Common questions about paroxetine

Paroxetine is one of a group of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These medicines are thought to work by increasing 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 improve 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 be more relaxed about things that used to worry you.

Paroxetine will not change your personality. It will simply help you feel like yourself again.

Do not expect to feel better overnight though. Some people feel worse during the first few weeks of treatment before they begin to feel better.

For most people, paroxetine is safe to take for a long time.

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.

Otherwise there do not seem to be any lasting harmful effects from taking paroxetine for many months and years.

Paroxetine is not any better or worse as a treatment than other SSRIs.

Some people respond to one SSRI better than to another, however, so talk to your doctor if you are not feeling any better after 6 weeks.

Antidepressants, including paroxetine, are just one of several approaches to treating depression or anxiety. Other potential treatments for these conditions include:

• talking therapy (such as cognitive behavioural therapy)
• exercise programmes
• help to get a good night's rest if sleep is a problem
• joining a self-help group
• using relaxation techniques

Choosing a treatment that's most suitable for you depends on:

• how long you've had depression or anxiety
• your symptoms
• whether previous treatment has worked
• how likely you are to stick with your treatment
• the potential side effects and your preferences and priorities.

If you're interested in any of these treatments, talk to your doctor.

Paroxetine can make you feel less hungry, so you may lose weight when you first start taking it. But once you have been taking it for a while you may gain a little weight as your appetite returns.

If you start to have problems with your weight while taking paroxetine, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

The good effects of paroxetine may, after a while, improve your sex life as your mood improves.

Some of the possible negative effects include:

• painful erections, problems with getting an erection and problems with ejaculating
• vaginal bleeding and not reaching orgasm the same way as before
• a lower sex drive

Sexual side effects usually pass after the first couple of weeks. However, very rarely, they can be long lasting and may not get better even after stopping the medicine.

If these happen and are a problem for you, go back to your doctor to see if there's another treatment you can try.

Paroxetine will not affect any type of contraception including the combined pill or emergency contraception.

However, if paroxetine makes you have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours, your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet to find out what to do.

Find out more about what to do if you're on the pill and you have diarrhoea.

Some people cannot concentrate properly when they're taking paroxetine. If this happens, it might be best to stop driving, cycling or operating tools or machinery for the first few days until you know how this medicine makes you feel.

It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking paroxetine. GOV.UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving.

You can drink alcohol while taking paroxetine but it may make you feel sleepy. It might be best to stop drinking alcohol until you see how the medicine makes you feel.

Apart from not drinking alcohol if it makes you feel sleepy, there is no food or drink you need to avoid while taking paroxetine.

Cannabis with paroxetine can give you a fast heartbeat. Cannabis can also make drowsiness worse with paroxetine.

Methadone can increase the risk of side effects in people taking paroxetine.

It can be potentially dangerous to take paroxetine with:

• stimulants like MDMA (ecstasy) or cocaine
• hallucinogens like LSD
• novel psychoactive substances (which used to be known as legal highs) like mephedrone

Find out more about the side effects of some recreational drugs on the Frank website.