Sleep Paralysis W/ Hallucinations (Page 9)
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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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I don't think the buzzing or high pitched noises are a hallucination so much. This is just me strictly theorizing, but I think they have something to do with frequencies of the very real sounds around us, or something to that extent. The reason I say this, is because one night while battling SP, I was getting the loud ringing sound, and as I awoke and was able to move, the ringing faded into the sound of my fan beside my bed. Again, this is just something from my experience and not something I have studied.

The brain "zaps" are something I still get on occasion, and I don't get SP anymore since taking myself off Viibryd cold turkey and starting Celexa a year ago (which I am now off as well..I take nothing). They were certainly worse when I was on Viibryd, though. From what I have learned, brain zaps are likely a misfire in our brains, probably serotonin. This could be because of the effect these meds have, possibly creating a build-up of it in our cells. They can't hurt you and are really common. The explosions, though, I don't know enough about. I wish I could tell you more about it. But any other questions about SP - feel free to ask :)

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Excellent post. It should ease people's minds. Literally. :). (And yes, I think we call all agree that SP isn't related to seratonin syndrome). SO...but ? for you. What were the brain explosions all about? I can imagine how audio buzzing sounds could be hallucinations, but painful brain bursts or feeling like being hit with a softball smack on the forehead while sitting up & resting with my eyes closed. I will say that those episodes were comatose like. I was so miserable, but yet I just couldn't pull myself up out of the chair. I can't consider that normal sleep schedules. Because it was daytime & rested, but fell into the coma/seizure like episodes on that hellish medication. I am not sensitive to meds at all. And the SP happened to me. It was extremely difficult to wean due to the side effects. So I can't recommend people just try it out for a few mos. If you do a little more digging on this drug, I believe it is similar to adding Buspar to an SSRI. I took Wellbutrin & Buspar together w/o any issues. And I was on & off Wellbutrin while on Viibryd. The 1st time I had the major SP attack, I had forgotten my Vii. that evening. Buspar never really worked, but gave me a libido like a teenager! But dizziness & a bit brain foggy & never helped much w/ anxiety. I had read someone's post a couple years ago that while on Buspar, they felt like they could jump off a skyscraper....while admiring a view. They were having dinner & this thought popped into mind. So when the SP really hit the 1st nite, knowing about the Buspar connection, I kept on feeling so out of it & not in control of my body & I worried I would act out a dream & jump out the window. Now when you can't move & control your own mind....it was very scary & real. That's all I have to say on Vii.

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I have studied this for a year now. It's a side effect that only occurs in a small percentage of people, but it's very real. Missing a dose can cause SP, but you don't have to miss a dose to experience it. Also, please not that seritonin syndrome is a completely seperate issue that does not have to occur for SP to take place. If you are experiencing SP while taking Viibryd, please ask your doctor to address it (I.E stop the Viibryd) I have not heard of any other SSRI causing SP in such a significant amount of patients.

SP is a natural phenomenon that happens when your body fails to come out of atonia during normal sleep patterns. By stopping to reducing the Viibryd, you can liberate yourself from the SP. I did. Feel free to contact me by replying to this message if you need more info or sources.

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I have studied this for a year now. It's a side effect that only occurs in a small percentage of people, but it's very real. Missing a dose can cause SP, but you don't have to miss a dose to experience it. Also, please not that seritonin syndrome is a completely seperate issue that does not have to occur for SP to take place. If you are experiencing SP while taking Viibryd, please ask your doctor to address it (I.E stop the Viibryd) I have not heard of any other SSRI causing SP in such a significant amount of patients.

SP is a natural phenomenon that happens when your body fails to come out of atonia during normal sleep patterns. By stopping to reducing the Viibryd, you can liberate yourself from the SP. I did. Feel free to contact me if you need more info or sources. {edited for privacy}

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No rudeness intended..

