Side Effects of This Medicine

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. One rare but serious unwanted effect that may occur with paroxetine use is the serotonin syndrome. This syndrome (group of symptoms) is more likely to occur shortly after the dose of paroxetine is increased.

Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common

Agitation; chest congestion; chest pain; chills; cold sweats; confusion; difficulty breathing; dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position; fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse; muscle pain or weakness; skin rash

Rare

Absence of or decrease in body movements; bigger, dilated, or enlarged pupils [black part of eye]; difficulty in speaking; inability to move eyes; incomplete, sudden, or unusual body or facial movements; increased sensitivity of eyes to light; low blood sodium (confusion, convulsions [seizures], drowsiness, dryness of mouth, increased thirst, lack of energy); red or purple patches on skin; serotonin syndrome (confusion, diarrhea, fever, poor coordination, restlessness, shivering, sweating, talking and acting with excitement you cannot control, trembling or shaking, twitching); talking, feeling, and acting with excitement and activity you cannot control

Incidence not determined

Back, leg, or stomach pains; bleeding gums; blindness; blistering, peeling, loosening of skin; bloated, full feeling; bloody or black, tarry stools; bloody urine; blue-yellow color blindness; blurred vision; coma; constipation; cough or hoarseness; dark urine; decreased frequency or amount of urine; decreased vision; depression; difficulty opening the mouth; difficulty swallowing; electric shock sensations; epileptic seizure that will not stop; excessive muscle tone; eye pain; fainting; fixed position of eye; fluid-filled skin blisters; general body swelling; general feeling of tiredness or weakness; headache; high fever; hives; inability to move arms and legs; inability to sit still; increased blood pressure; increased sweating; increased thirst; incremental or ratchet-like movement of muscle; indigestion; itching skin; joint pain; lab results that show problems with liver; light-colored stools; lockjaw; loss of appetite; loss of bladder control; low blood pressure; lower back or side pain; muscle spasm, especially of neck and back; muscle tension or tightness; nausea; need to keep moving; nosebleeds; painful knees and ankles; painful or difficult urination; painful or prolonged erection of the penis; pale skin; puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue; raised red swellings on the skin, the buttocks, legs, or ankles; red irritated eyes; rigid muscles; seizure or coma late in pregnancy; sensitivity to the sun; skin redness or soreness; skin sores, welts or blisters; skin thinness; sore throat; sores, ulcers, or white spots on lips or in mouth; swelling of breasts; swollen or painful glands; shortness of breath; slow heart rate; slow movement; slow reflexes; spasms of throat; stiff muscles; stomach pain; sudden numbness and weakness in the arms and legs; swelling of face, fingers, lower legs; tightness in chest; unexpected or excess milk flow from breasts; unusual bleeding or bruising; unusual or decreased blood cell production; unusual tiredness or weakness; vomiting; weight gain; wheezing; yellowing of the eyes or skin

Symptoms of overdose

Dizziness; drowsiness; dryness of mouth; flushing of face; irritability; large pupils; nausea; racing heartbeat; trembling or shaking; vomiting

Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:

More common

Acid or sour stomach; belching; decreased appetite; decreased sexual ability or desire; excess air or gas in stomach or intestines; heartburn; nervousness; pain or tenderness around eyes and cheekbones; passing gas; problems in urinating; runny or stuffy nose; sexual problems, especially ejaculatory disturbances; sleepiness or unusual drowsiness; stomach discomfort, upset, or pain; sweating; trauma; trembling or shaking; trouble in sleeping

Less common

Abnormal dreams; anxiety; bladder pain; body aches or pain; change in sense of taste; changes in vision; cloudy urine; confusion; congestion; difficulty in focusing eyes; difficulty in moving; discouragement, feeling sad or empty; drugged feeling; dryness of throat; excessive muscle tone; fainting or loss of consciousness; fast or irregular breathing; feeling of unreality; feeling of warmth or heat; flushing or redness of skin, especially on face and neck; frequent urge to urinate; headache, severe and throbbing; heavy bleeding; increase in body movements; increased appetite; irritability; itching, pain, redness, or swelling of eye or eyelid; itching of the vagina or genital area; lack of emotion; loss of interest or pleasure; loss of memory; lump in throat; menstrual changes; menstrual pain or cramps; muscle twitching or jerking; pain during sexual intercourse; problems with memory; problems with tooth; rhythmic movement of muscles; sense of detachment from self or body; severe sunburn; slow heartbeat; sneezing; thick, white vaginal discharge with no odor or with a mild odor; tightness in throat; tingling, burning, or prickling sensations; trouble concentrating; voice changes; watering of eyes; weight loss; yawn

After you stop using this medicine, your body may need time to adjust. The length of time this takes depends on the amount of medicine you were using and how long you used it. During this period of time check with your doctor if you notice any of the following side effects:

Abnormal dreams; agitation, confusion, or restlessness; burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles" , or tingling feelings; diarrhea; dizziness or light-headedness; electric shock sensations; fear; headache; increased sweating; muscle pain; nausea or vomiting; nervousness; runny nose; trembling or shaking; trouble in sleeping; unusual tiredness or weakness; vision changes

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.