# Dilated eyes while on Paxil!!!



## DanaT (Aug 16, 2011)

Hi,
I've been taking 10mg of paxil for about a month now. My eyes are like saucers really dilated and just want to know if anyone else had this happen while taking Paxil? Is this normal?

ALSO, yesterday i woke up really dizzy like if I was drunk or something. It really freaked me out. My heart rate was all over the place, i had a headache, i was hot, dry mouth, chills, shakes. I took my paxil and it took most of that away. What did i expierience? I was soooo freaked out becaus the dizziness got worse if I laid down, went away if I walked around.


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## DanaT (Aug 16, 2011)

forgot to add I woke up with my eyes really dilated too!


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

DanaT said:


> I've been taking 10mg of paxil for about a month now. My eyes are like saucers really dilated and just want to know if anyone else had this happen while taking Paxil? Is this normal?


I've tried Paxil up to 60mg daily and never noticed any such effect. Never experienced that effect from any med. Actually, I've never experienced such an effect ever in my 38 years. I've also never heard anyone report that as a med effect, nor have I read of such on any drug label ever.

It's certainly not normal. I'd tend to doubt it's related to Paxil use, especially since 10mg is a really low dose. In a clinical trial I once did, the patients who got Paxil were started at 20mg and went up as high as 50mg depending on response.

When did this eye issue start? Ever experience it before the Paxil?

The other year I found out I have really large pupils when I asked my optometrist why I've never had my eyes dilated for an exam. Response: mine are so large no need as he can already get a great view.



DanaT said:


> ALSO, yesterday i woke up really dizzy like if I was drunk or something. It really freaked me out. My heart rate was all over the place, i had a headache, i was hot, dry mouth, chills, shakes. I took my paxil and it took most of that away. What did i experience? I was soooo freaked out becaus the dizziness got worse if I laid down, went away if I walked around.


Rapid heart rate + shakes + you "freaking out" tends to sound like a panic attack. Paxil would not be expected to cause a panic attack (and I don't think it could), though lots of folks with social anxiety have panic attacks as well, so that's my best guess.

Obviously, this is an issue you should discuss with your doctor at your earliest convenience.


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## DanaT (Aug 16, 2011)

My eyes always dilate really large ever since I started Paxil. I take it for Panic Attacks and Social Anxiety.


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## CD700 (Apr 22, 2010)

I got dilated pupils from Parnate and i think Effexor
They looked massive lol
Nothing to worry about it is pretty common. Not sure about the other issue you had but sometimes i wake up a bit foggy from AD's.


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## beansly (Sep 5, 2011)

Paxil causes an increase in serotonin in your brain, if you have in excess of serotonin in your brain it can cause:
Body temperature changes
Confusion or agitation
Hallucinations
Rapid pulse
Shivering, sweats
Muscular/Movement Disorders
Tremors
Muscle Jerks or twitches
Restlessness
Loss of coordination
Increased reflexes 

And other things.

You are only taking 10mg, that's about half of what is typically prescribed. So I wouldn't be too concerned about your symptoms unless they continue or become too much of a problem.

Did you take any other medication around the time that these symptoms? Because taking NSAIDs (while taking Paxil) may increase/cause some of those symptoms, like the tremors, dilated pupils, other nervous system symptoms. 

Some lists of common over-the-counter NSAIDs:
ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) 
naproxen sodium (Midol, Aleve)


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## michael10364 (Feb 4, 2011)

pupils staying dilated? that would scare me!


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

I got saucer eyes from effexor but not paxil. It was pretty strange to walk around like that all the time.


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