Chemical Name: fluoxetine

Description

Fluoxetine (Prozac), an antidepressant (mood elevator), is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and some eating disorders. Fluoxetine (Sarafem) is used to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

How should this medicine be used?
Fluoxetine comes as a capsule, tablet, and liquid to take by mouth. It is usually taken once or twice a day and may be taken with or without food. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take fluoxetine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Fluoxetine oral liquid comes with a specially marked dropper for measuring the dose. Ask your pharmacist to show you how to use the dropper. Dilute the liquid in 4 ounces (120 ml) of water, apple juice, or Gatorade just before taking it.

Continue to take fluoxetine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking fluoxetine without talking to your doctor, especially if you have taken large doses for a long time. Your doctor probably will want to decrease your dose gradually. This drug must be taken regularly for a few weeks before its full effect is felt.

Other uses for this medicine
Fluoxetine also is used occasionally to treat alcoholism, some eating disorders, attention-deficit disorders, borderline personality disorders, sleep disorders, headaches, premenstrual syndrome, irregular heartbeat, schizophrenia, Tourette's syndrome, anxiety, and phobias. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.

What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking fluoxetine,

tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to fluoxetine or any other drugs.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription drugs you are taking or have taken within the last 2 weeks, especially anticoagulants [warfarin (Coumadin)]; antidepressants; antihistamines; antipsychotics such as haloperidol (Haldol) or clozapine (Clozaril); buspirone (BuSpar); carbamazepine (Tegretol); cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); levodopa (Larodopa, Sinemet); lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid); MAO inhibitors [phenelzine (Nardil); medication for anxiety, diabetes, high blood pressure, seizures, Parkinson's disease, asthma, colds, or allergies; muscle relaxants; phenytoin (Dilantin); phentermine; pimozide (Orap); sedatives; sleeping pills; sumatriptan (Imitrex); thioridazine (Mellaril); thyroid medications; tranylcypromine (Parnate)]; tranquilizers; tryptophan; and vitamins. You should not take phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), or thioridazine until at least 5 weeks after you stop taking fluoxetine.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had glaucoma, an enlarged prostate, difficulty urinating, seizures, diabetes, an overactive thyroid gland, or liver or heart disease.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking fluoxetine, call your doctor immediately.
if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking fluoxetine.
you should know that this drug may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you.
remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this drug.
tell your doctor if you use tobacco products. Cigarette smoking may decrease the effectiveness of this drug.
What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you take several doses per day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it and take any remaining doses for that day at evenly spaced intervals. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule.

If you take fluoxetine once a day at bedtime and do not remember to take it until the next morning, skip the missed dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Side effects from fluoxetine are common:

upset stomach
drowsiness
weakness or tiredness
excitement or anxiety
insomnia
nightmares
dry mouth
skin more sensitive to sunlight than usual
changes in appetite or weight
Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

constipation
difficulty urinating
frequent urination
blurred vision
changes in sex drive or ability
excessive sweating
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

jaw, neck, and back muscle spasms
slow or difficult speech
shuffling walk
persistent, fine tremor or inability to sit still
fever, chills, sore throat, or flu-like symptoms
difficulty breathing or swallowing
severe skin rash or hives
yellowing of the skin or eyes
irregular heartbeat
What storage conditions are needed for this medicine?
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.

In case of emergency/overdose
In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Symptoms of overdose may include:

unsteadiness
confusion
unresponsiveness
nervousness
tremor
dizziness
rapid, irregular, or pounding heartbeat
seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist (hallucinating)
fever
fainting
coma