Paxil Withdrawal

Paroxetine belongs to the class of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). And the brand name of this very drug is 'Paxil'. The use of this medication is for the treatment of medical conditions depression, anxiety disorder, social anxiety and panic disorders. Apart from all these ailment, the drug is also recommended to be used for a condition known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), premenstrual dysphoric disorder, etc. Just like in the case of all other kinds of drugs, even Paxil has its own share of side effects. Commonly observed ones include, dizziness, headaches, nausea, vomiting and digestive problems could be some side effects of the use of Paxil.

Paxil Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawing the use of Paxil cold turkey or even bringing changes in its recommended dosage can give rise to many uncomfortable symptoms. The condition that gives rise to all such symptoms is also referred to as SSRI discontinuation syndrome. And it is to be known that Paxil withdrawal side effects are more potent than any other SSRI drugs, in severity. This is mainly due to the fact that this drug tends to be processed by the body at a faster rate. As mentioned, the symptoms do not only occur as a result of a complete withdrawal. Even a gap in the dosage or a reduction in it, can trigger the symptoms.

The side effects are not necessarily severe for everyone, as there are people who have experienced only a mild to moderate form of the side effects. Common ones to be listed are:

• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Belching
• Bloating
• Blurred vision
• Confusion
• Constipation
• Cramps in the abdominal area
• Depression
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Excessive perspiration
• Experiencing burning or tingling sensations in the body
• Feeling lightheaded
• Fever and chill
• Flatulence
• Hallucinations
• Having symptoms that mimic those of influenza
• Headache
• Increased aggression
• Increased irritability for no apparent reason
• Insomnia
• Lethargy or tiredness
• Nausea
• Panic attacks
• Poor feeding
• Suicidal thoughts or tendencies
• Vertigo
• Vomiting

Most people may wonder about the duration of Paxil withdrawal. Meaning, how long do such symptoms stay or persist. Well, that varies from person to person. Some people have been found to be dealing with the side effects for a few weeks, while for some, the period got stretched to more than a month. Commonly, two to six weeks is considered to be the duration.

In most cases, experts have noticed that all these symptoms improve with time and resolve on their own without any treatment. Otherwise, doctors recommend a slow-and-steady plan for patients to discontinue the use of the drug. This helps in keeping the risk of stirring up the severe symptoms low. However, even this procedure may not assure a complete absence of the symptoms. So it can be said that the occurrence of all such withdrawal symptoms of Paxil is almost imminent. All one can do is to consult a healthcare provider who may help him/her to wean off gradually to minimize the severity of the symptoms. Also, there may arise the requirement of recommending the patient to switch to a different medication of the same class, but one which does not causes symptoms so severe as this one.