Olanzapine and Fluoxetine (Oral Route)

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Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.

For some children, teenagers, and young adults, this medicine can increase thoughts of suicide. Tell your doctor or your child's doctor right away if you or your child start to feel more depressed and have thoughts about hurting yourselves. Report any unusual thoughts or behaviors that trouble you or your child, especially if they are new or are getting worse quickly. Make sure the doctor knows if you or your child have trouble sleeping, get upset easily, have a big increase in energy, or start to act reckless. Also tell the doctor if you or your child have sudden or strong feelings, such as feeling nervous, angry, restless, violent, or scared. Let the doctor know if you, your child, or anyone in your family has bipolar disorder (manic-depressive) or has tried to commit suicide.

Do not take this medicine within 2 weeks of taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor activity (e.g., isocarboxazid [Marplan®], phenelzine [Nardil®], selegiline [Eldepryl®], tranylcypromine [Parnate®]) and do not take an MAO inhibitor for at least 5 weeks after taking this medicine. If you do, you may develop extremely high blood pressure or seizures.

Do not take thioridazine (Mellaril®) while you are taking this medicine or less than 5 weeks after you have stopped taking this medicine. You should not use pimozide (Orap®) while you are taking this medicine. Using these medicines together can cause very serious heart problems.

Do not breastfeed while you are using this medicine.

This medicine may increase the amount of sugar in your blood. Check with your doctor right away if you have increased thirst or urination. Your doctor may give you insulin or other medicines that can lower the amount of sugar in your blood.

This medicine may increase your cholesterol and fats in the blood. If this condition occurs, your doctor may give you some medicines that can lower the amount of cholesterol and fats in the blood.

This medicine may increase your weight. Your doctor may need to check your weight regularly during treatment with this medicine.

Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting may occur, especially when you get up from a lying or sitting position. Getting up slowly may help. If this problem continues or gets worse, check with your doctor.

If you develop a skin rash, hives, or any allergic reaction to this medicine, stop taking the medicine and check with your doctor as soon as possible.

Make sure your doctor knows about all the other medicines you are using. This medicine may cause serious conditions such as serotonin syndrome and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)-like reactions when taken with certain medicines such as linezolid [Zyvox®], lithium, tryptophan, St. John’s Wort, or some pain medicines (e.g., tramadol [Ultram®], sumatriptan [Imitrex®], zolmitriptan [Zomig®], or rizatriptan [Maxalt®]). Check with your doctor first before taking any other medicines.

Check with your doctor right away if you are having convulsions, difficulty with breathing, fast heartbeat, 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).

This medicine may cause tardive dyskinesia (a movement disorder). Check with your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms while taking this medicine: lip smacking or puckering, puffing of cheeks, rapid or worm-like movements of tongue, uncontrolled chewing movements, or uncontrolled movements of the arms and legs.

Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using aspirin, NSAIDS (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen, Advil®, Aleve®, Celebrex®, or Motrin®), or a blood thinner such as warfarin or Coumadin®. Olanzapine and fluoxetine combination may increase your risk of having bleeding problems especially when taken together with these medicines.

This medicine may make it more difficult for your body to cool itself down. Use care not to become overheated during exercise or hot weather since overheating may result in heat stroke.

This medicine may cause drowsiness, trouble in thinking, trouble in controlling movements, or trouble in seeing clearly. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do other jobs that require you to be alert, well-coordinated, or able to think or see well.

Do not suddenly stop taking this medicine. If you have been instructed to stop taking this medicine, ask your doctor how to slowly decrease the dose. This is to decrease the chance of having symptoms such as agitation, breathing problems, chest pain, confusion, diarrhea, dizziness or lightheadedness, fast heartbeat, headache, increased sweating, muscle pain, nausea, restlessness, runny nose, trouble with sleeping, trembling or shaking, unusual tiredness or weakness, vision changes, or vomiting.

Avoid drinking alcohol while you are using this medicine.

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