fluoxetine vs tranylcypromine

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Side-by-side comparison of fluoxetine and tranylcypromine. 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

This period can be several weeks long (e.g., a minimum of 5 weeks for fluoxetine given fluoxetine's long half-life).

Drug Class
fluoxetine Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)
tranylcypromine Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI)
Type
fluoxetine Prescription
tranylcypromine Prescription
Summary
fluoxetine

Fluoxetine is a medicine that can help treat depression and other mental health conditions. It belongs to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

tranylcypromine

Tranylcypromine (Parnate) is a medicine used to treat major depression in adults. It is used when other antidepressants have not worked well enough.

What It Treats
fluoxetine

Fluoxetine can treat major depressive disorder in adults and children. It also treats obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adults and children. Fluoxetine can help with bulimia nervosa (an eating disorder) and panic disorder. Sometimes, it is used with another medicine called olanzapine to treat depression related to bipolar disorder.

tranylcypromine

Tranylcypromine is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. You should only use it if other antidepressants haven't helped. It is not for the first treatment of depression because it can cause serious side effects and has many drug and food interactions.

How It Works
fluoxetine

Fluoxetine works by increasing the amount of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a chemical that helps regulate mood. By increasing serotonin, fluoxetine can help improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression, OCD, and other conditions.

tranylcypromine

Tranylcypromine belongs to a class of drugs called MAO inhibitors. It works by increasing the levels of certain chemicals in your brain. These chemicals can help improve your mood.

Common Side Effects
fluoxetine
  • Abnormal dreams
  • Problems ejaculating
  • Loss of appetite
  • Feeling anxious
  • Feeling weak
tranylcypromine
  • Dry mouth
  • Dizziness
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Feeling sleepy
  • Headache
FAERS Reports
fluoxetine
  • Drug Interaction 3,335
  • Toxicity To Various Agents 3,316
  • Nausea 3,233
  • Fatigue 3,156
  • Completed Suicide 2,904
tranylcypromine
  • Drug Interaction 68
  • Depression 36
  • Serotonin Syndrome 27
  • Headache 24
  • Hypertension 24
Serious Warnings
fluoxetine

Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teenagers, and young adults. Watch closely for worsening depression or suicidal thoughts. Tell your doctor right away if you notice any changes in mood or behavior. Fluoxetine is not approved for use in children younger than 7 years old.

tranylcypromine

Tranylcypromine can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young adults. It can also cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure if you eat foods high in tyramine or take certain medicines. Make sure to follow all food and drug restrictions.

Pregnancy
fluoxetine

Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Fluoxetine should only be used during pregnancy if the benefit outweighs the risk to the baby. Breastfeeding is not recommended while taking fluoxetine.

tranylcypromine

There is limited information about the safety of tranylcypromine during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not recommended to breastfeed while taking this medicine because it can harm the baby.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This fluoxetine vs tranylcypromine Comparison

fluoxetine is classified in the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) drug class, while tranylcypromine sits within the Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, fluoxetine has 15,944 submissions while tranylcypromine has 179. 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 fluoxetine stays in your system for a long time and can cause a dangerous reaction if it overlaps with this medicine.. 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 fluoxetine or tranylcypromine.

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