Sleep Paralysis W/ Hallucinations (Page 6)

Has anyone else experienced sleep paralysis accompanied by hallucinations since starting viibryd? I have been on the medicine for about 4 months now and for the last 2 1/2 months have had several very scary episodes of sleep paralysis... I have never been on a anti-depressant before and never experienced sleep paralysis until i started this medicine. I am a 23 year old female and i take no other meds except a daily multi-vitamin. Ive noticed that if i accidentally miss a viibryd pill i have sleep paralysis... but have also had it on occasions of not missing a pill. It occurs about once a week... its to the point where i dread going to sleep at night in fear of sleep paralysis, but the hallucinations that come along with it are what I dread the most. Has anyone else had a similar experience with this medicine?

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So after a few months the sp, the brain zaps, the shadowy evil figures, it resolved and all was good. However, I have gained a LOT of weight. I moved from a size 8 to a 14. Anyone else?

I am now weaning myself off, been on 20mg for about a week now(dropped it from 40) but now I have a rebound insomnia. No sp or evil nightmares though thank god!

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Oh yes, the gunshot sounds. As if they go off inside your head and your ears are still picking up the sound. WTH kind of drug is Viibryd?! And yes, I did gain weight on the drug. It definitely worked thru the intestines, causing a regular schedule, that's for sure! It did not kill my libido like Prozac has done, but my sense of well being is so much calmer now on Prozac. Viibryd only cured, & I mean cured...! any PMS. That was nice. I never cared about bad weather days. It did not help my anxiety. And I basically was obsessed with HGTV, leaving it on all day. And guess what, since I stopped the Viibryd, I can't sit thru HGTV anymore. Too much on my mind to focus. Prozac causes more fatigue, but the main driving mental anxiety switch is mostly off in my brain. Everyone needs prozac. I can see why the military used to put it in the water. It's fluoride basically.

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I also gained weight, about 15 pounds over 6 months. i noticed i started craving carbs (prob for comfort) from all the demon nonsense.

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I started Viibryd a few months ago. Eased up to a full 40 once a day. 40's messed up my sleep and dreams. I would fall asleep and would dream of myself sleeping and figured walking around my bed watching me. I could not force myself awake. I dreamt once that my DH was trying to pull me off the bed violently. It seemed to take forever to desperately pull myself awake, it seemed so real and vivid I was shocked that DH was already gone to work.
While on the 40's I also experienced weird light headedness when overly agitated, and my actual eyeballs would twitch very quickly, like a seizure in my eyes and a feeling of almost passing out.
I talked to my doc and now am down to 20's once a day for the last 2 months. So far, much better. The scary parts of the dreams are gone, but I still experience sleep paralysis from time to time. I try to focus on what I know is REAL and pull myself out of it. Knowing what is happening though it doesn't scare me anymore. I let myself float into my dreams, it's really weird.
As far as weight gain, I've lost 20 pounds in 3 months. With the gym and trying to benefit my mental health, nothing to do with the drug itself.
I've been on Prozac making me puke. Zoloft took away all libido. Effexor gave ma severe long hot flashes. Currently taking Viibryd once a day and Xanax and Ambien as needed. 37 year old female with depression and severe anxiety.

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Thanks everyone for the feedback. Yesterday and today first two days without vibryd. Def feeling weird senasation in my brain...also crying whilst watching mama Mia (that can't be normal) hope this is all just a temporary withdrawal syndrome and not my depression coming back. Anyone else have trouble weaning off vibryd?

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Only experienced hallucinations and sleep paralysis if I missed my dose. Best to take Viibryd the same time every day.

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Hi, not to sound cranky, but I wouldn't give people a false sense of security w/ taking the (curse word) Viibryd at the same time each day.

I was never perfectly consistent, tried decreasing, had an irritable moment & went back up on my dose again. It wasn't like yo-yo dieting, but similar. I was trying to figure out the best time to take the Vii & Wellbutrin. I even went off the Wellbutrin for some time while on Vii. But the Wellbutrin helps with neuropathy discomfort, irritability, & focus. I had missed my pm dose several times to try taking it in the AM instead. But on one fateful night, the SP hit like a Mack truck. When I was finally able to move (1.5-2 hrs. later) I made my way downstairs, took the 40 mg. of Vii, Wellbutrin too, & a Xanax....went back to bed & laid there worried that I'd go back into that entrapment nightmare & climb out the 2nd floor window. My dreams had become real. The nightmares that I hadn't had for many years, suddenly came back. The Vii triggered the nightmares.

From then on the SP continued. Trying to wean w/o success. For those who believe the drug works, you've moved past the SP, I can pretty much assure you that you will have awful side effects when trying to wean. And some may need to be hospitalized.

