Help! Coming Off Of Viibryd
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I was wondering if any of you out there have come off of an SSRI and had severe panic attacks that lasted a month or longer. I am in such distress. I wasn't taking any sort of medication a few years ago and was fine. I almost went through a break-up last summer, got super depressed and my primary care physician started me on Viibryd. At first, it worked great, I felt happy and alive and things smoothed over with the boyfriend. Once he bumped me up to 40 mg however this past November I started to notice I was having panic attacks every now and then. I decided I wanted to get off of it and he cut me down to 20mg for a week, then 10 mg for a week and then nothing. The more I got off of Viibryd, the more panic attacks I would have. I would especially get them while driving.

I would get a feeling of not being able to breathe followed by tachycardia and my hands would go numb. I was taken t the ER so many times this past month and even hospitalized for a weekend after being off of the stuff. I believe the last Viibryd pill I took was on February9th (a month ago today) and my panic attacks have lessened but only because I have been taking .5 mg of lorazepam (ativan) 3 times a day. Whenever I don't take an ativan, its inevitable that a panic attack will come on. I am in such distress and don't want to get on another SSRI because while I was in the hospital, I was diagnosed with hyper seritonin syndrome from the viibryd. The doc I saw said I was taking too high of a dosage for only weighing 115 lbs. I want this torture to end and I just want some comfort in knowing someone out there went through this or something similar and that they made it through it.

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Hi, I also have panic attacks and take lorazepam..Before I was taking maybe one a day but now I am looking forward to my every 8 hour dose??? Take something to combat something you are taking???? These drugs stink

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Re: Anti Viibryd (# 5)

This drug is awful. I was upped onto 40 mg thats when the horrendous anxiety started. I have been so anxious and shaky since starting my withdraw.

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Yes, I am going through withdrawal from the awful med. Like you I was on 20 then bumped to 40 and all heck broke loose, shaking, crying. Panic, tight feeling etc.
I have been tapering slowly ?? and have horrific withdrawal symptoms each time I drop in dose.

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Re: Judy (# 126)

Hi Judy, I'm on Day 7 of Viibryd withdrawals! I was only taking 10mg daily for 4 months. The more & more I read up on this awful drug, it could take months to recover! Itcy, irritable, angry, dizzy, headaches, etc.! Benadryl helps me alot & I can say that I am finally sleeping at night. Just weathering thru this experience.

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He took you off a heavy drug and put you on a light drug. You're detoxing so of course you feel sick.

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Re: Michelle (# 131)

Thank you so much for the book recommendation! I will look into it :) I’m off viibryd successfully and could use a little extra help

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I suggest reading the book DARE- The New Way to End Anxiety and Stop Panic Attacks by Barry McDonagh. I have been able to cure my anxiety.

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I’ve been on Viibryd 40mg for over 5 years. I am terrified, but I need to rid my body of this poison called “Viibryd”. I have tapered off before by taking 20mg for a week, then 10mg for a week (per my Dr.’s instructions). This did NOT go well, so I immediately went back on the 40mg. That was 3 years ago. I went through so many of the same side effects as everyone else in here and I don’t want to go through them again. But, now I am in a much better place mentally and physically and ready to stop for good. I read online that you should taper this drug by 10% a month!!! That’s way different than most information I’ve ever seen. Anyway, that would take way too long because, shocker, my Dr. screwed me over and forgot to give me my 3 month refill before she left the practice and I moved out of town... So, I was able to get a 1 month refill from an urgent care clinic and have worked out a schedule of moving down 5mg every 10 days (that is all the medicine I have). I’m so scared about what is going to happen and don’t want to end up hurting myself or anyone else.

I have been reading this website for about a year, waiting for the right time to quit the Viibryd, so I’m not sure if anyone is still on here... if you are, how is it going now? It has been a while since many of you have posted and I would love to hear how the long term effects or withdrawals are.

Here goes nothin!!!

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Re: Lolo6147 (# 69)

I hear your pain. I was on V for 3 years. Had to stop due to cost and didn’t think it helped. Well coming off was very hard. I was giving cymbalta to start and went crazing with the itching. Now back on 10 mg of V and still feel a mess. Sounds like they will start me on Zoloft. I gave to get out of this state of depression. Your post helped me have hope I can feel better. Thanks

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Re: Kim (# 12)

It's making my hair fall out to I'm on the 2nd day of 5 mg coming down from 20 can I just go off it

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I've only been on Vybriid 10mg for 4 days....I can't hang, horrible dizzy and faint feelings, crazy dreams , hot flashes....since it's 10mg and only 4 days can I go off cold turkey or should I cut theb10'short in half for a few days first then stop?

