Paxil Side Effects

Paxil is a medication useful in the treatment of acute and chronic depression as well as anxiety disorders. Like other medications of its type, you need to be aware of the possible side effects of Paxil or paroxetine. Not everyone has side effects and they can be minor or sever, depending on the person and their health situation.

Doctors check for side effects by giving the drug to young healthy people and by giving another set of similar people a placebo. The rate of side effects is given to those who have side effects greater than those who took the placebo effect. Common side effects include nausea and vomiting, insomnia, weakness and drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, diarrhea, headache, decreased sex drive, increased sweating, shakiness, and dizziness.

These are all simple, self-limiting side effects that pass when you stop the medication. The rarest side effects include weight loss, being nervous, being impotent, having agitation or nervousness, being anxious or having indigestion or painful menstrual periods.

There is a relatively new side effect that you need to be aware of, particularly if you are a woman of childbearing age. It seems to increase the risk of heart defects in children born to women on Paxil is much higher than with women who do not take Paxil. The side effect is more common when the medication is taken in the first trimester, when the heart is developing. It is a serious side effect that was not originally listed among side effects of Paxil. There is ongoing litigation in some women's cases where the infant was born and had a heart defect, particularly a valvular defect.

Side effects you should pay attention to and see a doctor for include suicidal behavior and thoughts, anxiety or panic attacks, doing dangerous things for the thrill of it, being hostile or having panic attacks, or being extremely elated or too happy considering the circumstances. You can get confusion or mental alterations, a fast heart beat, hallucinations, an irregular heart rhythm, or too much in the way of nausea, heartburn, vomiting or diarrhea. Overactive reflexes can be serious, fever, shivering or shaking, agitation, coma or seizures.

Chest palpitations can be a serious problem, as can difficulty sleeping, feelings of internal restlessness or jitteriness or signs of an allergic reaction. This can include an unexplained rash, hives, unexplained swelling, and itching. There can be difficulty breathing or swallowing with Paxil allergies. Rarely, side effects of Paxil include those things that occur in 2-5 percent of individuals who take the drug. Some of these rarer side effects include stomach pain or other abdominal pain, flushing of the face and the rest of the skin, excess gas or flatulence, weight gain due to increased appetite, muscle aches, and abnormal dreams or nightmares. You can experience difficulty concentrating, visual changes, chest pain, sort throat, and back pain. Personality changes are possible, as are an irritated nose, muscle spasms, vomiting, bladder difficulties, palpitations, memory loss, heartburn or indigestion, and changes in taste.

Most side effects of Paxil are self limiting and do not last after the medication is stopped. Many people experience no side effects at all. The risk of getting at least one side effect is around 25 percent but it may be a side effect that has no real effect on your functioning. Side effects are often unpredictable and the doctor cannot say who will get a particular side effect and who will not. The side effect related to birth defects in children born to mothers who take Paxil should be taken seriously and you should not take Paxil at all if you are pregnant or contemplating pregnancy. Let your doctor know if you are contemplating pregnancy or if you have any side effect which is unacceptable or uncomfortable to you. If you just don't feel right after taking Paxil, tell your doctor so that he or she can switch medications.