Fluoxetine Dosing

The recommended starting dose of fluoxetine for the treatment of depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder is 20 mg once a day. For those who are first beginning bulimia treatment with fluoxetine, dosing generally starts at 60 mg once daily. For those with panic disorder, the suggested starting dose is 10 mg once a day. Fluoxetine dosing guidelines for children and teenagers will vary from patient to patient, depending on the child's age, weight, and medical conditions.

 

Fluoxetine Dosing: An Introduction

The dose of fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac®) that your healthcare provider prescribes will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
 
  • Your age
  • The medical condition you are being treated for
  • Other medical conditions you may have
  • Other medications you may currently be taking.
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As is always the case, do not adjust your fluoxetine dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
 

Fluoxetine Dosage for Depression or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The recommended starting fluoxetine dose for people with
 depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is 20 mg once daily. Your healthcare provider may choose to increase the fluoxetine dosage if symptoms continue or decrease the dose if side effects occur. The maximum dose of fluoxetine for these conditions is 80 mg per day. Doses above 20 mg can be taken once a day or divided into two doses and taken twice a day.
 
Prozac Weekly, the long-acting form of fluoxetine approved for depression, can be used to replace daily doses of fluoxetine 20 mg. Because all fluoxetine stays in your system for so long, the first dose of Prozac Weekly should be taken one week after stopping fluoxetine 20 mg daily. As you might guess, Prozac Weekly is taken once per week (on the same day each week).
 
(Fluoxetine Dosing Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;