# Paxil: permanent defects



## Keikei (Mar 16, 2004)

Hi. I was trying to see if anyone else had had permanent problems regarding the use of Paxil. (memory loss, changes in personality as of flatness, no longer the person you once were, depression when they weren't depressed before). I'm 19 now and started the paxil when I was 16. I took it for about 6 months had the worst withdrawal symptoms possible, but have now been off of it since then. Before takingthe paxil I was not depressed, I was an honor/ap student, had from a 3.5 to 4.1 gpa consistently; the only problem was my very severe social anxiety. So after trying prozac which did nothing the doctor i was seeing put me on paxil. I didn't notice too much change, so he doubled my dose to 80 mg a day. (later read that adult dosages should only go up to 60) After that I didn't realize it, but my personality just flattened. I was depressed, grades dropped, didn't care about anything. A couple weeks later I went off cold turkey, feeling this was the best thing to do, since it was making me feel so bad. (Noone had warned me of withdrawal.) So after the withdrawal I was still changed. My parents mentioned how I was not the same person. 
Ever since my experience with paxil I have had lots of trouble with extreem depression, memory problems, and overall my personality has been changed drastically. It feels as though part of my brain has been forever numbed or distorted. I never returned to my old self after the Paxil. 
Anyone who has had similar experiences, feeling that Paxil has caused permanent damage, please share your experiences. Thanks!


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## Broshious (Dec 23, 2006)

Not the same as you, but while I can't be sure as I hadn't had sex prior to Paxil, I believe I have been rendered permanently sexually dysfunctional. These are some interesting tidbits from Wikipedia(they're sourced so they seem legitimate):

"For example, chronic treatment with fluoxetine (Prozac) has been shown to cause persistent desensitization of 5HT1A receptors even after removal of the SSRI."

"But experiments with rodents have shown that chronic treatment with SSRIs at a young age results in *permanently decreased sexual behavior that persists into adulthood*"

"At the cerebral molecular level there are profound and *permanent reductions in both the rate-limiting serotonin synthetic enzyme, tryptophan hydroxylase*, in dorsal raphe and in serotonin transporter (SERT) expression in cortex."

I don't know if these kinds of problems would occur in adults, but I imagine many of us were given SSRIs as children without being aware of possible permanent problems.


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## longway (Mar 3, 2007)

I know exactly what you mean since i had had some kind of symptom that occur when I took ssri's (like paxil). than after 6 weeks I couldn't tolerate it and had to withdraw. but surprisingly this same symptom has occur again and than again and again in circles. I didn't know what to do to relieve it, than I found a temporary tranquilizer of course like xanax or clonex after 1 year of fighting it I couldn't agree to up the dose of these tranquilizer even though this terrible symptom was actually getting worst. at that time I was trying to get a med (AD) to relieve it until I actually find it.

what I'm trying to tell you that ssri's can do terrible things and in fact it was not just one symptom that occured again, I was getting into a very depressed state (as you tell) and I had never had.

As I said before, I found how to get out the situation as it were before taking ssri - I took a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (snri).

I guess you took and paxil to relieve very hard anxiety (pehaps panic attacks) and it helped you in this but it get you into the state you're still in after stoping the drug.

you need to remember that if you take snri (I took Edronax), you will return to the person you meant but the anxiety you had before will might come back as well.


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## tinkerbell1922 (Dec 5, 2010)

Hello, i was doing a search online to see if anyone else has permanent damage from paxil. I was happy to see i am not alone. Not that im happy you are all having problems  I feel i am not the same since i finished the paxil. i have been paxil free since sept 15th and still feel like i have no patience and am so quick to anger. this is not me at all. It is like a complete opposite of how my personality used to be. Is anyone else having these problems too? i hope you all find peace 
judie


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I don't know if that is a side effect that is permanent.

Mood swings are still parts of anxiety - how we think determines how we feel. Any thought can trigger a different reaction. With regards to length of time, I would say that this could still be an issue that you would need to work through - I know that I still have areas I need to work on and I am still on Paxil. 50mg was my maximum in 2005 and I was only there for about a month right when I started treatment. Now, I am at 20mg. At times, it is too much.


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

Paxil made me more aware of my anxiety. I felt more nervous on it. that was at only 10mg.


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## jer (Jun 16, 2009)

I took paxil for more than 12 years. when I stopped , I developed severe OCD that I still have. Its been a while since I stopped paxil, but I still have severe ocd.

It's pretty hard to convince somebody that I got ocd from taking paxil. only somebody who has taken paxil for the duration that I did will know about its long term effects.


