Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors-paroxetine induced galactorrhea in a case of somatoform disorder

Abstract

Galactorrhea is one of the rarest complications of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). We report a case of 35-year-old married woman who underwent treatment for somatoform disorder in psychiatry outpatient department. After receiving 7 weeks treatment of paroxetine, one of the SSRIs, she had whitish discharge from both of the nipples, which spontaneously disappeared within 1-week after withdrawal of drug. She had no concomitant pregnancy. No evidence of any raised intracranial pressure, extrapyramidal symptoms, visual disturbance were present and she had no history of local surgery or any infection. Thyroid and other hormonal assay like prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were within normal limits. The magnetic resonance imaging scan (T1-, T2-weighted and fluid attenuated inversion recovery sequences) did not show any abnormality. Hence, we conclude that galactorrhea was caused by SSRI-paroxetine and we must be aware about this side-effect.

Keywords

• Galactorrhea
• paroxetine
• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors