# List of adverse effects of paroxetine

This is a list of adverse effects of the antidepressant paroxetine, sorted by frequency of occurrence.

## Very common

Very common (10-100% incidence) adverse effects include:
* Nausea
* Sexual dysfunction (including anorgasmia (difficulty achieving an orgasm), erectile dysfunction, genital anaesthesia, ejaculation disorder, loss of libido etc.). Paroxetine is associated with a higher rate of sexual dysfunction than other SSRIs.
* Impaired concentration
* Somnolence is more common with paroxetine than with other SSRIs.
* Insomnia
* Headache
* Dry mouth

## Common

Common (1-10% incidence) adverse effects include:
* Changes in appetite
* Dyspepsia (indigestion)
* Tooth disorder
* Stomatitis
* Oropharyngeal disorder
* Flatulence
* Impaired urination
* Urinary frequency
* Agitation
* Abnormal dreams (including intense dreams or nightmares)
* Hypercholesterolaemia (elevated blood cholesterol)
* Dizziness
* Tremor
* Blurred vision
* Yawning
* Diarrhoea which is less common with paroxetine than with other SSRIs.
* Constipation (if chronic may lead to hemorrhoids)
* Vomiting
* Anxiety
* Nervousness
* Hypomania, may occur in as many as 8% of patients being treated with paroxetine. May be more common in those with bipolar disorder.
* Asthenia
* Weight gain or loss. Usually gain, paroxetine tends to produce more weight gain than other SSRIs.
* Confusion
* Emotional lability
* Myoclonus
* Myopathy
* Myalgia
* Myasthenia
* Drugged feeling
* Hyperthesia
* Respiratory disorder
* Pharyngitis
* Increased cough
* Rhinitis
* Taste perversion
* Abnormal vision
* Pruritus (itching)
* Sweat gland disorder
* Abdominal pain
* Fever
* Chest pain
* Trauma
* Back pain
* Malaise
* Pain
* Palpitations
* Vasodilatation
* Postural hypotension (a drop in blood pressure upon standing up)
* Hypertension (high blood pressure)
* Syncope (fainting)
* Tachycardia (high heart rate)

## Uncommon

Uncommon (0.1-1% incidence) adverse effects include:
* Abnormal bleeding, predominantly of the skin and mucous membranes (mostly ecchymosis)
* Confusion
* Hallucinations
* Extrapyramidal disorders (which occurs more commonly in paroxetine-treating patients than patients treated with other SSRIs)
* Sinus tachycardia
* Transient changes in blood pressure
* Urinary retention
* Urinary incontinence
* Allergic reaction
* Chills
* Face oedema
* Infection
* Bradycardia
* Conduction abnormalities
* Abnormal ECG
* Hypotension
* Ventricular extrasystoles
* Acne
* Alopecia (hair loss)
* Dry skin
* Eczema
* Furunculosis
* Herpes simplex
* Urticaria
* Bruxism
* Buccal cavity disorders
* Dysphagia
* Eructation
* Gastroenteritis
* Gastrointestinal flu
* Glossitis
* Increased salivation
* Abnormal liver function tests
* Mouth ulceration
* Rectal haemorrhage
* Miscarriage
* Amenorrhoea (lack of menstrual cycles)
* Breast pain
* Cystitis
* Dysmenorrhoea
* Dysuria
* Menorrhagia
* Nocturia
* Polyuria
* Urinary tract infection
* Urinary urgency
* Vaginitis
* Anaemia
* Leucopenia
* Lymphadenopathy
* Purpura
* White blood cell abnormality
* Oedema
* Hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar)
* Peripheral oedema
* Thirst
* Arthralgia
* Arthritis
* Traumatic fracture
* Abnormal thinking
* Akinesia
* Alcohol use disorder
* Amnesia (memory loss)
* Ataxia
* Convulsion
* Lack of emotion
* Paranoid reaction
* Asthma
* Bronchitis
* Dyspnoea (air hunger)
* Epistaxis
* Hyperventilation
* Pneumonia
* Respiratory flu
* Sinusitis
* Abnormality of accommodation
* Conjunctivitis
* Ear pain
* Eye pain
* Mydriasis
* Otitis media
* Tinnitus
* Keratoconjunctivitis

