How long does it take for paroxetine to get out of your system?
The half-life of Paxil is documented at 21 to 24 hours, which means that 50% of the drug is eliminated from a person's system within 21 hours after stopping the medication. For example, if you took a single dose of 10 mg of Paxil (paroxetine), in 21 hours, there would be 5 mg of medication left in your system.
Serotonin re-uptake inhibitor withdrawal syndrome generally begins within 24 to 48 hours after discontinuing the drug. Signs reach their maximum on day 5 and usually resolve within 2 to 3 weeks. Withdrawal syndrome is more common with short half-life drugs (paroxetine, fluvoxamine).
Stopping paroxetine abruptly may result in one or more of the following withdrawal symptoms: irritability, nausea, feeling dizzy, vomiting, nightmares, headache, and/or paresthesias (prickling, tingling sensation on the skin). Depression is also a part of bipolar illness.
For most people who take paroxetine, the drug, at some point, becomes ineffective. Getting off of an SSRI like Paxil isn't nearly as challenging as recovering from recreational drug use. Symptoms are usually mild and are easily managed by gradually decreasing the dose.
If the symptoms develop later or gradually, they may constitute a relapse of the depression. Ultimately, these withdrawal symptoms will improve with time, but they can be unpleasant for days and possibly even weeks. In time, the brain readjusts and people should experience a return to their normal state.
Tapering it off: Do not go “cold turkey.” Your doctor will advise you to gradually reduce the dose and frequency of paroxetine over time until you are no longer taking it. This is known as tapering. Tapering helps your brain adjust to the chemical changes, and as a result, it can help prevent discontinuation symptoms.
Long-Term Treatment with Paroxetine Increases Verbal Declarative Memory and Hippocampal Volume in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - PMC. The .
I'd recommend cutting the 10 mg pills in half, and take 15 mg alternating with 20 (alternatively, you could break the tabs into 1/4 if possible and take 17.5) for a week, then 15 for a week, then 15 alternating with 10 (or 12.5) for a week, and continue dropping the dose by 2.5 mg every week.
The process of healing the brain takes quite a bit longer than recovery from the acute symptoms. In fact, our best estimates are that it takes 6 to 9 months after you are no longer symptomatically depressed for your brain to entirely recover cognitive function and resilience.
The longer you have taken your medication, the slower you might want to cut down. Current recommendations for reducing the dose of an antidepressant are: If treatment has lasted less than eight weeks, stop over 1-2 weeks. If a treatment has lasted 6-8 months, cut down over 6-8 weeks.
What are the benefits of coming off antidepressants?
Besides easing the transition, tapering the dose decreases the risk that depression will recur. In a Harvard Medical School study, nearly 400 patients (two-thirds of them women) were followed for more than a year after they stopped taking antidepressants prescribed for mood and anxiety disorders.
Paroxetine is in a class of medications called selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It treats depression and other mental illnesses by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance.
Conclusions. Paroxetine use was associated with a time-varying increase in risk of dementia among depressed elderly nursing home residents. There is a need to optimize anticholinergic medication use in this population as depression is an independent risk factor for dementia.
If you've been feeling better for 6 months or more, your doctor may suggest coming off paroxetine. Before you stop taking paroxetine, your doctor will recommend reducing your dose gradually over several weeks, or longer if you have been taking it for a long time.
Overall: You may have flu-like symptoms including headache, muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, cramping, and tiredness. Mood: You may have extreme anxiety, agitation, panic, suicidal ideation, depression, irritability, anger, or mood swings.
I'd recommend cutting the 10 mg pills in half, and take 15 mg alternating with 20 (alternatively, you could break the tabs into 1/4 if possible and take 17.5) for a week, then 15 for a week, then 15 alternating with 10 (or 12.5) for a week, and continue dropping the dose by 2.5 mg every week.
Tapering it off: Do not go “cold turkey.” Your doctor will advise you to gradually reduce the dose and frequency of paroxetine over time until you are no longer taking it. This is known as tapering. Tapering helps your brain adjust to the chemical changes, and as a result, it can help prevent discontinuation symptoms.
Long-Term Treatment with Paroxetine Increases Verbal Declarative Memory and Hippocampal Volume in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - PMC. The .
Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: shaking (tremor), restlessness, inability to keep still, decreased interest in sex, changes in sexual ability, numbness/tingling, easy bruising/bleeding, fast/irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness/spasm, seizures.
Swallow the tablet or extended-release tablet whole. Do not crush, break, or chew it. Use only the brand of this medicine that your doctor prescribed.
What are the benefits of coming off antidepressants?
Besides easing the transition, tapering the dose decreases the risk that depression will recur. In a Harvard Medical School study, nearly 400 patients (two-thirds of them women) were followed for more than a year after they stopped taking antidepressants prescribed for mood and anxiety disorders.