zoloft in the span of 3 days. After that we went up to 50mg, which I have been on now for 17 days.
I'm currently out of the hospital. I seriously don't even know how I managed to get through this alive.
I know this post is long, but I am seriously, and I mean seriously, mentally wrecked. I can't even evaluate the effect of Zoloft. I mean honest to heart, its working, but its not working "EVERYWHERE" (agoraphobia wise).
I am traumatized from my panic disorder. Traumatized. I spent 6 months suffering, and I really mean that in the full meaning of the word, SUFFERING, and now feeling totally lost and confused.
As for Zoloft, I can say it does help. I have my ups and downs, I know its still early, but my doctor told me I can expect results faster since I have been on Lexapro for 8 weeks and my serotonin levels are pretty much full.
Agoraphobia wise, I am still agoraphobic. Not housebound, but very very very limited. Scared to have a panic attack because I just CAN'T have 1 anymore, I can't. I literally can't.
Please, please tell me it will get better. I know Zoloft is helping me already, but I still feel anxiety throughout the day and agoraphobia, and anxiety as I am writing this. I took a genetic test, Zoloft is good for me apparently.
What can I expect? We tried upping to 75mg for 1 day and I just couldn't handle it.
Paxil CURED my anxiety, Cymbalta CURED my anxiety, there was no need for therapy since I was MENTALLY NORMAL.
Will Zoloft do the same? Or am I just fucking traumatized from my panic disorder at this point and really need therapy.

Hello everyone this is my first time posting on Reddit so please forgive me if I make some errors or anything.
I’ve been on Paxil for a year now, steadily increasing the dosage up to 40mg. I haven’t felt any type of improvement lately and if anything I’ve gone down hill faster as my dosage was increased. Recently having many more bad days than okay days. My psychiatrist suggested I try Effexor HCL 75mg instead. I’ll also be starting Abilify.
I’m currently taking Prazosin 3mg at night for ptsd related nightmares Buspar 20mg at night for anxiety Tenex 1mg at night for adhd
I went into my appointment knowing that the Paxil just wasn’t working. I couldn’t get out from under myself. I also voiced that the Prazosin wasn’t working for me either. I’m still having nightmares and sometimes i’m aware that I’m dreaming, I just can’t wake up. My psychiatrist increased the prazosin from 3mg to 5mg. My anxiety has been so bad lately that I can’t leave my house unless it’s related to my child and then I can do whatever just fine. The Buspar was increased from 20mg to 30mg a night. I’ve been incredibly irritable, quick to snap, total loss of patience and a general loss of interest in everything. I feel nothing but rage or sadness. My psychiatrist said that I had to stop taking Paxil because it cannot be used in combination with Effexor. He also said that he is prescribing the abilify mainly to help with my irritability. I asked him if maybe I have a mood disorder but he seemed sure that I’m just used to the Paxil and exhibiting typical symptoms of PTSD and adhd.
My questions are:
what should I expect from coming off of Paxil? -Physically and/or mentally will there be side effects from switching medications?
what should I expect from starting Effexor?
what should I expect from starting Abilify?
Edit: 28F
I’ve tried Wellbutrin for ppd/ppa and that was not great. I was the hulk. Lexapro briefly but switched to Paxil because of jaw clenching. I’ve had no side effects from Paxil.

Hello everyone this is my first time posting on Reddit so please forgive me if I make some errors or anything.
I’ve been on Paxil for a year now, steadily increasing the dosage up to 40mg. I haven’t felt any type of improvement lately and if anything I’ve gone down hill faster as my dosage was increased. Recently having many more bad days than okay days. My psychiatrist suggested I try Effexor HCL 75mg instead. I’ll also be starting Abilify.
I’m currently taking Prazosin 3mg at night for ptsd related nightmares Buspar 20mg at night for anxiety Tenex 1mg at night for adhd
I went into my appointment knowing that the Paxil just wasn’t working. I couldn’t get out from under myself. I also voiced that the Prazosin wasn’t working for me either. I’m still having nightmares and sometimes i’m aware that I’m dreaming, I just can’t wake up. My psychiatrist increased the prazosin from 3mg to 5mg. My anxiety has been so bad lately that I can’t leave my house unless it’s related to my child and then I can do whatever just fine. The Buspar was increased from 20mg to 30mg a night. I’ve been incredibly irritable, quick to snap, total loss of patience and a general loss of interest in everything. I feel nothing but rage or sadness. My psychiatrist said that I had to stop taking Paxil because it cannot be used in combination with Effexor. He also said that he is prescribing the abilify mainly to help with my irritability. I asked him if maybe I have a mood disorder but he seemed sure that I’m just used to the Paxil and exhibiting typical symptoms of PTSD and adhd.
My questions are:
what should I expect from coming off of Paxil? -Physically and/or mentally will there be side effects from switching medications?
what should I expect from starting Effexor?
what should I expect from starting Abilify?
Edit: 28F
I’ve tried Wellbutrin for ppd/ppa and that was not great. I was the hulk. Lexapro briefly but switched to Paxil because of jaw clenching. I’ve had no side effects from Paxil.

