Cookies4U replied: "Paxil Side Effects - please read I am not a big fan of the FDA. Bloggers lets band together and let the truth out about Paxil. Please link to this Paxil side effects page using "Paxil side effects" in the link so we can get this message out. Here is an alarming email about Paxil side effects that I was given today. I started Paxil about 8 weeks ago. After 1 week I started to experience headaches and zapping. Not knowing that it was Paxil, could cause this situation I went to my medical Dr. and he took blood test, UA, and had a Ct Scan/contrast. Everything came back normal. I decided on 10/7/03 to take myself off Paxil, thinking that nothing could be worse than what I was going through. Well I was wrong; I started going through withdrawal and that is pure hell. I not only still have the headaches and zapping but I am now feeling anxiety, irritable, fatigue, tremors, vertigo, nausea and numerous other symptoms of withdrawal. The nightmares are terrible and so are the hot flashes that I also experienced while taking the medication. I am furious and discussed that my Psychiatrist put me on such a drug that is so addicting and causing so many problems. I am an Alcohol/Drug counselor and had never been addicted to any Alcohol or drugs before in my life. To seek out help for a stressful time in my life and to be put on such a dangerous drug such as Paxil. It appears that I am damned if I stay on it and damned if I go off has me feeling outrageous and angry, not only at the company that put this drug out but also for my Dr. not to tell me the effects or that I would have withdrawal symptoms if I came off. Well I am coming off and I will not be weaned off like so many others it will be cold turkey for me. To me to say that you need to be weaned off is no different than giving someone methadone to get them off heroin. Using one drug to offset another or taking less of a drug at a slower pace, one will never be off and only keep going back to help deter the effects of withdrawal. 4 days now for me and I will fight and get back my sanity. It is now day eight since I took myself off Paxil. I still have the headaches but they are finally easing up. The zapping is getting worse and the whoosh noise is still there. I have been experiencing the following withdrawal symptoms along with the above. Vertigo, tremors so bad I was beating up myself, nightmares when I finally do fall asleep, irritable, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, lack of concentration, fearful, anxiety, depression, crying uncontrollably, anger, frustration, heart palpitation, dizziness, flu symptoms, weakness, disoriented and chills. I am wondering what is next. I talked to the FDA today also. Surprising they returned my call. I only wish that I had taped the conversation. The following is part of the conversation I had with them. The person I talked to stated that they don't feel that Paxil is addictive because it doesn't carry the behavior of a person that is dependent on a drug. A person that will go out and steal to obtain their drug of choice or cause harm to another. I explained since I am an Alcohol/Drug counselor that any drug that will cause a person to have withdrawal symptoms especially the ones I stated above that the drug is defiantly an addictive drug and any other term is not going to satisfy the public. I also stated that any SSRI is used to enhance the seritonin in ones body and that doctors need to test to find out if ones seritonin level is low in which they need to enhance. If a person does not have a low seritonin level than these drugs can and do cause more problems for an individual. Doctors aren't given all the facts with prescribing these types of meds and need to do some more studies to make sure others aren't harmed like myself and many of you who are writing in. The one thing all can do is get this advertising stopped that Paxil is not addictive or habit forming. Lets start flooding the lines and start calling the FDA and the dept that handles complaints about advertising Paxil. Please call and tell them your story. The advertising section of FDA is (301) 827-2828. Also fill out the Medwatch form and also call FDA at 1-800-FDA 1088 press 0 or call (301) 443-1240. Lets ban together and get Glaxo-Smith Kline to admit the truth about these effects and to get them to stop lying that it is not addictive or habit forming. Also do your own memory recall as to any symptoms you felt while being on the Paxil or any SSRI. Tell the people at the FDA if you experienced any zapping, whooshing noise, headaches (And how severe they were, Hot flashes or anything else that you may have experienced while being on Paxil. The FDA is basically only hearing about the withdrawals and nothing about peoples experience on the Paxil. Lets speak and fight for our rights and the rights of the future. please spread the word about Paxil side effects by linking to this page using the following