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I totally agree that this medication is the worst. I have taken many antidepressant and have never had that side effects I had with viibryd. I took viibryd for 6 weeks and i am on day 9 with no viibryd and I still feel like I'm having the side effects and withdrawal. Feels like head is going to explode. Anyone know how long it takes for the side effects or withdrawal to get better??? Anxiety is through the roof. Any advice???

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Kim, I've noticed my left cheek is swollen some I've been on Viibryd. Was your face swelling on one side or both? Thank you for your help.

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I thought I was the only one. I don't remember a thing from the time period I war on it. Except every night when I took it in felt as if I was being electrocuted. I couldn't move or yell for help and a few times I would think I manged to crawl out of bed end get my grams attention, would feel me fall out and the carpet on my body. But every time I was still in bed still unable to move and being electrocuted. I don't know if anyone told me what caused this or what this was. I've been on many antidepressants my life. Right now on 2 and never ever had this issue

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This drug is Satan in a bottle. I told my doctor the Pristiq had become ineffective after taking it for 3 years. He prescribed Vybrid. I honestly thought I was going insane. Horrendous headaches, voices like in a huge crowd of people in my head, nausea, muscle cramps, nightmares, sleep paralysis, anxiety and panic attacks leaving unable to leave my bed, loss of appetite, thoughts of suicide! The doctor told me to keep taking it a few more weeks and I would get used to it! Bahahaha! Finally I went back to him and got the Pristiq back and didn't taper off of the Vybrid. Just stopped it immediately and started taking the Pristiq again. It took me 3 months to get that crap out of my system after only taking it for 3 weeks! What a nightmare. The only thing that kept me going was that I never had any of those symptoms before Vybrid and so I knew I wasn't crazy! I just kept going forward hoping that I would go back to normal!

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Getting off of Viibryd is no fun by any mean's, ''But'' you can make it a lot more comfortable to discontinue by drinking lots of water and probiotics for stomach sickness and by talking to your Dr. about a small dose of Valium for a short period while the worst subsides, or Xanax, but be aware these are addictive, so take it easy. I'm sure He / She would be willing to help. Also gabapentin is also great to get off of Viibryd to help a lot for your withdrawl symptoms. These 3 meds are best in my mind to help a lot to become feeling like yourself again, it's a difficult rode but be patient. I have a 30 year history of being on and off antidepressents, but we don't need to go into that can of worms. The brain zaps, dizziness, and all the uncomfortable pain will go away. I'm no Dr. but I do know a little after 30 years.

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I've been on viibryd for 6weeks. I also started the pack. 10mg first week, 20mg after that. It says take with solid foods which I ALWAYS did and my stomach is always upset after taking it. Not to mention I feel no different after taking 20mg for 6weeks. Still don't want to get out of bed and do anything and my anxiety is still thru the roof!! I saw my psychiatrist 4 days ago and he prescribed the 40mg. I still have 3 of the 20mg left where I forgot to take a few. So I'm still on the 20mg. I'm afraid to take the 40mg. Especially after reading all the posts that everyone has posted about the side effects. I think i will break the 40 in half and take 20 then weaned myself off to 10 then be done with this medication. I'm afraid of it plus like I said it hasn't helped me one bit anyway. Thank you to everyone who posted their opinions about Viibryd. You all helped me make the final decision.

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AtIvan is very addictive I was on this drug many years ago and trying to come off it was very hard terrible panics shaking etc stick with it but reduce very slowly

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Omg I am going thru same thing right now! Driving me insane ....I was only on 20 mg for about 4 months, dropped weight like a fly, was happy in beginning, been to emergency room several times, panic attacks, high blood pressure, restless leg syndrome and now have severe paranoia and ocd...I'm only taking one milligram of lorazepam and cannot stand feeling like this anymore! Its been 3 days since I went off of the poison & still feel weird wondering if it gave me a stroke or what the hell happened to me! My doctor won't help me because I did not want to take it anymore, so she wont prescribe me anything to help with hideous withdrawals. I've been taking fish oil supplements and 800 mcg folic acid, multivitamin and vitamin c daily. I will never take this s*** again! Too much for my body to handle obviously! Prozac is suppose to help withdrawals, but like I said she refused to help me period! Good luck getting back to normal again hun!

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Viibryd is awful. On it for five months. Helped a tiny bit but side effects were terrible. Sleepy all he time. Sleep 12 hours per night and then want a nap during the day. Nightmares and would wake from the dream unable to move or reach for my husband for a few terrifying moments. Also unable to talk to wake him up because I was so scared. I'm now taking Wellbutrin which works on dopamine vs serotonin. Very few side effects. It works much much better. Everyone is different.

Viibryd is a scary drug.

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