Luvox

Before taking this medicine

Do not take Luvox (fluvoxamine) with tizanidine, thioridazine, alosetron or pimozide. Do not take it with an MAOI used to treat psychiatric disorders, or within 14 days of stopping one. You must also wait at least 14 days after stopping fluvoxamine before starting such an MAOI. Do not start fluvoxamine while receiving linezolid or intravenous methylene blue, because of the risk of serotonin syndrome. Fluvoxamine should be avoided in people with unstable epilepsy. Controlled epilepsy requires monitoring; treatment should be stopped if seizures occur or become more frequent. Other conditions requiring caution include bipolar disorder or a history of mania or hypomania, untreated narrow drainage angles in the eyes, liver impairment, and illnesses affecting circulation or how the body processes medicines. Screening for bipolar disorder and monitoring for worsening symptoms or suicidal thoughts are needed. Other medicines that increase serotonin can raise the risk of serotonin syndrome. Ramelteon should not be used with fluvoxamine, and combining it with diazepam is generally not advisable. Other benzodiazepines, clozapine, methadone, mexiletine, theophylline and warfarin require particular care. Aspirin, NSAIDs and other medicines affecting blood clotting can increase bleeding risk. Fluvoxamine can cause low blood sodium, particularly in older adults, and sexual dysfunction. Use during the third trimester of pregnancy may increase the risk of persistent high blood pressure in the newborn’s lungs and problems with breathing, temperature control, feeding, muscle tone, tremor or irritability. Children need weight and growth monitoring; long-term effects on growth, cognitive and behavioural development, and maturation have not been studied. Do not stop fluvoxamine abruptly, as discontinuation symptoms can occur.