Hello everyone this is my first time posting on Reddit so please forgive me if I make some errors or anything.
I’ve been on Paxil for a year now, steadily increasing the dosage up to 40mg. I haven’t felt any type of improvement lately and if anything I’ve gone down hill faster as my dosage was increased. Recently having many more bad days than okay days. My psychiatrist suggested I try Effexor HCL 75mg instead. I’ll also be starting Abilify.
I’m currently taking Prazosin 3mg at night for ptsd related nightmares Buspar 20mg at night for anxiety Tenex 1mg at night for adhd
I went into my appointment knowing that the Paxil just wasn’t working. I couldn’t get out from under myself. I also voiced that the Prazosin wasn’t working for me either. I’m still having nightmares and sometimes i’m aware that I’m dreaming, I just can’t wake up. My psychiatrist increased the prazosin from 3mg to 5mg. My anxiety has been so bad lately that I can’t leave my house unless it’s related to my child and then I can do whatever just fine. The Buspar was increased from 20mg to 30mg a night. I’ve been incredibly irritable, quick to snap, total loss of patience and a general loss of interest in everything. I feel nothing but rage or sadness. My psychiatrist said that I had to stop taking Paxil because it cannot be used in combination with Effexor. He also said that he is prescribing the abilify mainly to help with my irritability. I asked him if maybe I have a mood disorder but he seemed sure that I’m just used to the Paxil and exhibiting typical symptoms of PTSD and adhd.
My questions are:
what should I expect from coming off of Paxil? -Physically and/or mentally will there be side effects from switching medications?
what should I expect from starting Effexor?
what should I expect from starting Abilify?
Edit: 28F
I’ve tried Wellbutrin for ppd/ppa and that was not great. I was the hulk. Lexapro briefly but switched to Paxil because of jaw clenching. I’ve had no side effects from Paxil.

In January 2024 I tapered off of Paxil after 8 years of being on 20mg 1x daily.
It took 6 weeks to taper off with instructions from the dr on how to do it. I had dizzy spell, snapping at others , brain zaps and anxiousness.
I had my last does at the end of February. In March I started to get a sore throat, with tonsil stones. Then it turned in to stripes on the back of my throat and then the next day there were blisters and a bleeding. After the blisters I got the weird white spot on my throat that I swore moved from one spot to another( I know It sounds strange but I was gradually moving back into my throat. I went to the dr, had a strep, covid and mono test. All came back negative. The dr's of course said It must be a viral infection and needs to run its course! I call bs.
In April, I started to get indigestion and loss of appetite. Then one morning I woke up with throwing up, I couldn't keep anything down. I had the chills and sweating. I couldn't get out of bed because of strength and no motivation. I lost 6lbs in 4 days. I was severally dehydrated. I was also have loose stool every day Then the sever anxiousness started where It felt like my heart was beating out of my chest and like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I was scared that I was on the verge of a heart attack and thoughts of "what if I died today" . I was not feeling like myself like, I had not motivation to even take care of my house, no motivation to cook or even eat. I had to force myself to eat because I knew I needed to. But the moment the food was in my mouth I just wanted to spit it out.
My sleep routine had been disturbed . I use to be able to sleep through the night without waking up. 8:30pm to 6:30am. Now I am waking up at 2am for no reason. And then at 5:30am with the birds start singing it wakes me up. This has never happened before. I usually can sleep through anything. But the birds seem to annoy me now.
I use to enjoy coffee and a soda regularly and that has even changed where I don't even want to drink it. But I am so tired!
I am in the 2nd week of may. I started taking Turmeric for the indigestion when It occurs. I have also started drinking Chamomile, lemon balm and valerian root before bed. This has seem to help with the anxiousness and that heaviness I feel on my chest. I also have a cup of just lemon balm right after work or when I am feeling anxious.
But I still have no motivation to do things. It seems like it takes all of my strength to get up and do something. Even going to work seems like a chore. I have always enjoyed my work!
I have read on here that others have experienced some of these same symptoms even the sore throat and the flu like symptoms. I just wanted to share what I have experienced with others. Because I really thought that I was going crazy feeling the way that I was feeling. But knowing that others have also experienced some of these things too has helped me feel like I am not alone.
I have been trying to stay positive and hoping with time things will get better! One day at a time!

