Hey guys I just wanted a little info from others to see if anyone had the same reaction. I liked the Paxil it didn't heightened my anxiety it helped. I am just allergic to something in it. I'm trying out celexa now and I guess ill see what happens. I feel like this site is an awesome tool for anyone living with anxiety but I would never take advice on here over that of my doctor or counselor. I would just use it to further inform myself just like everyone else should do and use any info I find to further the discussion and relationship with my doctors. Hugs to everyone hope y'all are having a great anxiety free day :)

It is unfortunate that you couldn't take Paxil when it helped. SSRIs can be a little tricky because they increase availability of serotonin, for some this is a good thing, it alleviates symptoms of anxiety and depression, for some it causes mild to adverse reactions. It's hard to determine because it is impossible to see serotonin action in the brain, well not impossible anymore. The Mayo clinic now has a device called WINCS(wireless instantaneous neurotransmitter concentration system) which can actually measure neurotransmitters like serotonin, glutamate, norepinephrine and and dopamine. Of course they have to implant a tiny device in your head. But, it measures these chemicals instantly. Could be a tremendous breakthrough for Parkinson's, a tool for finding out why some depressed patients do not respond to medication, bipolar and other mental illnesses. The reason I say this is because the serotonin factor is a hypothesis. Some people who are anxious do not actually have low serotonin, which is why some have an adverse reaction to increasing serotonin through SSRI treatment. Do you notice your doctor does no test for low serotonin before dispensing a prescription for a serotonin altering medication? It's because no accurate test exists other than the saliva or free serotonin urine test, or blood test for serum serotonin and these are not highly accurate, except for the blood test which is usually done to check for carcinoid tumors(tumors that secrete serotonin). Celexa and its chemical enantiomer Lexapro are generally well tolerated, with few side effects. Celexa and Lexapro are associated with some weight gain, but not much, and can be controlled with diet and exercise. If the weight gain exceeds 2kg per month, do speak with your doctor. Good luck and Happy Holidays.

Im on Paxil now and have been for a couple years. No noticable side effects. I was on Lexapro before that which works well for some but not for me. I dont agree that these are poisons, they are scientific substitutes to help our body do what other peoples do naturally. When someone has cancer, they dont tell them "dont take the chemo treatments, its poison" They want a relief to their medical issue, ours just happens to be antidepressants and anxiety meds. Too be honest I think whatever helps you get through the day is a blessing.