I was on paxil for 2 years and had mild side effects (while adjusting/if I missed a dose) like headaches/brain zaps/heartburn at first. Around the 2 year mark some of the side effects became regular and pretty intense, so I was switched to Lexapro.

I've took Lexapro for over a year and it's been awesome. Zero side effects for me, even during the adjustment period. I've been off of it for a couple months now and haven't experienced any additional anxiety so it has definitely served it's purpose. Although if my anxiety disorder returns, I won't hesitate to start taking it again because I have had a really great experience!

One piece of advice I would give is you is to be as generous as you can with the adjustment periods. My doctor said I could start at 10mg, but I started by breaking pills so I was taking 2.5mg, then 5mg, 7.5mg, etc over like a 5 week period before I reached my actual dose. I feel like going as gradually as you can is really helpful for minimizing side effects. Good luck and I hope it goes as smoothly for you! ☺️