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Overview
Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved duloxetine oral capsule to treat:
- major depressive disorder in adults
- generalized anxiety disorder in adults and children ages 7 years and older
- pain due to diabetic peripheral neuropathy (a specific type of diabetic neuropathy that affects the hands and feet) in adults
- chronic (long-term) musculoskeletal pain in adults
- fibromyalgia in adults and children ages 13 years and older
This article describes possible side effects of duloxetine oral capsule. You’ll also find information on cost savings and coupon options for duloxetine. You can explore this overview article to learn more about duloxetine oral capsule, including the drug’s uses, side effects, ways to save on cost, and more.
Duloxetine oral capsule is a generic version of the brand-name drug Cymbalta.
Boxed warning: Increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors
Duloxetine has a boxed warning for the increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and some adults. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
For details, see the “Side effects of duloxetine in detail” section below.
More common side effects of duloxetine
Duloxetine oral capsule may cause mild or serious side effects. Below are some of the more common side effects of this medication.
Commonly reported side effects of duloxetine oral capsule include:
- nausea
- constipation
- dry mouth
- drowsiness
- sweating more than usual
Mild side effects of duloxetine
Duloxetine may cause certain mild side effects. Usually, mild side effects are temporary and can be easily managed. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that don’t go away or become bothersome.
Mild side effects of duloxetine oral capsule that occurred in studies include:
- nausea
- constipation
- headache
- dry mouth
- fatigue (low energy)
- trouble sleeping
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- weight loss
- diarrhea
- sweating more than usual
- abdominal pain
- sexual side effects
- mild allergic reaction*
* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of duloxetine in detail” section below.
Duloxetine oral capsule may cause more mild side effects than those listed above. For details, see the drug’s prescribing information.
Serious side effects of duloxetine
Duloxetine may cause certain serious side effects. Serious side effects with duloxetine are typically rare. If you have any serious side effects from duloxetine oral capsule, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency or your side effects feel life threatening, take immediate action. Call 911 or a local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room.
After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Visit MedWatch’s website if you’d like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with duloxetine.
Serious side effects of duloxetine oral capsule that occurred in studies include:
- orthostatic hypotension (a sudden drop in blood pressure when changing positions)
- increased risk of mania and hypomania episodes
- angle-closure glaucoma
- increased blood pressure
- low sodium level
- sexual side effects
- seizures
- severe skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors*
- serotonin syndrome†
- liver damage and liver failure†
- severe allergic reaction†
* Duloxetine oral capsule has a boxed warning for this side effect. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA. To learn more, see the “Side effects of duloxetine in detail” section below.
† To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of duloxetine in detail” section below.
Suicide prevention
If you or someone you know is in crisis and considering suicide or self-harm, please seek support:
- Call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
- Text HOME to the Crisis Textline at 741741.
- Not in the United States? Find a helpline in your country with Befrienders Worldwide.
- Call 911 or your local emergency services number if you feel safe to do so.
If you’re calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives. You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely.
If you are not in the same household, stay on the phone with them until help arrives.
Common questions about side effects of duloxetine
Here are answers to some common questions about side effects of duloxetine oral capsule. If you have other questions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Are side effects of duloxetine different for females than males?
Yes, duloxetine oral capsule may cause different sexual side effects in females* and males.* Usually, most other side effects of duloxetine can happen in both females and males.
In females, sexual side effects related to duloxetine include decreased sex drive, delayed orgasm, and being unable to orgasm. In males, sexual side effects include delayed ejaculation, being unable to ejaculate, erectile dysfunction, and decreased sex drive.
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist for more information about side effect differences for males and females taking duloxetine.
*Sex and gender exist on spectrums. In this article, we use the terms “female” and “male” to refer to a person’s sex assigned at birth.
Is duloxetine safe for older adults?
Yes, duloxetine oral capsule is safe for older adults (ages 65 and older). In studies, there were no significant differences in how well or how safe duloxetine was for older adults compared with younger adults. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recommend any dosage changes to duloxetine based on age.
For more information about duloxetine’s safety in older adults, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Will I experience certain side effects when stopping duloxetine?
Yes, you may experience discontinuation syndrome when you stop taking duloxetine. Discontinuation syndrome is a group of symptoms that may occur when you stop taking a drug. This is usually due to your body being used to a drug and then reacting once it’s out of your system.
Signs and symptoms of discontinuation syndrome include:
- dizziness
- headache
- nausea
- diarrhea
- changes in mood
- trouble sleeping
- anxiety
- fatigue (low energy)
- tingling or pricking feeling on your arms, hands, legs, or feet
- seizures
If you’d like to stop taking duloxetine, talk with your doctor. They’ll likely recommend slowly reducing your duloxetine dosage over time before stopping treatment completely. This allows your body to gradually get used to not having the drug in your system.
If you’d like to stop taking duloxetine, first talk with your doctor or pharmacist about how to safely stop taking it.
Can duloxetine cause hair loss?
It’s not clear if duloxetine can cause hair loss. In studies of the drug, hair loss wasn’t reported as a side effect. However, other studies of antidepressants, including duloxetine, showed the drug can cause hair loss in rare cases.
If you’re concerned about duloxetine and hair loss, talk with your doctor.
Does duloxetine cause long-term side effects?
Yes, there may be long-term side effects with duloxetine. These include:
- sexual side effects
- liver damage
- urinary retention (bladder doesn’t empty during urination)
Long-term side effects were usually serious but rare in studies. They’re more likely to occur if you take the drug for a long time.