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## Smh23 (Apr 11, 2011)

Hello Everyone,

About two years ago now I delved into a deep depression.

Throughout high school (and maybe some of elementary too) I always felt a bit sad was able to manage it. The first time I saw a psychologists, I was diagnosed with a "generalized anxiety disorder" and in high school was later diagnosed with chronic depression.

Still, I managed to be successful (never taking any medication) and graduated from high school with an academic scholarship to on of the best Business Schools in my country. The first semester of University was tough and my stress/anxiety levels were higher than ever.

The following semester I moved into the student residences of the University in hopes of making some new friends. I was extremely nervous and remember crying in my dorm room the first night because I thought I would not make any friends.

[I should mention, that this person was MUCH different to the socialite who loved talking with everyone in high school.]

Living on campus, I made it a conscious decision to do things to become happier. Thus, I became less focused on school and took up a life style of partying and subsequently drinking. In this time, I fell in love with a guy who became by boyfriend for 6 months. It was after our relationship ended that I became severely depressed.

After trying first cipralex and cymbalta, a doctor put me on PAXIL. I started taking paxil last February which was a struggle. I remember feeling extremely fatigued all the time and have bouts of nausea.

3 months later, a psychiatrist suggested that I start decreasing my dose to eventually ween myself off as my family began to notice manic behavior in me.

Here it where my life took a drastic turn. Looking back at the person I was (after stopping paxil) evokes fear, shame, guilt and sadness. In this time, I began to resent my parents and family (which was the polar opposite of how I felt towards them during the depression). I became extremely promiscuous and made decisions that I cannot relate with now. I carelessly racked up debt on my visa, I lost friends and worst of all I lost my self. My mom thought I was bi-polar but I rejected this and could not see how my behavior was different. I though I was just happier and no longer willing to remain sad like I was before.

Now, I feel more grounded with myself. In the period after stopping paxil I had also gain a significant amount of weight. In april I was 105 pounds and got up to 135 by December. I could no longer recognize my self in the mirror and was ashamed of my body. I started exercising daily and made a conscious decision to focus on school again. With that being said, I do feel different then I was before ever taking medication. I guess would could say my personality feels flat and I don't get as excited for things as I once did. There are still moments of joy in my life though. Mostly, when I see something really beautiful.

If anyone else could describe how their personality changed after stop paxil I would really appreciate it. Either that, or Doctors who have some medical advice to what happened to me and others...Its a scary thing to look back to a period in your life that you dont feel like "you" were living.

xoxo


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## Smh23 (Apr 11, 2011)

I just wrote a long post and it didn't show up to Im seeing if this will...


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## Arisa1536 (Dec 8, 2009)

well i took fluoxetine and paxil (not at the same time though) when i was 16/17 years old and i did not notice any permanent side effects, especially not sexual ones, if anything it was the other way around because they relaxed my mind


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## Neptunus (Oct 29, 2007)

I attribute my horrendous memory to it. 

Although depression and anxiety can impair memory too.


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## MorganHenry (Oct 5, 2012)

Heloo Everyone.
I was 16 when I started using 30mg paxil for severe depression. Also Lithium. I am 19 now & I have tried to taper off but only ended up taking 40mg now. I moved states and ended up engaged and I am pretty happy. But I suffer from depression still. Before taking paxil I weighed 115lbs now I weigh exactly 200. O also suffer from memory loss, trouble sleeping, and constipation. Als o anxiety and social disorder. I dont have any friends. Just my Fiance. But in a way I like it like that. I know that it would be healthy for me to make friends but evrytime I try they end up not liking me. I do not take Lithium anymore but I want to start trying for a baby and get married. I know I have to get off the paxil but I am afraid my depression will get worse. I get mood swings, and anxiety all the time. My fiance understands and supports me. But I have trouble with starting my period. I havent started in over 6 months. I also am tired of my extra weight. It brings me down and I dont have any energy. I taje my dog for walks but it doesnt help. I also crave sweets like no bodys business but I try to stick with vegetables. I know one day I will get off but for now Im sure I wont. I also have this weird fizzing in my head when I lay down to go to sleep. When I tried to taper off of the paxil one time I was getting confusion and severe mood swings. I also have vivid dreams, and migrains. One day I will have the life I always wanted same with the body. I just have to try and get off these meds.


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## Inshallah (May 11, 2011)

Permanent defects, are these even possible? When the drug is out of your system, it's out. And I don't think antidepressants permanently change anything while they are in?

Sounds more like a typical psychiatric patient complaint than reality to be honest, sorry


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

Inshallah said:


> Permanent defects, are these even possible? When the drug is out of your system, it's out. And I don't think antidepressants permanently change anything while they are in?
> 
> Sounds more like a typical psychiatric patient complaint than reality to be honest, sorry


^ i'm not sure re: pssd, anyway - some of what broshious posted above (second post within thread) seem to indicate that ssris possibly exhibit certain long-term physiological effect in at least some individuals after the cessation of the drug, after looking at the studies conducted, anyhow.

i suppose that there's a lot of anecdotal information to substantiate pssd as well. that said, i'd think there would be treatment options, given the information that he's provided via the mechanism(s) of the dysfunction's action.


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## Inshallah (May 11, 2011)

Done a quick search on Pubmed on "post ssri sexual dysfunction" and not 1 result. Are there credible sources on PSSD?

I've been on SSRI's and various SSRI's for years, had massive sexual dysfunction on them, always regained sexual functioning entirely within days of stopping them. I think the people who suffer from PSSD have their brains stuck in the dysfunction-phase still, rather than there being direct post-ssri-defects.

Kind of like a specific OCD if you will. (it didn't work for months or years, therefore it won't work now with the result that it indeed doesn't)


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

Inshallah said:


> Done a quick search on Pubmed on "post ssri sexual dysfunction" and not 1 result. Are there credible sources on PSSD?
> 
> I've been on SSRI's and various SSRI's for years, had massive sexual dysfunction on them, always regained sexual functioning entirely within days of stopping them. I think the people who suffer from PSSD have their brains stuck in the dysfunction-phase still, rather than there being direct post-ssri-defects.
> 
> Kind of like a specific OCD if you will. (it didn't work for months or years, therefore it won't work now with the result that it indeed doesn't)


http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2007.00630.x/full
http://content.karger.com/produktedb/produkte.asp?typ=pdf&file=PPS2006075003187
http://www.primarypsychiatry.com/aspx/articledetail.aspx?articleid=1479

just a few that popped up after a super quick search, although there were more.


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## Inshallah (May 11, 2011)

*Interesting*

Are there any numbers available on how many people taking AD's end up with this? Because I still find it a bit weird. If there was a real mechanism behind it, then a significant % of people that have taken AD's should end up with it?

I suspect the % is going to be (a lot) smaller than placebo %'s even and well...


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

Inshallah said:


> Are there any numbers available on how many people taking AD's end up with this? Because I still find it a bit weird. If there was a real mechanism behind it, then a significant % of people that have taken AD's should end up with it?
> 
> I suspect the % is going to be (a lot) smaller than placebo %'s even and well...


you've got me there. i don't doubt that some people are afflicted, though. whether the disorder is psychologically rather than physiologically-based (or a combination of the two) is up for debate and/or unknown. that said, there certainly are well-reputed studies that have been conducted backing said disorder and those combined with the large online community of sufferers leads me to believe there may be physiological culprits of the disorder - protracted, if not permanent.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Inshallah said:


> Done a quick search on Pubmed on "post ssri sexual dysfunction" and not 1 result. Are there credible sources on PSSD?
> 
> I've been on SSRI's and various SSRI's for years, had massive sexual dysfunction on them, always regained sexual functioning entirely within days of stopping them. I think the people who suffer from PSSD have their brains stuck in the dysfunction-phase still, rather than there being direct post-ssri-defects.
> 
> Kind of like a specific OCD if you will. (it didn't work for months or years, therefore it won't work now with the result that it indeed doesn't)





basuraeuropea said:


> http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2007.00630.x/full
> http://content.karger.com/produktedb/produkte.asp?typ=pdf&file=PPS2006075003187
> http://www.primarypsychiatry.com/aspx/articledetail.aspx?articleid=1479
> 
> just a few that popped up after a super quick search, although there were more.


He did say that there was no "before activity" so the after activity is completely different - the comparison is not equal.......I am trying to keep the post clean, but I hope you see what I mean. :lol

I last posted in this thread 22 months ago - I am still at 20, and it can still be too much :lol. Actually, I am more likely to decrease now than then. I have also come a looooooong way. Just 2012 has been one significant triumph after another.


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## riptide991 (Feb 1, 2012)

basuraeuropea said:


> ^ i'm not sure re: pssd, anyway - some of what broshious posted above (second post within thread) seem to indicate that ssris possibly exhibit certain long-term physiological effect in at least some individuals after the cessation of the drug, after looking at the studies conducted, anyhow.
> 
> i suppose that there's a lot of anecdotal information to substantiate pssd as well. that said, i'd think there would be treatment options, given the information that he's provided via the mechanism(s) of the dysfunction's action.


