Hi Vickers, Thanks for writing me back. I took the Paxil today, I so want to give it a fair chance, someone told me perhaps I am not taking enough, 10 miligrams is too low to help, maybe I should go to 20 but of course I am scared of the side effects to do that yet. How much did you take? Do you remember? I did not want to go back on this Vickers but this suffering got to be to much, it just kept getting worse and worse, the Klonopin calms me but I try not to take too much because its so addicting, but I guess Paxil is too, great two very addicting drugs I am taking, my withdrawal should be alot of fun!! Did your head hurt and tingle when you had a pinched nerve in your neck?? The couch must of hurt it. I will try the streching. PLease write back when you can. God bless, Debbie.

Hey Debbie! I had the electric shocks while I was taking Paxil and ten times worse when I was going through the withdrawals from it. It was a feeling like putting a 9 volt battery on your tongue. But, it wasn't just in your tongue. It would shoot from the top of your head through your entire body and out your finger tips and toes. They call it the "zaps." Every person I've talked to that has had this sensation describes it in that same manner. I read that you didn't take the Paxil for a day to see if it would go away and it didn't. Take it from me - don't ever quit Paxil cold turkey! It will make what you're going through so much worse!! It has to be very slowly weaned off of. Some people have such a hard time getting off it that that they wean it down to 1 gram by using liquid Paxil. If you want to quit it, I strongly suggest going a couple grams at a time. Cut it and take the smaller dosage for about two weeks and then cut it again. But, keep taking it until it is down to 5 grams and then after two weeks of that, take it every other day. After two weeks of that, try to stop taking it. If that's too hard, try taking the liquid Paxil down one gram at a time for two weeks with each dosage drop. But never quit it cold turkey! I guarantee it will not take away any side effects that you may be going through from taking it. Do it very slowly. It takes time and eventually, those side effects will go away after it's out of your system. It sounds to me like you have a pinched nerve. I have a pinched nerve in my back, inbetween my shoulders. Every now and again it flares up. I get numbness in my left shoulder and down my arm, pains down my left arm, pains in my neck, tingling in the face, numbness on my skull, and back pain. The only thing that will make this go away is stretching. The most effective stretch I have found to help is to put your chin down into your chest and slowly move your head side to side. Also raising your arm above your head and stretching (on both sides) helps a lot as well. Stretch, stretch, stretch! ;p Hang in there woman! You can get through this!! :)

Dear Vickers, I did not take the Paxil yesterday, I took it today, I was awaiting your reply that I thought I saw in one of your old posts about the shocks while you were still taking it. I just wonder if I hurt my neck sleeping in that strange position on the couch?? could that cause neck and head pain, tingling and a headache?? I went to the Doctors about it, I went years without seeing Doctors now I am in and out of their offices lately, is that being a hypocrondiac?? I probably spelled that wrong. THe headache scares me Vickers, it will NOT go away, the DOctor did not detect anything wrong, my pressure was 123/82 and he said it was fine, he looked in my eyes and it seemed he was looking very intently?! I hope he did not see anything, I know the "eyes mirror the soul" and tell alot, I am sure if he saw cranial pressure or signs of a stroke or tumor he would of told me, he said I had a mild ear infection and was probably slightly anemic from the blood loss of my period, I guess he had to find something since I was there. I am seeing Doctors too much VIckers and the paramedics have been here twice! Please write me back and let me know about the shocks while taking Paxil, I know you get them from withdrawing but not on it, unless it has something to do with my headpain and neck being sore. I hope you are well and work is going good, and I hope you kicked that cold. Waiting to hear from you when you get a chance. Thank you, God bless, Deb.

