Took my first dose at 6am with breakfast. Just shit my pants 3.5 hours later. I have chronic constipation and hadn’t pooped in days. What the fuck. I have never had a med affect me like this. Thank god im not at work but my shift starts in a few hours. I couldn’t even make it to my toliet 14 feet away. I’ve tried 14+ meds and have never had a physical reaction as extreme as this.
I just wanna know one thing: How is the sexual drive on people here taking 40mg? I feel good sexually on 20, but in my latest conversation to my psychiatrist, he thought I should up go to 40mg (because of still feeling some OCD and worrying a lot about everything, mainly when i’m not exercising regularly). I don’t feel super bad (talking about mood and anxiety) in 20mg, but I could be feeling better. I’m afraid I go up to 40mg and lose sexual sensation.
I see so many people talk about the other antidepressants, but not much about this one. I have been on Viibryd 10mg for only 2 weeks. I woke up this morning and noticed a calmness I had never felt before. I am taking it for anxiety and depression. Tried many SSRI’s and SNRI’s.
I am not sure why this one seems to be working so well for me, but just wanted to spread the word. I had just been thinking “how will I know when it’s working?” and then a few days later, it felt like a curtain lifted. Feeling very relaxed. I’m hopeful for the coming weeks!
Psychiatrist is forcing me on my 15th medication after asking for adhd meds. Buspar made me vertigo-y from what I remember so I’m not excited. I was diagnosed by a Kaiser doctor 3 years ago and offered stimulants (turned them down since I had failed through 12+ meds and was over it) but now they are making me go through a whole process with an “adhd specialist,” and won’t diagnose me if it’s “inconclusive” due to my anxiety and depression. No meds (nor 30 sessions of tms) have helped with my anxiety/depression. Starting on 10mg tomorrow. I have also been dealing with awful chronic fatigue that worsened in April despite my mental health improving the past year and past couple years in general. Hopefully the drug doesn’t increase my fatigue. I’m reading about nightmares in this subreddit and it’s scaring me. I already have nightmares without I don’t need more (I had one last night, woke up at 3 and couldn’t go back to sleep). Edit; I’ve been reading about people having side effects if not taking within hours of their usual time, as someone who has a hard time even remembering to take meds daily this is gonna be fun
I just started taking the generic version last Monday at 5mg for a week (super sensitive when it comes to taking medication) just started taking 10mg and been having waves of nausea (eating helps for a bit) but what scares me is my heart rate goes up (120-130) every so often . Doesn’t last long . Just didn’t know if it was normal or maybe just my anxiety spiking while getting use to the med ?
I’ve been on viibryd for several months and have gained at least 30 lbs since. I’m not eating anymore than I typically do. I exercise and try to maintain a balanced diet. I’m content where I’m at and truly hoping I’ve hit the plateau for weight gain. For those that did gain weight, when did it stop? I’m also curious if taking it at night vs the morning makes any difference.
i take mine around 9:30 every night since my job is pretty demanding and i could get home anywhere between 5p-10pm. i’ve been doing uncrustables and pop tarts but i don’t really think that’s nutritious enough. what do you eat with yours?
Hi everyone, I’ve been taking viibryd for 2 years and have definitely dealt with the ups and downs of this drug, but will say it is has been the most effective medication I have ever tried for depression and anxiety. I’m currently beginning to wean off of 30mg to see if I can handle life unmedicated LOL so in honor of that, I’d like to share what has helped me have success with it.
*Of course this drug affects everyone differently, I am simply just sharing my personal experiences. If you are having issues with your medication always consult with your doctor first.
First and foremost, EAT with your dose. Many people will say there is a certain amount of calories you should eat, but the biggest factor is the amount of fat in your food. Viibryd is fat-soluble, and your body can only fully break it down after fat enters your small intestine and triggers your gallbladder to produce bile salts. I have ADHD as well, so remembering to take my meds during meals was a little difficult for me. I started keeping smuckers uncrustables with me at all times, so if I was on the go and needed to take my Viibryd I could quickly get the necessary amount of fat for the dose.
