Paxil Dosages for Adults: Your GoodRx Guide
Key takeaways:
Paxil (paroxetine) is a prescription medication used to treat several mental health conditions. The typical Paxil dosage for adults starts at 10 mg to 20 mg by mouth once daily in the morning. If needed, the dosage can go as high as 50 mg to 60 mg daily, depending on the condition you’re treating.
Paxil CR (paroxetine ER) is an extended-release form of Paxil. The starting Paxil CR dosage is 12.5 mg once daily in the morning. The dose can be increased up to 75 mg daily if needed.
You may need a lower Paxil dosage if you’re age 65 or older or have severe liver or kidney problems.
Paxil and Paxil CR are both available as lower-cost generics. GoodRx can help you save over 90% off the average retail price at select pharmacies.
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Paxil (paroxetine) is a prescription medication that treats several mental health conditions. It belongs to a class of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These medications work by raising serotonin levels in the brain.
Let’s review the recommended Paxil dosages for adults. Keep in mind that it’s best to follow your healthcare provider’s instructions for taking Paxil. They may decide that a dosage different from what’s described below is a better fit for your needs.
What dosage forms does Paxil come in?
Paxil is available in immediate-release tablets and an oral liquid (suspension). Paxil CR (paroxetine ER) is an extended-release form of Paxil.
Each dosage form comes in different doses, as detailed in the chart below.
Dosage form | Available doses |
10 mg 20 mg 30 mg 40 mg | |
10 mg/5 mL | |
Extended-release tablet (Paxil CR) | 12.5 mg 25 mg 37.5 mg |
You can take Paxil with or without food. But taking it with food may help reduce the chance of nausea, a common Paxil side effect. You'll likely take Paxil once daily in the morning.
The oral suspension is a helpful option if you have trouble swallowing pills. Just be sure to shake it well before each dose. The oral suspension also contains sorbitol as a sweetener. Sorbitol can cause an upset stomach for some people, so it’s helpful to keep this in mind.
What’s the typical Paxil dosage for adults?
The recommended Paxil dosage depends on your age and what you’re taking it for. Paxil isn’t approved for children, so the dosages below are for adults only. If the starting Paxil dosage doesn’t improve your symptoms, your provider may raise your dose. It’s best to wait at least 1 week between dosage changes to give your body time to adjust to the new dose.
Depression
The recommended Paxil dosage for adults living with depression starts at 20 mg once daily. If needed, your provider may increase your dose by 10 mg at a time up to a maximum of 50 mg daily.
The recommended Paxil CR dosage for adults living with depression starts at 25 mg once daily. If needed, your provider may increase your dose by 12.5 mg at a time up to a maximum of 62.5 mg daily.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Paxil is also approved to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The recommended Paxil dosage for adults living with OCD is 20 mg once daily. If needed, your healthcare provider may raise your dose by 10 mg at a time up to a maximum dosage of 60 mg daily.
Paxil CR isn’t approved for OCD symptoms.
Panic disorder
The recommended Paxil dosage for panic disorder starts at 10 mg once daily. If needed, your provider may raise your dose by 10 mg at a time up to a maximum of 60 mg daily.
The starting dosage of Paxil CR for panic disorder is 12.5 mg once daily. If needed, it can be increased by 12.5 mg at a time up to a maximum of 75 mg daily.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
The recommended Paxil dosage for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) starts at 20 mg daily. If needed, your provider may raise the dose by 10 mg at a time up to a maximum of 50 mg daily.
Paxil CR isn’t approved for PTSD symptoms.
Social and generalized anxiety disorders
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can cause excessive worry and fear in certain situations. The recommended Paxil dosage for SAD and GAD is 20 mg daily. Higher doses of up to 50 mg for GAD and up to 60 mg for SAD are considered safe for these conditions. But doses over 20 mg daily didn’t show an improvement in symptoms in clinical studies.
