Fluoxetine

About fluoxetine

Fluoxetine is prescribed for depression, bulimia nervosa, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Depression can develop for no apparent reason, or it can be triggered by a life event such as a relationship problem, a bereavement, or an illness. Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder. People with bulimia nervosa have episodes of binge eating which they counteract by making themselves sick. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition where you have recurring and persistent ideas that make you do repetitive actions.

Brain cells, called neurons, release a number of chemicals which go on to stimulate other neurons. This leads to electrical impulses which result in many functions controlled by the brain. Serotonin is one such chemical in the brain. Once released, it stimulates other neurons and is then taken back up into the neuron cells and recycled. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like fluoxetine increase the amount of circulating serotonin available in your brain. Altering the balance of the chemicals in the brain can help the symptoms of depression, eating disorders like bulimia, and OCD.

Before taking fluoxetine

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking fluoxetine it is important that your doctor knows:

• Wenn Sie schwanger sind, ein Kind erwarten oder stillen.

• Wenn Sie Probleme mit der Funktionsweise Ihrer Leber haben.

• Wenn Sie ein Herzleiden haben.

• Wenn Sie Epilepsie haben.

• Wenn Sie einen hohen Blutzuckerspiegel haben (Diabetes mellitus).

• Wenn Sie ein Augenproblem namens Glaukom haben.

• Wenn Sie jemals an einer Blutungsstörung gelitten haben.

• Wenn Sie jemals anormal hohe" Stimmungen hatten, die als Manie bezeichnet werden.

• Wenn Sie mit Elektrokonvulsionstherapie (EKT) behandelt werden.

• Wenn Sie schon einmal eine allergische Reaktion auf ein Arzneimittel hatten.

• wenn Sie innerhalb der letzten zwei Wochen ein Antidepressivum, einen so genannten Monoaminoxidase-Hemmer (MAOI), eingenommen haben.

• Wenn Sie andere Arzneimittel einnehmen. Dazu gehören alle Arzneimittel, die Sie einnehmen und die rezeptfrei erhältlich sind, sowie pflanzliche und ergänzende Arzneimittel.

How to take fluoxetine

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about fluoxetine and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take fluoxetine exactly as your doctor tells you to - the directions will be printed on the label of the pack to remind you of what your doctor said. As a guide, if you are being treated for depression or OCD, it is usual to be prescribed 20 mg (one capsule or 5 ml liquid medicine) as a once-daily dose. Your dose may later be increased. For people being treated for bulimia, the usual daily dose is 60 mg (three capsules or 15 ml liquid medicine). You can generally take fluoxetine at a time to suit you, but try to take your doses at the same time of day, each day.

• You can take fluoxetine before or after food. If you have been given capsules, swallow them whole with a drink of water - do not chew or open the capsules. If you have difficulty swallowing capsules, let your doctor know, as you could be prescribed liquid medicine or soluble tablets to take instead.

• If you have been given soluble (dispersible) tablets, they can be swallowed whole with a drink of water or dissolved in half a glass of water before taking. Do not crush or chew the tablets.

• Wenn Sie die Einnahme einer Dosis vergessen haben, nehmen Sie sie ein, sobald Sie sich daran erinnern. Wenn Sie sich erst am nächsten Tag daran erinnern, lassen Sie die vergessene Dosis aus. Nehmen Sie nicht zwei Dosen zusammen ein, um eine vergessene Dosis auszugleichen.

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• You may feel that fluoxetine is not working for you straightaway. It can take a week or two after starting this treatment before the effect begins to build up, and 4-6 weeks before you feel the full benefit. Do not stop taking it after a week or two, feeling it is not helping.

• Versuchen Sie, Ihre regelmäßigen Termine bei Ihrem Arzt einzuhalten. So kann Ihr Arzt Ihre Fortschritte überprüfen.

• While you are taking fluoxetine, you may have thoughts about harming yourself or ending your life. These thoughts may also be associated with your condition. It is very important that you tell your doctor about this if it happens.

• Do not stop taking fluoxetine unless your doctor tells you to do so. Stopping treatment suddenly can cause problems and your doctor will probably want you to reduce your dose gradually when this becomes necessary. You should expect that a course of treatment will last for several months. This is normal and helps to prevent your symptoms from recurring.

• If you drink alcohol, ask your doctor for advice. Your doctor is likely to recommend that you do not drink alcohol while you are on fluoxetine.

• If you have diabetes, you may need to check your blood glucose more frequently, as fluoxetine may affect the levels of sugar in your blood. Your doctor will be able to advise you about this.

• If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are safe to take with fluoxetine. This is because several medicines which are available from general retail outlets can interfere with this treatment. In particular, do not take the herbal remedy St John's wort, and ask for advice before buying any anti-inflammatory painkillers.

• A few people taking fluoxetine find that their skin is more sensitive to sunlight than normal. Until you know how your skin reacts, use a sun cream with a high sun protection factor (SPF) in strong sunlight.

• There are several types of antidepressants and they differ in their possible side-effects. If you find that fluoxetine does not suit you then let your doctor know, as another may be found that will.

Can fluoxetine cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with fluoxetine. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Wenn Sie andere Symptome haben, von denen Sie glauben, dass sie auf dieses Arzneimittel zurückzuführen sind, wenden Sie sich an Ihren Arzt oder Apotheker, um weiteren Rat zu erhalten.

How to store fluoxetine

• Bewahren Sie alle Arzneimittel außerhalb der Reichweite und Sichtweite von Kindern auf.

• An einem kühlen, trockenen Ort aufbewahren, vor direkter Hitze und Licht schützen.

• The oral liquid medicine usually lasts for one month after first opening. After this time make sure you have a fresh supply.

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