quick TW suicidal topics
hi guys, ive been struggling with depression ever since i was 8. its a long story, but ill try to explain it as concisely as possible. it started when my best and only friend canceled plans, lied and said she didnt feel good constantly just for me to find out she was hanging out with another person. i confronted her about it, and she straight up just told me i was annoying and didnt want to hang around me as much. i was severely depressed from this since i had no other friends and was alone all the time. at the age of 10, i had tried overdosing on my mom's entire newly refilled prescription bottle of xanax. this led me to go into cardiac arrest soon after i arrived at the ER (my mom walked in when i seized up and was foaming at the mouth). they used the defibrillator and i came back. no goddamn idea how i survived. the percentage of survival for cardiac arrest is already extremely low, and i wouldve been more susceptible to death due to my young age.
i was sent to an inpatient psychiatric facility and they misdiagnosed me with bipolar while putting me on lithium. had constant panic attacks+even more suicidal ideation than before. they took me off, and started me on lexapro. ive tried all of the SSRIs since then, (im newly 18 now) and none have helped except for paxil which killed my sex drive in conjunction with extreme weight gain. i already had bulimia, so my binging and purging episodes were more frequent because of the increased appetite side effect but i still gained 40 lbs. istg paxil is an antidepressant from hell, dont try it unless its a last resort. the company who makes it also has multiple lawsuits against them available to view on google.
anyways, since then ive been to 7 other inpatient psychiatric facilities for 2 other suicide attempts and the others for self harming, so 8 psych wards in total followed by 2 residential treatment centers. im diagnosed professionally with depression, anxiety, ocd, adhd, autism, bulimia, and bpd as of now (ik, im a total mess 😭). i think the depression and anxiety stems from the bpd mainly, but even after significantly working on/improving my bpd symptoms to the point i seldom have an episode, i still feel this weird underlying negative emotion every single day constantly. the weird thing is, i cant explain it. its not sadness, anger, frustration, etc. its just an extremely unpleasant borderline unbearable feeling that is always there. i think it started around 13 years old ish?? and like i said, im 18 years old now. it just wont go away.
i cant tell if ive just fucked up my neurotransmitters permanently from taking psych meds at such an early age or if theres an underlying reason behind it that i just cant figure out. its weird, i have a decent life now. good family, some friends, a tutoring job, and just got accepted to an ivy league college on a full ride for academics and debate. but i still dont feel normal or content. when i was 8-16 years old, i had a reason to be depressed. but now, i cant figure out why i feel so shitty all the time. i almost wish i had a reason so id know the root cause and be able to work through it. but when you dont know why you feel so horrible, it cant be fixed.
have any of you guys felt the same way? and if so, have you found a method that has helped even if just a little bit? or if you guys have any thoughts on why i might be feeling this way? please lmk :) tysm!!

Tapering 15mg of Paxil and started 10mg of Celexa. Woke up covered in sweat from head to toe but I wasn't hot. Is this a combination of the two causing this or just the Celexa? Need help please.

Lebanese Caucasian Female 23 5'5 187 pounds Diagnosed : Bipolar , Borderline personality disorder, ocd , ptsd Symptoms: Heartburn, constipation Background: Been on psych meds since I was 16 but coming off them , tried laxatives but didn't help, has trauma, used to wet the bed until I was in my late teens Medication : 10 mg paxil but tapering off with physical guidance , prilosec
I can't go number 2 on my own. I have to go up inside myself and pull it out. Sometimes there is blood and I feel bumps. I just told my doctor I was constipated but the laxatives didn't help at all
When I don't help myself go number 2 , I get severely constipated that it hurts. I had to go to urgent care twice in the past and they took an x ray or image and I was full of number 2.
I'm so embarrassed about this. This all started when I started taking Psychiatric medicine when I was 16. I'm now coming off of all psych meds with my doctors guidance.