Paxil CR is only approved for SAD, starting at a dosage of 12.5 mg daily. If symptoms don’t improve, the dose can be raised by 12.5mg at a time up to a maximum of 37.5 mg daily.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Paxil CR is also approved to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The starting dosage of Paxil CR for PMDD is 12.5 mg daily. It can be raised to 25 mg daily if needed.
There are two ways to take Paxil CR for PMDD. You can take it every day, or you can take it for 14 days each month (intermittent dosing). For intermittent dosing, you’ll start taking Paxil CR 14 days before the expected start date of your next period. Then you’ll stop taking it once your period starts.
The regular form of Paxil (immediate-release) isn’t approved for PMDD symptoms.
Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions?
You may need a different Paxil dosage based on your age or other medical conditions.
Dosage for people 65 or older
Aging affects our body’s ability to break down certain medications, including Paxil. So a lower daily dosage is recommended to avoid unwanted side effects. The recommended Paxil dosage for older adults starts at 10 mg daily. The maximum recommended dosage is 40 mg daily.
For Paxil CR, the recommended dosage for adults age 65 and over starts at 12.5 mg daily. If needed, a maximum dosage of 50 mg for MDD or PD and 37.5 mg for SAD is recommended.
Dosage for people with kidney or liver problems
If you have severe liver or kidney problems, starting with a lower Paxil dosage of 10 mg (12.5 mg for Paxil CR) is best. The maximum recommended dosage is the same as for older adults. Your healthcare provider will help determine if a lower Paxil dosage is appropriate for you. Be sure to let them know if you have a history or liver or kidney problems before you start taking Paxil.
What happens if you miss a dose of Paxil?
Everyone forgets to take medication from time to time. If you forget to take a dose of Paxil, take it as soon as you remember. But if it’s close to your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next one at the regular time. Don’t take 2 doses at the same time to make up for one you missed.
What should you do if you take too much Paxil?
If you take an extra dose of Paxil by mistake, it’s unlikely to lead to serious problems. You may notice more side effects than usual, such as nausea or drowsiness.
But taking large amounts of Paxil can be serious. It could lead to seizures, trouble breathing, and coma if left untreated. Too much Paxil can also lead to serotonin syndrome, a condition caused by too much serotonin in the brain. Symptoms include sweating, a fever, and a fast heartbeat.
If you or a loved one takes too much Paxil, contact your healthcare provider or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. But if you have any of the symptoms described above, call 911 or seek emergency care right away.
How to save on Paxil
There are many ways to save on Paxil and Paxil CR, which are both available as brand-name and generic medications.
Paxil tablets: GoodRx can help you save over 90% off the average retail price of generic Paxil. Generic Paxil’s price at certain pharmacies is as low as $10.00 with a free GoodRx discount.
Paxil oral suspension: The cost of generic Paxil oral suspension is as low as $96.03 at certain pharmacies with a free GoodRx discount. That’s a savings of over 80% off the retail price.
Paxil CR: A 30-day supply of generic Paxil CR at certain pharmacies is as low as $17.70 when you use GoodRx.
The bottom line
The typical starting Paxil (paroxetine) dosage for adults is 10 mg to 20 mg once daily in the morning, or 12.5 mg daily if you’re taking Paxil CR. If needed, your dosage can go as high as 50 mg to 60 mg per day depending on your condition (75 mg for Paxil CR). It’s best to raise your dose slowly, with at least 1 week between each change in dose.
You may need a lower Paxil dosage if you’re 65 years or older or if you have liver or kidney problems. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best Paxil dosage for your needs.
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References
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (2022). Paroxetine suspension [package insert].
Apotex Corp. (2023). Paroxetine hydrochloride tablet, film coated, extended release [package insert].
MedlinePlus. (2022). Paroxetine.
PD-Rx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (2023). Paroxetine tablet, film coated [package insert].
Poison Control. (n.d.). Homepage.
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