Another thing I learned while taking generic Viibryd, was that not all manufacturers are created equal. Everything had been going great, until randomly I felt flat, depressed, and physically ill out of no where. I thought it just simply wasn’t working for me anymore. This lasted until I picked up a new prescription and felt totally fine after the first dose. I realized the previous month’s script was TEVA brand, and the new script was Alembic. I brought this up with my doctor who informed me that generic drugs can legally contain 80%-125% of the active ingredient. So maybe Teva was under my normal amount, or I was just used to Alembic having more than 100%. Either way, I learned that it didn’t work for me, so my doctor put in a note with each script that I did not handle Teva well, and my pharmacy was great about filling only Alembic.
Viibryd kinda ruins the party. We all know the label warns against drinking alcohol with the med, but lots of people don’t follow this rule. I noticed that I did not feel buzzed the same way I did before taking it. Less of a fun, giggly drunk and more of a distorted, heavy & gross feeling. This was a blessing for me though, as I decided to cut out alcohol all together because of this.
I had WEIRD experiences taking viibryd before bed. I take trazodone as well for insomnia, but even so found it incredibly difficult to fall asleep if I took it too close to bed time. I also experienced horrific, never ending cycles of sleep paralysis. This was probably the worst side effect I experienced. Taking it in the late morning/early afternoon worked best for me!
My sweet spot for dosage was 30mg. If you feel like 40 is too much or don’t want to max yourself out yet, and 20 isn’t enough, I had no issues with splitting the pills and taking 1.5 20mg each day. If you’re a fast metabolizer this can also help by taking the first pill and the half at different times of the day.
I really only have good things to report about my time with viibryd. It got me through an insanely difficult time and really helped me get a jumpstart on taking control of my life again. Compared to side effects of other drugs I have tried, this was definitely the most mild. What played into my decision to get off of it was that I was diagnosed with POTS, and viibryd can lower your blood sodium level. I also did unfortunately become one of the people who completely lost their libido from it. At this point, after making sure I’m comfortable using the tools I’ve learned in therapy to prepare to raw dog life, I feel like I may be better off without it.
So far, titration hasn’t been too bad. A little nausea/dizziness at the end of the night, but nothing near my awful experiences weaning off of other drugs (looking at YOU, Effexor.) I’ll report how it ends up going once fully off of it! And happy to answer any questions as well if you’re new to the drug. Good luck to all on their journey!
I started taking viibryd about two weeks ago, and I did a cross-taper from celexa since the celexa seemed to be less effective for me after taking it for 18 years, despite increasing it all the way to 40mg. Viibryd initially seemed to be reducing my severe depression literally only a few days after I started taking 10mg, and I felt motivated finally! I've been on 20mg for a week now, and I've felt apathetic, yet depressed, crying easily, and I've felt so tired. I also take focalin. Maybe I should give 20mg of it more time? I'm hypersensitive to meds, especially since I'm autistic and have ADHD. Surprisingly, I've had fewer side effects with viibryd than with the other antidepressants that I've tried, which is reassuring; but I also don't want to be over medicated. I've felt less irritable on it than with other antidepressants. I spoke with my psychiatrist today, and she thinks that I need to give it more time. I want opinions from anyone that's experienced this with viibryd. I literally have to force myself to smile now.
I transitioned off my Lexapro to Viibryd 6 weeks ago! This week I am finally starting to feel good! I have a long history of clinical anxiety & panic disorder. The transition off Lexapro was tough due to the withdrawal symptoms & the transition onto Viibryd was also difficult due to the GI side effects & increased anxiety. I was constantly nauseous & had diarrhea multiple times a day for the past 6 weeks. I am finally through it & the GI side effects are non-existent.