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Hi Sarah -- So I don't understand why LS would tell you not to copy & paste info. (?!) Where I come from, that is rude to say and call people 'sweetheart.' LoL. Ok--so in all seriousness, you'll probably feel great when you 1st start Viibryd. I was motivated. The weather didn't bother me, & it's the best med for PMS symptoms (IMO...I had zero PMS). It did nothing for social anxiety & after a month, my suddenly soaring high libido dropped off & I became unmotivated. I think it messed with my memory too, because those 8? mos. are hazy. Once the SP reared its ugly head--out of no where--everything continued to spiral downhill. The SP would attack w/ no rhyme or reason. And unless you like feeling like you are trapped in Satan's loving blanket w/ him & his monsters grabbing at you, (all physical sensations are real) raping, staring, grabbing your feet, running around your room, evil sounds in the room, & then there's the nights where it was like a freaking bee's nest was in my ears...staring faintly....and turning up so loud that my face would winch in pain (while feeling jolted). I guess we never know who's being real on this site, but I'd listen to the real posts. The bad...because I wouldn't wish that HELL on anyone. Brain explosions, sudden tilting sensation of brain (making the room look slanted--always to the right). Gov't....what ya up to? Maybe you figured out a pill that can create electric shock treatments?! Very suspicious, due to the # of people that have similar symptoms. HTH! :)

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Sweetheart.... Glad you haven't had it happen.... Don't copy and paste the stuff we have read over and over. Sp is an awful thing with your Bible beside you or not. It has nothing to do with your Bible.....yes this med does cause this sometimes.... But it does go away...

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I just started my dose on Viibyrd a couple of days ago after switching from Cymbalta (which was not very good for me and caused terrible acne). After reading these posts, I was truly terrified. I haven't experienced any SP or creepy visions yet, and don't want to. I keep my Bible by my side just in case. But anyway I did some research on what you all have said, and what I read was this:
Serotonin-reuptake medicines can cause something that could potentially be deadly (especially if coupled with other Serotonin-reuptake medicines or Serotonin and noreprineherine-reuptake medicines. They can cause Serotonin syndrome if coupled together. This is what one website actually stated about the side effects of Serotonin syndrome which is not anything to play around with:

Antidepressants may cause a rare but dangerous reaction known as serotonin syndrome. Taking Viibryd with other medications that affect serotonin can increase your risk for this reaction. Taking it with medications that affect dopamine (another brain chemical) may increase your risk for developing similar dangerous symptoms. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you notice any possible symptoms of serotonin syndrome, including:

Confusion or disorientation
Seeing or hearing things that are not really there (hallucinations)
Fast heartbeat (tachycardia)
Fever
Overactive reflexes
Incoordination or difficulty walking
Sweating
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Muscle spasms
Stiff muscles that are difficult to move
Coma.

I hope that helps at least somewhat. Of course I could be wrong. I'm not taking anything other than the Viibyrd now, and I could still end up having the horrific night terrors and hallucinations you all have described. If so, I will definitely be getting off the medicine because it's obviously not safe.

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So sorry you are still in the stages of suffering from this. But there is hope of feeling better from Vibryd w/d instantly. I played around with the weaning several times to know that my SP & nightmares weren't going away while I was still taking Vi. As I've mentioned before, my Fam. Dr. prescribed me 20 mg. daily dose of Prozac & he said to take it the next day I wasn't going to suffer 1 more night. I took the Prozac & stopped the Vi. after I was already weaned down to the 10mg pill on Vi. Titer down as people normally titer up. Most Dr.'s will still have the sample packs. Be prepared to allow yourself time to wean & my Neuro. Dr. had prescribed up to 4 (.25) Xanax while weaning, if necessary, but never too more than 2. I just wanted to share this, because I feel Vi. is so evil that it should be stopped cold turkey. I never had the SP until I missed a dose one night. So you'd think the SP was a w/d symptom, but then I found when I was still taking it, the brain explosions would continue. But I did have that brain tilt to the right sensation too. As if on a boat & everything could slide to the right. It is def. the best anti-dep. for libido, BUT those came with really weird & uncomfortable side effects the 1st month of taking it. But you'll also feel like you've entered the gates of hell in your sleep & that you've been abducted by aliens while napping. lol!!!

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I am done with Vibrid . I have had zinging in my head after 7 hours of taking it and full blown siesures and paralisis and near authentic episodes of being gang raped ,electicuted and the list goes on and on .Stay far away from this demon drug Ive been on it a year and I just figured out it was the Vibrid.DUH how Nieve of me . Im wiening off gradually and it aint no picnic either.Emitt Dean

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I think it is both a withdrawal symptom AND a side effect. I was never late taking it, and it caused me SP every night. Sometimes 8-10 times per night.

