---
title: How quickly does paroxetine reduce premenstrual irritability?
description: Very quickly. Paroxetine reduced premenstrual irritability within 14 hours, with significant improvement by day 3.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/short-onset-of-action-of-a-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitor-when-used-to-reduce-2009/
---

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- How quickly does paroxetine reduce premenstrual irritability?

Randomised trial, 2009

# How quickly does paroxetine reduce premenstrual irritability?

Very quickly. Paroxetine reduced premenstrual irritability within 14 hours, with significant improvement by day 3.

 Moderate study design

22 women with premenstrual irritability previously responsive to paroxetine

## What they did

22 women with premenstrual irritability who had previously responded to paroxetine received paroxetine for 2 menstrual cycles and placebo for 1 cycle in a double-blind crossover. They started the medication when irritability had been intense for 2 days.

## What they found

Paroxetine cycles differed from placebo as early as 14 hours after taking the drug, with significant improvement in irritability scores by day 3. Nausea appeared even faster at 4 hours but usually disappeared within 4 days.

## What it means for you

Paroxetine works much faster for premenstrual irritability than for depression, explaining why women may benefit so quickly. Main limits: small sample and women had to have already responded to paroxetine.

22

women studied

14 hours

time to first effect

day 3

significant improvement

## About the study

Original title Short onset of action of a serotonin reuptake inhibitor when used to reduce premenstrual irritability Authors Landén M, Erlandsson H, Bengtsson F et al. Journal Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Year 2009 Study design Randomised trial Participants 22 What was tested Paroxetine vs placebo Read the paper [doi.org/10.1038/npp.2008.86](https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2008.86)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Anxiety disorders and OCD](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-anxiety-disorders/)

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