Fluoxetine is a medicine that helps with different problems like feeling very sad (depression), strong worries (panic attacks), and doing things over and over (obsessive-compulsive disorder). It also helps with a certain eating problem called bulimia, and a severe form of feeling really bad before a period (premenstrual dysphoric disorder).
This medicine can make you feel better in many ways. It can improve your mood, help you sleep better, make you more interested in things you used to enjoy, and give you more energy. It can also make you less afraid and worried, reduce unwanted thoughts, and lessen the number of panic attacks. If you have habits like washing your hands a lot, counting, or checking things too much, this medicine can help you do them less.
For those who struggle with premenstrual symptoms like being easily annoyed, eating more than usual, or feeling very down, fluoxetine can help with those too. If you have trouble with eating a lot and then getting rid of it (bulimia), this medicine can help you stop doing that so much. Always talk to a doctor before starting or changing any medicine. They’ll tell you how much to take and when to take it.
Fluoxetine is a medication that belongs to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It is commonly prescribed for various mental health conditions. Here are some of the benefits of fluoxetine:
Treatment of Depression: Fluoxetine is primarily prescribed to treat major depressive disorder. It works by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain, which is believed to improve mood and reduce depressive symptoms.
Treatment of Anxiety Disorders: In addition to depression, fluoxetine is also used to treat various anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Panic Disorder: Fluoxetine can be effective in reducing the frequency and severity of panic attacks in individuals with panic disorder.
Bulimia Nervosa: It is approved by the FDA for the treatment of bulimia nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging behaviors.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): Fluoxetine is sometimes prescribed to manage the emotional and physical symptoms associated with PMDD, a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): While not a first-line treatment, fluoxetine may be used in combination with other therapies to help manage symptoms of PTSD.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Fluoxetine is one of the first-line treatments for OCD. It can help reduce the frequency and intensity of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
Other Conditions: In some cases, fluoxetine may be used off-label to treat conditions such as body dysmorphic disorder, binge eating disorder, and certain types of phobias.
Common side effects of this medication may include nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, anxiety, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, tiredness, sweating, or yawning. If these persist or worsen, inform your doctor.
Remember, your doctor prescribed this medication because they believe the benefits outweigh the risks. Most people using it don’t experience serious side effects.
However, contact your doctor promptly if you experience severe mood changes, thoughts of suicide, unusual bleeding or bruising, muscle weakness, shakiness, decreased interest in sex, changes in sexual ability, or significant weight loss.
Seek immediate medical attention for rare but serious side effects like black stools, coffee-ground-like vomit, seizures, changes in urine output, eye pain, swelling, redness, dilated pupils, or vision changes.