Patient/caregiver was educated on how to take paroxetine as follows:
- Take the medication at the same time, every day, to avoid forgetting the medication. Taking the medication at regularly spaced intervals helps to maintain appropriate blood levels of paroxetine needed to derive the desired beneficial effects and also prevent toxicity with the medication.
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of the medication as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication. Do not change the dose on this medication without consulting your doctor.
- This medication can induce some nausea and vomiting, when taken on empty stomach. Taking the medication with a glass of water and some food or snack can help avoid these unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Paroxetine can induce some dizziness and make one drowsy. Starting the medication at a low dose and gradually increasing the dose, to help optimum control of your symptoms, can contribute to reducing the risk for drowsiness and dizziness due to the medication. If the dizziness becomes bothersome, report it to your physician and other health care personnel, for any change in plan of care to be considered. Stay away from activities, such as, driving and operating heavy machinery, until you are used to the side effects caused by paroxetine.
- Alcohol, opioid pain medications, such as, hydrocodone and codeine, a number of OTC cough medications, antihistamines, and antianxiety medications can add to the dizziness and confusion caused by paroxetine. This can result in compromised safety, falls, and accidents and so, must be avoided taken together with paroxetine. Also, avoid taking any other medications with potential to cause drowsiness along with paroxetine at the same time.
- Take the regular tablet as a whole with a glass of water. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the whole regular tablet, check with your doctor if you may cut the pill and swallow it in pieces with a glass of water. Usually tablets that can be cut bear a scoreline, displaying the line of cut. Check if your tablet has any. For individuals with severe swallowing difficulties, check with your doctor if you may also crush the tablet and sprinkle the powder on a spoonful of soft jelly or applesauce and swallow the jelly or sauce along with the medication. Other preparations of medication could also be available to help an easy intake. Check with your physician on the same.
- If you are prescribed paroxetine capsules, try to swallow the capsule as a whole, with a glass of water. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the whole capsule, check with your doctor if you may open the capsule and sprinkle the contents on a spoonful of apple sauce or jello or pudding and swallow the jello or sauce along with the medication. Other preparations of medication could also be available to help an easy intake. Check with your physician on the same.
- Paroxetine could also be prescribed as an oral syrup/suspension. When taking paroxetine as an oral syrup/suspension, use a measuring spoon/cup to measure the correct dose being taken, in order to avoid risk for over/under dosing. Do not forgot to shake the suspension well before you use it. This oral suspension can be concentrated and likely to precipitate unpleasant nausea and vomiting sensations. Mixing the concentrated liquid medication into a salad or snack and consuming it after gentle stirring for a few seconds can help avoid the unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Paroxetine takes some time to fairly balance the chemicals in the brain, before any improvement in mood and behavior are noted. It could take about 2 – 4 weeks to see a consistent change in mood. So, do not discontinue taking the medication without your physician’s consult, as you failed to see the improvement with depressive symptoms immediately after taking the medication.
- Paroxetine only helps with managing the depressive symptoms, by affecting the fine balance between the chemical neurotransmitters in the brain and is not a permanent cure. So, continue taking paroxetine, even if your mood feels better. Discontinuing the medication abruptly can result in disruption of this chemical balance in the brain, resulting in onset of severe withdrawal from the medication, depressive & anxiety symptoms. Discontinuing the medication should be only upon recommendation by your physician.
- Chemicals in the brain have to be well-balanced to help relieve the anxiety and depressive symptoms and experience feelings of well-being. Dose of paroxetine needs to be finely regulated, in order to accomplish this goal. Your physician could change the dose of paroxetine, based on the response you show and side-effects developed. So, maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments and be accommodative to the plan of dose changes, until you show an optimum response.
- Notify your doctor of any unresolved and worsening anxiety and depressive symptoms or any continuing unpleasant side-effects, so that, your dosage on the medication could be revised.
- Paroxetine interacts with a lot of other medications. If you are being newly started on paroxetine, discuss with your physician regarding all your current medications and their safety with paroxetine. Also, notify your physician regarding any current paroxetine intake, if you are being started on any new medications and discuss their safety with paroxetine.
- Sudden discontinuation of paroxetine intake, after prolonged use, can result in onset of severe withdrawal symptoms, such as, exacerbation of hallucinations, mood swings, changes with appetite and sleep, and worsening of anxiety and depression symptoms. Discontinuation on paroxetine use must be slow and gradual, using tapering doses, and only on your physician recommendation.
- If you miss a dose, try taking it at the earliest notice of noncompliance. If it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the dose scheduled. Do not take an extra dose to try making up for the missed dose. Notify your doctor and other health care personnel regarding your dose noncompliance.
