Paxil, or paroxetine hcl, is an antidepressant medication that is used for a wide variety of social anxiety disorders, but the patient can exhibit some uncomfortable Paxil withdrawal symptoms it taken off of the medication too quickly. For this reason, the prescribing physician will design a method of gradual reduction of the medication's dosage over a short period of time to reduce the possibilities of these negative effects.
Why do Paxil withdrawal symptoms occur? Paxil is prescribed in part because of the brain's inability to produce effective levels of certain mood stabilizing chemicals, namely serotonin. During the treatment program where Paxil is ingested by the patient on a daily basis, the body becomes dependent on the paroxetine hcl to assist in the making of these brain chemicals. By decreasing the dosage gradually over time, the brain has a chance to regulate its production in accordance. When this does not occur, negative Paxil withdrawal symptoms are more likely.
How severe are the withdrawal symptoms? The severity of withdrawal symptoms will be partially dependent upon the patient's individual medical history and unique medical condition. Paxil withdrawal symptoms can be exhibited even when the medication is progressively decreased over time, but the effects are considerably less severe.
Once the Paxil treatment program begins to take effect, some patients begin to feel much better rather quickly. As they begin to feel better, they sometimes begin to believe that the medication is no longer necessary. This leads them to stopping the medication abruptly, against the advice of the prescribing physician. Paxil withdrawal symptoms almost immediately develop, which can set back the overall progress of the treatment program, and these side effects can be alarmingly severe in many cases.
These are some possible side effects that could occur in patients who stop taking the Paxil medication: hallucinations; suicidal thoughts; seizures; disorientation; blurred vision; racing heartbeat; nausea; vomiting; ringing of the ears; irritability; panic attacks; moodiness; fever and chills; numbness in the extremities; nightmares and sleep disorders; constipation; diarrhea; night sweats; headache; cramping; fatigue; dry mouth syndrome; loss of libido; fainting.
How long do symptoms last? Even when the patient's dosage is gradually decreased, some of these side effects may occur. These Paxil withdrawal symptoms may last for up to two weeks after treatment has stopped or up to 1 month from the time that the medication has begun to be reduced. It is always recommended to keep the prescribing physician informed of all withdrawals symptoms.