Has anyone here ever taken or is taking paxil for depression? My doctor prescribed it for me a while back and I was non-compliant and didn't take it because I read about bad side effects online. Some people wrote that they gained a lot of weight, despite exercising. Reading that scared me because I'm a short person and even a little weight gain shows and I'm insecure about my body. I really want to tackle my depression and I'm thinking about trying it out with counseling but I'm scared to take it. What if I have to take it lifetime? I don't want to do that. What if I become dependent on it? What if it causes some kind of permanent harm to my body? Would it affect pregnancy or the baby (if I'm taking it while pregnant in the future)? Will I lose my libido or ability to orgasm? Will it make me numb of feeling emotions? I want to hear from people who have taken it. Please share your experiences.

I know these are questions I should ask my doctor but I'm not ready to talk to my doctor about all this yet.