Drug Uses

Paxil is an agent in a newer class of antidepressant medication known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Depression and anxiety disorders might be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. One of these chemicals is serotonin, which helps send electrical signals from one nerve cell to another. In the process, serotonin is released from one nerve cell (the sender) and travels to the next (the receiver), where it is either absorbed or returns back to the original sender cell.

How Taken

Paxil comes as a tablet to take it orally. It is usually taken once daily and may be taken with or without food. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Continue to take Paxil even if you feel well. Do not stop taking Paxil without talking to your doctor, especially if you have taken large doses for a long time. Your doctor probably will want to decrease your dose gradually. This drug must be taken regularly for a few weeks before its full effect is felt.

Warnings/Precautions

Before taking Paxil, tell your doctor if you have liver disease, kidney disease, seizures or epilepsy, or a manic disorder or suicidal thoughts. You may not be able to take Paxil, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above. Paxil is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether it will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take Paxil without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. Paxil passes into breast milk and may affect a nursing baby. Do not take Paxil without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Missed Dose

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Possible Side Effects

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking Paxil and contact your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical treatment: an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives); an irregular heartbeat or pulse; low blood pressure (dizziness, weakness); high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision); unusual bleeding or bruising; or fever or chills. Less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take Paxil and talk to your doctor if you experience headache; tremor, nervousness, or anxiety; nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, or changes in appetite or weight; sleepiness or insomnia; or decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Storage

Store at controlled room temperature between 20-25°C (68-77°F).

Overdose

Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected. Symptoms of a Paxil overdose include nausea, vomiting, tremor, seizures, agitation, drowsiness, hyperactivity, and enlarged pupils.

More Information

Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Paxil may cause dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these activities. Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness or dizziness while taking Paxil.

Disclaimer

This drug information is for your information purposes only, it is not intended that this information covers all uses, directions, drug interactions, precautions, or adverse effects of your medication. This is only general information, and should not be relied on for any purpose. It should not be construed as containing specific instructions for any particular patient. We disclaim all responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of this information, and/or any consequences arising from the use of this information, including damage or adverse consequences to persons or property, however such damages or consequences arise. No warranty, either expressed or implied, is made in regards to this information.

Other info about Paxil-cr at Wikipedia.org and other resources:

Antidepressants can help people with physical ills
LONDON (Reuters) - Antidepressants such as Eli Lilly's Prozac or GlaxoSmithKline's Paxil can help depressed patients with physical illness, and doctors should consider them more often, researchers said on Wednesday. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Antidepressants Can Help With Physical Illnesses
According to a systematic review conducted by British scientists, antidepressants can help with depression associated with certain physical illnesses and should be prescribed more often by physicians for these conditions. The researchers analyzed 51 studies on various antidepresants versus placebos. Most of the studies looked at selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (e.g. Paxil) or tricyclic antidepressants (e.g. Norpramin). Around 3600 patients were involved. The study found that the drugs were more effective than placebos at treating depression in patients with physical illnesses, including stroke, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's disease and certain types of cancer. "This research is important for millions of patients and families who are experiencing physical illness, " said Irene Higginson...

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A common antidepressant weakens or cancels the beneficial effects of a standard treatment for breast cancer, according to a study released Tuesday. Women who take the mood drug paroxetine -- better known by its brand names Paxil and Seroxat -- at the same time as the breast cancer medication tamoxifen face an increased risk of death, researchers reported. (Source: Cancercompass News: Breast Cancer)

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(NaturalNews) In the first Paxil birth defect trial that resulted in a $2.5 million verdict against GlaxoSmithKline in October 2009, the infant, Lyam Kilker, was born with three heart defects; an atrial septal defect, a ventricular septal defect, and an interrupted aortic arch, after his mother took Paxil while pregnant. Pregnant women cannot participate in clinical trials on drugs due to the risk of harm to the fetus. But after a drug has been on the market for a while, epidemiology studies can review the medical records of women who have taken a new drug while pregnant and the records of women who were not exposed to the drug while pregnant and compare the outcomes of the infants.The plaintiff's experts, Doctors Ra-id Abdulla, David Healy, Shira Kramer and Suzanne Parisian, all testified...