Fluoxetine and Premature Ejaculation

A number of conditions can be treated with fluoxetine, and premature ejaculation is a sexual problem that can be treated "off-label" with this drug. The reason why premature ejaculation can be treated with antidepressants like fluoxetine is because the medications have been known to cause delayed ejaculation in men. However, since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved fluoxetine for this use, it can only be prescribed as an off-label premature ejaculation treatment.

 

Fluoxetine and Premature Ejaculation: An Overview

Fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac®) is a prescription medication used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bulimia, and panic disorder. However, fluoxetine is also sometimes used to treat premature ejaculation, although it is not approved for this use. This is known as an "off-label" use.
 

How Does Fluoxetine Work for Premature Ejaculation?

It's not entirely clear how fluoxetine works for premature ejaculation. Premature ejaculation is when a man uncontrollably ejaculates too soon (either before or just after sexual penetration). As with other similar antidepressants, fluoxetine is known to cause sexual side effects, including delayed ejaculation. While these sexual side effects are usually undesired, in the case of men with premature ejaculation, the sexual side effects can help to delay their ejaculation.
 
When fluoxetine is used for premature ejaculation, it is considered an off-label use. "Off-label" refers to when a prescription medicine is used to treat a disease or condition for which the drug has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although the FDA regulates how a medication can be advertised or promoted by the manufacturer, these regulations do not restrict a healthcare provider's ability to prescribe the medication for different conditions, in different doses, or for different lengths of time. Your healthcare provider will prescribe a medicine for off-label use when he or she feels that the medicine is appropriate for your situation.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;