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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 23 of 23. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2013, at 12:44:47
Been reading and one forum said that luvox is used in psychotic depression, bipolar depression and that the increases on other meds such as benzos and then caffeine made it a very dangerous med. Please some insight in simple terms for a simple brain. After all these years on it why do the docs like it for me? Phillipa
Posted by poser938 on March 12, 2013, at 14:42:09
In reply to Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic?, posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2013, at 12:44:47
> Been reading and one forum said that luvox is used in psychotic depression, bipolar depression and that the increases on other meds such as benzos and then caffeine made it a very dangerous med. Please some insight in simple terms for a simple brain. After all these years on it why do the docs like it for me? Phillipa
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20373470
This article might give some insight to why they like you on luvox. Remember though that meds like atypical antipsychotics are also used for psychotic depression, but they're used for a million other things too. Such as anxiety, sleep, bipolar, and then just depression.They have tried to find as many uses for just about every medicine on ths market. I read that SSRI's have been found useful in treating people with entero virus. They give them to people after they have a stroke to ease some of the bad effects of the stroke on cognition. It has something to do with reducing "neuronal excitability" , whatever that means.
Do you know what they diagnosed you with?
Posted by poser938 on March 12, 2013, at 14:53:55
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic?, posted by poser938 on March 12, 2013, at 14:42:09
Its just that there are a lot of things that meds do that aren't nearly as straight forward as just saying they increase serotonin In the brain. If you were watching the news yesterday you probably woukd have seen that they've found that aspirin can reduce the chance for women to get skin cancer. Most think of it as maybe just a blood thinner for when you have a heart attack or for body aches.
There are so many uses and effects of meds that aren't very clear at first.
Posted by CamW on March 12, 2013, at 17:48:08
In reply to Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic?, posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2013, at 12:44:47
Phillipa:
Luvox (fluvoxamine) is a potent inhibitor of several cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. These liver enzymes metabolize many different molecules. Luvox is different from other SSRIs in that it inhibits several CYP enzymes:
CYP1A2 - that metabolize caffeine, theophylline, olanzapine, clozapine, haloperidol, polyaromatic hydrocarbons found in tobacco smoke, etc.;CYP3A4 & CYP2D6 - metabolizes haloperidol, clozapine, & many other newer atypical antipsychotics (2D6 also metabolizes quetiapine).
CYP2C19 - metabolizes diazepam & phenytoin.
Because of the amount of drug interactions caused by Luvox, it is not used much by GPs. It is not an antipsychotic, but as the paper linked by poser938 said Luvox is potent agonist at the sigma-1 receptor. This gives the antidepressant anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) and anti-agression activity. This is why it is used in conjunction with antipsychotics.
As for why your doctors use it for you, you'd have to ask them, but I suspect they use it because it helps with some of your symptoms. I don't know you well enough to answer that question with any confidence.
- Cam
Posted by vanvog on March 12, 2013, at 18:32:46
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic? » Phillipa, posted by CamW on March 12, 2013, at 17:48:08
Luvox is an antidepressant (SSRI) with a very short half-life (~15 hours).
As CamW has already mentioned, Luvox is one a few non-MAOI ADs with specific drug-drug interactions that can cause real problems. Celexa (citalopram) Lexapro (escitalopram) are pharmacologically very similar to Luvox.
Posted by joe d on March 12, 2013, at 19:41:11
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic?, posted by vanvog on March 12, 2013, at 18:32:46
this is why i am hesitant to try luvox...seems like just so many weird interactions
Posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2013, at 21:12:37
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic? » Phillipa, posted by CamW on March 12, 2013, at 17:48:08
Cam thanks been on it for years. First time took 250mg with I think 4mg of ativan. Then was taken off for celexa tril which messed up the whole thing. But since really only one I tolerate and even when given it was in controlled setting started with 50mg and sat there waiting for side effects and none so next day 50am and 50pm. Each day increased by 50mg. Now take baby dose and find that the pdoc I see believes in low doses. He diagnosed me OCD. Ruminate and worry, and pick at cuticles. I was trying to switch to lexapro as others say superior. But for me it's not. The pdoc had suggeste I raise it to 75mg. I do use valium & xanax also just at night. I thought it was contraindicated with any benzo other than ativan? I don't see xanax in your list. So is this also intensified? Thanks for a very concise and understandable reply. Phillipa
Posted by joe d on March 12, 2013, at 22:33:35
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic? » CamW, posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2013, at 21:12:37
philippa i woud question your dr. about why he keeps you on luvox witha all these nasty interactions.........does he even know
Posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2013, at 22:50:18
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic?, posted by joe d on March 12, 2013, at 19:41:11
Honestly first time absolutely none appeared. Kept waiting and didn't happen Phillipa
Posted by linkadge on March 13, 2013, at 9:32:30
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic? » joe d, posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2013, at 22:50:18
No, its not an antipsychotic.
If somebody came in with clear schizophrenia, fluvoxamine would likely not be presrcribed.
However, compared to other antidepressants, it does appear to have efficacy in psychotic depression, or certain (perhaps prodromal / milder) cases of schizophrenia.
