Similar to other antidepressants, duloxetine may cause a patient to experience the following side effects: change in appetite, weight loss, nausea, insomnia, and unsteadiness. Although duloxetine side effects are usually mild, they can become more serious. If you experience abdominal pain, impaired vision, itching, disorientation, flu symptoms, trouble breathing or swallowing, and unexplained bleeding or bruising, you should talk to your doctor as soon as possible. When taking this medication, also pay attention to any changes in demeanor, especially if you are under 25. This is because taking antidepressants, like SNRIs, can increase your risk for suicide.

Modifying one’s duloxetine treatment, such as reducing a patient’s dosage, may result in unwanted withdrawal side effects, including vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fatigue, and pain, numbness, burning or tingling in the extremities.

Although there’s been no evidence that using duloxetine leads to drug dependency, it’s still important to monitor one’s intake. Incorrectly taking one’s medication may lead to an overdose. If this occurs, the patient is more likely to experience a rapid heartbeat, fever, vomiting, fainting, and agitation. If these overdose symptoms persist for more than a couple of days, you should consult your physician.