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I've been on Viibryd for well over one year. I was prescribed this medication after a sudden onslaught of panic attacks which was new to me at the time. Here's what I've learned in my year and a half about Viibryd. First I learned that nobody really knows about the medication. Anyone I ever talked to had never heard of it being that it is still young in the pharmaceutical world. The withrawal symptoms are in fact terrible and tirimg. The sleep paralysis is from withdrawal of the drug not a side effect. One side effect I always had is that my bones would always feel very stiff along with my neck. You have to take the pill at the exact same time every day to avoid the sleep paralysis and make sure you take at least two hours before you plan on going to sleep. If you want to get off Viibryd its actually much easier than you might think. I stayed on it for so long that I was scared to get off fearing the intense withdrawals. I got tired of feeling controlled by it. I started out by king only 3/4 of a 40mg pill. Take it at the same time you usually do and you will have no paralysis. You will feel the medication wearing off sooner though and you might have the weird eyes roll in back of your head feeling a couple of times leading up to your dosage (brain zaps). I did that for 7 days. It was really much easier than anticipated. You'll have some head changes but its very tolerable. On day 8 I started taking only half a a 40mg pill.Again keep taking it at the same time and you should have no paralysis. You'll start having the vivid dreams and nightmares coming back. Really not that bad, you might wake up a couple of times during the night from weird or scary dreams but trust me you'll be fine. You can tell that the sleep paralysis feeling is much less intense and you won't have any hallucinations or physical feelings of being touched, pinch or grabbed.. You will start to feel like its no big deal and that you can easily get off the meds. I took half a pill for two full wekks. The last week I took 1/4 of a 40mg pill. Again weird dreams but nothing crazy or not tolerable. And after one week of that I was done. You'll be surprised on how fast it will leave your system. I recommend getting off Viibryd to anyone. Once you're off you should consult a DIFFERENT physician about possibly taking a different anti depressant or see how you manage without it. For me Viibryd was the only medication of that sort I've ever taken and it will be the last.

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Hi Holly,
I have been taking viibryd religiously accompanied by several vitamins (fish oil, vitamin C and a multi). I've been having reoccuring hallucinations where I feel someTHING crawling into bed and pinning me down. I am a 22 y/o female who sleeps alone and lives with her parents. The episode lasts for a few seconds and as I try to shake it off I see the THING standing across the room staring at me. This happened last night. I was so afraid I literally hid under my covers and cried, then I turned on my TV and stayed awake until the sun come out and slept then. I'm glad I'm not alone, however I'm sorry to hear that this is a common side effect because other than this the viibryd has been controlling my depression very well. Which I've only been taking for about 6 weeks, 20 mg. This week I see my psychiatrist and she may bump me to 40 mg.

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I encourage everyone to read down to post 70, as I explain some of the science behind this awful experience.

I tell you, our minds know EXACTLY what freaks us out. That's what is so terrifying about Sleep Paralysis. It's literally our own minds working against us, bringing our own worst nightmares to life. But it's completely normal, and you're not going crazy. I promise.

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Your post took my breath away, because I experienced much of the same. I was the one who called up Forest Labs & complained. Never heard anything. I swear, I think our gov't is up to something with 'shock treatment pills.' And how in the world can so much evil flood our brains, sensations, auditory crap...when especially in my case, I never watch scary movies or ads for scary movies. As I've said before, Stephen King would be amazed. So where do we all go from here. I know I too have PTSD from Vii. Also, repeating myself here, but I was my Dr's guinea pig....the 1st to take the med. Lastly, the feeling like you were hit in the head. Mine felt like a softball crack right in the forehead. I also had those all over brain bomb explosion sensations. There is no way that the makers didn't know about the side effects. Class action suit anyone?

