Paxil side effects still

[kwgirl]

I have been on 20 mg of paxil for a number of years, but the last 8 months I didn't take them regularly everyday.  In late Dec I had a panic attack while driving so I started taking the paxil again daily.  I had a few horrific weeks of bad side effects, but it has now lessened my anxiety and panic attacks a lot.  Although still after more than 8 weeks of steady paxil, I am experiencing dizziness almost daily, nausea, ear pressure and popping and just an overall "weird" feeling. I am just wondering if this is normal to still get these side effects after all this time when I always did have some paxil in my system before, even though wasn't taking them daily.

[insights]

I am just wondering if this is normal to still get these side effects after all this time when I always did have some paxil in my system before, even though wasn't taking them daily.

No, it isn't normal. However, this might stem from you having not taken it as directed. It has become clear in the last few years that when antidepressants are stopped, and you seem to have effectively done this given you experienced severe side-effects when you returned to taking it daily, they are less effective than before and often produce more severe effects. So you may need to take a higher dose to achieve the same results as you previously did on 20mg. I suggest you see your doctor about this asap.

Paxil has a very short half-life so needs to be taken daily to keep the drug in your system. If you don't the brain changes it makes begin to reverse. It is the brain changes that provide the beneficial effects, not the drug itself.

Ian