Prozac vs. Luvox
See how Prozac and Luvox compare on approved uses, dosing, side effects, and cost.
Key Takeaways
Prozac is approved for depression, OCD, bulimia, panic disorder, and bipolar depression, while Luvox is approved only for OCD in adults and children.
Luvox causes higher rates of nausea, headache, and somnolence than Prozac, while Prozac offers a once-weekly maintenance dosing option.
Both drugs carry a boxed warning for increased suicidal thoughts in young people and cannot be combined with MAOIs.
Prozac vs. Luvox Drug Summary
Prozac
Prozac (fluoxetine) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor approved for major depressive disorder, OCD, bulimia nervosa, panic disorder, and bipolar depression combined with olanzapine. It comes as capsules, tablets, or oral solution, taken once daily, with an optional once-weekly maintenance dose.
Luvox
Luvox (fluvoxamine) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor approved only for obsessive-compulsive disorder in adults and in children age 8 and older. It's taken as a tablet, usually starting once daily and increasing to twice-daily divided doses as treatment progresses over several weeks.
Prozac vs. Luvox Side Effects
Prozac
Luvox
Prozac vs. Luvox Dosage
Prozac
Luvox
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 20 mg once daily | At the start |
| Maximum dose | 90 mg once weekly | If needed |
| Dose changes | 2 increases | As tolerated |
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 25 mg once daily | At the start |
| Maximum dose | 300 mg/day | If needed |
| Dose changes | 4 increases | As tolerated |
Prozac
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 20 mg once daily | At the start |
| Maximum dose | 90 mg once weekly | If needed |
| Dose changes | 2 increases | As tolerated |
Luvox
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 25 mg once daily | At the start |
| Maximum dose | 300 mg/day | If needed |
| Dose changes | 4 increases | As tolerated |
Prozac vs. Luvox Indications
Prozac
Prozac holds FDA approval for a wide range of conditions, including depression, OCD, bulimia, and panic disorder. It's also approved in combination with olanzapine for bipolar depression and treatment-resistant depression. Doctors sometimes prescribe it off-label for PMDD, binge eating disorder, or social anxiety.
Major depressive disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Bulimia nervosa
Panic disorder
Bipolar I depression (with olanzapine)
Luvox
Luvox's only FDA-approved use is OCD, in both adults and children as young as 8. Doctors sometimes prescribe it off-label for depression, social anxiety disorder, or panic disorder, drawing on its SSRI mechanism. It is not approved for major depressive disorder despite this off-label use.
OCD in adults
OCD in children ages 8-17
Major depressive disorder (off-label)
Social anxiety disorder (off-label)
Panic disorder (off-label)
Prozac vs. Luvox Pros and Cons
Prozac
Prozac's broad set of FDA approvals gives doctors flexibility to treat multiple conditions with one medication. Its long half-life means missing a dose is less likely to cause withdrawal-like symptoms, and generic versions are widely available and affordable.
Pros
Approved for depression, OCD, bulimia, panic, and bipolar depression
Long half-life lowers risk of withdrawal symptoms if a dose is missed
Once-weekly maintenance option available after initial daily dosing
Cons
Not FDA-approved for anxiety disorders as a standalone treatment
Can cause activating effects like anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia
Long half-life means interactions can linger for weeks after stopping
Luvox
Luvox's FDA approval is narrower, focused specifically on OCD, but it has strong efficacy data for that use in both adults and kids. Its CYP1A2 inhibition means it interacts significantly with caffeine and certain other medications, so dosing needs careful monitoring.
Pros
FDA-approved for OCD in children as young as age 8
Extensive OCD-specific clinical trial data supports its use
Only available as generic fluvoxamine, which can lower cost variability
Cons
Significant CYP1A2 interactions with caffeine, theophylline, and clozapine
Only FDA-approved for OCD, not depression or other mood disorders
Requires twice-daily divided dosing at higher maintenance doses
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