Just Started Paxil and Having More Anxiety

[stressed2018]

Hello. Just joined. I wanted to ask about increased anxiety after starting Paxil (10mg).

I had anxiety issues in the past, while I was drinking too much. I completely quit drinking, and haven 't had a drink in about 3 years. I was fine for about 2 years, and then bam the anxiety came back out of no where.

I have been dealing with it for most of a year, with just an rare dose of xanax. Then about 3 or 4 months ago the problems started getting much more frequent. Increasing to almost daily issues.

About two weeks ago I finally gave up and asked the doctor about daily meds. He put me on Paxil (10mg) daily. I am now on day 14 and the last few days have been hell. For the first 5 days or so I had no anxiety, but was light headed and feeling detached. Then on about day 6 I started getting anxious again. And it has ramped up from there. The last 6 to 7 days have been an anxious hell all day long. I know it takes a few weeks to work, and anxiety can increase at first. But how long do I have to put up with this!? I had to call in sick to work some days.

I would also like to ask about how these effect stop. Do you just wake up one day and the anxiety side effect is over, or what? I am more, much more, than ready for this to end. My single goal in life right now is to go one week, or even a good day, without having or even worrying about anxiety.

Thanks. I hope some of you might have first hand experience and advise about this.

[Paxiled]

Nobody can answer this for you as side effects vary by the individual.  Different people absorb drugs differently and have brains that just don't operate the same, so what happened to me means nothing as to what will happen for you.  Just no way to predict if this will ever go away or whether it will go away gradually or suddenly.  I would as if this is the first time you've tried an antidepressant and if you tried therapy before trying medication.  I ask because Paxil is notorious for being one of the two most difficult antidepressants to take and stop taking, and while it can be very effective, most psychiatrists don't start with this one because of its history.  But that's up to you and your doc; the side effect question will only answer itself with time, assuming you decide you want to stick with it and not try something else that might not have this side effect or if you're not that severely disrupted in your life whether giving therapy a try might be a good first step with medication still out there if it goes nowhere.  Good luck whatever you decide.