help removing driver's seat adjustment wheels

hey all. I've got a 2000 civic sedan lx. My driver's seat adjusts manually by use of two wheels. I'm doing some painting on the interior peices and I want to paint these wheels, but I spent about 30 minutes trying to get them off and they just baffle me. I've tried screwing and unscrewing, prying, pressing the middle of them, looking underneath, and I am just clueless as to how they come off. There are two screws in the paneling underneath these wheels, but taking them out does me no good because the paneling wont come off until these wheels do. I feel like such a dumbass because it seems that there must be some simple way to get these off. Has anyone ever taken these off before or know how to do it? Do I need to remove the seat completely? Thanks for any input.

I'm really stumped here guys. Any ideas?