My MIL has just been prescribed Paxil (20mg a day) and is having some terrible side effects but DESPERATELY needs something to help her right now. Is this a normal dosage? small? high? she found that the first night she took them they kept her awake, now she is trying earlier in the day. She has just started them a few days ago but is likely to quit them at any time. Are side effects normal? will they subside with time?

anyone have experience with this drug? i know everyone responds differently but just looking for some feedback?
'thanks
Lesley

My mom went from Prozac to Paxil... Not sure if she's still on Paxil actually. I know that she takes sam-e and some more homeopathic supplements. With both the Prozac and Paxil, there were side effects. I'll ask around.

Leslely look the drug up online and it will tell you the side affects. I took Paxil a long while back and had terrible side affects, anger, rage, sleeplessness, etc. The website from the drug co. will list them all. Hope this helps.
Mona

Hi There,

A while ago I took Paxil and I too had some really bad side effects. I was rage, anxiety, not to mention that I just felt completely out of it. I tried a few others but they all did the same type of thing. I decided to take different kinds of fish oil for the Omega 3's (research on types that are low in mercury and easily absorbed). They worked for me better than anything that was ever prescribed. Oh also, I make sure to try and get some sun every day. Just a suggestion, I hope that she's able to find something that works for her.

Mary

The worst part is that she is VERY old fashioned, old school, not veryw ell educated, dr knows all, no computer use, believes everything in the tabloids etc, etc, etc.....it is really hard to talk to her about this stuff. She is so naive about just about everything.

I once came across a natural supplement..... a blend of b-vits, fish oils, st. john's wort I believe.... a bunch of stuff that had great reviews.... I dont know if she is going to be able to put up with it as she describes it now..... BUT she needs SOMETHING and I mean seriously. There is a very long and extensive family history of mental health issues and a lot of shame that goes along with it in this family......

Clarocet! That's it, anyone know anything about that?

My husband is on 20mg per day and has no side effects other than some drowsiness. It seems to work very well for him.

Would you be interested in posting on the Mental Illness thread I started in one of the other forums?
Link: http://www.transformation.com/forum/...l-illness.html

I took Paxil a few years ago and it worked very well for me...I didn't experience the drowsiness, just some vertigo-type symptoms if I didn't take it at the same time everyday.

If these are serious mental issues maybe she needs something different - I've never heard of Paxil being used for severe mental problems, but I'm not a doctor either, so that's just a thought.

I hope she finds the right med to help. They litterally changed my life, so I'm hopeful for you!
Mel

Hi Lesley,

I've never taken Paxil but I've read quite a bit about people experiencing side effects and struggling with withdrawal from this drug. PaxilProgress.org is a good online resource for information and support from every day people. As with all things of this nature it's important to run any information found online by one's doctor. On a related note alternative mental health treatments are gaining more popularity as people look for something else that works. Here are some resources I've found helpful:

AlternativeMentalHealth.com

"What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Depression" by Michael B. Schachter

"Depression Free Naturally" by Joan Mathews Larson

I hope your mother-in-law finds something that works for her and offers some relief.

John

Hi Lesley
I took Paxil a while ago, before moving to Newfoundland. I am now on Effexor XR. Many Dr. are not perscribing Paxil any more as it is concidered out of date. Some of the newer meds have less side effects. I liked paxil, a lot better then Effexor, different side effects, Effoxor I only take once a day, but is harder on my tummy. The thing is with anti-depresents, they take 2-3 weeks to have any full effect, as well, it can take a wile to find a good match. Will she let you go to the Dr. with her, to help understand and explain the symptoms,a nd side effects???
Take care
Bev

The side effects of Paxil will probably level off after 4-5 weeks, and 20mg is a pretty moderate dose. I am surprised that this was the first option that the doctor tried. So many other good medications have come out since Paxil was released. I think I was taking in back in '95.
The vitamins and fish oil would help a lot with brain function, but she shouldn't take St. John's Wort if she is on medication. If she has something other than mild to moderate depression, then St. John's Wort may not do enough for her. The psychiatrist told me that fish oil helps the medication work better.
My heart breaks for your mother-in-law. Clinical depression runs in my family, and not everyone was willing to get help at first. There was a lot of that "pull yourself up by the boot straps" mentality.
The stigma has lessened over time, but there is still a lot of misunderstanding about depression.

SO far she has been ding very well. I suggested that she take it the same time every morning with food and it seemed to have made a big difference. We havent spoken about it recently but last she did say was that she was feeeling much "calmer". Thank you so much for all of your help!! I'll keep you updated!