Generic name:
Paroxetine
Paxil is a
depression medication used to treat major depression, obsessive
compulsive disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder,
social anxiety disorder (sometimes referred to as social phobia)
premenstrual disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This
depression medication belongs to a group of medicines referred to as
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s). These medicines are
believed to work by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain.
This depression
medication is available only with your doctor's prescription in the
following dosage forms:
Oral:
Paxil: important
information about this depression medication
Before deciding to
use this depression medication, the risk of taking this drug must be
weighed against the good it could possibly do. This is a decision you
and your physician will need to make. For Paxil, the following should
be considered:
Allergies-
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic
reactions to Paxil or similar depression medications. Also, you
should tell your health care professional if you're allergic to any
other substances including foods, preservatives or dyes.
Pregnancy-
Paxil has not been well studied in pregnant women. It should only be
used during pregnancy if the potential benefits significantly outweigh
the potential risks to the baby. Before taking this depression
medication make sure your doctor knows if you're pregnant (especially
at if it is in the third trimester) or if you may become pregnant.
Breast-feeding-
Paxil passes into the breast milk. However, the effects of this
medicine in nursing babies has not been established. Caution should
be used if you're breast-feeding.
Children-
This
depression medication should be used with caution in children who are
experiencing depression. Studies have shown occurrences of children
thinking about suicide or attempting suicide in clinical trials of
this drug. More studies need to be done to be sure that Paxil is safe
and effective in children.
Older adults
- In studies including older people, Paxil has not caused any
different side effects or problems in older adults than it did in
younger people. However, Paxil may be removed from the body much more
slowly in elderly people. An older adult may need a lower dose than
younger individuals.
Other medicines -When
you're taking Paxil or similar depression medications, you should be
very concerned about mixing this medication with others. You should
always tell your doctor about any medications taken before you
consider taking Paxil.
