Nausea and Insomnia at Start of Medication

[JAS1983]

I started taking Paroxetine on Monday for anxiety and poor sleep. I have since not slept for any decent time period and the nausea is so bad I can’t eat. I’m waiting on a call back from the GP but thinking it’s not worth it atm. Getting less sleep now than before and I can’t function like this. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks.

I gave up on Paroxetine after only a couple of doses as the nausea was unbearable. I had to lie down as it was so bad. There are many other anti-depressants so it is worth giving a different one a try. Also some are more likely to have sleepiness as a side effect so maybe you could try one of those.

Very normal in the first 10-14 days in my experience but well worth hanging in there as it soon passes and the results can frankly be life changingly good. Perhaps ask your gp if they can prescribe some cyclizine or similar anti-emetics in the meantime.

That’s exactly how I feel, not able to work today at all due to it and feeling spaced out. I’ll see what the GP says but don’t think I’ll be taking it again.

Thanks @Puddlelane123 and @MoreRainbowsPlease . I feel this experience has scared me from trying another as I def felt better without anything to this.

I have tried a variety of other anti-depressants whilst I have had some level of nausea, nothing has ever been as bad as paroxetine. The other ones I felt sick, but I could still function as normal.

For me personally sertraline was the least nausea causing one, and as Puddlelane123 says it does last a week or two so if you can get through that it's fine.