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Specific Vitamins, Herbs, Medications
Less Common: Decreased sexual desire, blurred vision, increased or decreased appetite, weight gain or loss,
heartbeat irregularities, change in sense of taste. Also tingling, prickling, or burning feeling.
Principal Uses
To treat symptoms of major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder.
How the Drug Works
Paroxetine affects levels of serotonin, a brain chemical that is thought to be linked to mood, emotions, and mental
state.
Dosage
Adults: To start, 20 mg once a day, usually taken in the morning; dose may be gradually increased by your doctor to
50 mg a day. Older adults: To start, 10 mg once a day; may be gradually increased by your doctor to 40 mg a day.
Onset of Effect
From 1 to 4 weeks.
Duration of Action
Unknown.
Dietary Advice
This drug can be taken without regard to diet.
Storage
Store in a tightly sealed container away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
If You Miss a Dose
Take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your
regular dosage schedule. Do not double the next dose.
Stopping the Drug
Take as prescribed for the full treatment period even if you begin to feel better before the scheduled end of therapy.
The decision to stop taking the drug should be made in consultation with your doctor. Dosage should be gradually
tapered over 1 to 2 weeks.
Prolonged Use
Usual course of therapy for depression lasts 6 months to 1 year; some patients may benefit from additional therapy.
Precautions
Over 60: Adverse reactions may be more likely and more severe in older patients. A lower dose may be warranted.
Driving and Hazardous Work: Use caution when driving or engaging in hazardous work until you determine how the
medicine affects you.
Alcohol: Avoid alcohol.
Pregnancy: Adequate studies of paroxetine use during pregnancy have not been done. Before you take paroxetine, tell
your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Breast Feeding: Paroxetine passes into breast milk; caution is advised. Consult your doctor for advice.
Infants and Children: The safety and effectiveness of the use of paroxetine in children have not been established.
Special Concerns: Take paroxetine at least 6 hours before bedtime to prevent insomnia, unless it causes drowsiness.
Overdose
Symptoms: Agitation or irritability, severe drowsiness, dilated pupils, severe dry mouth, rapid heartbeat, trembling,
severe nausea and vomiting. What to Do: Call your doctor, emergency medical services (EMS), or the nearest poison
control center immediately.
Drug Interactions
Paroxetine and MAO inhibitors should not be used within 14 days of each other. Very serious side effects such as
myoclonus (uncontrolled muscle spasms), hyperthermia (excessive rise in body temperature), and extreme stiffness
may result. Tryptophan, warfarin, sumatriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan, and zolmitriptan may also interact with
paroxetine; consult your doctor for advice.
Food Interactions
No known food interactions.
Disease Interactions
Caution is advised when taking paroxetine. Consult your doctor if you have a history of alcohol or drug abuse or a
seizure disorder. Use of paroxetine may cause complications in patients with liver or kidney disease, since these
organs work together to remove the drug from the body.
HERBAL COMBINING:
QUESTION: Why do herbs work better in combination than alone?
ANSWER: Because science is proving what Herbalists have known for milleniums, using a single silver bullet
approach to healthcare is not as effective and the synergy attained when adding the power of more than one plant.
1+1 usually equals 2, but synergy means the combination of more than one element adds up to more than their
individual sums.
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