Is Paxil Addictive?

Is Paxil addicting? The pharmaceutical companies say no, but they don't deny the withdrawl factor. Well if you go through withdrawls, doesn't that mean you are addicted? I say, they are full of it and this is my personal account of my seven years of Paxil use and my major withdraw symptoms which have varied each time.

Paxil Cr was prescribed to me for a horrifying panic disorder with depression. My panic was so bad that it was first mis-diagnosed as Bi-polar disorder. My heart constantly skipped beats, beat too fast and I always felt I couldn't breath and that I was really, actually, without a doubt, dying of a brain tumor or weird cancer or heart problem. I never got a break from my symptoms. I never slept for more than 5 minutes tops, would freak out in public and alone. My 5 minute sleeps would be full of graphic, vivid nightmares, that I would awaken from sometimes with great effort, gasping for breath, fighting to breath at all. Right before I looked for help, I had even started to hallucinate! I would want to run all the time but at the same time I wanted to stay and hide. It was truly horrible and of course I was depressed. Who wouldn't be going through that?

With my correct diagnosis I was prescribed Paxil Cr about 20 mgs (I am now up to the max dosage). Pixel Cr saved my life, I have no doubt of that. In a week I was a brand new person. Loving life and so happy. All my symptoms gone! It was no less than a miracle for me. I know that if I hadn't gotten help soon I would not have lived much longer that way. No one could. Panic disorder will effect your health if left untreated with things like weak immunity, high blood pressure (i have that), heart problems and countless other things.

Yes, Paxil is wonderful and I'm sure it has helped many others as it did me and honestly, I couldn't be without it. This article is to inform you of what does happen without it. Paxil has some nasty withdraw symptoms that can land you right back where you started or worse off.

Six months in, I had insurance problems and couldn't afford my Paxil for close to 3 months. It took less than a week to go downhill. All my earlier symptoms came back with a vengeance! But thats not all. I became very depressed, way more than I'd ever been and I constantly cried or screamed.This was more than my Panic disorder returning, my body was screaming for the drug! I could almost hear it. I sincerely thought about suicide. Despite my battles with depression I have never , ever thought of killing myself, I never believed it was possible for me to feel that way , but I did then. I thought of ways to do it, I thought of doing it very soon, even of the suicide letter I would leave.Thank god for my two boys,they are the only thing that stopped me.

Now two years in, I decide to try to wean off the Paxil. Why? Because I felt strong enough to do it and I was afraid of the withdraw symptoms if I had to be without again. So i gave it a try. Slowly weaning off. It wasn't as bad as cold-turkey, but there were symptoms the doctors tell you don't exist. Mainly I remember the "lightning" feeling in my eyes. Like a shot of silent lightning behind my eyes or a "short circuiting" feeling. Very hard to explain but i felt it when i moved my head or eyes a certain way. This strangeness recurred several other times later when i have tried to wean off so I know it is related to the Paxil. Also, heart palpitations a few times a week and they never really stopped until I was back on the Paxil. The doctor told me she never heard of the lightning feeling or any problems coming off the Paxil.? Eventually I had to get back on it because I felt my panic/anxiety returning maybe 8 months later.

So now I'm about 4 years in and feeling it's not working so well anymore. Again they tell me stop the Paxil and start the Prozac. I should have no problems. Well i did. I became extremely violent to the point of having strength that was unlikely for a woman of my size. I would easily anger and become physically violent but black out during most of it. Only hearing from witnesses what I had done. Doing cruel things I never would have done in my right mind, things I would have said I couldn't do. After attacking my husband the day of his dental surgery, busting his stitches and clawing/bruising his body, I immediately stopped the Prozac and started taking the Paxil again, I was fine.

5 years in, depression is getting bad but my anxiety level is OK. They switch me to Effexsor. I stop the Paxil for two weeks and I'm again a changed person. My depression is gone but I am so anxious that i become very angry and confrontational. Not only physically fighting at home but being confrontational with total strangers. When I punched my boyfriend in the face and burnt him with a cigarette, I left to go to Hardees and end up throwing the food through the drive-through window and cursing the lady out. That was my wake-up call and back to the Paxil.

7 years in and the last 2 years have been calm. I am taking the max dose. A few days ago, I had the worst panic attack since the very beginning, 7 years ago. I have had very few, mild panic attacks since starting medication and this has me quite worried. My life will be a whirl-wind if I have to go off the Paxil until I find something else that works and the Paxil is out of my system.

Please be aware of side-effects like these before taking a long-term med,even if they say, "It's not addicting".