Fluvoxamine Information
Pronunciation
(floo VOKS a meen)
What is this drug used for?
• It is used to treat obsessive-compulsive problems.
• It may be given to you for other reasons. Talk with the doctor.
Frequently reported side effects of this drug
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Anxiety
• Dry mouth
• Fatigue
• Trouble sleeping
• Headache
• Loss of strength and energy
• Lack of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Passing gas
• Sweating a lot
• Tremors
• Common cold symptoms
• Change in taste
Other side effects of this drug: Talk with your doctor right away if you have any of these signs of:
• Vision changes
• Eye pain
• Eye irritation
• Depression like thoughts of suicide, anxiety, emotional instability, or confusion.
• Low sodium like headache, difficulty focusing, trouble with memory, confusion, weakness, seizures, or change in balance.
• Bleeding like vomiting blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds; coughing up blood; blood in the urine; black, red, or tarry stools; bleeding from the gums; abnormal vaginal bleeding; bruises without a reason or that get bigger; or any severe or persistent bleeding.
• Agitation
• Irritability
• Panic attacks
• Behavioral changes
• Mood changes
• Excessive weight gain
• Excessive weight loss
• Passing a lot of urine
• Sexual dysfunction
• Decreased sex drive
• Seizures
• Menstrual changes
• Serotonin syndrome like dizziness, severe headache, agitation, sensing things that seem real but are not, fast heartbeat, abnormal heartbeat, flushing, tremors, sweating a lot, change in balance, severe nausea, or severe diarrhea.
• Erection that lasts more than 4 hours
• Signs of a significant reaction like wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Medication Safety Issues
Sound-alike/look-alike issues:
FluvoxaMINE may be confused with flavoxATE, FLUoxetine, fluPHENAZine
Luvox may be confused with Lasix, Levoxyl, Lovenox
Geriatric Patients: High-Risk Medication:
Beers Criteria: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are identified in the Beers Criteria as potentially inappropriate medications to be used with caution in patients 65 years and older due to the potential to cause or exacerbate syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) or hyponatremia; monitor sodium concentration closely when initiating or adjusting the dose in older adults (Beers Criteria [AGS 2019]).
Storage and Stability
Protect from high humidity and store at controlled room temperature 25°C (77°F); excursions are permitted between 15°C and 30°C (59°F and 86°F).
Adverse Reactions
Cardiovascular: Chest pain, edema, hypertension, hypotension, palpitations, syncope, vasodilation
Central nervous system: Abnormal dreams, abnormality in thinking, agitation, amnesia, anorgasmia, anxiety, apathy, central nervous system stimulation, chills, depression, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, hypertonia, insomnia, malaise, manic reaction, myoclonus, nervousness, pain, paresthesia, psychoneurosis, psychotic reaction, twitching, yawning
Dermatologic: Acne vulgaris, diaphoresis, ecchymoses
Endocrine & metabolic: Decreased libido (incidence higher in males), hypermenorrhea, weight gain, weight loss
Gastrointestinal: Abdominal pain, anorexia, constipation, dental caries, diarrhea, dysgeusia, dyspepsia, dysphagia, flatulence, gingivitis, nausea, tooth loss, toothache, vomiting, xerostomia
Genitourinary: Ejaculatory disorder, impotence, sexual disorder, urinary frequency, urinary retention, urinary tract infection
Hepatic: Abnormal hepatic function tests
Infection: Tooth abscess, viral infection
Neuromuscular & skeletal: Hyperkinesia, hypokinesia, myalgia, tremor, weakness
Ophthalmic: Amblyopia
Renal: Polyuria
Respiratory: Bronchitis, dyspnea, epistaxis, flu-like symptoms, increased cough, laryngitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, upper respiratory tract infection