Just wanted to come on here & mention that it DOES GET BETTER. I was about ready to give up & try a different med but my psych encouraged me to wait till the 2 month mark before we make another switch. I am so glad I kept chugging along because I feel great! I read this Reddit thread a lot the past 6 weeks & I just want to encourage some people that most of side effects are temporary & you CAN get through it. My doctor prescribed me Zofran to help with the nausea which I highly recommend. I am a 26 year old female! I do take other anxiety meds along with the Viibryd: beta blocker, gabapentin, buspirone & hydroxyzine for sleep.
i just wanted to make a post for anyone who was nervous or worried about starting this drug. I was diagnosed with MDD, GAD, and ADHD. i’ve tried the following:
lexapro
wellbutrin
buspar
exeffor (one dose, and i said absolutely not).
i was very hesitant because of the horror stories of people experiencing diarrhea, nausea, increased anxiety, etc and i wanted a med that didn’t effect me sexually as well. it’s been almost a month (10mg for 2 weeks, just recently moved to 20mg) and honestly the only symptom i had was mild stomach irritation the first three days, and i do sleep a little less, but that’s not a bad thing for me as i used to be insanely fatigued.
other than that, i have never felt better. i wake up, and do things. literally that’s it. i’m not glued to my bed, im not sad and ruminating, im able to just get up. i can go to work and do my job without feeling debilitating anxiety or anger. i’m not quick to get irritated or upset. i laugh, i talk, i smile more. i just feel like so much has been lifted off of my shoulders.
for anyone scared to try it, don’t let the bad experiences get to you too much. some of us may already have anxiety so it’s natural to be even more anxious that it may not work, or cause you to feel unwell. you truly never know how your body will react to something until you try it! we are all different.
Has anyone tapered from viibryd to Zoloft? I’ve tried so many other medications and the past 5 years nothing has helped me at all. I feel so anxious in fight or flight all the time which makes me so depressed and weak and even shaky feeling. I have heart palpitations which scare me a lot. On viibryd I’ve never had the energy people talk about and I’ve had emotional blunting. I know Zoloft is known for these things emotion blunting and zombie like but I feel like this on viibryd which should be the opposite. Anyways. I stay my cross tapering Saturday and I wanted to hear some positive feedback back.
I started on 10mg, upped to 20mg, and am now upping to 40mg. It's been about 4 months in total so far. I take my meds with lunch every day, usually between 1:00-1:30pm. Here is what I have noticed:
I wake up (am a late riser, normally between 10:00-11:00) and feel derealization and spacey for a bit. I finally eat lunch and take my med. Within 45 mins - an hour I start to feel somewhat better. Less depersonalized and more grounded.
About an hour later I become very jittery and shaky. This lasts for about 3-4 hours.
I manage, and have dinner and towards the evening things calm down and I feel "normal."
I want to add that I am currently in a dose increase, so maybe it's just side effects of upping my dose? It makes functioning and planning my day really difficult because I know I am either going to have derealization or the jitters. I know this med can be activating when getting on it, so I am hopeful that it will ease off.
I have only been on 40mg for a week now, so I know I am in the thick of side effects.
I do have propranolol and it does seem to help some.
Also, this heat intolerance is brutal!!
I have been on med changes for 9 months now trying to find something that works. I am just hoping that this will finally be what I need and I can start to settle and have a normal routine.
Anyone else experience anything like this?
I'm on 40 mg vilazodone and I'm trying to figure out if I should take a dose. I can't remember taking it, but I ate the meal I prepared for it a while ago. I don't think I'm feeling the usual bump up in mood, so I think its more likely I missed the dose, but I'm worried cause 40 mg is such a high dose and I'm nervous about the consequences of doubling up if ai did already take it
Viibryd came up as the #1 med for me in the gene testing, which is why my doc put me on it. I had tried Prozac, Effexor, Lexapro, Wellbutrin and Zoloft. The only one that worked was Prozac but then it stopped.
