Sleep Paralysis W/ Hallucinations (Page 6)
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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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Marie, I haven't heard anything about the B12 connection, but I did read that an electrolyte deficiency may contribute. Also, research is showing that by blocking certain receptors, we are able to completely prevent SP from happening in, well, mice. lol.. But it's more evidence to those that are feeling like victims of attacks, that this is nothing more than an abnormal symptom of a sleep disorder, or in our case, a symptom of something (Viibryd) messing with out sleep patterns.

It's important to note that most SSRIs such as Prozac, Celexa and tricyclic antidepressants like clomipramine, have been shown to drastically reduce, and in some cases eliminate sleep paralysis. Which calls into question why a drug that is labeled as an SSRI (Viibryd) is actually not only preventing people from getting SP, but also seems to be causing it. It's a very new drug but the action should be familiar right? That's what I just don't understand.

People who are predisposed to what we call "Isolated Sleep Paralysis" seem to be affected on a much more intense scale by SP caused by Viibryd than those who have never or rarely experienced SP in the past.

In my case, the SP on Viibryd didn't start until about 3 or 4 months into the treatment. I had experienced SP in the past, but only a few timnes. It started happening every night, up to 10 times per night and usually within the first 2 hours of falling asleep. At this point I had no idea that the Viibryd was causing the SP, so after reading that SSRIs have been shown to stop SP, I upped my dose from 20mg of Viibryd to 40mg. That night, I experienced repeated attacks of SP and even felt like I was leaving my body and walking around the room. I realized that when I increased the Viibryd, my SP got worse too. The next day I requested to switch to Celexa, and that night the SP stopped completely. I did have to switch from Celexa to Prozac, however, because the Celexa was causing heart palpitations in a bad way!

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I experienced it when falling asleep and I never in my life had it happen before and never again since going off. Most terrifying 3 months ever.

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Hi 'me again' :)

Totally forgot that you are weaning due to weight gain. Just take it slow. If you haven't had SP, then maybe you won't have the sort of common wave like sensation on the L side of the head or brain explosions. But they do go away! At least you know what to look out for! I had no idea it was happening to others when it hit me.

:)

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I hear you on this. Things really got out of hand last week. I hadn't even posted on here for quite a while & I was offended by the 'Mimi to Most' posting. Then it went downhill from there. This has always been a place to come to share our SP story, as the title states. I sadly haven't had any reason to post to a positive Viibryd review, but having 'heard' the 2 (it really might only be that many) who are still on Viibryd, I did begin to get very uncomfortable w/ the thought of Prozac (was even advised that I should go off of it!) & am trying to take better care of myself & switched to Cymbalta 2 days ago.

So you are in the right place, if you have any ?'s on Viibryd. And by all means, if you are deciding to stay on it & see if the SP will fade, we all would like to hear from you.

Obviously, AD's ...figuring out meds...is probably the last place you would think there would be some back lashing. I did report the posts that I felt personally attacked at & Is & Mimi can do the same for my so called 'exaggerated & hysterical' stories.

Lastly, there are plenty of Viibryd discussions on here w/ the night terror stories.

I am so happy to hear the Oriyah is doing research & posted today. And I love it that you mentioned feeling more spiritual on Viibryd. But no one is judging your decisions. :)

HTH!

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I am concerned that this forum is dominated by some judgemental posts, and that I fear posting my experiences here because of some quite judgemental and rude sounding replies. It is unfortunate that this space has become something of a war ground. We should all be able to talk freely, positively or negatively about our own experiences without fear of being judged by strangers over the internet. I would encourage others who feel that they are being attacked on this forum to report abusive posts so that they may be monitored in future.

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SP happened the most frequently as I was falling asleep. SP happened less frequently, but more severely, after I had been sleeping deeply for awhile. that's when it was more tied to nightmares and feeling "evil" presences even after I had woken up.