Talk with your doctor if you experience any long-term side effects with duloxetine. They’ll check your symptoms and determine the best plan for you.
Coupon for duloxetine
Visit this page to access Optum Perks coupons and get price estimates for duloxetine when you use the coupons. These coupons can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.
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Side effects of duloxetine in detail
Below you’ll find details on some of the side effects of duloxetine oral capsule.
Increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors
Antidepressant medications similar to duloxetine have been known to increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This risk is for children and adults ages 24 years and younger. Duloxetine has a boxed warning for this risk. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This side effect is serious but rare in people taking duloxetine oral capsule.
Suicide was reported in studies of duloxetine with adults. However, it’s not known whether the suicide was related to treatment. No suicides were reported in studies of duloxetine with children.
Signs of increased suicidal thoughts and behaviors may include:
- anxiety
- agitation
- panic attacks
- trouble sleeping
- aggression
- extreme changes in mood and behavior
- hostility
- new or worsening depression
Ways to manage
If you experience signs of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, tell your doctor right away or seek emergency medical attention. Your doctor will check your symptoms and determine the best plan for you. They may stop your duloxetine treatment or reduce your dosage.
Before prescribing duloxetine, your doctor will talk with you about the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors with the drug. You can also tell those close to you that you’re taking duloxetine. This is so they can monitor for the above signs as well.
Serotonin syndrome
In studies, serotonin syndrome was a rare side effect in people taking duloxetine oral capsule. This side effect is usually serious and needs emergency medical attention right away.
With serotonin syndrome, your body releases too much of the chemical serotonin. A buildup of serotonin in your body can be life threatening. (Duloxetine works to release serotonin to treat the conditions it’s approved for.)
Signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome include:
- agitation
- hallucinations
- delirium (sudden confusion and changes in thinking)
- fast heart rate
- dizziness
- tremors (shaking)
- seizures
- vomiting
- diarrhea
You may have a higher risk for serotonin syndrome if you take other substances that also increase the amount of serotonin in your body. Examples include linezolid, lithium, buspirone, St. John’s wort, fentanyl, amitriptyline, and sumatriptan.
Ways to manage
If you experience signs or symptoms of serotonin syndrome, talk with your doctor right away. If your signs and symptoms are severe, immediately seek emergency medical treatment by calling 911 or a local emergency number.
Your doctor may prescribe duloxetine with other drugs that release serotonin in your body. However, before prescribing duloxetine, your doctor will review your medications to check your risk for serotonin syndrome. If you experience serotonin syndrome while taking duloxetine, your doctor will likely stop prescribing this medication.
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Get free cardLiver damage
In studies, liver damage and liver failure were rare side effects in people taking duloxetine oral capsule. These side effects can be serious.
Signs and symptoms of liver damage and liver failure include:
- hepatitis (liver inflammation) with abdominal pain
- enlarged liver
- increased liver enzymes
- yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes
Alcohol may interact with duloxetine and cause liver problems. To learn more, see the “Warnings for duloxetine” section below.
Ways to manage
Your doctor will check your liver health before starting duloxetine. They may also order blood tests to make sure that your liver enzyme levels are within the usual ranges.
If you experience signs and symptoms related to liver damage, tell your doctor. They’ll check your symptoms and order blood tests to determine the best plan for you. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, your doctor may stop your duloxetine treatment.
Note: If left untreated, liver damage may worsen and cause liver failure. And it could be fatal.
Allergic reaction
For some people, duloxetine oral capsule can cause an allergic reaction.
Symptoms can be mild or serious, and they may include:
- itchiness
- skin rash
- swelling under the skin, usually affecting eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
- swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe
- flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)
Ways to manage
For mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know if you should keep taking the medication.
For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care because they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to duloxetine oral capsule, your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.
Warnings for duloxetine
Below are some factors you may want to discuss with your doctor before taking duloxetine oral capsule.
Boxed warning: Increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors
Duloxetine has a boxed warning for the increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and some adults. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
For details, see the “Side effects of duloxetine in detail” section above.
Other warnings
It may not be safe for you to take duloxetine oral capsule if you have specific health conditions. These are sometimes called drug-condition interactions. Other things may also affect whether duloxetine oral capsule is a safe treatment option for you.
Before taking duloxetine oral capsule, tell your doctor about your health and medications you take. Things to consider include:
- diabetes
- liver disease
- seizures
- bipolar disorder
- angle-closure glaucoma
- severe kidney disease
- past allergic reaction to duloxetine
Duloxetine and pregnancy
It’s not known whether duloxetine oral capsule should be taken during pregnancy. If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.
Duloxetine and breastfeeding
In general, duloxetine oral capsule is considered safe to take during pregnancy. That said, check with your doctor about whether they feel it’s safe for you specifically.
Duloxetine and alcohol
Duloxetine oral capsule is known to interact with alcohol. Taking duloxetine and excessively drinking alcohol may cause serious liver damage. (For details about liver damage, see the “Side effects of duloxetine in detail” section above.) You should not drink alcohol while taking duloxetine. (For details about liver damage, see the “Side effects of duloxetine in detail” section above.)
If you drink alcohol or have liver problems, talk with your doctor before you start treatment with duloxetine.
What to ask your doctor
This article describes common and serious side effects of duloxetine oral capsule. If your doctor prescribes this medication, they can discuss possible side effects with you. Let your doctor know if you have concerns or questions about treatment with this medication.
Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:
- How much alcohol is safe to drink while taking duloxetine?
- How quickly can I stop taking duloxetine if I no longer want to take it?
- What can I do to help prevent sexual side effects from happening?
Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.