Fluoxetine instructions

Patient Education Monograph Fluoxetine HCl Tablets (flew-OX-uh-teen HIGH-droe-KLOR-ide)

Brand Name Prozac Tablet

The following product information is not a substitute for physician's or manufacturer's instructions.

Fluoxetine medical uses:
Fluoxetine is in the class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Fluoxetine affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause depression or mood disturbances, eating disorders, or obsessive or compulsive symptoms. This medicine is used to relieve mental depression in patients over 18 years of age and to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and bulimia nervosa (an eating disorder where the patient binge-eats and then vomits) in adults.

Fluoxetine contraindications:
Do not take this medication if you are allergic to this medicine; you are currently taking or have taken a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor within the past 14 days; you are taking or have taken thioridazine within the past 5 weeks.

How to use Fluoxetine:
Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not exceed the recommended dose or take this medicine for longer than prescribed without checking with your doctor. It is usually taken once or twice a day and may be taken with or without food. Do not stop taking Fluoxetine without first talking to your doctor. It may take several weeks before you to start feeling better.

Fluoxetine possible side effects:
Side effects from Fluoxetine are common: upset stomach, drowsiness, weakness, tiredness, anxiety, insomnia, nightmares, changes in appetite or weight, dry mouth, skin more sensitive to sunlight than usual. If any of the following side effects continue, or become bothersome, or do not go away, contact your doctor: headache, nervousness, or anxiety; difficulty concentrating; nausea, diarrhea; changes in appetite or weight; weakness; increased sweating; sleepiness, insomnia; decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm. Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following: an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; hives); jaw, neck, and back muscle spasms; low blood pressure (dizziness, weakness); high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision); irregular heartbeat.

Fluoxetine precautions:
Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had glaucoma, an enlarged prostate, difficulty urinating, seizures, diabetes, an overactive thyroid gland, or liver, kidney, or heart disease, if you have any other medical conditions. Before using Fluoxetine, tell your doctor about any of the following: if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding; if you are taking or stop taking any prescription or nonprescription medication. Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking or have taken within the last 2 weeks, especially anticoagulants - warfarin (Coumadin); antidepressants; antihistamines; buspirone (BuSpar); carbamazepine (Tegretol); clozapine (Clozaril); cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); haloperidol (Haldol); levodopa (Larodopa, Sinemet); lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid); MAO inhibitors - phenelzine (Nardil) or tranylcypromine (Parnate); medication for diabetes, high blood pressure, seizures, Parkinson's disease, asthma, colds, or allergies; muscle relaxants; phenytoin (Dilantin); phentermine; pimozide (Orap); sedatives; sleeping pills; thyroid medications; tranquilizers. Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness or dizziness while taking Fluoxetine. This medicine may cause dizziness or drowsiness. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these activities. Tell your doctor if you use tobacco products. Cigarette smoking may decrease the effectiveness of this drug.

Notes:
If you have any questions about your medicine, please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider.

Missed 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 double the dose to catch up, unless advised by your doctor. If more than one dose is missed, contact your doctor.

Storage:
Store at room temperature (59 to 86 degrees F). Keep this medication out of reach of children.

Related information:
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