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I never had sleep paralysis in my life. I had never even heard of it. I was on Viibryd for a few mos. before the weird side effects. My 1st experience w/ hallucinations, was when I was napping & woke up to the sensation of someone getting out of bed. I know I was fully awake. Looked around, nothing there. I may have started hearing some voices in the kitchen too. Another time my mother & others were standing at my bedside. Horrible vivid dream after having cancer. Like a awful glimpse into the future. The 3rd incident prior to obvious SP was feeling the worst dread in my life, laying on top of a dark platform w/ 2 people I don't know, & they told me that when I was ready I had to place my ashes into a small box, that was attached to a chain...& then send it down into hell. I woke up to the forever falling sensation, but my soul being in a very dark place. As I've said before, typical nightmares would absolutely make me wake up in panic. But I always woke up completely feeling sane & calm. But absolutely in shock & like someone else said, the evil dreams ruined my day.

I had no problem missing a dose & taking in the PM or AM, while trying to find the right balance, but one night, right after falling asleep, was when they real SP episodes began. I sensed the demons inside me. Except I hadn't vividly seen one yet. I saw the dark cloaked figure standing over my bed. Red eyes? I mentally prepared myself for my own fight. And I was able to break thru a few times & hollar out, alerting my husband, who I could feel holding my hand & calmly talking to me, but I couldn't move let alone breathe.

So it always happened when 1st falling asleep after that. I watched the clock. The feeling of being pulled in & out of SP was so strong & violent. I felt as if I was able to stand up, that I would still fall back into it again. And I probably spent what felt like 15 hrs. of my time during a 3-4 mo. period of being unable to move. But trying to tell my body to get to bed. This was at night while falling asleep in front of the TV. I was mostly taking the Viibryd at night. Because I was making sure the SP wouldn't hit. But it didn't make a difference. No rhyme or reason. So I began taking it early evening with food. Always with food.

Is there a connection with B-12 levels & Viibryd? My b-12 levels were high during my HCG diet earlier in the year. I had lost 50lbs. on a really low calorie diet & took Homeopathic HCG for about 2 mos. I did not experience SP while taking the so called HCG. Which was probably just vitamins, being that my b-12 bloodwork was higher than normal.

I've already detailed out prior some of the other nightmares & SP in previous posts. I already feel better (the Viibryd optimism) on the Cymbalta. Hoping & praying the Cymbalta, being also an SNRI, won't cause SP. I might just hold at 30 & not go to 60mg.

I do think that 40mg. was the right dose of Viibryd for me, but had to quit due to the SP. If Forest Labs only recommends 20 mg. then one may as well take Cymbalta. Going from 40 to 30 on Viibryd...etc. was so noticeable. Brain explosions, etc.

**** I've never had any side effects while weaning from Prozac, Wellbutrin, or Zoloft.

I also took Buspar for a year for anxiety + with Wellbutrin & eventually stopped the Buspar because it only made me dizzy after taking it & then feeling a little disconnected. When I heard there was Buspar in the Viibryd, I was skeptical.

There's a post out there where some guy said he made his way up to the 10-15mg. ? of Buspar, was eating at a top floor restaurant, & thought it would be fun to jump out the window. So when my 1st major SP occurred I was feeling so not in control of my body that I worried I'd jump out the window.

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I'm very curious as to how many of you are experiencing the SP as you are falling asleep, and how many are waking up from hours of sleep and then experiencing SP. It will really help my research if you all can tell me :)

Also, before taking Viibryd, did you experience SP more than a few times per month in the past?

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Newest article. 7 out of 10 take a prescription med. And 3? out of 10 take an AD?

I kind if cringe reading that the Viibryd is working for you, but stopping it due to some weight gain. You are so lucky to have never had night terrors or SP. have you already tried weaning? You'd have to go way back to the beg. of these posts, but I had talked about the wave sensations & brain explosions that hit w/ dose reduction. And when I got all the way down to the 10mg. for 1 day, I went back up due to my irritability! :P But let's hope that however you want to do this works easily.

I was prescribed Cymbalta 30 mg. (then go to 60 if I can tolerate it) yesterday. I was so annoyed w/ the flat feeling. Plus, hoping for some pain relief from the Cymbalta.

Bracing myself for just as many crazy nightmares & possible SP on Cymbalta. At least I'll know what's happening this time & I have peace of mind knowing that Prozac will stop the SP. Then I'll be out of options?!

