How To Know if Paroxetine Is The Drug For Your Anxiety

The world is not always a happy place. With the sedentary lifestyle and high stress of living, many people are moving towards a state of depression. It is the impact of both biological and lifestyle factors that drive a person into depression. Being sad or moody is a part of life, but being in a continued state of sadness is difficult and is medically termed depression. There are varied forms of depression and anxiety.

 

 

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest, it affects your thinking, feeling, and behaviour which can lead to a variety of mental and physical problems. You might have a sudden outburst, sleep disturbances, tiredness, weight loss, etc.

Being anxious is a human trait, but persistent anxiety can lead to severe problems. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a mental health disorder, it results in persistent restlessness, overthinking, worrying, or getting anxious about things that are out of proportion to the impact of the events. It produces fear, worry, and a constant feeling of being overwhelmed and affects your day-to-day life. It affects your Cognitive, Psychological, and Behavioural aspects.

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) or Social Phobia is a mental health disorder, in which every day social interactions cause irrational anxiety, fear, self-consciousness, and embarrassment. It affects your psychological aspect and can trigger depression, fear, or anxiety in the social environment.

Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder where you have sudden panic attacks, which are sudden feelings of terror when there is no real danger and you will experience losing your control. You will experience some physical symptoms like a fast heartbeat, chest or stomach pain, breathing difficulty, weakness or dizziness, sweating, feeling hot or a cold chill, and tingly or numb hands.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder, it is triggered by a terrifying or traumatic event experienced or witnessed by a person, such as a soldier after a war. Each individual can have a different disorder based on their experiences. It can be different such as witnessing the death of a loved one, sexual assault, natural disaster, etc. It can last months or years, this condition brings back the memories of the event in the form of nightmares, flashbacks, etc. It affects your psychological, and behavioural aspect, mood swings, and affect your sleep.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), is a mental disorder that features a pattern of unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), and behaviours that drive them to do something over and over (compulsions). It is also possible that when you try to ignore or stop your obsessions, it will only increase your distress and anxiety.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a more serious form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and the symptoms are also more severe than that of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS can cause bloating and headaches. It may also cause breast tenderness a week or two before your period. With PMDD, you might have PMS symptoms along with extreme irritability, anxiety, or depression before menstruation.

Mental disorders are a health concern. Today, we have people openly talking about mental health problems and trying to normalize treating them. Mental health and well-being are crucial. Consult a doctor if you feel your mental health is causing you problems or if you wish to talk about any issue that is bothering you. The doctors generally prescribe a therapy session or give dome medication. Most of the time a combination of both therapy and medicines works best to get the desired results. Paroxetine is one such drug that is beneficial to treat depression and anxiety.

What is Paroxetine?

A class of antidepressant drugs, Paroxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). The primary work of Paroxetine is to increase the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance and treat depression. It also helps treat Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social anxiety disorder (SAD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

How is Paroxetine available?

It comes in form of tablets, capsules, suspension (liquid), and extended-release (long-acting) tablets. Your doctor will start with a lower dose gradually increasing to give maximum benefits.

Popular brand names for Paroxetine

· Pexep (Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd)

· Paxidep (Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd)

· Xet (Zydus Cadila)

· Depaxil (Alkem Laboratories Ltd)

· Paradise (Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd)

· Paroxee (Talent India)

· Patroxta (Arinna Lifescience Pvt Ltd)

· Panex (Micro Labs Ltd)

· Paxotus (Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd)

· Parocen (USV Ltd)

Precautions Before starting Paroxetine

All medicines need to be taken with some precautions. It is always beneficial to discuss your medical and family medical history with your doctor, before starting any treatment. That is beneficial for the doctor to make an informed decision.

It is advised to inform your doctor about your allergies. especially if you are allergic to tricyclic antidepressants,

Let the doctor know if you have ever taken Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), as it is not recommended to take two types of the same drugs at the same time.

Inform your doctor about all the medicines you take.

Inform the doctor if you consume alcohol, smoke tobacco, or eat it.

Let the doctor know of

· Any pregnancy

· If you have any kind of cardiac issue or clotting problem

· Any problems related to high or low blood pressure

· Any bleeding issues

· Any bone problems or have osteoporosis

· Seizures; or

· Liver or any kidney disease.

· Planning a family.

· Eye problems

Paroxetine may make you sleepy and drowsy, hence, it is advised not to perform any activities that require high concentration.

How to take Paroxetine?

· It is advised to take the dosage exactly as instructed by the doctor.

· Each type of form of the drug has a different guideline for consumption, hence, it is advised to follow your doctor’s instructions accurately.

· Never take more dosage than recommended, or stop taking medicine without consulting your doctor. A Sudden halt may lead to withdrawal syndrome, like mood changes, irritability, agitation, dizziness, numbness, tingling, etc.

· Remember that the drug takes time to show its actionability.

· Try not to miss a dose, if you do; call your doctor for further instructions.

Dosage:

The dosage recommendations are varied and depend on the patient. Your doctor can decide the dose after taking into consideration your age, medical condition, and response. Your doctor can also alter the dosage once the therapy starts.

For oral dosage form (capsules):

For moderate to severe hot flashes caused by menopause:

· In adults, the dose is to be taken at bedtime, 7.5 milligrams (mg) once daily.

· In children, the use of Paroxetine is not recommended.

For oral dosage form (suspension):

For depression:

· In adults, the initial dose is 20 milligrams (mg) (10 millilitres [mL]) once a day. It is best taken in the morning. However, the maximum dose is not more than 50 mg (25 mL) per day.

· In older adults, the initial dose is 10 mg (5 mL) once a day, best taken in the morning. However, the maximum dose is not more than 40 mg (20 mL) per day.

· In children, the doctor decides the dose and the use.

For generalized anxiety disorder:

· In adults, the initial dose is 20 milligrams (mg) (10 millilitres [mL]) once a day, best taken in the morning. However, the maximum dose is not more than 50 mg (25 mL) per day.

· In older adults, initially, the dose is 10 mg (5 mL) once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the maximum dose is not more than 40 mg (20 mL) per day.

· In children, the doctor decides the dose and the use.

For obsessive-compulsive disorder:

· In adults, the initial dose is 20 milligrams (mg) (10 millilitres [mL]) once a day, best taken in the morning. However, the dose is never more than 60 mg (30 mL) per day.

· In older adults, the initial dose is 10 mg (5 mL) once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the maximum dose is not more than 40 mg (20 mL) per day.

· In children, the use and dosage are decided by the doctor.

For panic disorder:

· In adults, the initial dose is 10 milligrams (mg) (5 millilitres [mL]) once a day, best taken in the morning. However, the dose is never more than 60 mg (30 mL) per day.

· In older adults, the initial dose is, 10 mg (5 mL) once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the dose is never more than 40 mg (20 mL) per day.

· In children, the use and dosage are decided by the doctor.

For posttraumatic stress disorder:

· In adults the initial dose is 20 milligrams (mg) (10 millilitres [mL]) once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the dose is usually not more than 50 mg (25 mL) per day.

· In older adults, the initial dose is, 10 mg (5 mL) once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the dose usually is not more than 40 mg (20 mL) per day.

· In children, the use and dosage are decided by the doctor.

For social anxiety disorder:

· In adults the initial dose is 20 milligrams (mg) (10 millilitres [mL]) once a day, usually taken in the morning.

· In older adults, the initial dose is, 10 mg (5 mL) once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the dose is never more than 20 mg (10 mL) per day.

· In children, the doctor decides the dose and the use.

For oral dosage form (tablets):

For depression:

· In adults, the initial dose is, 20 milligrams (mg) once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the maximum dose is not more than 50 mg per day.

· In older adults, the initial dose is, 10 mg once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the dose is never not more than 40 mg per day.

· In children, the doctor decides the dose and the use.

For generalized anxiety disorder:

· In adults the initial dose is 20 milligrams (mg) once a day, usually taken in the morning. The maximum dose is not more than 50 mg per day.

· In older adults, the initial dose is, 10 mg once a day, usually taken in the morning. The maximum dose is not more than 40 mg per day.

· In children, the doctor decides the dose and the use.

For obsessive-compulsive disorder:

· In adults the initial dose is 20 milligrams (mg) once a day, usually taken in the morning. The dose is generally not more than 60 mg per day.

· In older adults the initial dose is, 10 mg once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the dose is usually not more than 40 mg per day.

