Paxil & Leg Soreness & Pain

Paxil is a prescription drug that is used in treating major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic and anxiety disorders, premenstrual dysphoric disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Paxil has also been used to treat some types of pain. Taking any prescription medication may cause various side effects. Paxil, in some cases, may cause leg soreness, among other pain.

Side Effects

• There are several side effects that may occur while taking Paxil. Some of the most common include ejaculation problems, nausea, insomnia, drowsiness, weakness, dry mouth, headache, constipation, decrease in sex drive, increased sweating, dizziness, diarrhea and shakes or tremors. Muscle pain and leg pain have occurred in people taking Paxil but are described as uncommon.

Leg Pain

• Although some people experience leg pain while taking Paxil, it is undetermined whether Paxil causes the leg pain. However, some people have experienced leg pain when they stopped taking Paxil. This is because their body is in withdrawal. After taking Paxil for an extended period of time, the body becomes dependent on in it, and when Paxil is withheld from the body, it begins to revolt in various withdrawal symptoms such as leg pain and cramping.

Pain Treatment

• Paxil has been used in treating some pain problems such as nerve disease and fibromyalgia. The dose for treating pain is much lower than the dose for treating depression and other anxiety disorders.

Discontinuing Treatment

• When discontinuing Paxil, it is important to consult your prescribing doctor. Your doctor will be able to tell you how to slowly decrease your dose to prevent withdrawal symptoms from happening.

Warning

• Something to look out for while taking Paxil is serotonin syndrome, which occurs when too much serotonin is released to the brain due to a drug reaction in the body. Serotonin syndrome can occur while taking Paxil if other medications that are taken at the same time interact with Paxil. Migraine medications or other antidepressants can cause someone to experience symptoms of serotonin syndrome. Consult your doctor if you have any of these symptoms: confusion, hallucinations, fast heartbeat, feeling faint, sweating, vomiting, muscle spasms and difficulty walking. These symptoms can come on suddenly and may need 24-hour observation in a hospital with medical treatment.