Fluvoxamine sexual side effects: can they last?
Fluvoxamine (Faverin, Luvox) can delay ejaculation and orgasm. The UK leaflet warns this has sometimes continued after stopping. That is called PSSD.
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Fluvoxamine (Faverin in the UK, Luvox in Australia and Brazil) can delay ejaculation and make orgasm hard or impossible to reach. The UK Faverin leaflet warns these problems have sometimes continued after stopping, a condition known as post-SSRI sexual dysfunction, or PSSD.
The NHS has no page of its own on fluvoxamine, so the leaflet in the box is where that warning lives. On 15 October 2026 the UK medicines regulator announced that the name PSSD itself will be added to the leaflets of certain antidepressants, fluvoxamine among them.
The story in 3 lines
- The UK Faverin leaflet lists delayed ejaculation and failure to reach orgasm among its side effects.
- The same leaflet says that in some cases these symptoms “have continued after stopping treatment”.
- No reliable figure exists for how often (2023 review). Patients call it PSSD.
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We haven’t found a filmed interview with someone who took fluvoxamine. Emily took a different SSRI, from the same group of medicines. In March 2019 she woke up one morning and all sexual sensation had gone, about three weeks after her last dose.
When she recorded this film, more than a year after stopping, the feeling hadn’t come back. What she describes is the same thing the Faverin leaflet warns about in one short line.
What are the sexual side effects of fluvoxamine?
The UK leaflet names two. It lists “delayed ejaculation” as uncommon. Failure to reach orgasm, which the leaflet calls “anorgasmy”, is listed among side effects whose frequency isn’t known.
In practice that can mean sex that goes on and on before a climax, or an orgasm that never comes at all.
Early reports in the 1990s suggested fluvoxamine was gentler on sex. Then researchers in New York State gave it to healthy volunteers who’d had no sexual problems in the weeks before, and checked on them every two weeks.
After four weeks, 7 of 20 volunteers had sexual problems. The authors wrote that this was higher than earlier reports had suggested. The study was small and had no dummy-pill group.
Can fluvoxamine sexual side effects last after stopping?
Yes, for some people. The UK Faverin leaflet says: “Medicines like Faverin (so called SSRIs) may cause symptoms of sexual dysfunction (see section 4). In some cases, these symptoms have continued after stopping treatment.”
The prescribing information for doctors mentions reports of “long-lasting sexual dysfunction” where the symptoms carried on after the SSRI was stopped.
That wording dates from 2019. The EU medicines regulator asked for it on ten antidepressants, and fluvoxamine is one of the ten. In the US, the persistence sentence appears only on fluoxetine labels; our search found it on none of the US fluvoxamine labels.
For some people it has lasted years after stopping. Nobody knows yet who will be affected, or whether it will ease. A 2023 review of the research found no reliable figure for how often it happens.
What did the MHRA announce about PSSD in October 2026?
On 15 October 2026 the MHRA, the UK medicines regulator, published a Drug Safety Update. It names fluvoxamine among the antidepressants linked to sexual problems that may continue after stopping.
It also says the term “PSSD” will be added to their patient leaflets. That hasn’t happened yet: the Faverin leaflet on the medicines compendium, last revised in February 2026, doesn’t use the word.
The same update asks prescribers to talk about this risk when someone starts an antidepressant, changes dose, or comes for a review. Our guide to what regulators say about PSSD sets out what other regulators have said. The official texts, country by country, are at the end of this page.
What can I do?
These medicines help many people. If you have side effects, that’s a decision for you and your prescriber. Don’t stop suddenly.
If the changes haven’t lifted since you stopped, tell your GP. Give your dates: “Fluvoxamine 100 mg from January 2023, last tablet March 2024.”
Many people say it took time to be taken seriously. Bring the leaflet line. You can report it without a doctor agreeing.
Report it: it helps everyone
A doctor's note helps you. A report to the medicines regulator helps everyone else: it is how patterns get noticed.
- No proof needed. A suspicion is enough, even years after stopping.
- Where: the Yellow Card scheme in the UK, MedWatch in the US.
- Use the right words. If symptoms continued after stopping, write Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (MedDRA 10086208).
What else do people ask?
Could it just be the illness? It can play a part: a 2026 paper by New Zealand’s medicines regulator notes that depression itself often lowers sex drive. Doctors and researchers who proposed criteria for PSSD in 2022 ask what sex was like before the medicine. A change lasting three months after stopping, they say, makes PSSD more likely.
Does fluvoxamine affect women too? Yes. Half the healthy volunteers in the New York study were women. The leaflet’s “failure to achieve orgasm” isn’t limited to men. Our page on PSSD in women covers what is known so far.
