Fluoxetine (prozac®)

Fluoxetine, paroxetine, and sertraline are antidepressant drugs, called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) which are used in the treatment of compulsive obsessive behaviour or other kind of mental abnormalities

Fluoxetine, paroxetine, and sertraline have a similar way of working, mainly by blocking the reuptake of one of the messengers, serotonin, in the neurons in the brain; increasing the amount of serotonin available for the receptors. They also block other messenger receptors in the brain caused a complicated profile of side effects

Fluoxetine should be initially started at one 20mg capsule daily and increased after 3 weeks in several steps up to three 20mg capsules. Higher dosages have not reported excessive benefit comparing with low dosage, although it does increase the severity of side effects. Notice that antidepressant drugs take between 4 to 6 weeks before you may start seeing any benefit of the drug

Fluoxetine is not quickly excreted. It metabolises to create a series of active products with prolonged effects, which may still be noticeable a month after discontinuation of the drug

Fluoxetine has a profile of gastrointestinal side effects (dosage related and fairly common): nausea, vomiting, diffuse stomach pains none relative to ulcers, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation… it has also proven to create anorexia with weight loss, hypersensitivity, reactions, itchiness, and other side effects. You will find a list of other less common side effects in the leaflet given with your medication

Fluoxetine is can give rise to a great increase in feelings of nervousness, which could be confused with the disease

Abrupt interruption of taking the drug should be avoided. It has been proven to cause headache, nausea, dizziness, anxiety and paralysis in some muscle

It should be prescribed with cautions for patients with:
• epilepsy
• concurrence electroconvulsive therapy
• history of mania
• cardiac disease
• diabetes mellitus
• glaucoma
• history of bleeding disorders, especially gastrointestinal bleeding
• kidney and liver problems
• pregnant and breastfeeding women

You will find a list of other less common side effects in the leaflet given with your medication

If another medication is required, please don’t forget to check with the pharmacist

Reproduced with kind permission of Maria Sanchez our Consultant Pharmacist