Early Side Effects With Viibryd (Top voted first)

I started taking Viibryd three days ago, and have started to see negative side effects. I'm currently taking 10 mg. I get extreme hot flashes, and sweat more excessively. I also noticed I have been experiencing migranes, and tingly sensations throughout my body. My doctor said that this is normal for the first few weeks, but I'm starting to wonder if this has happened to anybody else. Should I just ride it through the next couple of weeks, or should I get off of Viibryd now?

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Many people seem to experience temporary mild side effects.... then that makes them anxious - even more anxious than they were before. Read my post! I am doing just fine and I almost gave up. Best to talk to your doctor, but I think some side effects are to be expected, especially if you are normally a "sensitive person". I am!

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I have been on Viibryd for for 5 days. The first day I experienced nausea and loose bowels, but that has passed. Now I am getting hot flashes. Also, the heat and sun bother me more. When I woke up this morning, my hand was numb. I'm also on Leumectal. I'm going to keep going on the Viibryd and hope these beginning symptoms go away. Anybody still getting hot flashes after using Viibryd for a long time?

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I just started taking viibryd yesterday, and both yesterday and today I have had a feeling of anxiety- almost like I drank waaay too much caffeine within a couple hours of taking it. I thought yesterday that it might be psychosomatic, but I just took it a couple hours ago, and it's happening again. I have had bad experiences with other antidepressants, but my depression and anxiety have been sooo bad for the past couple months, I am desperate. Has anyone else experienced this when they first started taking it? And if so, does it usually go away? Ive read lots of horror stories about viibryd all over the web.... Help! Im freakin out!!

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Have either of you seen any improvement?

In most cases, when you start a new medication, you will experience side effects for the first 4 to 6 weeks, while it reaches its full efficacy in the body, that is when they should hit their peak in severity and then they should start to taper off, as your body gets used to the drug.

Learn more Viibryd details here.

Have either of you checked with your doctors?

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I have definitely seen an improvement in the side effects. Since my last post my dosage has increased to 20mg. As I said, the previously mentioned side effects have subsided, but I did go through a period where if I took my pill just a little late I'd get "brain zaps" and a weird, disjointed (mentally) feeling. Nothing unbearable, but definitely freaky until I found out they were withdrawal symptoms. I'd also get very lucid dreams (nightmares) if I didn't give the meds long enough to get into my system before going to sleep.

However, even those symptoms seem to have settled down because now I can get busy and forget my meds and not be "reminded" by the withdrawals (though I still have weird, but less lucid, dreams if taken too late at night).

I have also realized that although the improvement in mood was gradual over several months, even after almost a year I'm still noticing subtle improvements.

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Take the Viibryd in the morning instead if it gives you trouble sleeping, and make sure you take it with food or milk. You should not be experiencing brain zaps unless you are going through some kind of withdraw or taking it on an empty stomach, so make sure you are taking the Viibryd at exact intervals.

Also, be aware of any interactions with other medication, and do NOT drink alcohol while on this med. It's okay to take with benzos, so maybe pop one of those at night to help with sleeping and muscle aches (benzos act as muscle relaxants, as well).

As you may know, Viibryd has a secondary mechanism similar to buspirone (Buspar), so it is not your normal plain jane SSRI.

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Really wish I knew. Its really helping my depression, giving me more energy but its getting harder to fall asleep due to to horrible paranoia. Thanfully no migraines but still hot flashes & sweating though..this drug is trippy. Helps while awake but hurts while trying to sleep. Hate to give it up. Only drug ive found that actually helps me. First mont wasnt so bad but second month paranoia is worse especially when your already a victim of fear.

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I have experienced what you might consider minor anxiety attacks at night, too. Usually if I'm late in taking my pill, which I take with dinner, or if I've had a particularly stressful day. I tend to get little "brain zaps as I (attempt to) doze off, accompanied by weird dreams that aren't "nightmares," especially after waking fully, but definitely have me anxious while in that lucid state (which I never get past until the meds kick in). Luckily this only lasts about 30 minutes after taking the meds.

Apparently the brain zaps and weird dreams, and disjointed feeling are withdrawal symptoms, brought on by forgetting to take the meds on time or an increase in whatever chemical my brain produces when stressed.

Aside from these difficult evenings, I haven't had any ongoing adverse effects.

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Oh my gosh, Im so glad I came on here. Im laying in bed trying to go to sleep and Im getting very VERY anxious and paranoid and Ive gotten 2anything "brain zaps" that freak me out! I also have taken a few norco pills since 5pmy for a MCL strain, do you know if these do NOT and are not good together? I feelblike I want to take 1/2 a xanax but I hate all the different medication that would be.

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Oh, dear - I read the posts backwards. Wish I could blame that on the Viibryd. :)

I did (do) get migraines, but I am prone to them, anyway, so I never attributed them to the medication.

Belle, I'm not sure if there are any drug interactions with the medications - please call your pharmacist (who is likely better qualified than even your doctor when it comes to drug interactions) and ask him/her.

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I've also been waking up with night sweats and have been having bad headaches. I also have had severe joint pain at night, so bad that I can't sleep. I called my doctor and have decided to titrate down and then get off if it. For me the side effects have not been worth it.

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I just switched from Cymbalta 60 mg to Vybrid. I have only taken the first 3 pills, 10 mg. I am having a hard time sleeping and am having weird, nightmarish dreams! I have just moved down to South Florida so I needed to change psychiatrists. This has been difficult since I have known my previous psychiatrist for 20 years! When I told the new doc about these side effects, he told me to stop taking Vybrid immediately. I called my old doc and he said that these side effects would pass and he felt this was a very good medication for me. I haven't had any stomach trouble, hot flashes, night sweats, or anything else mentioned. I am tempted to hang in there especially after reading what you all have said. Now if I can get the docs to agree...any thoughts are welcome!

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why can't you drink alcohol on it? Will it cause over or under intoxication?

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I have had the exact effects and happened once i went to 20mg from 10mg.

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How can I read your post? Are you still on it?

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Yes... I am on my 3rd day. Yesterday I started with the bad indigestion, drowsiness and nausea. Today is the finger tingling. Guess my body is trying to get use to it. I've seen others complaining about the weight gain hopefully I will not experience that and loose instead.

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I dos experience everything you stated. It does get better but it ended up changing my overall body chemistry after 2 years. Now I have a hypothyroid. It also messes with my glucose and sugar levels. After the first year the colicky bloating and acid reflux got so bad I had to get off of it-and that caused a whole other Avalanche of problems.

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Alcohol shouldn't be consumed with any antidepressant because it has been proven to cause suicidal thoughts in a lot of people.

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I've been on viibryd for 3 days. Does it cause sleepiness during the day? I'm on 10mg, wellbutrin 150mg, & 25 mg topamax xl.

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Re: Deb (# 1)

I have been on viibryd since May 2017.
Started with 20 / then to 40.
My depression is better but physically feel hot flashes/ bad in the mornings as well as anxiety and bad taste in the mouth. After about an hour in the mornings / after taking viibryd-the symptoms get lighter. There are days I really feel great and normal but then the symptoms come back a few days later. I am on 30 now but want to go to 20 because maybe these side effects will go away.
Does anyone else have these symptoms and this yo yo effect/ good one day and bad another?

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