Viibryd 40m, Increasing Anxiety?

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Fellow viibryd folk, I am taking 40mg (been on it for approx 2 mo at this dose). In simply 24 hours I notice a need to take it or I begin to feel very anxious, and afraid. I'm not literally scared, but rather the feeling of having been frieghtened. It results in being emotionally constricted and feeling frozen to move. It feels like it is related to taking the meds, its not my normal self. Any common stories, or comments?

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1

Yes! Have been taking viibryd for almost 2 years. If I miss one dose, I feel horrible! I have severe panic attacks and immediately feel extremely depressed. It's like an impending doom feeling. I feel CRAZY when I miss a dose.. It's the absolute most horrifying feeling. Im fine as long as I take it every day. I have noticed that it does not work for anxiety at all! My last sri I took helped with anxiety. I hoped viibryd would get an indication for anxiety but I don't think that will ever happen. I want to get off this medication!

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2

@Beck,

Based on my research, you should tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: numbness/tingling, tremor, restlessness, inability to keep still, difficulty concentrating, confusion, memory problems, weakness, unsteadiness, pounding heartbeat.

Get medical help right away if you have any serious side effects, including: unusual or severe mental/mood changes (such as agitation, thoughts of suicide), bloody/black/tarry stools, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, easy bruising/bleeding, seizures.

With that being said, I would DEFINITELY speak with your doctor as soon as possible!

You can learn more about this drug on the page for Viibryd Details

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3

My memory totally left. I was standing people up, missing appointments...just awful. I have never taken any antidepressant that wiped it out entirely. That is really disconcerting.

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4

WOW! Kim...I couldn't have said it better myself! You described EXACTLY how I feel if I miss a dose. I feel crazy, desperate, SEVERELY depressed. I've missed it twice and both days were 2 of the worst days in my life. I couldn't find any grounding whatsoever. It was if I had been transplanted to a different world. I cried and cried and cried. I'm starting back on lexapro tomorrow.. cold turkey. Oh and Viibryd DID NOT help at all with my anxiety. I think it's actually worse. I quit effexor cold turkey and went straight to Viibryd with no problems. I'm praying I can do the same with Lexapro. Again.. tomorrow will be my 1st day off Vii. This med is the WORST drug on the planet. I do not recommend!

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5

Wow! I saw myself getting uncharacteristically angry and nasty with people and could not wait to get the stuff out of my system. It is scary not to feel in control! I think it was the closest that I ever want to come to being bipolar. But for some it is the relief they have been looking for for years. Unfortunately there is no way to know in advance and the personal experience of Viibryd can be grueling.

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6

After taking the starter kit and one month of 40mg, I'm being removed from Viibryd immediately. Obvious mood swings, anger, hostility, racing thoughts, increased depression, sadness. I'm prescribed 225mg Effexor XR to counter any symptoms I may experience while I withdraw immediately from Viibryd. I was taking 300mg of Effexor XR daily but felt that it may have lost its efficacy. It was a walk in the park compared to this.

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7

Yes, I have noticed the same thing. I too am prescribed 40 mg of Viibryd and I have begun to notice that if I go more than 30 hours between doses my anxiety returns and I simply don't feel that good. Somedays I have taken just 20 mg if it is late in the day and I have forgotten to take my morning dose or if I have slept late, and the 20 mg seems to do the trick. Too, I've let my prescription lapse and have had to get by on 20 mg for a few days in a row and even then 20 mg seems to do the trick. But I have begun to make it a point to not miss my morning dosing for fear of having a few uncomfortable hours. It does concern me that if I ever have to stop taking Viibryd that it would be an unpleasant experience. I guess the key would be to reduce the dosage very gradually.

Having said all of this, I have been on many different anti-depressants (Effexor, Paxil, Elavil, Zoloft) and without a doubt Viibryd has been the most effective anti-drepressant for me. When I begaa titrating my dosage I actually stopped at 30 mg because I had such a positive response. I kind of wish now that I had stayed at the 30 mg dosage. However, my physician encouraged me to go to 40 mg. And I must say that I feel even better at 40 mg than I did at 30 mg. But it is a little disconcerting to feel so dependent on a drug for my positive mood.

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8

I just started Viibryd a 2 days ago,Iam really scared about this and just want something safe or harmless to use,I have enough problems..I am so tired ofdepression and crying would like to feel normal..been on paxiel for a hundred years and just doesn't work anymore,did a salesman talk my Dr into to trying this on us or what is the truth? thanks for your time..

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9

I am an older person (female 74 yrs.) Taking Viibryd for about a month after being on Lexapro. Started right away on 20 mg. for a week, then I took 40 for a few days before noticing the most awful feelings. (crying jags, anger bursts, insomnia, odd dreams, feelings of impending doom, the first sympton was an all red left eye for days. Have tried to immediately wean myself, am down to 5-10 mgs. daily now. Wish I could just quit taking it, but I must follow thru on weaning, I believe. This is a terrible med. I am large (250 lbs.) should be able to take dosage, but I want off and now! Nothing I am experiencing in life warrants this awful existence on Viibryd. In my opinion you are playing with fire taking this. Please God, help me.

