The dose of Paxil that a doctor will prescribe depends on its intended use. People can use both the immediate release and controlled release tablets for major depressive disorder.
Doctors will typically start adults on 20 mg of immediate release Paxil once daily and 10 mg once daily for older adults. The maximum daily dose of Paxil for major depressive disorder in adults is 50 mg and 40 mg for older adults. When using controlled release tablets of Paxil, adults may begin on 25 mg once daily, and older adults will start on Doctors may increase the dose by The maximum daily dose of Paxil CR in adults is Doctors will recommend immediate release tablets of Paxil for treating people with generalized anxiety disorder.
Adults will typically start on 20 mg per day and increase this by 10 mg per day at one-week intervals. The recommended continued daily dose is 40 mg. The maximum dose is 60 mg daily. The FDA does not approve the use of Paxil in children and adolescents, though doctors sometimes prescribe 10—50 mg of Paxil to people 7 years and older as an off label use.
Adults with panic disorder can use both immediate release and controlled release tablets. Adults will usually take 40 mg per day for panic disorder. People should not exceed 60 mg per day. When choosing controlled release tablets, people can start with People aged 8 years and older can use immediate release or controlled release tablets to treat social phobias.
The following table shows the starting dose, weekly increase, and maximum daily dose for each dosage form of Paxil for children, adults, and older adults. Adults will typically start on 20 mg per day, with a maximum dose of 50 mg.
Older adults may begin with 10 mg per day up to a maximum dose of 40 mg. People can take Paxil to treat PDD. This is a depressive condition linked with the menstrual cycle. People will only take Paxil at certain times in their menstrual cycle, such as the luteal phase. The most common side effects of Paxil are:.
Serious side effects of Paxil may include:. Paxil carries a boxed warning from the FDA stating that it can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions. Short term research studies have suggested that antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, adolescents, and young adults.
Studies do not show these effects in people over 24 years old. Doctors will consider the individual benefits and risks of prescribing Paxil to anyone under 24 years old. People should speak to a doctor about any changes in their thoughts, feelings, and mood after starting to take antidepressants.
They can change the dose, medication, and help people manage their symptoms. However, if your depression is not treated during pregnancy this can also increase the chance of problems. You may need to take paroxetine during pregnancy if you need it to remain well. Your doctor can explain the risks and the benefits, and will help you decide which treatment is best for you and your baby.
For more information about how paroxetine can affect you and your baby during pregnancy, read the leaflet about the best use of medicines in pregnancy BUMPS. If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, paroxetine can be used during breastfeeding. It has been used by many breastfeeding mothers without any problems. Paroxetine passes into breast milk in very small amounts, and has been linked with side effects in very few breastfed babies.
It is important to continue taking paroxetine to keep you well. Breastfeeding will also benefit both you and your baby. If you notice that your baby isn't feeding as well as usual, or seems unusually sleepy, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, then talk to your health visitor or doctor as soon as possible.
Some medicines and paroxetine can interfere with each other and increase the chances of you having side effects. Tell your doctor if you're taking these medicines before you start paroxetine :. Do not take St John's wort, the herbal remedy for depression, while you are being treated with paroxetine as this will increase your risk of side effects. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.
Paroxetine is one of a group of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. These medicines are thought to work by increasing the levels of a mood-enhancing chemical, called serotonin, in the brain.
You may not notice much improvement in your symptoms for a week or two, until paroxetine begins to take effect. It usually takes between 4 and 6 weeks before you feel the full benefits. Do not stop taking paroxetine after a week or two just because you feel it is not helping your symptoms. Give the medicine at least 6 weeks to work. Antidepressants like paroxetine help to jump start your mood so you feel better. You may notice that you sleep better and get on with people more easily because you're less anxious.
You will hopefully take little things that used to worry you in your stride. Paroxetine won't change your personality or make you feel euphorically happy. It will simply help you feel like yourself again. Don't expect to feel better overnight though. Some people feel worse during the first few weeks of treatment before they begin to feel better.