code. Paxil Side Effects which will appear on your website as Paxil Side Effects If you do not yet have a website blogs are really fun. They also are quick and easy to set up and thanks to Google you can start one free. Start your free blog today (and remember to link to this page) Posted at November 11, 2003 10:00 AM Comments I too decided to take myself off of paxil,and did I ever have a rough time of it. I had the zapping of my face mainly, vertigo, nausea, visual disturbances, lack of concentration, nightmares, palpitations and I actually thought that I was having mini seizures. This drug is the most awful thing anyone can do for onself. mcarranza on December 4, 2003 12:08 PM I have only been taking Paxil CR for about 4 mths,the only side effect I can say I experinced from taking the drug was excessive yawning and going from having a very healthy sex drive to having none at all. Right before the Christmas Holidays, my precription ran out and I decided not to worry about it because my husband thinks that the drug was effecting our sex life (I have no sex drive anymore) so I told him I would stop taking it to see if it worked and besides I couldnt get it filled because my doctor's office is closed due to the holidays. I have been 4 days without the drug, I have started having real bad headaches, chills (no fever) and feeling dizzy while I am sitting down! Tunnel vision, my whole body itches and the nausea is so bad.. I also found myself getting VERY ANGRY over nothing today, I almost hurt my little boy today! So I decided to go online to see if my NOT taking the paxil was the problem, BOY WAS I AMAZED!! I am so MAD at my doctor for putting me on this drug. The drug actually helped with the problems I was having to cause me to take the drug, angry outburst, road rage, depression, ect. Now I know it is the withdrawels from this drug that is causing me to feel this way, the withdrawels are horriable! From what I have read tonight, I am not so sure if I should quit taking the drug. My symtoms are only going to get worse. I only wish I would have asked more questions about this drug before I started taking it. I am really scared. Please advise me of what I should do, thank you for your time Cindy on December 26, 2003 11:44 PM I am glad I read this. I had very bad side effects while I was taking it and now that I stopped taking it, it is even worse. Damian on February 2, 2004 10:19 PM the dr put me on effexor i stayed sick could not eat so not he put me on lexapro i have not takin it yet because of all the side aff i was thinkin about paxil what do you think about paxil? Debbi on February 3, 2004 8:33 AM Paxil and most anti-depressants are well known for having withdrawl effects. If you had spoken to your physician about coming off of this drug or any other drug, he/she would have recommended weaning off. Even a pharmacist would do the same. It is bizarre to me that a supposed Alcohol/Drug Counselor would not know this. If a person had been drinking for months or years on end and they suddenly stopped drinking, they would suffer from withdrawl. I am not necessarily a supporter of Paxil, but please also be aware that all drugs have side-effects. And, different people suffer differently. YouShouldKnow! on February 5, 2004 2:17 AM I agree with what you say. The problem is that in our society "good drugs" and "bad drugs" are painted in an entirely different light. When you see the end of a Zoloft commercial it states "Zoloft is not habit forming." There are millions of dollars pushing the sales of Paxil and other drugs like it. SSRIs such as Paxil are known to cause problems. Now we are also pushing so less fine print needs to be given. depression blog on February 5, 2004 2:56 AM i sure am glad to read your site! i was considering going off paxil-cr due to the sexual side effects, but now i do not know what is worse: having no sexual desire or suffering all the side effects that i just read! i am also very upset that my physician did not mention this to me. i wanted to consider wellbutrin-xl or serzone. i do not know now. thanks for listening... jena on February 7, 2004 12:49 PM I had taken paxil 20mg for two years for panic disorder. The only side effects I experienced were dry mouth, throat tightness, and slight weight gain. These subsided after adjusting to this medication. I decided to taper of to 10mg and eventually stop altogether. I felt fine and hadn't experienced a panic attack for a year and a half. Withdrawal was moderate to severe and eventually overcame the malaise after four to five days. I managed fine for six months without paxil, but questioned how long it takes for paxil to completely leave your body. I pondered this because sexually my orgasms were still delayed. Around the six month this delay began to disappear as if I was back to normal sexually. This is when I began to feel chest tightness, tremors, weight loss, fatigue, dizziness, etc... I've continued to feel the"