What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking Paroxetine:
Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to paroxetine or any other medications.
Do not take paroxetine if you are taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, including isocarboxazid (Marplan®), phenelzine (Nardil®), selegiline (Eldepryl®), and tranylcypromine (Parnate®), or have stopped taking them within the past two weeks. If you stop taking paroxetine, you should wait at least 2 weeks before you start to take an MAO inhibitor.
Do not take paroxetine if you are taking thioridazine (Mellaril®).
Always inform your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and non-prescription medications and vitamins you are taking. Be sure to mention any of the following: anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin®); antidepressants (mood elevators) such as amitriptyline (Elavil®), amoxapine (Asendin®), clomipramine (Anafranil®), desipramine (Norpramin®), doxepin (Adapin®, Sinequan®), imipramine (Tofranil®), nortriptyline (Aventyl®, Pamelor®), protriptyline (Vivactil®), and trimipramine (Surmontil®); antihistamines; aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), and naproxen (Aleve®, Naprosyn®); atazanavir (Reyataz®); bromocriptine (Parlodel®); bupropion (Wellbutrin®); buspirone (Buspar®); celecoxib (Celebrex®); chlorpromazine (Thorazine®); cimetidine (Tagamet®); clopidogrel (Plavix®); codeine (found in many cough and pain medications); dexamethasone (Decadron®); dextromethorphan (found in many cough medications); diazepam (Valium®); dicloxacillin (Dynapen®); digoxin (Lanoxin®); dipyridamole (Persantine®); diuretics ('water pills'); haloperidol (Haldol®); isoniazid (INH, Nydrazid®); lithium (Eskalith®, Lithobid®); medications for irregular heartbeat such as amiodarone (Cordarone®, Pacerone®), encainide (Enkaid®), flecainide (Tambocor®), mexiletine (Mexitil®), moricizine (Ethmozine®): propafenone (Rythmol®), and quinidine (Quinidex®); medications for mental illness and nausea; medications for seizures such as phenobarbital (Luminal®, Solfoton®) and phenytoin (Dilantin®); meperidine (Demerol®); methadone (Dolophine®); metoclopromide (Reglan®); metoprolol (Lopressor®, Toprol XL®); odansetron (Zofran®); other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as citalopram (Celexa®), fluoxetine (Prozac®, Sarafem®); fluvoxamine (Luvox®); and sertraline (Zoloft®); pimozide (Orap®); procyclidine (Kemadrin®); propoxyphene (Darvon®); propranolol (Inderal®); ranitidine (Zantac®); rifampin (Rifadin®, Rimactane®); risperidone (Risperdal®); ritonavir (Norvir®); sumatriptan (Imitrex®); tamoxifen (Nolvadex®); terbinafine (Lamisil®); theopylline (Theobid®, Theo-Dur®); ticlopidine (Ticlid®); timolol (Blocadren®); tramadol (Ultram®); trazodone (Desyrel®); and venlafaxine (Effexor®). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
Tell your doctor what herbal products and nutritional supplements you are taking, especially St. John's wort and tryptophan.
Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had depression, bipolar disorder (mood that changes from depressed to abnormally excited), or mania (frenzied, abnormally excited mood), or if you or anyone in your family has thought about or attempted suicide.
It is important that you also inform your doctor if you use or have ever used street drugs or have overused prescription medications, if you have recently had a heart attack, and if you have or have ever had glaucoma (an eye disease); seizures; bleeding from your stomach or esphagus (tube that connects the mouth and stomach) or liver, kidney, or heart disease.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking paroxetine, call your doctor.
You should know that paroxetine may make you drowsy and affect your judgment and thinking. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
Ask your doctor about the safe use of alcoholic beverages while you are taking paroxetine.
Additionally, you should be aware that your mental health may change in unexpected ways, especially at the beginning of your treatment and any time that your dose is increased or decreased. These changes may occur at any time if you have depression or another mental illness, whether or not you are taking paroxetine or any other medication. You, your family, or caregiver should call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: new or worsening depression; thinking about harming or killing yourself, or planning or trying to do so; extreme worry; agitation; panic attacks; difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep; aggressive behavior; irritability; acting without thinking; severe restlessness; and frenzied abnormal excitement. Be sure that your family or caregiver knows which symptoms may be serious so they can call the doctor when you are unable to seek treatment on your own.
Why is this medication prescribed?
Dosage and using this medicine
What should I do if I forget a dose?
What side effects can this medication cause?