I started on 10 mg. After about 7 days I had about 3 decent days. Not optimal but pretty good, better than I have been in a long time. Then the tides turned and I’m not feeling well at all. Not as bad as before I started it but noticeably worse. It’s been about 16 days total now. Do I need to go up or come off this? My doc says that it’s a good sign that I had some good days on it, shows it works. But why do I feel worse again? He doesn’t know that yet, I see him in 2 weeks. I read that after 2 weeks the depression should improve.
TIA
Currently at week 3 and I've hit a plateau. I feel emotionally dull, Ive missed doses and it feels like my brain is a limb that fell asleep as I'm trying to go to sleep ( pins and needles). Also impending room, severe GI upset, no real motivation or happiness. That's when I miss a dose or quit taking it. I feel emotionally dull when I'm on it. At the lowest dose possible and they just upped it to 30. I've made it clear to this doctor i don't wanna dose up on anti depressants because I don't even wanna be on it. Also I've been feeling completely "unwanted" by anyone and thats new. Am I dying or is this just the unfortunate reality of ssris?
I’ve been on 40mg of Viibryd for about 3 weeks now, when I first increased I was constantly having nightmares about home invasions, crying all the time, and feeling scared I was going to hurt myself. Lately, I’ve suddenly been feeling almost overly happy. It’s nice compared to how depressed I was, but it also feels kind of weird and not really like me.
I’ve also been really nauseous, my anxiety feels different, and I’ve been dissociating a lot and feeling like I’m not real. That’s making me think about going back to Lexapro because even though it didn’t help my depression that much, I felt much more grounded and like myself on it.
I’ve been recommended to take Lexapro + Lamictal before, and I was hesitant because I didn’t want to take a mood stabilizer with an antidepressant and didn’t want to take a bipolar med since I haven’t been diagnosed with that but who knows at this point. But since she’s now suggesting Lamictal with Viibryd and going down to 20 mg, I’m wondering if Lexapro + Lamictal might actually be a better option for me. I’m just really hesitant to keep trying new antidepressants because I seem to get a lot of side effects from them and lexapro only really caused sexual side effects that were mostly manageable.
I’ve been having medical problems that have been effecting my mental health which has been a big contributor to my mental wellbeing the condition is vestibular migraines and finally found a med that works for that so I’m also thinking going back on lexapro I might be more stable because I’m not in excruciating pain and dizziness all the time which contributed to my anxiety and depression. I’ve been going out in public more and trying to ease myself back into a normal life now that the vestibular migraines is being helped but my social anxiety is through the roof and I feel very manic in a way which other anti depressants have made me feel like that especially when I tried Zoloft for a couple weeks.
Also the side effects of nausea, nightmares, constipation makes this med not feel worth it
I’ve been on Viibryd 20mg for 3 months, and my anxiety has gotten significantly worse. I’ve developed insomnia, nervousness, shakiness, panic attacks, and a racing
I also take Adderall, and my therapist is concerned I may have too much serotonin from the combination.
For those who tapered off Viibryd, how slowly did you taper, and did these symptoms improve after stopping?
I just started viibryd a few weeks ago and while I had pms symptoms, I didn’t have any bleeding? Anyone else experience this? And weirdly my physical pms symptoms were worse than when I was on lexapro? (I am not pregnant)
Hello, I have been on Zoloft 37.5mg (1.5 tabs) for almost a year now. I have always struggled with depression and anxiety but things got severe for me after a breakup and that’s when I finally decided to take the meds. Anyways, I am going to talk to my dr about switching to viibryd because lately I have been feeling very depressed again and just over all not good. I sweat all the time & I’ve gained so much weight & I can’t lose it no matter how much I try. It’s just not working for me anymore. I re looked at my genetic testing I had done and Viibryd was the only Ssri that didn’t have any bad reactions with my genes.
So my question is, if you switched from one ssri to another, what was the transition like? Did you have to slowly change over or did you just start taking the new one? I know my dr will explain this but I am curious on other people’s experience. Thank in advance :)