What are the most common side effects of Paxil?

Nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, weakness, dry mouth, sweating, blurred vision, and yawning may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Do side effects of Paxil go away?

Most common side effects related to Paxil, such as nausea, headache, and dizziness, tend to go away within two to four weeks as the body adjusts to the medicine. Some adverse effects, such as sexual problems, may persist.

Is weight gain a side effect of Paxil?

Experts say that for up to 25% of people, most antidepressant medications -- including the popular SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) drugs like Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft -- can cause a weight gain of 10 pounds or more.

What are the long term side effects of Paxil?

To date, there are no known problems associated with long term use of paroxetine. It is a safe and effective medication when used as directed.

Is Paxil good for anxiety?

In addition to GAD, Paxil is also FDA-approved to treat depression and social anxiety disorder (SAD). Additionally, it can also be used to treat panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

SSRI Antidepressant Side Effects (

What is better than Paxil for anxiety?

Lexapro offers similar efficacy to Paxil with a better tolerability profile. Another class of drugs may also be preferable in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder, selective norepinephrine inhibitors (SNRIs). These include Effexor XR (venlafaxine) and Cymbalta (duloxetine).

Which is better Zoloft or Paxil?

Is Paxil or Zoloft more effective? In a randomized, double-blind study comparing the two drugs for the treatment of panic disorder, Paxil and Zoloft were found to be equally effective; however, Zoloft was slightly better tolerated, and patients did better when discontinuing the drug.

Why was Paxil taken off the market?

Prosecutors said GSK illegally marketed Paxil to children, including helping to publish a medical journal article that misreported data from a clinical trial. The drug maker also attempted to bribe doctors to prescribe the antidepressant to children as an off-label treatment for depression and anxiety.

Which is worse Prozac or Paxil?

Prozac may cause more negative changes in eating resulting in anorexia. Paxil, on the other hand, may be more likely to cause weight gain out of the two. Paxil may cause some muscle pain whereas Prozac rarely causes this side effect. Prozac is a more stimulating SSRI and may be more likely to cause insomnia.

What medications should not be taken with Paxil?

Do not use paroxetine with buspirone (Buspar®), fentanyl (Abstral®, Duragesic®), lithium (Eskalith®, Lithobid®), tryptophan, St. John's wort, amphetamines, or some pain or migraine medicines (eg, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, tramadol, Frova®, Imitrex®, Maxalt®, Relpax®, Ultram®, Zomig®).

Should I take Paxil in the morning or at night?

The capsules are usually taken once a day at bedtime with or without food. You may want to take paroxetine with food to prevent stomach upset. Take paroxetine at around the same time every day.

Why does Paxil make anxiety worse?

SSRIs like Paxil increase the amount of serotonin in the brain by preventing, or inhibiting, the neurons from reabsorbing serotonin that's already been released. Experts think that an imbalance of serotonin may lead to mood disorders like anxiety and depression.

Is Paxil and Xanax the same thing?

Paxil and Xanax belong to different drug classes. Paxil is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant and Xanax is a benzodiazepine.

How long does it take your body to adjust to Paxil?

Sleep, energy, or appetite may show some improvement within the first 1-2 weeks. Improvement in these physical symptoms can be an important early signal that the medication is working. Depressed mood and lack of interest in activities may need up to 6-8 weeks to fully improve.

How long should you stay on Paxil?

Treatments and self-care. A doctor will likely suggest that a person gradually tapers their dosage of Paxil. Tapering typically lasts for 4 weeks, but for Paxil, a doctor may suggest tapering the medication over 6–8 weeks to reduce the risk of symptoms.

Does Paxil make you extremely tired?

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like escitalopram (Lexapro), citalopram (Celexa), paroxetine (Paxil), and fluoxetine (Prozac), taken for depression or anxiety, can make you feel sleepy.

Is Paxil a good antidepressant?

Researchers say Paxil and likely other antidepressants in the class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may improve higher levels of neuroticism and lower levels of extraversion that are commonly seen with depression.

Which is the best SSRI for anxiety?

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed to treat social anxiety disorder. The only SSRIs that are currently FDA-approved for this condition are sertraline (Zoloft) and immediate- and extended-release paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR).

Is there a natural alternative to Paxil?

Holistic Paxil Alternatives

Some of the alternative medicines commonly used for depression as antidepressant alternatives include Valerian,²⁹ vitamin B6,³⁰ Omega-3 fatty acids,⁸ and 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan). These substances can be found at most grocery stores and health food stores in the form of capsules or teas.

Why is Paxil not recommended for seniors?

However, elderly patients may be more sensitive to the effects of this medicine than younger adults, and are more likely to have hyponatremia (low sodium in the blood), which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving paroxetine.

Can Paxil cause dementia?

Compared with no antidepressant use, paroxetine was associated with an increased risk of dementia with any exposure.

What are the top 5 antidepressants?

Is Paxil the strongest SSRI?

Paroxetine is the most potent inhibitor of the reuptake of serotonin among the available SSRIs. It has approved indications for the treatment of major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and social phobia in adults.

Can I drink alcohol while taking Paxil?

It's advised that you do not drink while taking antidepressants like Paxil. Alcohol can reduce Paxil's effectiveness and expose you to more side effects of the medication. Since alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, it can make Paxil less effective. This makes your symptoms likely to return.

What is the drug of choice for anxiety?

Benzodiazepines (also known as tranquilizers) are the most widely prescribed type of medication for anxiety. Drugs such as Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam) work quickly, typically bringing relief within 30 minutes to an hour.