Is it the same as with Prozac or Lexapro? The leaflet line is the same one the EU asked for on all ten medicines. Our pages on Prozac and Lexapro cover those medicines, and how PSSD is diagnosed explains what to take to your GP.
Emily lost all sexual sensation about three weeks after her last dose, and more than a year later it hadn’t come back. If that sounds like you after fluvoxamine, read more about PSSD and report it: a report counts even years later.
Sources
- Faverin 50 mg and 100 mg film-coated tablets, patient leaflet, Viatris, Electronic Medicines Compendium (emc 1169), last revised February 2026. Section 2, “Warning and precautions” (the sentence on symptoms continuing after stopping); section 4, uncommon side effects (“delayed ejaculation”) and other side effects of unknown frequency (“anorgasmy (failure to achieve orgasm)”). The leaflet does not use the term PSSD (checked 20 October 2026).
- Faverin 50 mg film-coated tablets, summary of product characteristics, emc 1169. Section 4.4, sexual dysfunction (“There have been reports of long-lasting sexual dysfunction where the symptoms have continued despite discontinuation of SSRIs”); section 4.8, reproductive system and breast disorders.
- European Medicines Agency, Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee, recommendations on signals adopted at the 13-16 May 2019 meeting, EMA/PRAC/265212/2019, section 1.3. The wording is for ten medicines: citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, desvenlafaxine, duloxetine, milnacipran and venlafaxine.
- MHRA, Antidepressants: new safety measures for all patients to improve communication of the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours and persistent sexual dysfunction, Drug Safety Update, 15 October 2026. Footnote 1 names citalopram, escitalopram, duloxetine, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, amitriptyline and nortriptyline. The leaflet wording it describes is announced for the future (“will be added”). The same page tells patients not to stop a medicine without first speaking to their healthcare professional.
- US labels: our search of the openFDA drug label database, recorded in PSSD warnings around the world. The persistence sentence appears on fluoxetine labels only; none was found on the fluvoxamine labels checked.
- Nafziger AN, Bertino JS Jr, Goss-Bley AI, Kashuba AD. Incidence of sexual dysfunction in healthy volunteers on fluvoxamine therapy. J Clin Psychiatry 1999;60(3):187-90. 20 healthy volunteers (10 men, 10 women), fluvoxamine 150 mg a day; sexual problems in 4 at two weeks and 7 at four weeks, none before. No placebo group.
- Tarchi L, Merola GP, Baccaredda-Boy O and colleagues. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, post-treatment sexual dysfunction and persistent genital arousal disorder: a systematic review. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2023;32(10):1053-67.
- Medsafe, Update on sexual dysfunction following discontinuation of serotonin reuptake inhibitors, paper for the Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee, 11 June 2026. Section 2.2.1, sexual dysfunction in depression.
- Healy D, Bahrick A, Bak M and colleagues. Diagnostic criteria for enduring sexual dysfunction after treatment with antidepressants, finasteride and isotretinoin. Int J Risk Saf Med 2022;33(1):65-76.
- Videos: PSSD Canada, Emily’s experience with PSSD, February 2022. Its description dates her symptoms from March 2019. She says they began about three weeks after stopping (0:20) and had lasted over 14 months (1:45); PSSD Network, Professor Joanna Moncrieff discusses Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction, June 2026; MHRA, Yellow Card - How to report.
This information does not replace medical advice. Talk to your doctor before you make any decision about your treatment.
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Fluvoxamine: what the official texts say, country by country
For the SSRI antidepressant fluvoxamine (Luvox, Faverin), the product information we read in the United Kingdom says there have been reports of long-lasting sexual dysfunction where symptoms continued after SSRIs were stopped. This is known as post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD). The EU medicines regulator set the wording of this warning in 2019 for ten medicines, fluvoxamine among them, and a government answer in Parliament says UK product information for all SSRIs was updated in 2019 to carry it.
