Have any of you been on or are currently taking the drug Paxil?

Question

I have been on 20 mg of the meds for 6 months, and whenever I go a 24 hr period without it, I can feel a difference in mood . i also have bad dreams . . .

Any of you experience the same?

Answer 1

No, I personally recommend you not to go without your medications purposely, and yes, those mood swings are most likely the side effects from the Paroxetine being transferred through your body's system. No, these bad dreams you're having isn't a side-effect from the perscriptuion drug, it's a normal mental function.

Answer 2

Oh I feel for you!

The psychiatrist answering your question, saying that the bad dreams aren't a side effect of paxil, is clueless. I suggest he read the dosing instructions.

Paxil is a very bad drug. The withdrawal is very difficult for many, and as many as 70% will experience some sort of withdrawal. Paxil causes birth defects and is linked to suicides and homicides. I know many people working to get it removed from society.

There are a lot of unknowns on this drug. Clinical trials only lasted 8 weeks, and guess what? Paxil is only supposed to be taken for about 3 months! I've been on it 12 years, and learned more about paxil and SSRIs than I ever wanted to. Another fun fact: the manufacturers of Paxil lied about it to get it pushed through the FDA, and are finally being called to explain their actions in a legal forum.

Visit the forum below and get educated. Your symptoms are NOT unusual, as you will soon see.

Answer 3

Yes, I was on 40mg for three years. It helps to stabilize your mood so when you go without it the level of medicine in your body drops, so you feel that difference. But, unfortunantly it has a whole host of side-effects. Nightmares being just one of many.
Something else they dont tell you is that dry mouth is the most common side effect of Paxil and it can soon lead to dental problems because there is no saliva to keep your teeth and gums healthy, and no enzymes to break down the plaque buildup. Watch your dental health very closely and if you do have dry-mouth then go to Wal-Mart, and get Biotene toothpaste, and mouthrinse especially made for dry mouth.
I also had very intense nightmares among a host of other side effects including dry mouth, tremors, weight gain, and prolonged time to achieve climax.
Another strange effect that I began to notice was that I could walk outside in the freezing cold snow without a coat and felt fine. When I was inside I kept the air conditioner on so cold everyone would complain about it.
A nurse told me that Paxil triggers the release of endomorphins in your system which warm the body, and also increase your threshold to uncomfortability, and pain.
I recently changed the medication from Paxil over to Celexa and have been on it for three months and back down to normal weight and absolutely no side effects. Celexa works just like Paxil without the complications so it was a good switch for me.
It could be that your nightmares will go away because some side effects tend to diminish over time, but see what the Doc says and I hope this helps, good luck!

Answer 4

paxil effected my dreams. it's also bad for sex drive. I didn't like paxil. but for every anti depressant that i have ever taken that has had any positive affect on me- whenever i skip a day i notice the difference. I mean, well, some is more long-lasting then others. your body builds a dependence on these drugs.

Answer 5

I actually just got off Paxil recently and am now onto Prozac instead BECAUSE of that reason. After 24 hours off of it, I'd feel like I'm getting a slump worse than I had been in order to be taking it in the first place. I'd also become nauseous, snappy, shakey--- I pretty much felt like I was getting sick and with depressive/suicidal traits, it scared me- because I felt like I relied to heavily on Paxil apparently, being it was now directing my moods so sharply...and dangerously.
I talked to my psychiatrist about it, and immediately after hearing that she decided to ween me off of Paxil and put me on Prozac. Prozac, she chose because supposibly it stays in the body longer afterwards, so withdrawl-like symptoms are less likely to be experienced and felt so heavily.
I've been on Prozac for maybe 3 weeks tops, so I cant say really if it's working for me, personally... but if I were you, and the symptoms become truly bad for you or a cause for concern, I'd DEFINATELY talk to my doctor about it, those things are always worth noting. Best of luck with your medication.

Answer 6

Unusual dreams r a side effect. I have taken paxil, but I did not aske it as long as u. I am on lexapro now, and it also gives me strange dreams and if I miss a dose, my mood shows it.

Answer 7

Lots of people have discussed Paxil and nightmares/dreams in internet forums and websites like RXlist.com and MedHelp.org and other forums. You can read some of these forum discussions by looking at these search results from a health forums search engine:
http://dnoneoftheabove.com/?cx=002486926153363561559%3Ayblv8b6jj6c&q=paxil+nightmares+OR+dreams&sa=Search&cof=FORID%3A9
.

Answer 8

My friend's wife takes it. He said he can tell the difference when she takes it and when she does'nt...The bad dreams may not be related to the drug. You could have a sleeping problem as well. Or the dreams may be due to other stress in your life. You may want to talk more to your doctor about all of this.

Answer 9

When I was on Oaxil..I would start to get a negative thought in my mind an dpoof it would go a way.....you are probably having bad dreams when you don't take it..because it relaxes your mind.
If it is prescribed for you to take all of the time, don't miss a dosage....people don't think it makes a difference but it does...talk to your doctor if you don't want to take it....Hop ethis helps you...

Answer 10

when i was on paxil nothing seemed to matter. i wasnt happy, sad, or anything else. i just proceeded with life like a drone. it is not a drug i recommend....