dextromethorphan vs fluvoxamine

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Side-by-side comparison of dextromethorphan and fluvoxamine. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

Such individuals have been referred to as “poor metabolizers” (PM) of drugs such as debrisoquin, dextromethorphan, and tricyclic antidepressants.

Drug Class
dextromethorphan Antitussive
fluvoxamine Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)
Type
dextromethorphan Over-the-Counter
fluvoxamine Prescription
Summary
dextromethorphan

Dextromethorphan is a medicine that helps to relieve coughs. It can also help with cold and flu symptoms.

fluvoxamine

Fluvoxamine is a medicine that can help treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It belongs to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

What It Treats
dextromethorphan

This medicine temporarily relieves symptoms from a cold. It can help with minor aches and pains, headache, and nasal and sinus congestion. It also helps with sore throat, cough due to minor throat and bronchial irritation, and reduces fever.

fluvoxamine

Fluvoxamine is used to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD involves having constant, unwanted thoughts or behaviors that you feel the need to repeat. These thoughts or actions can cause you distress and interfere with your daily life.

How It Works
dextromethorphan

Dextromethorphan works by decreasing the activity in the part of your brain that causes you to cough. This helps to reduce your urge to cough. It does not treat the underlying cause of the cough.

fluvoxamine

Fluvoxamine works by increasing the amount of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a chemical that helps regulate mood. By increasing serotonin, fluvoxamine can help reduce the symptoms of OCD.

Common Side Effects
dextromethorphan
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
fluvoxamine
  • Abnormal ejaculation
  • Loss of appetite
  • Problems having an orgasm
  • Weakness
  • Diarrhea
FAERS Reports
dextromethorphan
  • Drug Abuse 713
  • Toxicity To Various Agents 678
  • Overdose 594
  • Dizziness 435
  • Accidental Overdose 403
fluvoxamine
  • Drug Interaction 215
  • Nausea 117
  • Somnolence 114
  • Anxiety 103
  • Suicidal Ideation 96
Serious Warnings
dextromethorphan

Do not use in children under 12 years of age.

fluvoxamine

Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions in children, teenagers, and young adults. Tell your doctor right away if you have any sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, or feelings, especially if they are new, get worse, or worry you. Watch for suicidal thoughts or actions. Families and caregivers should also be aware of these risks.

Pregnancy
dextromethorphan

Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It is not known if this medicine will harm your unborn baby. It is also not known if this medicine passes into breast milk.

fluvoxamine

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Fluvoxamine may cause problems for the baby if taken during pregnancy. Fluvoxamine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This dextromethorphan vs fluvoxamine Comparison

dextromethorphan is classified in the Antitussive drug class, while fluvoxamine sits within the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, dextromethorphan has 2,823 submissions while fluvoxamine has 645. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to fluvoxamine can interfere with how the body processes dextromethorphan. this makes the body act like a 'poor metabolizer,' which can lead to higher drug levels.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for dextromethorphan or fluvoxamine.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.