Fluvoxamine

Generic name: Fluvoxamine
Drug class: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

Usage of Fluvoxamine

Fluvoxamine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).

Fluvoxamine is used to treat symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in adults and children at least 8 years old.

Fluvoxamine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Fluvoxamine side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: skin rash, blisters, or hives; fever, joint pain; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Tell your doctor right away if you have new or sudden changes in mood or behavior, including new or worse depression or anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, more active or talkative, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

Call your doctor at once if you have;

anxiety, racing thoughts, risk-taking behavior, sleep problems (insomnia), feelings of extreme happiness or irritability;

blurred vision, eye pain or redness, seeing halos around lights;

a seizure;

changes in weight or appetite;

easy bruising or unusual bleeding; or

low blood sodium--headache, confusion, problems with thinking or memory, weakness, feeling unsteady.

Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as: agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

Fluvoxamine can affect growth in children. Your child's height and weight should be checked often.

Common side effects of fluvoxamine may include:

drowsiness, dizziness, weakness;

anxiety, depression, agitation, trouble sleeping;

shaking, increased muscle movements;

upset stomach, gas, loss of appetite;

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;

dry mouth, yawning, sore throat;

muscle pain;

sweating, rash;

heavy menstrual periods; or

sexual problems.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Fluvoxamine

You should not take fluvoxamine if you are allergic to it.

Do not use fluvoxamine within 14 days before or 14 days after you have taken an MAO inhibitor. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, and others.

Some drugs should not be used with fluvoxamine. Your treatment plan may change if you also use:

alosetron;

ramelteon;

thioridazine; or

tizanidine.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

bipolar disorder (manic depression);

a seizure;

glaucoma;

sexual problems;

liver or kidney disease;

heart disease, high blood pressure, or a stroke;

bleeding problems; or

low levels of sodium in your blood (an electrolyte imbalance).

People with depression or mental illness may have thoughts about suicide. Some young people may have increased suicidal thoughts when first starting a medicine to treat depression. Stay alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your family or caregivers should also watch for sudden changes in your behavior.

Tell your doctor if you also use stimulant medicine, opioid medicine, herbal products, or medicine for depression, mental illness, Parkinson's disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or prevention of nausea and vomiting. An interaction with fluvoxamine could cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome.

Taking fluvoxamine during pregnancy could harm the baby, but stopping the medicine may not be safe for you. Do not start or stop fluvoxamine without asking your doctor.

Do not breastfeed.

Relate drugs

How to use Fluvoxamine

Usual Adult Dose for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder:

Initial immediate-release tablet dose: 50 mg orally once a day at bedtimeInitial extended-release capsule dose: 100 mg orally once a day at bedtimeMaintenance dose: 100 to 300 mg orally per dayMaximum dose: 300 mg/dayComments:-The dose may be increased in 50 mg increments every 4 to 7 days, as tolerated, until maximum therapeutic benefit is achieved.-A total daily dose of more than 100 mg should be given in two divided doses. If the doses are not equal, the larger dose should be given at bedtime.Use: Treatment of obsessions and compulsions in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), as defined in DSM-III-R or DSM-IV

Usual Pediatric Dose for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder:

8 to 11 years:-Initial dose: 25 mg orally once a day at bedtime-Maintenance dose: 25 to 200 mg orally per day-Maximum dose: 200 mg/day11 to 17 years:-Initial dose: 25 mg orally once a day at bedtime-Maintenance dose: 25 to 300 mg orally per day-Maximum dose: 300 mg/dayComments:The dose may be increased in 25 mg increments every 4 to 7 days, as tolerated, up to a maximum daily dose.-Total daily doses of more than 50 mg should be given in two divided doses. If the two divided doses are not equal, the larger dose should be given at bedtime.-Lower doses may be effective in female versus male patients.Use: Treatment of obsessions and compulsions in patients with OCD, as defined in DSM-III-R or DSM-IV

Warnings

People with depression or mental illness may have thoughts about suicide. Some young people may have increased suicidal thoughts when first starting a medicine to treat depression. Tell your doctor right away if you have any sudden changes in mood or behavior, or thoughts about suicide.

Do not stop using fluvoxamine without first asking your doctor.

What other drugs will affect Fluvoxamine

Using fluvoxamine with other drugs that make you drowsy can worsen this effect. Ask your doctor before using opioid medication, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or seizures.

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines. Many drugs can affect fluvoxamine, especially:

methadone, mexiletine, St. John's wort, theophylline, tramadol;

a benzodiazepine sedative like Valium, Klonopin, or Xanax;

a blood thinner (warfarin, Coumadin, Jantoven);

a diuretic or "water pill";

a "triptan" migraine headache medicine, such as Imitrex or Maxalt; or

medicine to treat anxiety, mood disorders, thought disorders, or mental illness (such as clozapine, lithium, antidepressants, or antipsychotics).

This list is not complete and many other drugs may affect fluvoxamine. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

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