Perhaps one of the most famous antidepressants in the group of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors is Paxil. It is he who is preferred by many, because he is able to deal with both stressful and anxious conditions, that is, he copes with all the widespread types of depression, as well as with panic attacks or social phobias.
More about the release form
On the modern Paxil drug market, patient reviews are a confirmation of this, you can only find it in the form of tablets that are intended for internal use. In appearance, these are ordinary round white pills, coated, slightly convex on both sides. The variety of assortment is only in the fact that there are packages of 10, 30 or one hundred pieces.
We study the composition
Regardless of the package with how many tablets you choose, each pill will contain 20 mg of the active substance - paroxetine. Not without such auxiliary components as hydrogen phosphate, calcium dihydrate, magnesium stearate, titanium dioxide and others.
How does Paxil affect a person with depression or panic attacks?
As already mentioned, "Paxil", reviews of doctors confirm this, it is able to selectively (that is, selectively) block the seizure of serotonin, and the result of such an action is the effect of antidepressant or anti-anxiety. That is why this drug is used only in this area.
"Paxil", reviews of doctors about this very often can be found, it is a lifeline for people who are depressed, and who are pursued by suicidal thoughts. As practice shows, this drug will cope, even if other medicines that were previously taken by the patient were powerless. By the way, it is also recommended to take it for the prevention of relapse of depression.
But if a person suffers from a state of panic, “Paxil” (instructions for use, reviews and recommendations of doctors confirm this) is best taken only in combination with nootropic drugs or tranquilizers prescribed by the attending physician.
Why do many people prescribe Paxil? Because this is the drug that will not affect sleeping pills as a person, while it does not affect the quality of sleep, that is, no additional funds will have to be used to get rid of such consequences. Although if the patient had problems with sleep, the attending physician may decide whether to take such drugs in combination.
"Paxil", reviews of doctors also say about this, does not affect the activity of the brain, which is very important, that is, its work is not inhibited. While taking this drug, blood pressure drops or changes in the rate of contraction of the heart will not be observed.
How quickly can you notice the effects of the drug?
If we talk about a really significant, clearly visible effect from the application, then it can be observed already in the second week of taking the medication. And if we talk about persistent action, then its practitioners see their patients after two full weeks of admission.
Consider in detail the indications for use
We have already figured out that Paxil is necessary for problems in the mental sphere. To be more precise, it is prescribed for the following symptoms and diseases:
- Depression Moreover, depression of any type, including those accompanied by anxiety.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorders. These are conditions in which a person has an irresistible desire to deal with problems that may arise.
- Panic Disorders . "Paxil," patient reviews confirm, helps even with such disorders, which are accompanied by a fear of open spaces.
- Sociophobia. Today, many attribute themselves to social phobia, perceiving it simply as a little nervousness from the understanding that it will be necessary to speak in public. Real sociophobia is much more serious and brings the patient a lot of worries and problems, which is why with such a diagnosis, Paxil can be prescribed.
- If the patient is diagnosed with daily anxiety or even generalized anxiety disorder, they can also be prescribed the drug described.
- If a person has had depression before or has experienced a severe form of stress, they can also be attributed to Paxil antidepressants, reviews about the treatment with this particular remedy in most cases are positive.
Of course, such a drug may not act as the main element of treatment, but as, for example, supportive. In post-traumatic stresses, it will always be taken only for the purpose of treatment.
Talk about proper use
Since the average dose of the drug for 24 hours is 20 mg, it is often attributed to take only one tablet per day. It is important to know that the tablet needs to be swallowed whole, without crushing it before use and in no case chewing.
"Paxil", instructions for use, reviews of practitioners warn about this, it must be taken until all symptoms of the disease have been stopped. Often the course of treatment lasts more than one month, in each individual case it is worth listening only to the recommendations of the attending specialist who will monitor the healing process and make a timely decision on the termination of the course of therapy.
With depressions
So, for depression, Paxil, according to the recommendations of doctors, is used on a tablet per day for at least two to three weeks, after which it will be possible to begin to evaluate the results of such treatment. If the doctor considers the improvements not significant enough, he can increase the daily dosage of the drug. The maximum dosage is 50 mg per day. You should know that the dosage rises very smoothly - only 10 mg per week and under the constant supervision of a treating specialist. If after the first increase in dosage, the drug was taken for more than seven days and the improvements are imperceptible or subtle, a repeated increase in dosage is possible. It is important to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of Paxil in order to stop treatment on time until the patient has become accustomed to the drug.
The average treatment course can last from 4 to 12 months, as already mentioned, for each individual case, its own course of treatment is selected. After this, a gradual withdrawal of the drug begins.
For panic disorders
The fact that “Paxil” is very effective in case of panic disorders is confirmed by doctors. With such diseases, the average dosage rate is 40 mg per day. The maximum may be 60 mg for 24 hours. As with depression, an increase in dosage can begin after two to three weeks of use, which did not bring a significant result, and only 10 mg per week. For children, the dosage is much lower with such diseases, it will be from 20 to 30 mg per day. The maximum allowed for children is to prescribe 50 mg per day. The drug begins with 10 mg per day and the dosage is also increased once a week by 10 mg.
With such diseases, the course of treatment lasts an average of 4-8 months. After the gradual withdrawal of the drug begins.
