How and when to take duloxetine

Dosage and strength

For depression, anxiety and nerve pain, duloxetine comes in 30mg and 60mg capsules.

For stress urinary incontinence, duloxetine comes in 20mg and 40mg capsules.

How much you take will depend on what you're taking it for:

• depression – the starting dose is 60mg, taken once a day and this can be increased to 120mg, taken once a day
• anxiety – the starting dose is 30mg, taken once a day and this can be increased to 60mg, taken once a day
• nerve pain – the starting dose is 60mg taken once a day, and this can be increased to 60mg taken twice a day
• stress urinary incontinence – the starting dose is 20mg, taken twice a day and this can be increased to 40mg, taken twice a day, after 2 weeks

How to take it

Swallow the capsules whole with a drink of water or juice. Do not chew them.

You can take duloxetine with or without food, but it's best to take it at the same time each day.

How long to take it for

How long you take duloxetine for depends on why you're taking it.

For depression or anxiety, once you're feeling better, it's likely that you'll continue to take it for several more months. Most doctors recommend that you take antidepressants for 6 months to a year after you no longer feel depressed or anxious. Stopping your medicine too soon can make depression and anxiety come back.

When you stop taking it, your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually over several weeks, to help prevent withdrawal side effects.

For nerve pain or urinary incontinence, if duloxetine is helping your symptoms, you can continue taking it long term. Your doctor may check that you're still having relief from the pain or urinary incontinence every few months.

If you forget to take it

If you usually take duloxetine once a day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember, unless it's less than 12 hours until your next dose, in which case skip the missed dose and take the next one at the usual time.

If you usually take it twice a day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember, unless it's less than 4 hours until your next dose, in which case skip the missed dose and take the next one at the usual time.

Never take 2 doses at the same time to make up for a forgotten dose.

If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.

If you take too much

Taking too much duloxetine can cause symptoms such as:

• feeling sleepy
• being sick (vomiting)
• tremors
• feeling dizzy
• a fast heart rate
• sweating
• feeling restless

The amount of duloxetine that can lead to an overdose varies from person to person.

If you need to go to A&E, do not drive yourself. Get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance.

Take the duloxetine packet or the leaflet inside it, plus any remaining medicine, with you.

Stopping taking duloxetine

If you have been feeling better for 6 months or more, your doctor may suggest coming off duloxetine.

Your doctor may reduce your dose gradually over several weeks, or longer if you've been taking duloxetine for a long time.

This is to help prevent any extra side effects you might get as a reaction to coming off the medicine.