Information for the public

Summary of possible benefits and harms

Summary of possible benefits and harms

How well does fluoxetine work?

Three small studies have looked at how well fluoxetine works to treat hypersexuality. One study was in men who were in prison for committing a sexual offence. The other 2 studies were in men who had unusually frequent or abnormal sexual fantasies, urges and sexual behaviours. These studies found that fluoxetine reduced the number of times men with hypersexuality took part in sexual activities. It also reduced the number of thoughts and fantasies the men had about sex.

However, these studies were all small and had several problems with their design. Therefore, they do not provide good information about how well fluoxetine works to treat hypersexuality. The studies did not look at treating hypersexuality in women.

What are the possible harms or side effects?

Some people may get side effects when taking fluoxetine. The following ones have been reported to occur in 1 in 10 people or more:

  • feeling tired

  • feeling or being sick

  • diarrhoea

  • headache

  • problems sleeping.

Please note that the results of research studies only indicate the benefits and harms for the population in the studies. It is not possible to predict what the benefits and harms will be for an individual person being treated with fluoxetine.