Dosage of Fluvoxamine CR: An Introduction
The dose of
fluvoxamine CR (
Luvox® CR) your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
- How you respond to fluvoxamine CR
- Your age
- Other medications you take
- Any other medical conditions you may have.
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
Recommended Fluvoxamine CR Dose
The recommended starting dose of fluvoxamine CR is 100 mg, taken once daily at bedtime.
If necessary, your healthcare provider may increase your dose by 50 mg every week, up to a maximum of 300 mg daily. Because fluvoxamine CR capsules cannot be opened or divided in any way, increasing the dose requires the use of both strengths in the following order:
- One 100-mg capsule
- One 150-mg capsule
- Two 200-mg capsules
- One 100-mg capsule plus one 150-mg capsule
- Two 150-mg capsules (or three 100-mg capsules).
People with liver disease and elderly individuals may be more sensitive to the effects of fluvoxamine CR. In such situations, your healthcare provider may decide to increase your dose more slowly.
As with most
antidepressants, it is not a good idea to stop taking fluvoxamine CR suddenly. Instead, it is better to gradually reduce the dose under your healthcare provider's supervision, although sometimes this is not possible, such as if you are stopping the medication due to serious side effects.