Hi! Now that I’ve got your attention… I’m not suggesting that Lexapro is treatment for SCT. However, I’m wondering if antidepressants could be helpful for those with SCT.
Hear me out. After a recent devastating loss (my SCT highly contributing to this loss), I’ve been in bed for 2 months recovering from burnout and severe depression. I’ve worked for the past 10 years nonstop but I hit a breaking point. Honestly, I’ve had depression and anxiety since I was 9 years old but I didn’t realize it until this point…
I tried Paxil in high school, I felt “nothing”. However, I told my psychiatrist all my symptoms (even if I felt some were minor) and he prescribed me Lexapro.
It’s only been a few days but 🤔. I actually started playing a game on my phone. This is a big deal to me, I haven’t played a game since I was in middle school. I’m not saying I’m great. It’s an easy game. However, I’m on Level 23. I usually can’t get past the first few levels of any game. I can play the game and focus but my focus is not exhausting me.
I feel like my concentration is much improved. I usually have to read something 2-4 times to grasp it. It’s almost like my brain is not letting me scan in reading like I usually do.
I’m not suggesting that antidepressants are a cure for SCT. However, I’m just writing this post because maybe someone could find it helpful.
I’m going to continue treating my depression and anxiety and I’ll let you know how it goes. Apparently, trouble concentrating is a symptom of GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder). Although I’ve suffered with anxiety every day since I was 9, I never truly realized it. I thought it was normal.
I almost feel like antidepressants are “waking up” my “sleepy” brain.

Hello. I am 27 female 5ft 10 about 200lbs ans have recently lost alot of weight. I've been having this issue for years 5 body just cannot tolerate moving around or doing normal things. It seems to be also coorilated to my stress and anxiety issues. Recently I stopped taking my paxil and sure enough it's back to the point that I'm bed ridden.
I have diagnosed EDS, suspected POTS and my endocrinologist also suspected maybe some minor adrenal insufficiency issues. But my blood pressure is usually high or normal.
Sometimes, I pass out or get pretty damn close from this issue almost daily, racing thoughts, racing heart, impending doom feelings, trouble breathing, and gastro issues. Cold air and food help it tremendously. So far, after about a decade, I have no answers or solutions to this.
Any help, thoughts or opinions?

Just need help coping. Thanks
I've had mild gerd for years and severe anxiety forceven longer. Im also overweight and borderlin diabetic Lately, like the past month or so, I've develop worse Gerd and with that my anxiety has gone haywire. It started with me feeling lightheaded suddening one day, leading to anxiety and fear of health problems. Symptoms many of you have as well, i.e. pressure in stomach/diaphragm area, heartburn, etc.. which lead to pure anxiety symptom like racing heartbeat, or rather the feeling of it, tendion headaches, etc. I go to 2 doctors (urgent care and the myGP) and both say my blood pressure is a bit high, but both say my heart sound fine and everything. My Gp perscribed Linosopril and also added busiprone for my anxierty on top if the paxil i already take. She also gave me omeprezole for the GERD.
Ive been taking the meds for about 2 weeks and have been ok except i feel lightheaded and some stomach problems about 1 hour after I eat. This tends to make me panic abd inthen start associating it all to something worse than GERD. I know its part anxiety because if im distracted, i dont feel as bad, other than stomach/diaphragm discomfort.
Im just so stressed and I know that makes it all worse.

I was prescribed 10mg Lexapro, and first time I took it before bed and woke up the next morning feeling cold, shaking, hysterically crying, headache and very tense. I decided then and there that that was not how I wanted to feel going forward with that. I told my doctor I was not going to take it. Fast forward two months and I see a different doctor now because I’m at a point where I’m not eating because food is beyond undesirable to me and I am having panic attacks.. I’ve lost 11 lbs in 3 months. This doctor said that 10mg Paxil would be perfect, and that I wouldn’t have to worry about side effects when I start it and that I could just stop taking it without any repercussions if I decided it wasn’t helping. Quick google search states that Paxil does the exact opposite and is likely to cause the worst symptoms and be hardest to get off of. Any idea why this doctor would have told me those things? I’m too scared to even try it at this point and I am feeling at a loss… how I feel is impacting my marriage, how involved I am as a parent, and I am starting to feel hopeless. I just started seeing a therapist and have my first psychiatrist appointment in a week.