Dear Vickers, Thanks for responding, I had to go to the Doctors today for the headache and feeling awful so I am just posting now. I remember in a old post you mentioned, I think it may of been tiluli or someone else withdrawing from Paxil, that you eperienced the pins and needles electric shocks while you were STILL taking it, did I remember that right? The reason I ask is I am having that right now, severe headaches, and the electric shocks while taking the Paxil, I did not have that when I withdrew a few years ago, maybe because I went right on Zoloft after a few days, I skipped it today, just to see if it got better, no change, I start obsessing that its serontion syndrome or a blood clot, stroke etc.....I have had this headache for 3 days along with the electric shocks, I asked the Doctor if Paxil can cause this and he said he never heard of it, I am so frustrated Vickers! My nurse-practioner is coming back to town this week, I am going to ask if I can just take the Klonopin and be done with the antidepressants, why take them all they do is cause side-effects and no help, I feel very hopeless and frustrated Vickers, I want so much to recover and see that light at the end of the tunnel. How are you doing? You mentioned you felt congested and achy, do you have a cold? I hope you escaped it and had a nice visit and I know you had a good time at the amusement park, which is good. Let me know how you are Vickers. GOd bless, Debbie.

Hey Debbie! I took Paxil for seven years so it's kind of hard to remember how long it took to take effect since it was so long ago. But, if I remember right, it seems like it took at least a month to even see a slight difference. You may need to just keep upping your dosage until you find what works for you. My doctor also had me taking Lorazepam with it. But, I only took it when I really needed it. I don't take anything now. Thanks for saying that I seem to be getting better. I do feel better. I still have some hard days, but I am better at working through them before they get out of control. It's so easy for any fear to get out of control and consume you - as you know. In my own experience, I have found there is only one reason for a normal anxious moment to turn into pure panic. It's all about your thoughts and they way you talk to yourself. The meds never took away the problem and they will never take away the problem. It has to come from within yourself. You have it within yourself. The only relief I have EVER found from the anxiety / panic is CBT. The Panic Program offered on this website teaches CBT and has seriously helped me in more ways that I can mention. I really wish you would sit down and start it because I know it would help you! I know you've told me before that you haven't started it yet. Give it a chance. Get your life back! I know you can do it! You are very strong although I know you don't feel like it at the moment. You get up every day knowing what the day brings and that shows an amazing strength! I know you can beat this nightmare! Start the program today. Use it religiously and don't give up on it! It takes times, but honestly, all we have is time. It takes devotion but you are worth it!! Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

Vickers, I did not mean to be so long-winded in my question. I know you suffered and got better and I guess I just want to know your secret {if there is one} right now I am bleeding bad, alone, shaking and panicking, my head hurts so bad and my vision is cloudy and I am dizzy, can panic really do all this? I am trying to calm myself. Talk to you soon. God bless you, Debbie.

Hi Vickers, How are you? I hope you are doing good. I know you were on Paxil for awhile a few years ago Vickers that is why I wanted to ask you, did you find it ever helped? or at least eased the symptoms somewhat? I have been taking it 3 weeks now, first 10 now 15 miligrams and I will probably go to 20 in a week or two. Vickers, I took it a few years ago too, it does NOT seem to be helping, in fact it seems to be making things a little worse, I still wake up and panic for 3-4 hours each day, now I have a headache that will not quit it just throbs and my vision seems blurry and I feel a little dizzy, I do not know if its the anxiety or the Paxil? Did you feel like this at first? After 3 weeks shouldn't the side effects lessen? I really do not want to give up on it, Paxil cannot cause a tumor or a stroke can it? I know that sounds stupid, but these headaches and dizzy vision symptoms are scaring me. I have my monthly now and of course its heavy and bad and that probably does not help and the weather is very rainy and damp so I am trying to attribute some of the symptoms to that, the broncitis seems to be breaking up, I wish the panic would go away with it!! How long did you have to take it before seeing any relief? Did you take a benzo with it? I dont think you did but I am not sure. I had a good night Saturday and it was so nice to feel 90% Debbie again, so I know its in me. I so want to recover from this Vickers and lead a normal life, its taking so long. Please write when you can, I know your boys are on the internetalot {mine too} so when you get a chance. Thank you, Debbie.