We will eventually hear about a class action lawsuit over Viibryd & we'll hear the stories on the news. Just wait until drug addicts taking bath salts gets their hands on some Viibryd. Ever stop to think that maybe those people who turn into zombies have taken Viibryd? Think about it. It's new. Zombie eating people in 2012...new.

I would not trust it. The SP comments keep rolling in. And my Dr, who prescribed the med (I was the 1st patient) has never seemed to fearful over the med. when I've told him what happened. He has a blog promoting the drug. Some had came right out and asked him if he was receiving special credits (?!) by Forest Lab. Google it. It's all online.

Watch the movie 'Side Effects' too. Awesome movie.

I survived Viibryd. Happy to say that. I got off that drug many mos. ago. It was not a wonder pill. Like I've said before, only worked for PMS.

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Yes, I have found that if I miss a pill, that night I have sleep paralysis with bad nightmares

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I can attest to the fact that taking it every day at the same time, for me, didn't make a difference. The only way I got it to stop was to stop taking it and switch cold turkey to Celexa. It completely stopped.

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yes weaning has been difficult, my brain felt too weird without any at all, like really strange sensation in my brain i cant even describe it, so now am back on 20mg daily and doing ok. no depression on this dose.

the sleep paralysis and nightmares - its really a crazy side effect, not to sound like a nut job but it really feels like you're in contact with some truly evil other dimension when you have the horrible hellish nightmares!

anyway, dont want to give anyone a false sense of security, but all of those side effects did go away after about 6 months. to be honest i'd rather have occoasional contact with the gates of hell than have gained all this bloody weight!!!

any advice on weaning? i don't really want to start another drug if possible.

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My new medicine is making me crazy!! I have been taking Viibyrd for about three weeks. First of all I accidentally forgot a dose, it's hard to explain the feeling, unless you have experienced it yourself. My 'brain' felt wonky. I was having trouble focusing, like the world around me was moving but my eyes couldn't keep up. I was emotional, irritable, and normally I am a pretty passive person. Easy come easy go right?? Well not that day, but I haven't missed a dose since. Last night, however, scared the living crap out of me. I was laying in bed, at that stage where you can feel your self drift off... then I started hearing laughter. At this point I am thinking what the hell, I'm tired not in the mood for a midnight laugh-fest. So as I am about to elbow my husband and tell him to go back to sleep all the ambient noise from my house felt like it got vacuumed into my ears and stopped (imagine Ghostbusters, and that Proton Pack, my ears were the Proton Pack) then I heard the evilest demonic laughter I can not put to words how deafening loud it was. I opened my eyes and I start chasing shadows around the room. Anyone who has been in my apartment can verify that even in the day my bedroom is pitch black, so what light source is casting shadows??? I was so scared, I got up and checked on my kids, lol, and as soon as I was up on my feet the shadows and laughter stopped. Anyway, my point is my medicine is the only thing that has changed in my recent life and I'm 100% sure that is the cause of this freakout. I really hate explaining all of this to the doctor, I feel insane confessing this to you. I am wondering is this only the beginning or if I tough it out will it get better? I can't tell if it is working on my depression. There is no 'happy pill' I am not going to get a cure to be a bright and shiny happy soul. I am in this monotone state always, I still worry obsessively but that's got no cure either. I just don't know what to do. There is more to life than feeling oppressed by yourself. Anyone that may still be reading this have any advise for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

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Unfortunately I think this is just the beginning if you stay on thi horrible medication! Your best bet is to get off now!! I startes thos thread... this medication only made my depression worse... and constantly scared to sleep. I weaned myself off and will never ever try another antidepressant! I know some people NEED them but viibryd has scared me away from them! Good news is I beat my depression myself! I lost 120lbs through exercise and eating clean foods and have felt great emotionally and physically since! With the exception of pms :). I hope the best for you!!! I would run from this drug and never look back! Its just a horrible memory for me now!

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So glad you're doing better OP! But I'd like to add that I have LOTS of experience with antidepressants, and Viibryd is the only one that I have ever experienced this with. Same goes for almost everyone else out there, including everyone I've personally spoken to. In fact, Celexa and Prozac seem to cure SP altogether. Look it up! It's true :)

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I told my doctor exactly what it did to me. He had me on 40mg at the time. The exact same things happened to me too, with the addition of sleep paralysis.
He bumped my dosage to only 20mg and I have never felt better. I've been on the 20mg for 2 months now and have experienced absolutely NO side effects. Which completely blows my mind because the 40's were an absolute living hell.
I have depression and severe anxiety.