This is a record of what each text says and of the date it prints. A text is quoted in its own words, or summarised where the row says so. It is not a comparison of countries. All medicines and countries
Fluvoxamine: the official texts, country by country (29 texts read)
| Country or region | What the text says | Document | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Sexual side effects that continue after stopping4.4 Special warnings and precautions for use · Sexual dysfunction Sexual side effects, as listed4.8 Undesirable effects · Reproductive system and breast disorders · Uncommon Sexual side effects, as listed4.8 Undesirable effects · Reproductive system and breast disorders · Frequency not known The same text also says4.8 Undesirable effects A table cell or list line is shown whole, as the text prints it. Some of them also name side effects that are not sexual. | Text for professionals Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC): Faverin 50 mg film-coated tabletsFaverin 50 mg film-coated tablets, Viatris Products Limited · Read in a compendium of product information: emcAlso on record: patients' leaflet, with such a sentence; 3 related documents, with such a sentence | Text revisedChecked |
| European Union | Sexual side effects that continue after stopping3. Serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRI); selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) – Persistent sexual dysfunction after drug withdrawal (EPITT no 19277) · Summary of product characteristics · 4.4. Special warnings and precautions for use · Sexual dysfunction Sexual side effects that continue after stopping3. Serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRI); selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) – Persistent sexual dysfunction after drug withdrawal (EPITT no 19277) · Package leaflet · 2. What you need to know before you take [Invented name] · Warnings and precautions The wording is for ten medicines: citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, desvenlafaxine, duloxetine, milnacipran and venlafaxine. This is wording for national product texts. There is no single EU product text for this medicine. | Document from the regulator New product information wording – Extracts from PRAC recommendations on signals. Adopted at the 13-16 May 2019 PRACRead on the regulator's site: European Medicines AgencyAlso on record: 1 more related document, with such a sentence | PublishedChecked |
| United States | Sexual side effects, as listed5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS · 5.16 Sexual Dysfunction The same text also says5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS · 5.16 Sexual Dysfunction This text has no sentence about sexual side effects continuing after the medicine is stopped. No label named Luvox is on DailyMed. This text is published under the substance's name by ANI Pharmaceuticals, which holds the FDA application for Luvox tablets that the FDA lists as the reference medicine (NDA 021519). The first Luvox application (NDA 020243) is listed as discontinued. This text names sexual side effects in several places that this row does not show. Together those passages are too long to reproduce here. The document link in this row opens the text. That they are not shown says nothing about how common these side effects are. On 20 October 2026 we searched the labels in openFDA, the FDA's open database. A sentence about sexual dysfunction continuing after stopping stood on none of the 54 labels in that database that name fluvoxamine. | Text for professionals FLUVOXAMINE MALEATE tablets, for oral use: Full Prescribing InformationFluvoxamine maleate tablets 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg, ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · Read in the government's medicines database: DailyMedAlso on record: 1 more text for professionals, with no such sentence; 2 patients' leaflets, with no such sentence | Text revisedChecked |
| Canada | Sexual side effects that continue after stopping7 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS · Reproductive Health: Female and Male Potential · Function This text names sexual side effects in several places that this row does not show. Together those passages are too long to reproduce here. The document link in this row opens the text. That they are not shown says nothing about how common these side effects are. | Text for professionals Product Monograph Including Patient Medication Information: LUVOX®, fluvoxamine maleate, Film-coated, scored tabletsLuvox film-coated, scored tablets 50 mg and 100 mg, BGP Pharma ULC · Read in the regulator's own database: Drug Product DatabaseAlso on record: patients' leaflet, with such a sentence; 2 related documents, with such a sentence | Text revisedChecked |
| Australia | Sexual side effects that continue after stoppingSection 4.4 · Sexual dysfunctionSection 4.4 of Australia's product information for Luvox has a warning headed sexual dysfunction. It says there are reports of sexual dysfunction that lasted a long time, with symptoms going on after SSRIs or SNRIs were stopped.Summarised, not quoted, because of the TGA's access terms. The regulator's site asks readers to accept its terms before it shows this text. | Text for professionals AUSTRALIAN PRODUCT INFORMATION – LUVOX® (fluvoxamine maleate)LUVOX, Viatris Pty Ltd · Read in the regulator's own database: TGA eBSAlso on record: patients' leaflet, with no such sentence | Text revisedChecked |
| New Zealand | We could not open this text on 20 October 2026: the site did not answer. This says nothing about what the text contains. | Text for professionalsWe tried: www.medsafe.govt.nz/DbSearch/ | Tried |