· In children, the use and dosage are decided by the doctor.

For panic disorder:

· In adults the initial dose is 10 milligrams (mg) once a day, usually taken in the morning. Though, the dose is never more than 60 mg per day.

· In older adults the initial dose is, 10 mg once a day, usually taken in the morning. Though, the dose is never more than 40 mg per day.

· In children, the use and dosage are decided by the doctor.

For posttraumatic stress disorder:

· In adults the initial dose is 20 milligrams (mg) once a day, usually taken in the morning. Though, the dose is never more than 50 mg per day.

· In older adults the initial dose is, 10 mg once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the dose is never more than 40 mg per day.

· In children, the use and dosage are decided by the doctor.

For social anxiety disorder:

· In adults the initial dose is 20 milligrams (mg) once a day, usually taken in the morning.

· In older adults the initial dose is, 10 mg once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the dose is not more than 20 mg per day.

· In children, the use and dosage are decided by the doctor.

For oral dosage form (extended-release tablets):

For depression:

· In adults the initial dose is 25 milligrams (mg) once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the dose usually is not more than 62.5 mg per day.

· In older adults the initial dose is, 12.5 mg once a day, usually taken in the morning. Though, the dose is not more than 50 mg per day.

· In children, the doctor decides the dose and the use.

For panic disorder:

· In adults the initial dose is 12.5 milligrams (mg) once a day, usually taken in the morning. However, the dose is never more than 75 mg per day.

· In older adults, the initial dose is, 12.5 mg once a day, usually taken in the morning. Though, the dose is not more than 50 mg per day.

· In children, the doctor decides the dose and the use.

For premenstrual dysphoric disorder:

· In adults the initial dose is 12.5 milligrams (mg) once a day, usually taken in the morning. Though, the dose is not more than 25 mg per day.

· In older adults and children, the use and dosage are decided by the doctor.

For social anxiety disorder:

· In adults the initial dose is 12.5 milligrams (mg) once a day, usually taken in the morning. Though, the dose is not more than 37.5 mg per day.

· In older adults, the initial dose is, 12.5 mg once a day, usually taken in the morning. Though, the dose is never more than 37.5 mg per day.

· In children, the use and dosage are decided by the doctor.

Side Effects of Paroxetine

All drugs cause some unwanted effects along with their main and intended effect.

Some people experience unwanted effects in form of mild side effects. Some people react severely. It is best to know the possible side effects. If you find any side effects disturbing you, discuss them with your doctor.

Common Side Effects

· Headache, dizziness, weakness

· Having difficulty concentrating,

· A feeling of nervousness, or confusion

· Sleepiness

· Forgetfulness

· Nausea and at times vomiting

· Diarrhoea or constipation

· Heartburn, gas, and, stomach pain

· The tasting ability changes for food

· A decreased appetite

· A situation of weight loss or gain

· Sexual problems in males like decreased sex drive, erection problems like delayed ejaculation

· Sexual problems in females like a decreased sex drive, or orgasm problems like a delayed orgasm

· Dry mouth

· Sweating

· Pain in the back or anywhere in the body

· Swelling of joints

Some people tend to have adverse reactions to Paroxetine. There can also be some severe side effects if the person modifies the dosage of the drug or consume it for a prolonged period or longer than advised by the doctor. In case you experience any severe side effects, call your doctor immediately.

Severe Side Effects of Paroxetine

· Hallucinations

· An irregular heartbeat

· Chest pain or difficulty breathing

· Seizures

· A condition of agitation, fever, sweating, confusion

· Severe muscle stiffness

· Loss of coordination

· Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea

· Bruising or abnormal bleeding

· Getting tiny red spots under the skin

· Blistering of skin

· A condition of sore throat, and chills with fever.

· Any other signs of infection

· An unsteady walk

· Numbness in feet or hands

· A long-lasting painful erection

· Hives, rash, itching

· Swelling up of the body parts

· Hoarseness

· Stool problems like black stools or blood in stools

· Vomiting of blood

· Bone pain or fracture

· Tenderness or swelling in any part of your body

If you experience any symptoms, please seek emergency medical advice and contact your doctor immediately.

How would you know if Paroxetine suits you?

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