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i would totally second that spiritual connection, some of the dreams i have are so emotional, its like some kind of meaning of life epiphany! i wake up crying sometimes, not because i am sad but because i am so emotionally moved by the content of the dream. my husband thinks i'm some kind of hippie weirdo when i try explaining it to him, but without having experienced it yourself you really can't get it. anywho... still working on weaning off of it for purposes of weight loss cause i became i plumpster on vibryd, i will miss it it i'm sure, def changed my life. it was the first antidepressant i ever tried and i am hoping to be meds free for a while one day soon. who are these people who get up and live life with enjoyment and don't take medication??? what is the secret!!!!

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Yep...if it weren't for the SP & brain explosions, I would've stayed on Viibryd. Or I would've tried weaning off & back on again, because as I've said before, it was wonderful for blocking out PMS.

I never wanted to ever go back on Prozac. I tried it for a few weeks a few years ago & was too sleepy. But my youngest was getting up earlier. I had been on Zoloft during chemo. The PA encouraged me to go on it. I never wanted to go on AD meds.

But thankfully Prozac is a way to get off the Viibryd & put an immediate end to SP.

If there's someone new here to Viibryd, you should see if your Dr. will prescribe you a few 20 mg. Prozac. Then if you ever have the SP hit, you can take the Prozac & go back to sleep. I too had the SP hit me a dozen or so times within a 1-2 hr. period. They would come in clusters, back to back. No rhyme or reason with diet. Then see your Dr. the next day.

To anyone who has ever mentioned the class action suit against Viibryd. There's no need to. By googling Viibryd, our discussions come up 1st. :)

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Mimi to Most

Great post! :)

I do have a question though. You mentioned diet and exercise. Does your doc have you on anything special? What are his thoughts on your diet with Viibryd?

I had mentioned a few days ago about low carb dieting and Viibryd. My doctor made sure to tell me to eat with this medicine. That is why I make sure to eat a well rounded meal with it.

Thanks,

ls

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jojo421

When I was on Lexapro, I totally lost all feelings for anything in a short amount of time. Took myself off it. I haven't noticed any difference on the Viibryd. I do take Wellbutrin....course did with the Lexapro too. I feel normal emotionally with the Viibryd and Wellbutrin together. Would like to go off the Wellbutrin. But since taking the Viibryd, I think the combo is the best for me.

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I think the most likely explanation is that when someone feels more "connected" spiritually on Viibryd, its because it doesn't "dull" their emotions as much as other SSRIs. Especially if someone goes from something like Prozac to Viibryd, because part of the discontinuation symptoms of stopping Prozac and Celexa can include a bit of mania that can last a little while until mood evens out. If it weren't for the SP and brain explosions, I would have stayed on Viibryd.

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Hi... So I just stumbled upon a couple of posts today about Viibryd on this site, where people talked about feeling more connected spirituality.

And now it makes sense to me why I haven't had any desire to go to church since getting off of the Viibryd. :(

I also gained weight on the Viibryd, suffered greatly w/ the side effects, & am now left feeling lifeless & dull on Prozac. But I am not waking up in panic & I am less OCD. But I've gained even more weight on Prozac & my house isn't as tidy. I can't stand it! But Prozac doesn't give me energy or the focus to fix it.

The 1st few weeks on Viibryd, I designed a whole new room in our house. Then proceeded to become addicted to HGTV. I kid you not.

On Prozac, it's the news. I don't sit & watch TV for long....but like to have the background noise. And the news is hardly positive! :)

I've been to many Spiritual concerts & MISS the spiritual connection. I think the Prozac has dulled that connection for me & going off Prozac would help. But maybe there was something about Viibryd which enhanced that connected feeling to spirituality?!

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Hi Marie and everyone

I'm curious about the "increased spiritual connection" you felt, was that on viibryd, proxac, or both?

I've been on 40mg viibryd for the last year but I get really bad SP if I miss a dose (once I accidentally took too much and it gave me a panic attack)

I have felt more "in tune" since being on viibryd and I thought it was just my imagination. what have your experiences been like?

