Luvox

Luvox is used to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It may take several weeks to feel the full benefit of this medication.

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Luvox Overview

Updated: 

Luvox is a prescription medication used to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Luvox belongs to a group of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These work by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain, which helps maintain mental balance.

This medication comes in tablet form.

The tablets are taken once or twice a day, with or without food. If it is taken only once daily, it is best taken at bedtime.

Common side effects include nausea, insomnia, and headache. Luvox can also cause dizziness, drowsiness, and blurred vision. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Luvox affects you.

How was your experience with Luvox?

First, a little about yourself

Tell us about yourself in a few words?

What tips would you provide a friend before taking Luvox?

What are you taking Luvox for?

Choose one
  • Other
  • Depressive Disorder
  • Obsessive-compulsive Disorder
  • Panic Disorder

How long have you been taking it?

Choose one
  • Less than a week
  • A couple weeks
  • A month or so
  • A few months
  • A year or so
  • Two years or more

How well did Luvox work for you?

Did you experience many side effects while taking this drug?

How likely would you be to recommend Luvox to a friend?

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Luvox Cautionary Labels

precautionsprecautionsprecautionsprecautionsprecautionsprecautions

Uses of Luvox

Luvox is a prescription medication used to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Manufacturer

Luvox Drug Class

Luvox is part of the drug class:

Side Effects of Luvox

Serious side effects have been reported with Luvox. See the "Luvox Precautions" section.

Common side effects include the following:

  • nausea
  • insomnia
  • drowsiness
  • headache
  • lack of energy
  • vomiting
  • nervousness
  • agitation
  • dizziness

This is not a complete list of Luvox side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Luvox Interactions

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

  • alprazolam (Xanax)
  • anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
  • aspirin or aspirin-containing products and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn)
  • beta-blockers such as metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol) and propranolol (Inderal, in Inderide); buspirone (BuSpar)
  • carbamazepine (Tegretol)
  • clopidogrel (Plavix), clozapine (Clozaril)
  • cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune)
  • dextromethorphan (in cough medications)
  • diazepam (Valium)
  • diltiazem (Cardizem)
  • diuretics ('water pills')
  • fentanyl (Abstral, Actiq, Fentora, Onsolis, others)
  • haloperidol (Haldol)
  • ketoconazole (Nizoral)
  • lithium
  • medications for migraine headaches such as almotriptan (Axert), eletriptan (Relpax), frovatriptan (Frova), naratriptan (Amerge), rizatriptan (Maxalt), sumatriptan (Imitrex), and zolmitriptan (Zomig)
  • methadone (Dolophine, Methadose)
  • mexiletine (Mexitil)
  • metoclopramide
  • midazolam (Versed)
  • omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid)
  • other medications for anxiety, depression, or mental illness
  • phenytoin (Dilantin)
  • sibutramine (Meridia)
  • tacrine (Cognex)
  • theophylline (Theo-Dur)
  • tramadol (Ultram, in Ultracet)
  • triazolam (Halcion)
  • quinidine

This is not a complete list of Luvox drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Luvox Precautions

Serious side effects have been reported with Luvox, including the following:

  • chest pain
  • problems with coordination
  • dizziness
  • hallucination (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist)
  • fever, sweating, confusion, fast or irregular heartbeat, and severe muscle stiffness
  • pain, burning, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet
  • shaking of a part of the body that you cannot control
  • rash
  • hives
  • slowed or difficult breathing
  • seizures
  • loss of consciousness
  • unusual bleeding or bruising
  • bloody nose
  • vomiting blood or a material that looks like coffee grounds
  • red blood in stool or black and tarry stools

Luvox can also cause dizziness, drowsiness, and blurred vision. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Luvox affects you.

Do not take Luvox if you:

  • are allergic to Luvox or to any of its ingredients
  • are taking thioridazine, astemizole, cisapride (Propulsid), pimozide (Orap), alosetron (Lotronex), tizanidine (Zanaflex)

Luvox Food Interactions

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Luvox, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Inform MD

Before taking Luvox, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

  • are allergic to Luvox or to any of its ingredients
  • consume large amounts of alcohol
  • have or ever have used or overused illegal drugs or prescription medications
  • have had seizures
  • have heart disease
  • have liver disease
  • have adrenal disease
  • have liver disease
  • are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take St. John's Wort or supplements containing tryptophan.

Luvox and Pregnancy

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X - are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Luvox falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Luvox and Lactation

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Luvox has been detected in human breast milk. Because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants from Luvox, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or to stop use of this medication. The importance of the drug to the mother should be considered.

Luvox Usage

Take Luvox exactly as prescribed.

This medication comes in tablet form.

The tablets are taken once or twice a day, with or without food. If it is taken only once daily, it is best taken at bedtime.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take 2 doses of Luvox at the same time.

Luvox Dosage

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

  • the condition being treated
  • other medical conditions you have
  • other medications you are taking
  • how you respond to this medication
  • your age

The recommended starting dose of Luvox for adults is 50 mg once daily at bedtime. The dose may be increased slowly based on patient response. The maximum recommended dose is 300 mg.

The recommended starting dose of Luvox for children and adolescents is 25 mg once daily at bedtime. The dose may be increased slowly based on patient response. The maximum recommended dose is 200 mg for children up to age 11 years. The maximum recommended dose is 300 mg for adolescents up to age 18 years.

Luvox Overdose

If you take too much Luvox, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If Luvox is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

Other Requirements

  • Store Luvox at room temperature. Protect from heat, light, and humidity.
  • Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.

Luvox FDA Warning

Suicidality and Antidepressant Drugs

Antidepressants increased the risk compared to placebo of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children, adolescents, and young adults in short-term studies of major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Anyone considering the use of Luvox or any other antidepressant in a child, adolescent, or young adult must balance this risk with the clinical need. Short-term studies did not show an increase in the risk of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults beyond age 24; there was a reduction in risk with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults aged 65 and older. Depression and certain other psychiatric disorders are themselves associated with increases in the risk of suicide. Patients of all ages who are started on antidepressant therapy should be monitored appropriately and observed closely for clinical worsening, suicidality, or unusual changes in behavior. Families and caregivers should be advised of the need for close observation and communication with the prescriber. Luvox are not approved for use in pediatric patients except for patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).