Patients with major mental conditions, such as depression, anxiety, stress, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, have often been prescribed medication to help ease their symptoms. However, paroxetine or Paxil, when used for long periods, may trigger withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking the medication abruptly.
You should know that dealing with withdrawals can be quite tricky. Since your body is used to the drug, it will naturally crave it. But if you don’t take the drug, you may experience severe side effects to flush out the remaining toxins and effects in your body. For this reason, you need to discontinue Paxil use gradually and ensure you’re under medical supervision.
Paxil Withdrawal Symptoms
When you stop using antidepressants, you may begin to experience withdrawal symptoms, especially when you don’t stop gradually. A 2020 study found that paroxetine is commonly associated with withdrawal symptoms, and these effects include nausea, headaches, and irritability.
Withdrawal symptoms are often experienced by individuals who have been taking Paxil for more than six weeks. 80 percent of those who stop develop these symptoms immediately. This is because chemical changes are occurring in the body, and because of the abrupt stop of Paxil use, your brain is in a state of imbalance, affecting you mentally and physically.
The reason this happens is that antidepressants cause chemical changes in the body and it will need to adjust to its former state. Since paroxetine has a short half-life, troublesome symptoms are more apparent.
Medical professionals will lower or adjust the dosage over weeks into months to reduce and prevent withdrawal symptoms. By tapering antidepressants, you can increase the medication’s half-life, reducing the chances of severe withdrawal symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms
When you stop using Paxil abruptly, you may start experiencing withdrawal symptoms as early as two to four days, and over time, the symptoms may become more intense. Because of this, it’s crucial to have medical supervision during this transition in case the patient needs medical assistance throughout the period.
Here are the following withdrawal symptoms that patients experience:
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Mood Changes
- Poor Sleeping Habits
- Apparent Headaches
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Brain Zaps
- Confusion
- Shaking
How Long Do Symptoms Last?
Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms can last up to four to six weeks, depending on how often you use the medication. With that, some patients even experience symptoms that last up to a year.
How Do You Treat Withdrawals?
When a patient can stop taking Paxil, doctors will suggest tapering their dosage, which could last up to six to eight weeks. By doing this, you can mitigate the withdrawal symptoms patients may experience. However, the length of tapering will still depend on the patient’s exposure to the medication and dosage.
In some cases, doctors may suggest that the patient switch to another antidepressant with a longer half-life, making it easier to reduce or experience withdrawal symptoms.
There are other ways to help treat these withdrawal symptoms besides adjusting the dosage and length of intake. Here are some self-care tips patients should follow:
- Form a support group with family and friends for the patient
- Understand and take note of triggers and warning signs
- Monitor their mood
- Teach them to look out for themselves
- Ensure they get adequate rest and sleep at night
- Ensure that they remain physically active
What is Paxil, and What is It Used For?
Paxil or paroxetine is an antidepressant medication that is part of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. This medication treats several mental conditions like major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and more.
This medication was first introduced in 1992 by SmithKline Beecham, which is now popularly known as GlaxoSmithKline. And by 2003, a generic version was on the market. But how is Paxil used?
Although those under the SSRI class are often prescribed to treat depression and anxiety, this medication can also help manage premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PDD). In some cases, some medical professionals will prescribe Paxil to help reduce the severity of hot flashes and night sweats, which are often associated with menopause.
How Does it Work?
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that promotes feelings of happiness and general well-being. However, this only works when it is released into the synaptic gap found between neurons. But once this is triggered, it helps reduce feelings of depression, putting a patient in an improved disposition.
To help increase the length serotonin spends in the synaptic gap, medications like paroxetine or Paxil can help, which is why they are classified in the SSRI. Once you take Paxil, it delays serotonin reuptake, allowing it to spend more time outside of the neurons and acts on serotonin receptors.
When you start taking Paxil, it’s vital that remain vigilant for thought about suicide. This is because it may take several weeks before you start feeling the effects of the medication. Because of this, some patients may feel like they’re in limbo, making it a crucial time since this window can be quite risky for them.
Side Effects
Paroxetine is often administered via tablet and ranges from immediate to controlled release. When you take immediate-release medication, the effects kick in much faster than the latter, where small amounts of drug are released throughout the day.
Paxil is often offered in 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, and 40 mg. On the other hand, Paxil CR (controlled release) comes in doses of 12.5 mg, 25 mg, and 37.5 mg.
Below are some of the side effects that patients may experience when taking Paxil:
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Sleep trouble
- Weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Dry mouth
- Blurred vision
- Sweating
However, do note that side effects can worsen, and if you experience these serious side effects, it’s best to speak to your doctor:
- Shaking
- Tremors
- Loss of coordination
- Restlessness
- Reduced sexual activity and ability
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Easy bruising and bleeding
- Irregular or fast heartbeat
- Muscle weakness
- Seizures
- Spasms
- Black stool
- Eye pain, redness, or swelling
- Big pupils
- Unusual vision changes
- Hallucinations
- Coffee-ground-like vomit
The Bottom Line: Discuss Possible Paxil Discontinuation with a Reliable Doctor
Paxil is often prescribed to treat mental and mood disorders, but deciding to stop using antidepressants requires a lot of research and consideration. With that being said, it’s crucial to speak to your doctor to get advice on discontinuing Paxil, especially since this medication has a short half-life.
Medications with short half-lives may trigger withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking the meds abruptly. In most cases, the symptoms may range from mild to severe and could last for a week or months. With that, medical supervision is essential to ensure that you get proper treatment immediately.
Fortunately, besides taking the right medical steps to treat your withdrawal symptoms, there are also self-care tips that you, your family, and your friends can do to help ease the whole discontinuation process. From eating a healthy diet to getting enough sleep, putting in some physical activity daily, and getting therapy and counseling, there are many possible treatments you can consider.