2 posts shown.
castor8 said:So, I've been taking half of a 20mg Paxil tablet every morning for about a week now. I'm supposed to transition to the full dose soon, but honestly, I don't feel any better yet. If anything, it feels worse—I'm dealing with some side effects like increased brain fog, occasional eyelid twitching, and diarrhea. I was wondering, once I bump up to the full tablet, is it going to get even worse? 🙄
I had the exact same experience when I first started Paxil. It’s rough at the start. You usually have to wait about three full weeks before things actually start to "click." But once it finally kicks in and starts working properly, it feels like you've been brought back to life—like you can finally breathe deeply again.
Hello,
I struggle with both anxiety and depression. For a few years now, I’ve been managing this with Paxil and Lexapro. I’ve actually started and stopped treatment three different times throughout this journey. My doctor says Paxil is essentially tailor-made for me because I tolerate it so well, and I only use Lexapro 0.25 on an as-needed basis, usually just during the initial stages of treatment. It seems like once the Paxil really kicks in, I don't need the Lexapro nearly as much. The absolute worst part for me is dealing with a relapse. It’s incredibly frustrating because just when things are going great—when my doctor and I are finally discussing tapering off the meds because I feel almost cured—I’ll hit a wall. A tiny, insignificant trigger, like worrying about catching a common cold, can spiral me straight back into an anxiety loop that I can't break out of. It likely takes about a month of consistent medication before the stability actually holds, but until then, it's a mess. It's especially tough because the physical signs are impossible to hide. When the anxiety hits, my appetite vanishes and I drop weight, and the dark circles under my eyes become obvious. I end up avoiding hanging out with friends because I'm terrified they'll notice I'm struggling. During these times, I have to fight tooth and nail just to eat properly despite my throat feeling tight, and I try my hardest to maintain a professional appearance at work just to survive the day.
Right now, I'm on a regimen of half a dose of Paxil three times a week, but since I've slipped into a relapse, my doctor has instructed me to go back to a half dose every single day, plus Lexapro as needed. This past week and last week have been brutal because the transition is just starting, and that period is honestly miserable. I'm just hoping to stabilize soon so I can function normally and feel like myself again—someone who is curious, relatively positive, and able to dream about traveling or whatever else. Currently, none of that is even on my radar. My only goals right now are basic survival: eating enough, maintaining my weight, being able to hold a conversation without people sensing something is wrong, and getting decent sleep.🙂
P.S. If there is any silver lining to all this, it’s that today feels much easier than when I first experienced anxiety. Back then, I had no idea what I was dealing with—I didn't understand how I would react, how to navigate a crisis, or how long recovery would take. Now, I know my own struggles inside and out; I just haven't mastered them yet. Clearly, I'm still working on building the strength to handle this on my own. 🤷