Switching From Lexapro To Viibryd (Top voted first)

Ive been on a comb of lexapro 20mg, and synthriod 50mcg for years now.. Ive been battling depression for awhile now. Ive been on everything under the sun for depression and anxiety. The past month my depression has seem to turn for the worse.. The doc believes the lexapro isnt working and is switching me to Viibryd. I havent started it yet. I was just wondering about it. Ive been on lexapro for so long im scared, but im also scared of my depression and cant live like this much longer.

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First of all, depression is a very real medical condition. It never hurts to change routine or environment, but true physiological depression (which your doctor has diagnosed in you) requires medical intervention. I wish it was as easy as changing my routine. It is not.
I have been on Lexapro and loved it until it did not work any more. I am VERY happy on Viibryd. I can only suggest that you increase the dosage very slowly. You may do well on 40mg but I went up to 40 and became very anxious and angry. It was like speed. Now that I am back at 20mg a day I feel better than I have in years. I am starting to do creative things again and I feel a lot more energy and optimism. Most people will plateau on anti depressants. If Lexapro was your first and it worked then you may be scared to switch but it sure stopped working for me. Only my pets were keeping me around. I had no personal reason for living.
Two months on Viibryd had turned that around entirely. And the switch is really easy...nothing like getting off Effexor was. I think you will be fine and I am glad to give you any moral support I can.
I do find that if I stay at home by myself for more than a day I get really depressed. I have chronic pain and fatigue so it is easy to do. A friend says she calls 5 people a day to keep her emotional balance. I am sure you will find what works for you. Good luck!

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I am happy for you that you did not have real physiological depression.It is not pleasant. Personally I have everything else I want. I am retired and no regrets. Love at first sight with my wife and it has not faded over 38 yrs. I have done everything I wanted to do while I can. I seized the day. I have healthy happy children. Income is good and have the hobbies I always wanted more time for. I have no lingering anger issues from the past,grudges,resentments. I am a capable self-confident self secure person. I am not bragging or hiding anything. I know I am not perfect and just stating the facts. Let's see...which of these positive things should I change to negative to give me a better ATTITUDE about life? Physical depression is real, and if you really had it you would instantly KNOW IT. sorry to be so harsh, but if people with a real physical depression actually believe you, it may delay them getting genuine treatment for it. enuff said

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Absolutely agree... depression can be situational, but sometimes it is a physical problem that has no rhyme or reason. It's like trying to tell someone with a broken leg to think positive and it will be fixed. I am in the process of switching from lexapro to viibry, two weeks in. I feel fine mentally but am struggling with what I can only describe as withdrawals, dizziness and brain zaps. Hope this ends soon

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Not being mean, but that post can only come from someone who has never experienced physical anxieties/depression. During puberty I experienced a drastic change in the way my brain functioned. After starting medication over 12 yrs ago, I could finally say I knew what it was like to think "normally". If your a diabetic and need insulin, you cant just will yourself better, or thyroid, or heart or any organ that is lacking something you can't just decide you're ok and it magically happens. Why would you infer that the brain is any different? I agree that one's attitude and outlook can be decided, but not when there is an illness that is beyond your limits of control.

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My husband has been on Viibryd for 2 months, for his anxiety. He did wonderful on the starter pack around (around 20-30 mg). Per day. He noticed the difference too. He was very calm, and pleasant.
- Now he is has been on month #2, of 40 mg, a day of Viibryd.... And he his moods are off the charts!!!!
- His moods are off the charts, from 0-60. Over clothes on the floor, laundry, ect.. (My husband is already in a anger management class.)
- However, he is worst NOW then when he FIRST starting taking Viibryd. HELP!

- I called his doctor's office today (wed) he can not be seen TILL MON.
- I am wondering if I should mention Lexapro as another med. We have discussed my husband moving out of our home till his moods can be balanced out. We have small children. And my 7 year boy cries & to me about his father screaming at his mother.
- any medication suggestions. Yes, I have considered my husband to bi- bipolar. However, his work had never been effected by his moods? And he has had the same job for 20 years. And this anger and anxiety, has show in the last two years of our 10 year marriage..
Thank you for ever listen to me,
Mother of two,

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Viibryd was okay for the first week then I noticed I started getting antsy....very hyper.. couldn't stay still. I weaned myself off of it. Not diagnosing but just my experience.

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Did u ever try the viibyd? I am like u on lexapro and synthroyd. I have been taking less lexapro and viibyd and feel emotionally unstable. Not sure if I should just go back to lexapro.

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Be careful coming off Lexapro as it is very strong in active ingredient and withdrawl is a very real possibility. Get tested for vitamin D3 deficency. And as hard as it can be to do start a serious exercise program. Slow at first, set goals and try really hard to meet them. Diet is essential and will help your immune system and this in turn will reduce inflammation. Try EMDR or trauma based theraphy or trauma based CBT theraphy. Many of our issues stem from childhood adversity and being able to identify them and work through them is necessary to become whole. Depression phyically hurts and in order to function medication can help but the need to find ones true inner self and drop all the shame and anxiety, forgiving ones self will be hard and possible long road but I believe is the only way in the long run to be free of this dibilitating condition.