Once you're feeling better it's likely that you will continue to take paroxetine for several more months to prevent the symptoms returning. You'll need to discuss with your doctor the pros and cons of carrying on taking paroxetine for longer than a few months.
The decision will depend on the type and severity of your symptoms, whether it's a one-off problem or one that keeps coming back, how well paroxetine works for you and whether you've had any bad side effects. If you've been feeling better for 6 months or more, your doctor may suggest coming off paroxetine. Your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually over several weeks - or longer, if you have been taking paroxetine for a long time.
This is to help prevent any extra side effects you might get as a reaction to coming off the medicine. These include:. Do not stop taking paroxetine suddenly, or without talking to your doctor first. A few people may get sexual side effects, such as problems getting an erection or a lower sex drive.
In some cases these can continue even after stopping the medicine. Speak to your doctor if you are worried. Taking paroxetine for more than a year has also been linked to a small increased risk of getting diabetes.
But you will be regularly checked for this. Paroxetine isn't any better or worse as a treatment than other SSRIs. Some side effects are more common with paroxetine than other SSRIs, like sweating or feeling sleepy. But overall, paroxetine doesn't seem any better or worse than other SSRIs when it comes to side effects.
Sometimes people respond better to one SSRI than to another. Talk to your doctor if you aren't feeling any better after 6 weeks. There's some evidence that paroxetine can reduce the quality of sperm. This should reverse once you stop taking the medicine. It isn't known, however, whether this reduces male fertility. Talk to your doctor if you're concerned. There's no firm evidence to suggest that taking paroxetine will reduce fertility in women.
However, speak to a pharmacist or your doctor if you're trying to get pregnant, as they may like to review your treatment. Paroxetine can make you feel less hungry, so you may lose weight when you first start taking it. If you start to have problems with your weight while taking paroxetine, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Some people can't concentrate properly while they're taking paroxetine. It might be best to stop driving and cycling for the first few days of treatment until you know how this medicine makes you feel. Paroxetine will not affect any type of contraception including the combined pill or emergency contraception. If discontinuing therapy is deemed necessary by your provider, you should be slowly tapered off these drugs.
Paxil is a prescription antidepressant medication used in the treatment of major depression and generalized anxiety disorder, among other conditions. Lexapro is available as an oral tablet in 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, and 40 mg strengths. It is also available as an oral solution. Lexapro is a prescription antidepressant medication used in the treatment of major depression and generalized anxiety disorder.
Lexapro is available as an oral tablet in 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg strengths. Paxil and Lexapro are both antidepressants classified as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, but they are not the same. They are both used in the treatment of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, but Paxil carries additional approved indications.
Data suggests that Lexapro may be preferred over Paxil due to having better clinical outcomes and having a more tolerable side effect profile in treating depression. Paxil is a category D drug in pregnancy, meaning it is known to cause fetal harm and should not be used in pregnancy. Lexapro is pregnancy category C, meaning there have not been adequate human studies to determine safety.
Lexapro should only be used when the risk of untreated depression in the mother outweighs the risk of fetal harm. Alcohol can increase the toxic effects of both Paxil and Lexapro. Drinking alcohol while taking these drugs can cause significant psychomotor impairment, and for this reason, patients are advised to avoid alcohol if taking Paxil or Lexapro.
Paxil causes a much higher incidence of some bothersome side effects and does not necessarily offer higher efficacy. 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. For most patients, 20 mg once daily is an effective dose for anxiety treatment. If an increase is needed, Paxil can be increased by 10 mg per day in weekly intervals up to 50 mg per day.
Skip to main content Search for a topic or drug. Paxil vs. Lexapro: Differences, similarities, and which is better for you. By Kristi C. Torres, Pharm. Updated on May. Want the best price on Lexapro? Want the best price on Paxil? Top Reads in Drug vs. Toujeo vs Lantus: Main Differences and S Dulera vs Advair: Main Differences and S
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