| Germany | Sexual side effects that continue after stopping4.4 Besondere Warnhinweise und Vorsichtsmaßnahmen für die Anwendung · Sexuelle Funktionsstörung Sexual side effects, as listed4.8 Nebenwirkungen · Erkrankungen der Geschlechtsorgane und der Brustdrüse · Gelegentlich Sexual side effects, as listed4.8 Nebenwirkungen · Erkrankungen der Geschlechtsorgane und der Brustdrüse · Nicht bekannt The same text also says4.8 Nebenwirkungen This is the copy in a compendium of product information. The regulator's database asks visitors to accept its terms first, which we did not do. A table cell or list line is shown whole, as the text prints it. Some of them also name side effects that are not sexual. | Text for professionals FachinformationFevarin 50 mg Filmtabletten, Viatris Healthcare GmbH · Read in a compendium of product information: fachinfo.deAlso on record: patients' leaflet, with such a sentence; related document, with such a sentence | Text revisedChecked |
| France | Sexual side effects that continue after stopping4.4. Mises en garde spéciales et précautions d'emploi · Dysfonction sexuelle Sexual side effects, as listed4.8. Effets indésirables · Affections des organes de reproduction et du sein · Peu fréquents Sexual side effects, as listed4.8. Effets indésirables · Affections des organes de reproduction et du sein · Fréquence indéterminée The same text also says4.8. Effets indésirables The text itself prints no date of revision. A table cell or list line is shown whole, as the text prints it. Some of them also name side effects that are not sexual. | Text for professionals Résumé des Caractéristiques du ProduitFLOXYFRAL 100 mg, comprimé pelliculé sécable, VIATRIS MEDICAL · Read in the government's medicines database: Base de données publique des médicamentsAlso on record: patients' leaflet, with such a sentence | Updated by the regulatorChecked |
| Italy | Sexual side effects that continue after stopping4.4 Avvertenze speciali e precauzioni d'impiego · Disfunzione sessuale Sexual side effects, as listed4.8 Effetti indesiderati · Patologie dell’apparato riproduttivo e della mammella · Non comuni Sexual side effects, as listed4.8 Effetti indesiderati · Patologie dell’apparato riproduttivo e della mammella · Frequenza non nota The same text also says4.8 Effetti indesiderati The text itself prints no date of revision. A table cell or list line is shown whole, as the text prints it. Some of them also name side effects that are not sexual. | Text for professionals Riassunto delle caratteristiche del prodottoFevarin 50 mg compresse rivestite con film, Viatris Healthcare Limited · Read in the regulator's own database: Banca Dati FarmaciAlso on record: patients' leaflet, with such a sentence | Made available by the regulatorChecked |
| Spain | Sexual side effects that continue after stopping4.4. Advertencias y precauciones especiales de empleo · Disfunción sexual Sexual side effects, as listed4.8. Reacciones adversas · Trastornos del aparato reproductor y de la mama · Poco frecuentes Sexual side effects, as listed4.8. Reacciones adversas · Trastornos del aparato reproductor y de la mama · Frecuencia no conocida The same text also says4.8. Reacciones adversas A table cell or list line is shown whole, as the text prints it. Some of them also name side effects that are not sexual. | Text for professionals Ficha técnicaDumirox 100 mg comprimidos recubiertos con película, Viatris Healthcare Limited · Read in the regulator's own database: CIMAAlso on record: patients' leaflet, with such a sentence; related document, with such a sentence | Text revisedChecked |
| Brazil | Sexual side effects that continue after stopping5. ADVERTÊNCIAS E PRECAUÇÕES · Disfunção sexual: Sexual side effects, as listed9. REAÇÕES ADVERSAS · Distúrbios do sistema reprodutivo · Incomum Sexual side effects, as listed9. REAÇÕES ADVERSAS · Distúrbios do sistema reprodutivo · Não conhecida The same text also says9. REAÇÕES ADVERSAS This is the holder's own copy. The regulator's database refused our requests (it blocks by country; we asked from Denmark). A table cell or list line is shown whole, as the text prints it. Some of them also name side effects that are not sexual. | Text for professionals LUVOX® maleato de fluvoxamina, BULA DO PROFISSIONAL DE SAÚDELuvox comprimidos revestidos 50 mg e 100 mg, Abbott Laboratórios do Brasil Ltda. · Read on the holder's own site: Abbott Laboratórios do Brasil Ltda.Also on record: patients' leaflet, with such a sentence | Text approvedChecked |
| India | We could not open this text on 20 October 2026: this regulator publishes no database of such texts. This says nothing about what the text contains. | Text for professionalsWe tried: cdsco.gov.in/opencms/opencms/en/Notifications/Prescribing-Information/ | Tried |
Brand names
These are the brand names of fluvoxamine we saw in the official lists, compendia and regulators' pages we opened on or after 20 October 2026. A country may have more.
- Luvox
- Canada, Brazil
- Faverin
- United Kingdom
- Fevarin
- Germany, Italy
- Floxyfral
- France
- Dumirox
- Italy, Spain
- Maveral
- Italy
- Afluv
- Brazil
- Fluvique
- Brazil
- Revoc
- Brazil
- Semtri
- Brazil
What is not known
- No reliable figure exists for how often PSSD happens. (source)
- One study of health records gives an estimate for men, counted through prescriptions for erection medicines. (source)
- It is not known how many people fully recover. (source)
- None of the product texts we read says how long the sexual dysfunction can last. (source)
Code and reporting
In a report to a medicines regulator, the term is Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (MedDRA code 10086208). Where to report, country by country
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