Doctors may suggest antidepressants if you are suffering from depression. It works by balancing neurotransmitters in the brain that affect emotions and mood.
These antidepressants can help you to sleep better, increase your concentration and appetite, and improve your mood. Luvox and Prozac are the two widely used antidepressants that have different applications, side effects, and benefits.
Key Takeaways
- Both are antidepressant medications, but Luvox is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), while Prozac is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI).
- Luvox treats obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), while Prozac is used for major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and OCD.
- Prozac has a longer half-life, leading to fewer withdrawal symptoms and less frequent dosing than Luvox.
Luvox vs Prozac
Luvox, also known by its generic name fluvoxamine, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that is used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder, and depression. Prozac, also known by its generic name fluoxetine, is also an SSRI that is used to treat depression, OCD, and other mental health conditions.
Luvox is a brand name for fluvoxamine which is an antidepressant medicine. It is used for treating social phobia or social anxiety disorder.
It is known as an SSRI antidepressant that helps to reduce the urge of doing repetitive tasks like checking, counting, handwashing; and unwanted or persistent thoughts. This medicine restores the balance of serotonin in the brain.
Prozac is a brand name for fluoxetine which is an antidepressant medication used for the treatment of the panic disorder, PMDD or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and bulimia.
Prozac may improve your appetite, mood, energy level, and sleep but may reduce the anxiety, fear, unwanted thoughts, urge to perform repeated tasks, like checking, hand-washing, counting.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Luvox | Prozac |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine name | Luvox is a brand name of an antidepressant named fluvoxamine. | Prozac is a brand name of an antidepressant called fluoxetine. |
| Purpose | Luvox is used for treating social phobia or social anxiety disorder. | Prozac is used for treating panic disorder, PMDD or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and bulimia. |
| Side effects | The side effects of Luvox are weakness, diarrhea, muscle pain, skin rash, gas, heavy menstrual periods, increased sweating, and yawning. | The side effects of Prozac are heart palpitation, cold symptoms, weight changes, upset stomach, nervousness, impotence, and headaches. |
| Interacting drugs | Luvox can interact with sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, NSAIDs, clopidogrel, blood pressure or heart medicines, and so on. | Prozac can interact with allergy or cold medicines, NSAIDs, MAOIs, and so on. |
| Dosage | Initially, Luvox can be taken in fifty grams daily for an adult patient, and for children aged 8 to 17 years the initial dose of Luvox is 25 gms per day. | Prozac needs to be taken according to the prescription of the doctors. The dose of this medicine needs to be exact of the prescribed dose. |
What is Luvox?
Luvox is the brand name for fluvoxamine which is used to treat social phobia or social anxiety disorder.
It also helps to reduce unwanted thoughts, the urge of doing repeated tasks, like hand washing, counting, or checking. It belongs to the SSRIs antidepressant drugs.
The common side effects of Luvox are diarrhea, loss of appetite, nausea, skin rash, dizziness, sore throat, dry mouth, yawning, weakness, drowsiness, muscle pain, gas, anxiety, and reduced sex drive.
Because of the weight loss and decreased appetite side effects of Luvox, children aged between 8 to 17 years who are taking Luvox for a long period need to check their growth and weight; and consult with the doctor.
Although some medicines need to be avoided to be used with Luvox, otherwise they can be used with other medicines even if two of the medicines might interact with each other.
Generally, the medicines that are not recommended with Luvox are Methylene Blue, Pimozide, Eliglustat, Bromopride, Pargyline, Ramelteon, Metoclopramide, Eliglustat, Tizanidine, Selegiline, Isocarboxazid.
Luvox is taken orally with or without food once (at bedtime) or twice (once in the morning and once at bedtime) in a day.
The dosage of Luvox depends on the medical condition. In children, the dosage of the medicine depends on gender and age. For avoiding its side effects doctors suggested starting this medicine on a lower dose.
What is Prozac?
Prozac is the brand name of fluoxetine which is an SSRI antidepressant drug. It is used to treat panic disorder, PMDD or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and bulimia.
Prozac improves the appetite, energy level, and mood of the patient, and also reduces panic attacks, unwanted thoughts, anxiety, and fear.
Side effects of taking Prozac can be an allergic reaction like throat or face swelling, hives, and difficulty in breathing; severe skin reactions like purple or red skin rash with peeling and blistering, fever, burning eyes, skin pain.
Other side effects might be trouble sleeping, anxiety, behavior or mood change, panic attacks. Any of these side effects need to be reported to the doctor.
Prozac can cause a severe heart condition. The risk gets higher if it is taken with other medicines for heart problems, malaria, depression, asthma, HIV, infection, mental illness, or cancer.
Using this medicine with other drugs which can make the patient drowsy can worsen the health condition. Prozac needs to be avoided if the patient used an MAO inhibitor in the past two weeks.
Prozac needs to be taken as per the exact amount the doctor prescribed to take. Prozac is taken orally and it may take four weeks to action against the symptoms.
If you miss one dose you need to take it as soon as possible, but if it is almost time for the next dose of the medicine, you better skip that dose instead of taking two doses at once.
Main Differences Between Luvox and Prozac
- Luvox is a brand name of an antidepressant named fluvoxamine, on the other hand, Prozac is a brand name of an antidepressant named fluoxetine.
- Luvox is used for treating social phobia or social anxiety disorder but Prozac is used for treating panic disorder, PMDD or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and bulimia.
- The side effects of Luvox are weakness, diarrhea, muscle pain, skin rash, gas, heavy menstrual periods, increased sweating, and yawning, on the other hand, the side effects of Prozac different that Luvox is heart palpitation, cold symptoms, weight changes, upset stomach, nervousness, impotence, and headaches.
- Luvox can interact with sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, NSAIDs, clopidogrel, blood pressure or heart medicines, and so on. Prozac can interact with allergy or cold medicines, NSAIDs, MAOIs, and so on.
- Initially, Luvox can be taken in fifty grams daily for an adult patient, and for children aged 8 to 17 years the initial dose of Luvox is 25 gms per day. Prozac needs to be taken according to the prescription of the doctors. The dose of this medicine needs to be exact of the prescribed dose.
- https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=luvox&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&u=%23p%3DqE1ji9hMcjIJ
- https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=prozac&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&u=%23p%3DIYeptY2a3rkJ
Last Updated : 02 July, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
The detailed descriptions of Luvox and Prozac leave no room for confusion. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to understand these medications better.
I agree, the clarity and depth of information provided in this article are beyond valuable for anyone considering these antidepressants.
The comparison table provided in the article makes it easy to understand the similarities and differences between Luvox and Prozac. Very well-organized information.
I appreciate the detailed explanation on the side effects and interacting drugs for both antidepressants. It’s helpful for patients to be aware of this information.
It’s worrisome to see the potential side effects of both antidepressants listed out. It makes you wonder if the benefits truly outweigh the risks.
Absolutely, side effects are an important consideration, and it’s crucial to find the right balance between benefit and risk.
Reading this article makes you realize the complexity and careful consideration required when choosing between Luvox and Prozac.
This article does a great job of explaining the differences between Luvox and Prozac in a clear and organized way. Very informative.
I absolutely agree. It’s important for people to have a comprehensive understanding of their medication options.