What is Paroxetine?
Category: Prescription Drugs
Most popular types: Paxil Paxil CR Seroxat Show all
Paroxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant used in the treatment of depression as well as anxiety disorders.
| Purpose | Patients | Evaluations | Perceived Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depressed mood | 3810 | 321 | |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder | 3720 | 102 | |
| Social anxiety disorder | 554 | 99 | |
| Mild depression | 402 | 28 | |
| Anxious mood | 216 | 82 | |
| Reactive depression | 100 | 2 |
- Major
- Moderate
- Slight
- None
- Can't tell
Side effects
Side effects as an overall problem
| Severity | Evaluations | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 81 | |
| Moderate | 125 | |
| Mild | 154 | |
| None | 237 |
Commonly reported side effects and conditions associated with Paroxetine
| Side effect | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Weight gain | 36 | |
| Decreased sex drive (libido) | 31 | |
| Sexual dysfunction | 26 | |
| Nausea | 21 | |
| Headaches | 16 | |
| Dry mouth | 14 |
Why patients stopped taking Paroxetine
Multiple reasons could be selected
| Reason | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Did not seem to work | 258 | |
| Side effects too severe | 193 | |
| Doctor's advice | 161 | |
| Other | 116 | |
| Personal research | 37 | |
| Course of treatment ended | 27 | |
| Expense | 27 | |
| Change in health plan coverage | 19 |
Duration
Stopped taking Paroxetine
| Duration | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 month | 105 | |
| 1 - 6 months | 129 | |
| 6 months - 1 year | 66 | |
| 1 - 2 years | 76 | |
| 2 - 5 years | 104 | |
| 5 - 10 years | 50 | |
| 10 years or more | 40 |
What people switch to and from
Patients started taking Paroxetine after stopping:
| Treatment | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Fluoxetine (Prozac) | 38 | |
| Sertraline (Zoloft) | 31 | |
| Bupropion (Wellbutrin) | 20 | |
| Citalopram (Celexa) | 17 | |
| Escitalopram (Lexapro) | 17 |
Patients stopped taking Paroxetine and switched to:
| Treatment | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Duloxetine (Cymbalta) | 43 | |
| Venlafaxine (Effexor XR) | 43 | |
| Fluoxetine (Prozac) | 35 | |
| Sertraline (Zoloft) | 29 | |
| Bupropion (Wellbutrin) | 28 |
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