## Rare

Rare (0.01-0.1% incidence) adverse effects include:
* Mania, may be more common in those that either have or have a family history of bipolar disorder.
* Depersonalisation
* Panic disorder
* Akathisia
* Restless legs syndrome
* Elevated liver enzymes
* Hyperprolactinaemia (elevated serum prolactin)
* Galactorrhoea (lactation that is not associated with pregnancy or breastfeeding)
* Abnormal laboratory value
* Abscess
* Adrenergic syndrome
* Cellulitis
* Chills and fever
* Cyst
* Hernia
* Intentional overdose
* Neck rigidity
* Pelvic pain
* Peritonitis
* Substernal chest pain
* Ulcer
* Angina pectoris
* Arrhythmia
* Atrial arrhythmia
* Atrial fibrillation
* Bundle branch block
* Cerebral ischaemia
* Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
* Congestive heart failure
* Extrasystoles
* Low cardiac output
* Myocardial infarct (heart attack)
* Myocardial ischaemia
* Pallor
* Phlebitis
* Pulmonary embolus
* Supraventricular extrasystoles
* Thrombophlebitis
* Thrombosis
* Varicose vein
* Vascular headache
* Angioedema
* Contact dermatitis
* Erythema nodosum
* Herpes zoster
* Hirsutism
* Maculopapular rash
* Photosensitivity
* Skin discolouration
* Skin ulcer
* Diabetes mellitus
* Hyperthyroidism
* Hypothyroidism
* Thyroiditis
* Aphthous stomatitis
* Bloody diarrhoea
* Bulimia
* Colitis
* Duodenitis
* Oesophagitis
* Faecal impaction
* Faecal incontinence
* Gastritis
* Gingivitis
* Haematemesis (vomiting blood)
* Hepatitis
* Ileus
* Jaundice
* Melaena (black faeces as a result of bleeding in the stomach)
* Salivary gland enlargement
* Stomach ulcer
* Stomatitis
* Tongue oedema
* Tooth caries
* Tooth malformation
* Breast atrophy
* Female lactation
* Haematuria (blood in the urine)
* Kidney calculus (kidney stones)
* Abnormal kidney function
* Kidney pain
* Mastitis
* Nephritis
* Oliguria
* Urethritis
* Urine abnormality
* Vaginal candidiasis
* Eosinophilia
* Iron deficiency anaemia
* Leucocytosis
* Lymphoedema
* Lymphocytosis
* Microcytic anaemia
* Monocytosis
* Normocytic anaemia
* Increased alkaline phosphatase
* Bilirubinaemia
* Dehydration
* Gout
* Hyperphosphataemia (elevated levels of phosphate in the blood)
* Hypocalcaemia (low blood calcium)
* Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)
* Hypokalaemia (low blood potassium)
* Hyponatraemia (low blood sodium)
* Obesity
* Arthrosis
* Bursitis
* Cartilage disorder
* Myositis
* Osteoporosis (brittle bones)
* Tetany
* Abnormal electroencephalograph
* Abnormal gait
* Choreoathetosis
* Circumoral paraesthesia
* Delirium
* Delusions
* Diplopia
* Drug dependence
* Dysarthria
* Euphoria
* Fasciculations
* Grand mal convulsions
* Hyperalgesia
* Hysteria
* Increased libido
* Manic depressive reaction
* Meningitis
* Myelitis
* Neuralgia
* Neuropathy
* Nystagmus
* Psychosis
* Psychotic depression
* Increased reflexes
* Stupor
* Withdrawal syndrome
* Hiccup
* Lung fibrosis
* Increased sputum
* Voice alteration
* Emphysema
* Pulmonary oedema
* Amblyopia
* Specified cataract
* Conjunctival oedema
* Corneal lesion
* Corneal ulcer
* Exophthalmos
* Eye haemorrhage
* Glaucoma
* Hyperacusis
* Otitis externa
* Photophobia
* Retinal haemorrhage (bleeding into the retina)
* Taste loss
* Anisocoria
* Deafness
* Activation syndrome

## Very rare

Rare (<0.01% incidence) adverse effects include:
* Thrombocytopenia
* Syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH)
* Serotonin syndrome (symptoms may include agitation, confusion, diaphoresis, hallucinations, hyperreflexia, myoclonus, shivering, tachycardia and tremor)
* Gastrointestinal bleeding
* Hepatic events (such as hepatitis, sometimes associated with jaundice and/or liver failure)
* Priapism
* Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (including erythema multiforme, Stevens–Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis)
* Photosensitivity reactions