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Did you stop Lexapro one day and start the Viibryd the next day. That is what I have done and wondered if I will suffer from withdrawal from the Lexapro. Day 2 of Viibryd.

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Give viibryd a chance. I tried it for a while but eventually I felt a little hyper.

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I have been on lexapro for years and suddenly my depression is coming back worst than ever the doctor family doctor switched me to viibr. Forget the spelling. He said to take 10 mil of Le spot for two days and then start viibr I'm worried that the weening is not enough time. Please help

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This is ignorant. When a chemical imbalance causes depression, changing your diet and surroundings will have a very minimal impact. This type of post is irresponsible and breeds misunderstanding of depression. It's like saying you should change your diet to cure heart disease.

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Re: Drbeth2000 (# 2)

hi.. just wanted to know how you are doing on viibryd. i will be starting it after being on lexapro for years witch stopped working... doc put me on busbar... no way.. didn;t like that.. please are you still on viibryd .. any info you can give me will be so thankful.. thank u

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hi.. i am going thru the same thing.. i was put on viibryd also.. i am scared too.. i am having problems understanding on how i am feeling from day to day. maybe we can chat about it and get thru it.. do you have anxity too? i am on 40mg now but its has been tough. Dr also tried busbar and that was no way.. i have xanax to .. but that seems to not be working as well as it was. i am so scared and the doctor is so hard to get to talk about it.. i have alot more to say.. so write me back and hopefully we can get thru this together.

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Re: Drbeth2000 (# 2)

Hi, my side effects from switching from lexapro have been so horrible. How long did it take for them to go away?

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Joe I beg you to be informed. There is no evidence that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance. For that matter they do have a difinative cause for depression. Anti depressants work for 50% of the adult population and even less for young people under 24. I would never suggest for someone to stop their meds especially when they have been on so long. But make no mistake SSRI's are addictive and can cause horrible withdrawl etc. France has a drug that lowers seratonin so if a chemical imbalance was the cause then lowering seratonin with this French drug would plummet people into depression. It doesn't. Diet and exercise are the thing that keeps biological health at it's optimum like heart problems. Vitamin D3 strengthens immune system and keeps inflamation in check. Nueral circut dysregulation in hypo campus and amgdula causes negative loop of thought to intensify. That chemical imbalance was perpitrated by the drug companies. If these drugs were so great then why do the pharma companies falsify their clinical data? For some people they work because they blunt emotions and allow the person to function but they do not cure depression they alter the mind. So much so they alter the body to gain 50lbs and other adverse outcomes which can shorten someone's life by years. That is fact. But depression is a fact also. Only trying to give additional current information. Look into Epigenics and depression.

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When it comes to severe depression, I find it is very essential that the underlying causes of your depression be treated for you to feel true relief without the use of medication. I too suffered from severe depression (for a little over 2 years). Only recently have I been able to overcome the struggle of dealing with it on a daily basis and getting by without faking a smile.

Changing my environment and diet helped me to change my state of being; which directly affected my mood and everyday sense of well-being. I know what works for me may not work for everyone dealing with depression, but ultimately, medications just cover up the feelings temporarily, and doing something about how you feel is in my opinion the best way to get long term relief from depression.

I hope this bit of insight helps in some way. You can be confident knowing that there is a permanent way out of depression; and it's more than just my opinion that prescription drugs are only a temporary solution. I know you can get through it if you just focus on changing the things that are the root cause of such feelings and emotions.

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Well written..well said...Medicine is not always the answer! Finding out what the underlying cause is a great way to heip solve the issue of depression!

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Thanks for sharing your thoughts & input everyone. I appreciate the feedback (constructive or otherwise). And for those who disagree with my personal approach, I do want to say one thing. True physiological depression DOES NOT ALWAYS require medical intervention. Life has it's ups and downs for everyone, and no matter where your depression stems from.. you CAN choose to be happy or you can choose not to. - To each their own. Some people just seem to be more prone to letting their thoughts control their every emotion.

I question from personal experience, that if you're "solely" (and i repeat SOLELY) relying on medication alone, how are you ever going to have the mental fortitude to overcome this battle on your own free will? Medication aren't always available at your finger tips, and brands keep changing all the time with different responses. However, a powerful negative emotion that interferes with your daily life can be treated in a variety of ways (some not yet understood by mainstream doctors).

But it would take an open mind to even think about reaching out to the idea of things like meditation, which has also been proven to lift depression with regular practice.

You can read more on that in the links below:

hub.jhu.edu/2014/01/08/meditate-to-reduce-depression


womenshealth.gov/news/healthday/en/2014/jan/06/683599.html


news.wisc.edu/22370

So I encourage anyone with depression to just be open to other types of treatment. Even the kind that doesn't involve drugs. At any given moment you have you realize and understand that you have authority and control over your body and how you wish to feel on a moment to moment basis. I'd like to keep this discussion going if anyone has any objections.

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