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Precautions
It is important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits, to allow for changes in your dose and to help reduce any side effects. You might have to take this medicine for up to 10 or 12 weeks before you begin to feel better.
Do not take alosetron (Lotronex®), diazepam (Valium®), pimozide (Orap®), ramelteon (Rozerem™), thioridazine (Mellaril®), or tizanidine (Zanaflex®) while you are taking fluvoxamine. If you do, it could increase the amounts of these medicines in your body which may cause serious unwanted effects.
Do not take fluvoxamine if you have taken a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor such as isocarboxazid, phenelzine, selegiline, tranylcypromine, Eldepryl®, Marplan®, Nardil®, or Parnate® within the past 14 days. Do not start taking an MAO inhibitor within 14 days of stopping fluvoxamine. If you do, you may develop agitation, coma, extreme muscle stiffness, sudden high body temperature, or other severe unwanted effects.
Make sure your doctor knows about all the other medicines you are using. Fluvoxamine may cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome when taken with certain medicines such as linezolid [e.g., Zyvox®], lithium, tryptophan, St. John's Wort, or some pain or migraine medicines (e.g., tramadol [Ultram®], sumatriptan [Imitrex®], zolmitriptan [Zomig®], or rizatriptan [Maxalt®]). Check with your doctor first before taking any other medicines.
Avoid drinking alcohol while taking fluvoxamine.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if you develop a skin rash, hives, or itching while you are taking fluvoxamine.
Fluvoxamine may cause some people to be agitated, irritable or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some children, teenagers, and young adults to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed. If you, your child, or your caregiver notice any of these side effects, tell your doctor or your child's doctor right away.
Stop taking this medicine and check with your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms while using this medicine: convulsions (seizures); difficulty with breathing; a fast heartbeat; a high fever; high or low blood pressure; increased sweating; loss of bladder control; severe muscle stiffness; unusually pale skin; or tiredness. These could be symptoms of a serious condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS).
Fluvoxamine may cause some people to become drowsy or less able to think clearly, or to have blurred vision or poor muscle control. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert, able to see clearly, or able to control your movements well.
Do not stop taking this medicine without first checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to reduce gradually the amount you are taking before stopping completely. This is to decrease the chance of having discontinuation symptoms.
