Common use
Paxil CR is used to treat depression, including major depressive disorder. Paxil CR is also used to treat panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Paxil CR is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant.
Dosage and direction
Use the medicine exactly as directed. Swallow the extended-release tablet whole and do not crush, chew, or break it. It may take up to 4 weeks before your symptoms improve. Keep using the medication as directed and tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve.
Do not stop using Paxil CR suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to safely stop using this medicine. Follow your doctor's instructions about tapering your dose.
Precautions
Tell your doctor if you have ever had: heart disease, high blood pressure, or a stroke; liver or kidney disease; a bleeding or blood clotting disorder; seizures or epilepsy; bipolar disorder (manic depression), drug addiction, or suicidal thoughts; sexual problems; narrow-angle glaucoma; or low levels of sodium in your blood.
Be sure your doctor knows if you also take stimulant medicine, opioid medicine, herbal products, or medicine for depression, mental illness, Parkinson's disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or prevention of nausea and vomiting. These medicines may interact with Paxil CR and cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome.
Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant. Do not start or stop taking this medicine without your doctor's advice. You should not breastfeed while using this medicine.
Contraindications
You should not use Paxil CR if you are allergic to Paxil CR, or if you are also taking pimozide or thioridazine.
Do not use an MAO inhibitor within 14 days before or 14 days after you take Paxil CR. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine. After you stop taking this medicine you must wait at least 14 days before you start taking an MAO inhibitor.
Paxil CR is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.
Possible side effect
Common side effects of Paxil CR may include: vision changes; weakness, drowsiness, dizziness, tiredness; sweating, anxiety, shaking; sleep problems (insomnia); loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation; dry mouth, yawning; infection; headache; or decreased sex drive, impotence, abnormal ejaculation, or difficulty having an orgasm.
Paxil CR may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have: racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep, unusual risk-taking behavior, feelings of extreme happiness or sadness, being more talkative than usual; blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights; unusual bone pain or tenderness, swelling or bruising; changes in weight or appetite; easy bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), coughing up blood; severe nervous system reaction; or low levels of sodium in the body.
Drug interaction
Ask your doctor before taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac, indomethacin, meloxicam, and others. Using an NSAID with Paxil CR may cause you to bruise or bleed easily.
Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially: cimetidine (Tagamet), digoxin, St. John's wort, tamoxifen, theophylline, tryptophan (sometimes called L-tryptophan), warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven); a diuretic or "water pill"; heart rhythm medicine; HIV or AIDS medications; amphetamine, atomoxetine, dextroamphetamine, Adderall, Dexedrine, Evekeo, Vyvanse; fentanyl, tramadol; buspirone, lithium, other antidepressants, or antipsychotics; sumatriptan, rizatriptan, zolmitriptan; or phenobarbital, phenytoin.
Missed dose
Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.
Overdose
Seek emergency medical attention. An overdose of Paxil CR can be fatal.
Storage
Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light. Keep away from children.