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I am almost speechless to express the horror Viibryd put me through. And I thank God that others have voiced similar experiences on this forum. I thought I was alone in this. The doctor prescribed Vii after having been on Zoloft for several years. Evil spirits came and went from my bedroom during the night. I had totally lucid conversations with some of them, some posed as deceased relatives, some posed as angels. I was molested. At times I could feel one, or several push themselves into my body. I would do everything I could to push them out, while in an extremely lucid dream, like in an "Alice in Wonderland" state. Once I was whacked in the head with a piece of wood. I saw it coming and I felt it as if it were real. I heard the "crack" when it hit my head. I flew up out of the bed. On more than one occasion there were what I can only call "hell flies" in the room. They sounded like amplified flying gnats that flew right into my ear, again and again, so loudly that I would scream. I prayed so hard... Such a f* incomparable nightmare. I saw evil spirits literally fly in the window and take the form of a person right before my eyes. One night I thought I was either having a seizure or passing away, with a loud buzzing sound filling my head, unreal. Every night I felt as if I was in a trance state that I couldn't snap out of, experiencing demonic s* that could never happen to a normal brain. It even overflowed into the day. I was constantly zoning out and hearing voices. I felt like people from hell were surrounding me at times. I was convinced I was dying. I just knew it. I also felt that at times during the night my breathing was being deliberately cut off. I would gasp for air, fall back asleep and it would happen again. I frequently took Diazepam to sleep. My doctor said there was no way it could be the Vii causing such symptoms, so he added Abilify as an antipsychotic, without even lowering the dosage of the Vii. Finally, I went to a therapist who promised me it was the Vii, and to wean down immediately. She called the psychiatrist, who still disagreed. I went completely off of it over a 2 week period. The withdrawal was awful. I went on a high dosage of 5-HTP at the same time to put something as close to my own serotonin as possible into circulation, which I still take. I'm 99% better, but have a degree of PTSD just from taking that medication! Viibryd needs to be off the market entirely. There is literally no redeeming quality whatsoever that could justify the possible side effects. Seriously, even if it cured some fatal disease, a person would rather be dead than suffer from hell flowing into their brain.

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My story is exactly the same as yours! Was on Lexapro for many years and switched to Viibryd about 2 months ago. I forgot to take my pill yesterday and by the time I remembered it was too late, and we all know what taking any anxiety/depression med can do if you take it too late. BIG MISTAKE! Woke up screaming literally every 15 minutes with TERRIBLE dreams. Now I am afraid to go to sleep lol.

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Yes this just happened to me last night. I forgot to take viibryd early in the day, and decided to skip the dosage when I got back late since if I take it too late it gives me very bad restless legs. Big mistake I had ridiculous nightmares all night, sweat through my pjs, and woke my husband up about five times screaming!!

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I am so glad I found this thread as well. I was on Lexapro for the last 10 years and my insurance company decided to stop covering it. So to save $$, my Dr recommended viibyrd. The transition from 10mg lexapro to 20 mg viibyrd was non eventful. Now I am about 10 weeks into Viibyrd and regrettiing it. The first night terror I had felt as if I stopped breathing and had to actually force myself to take a breath. I chalked it up to my asthma and being tired. Now I have started with even more intense teffifying dreams and like someone mentioned these brain bombs. Its always right before I totally crash out and I end up waking up terrified. last night a brain bomb happened and nearly jumped out of my skin, awoke tryiing to explain to myself of course what had just happened. So tonight I shot a text to Dr and told him to write a script for lexapro. I will figure out a way to afford the lexapro again, gonna have to be a canadian pharmacy I guess. I actually dread going to sleep tonight.Thank you to everyone who posted..you really helped me confirm it wasn't just me.

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I was thrilled to find this thread.I went on Viibyrd about 10 weeks ago after being on Lexpro for 10 years. Had to switch because insurance stopped covering it and couldnt afford to stay on. So my doctor who I adore switched me to Viibyrd. So the transition from Lexapro to Viibyrd was not bad at all. However, I have now begun to experience severe, terrifying night terrors/dreams. When I had my first one, I actually felt like I stopped breathing for a moment and couldn't move. I brushed it off and attributed it to just a bad dream. Then another and now it has gotten to the point that I am stressing about going to sleep. So after a particularing horrible one last night, I sent my Dr a text today and told him to write a script for Lexapro again. I will order online from canada and get back on something that does not cause me such trouble. Thank you to everyone who has written to this thread. You proved to me I was not losing my mind.

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