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10

Yes, Beck. . please see response from Judy

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11

The attraction of Viibryd is that it is one of the few SSRIs that also manages anxiety. Many people find that they become really agitated after taking it for a while at the maximum dose of 40mg. I loved it at first, but had the same experiences in many of the writers of the last few letters. It turned into a nightmare. I became an uncontrollable shrew. It felt like many people describe a manic episode. First I was on a cloud, then I was in a nightmare. I became uncomfortable in my own skin. I never experienced the eagerness for the next pill but I could not get off it fast enough.

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12

This-from me today Judy, age 74. The Viibryd dosage is down now for me to a 10 mg tablet, cut into 4 pieces and I take 3 of those 4 in 24 hours. After posting a few days ago I had lost my mind, I thought, when coming down somewhat from the dosage of 20 or LESS, I went thru the same horrible crying jags, feeling of impending doom, hopelessness. I would finally take 5 mgs. during the bouts and at last I would start to feel better, but the fear of it returning is what keeps me practically paralyzed. After 2 more days now, of the 2 1/2 mg. bits, I have been able to maintain a level existence and sleep again, though the insomnia still tends to be there. I have now had in the last 24 hrs. only a total of 5 mg. ( divided into 2 time periods throughout the day). I will now at midnight go to bed taking a 2 1/2 portion. If that holds me satisfactorily through the night I will feel I am on my way to being weaned. Will post again with report. Thank you for your interest-my thoughts are with all suffering from this terrible product.

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13

Yes, I would wake up terrified for no apparent reason as well as nightmares. This stuff almost killed me in July with serotonin toxicity so I have gone from 40mgs a day down to 10mgs and will slowly taper off completely. Just coming off of this medicine is giving me weird side effects...electrical zaps in my head...constant headaches on the right side of me head, and I am still sweating excessively for no apparent reason, but as I keep lowering the dosage the sweats aren't as bad. I'm not taking anymore of these dangerous drugs. I'm looking into organic supplements.

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14

You will be okay, Judy. I could not get off the stuff fast enough. I am about to try Ketamine. It only works for a week but it has to be an improvement. I think I have run through all the meds out there for depression. Just don't forget to breathe!

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15

I cannot wait to be off this stuff completely and find a natural alternative. I found a natural alternative to my constant pain. The side effects of this medicine are worse than the depression and that's the reason we started it in the first place. I've tried the gambit of so many different anti-depressants and always had side effects from all of them, so I am looking for natural supplements for depression.

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16

This is Judy reporting after a 3 month horrible session with Viibryd. Finally last month I began to sleep some at night when the panic attacks left me. I no longer have the awful feelings of impending doom. The headaches over one eye on the right continued until just 4 days ago. My seratonin is still mixed up; I sleep sporadically most nights yet some nights almost all the way through. Have had to sleep in my recliner until just a few weeks ago, when the fear feelings subsided. I still am having daily crying spells
and fits of anger at times. Have told my doctor about this terrible drug, he just said he was sorry. The way I weaned myself though may have added to my misery, but I could not continue to take any of this med. so after getting it to 2 1/2 a couple of times a day I just quit it. Began May 17th and this is Aug 31. Could use something to calm down my anxiety & depression, but I will never take antidepressants again.
My advice to all suffering from this is to try to stay hopeful and patient (if possible). You will get better, often relief comes quickly in from one day to the other.

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17

I was taking 20 mg and it didn't seem to be helping my anxiety much so the dr moved me up to 40 last week. Tonight I am googling to read comments that I can relate to because I feel so strange right now. Lying in bed, eyes closed and I feel like a weight is holding me down... My heart is racing and I feel very anxious. Panicked

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18

18yo dgtr on Paxil 20mg a day. History of more anxiety than depression . Recently changed to Viibryd and was told to stop Paxil one day and and start Viibyrd the next day....she's not feeling well at all. Started taking Paxil 10mg a day and the Viibyrd also. She's confused about what to do. A little better with 1/2 Paxil and Viibyrd. Any thoughts?????

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19

kim--i weaned from 40 for about 7 months to 20 for like a month and stopped it totally week before last with no ill effects except for a bit of hypomania from time to time. now, seroquel--that's a totally different animal--i ran out for a day once and itched like i had poison ivy with no rash--and every noise made my skin crawl. and it is the ssri i need to keep taking for depression symptoms, sooo... everyone is different--i thought i would have a problem stopping the viibryd, but didn't. and nothing helps my anxiety but benzos and i won't take them. before i forget--have you noticed any hair loss due to viibryd? seems like several of us have--and i know i have no thyroid problems, so it is definitely the viibryd. i need to report that as a side effect. hope you work things out with the viibryd or find something that doesn't mess you up in that way...

