Details

Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) antidepressant. Fluoxetine affects chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with depression, panic, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Fluoxetine is sometimes used together with another medication called olanzapine to treat depression caused by bipolar disorder (manic depression). This combination is also used to treat depression after at least 2 other medications have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms. To make sure fluoxetine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have cirrhosis of the liver kidney disease diabetes narrow-angle glaucoma seizures or epilepsy bipolar disorder (manic depression) a history of drug abuse or suicidal thoughts or if you are being treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Taking an SSRI antidepressant during pregnancy may cause serious lung problems or other complications in the baby. Do not give fluoxetine to anyone under 18 years old without medical advice.

Typical Uses

Fluoxetine is used to treat depression, panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder, a certain eating disorder (bulimia), and a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (premenstrual dysphonic disorder). This medication may improve your mood, sleep, appetite, and energy level and may help restore your interest in daily living. It may decrease fear, anxiety, unwanted thoughts, and the number of panic attacks. It may also reduce the urge to perform repeated tasks (compulsions such as hand-washing, counting, and checking) that interfere with daily living. Fluoxetine may lessen premenstrual symptoms such as irritability, increased appetite, and depression. It may decrease binging and purging behaviours in bulimia. Fluoxetine is also used to treat a certain other eating disorder (anorexia nervosa), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and certain nervous system/sleep disorders (cataplexy, narcolepsy). It may also be used to treat hot flashes that occur with menopause.

Side Effects

Inform your doctor about any worsening symptoms such as mood or behaviour changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself. Side Effects of fluoxetine include blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights high levels of serotonin in the body - agitation, hallucinations, fever, fast heart rate, overactive reflexes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of coordination, fainting low levels of sodium in the body - headache, confusion, slurred speech, severe weakness, vomiting, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady severe nervous system reaction - very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, feeling like you might pass out or severe skin reaction - fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

Drug Interactions

• Fluoxetine+5-hydroxytryptophan- Using 5-hydroxytryptophan together with fluoxetine is generally not recommended. Combining these medications can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, incoordination, stomach cramp, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

• Fluoxetine+amiodarone- Using amiodarone together with fluoxetine can increase the risk of an irregular heart rhythm that may be serious and potentially life-threatening, although it is a relatively rare side effect. You may be more susceptible if you have a heart condition called congenital long QT syndrome, other cardiac diseases, conduction abnormalities, or electrolyte disturbances.

• Fluoxetine+bepridil- Using fluoxetine together with bepridil can increase the risk of an irregular heart rhythm that may be serious and potentially life-threatening, although it is a relatively rare side effect. You may be more susceptible if you have a heart condition called congenital long QT syndrome, other cardiac diseases, conduction abnormalities, or electrolyte disturbances.

• Fluoxetine+ergotamine- Using ergotamine together with fluoxetine can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive s

Mechanism of action

Fluoxetine is used in the treatment of depression (including paediatric depression), obsessive-compulsive disorder (in both adult and paediatric population), bulimia nervosa (eating disorder) and panic disorder.

Pregnancy Category : C