If you start at a young age you may not be able to come out of it. I mean taking drugs before puberty ends is never recommended but sometimes is needed. But I think that you could probably fix it with other drugs. But then who knows what the other drug will do.

it's kind of funny because before Zoloft/Remeron combo I cared too much about everything which lead to insane anxiety. I would preplan everything. After the combo it was the opposite I never cared about what would result from any situation. I would just live in the moment. Some could say that's a bad thing because sometimes you need to think about the future, especially to maintain survival, but yah to me it was great. It didn't turn me into a zombie or anything as I still loved doing things. Although it did poop out. But even after stopping zoloft/remeron I still don't care about the future, in fact on wellbutrin I care even less. I mean I don't think about what i'm going to say when going into a social situation. I'm not used to that since that was how I always was. I pre-planned the entire social situation. Now, I'm just hoping to remove 100% of my anhedonia and I'll be happy this way. But yah if I lost my sex drive that would suck. I may be single but I like to drop a load every once in a while hehe. Although I think the Wellbutrin makes me a bit over excited sexually. Before the drugs I'd have like an hour or more masturbation session. Now it's like 3 minutes and BIDAAA! Although I can keep going but still I went from lasting forever to premature ejaculation haha. Though I still haven't tested wellbutrin on real life sex, you know without porn.


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## Inspiron (Nov 30, 2011)

The risk of permanent effects comes with taking antidepressants unfortunately; tardive dyskinesia and diabetes just to name a couple. Feeling numb and distorted is the same way I feel.


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

Inspiron said:


> The risk of permanent effects comes with taking antidepressants unfortunately; tardive dyskinesia and diabetes just to name a couple. Feeling numb and distorted is the same way I feel.


wtf?! tardive dyskinesia and diabetes linked to antidepressant use? you're confusing antidepressants with the antipsychotics.


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## pixies (Oct 28, 2009)

Keikei said:


> he doubled my dose to 80 mg a day.


Holy crap! That guy should not be allowed to practice medicine. You could seriously think about suing.



Keikei said:


> I never returned to my old self after the Paxil.
> Anyone who has had similar experiences, feeling that Paxil has caused permanent damage, please share your experiences. Thanks!


I took 40mg of Paxil for about 7 years straight. It made be kinda flat, I didn't really care about anything very much. Not a total zombie, but definitely not how I used to be. For me it was a side effect I could live with because it kept my Social Anxiety at bay, and that is a fair trade off for me. There were some other side effects too, but it's deal with that and yet live a normal life, or not have the medication and be unable to socialise at all.

After several years I stopped taking it, and I reckon it took about 6 months or so, for all the effects to wear off. Some of them perhaps even took longer. But after about a year or so, I was back to normal.

Hopefully that could work for you too. But that dosage seriously scared me. For me, going up to 40mg was quite high and I knew it had a big effect on my body because of various things - like the amount I would sweat at night time - my bed was literally soaked like I had just been in the shower. I have known people who took 50mg but they had pretty major problems. I was fine on 20mg, but I only eventually went up to 40mg because after several years the effects weaken.

The fact that you got put on 80 is just mind blowing.


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## riptide991 (Feb 1, 2012)

pixies said:


> Holy crap! That guy should not be allowed to practice medicine. You could seriously think about suing.


Lol suing for what? Dosage guidelines state 75mg for panic disorder and doctors can go higher as it is considered safe and was tested at higher doses. Simply best response was at a particular dose and anything after is generally shown to give less benefit.


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

pixies said:


> Holy crap! That guy should not be allowed to practice medicine. You could seriously think about suing.
> 
> The fact that you got put on 80 is just mind blowing.


60mg/day and 75mg/day are the max recommended doses for paroxetine IR and paroxetine CR respectively. given that ocd patients, in particular, although those with severe anxiety and/or depression as well, are often dosed above maximum recommended limits, 80mg isn't all that surprising nor uncommon with either the IR nor the CR formulas of the drug.


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

kehcorpz said:


> Lol suing for what?


haha. yeah, seriously.


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## riptide991 (Feb 1, 2012)

basuraeuropea said:


> haha. yeah, seriously.












I blame paxil =\


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## pixies (Oct 28, 2009)

Excuse me, *******s, but in my country, 60mg is the "maximum" dose. The highest recommended dose is 40mg. And it's illegal to give it to anyone under 18. Giving 80mg to him sounds totally irresponsible to me. Especially if he was under 18 at the time. 