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No, a class action suit is not necessary and a government conspiracy makes you sound like you need something MUCH stronger than Viibryd. This is a new drug and a modicum of research on anyone's part would reveal many other anti-depressant - anti-anxiety drugs caused majorly startling side effects in their infancy. If it doesn't work for you, that's great, but trying to freak people out and cause hysteria among people who are already dealing with depression and anxiety is nonsense. No, I am not a doctor, a pharmacist, a drug rep nor do I work for the manufacturer, I am just a patient using Viibryd with fantastic results other than the sleep paralysis. Which, I might mention is a VERY COMMON occurrence even among NON medicated individuals. Don't be so darn hysterical, I have read now 4 or 5 posts from people who are now going to stop a medication that is HELPING them, simply for fear they MAY experience sleep paralysis or brain shock.

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Dear Mimi,

Well well....aren't you confident. I don't want to waste my time responding to such arrogance, so all I have to say to you is please come back & share your SP story when it attacks. Remember, the side effects while weaning are just as frightful. Lol....Enjoy!

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Well, I have kept up some but haven't seen people not taking it because of fear of sp. I hate that though. Not everyone will have that problem. All meds are different and effect people differently. I know a co-worker that had no side effects and doesn't even know if it really has helped or not.

Now I did have a major dream and sp problem....but had had it all my life, as you know if you have read my posts here and on the other sp thread. But it lessened over a couple of months or so. And I didn't want to quit the med because of the great things it was and is doing for me.

Don't not take med cause of something you read on here. This is must a handful of people and mainly people with problems, or they wouldn't be on here. I am here cause I was the first person to post about Viibryd on this site, and have tried to keep up and help.

Good Luck to all! This medicine has changed my life!!!

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The horrific SP stories are all over the Internet. I still find it incredibly strange for you to assume that the people who have experienced the worst of the SP are here because they have problems?! I am happy for you that you feel like Wonder Woman, but there's no need to feel sad or frustrated when people who haven't started Viibryd yet, are turned off due to ALL (thousands) of SP & awful awful awful auditory hallucinations while taking Viibryd.

You are still on it because you haven't been absolutely inside the gates of Hell on Viibryd yet. Say your prayers. But that doesn't even help.

Will it be taken off the market one day? Probably. Hopefully. And I hope that you can remember your mental state & not depend on a pill to feel awesome. Because that's not reality & in any drug, it can one day be ineffective. It did nothing for me but make my life scary for almost a year. I missed out on too much as well. While I was home trying to sort out the side effects.

Good luck everyone! Prozac stopped the SP dead in its tracks! :)

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Marie, I guess you were talking to me,

I am sorry you are angry. You totally misinterpreted my post. Please go back and read it. I said I started the first "Vibryd" post. Not this thread.

And this....where did you get this??? I didn't say this at all...
"I still find it incredibly strange for you to assume that the people who have experienced the worst of the SP are here because they have problems?! Are you serious?"

I did say "This is a handful of people and mainly people with problems, or they wouldn't be on here." Problems with the medicine....most people that are looking on forums are having problems with that med or they wouldn't be looking. Does that clear up your problem with that part of my post?

and this??

"but there's no need to feel sad or frustrated when people who haven't started Viibryd yet, are turned off due to ALL (thousands) of SP & awful awful awful auditory hallucinations while taking Viibryd."....

....Did I sound frustrated in my post...really? I wasn't but I am now. You are being rude. If you have read anything on here you would have seen my link and some other peoples post about what sp really is and some things you can do to help. You would also know I have had awful problems with it and it is something I never want to endure again.

and this?

"And I hope that you can remember your mental state & not depend on a pill to feel awesome. Because that's not reality & in any drug, it can one day be ineffective. It did nothing for me but make my life scary for almost a year. I missed out on too much as well. While I was home trying to sort out the side effects."

>>>>>You need to get off your Prozac if you are going to make a statment like that to me. If you had read any of my post you would know that the side effect that I didn't expected is that I am able to drive again without losing my mind from anxiety. This has totally changed my life and my childrens lives. I can even drive to see my grandson! I think I should be able to be happy about all that!!

I am sorry for your issues....really.... But you shouldn't act like you are because of it. Like I said....and I have asked my doctor too. Everyone has different reactions to meds. I am the only patient they have that has had sp problems with Viibryd. But like I said before, I also had that problem before taking Viibryd. I also had night terrors as a baby. I also hear those exploding noises....but I did that before Viibryd.

Hope everyone has a great day! :)

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My advice to you is to read Mimi's post again & see if she sounds supportive.

I am here to share support to all those who visit this board (one of many) because they are terrified. And Prozac is an instant solution to stop the SP. And, lol, Prozac doesn't make most people feel 'wonderful' like you are stating the Viibryd does for you.

And my God....if you've had brain explosions & SP since a child, is it really a good idea to be on this med? Your brain, your call. Guess I am lucky to say that I've only experienced the SP on Viibryd.

Do you really want to promote such a scary drug?

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