Complain about a product or service

Paxil

Shaleah of Salt Lake City, UT May 15, 2009

I have been taking Paxil for about 7 years. I was put on it as a teenager at the age of 15. I am now coming off of Paxil for the 3rd try. I am sticking it out, and I have never been sicker in my life. My symptoms include: extreme dizziness, blackouts, extreme mood swings, irrational tendencies, extreme anger at slightest provocation, chills complete with shivers for hours on end, hot flashes, insomnia, profuse sweating all day, especially at night, I will wake up drenched in sweat, which in turn makes my chills even worse, muscle cramps.

I have been researching withdrawal symptoms and am appalled to find not only am I alone in this nightmare of pain and insanity, but tens of thousands of others have also suffered. I had NO idea beginning that I would suffer so much. Whilst taking the drug I had chronic fatigue (which was my initial purpose for ending my consumption) weight gain, apathetic mood as well as irrational or disproportionate responses.

Nobody seems to understand, my parents and doctor are trying to put me on other things to cushion the withdrawal or repel it altogether. But I only want this toxic drug out of my body!

Josh of Wilmington, NC April 13, 2009

I have been taking Paxil for about 11 years or more. It sort of helped with the anxiety attacks, but the depression worsend. What I really dont understand is that Paxil had a lot of faults to it. For one if you accidentally miss a day you feel like a zombie the next day and very light headed and out of it. I really wanna try and get off it but I heard horror stories of people who tried. I just wish I would have known how dangerous and addicting this drug would become.

The consequences of taking Paxil for years is being sad most the time and burning a whole in your wallet. I havent had health insurance in a long time and Paxil is 125.00 a month and you sure dont wanna just stop taking them because then you really feel like a physco. I tried the generic but the panic attacks got worse it's like they want you to buy only Paxil cuz they know once you start we got u for a long time maybe even life.

Cynda of Lafayette, LA December 19, 2008

In 1997, at age 44. I took the drug PAXIL for FOUR DAYS during which time i began to exhibit significant tremors, loss of coordination in my left hand, and on the fourth day my hands developed purplish marks. The tremors never stopped. 1999 diagnosed with PARKINSON'S DISEASE AT EMORY in Atlanta. progressively worse with loss of balance, coordination, cognition.

Had to give up job, lost my teeth, lost my home. on disability. medications running nearly 500/mo. on a three hour med regime, in physical therapy 3 times week. will be evaluated at Baylor early 2009 to determine if I'm a candidate for Deep Brain Stimulation. only explanation drs have offered is that Paxil unmasked Parkinsons. 32

Colleen of St. Paul, MS November 22, 2008

I was put on Paxil after my two back surgeries even though I wasn't depressed..I think that the doctors wanted to try this new depressant drug out for the Pharmacy companies! After being on Paxil I noticed that my body would feel strange and then I would start jerking uncontrollably. I went to my family physician and explained to him what was happening and he agreed that it was probably from the Paxil but of course back then Paxil did not include all the side effects so my doctor wasn't sure...

After many attempts to get off Paxil because I was told it was non-addicting, I finally got off of the medicine. It took 3 months of headaches, feeling sick, just zoned out to get off of it! The uncontrollable jerking has continued and I have been off of Paxil for 4 years now and my family physician who I had been seeing is now in a nursing home.

I recently went to a neurologist who diagnosed me with myoclonus and I just had an entire spine MRI and will be getting the results soon. It has been frustrating for someone like me who was one of the originals prescribed Paxil and who has suffered permanent injuries with nowhere to turn because at the time no one was relating the problems to Paxil. I feel like I was one of their human tests and am damaged for life with no help. It is very frustrating and my life will never be the same. I would appreciate any assistance with this matter. I know that there are many, many people out there who were in the first group of people like me who were put on Paxil before enough testing was done on the serious permanent side effects from this drug. We are the ones who should get compensated and not forgotten..

Yvette of Malmesbury, OTHER November 12, 2008

i'm 27 yrs and been on paxil for about a year for anxiety. at first my anxiety became worse than before (when i was on Cilift), my mood swings incredibly strong, migraines (which i've never had before), muscle stiffness. the latest thing is that i am trying to fall pregnant and cannot get off these pills!!! i have muscle tremors in my face and a 'delayed reaction' feeling. i was put on 20mg /day and and have been on 10mg per day for about 3 weeks. the effects are so strong that i just have to take the other half to lessen the effects. please help me with getting off these crap tablets. they should be off the market as far as im concerned.

Beatrice of Yorktown, VA June 16, 2008

I am a health care provider and prescribed Paxil generic to three patients who had their prescriptions filled with a new Indian manufacturer and had very serious withdrawal symptoms and one patient ended up attempting suicide after 2 weeks of being on the particular generic brand..concern that this product is not safe..please advise.

Donna of Deltona, FL February 15, 2008

My ex-husband began taking Paxil in 1999. It was prescribed to him by our family doctor WITHOUT any visit to a psychiatrist for an assessment. In 2001 we divorced and my ex-husband became very mentally unstable. He abruptly stopped taking the Paxil. Within a few weeks he committed suicide by dousing himself with gasoline and setting himself on fire. I am grateful that he only killed himself and not myself and our children also. I think this medication should only be allowed to be prescribed by psychiatrists, not family doctors.

My husband lost his life. My children lost a father. It has been a horrendous experience for all of us.

Barbara of Alpharetta, GA January 17, 2008

I am a 45 year old woman who was prescribed Paxil for an anxiety disorder. I started taking the drug in 2004. It seemed to be helping, helping too much. I started to change in not so good ways. I just didn't care anymore about a lot of things, including work. I took the drug for over 2 years. For no reason, I tried to take my life by overdosing on sleep aids. When asked by my family why I would do such a thing, I had no answer. I stopped taking the drug shortly after that attempt. I lost my job and started to realize that the Paxil was probably the reason why. I feel normal now after not taking the drug for over a year.

Consequences are I ended up quitting my job although I knew they were trying to fire me. I had to endure 3 days of psychiatric care after the attempt. My family doesn't trust that I'm not going to try again. etc. etc.

Erika of Los Angeles, CA February 20, 2007

I was addicted ti paxil when doctor diagnosed me for depression in 1998. I took it for about 6yrs, and during pregnancy, i could not get off it. My son had seizures for about 4yrs of his life, and was underweight. It took over my life and till this day it has effected me, i cant seem to work regularly or get back into my daily exercise routine. I felt drugged, dizzy, light headed, invisible, numb, vision blur, snaps in my brain, death thoughts and more.

I have trouble sleeping, getting back to normal, i cant work, cant execise, hyperventilate.

Cynthia of Bar Harbor, ME February 14, 2007

My husband committed suicide after taking paxil for approx. 1 year. He was prescribed paxil after seeing a psychiatrist for treatment of depression and ocd. He left two small children behind, 3 yrs old and 8 mo old.

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Share		Follow us on Twitter.