And **** you both for being little prick trolls, especially on a place like this.


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## riptide991 (Feb 1, 2012)

pixies said:


> Excuse me, *******s, but in my country, 60mg is the "maximum" dose. The highest recommended dose is 40mg. And it's illegal to give it to anyone under 18. Giving 80mg to him sounds totally irresponsible to me. Especially if he was under 18 at the time.
> 
> And **** you both for being little prick trolls, especially on a place like this.


Proof or I call BS.

I don't think that companies do separate studies for each country.


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

pixies said:


> Excuse me, *******s, but in my country, 60mg is the "maximum" dose. The highest recommended dose is 40mg. And it's illegal to give it to anyone under 18. Giving 80mg to him sounds totally irresponsible to me. Especially if he was under 18 at the time.
> 
> And **** you both for being little prick trolls, especially on a place like this.


refer to the post above for clarification as you clearly didn't catch it the first time around - http://www.socialanxietysupport.com...nent-defects-31250/index2.html#post1060394939

and i have no idea how providing relevant information is trolling. furthermore, kehcorpz is right, there is one standardized dose range for both paroxetine IR and CR in all markets. oh, and i'd really like to see the legalities surrounding ssri dosing in scotland despite the OP being located in georgia, usa. please provide.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I was on 50mg at the max for maybe three months. Things were pretty bad back then. 

Now, it's like I have to drink a ton of caffeine to undo some of the sleepiness. I then have to go quite often, too :roll


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## Inshallah (May 11, 2011)

To pixies' (possible) defense: I remember looking up the leaflet of our Belgian version of Phenelzine and it specifically said maximum dosage 60 mg per day, while some people on here were up to 90 mg per day, so I looked up an American (I think it was American, at least not Belgian) Phenelzine leaflet and that did say 90 mg per day max dosage.

Not saying he's right but it might differ, although this will be rare obviously.


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

Inshallah said:


> To pixies' (possible) defense: I remember looking up the leaflet of our Belgian version of Phenelzine and it specifically said maximum dosage 60 mg per day, while some people on here were up to 90 mg per day, so I looked up an American (I think it was American, at least not Belgian) Phenelzine leaflet and that did say 90 mg per day max dosage.
> 
> Not saying he's right but it might differ, although this will be rare obviously.


i don't know - i looked up phenelzine prescribing information for spain and i found a 90mg/day recommended maximum dose, although phenelzine is no longer available within the spanish market.

http://www.imedicinas.com/GPTage/Obrir.php?ident=ca04se03sb02mo01


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## Inshallah (May 11, 2011)

basuraeuropea said:


> i don't know - i looked up phenelzine prescribing information for spain and i found a 90mg/day recommended maximum dose, although phenelzine is no longer available within the spanish market.
> 
> http://www.imedicinas.com/GPTage/Obrir.php?ident=ca04se03sb02mo01


I looked it up again and it also says to go up to 90 mg if necessary in our "Nardelzine" leaflet. I must have read over it the last time then since it would idd make no sense for different dosing guidelines in different countries.


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

Inshallah said:


> I looked it up again and it also says to go up to 90 mg if necessary in our "Nardelzine" leaflet. I must have read over it the last time then since it would idd make no sense for different dosing guidelines in different countries.


yeah, i think for antidepressants, anyway, there are world standardized dosing recommendations set forth by the pharmaceutical companies. this is certainly true for the ssris/snris.

and with that said, dosing paroxetine at 80mg/day given the recommended daily doses is in no way absurd nor terribly uncommon. a lawsuit filed would be thrown out of court. laughable. and after a quick search, there are no legalities surrounding the prescription of ssris to minors within the UK as pixies has erroneously stated.


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## Inshallah (May 11, 2011)

Indeed. And thank God those law suits are hardly ever won, it would make medical practicioners so scared (© thundercats), they wouldn't take any "risks" whatsoever.

I'm all for making them unsueable. They are smart enough to handle it and it would benefit the majority of patients.


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

lol @ the thundercats mention! ahahaha


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## riptide991 (Feb 1, 2012)

If a person can't prove something in a forum, how will they do so in a court of law? Who knows hah.


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## Umyaya (Feb 17, 2012)

Anyone else notice once you stop using paxil.. the number on the scale drops and you lose weight fast?


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

Umyaya said:


> Anyone else notice once you stop using paxil.. the number on the scale drops and you lose weight fast?


i was on paxil and i never gained a pound. that said, i've also been on remeron and i didn't gain a pound on that drug either.


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