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I take 20 mg Prozac and that's it. I was on 20 of the Viibryd I believe. It wasn't a Hogg dose. I only take Prozac to keep SP at bay, because since experiencing SP with Viibryd, without a different SSRI, I now get it once in awhile. Nothing like the ten times per night that I was having on Viibryd but Its bothersome enough to take Prozac for. I have minimal side effects with the 20 of Prozac, and plan on seeing if I can even cut that in half.

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Hi Oryiah,

Can I ask what mg. you take of Prozac? I am wondering if the 40 mg. is causing more inflammation & aches/pains. I was used to 40 mg. of Viibryd & the side effects, so the 20 mg. of Prozac didn't seem to work for me. I miss the spiritual connection (read about some feeling that way), more energy, more libido...on the Viibryd. But the side effects were too much as well.

In really trying to hear what Mimi & Is have to say (those 2 seem to be the only Viibryd survivors here) I do recognize their tone. I used to feel that way. Strong, confident, and paranoid about not having Viibryd! I called my Dr. once in tears because I had ran out & the pharmacy was closed. I feared a night of SP. Then remembered that I had some 10 mgs. :)

I can't remember the exact #, but in going back a few posts, it was Jenny someone who posted her story & I guess to Mimi, anyone who is here to share their story is being HYSTERICAL. Like you said, we all need to be supportive here. And the last time I checked, this was a thread about coping with the SP. I said that the last time.

Lastly, maybe not everyone will have SP, but IMO, people will have night terrors on Viibryd.

We are both on Prozac. You notice how we can reason things out better? Maybe the Viibryd does make people edgy???

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I have to disagree. Not everyone will experience SP on Viibryd. It's like any other medication. Some people respond well, and some people don't. I am no longer on Viibryd because it caused severe SP. Prozac stopped the SP because it is an SSRI and SSRI's help regulate sleep cycles. When someone is getting SP upon falling asleep, they are going into REM sleep too soon. SSRI's inhibit REM sleep in most people.

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Okay, wow! I am 'Mimi' not 'Is' nor anyone else. I wasn't being snarky, or rude, or mean. I am not a pharmaceutical rep, nor do I work for one, or even have an association with one. I am simply a stay at home mom that has suffered with nearly dibilitating anxiety and depression for a number of years, and have found relief with Viibryd.

Marie, you've only solidified the point I was trying to make in my first post. Using dramatics and hysteria to convince people that their mind is being altered by a pharmaceutical company. It's odd and strange and honestly a bit frightening!

I don't claim to feel "like Wonder Woman" and I don't have a lot of time on my hands, clearly, given the stretch of time from my last post, I just feel better than I have in many, many years. By all means, if Viibryd causes someone dibilitating side effects of ANY kind, they shoul consult with their physician. But demons and evil drug companies altering our consciousness just stretches it a LITTLE too far!!

Calm down Marie, not everyone is out to get you, but what criticism you receive comes from those of us finding your theories VERY hard to believe. In turn, if you do not want to be criticized, I would back down on the name calling and trash talking yourself.

For those having the horrific dreams, sleep paralysis and brain explosions, I definitely recommend speaking to your physician, you may be on a combination of drugs that cause these side effects.

I worked through the initial trial package and did great until I got to the 40 mg when I started having the sleep paralysis episodes. I saw my physician, we more closely reviewed my medications and made some adjustments, including reducing my daily Viibryd to 20 mg. I've been on my current combination for 2 months now and have had 2 episodes of sleep paralysis and in BOTH instances, I was thoroughly exhausted, had stayed out late and took the medicine later than normal AND on an empty stomach. I don't do either anymore and so far so good.

Again, I worked with my physician to find the combo that worked for me. My regimen involves not only medication, but diet, exercise and downtime.

I will end by saying this. I am no stranger to new drugs. Several years ago my physician added Abilify to my regimen. I had HORRIFIC side effects, which were later revealed as deadly side effects. The drug is still on the market (with warnings as to the side effects). I didn't jump out and scream evil drug companies are fueling up for drug induced genocide amongst depressed individuals!! I spoke to my physician, we worked out a new regimen and I quit taking Abilify. I have a very dear friend who started the Abilify at relatively the same time I did and she is still taking it and it made her a new woman. So don't think I haven't been around the block with drug interactions and side effects, I have; I simply chose to tell the person who could relay MY particular side effects to the drug company, my physician.

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