The right technique for social phobia
Symptoms of social phobia are well stopped by taking 20 mg per day by adults and 10 mg per day by children and adolescents. In such cases, they start taking the Paxil drug (reviews by doctors and the patients themselves confirm this) with 10 mg, after which the dosage is increased by 10 mg once a week. As soon as the doctor confirms that the dosage is sufficient for treatment, they will not be increased anymore until the very end of the course of treatment. The average course lasts 4 months, although there have been many cases where it was necessary 10 months.
Anxiety Disorders and Paxil
Instructions, reviews of doctors note that for most patients, 8 months of treatment is enough to finally overcome generalized anxiety disorder. Often enough dosage is 20 mg for 24 hours, although if necessary it can be increased to 50 mg (the dosage is also increased by 10 mg per week, not more).
Stress disorders, including post-traumatic
One tablet per day with such a disease is quite enough for most patients. The maximum dosage in such cases is allowed in the amount of 50 mg, you can increase it up to 10 mg once a week. With such problems, Paxil tablets, reviews of doctors about this can often be found, helps for 4-7 months.
Correct cancellation
Testimonials of those who became addicted to Paxil confirm that if you do not adhere to the rules described below, you can seriously harm your health. So, “Paxil” is the drug that requires a slow and gradual withdrawal. Schematic algorithm of actions:
- reduce the size of the last dosage by 10 mg and take the drug for another week according to the new dosage;
- weekly you need to reduce the dosage by half a tablet or 10 mg until you reach the dosage of 20 mg, it is in this amount that you need to take the drug for another week, and after that completely abandon it.
What to do if you or your attending physician notice a worsening from the fact that you started to cancel the drug "Paxil"? The reviews of the best modern specialists in this case recommend that you resume the previous dosage of the medicine, drink in such an amount for another 2 or 3 weeks, and then start the cancellation process again. If necessary, reduce the dosage of the drug by half a tablet or 10 mg once every three weeks, the main thing is that the withdrawal of the drug does not harm the improved health of the patient.
Can I take the drug for pregnant or lactating mothers?
Animal experiments did not show any changes or negative effects from taking this drug pregnant or lactating, no changes were observed in either the female or the fetus.
But clinical observations confirm that taking such a drug is dangerous in the first trimester of pregnancy, as it increases the risk of congenital malformations and heart defects.
If mothers took Paxil in the third trimester, side effects (doctors' reviews confirm this) were expressed in the form of unstable temperature, problems with feeding the baby, increased reflexes, etc. Similar complications occurred 5 times more often in mothers who took this drug than mothers who did not take it.
If we talk about men, then studies have shown that Paxil is also able to lower the quality of sperm, so when using this drug for treatment, the conception of a child should be postponed. Changes in semen will reverse some time after the drug is completely discontinued, then it is already worth starting to plan a pregnancy.
Does Paxil affect the ability to drive a car or drive other mechanisms?
As observations of patients who are treated with this particular drug show, no changes, impairments in the ability to drive a car or operate machinery are observed. But still, a person should listen to himself, and if there is a feeling of deterioration, it is worth refusing to perform such actions.
What do doctors say about an overdose?
As shown by previous experiments, it is possible to observe side effects from this drug only if 100 tablets are taken at the same time. An overdose will be expressed in the form of a significant expansion of the pupils, severe vomiting and increased levels of anxiety. In this case, you need to immediately rinse the patient’s stomach and leave it under the supervision of specialists.
Death from Paxil was observed only if it was combined with psychotropic drugs that could not interact with him. "Paxil" and alcohol, reviews confirm, it is also a deadly cocktail if the dosage of the first and second component is not observed. In addition, it is worthwhile to understand that even if you drink a little alcohol, if you take this drug, such an action will reduce the effectiveness of the treatment to zero. It is also possible that side effects from taking this drug will increase if you regularly drink alcohol, albeit in small quantities.
What is often observed during cancellation?
Sometimes patients develop a “withdrawal syndrome”, with “Paxil” it is also possible. So, with the withdrawal syndrome, it is from this medication that can be observed:
- feeling dizzy;
- minor sleep disturbance;
- short periods of confusion;
- regular nausea that cannot be relieved by proper nutrition or special medications;
- sweating of the palms or the body as a whole;
- sometimes (very rarely) diarrhea is observed.
Often, some of the above symptoms are observed only in the first days of the start of drug withdrawal, since this is really a little stress for the body, for which he was not ready. Also, similar consequences can be in people who missed taking the medicine (several tablets in a row) or took alcohol. Experts say that the withdrawal syndrome will last a maximum of two weeks, and the patient does not need any specific treatment, you just need to go through this period in order to return to normal life without such medications. That is why it is worth canceling the described drug in stages.
Are there any contraindications?
"Paxil" is not prescribed for children under 18 years of age in order to treat depressive conditions. Also, it is not recommended for children who have not yet reached the age of seven. Before use, it is worth carefully reading the list of excipients to make sure that you do not have individual hypersensitivity to them.
And a few words about the drug
Paxil received positive reviews from most patients who took it. According to experts, this drug can only receive negative reviews if. If the person himself or his attending physician did not adhere to the instructions for use. If you take these pills without a doctor’s prescription, you can seriously harm your health or become addicted to antidepressants. Experts recommend combining the use of this drug with regular visits to a psychologist and strict adherence to instructions and recommendations. In order for the treatment process to really give results, it is better to completely abandon the intake of alcohol even in small doses.