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20

Viibryd sufferers-I expect this to be my last post as I can say I am almost back to my former self after 4 1/2 months of shedding Viibryd from my system. I do still have the tendency toward crying jags ( daily) that I did not have prior to taking Viibryd. The anger fits submerge when I become overly agitated. Did not have that either prior to. My sleeping is much better, I can face going to bed without fear of impending doom, but I do wake up after 3 4 or 5 hours and have trouble going back to sleep. Still the fear has left me, the headaches are gone, nausea subsided, vivid upsetting dreams-gone. I write this to give hope and comfort to you out there who are suffering as I did, with seemingly no hope for a better tomorrow. There is. Stick with the weaning process if you can't get off it completely. As long as you have ANY of the med in your system the agony will continue. You Will get better and soon. My best. . . Judy

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50

I've found that I am more anxious on viibryd. Plan on asking for Xanax or something.

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49

I've been on vibryd for about 3 months. At first I thought it was helping my depression, but I could not sleep! 2 -3!hrs a night was all I could get, no matter what other sleep prescription my doctor prescribed. Lately, my anxiety has become uncontrollable, I shake with an overwhelming anxious feeling. I'm afraid, so fearful I can't even drive. My heart races uncontrollably and I can't eat at all. I've lost almost 20 lbs. no appetite but even when I feel a tiny bit hungry, two or three bites are all I can eat.
I skipped my pill last night and just took an anti anxiety pill instead and slept all night. Also, in the evening my feet start to itch and I've scratched them raw. Has anyone else had these problems with vibryd?

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48

I have seen little help from Viibryd for my anxiety. I thought getting up to the recommended 40mg dose would help, and it may have a little bit, but the brain zaps, insomina and night terrors were not worth it. My doc recommended going back to 20 mg, which I have, but now the anxiety is as bad as its ever been. The one upside is that I have not been as ravenously hungry as I was in the past on other SSRIs, but it's not fixing the primary problem.

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47

Been off Viibryd since may 20. Feel MUCH MUCH better emotionally. Still having high anxiety but hoping it will fade as well. Anxiety is better than feeling and acting crazy tho!! I dont feel as wired any more and i dont have dark gloomy thoughts any more. Yayyy. I feel like im back and that im back in control.

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46

I stopped taking Viibryd 2 weeks ago. I chose to just stop. I now feel like im climbing out of cobwebs. Im looking back at the last several months and cant believe the damage Viibryd has caused in my life. It was lke being locked in my head and not being able to get out. It was causing HYPER emotional reactions out of me, HYPER anxiety and paranoia. I feel like ive lost time. The effect was progressive so i myself did not notice the huge personality changes. Feb and March are a blur to me. Towards the end I couldnt move or get out of bed at all. My career has suffered tremendously. Physical problems were my eyes swelling up, muscle atrophy, several eye and ear infections and pain in my head. I cant believe no one saw the physical deterioration, especially my doctor. I was suffering ALL side effects from this med. i think its poison and should stop being prescribed. Now that im off I can feel my own thoughts returning to normal. I hope this process doesn't take too much longer. The withdrawal was and is HORRIBLE and feels like im coming off acid.

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45

I'm going through something similar and i don't know what to do. My husband started at 40mg in December 2015 and is now living in our basement in isolation. We had a fight and he is unwilling to resolve it. He goes out on weekends all day and wont tell me where he is going, spending our money and ignores the kids. He doesn't see an issue with his meds and his psychiatrist refuses to speak with me about my concerns.

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44

PLEASE HELP ME SUE Viibryd. Someone please help me. Serious side effects including glaucoma. At least 8 months of complaining to my doctor. He never linked it or concerned himself at all with what was happening to me. Multiple ER visits, ENT, and 2 ophthalmologists to try and figure out whats happening to my. My job has completely tanked bc of how sick ive been. I need to sue!! Please help. {edited for privacy}. My doctor never once did any kind of blood work on me during this!!!

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43

My husband has been on Viibryd after Effexor stopped working. It's been about 6 weeks and he feels even worse than before he started it. I think it's making him worse. Before taking it he could work. Now with no job or income he feels worthless. He wants to stop cold turkey but I'm afraid his anxiety will get even worse.

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42

So today I cut dosage in half and washaving the dizzy head. This evening dizziness is better. This might sound wierd but my legs are aching. Dr finally called I'm going in to him in the morning

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41

Judy, please tell how you got off Viibryd. I am on 20 and so fear the titrating down to zero. How long did it take you? What did your doctor replace it with, if any. Hope you are doing well! If anyone else has ideas how to get off slowly and at what stage can you begin another med , please share.

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