Generic Paxil – Paroxetine 10mg, 20mg,30mg and 40mg

Here’s my humble spin on the Paxil experience. I hope perhaps it might even prove helpful, somehow, for someone.

In fall or winter 1999, I began to feel I was on a constant “caffeine buzz” even though I drink nothing caffeinated, save for Snapple iced tea sometimes. A side note: Ever since I was 20 or 21, I’ve had a fast metabolism and can’t really gain weight, and I’ve always had a lot of energy. I’ve had 2 thyroid tests and both were within normal range. At any rate, toward the end of 1999, things started changing and I began to feel like the Energize Bunny on an overload of No-Doze or Jolt Cola.

I knew this was different from my usual energy. I felt continually hyped up. Soon this feeling crept into my nights, and it became
harder and harder to sleep. I would have palpitations sometimes, which only made me feel more anxious, so it became a vicious circle. I got cranky and distractable at work due to lack of sleep, and then my work began to suffer, which also made me nervous because I thought my boss was going to get upset. Vicious circle again!

I began to get relief from my chiropractor with a rather aggresive/frequent treatment plan. I had just barely gotten to be her patient, but she didn’t even charge for these extra visits, because she saw how bad i felt and she had some ideas on helping. It helped, b/c I started to feel a bit less hyper, and even less after more treatments. Turns out I had some major misalignments and nerve blockages in the areas that (coincidentally?) have to do with one’s level of stimulation. I forgot how she explained it, sorry.

About the same time, I poured out my tale to my medical doctor. She said it sounded like I had a serotonin imbalance in my brain, which was responsible for the anxiety as well as insomnia. She thought it was great the chiropractic was helping, but sounded a little surprised. Anyway, she explained how SSRI’s work, and suggested I give Paxil a try. That was in Feb or March 2000 and I have been on Paxil since.

I take 10 mg once a day. Due to my sensitive stomach, I spent a very uncomfortable night when I tried it at bedtime! I discovered
taking it with dinner eliminated the upset. After a while, I began to notice that by the time I was getting in bed, I ACTUALLY felt a bit sleepy. This was a very new idea for me, because for so long I was used to going to bed without being sleepy and staring at the ceiling! I don’t know whether the chiropractic helped more, or the Paxil helped more, or perhaps 50/50, but I no longer feel hyper or anxious and no longer suffer from insomnia.

Now for side effects. I was agog when I read the info leaflet, because it listed so much! It’s only done a few things to me. #1:
An increase in my appetite, especially my “sweet tooth”! This would be terrible for most (i.e. weight gain), but for me it’s fine because I still am unable to gain weight, due to the metabolism. Effect #2: My dreams are very vivid, longer, and have more emotion.
They are usually really interesting, tho, which is good because I think I’ve heard some folks get nightmares? Effect #3: I’ve never been a “morning person,” but now I am EXTRA groggy when I get up. Fortunately, it does not make me groggy during the day. Effect
#4: The “sexual side effect”, i.e. less interest in sex. However, like my metabolism, my libido is also a bit on the high side. Or it was, before Paxil. So it has been an ok side effect for me, because now at least I don’t feel horny all the time. *blush*! My libido is more “normal” now. (this info is for club use only, please don’t quote me on it!)

That’s the end of my testimony. Thanks so much for reading to the end. I’m sorry if I rambled. I really enjoyed reading everyone else’s experiences, so I’m hoping y’all enjoyed reading mine. It’s good to be able to share and learn from one another. Have a great day.

Has anyone noticed anything “different” if you skip one day’s dosage of Paxil? Just curious.

My dosage is one 10 mg tablet with dinner. However, if I am going to a dance club later that night, and I plan to drink, then I skip my Paxil. I do this because I’ve read (and heard) you should not drink and take Paxil, because the combination can cause too much drowsiness in some people. I’ve also heard that for other people, it can nullify the effects of the Paxil. Either way, I figure it’s simply best to avoid mixing the two.

I have not noticed anything amiss on these nights. I go to the club, dance and have a few drinks, and then I go home and go to sleep without any problems. I go through the next day fine too. Then at the end of that day I go back to the dinnertime Paxil schedule. (Incidentally, in case some folks never got to read my introduction the other week, I am on Paxil for a problem relating to insomnia and related anxiety, not depression).

Anyhoo, I’m guessing the reason nothing noticeable happens is because there’s a steady level of the drug maintained in my body, my body doesn’t really “notice” if I miss one day. Or maybe it’s because I’m on such a low dosage and because my problem was not so extreme to begin with. I don’t know. But it’s interesting to think about. Anyone else have anything to share (either positive or  negative) regarding skipping or deviating from your regular schedule?

Shari