Drug name
Paroxetine
Drug Instruction
Paroxetine is prescribed for treating of depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The medicine may be determined for the use to treat panic disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Paroxetine may also be prescribed to treat integrated anxiety disorder or social anxiety clutter. The medicine may also be used for prescribed for treating of other medical conditions as advised by your health care provider.
Intake Instructions
Please make sure to use Paroxetine as predetermined by your health care provider.
- Please ensure the intake of Paroxetine by mouth after meals to lessen stomach upset.
- Swallowing the medicine whole is recommended. Do not break, crush, or chew the medicine before swallowing.
- Swallowing Paroxetine at fixed times each day will help you remember the schedule of taking it
- Please do not stop taking the medicine even if you feel actual improvement. Do not miss any doses.
- Do not rapidly stop taking Paroxetine without a preliminary check up with your health care provider. Side effects may happen. They may involve mental or mood changes, anemia or tingling of the skin, giddiness, confusion, vertigo, headache, trouble sleeping, or uncommon tiredness. You will be closely controlled when you start taking the medicine and whenever a change and monitoring of a dose is made.
Please consult your health care provider for more clarifications on medicine use and its safety instructions.
Drug Category and Mechanism
Paroxetine represents a category of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). It effects by recovering the balance of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain, which is aimed at making better certain mood problems.
Missed Dose
Should you miss a dose of this medicine please take it asap. If you find you have missed the previous dosage when it is almost time for your next dose, you should better skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Taking double or extra doses at once is not recommended. If more than one dose is missed, please contact your attending medical doctor or health care provider.
Storage
Storage Instructions
The best conditions to keep the medicine are at 68 and 77 degrees F (20 and 25 degrees C). Brief storage between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is allowed. The container where the medicine is stored should be tightly closed. It should be also strictly protected from moisture, heat and light. Please make sure to retain the medicine away from pets and children.
Safety Precautions
Taking the medicine is not recommended in case:
- you have allergic reactions to any component in Paroxetine;
- you are being treated or have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) (e.g., phenelzine), selegiline, or St. John's wort within the last 14 days;
- you are being treated or have taken a fenfluramine derivative (e.g., dexfenfluramine), nefazodone, pimozide, a serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) (e.g., venlafaxine), sibutramine, thioridazine, or tryptophan.
Some medical conditions may interact with the medicine. Inform your health care provider or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following are applicable to you:
Crucial Information:
- Taking alcohol at the time of using Paroxetine is not recommended.
- Please consult your health care provider before you use medicines which may cause giddiness (eg, sleep aids, muscle relaxers) while you are using the medicine; it may add to their effects.
- Please have a preliminary check up with your pharmacist for more questions on the medicines causing vertigo.
- Several weeks may pass before your symptoms lead to improvement. Do not take more than the recommended dose, do not perform a dose change, or use Paroxetine for longer than prescribed by your health care provider without checking with your doctor.
- Children, teenagers, and young adults who take Paroxetine may undergo increased risk for suicidal thoughts or attempts. Please make sure to watch all patients who take Paroxetine closely. Please immediately consult your doctor in case new, worsened, or uncommon symptoms such as depressed mood; anxious, nervousness, or irritable behavior; panic attacks; or any unexpected change in mood or behavior happens. Please make sure to consult your health care provider if any signs of suicidal thoughts or actions occur.
- If your doctor prescribed you to stop taking Paroxetine, you will need to wait for several weeks before starting to take certain other medicines (e.g., MAOIs, nefazodone). Please necessarily inform your health care provider when you should start to take your new medicines after you have stopped taking Paroxetine.
- Paroxetine may hardly ever cause a prolonged, painful erection. This could occur even when you are not having sex. If this is not treated immediately, please note that could lead to persistent sexual problems such as impotence. Please make sure to consult your health care provider immediately if this happens.
- Serotonin syndrome is a possibly fatal syndrome which has the reason caused by Paroxetine . Your risk may be at greater extent if you take Paroxetine with certain categories of other medicines (e.g., "triptans," MAOIs).
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Paroxetine may cause damage to the fetus. In case you become pregnant, please immediately contact your health care provider. You will need to consult your health care provider on the benefits and risks of using Paroxetine at the period of pregnancy. Paroxetine outfalls into breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding mother at the period you use Paroxetine, please perform a check up with your health care provider. Discuss any possible harm and damage to your baby.
Probable Side Effects
Please discuss with your health care provider if any of the mentioned most COMMON side effects afterglow or become or causing bother:
* anxiety; changes in vision; difficult evacuation of the bowels; low level of sexual desire or ability; diarrhea; giddiness; vertigo; dry mouth; gas; increased sweating; high leve of urination; appetite loss; emesis; nervousness; stomach upset; hard concentrating; problems with sleeping; uncommon skin sensations; weakness; oscitation.
Please inform your health care provider if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the below – provided are applicable to you:
* austere allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; hard breathing; tenseness in the chest; tumor of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bizarre behavior; dark or bloody stools; chest pain; excessive reflexes; fast or uncommon heartbeat; an abnormally high body temperature, chills, or sore throat; hallucinations; hard coordination; new or worsening shaking, panic attacks, belligerence, impulsiveness, irritability, enmity, exaggerated feeling of well-being, fidgetiness, or inability to sit still; resistant or austere ringing in the ears; continuos painful erection; red, swollen, blistered, or husking skin; convulsions; severe or continuos anxiety or hard sleeping; obvious weight loss; stomach pain; suicidal thoughts or attempts; tremor; uncommon bruising or bleeding; uncommon or severe mental or mood changes; changes in vision; worsening of depression.
Extra Information
An important note: This medicine is for you only. Sharing this medicine with others is not recommended.
Please consult your health care provider for more clarifications on medicine use and its safety instructions.
If do not feel the actual improvement of symptoms or they even become worse, please perform an immediate check up with your doctor.