Posted by joe d on March 13, 2013, at 10:25:37
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic?, posted by linkadge on March 13, 2013, at 9:32:30
then from what you are saying ...it seems like it is used for more troubling conditions in the psychiatric spectrum....which would really make it a different kind of ssri,,if one at all
Posted by linkadge on March 13, 2013, at 10:32:49
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic?, posted by joe d on March 13, 2013, at 10:25:37
Well, luvox is a SRI. Most SSRIs are not really selective. Aside from perhaps escitalopram, they have secondary binding profiles.
Luvox has been studied for its binding to the sigma receptor. Sigma receptor agonists exhibit antidepressant and neurotrphic properties in their own right.
Sigma agonists can apparently also improve cognition, which may be behind the beneift seen in psychotic depression.
Posted by joe d on March 13, 2013, at 10:47:08
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic?, posted by linkadge on March 13, 2013, at 10:32:49
do you think this is why its never prescribed...as it did come out in a branded cr version a few years ago...never even saw a post on it.....i think the drug interactions is why doc,s shy from it
Posted by vanvog on March 13, 2013, at 12:12:20
In reply to Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic?, posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2013, at 12:44:47
Fluvoxamine (Luvox) is known as the best med for OCD, it has some very strange properties and drug drug interactions.
check this out:"The results indicate that intake of caffeine during fluvoxamine treatment may lead to caffeine intoxication."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8807660
Posted by joe d on March 13, 2013, at 14:30:41
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic?, posted by vanvog on March 13, 2013, at 12:12:20
if you had ocd would that stop you from using it
Posted by LostBoyinNC43 on March 17, 2013, at 22:31:44
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic? » Phillipa, posted by CamW on March 12, 2013, at 17:48:08
Luvox is one of the sedating antidepressants. It has no anti-psychotic properties. It does have some mild anti-anxiety properties. Its still an SSRI though and thus you are still prone to akathisia if you are prone to that, as many anxiety ridden depressives seem to be.
Remeron is much better for really agitated, or psychotic depression.
Ive taken all the SSRIs at one time or another, Luvox included. I found it to be no different than zoloft, except you take it at bedtime and it is a little sedating.
LostBoyinNC
Posted by ChicagoKat on March 18, 2013, at 19:11:30
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic? » CamW, posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2013, at 21:12:37
He diagnosed me OCD. Ruminate and worry, and pick at cuticles. Phillipa
Phillipa, I do the exact same things! I often make my cuticles bleed and do it so much I'm usually not even aware I'm doing it.
FYI - I have read that Queen Elizabeth I may have picked at her cuticles as well. So we are a trio of great women. :)
Kat
Posted by Phillipa on March 18, 2013, at 19:44:52
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic? » Phillipa, posted by ChicagoKat on March 18, 2013, at 19:11:30
Kat I once had a user name on another site Queen Phillipa was the user name. So I guess it fit.
If Queen Elizabeth did this and no meds then what did she do? Any idea? Phillipa
Posted by ChicagoKat on March 18, 2013, at 20:40:35
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic? » ChicagoKat, posted by Phillipa on March 18, 2013, at 19:44:52
> Kat I once had a user name on another site Queen Phillipa was the user name. So I guess it fit.
>
> If Queen Elizabeth did this and no meds then what did she do? Any idea? PhillipaMaybe she wore gloves? Or perhaps, as she was the supreme sovereign, she decreed that all her subjects should do it as well? lol, I really don't know if it's even true, but I like to believe it is, and I'm even gladder to know a fantastic modern-day person who has the same problem I do; it makes me feel like I'm part of an exclusive club. :D
Kat
Posted by Phillipa on March 18, 2013, at 21:10:18
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic? » Phillipa, posted by ChicagoKat on March 18, 2013, at 20:40:35
With rotten cuticles. Are your nails ridge free as now have ridges in thumbs and a longitudinal groove down each thumb. Unsightly. Phillipa
Posted by ChicagoKat on March 19, 2013, at 7:38:56
In reply to Re: Luvox Seriously Is It Considered an Antipsychotic? » ChicagoKat, posted by Phillipa on March 18, 2013, at 21:10:18
> With rotten cuticles. Are your nails ridge free as now have ridges in thumbs and a longitudinal groove down each thumb. Unsightly. Phillipa
I've always had ridges in my nails; I think I inherited them from my Dad. What I've given myself is calluses, scars, and never-ending spots that bleed on the side of each thumb b/c I just can't make myself stop picking at them. It started when I was a kid.
Kat
Posted by Phillipa on March 19, 2013, at 9:33:37
In reply to Self-excoriation » Phillipa, posted by ChicagoKat on March 19, 2013, at 7:38:56
Add OCD to your list then. As the pdoc I see says ruminating thoughts and worries and picking are all part of Ocd. Not that he's any good. Phillipa
Posted by ChicagoKat on March 19, 2013, at 13:41:17
In reply to Re: Self-excoriation » ChicagoKat, posted by Phillipa on March 19, 2013, at 9:33:37
> Add OCD to your list then. As the pdoc I see says ruminating thoughts and worries and picking are all part of Ocd. Not that he's any good. Phillipa
Oh, I'm so happy to add OCD to my list of brain pain diseases. Thanks Phillipa.
Kat
This is the end of the thread.
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