Fluvoxamine (Oral Route)

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Precautions

It is very 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®), 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 serious conditions called serotonin syndrome or neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)-like reactions when taken with certain medicines such as linezolid (Zyvox®), lithium, tryptophan, 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.

Since smoking may decrease the treatment effects of this medicine, it is best to avoid smoking while you are using it. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.

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. Some people may have trouble sleeping, get upset easily, have a big increase in energy, or start to act reckless. If you, your child, or your caregiver notice any of these side effects, tell your doctor or your child's doctor right away. Let the doctor know if you or anyone in your family has bipolar disorder (manic-depressive) or has tried to commit suicide.

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 suddenly 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 such as agitation, confusion, headache, irritability, numbness or tingling feeling, restlessness, trouble in sleeping, or unusual drowsiness or weakness.

This medicine may increase your risk for bleeding problems. Make sure your doctor knows if you are also taking other medicines that thin the blood, such as aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents also called NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen, Advil®, Aleve®, Celebrex®, or Motrin®), or warfarin (Coumadin®, Jantoven®).

Hyponatremia (low sodium in the blood) may occur with this medicine. Stop using the medicine and check with your doctor right away if you have confusion, difficulty concentrating, headaches, memory problems, weakness, and unsteadiness.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal (e.g., St. John's wort) or vitamin supplements.

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