Viibryd Reviews (Page 49)

Going to start it tomorrow. Anyone else taking it, and if so, how do you like it?

Thanks!

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How long were you on it before you notice your hair loss?

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I can totally feel your pain! Your post could have been mine word for word, so all I gotta say is don't give up hope. as I know even other people have a hard time dealing with our depression and it's so frustrating for people who are NOT affected by sever depression to say "Think/Stay positive!" Yeah oooookkaay. Treatment resistant severe depression is THE most frustrating long-term issue I have ever had to face, so I want you to know you are not alone! It eases my mind to read your post and realize I am not alone either. Please don't give up, just keep truckin, no one else is going to take care of us so let's be empowered and try to practice more rl

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I am struggling with sleep. I'm tired but I keep feeling "jolts" in my brain and ears every time I get close to falling asleep. I feel motion sick laying completely still. I'm also itching all over. I'm on 40mg and have been for over a month and up to this point, these weird sleep issues only happen if I attempt to take a nap, and if I end up falling asleep I have crazy motion filled dreams that scare me... what do I do?

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See your Dr. tomorrow & get a script for Prozac. IMO, that's the only way to STOP all crazy whooshing ear buzzing brain zapping demonic nightmares. I've posted on this many times. I did work my way down to about 10-15 mg. (by carefully breaking the pill) before my Dr. gave me Prozac.

If you don't believe Prozac is for real, please know that I was his 1st patient on Vii & he knows myself & my family well & I am sure has felt pretty bad about prescribing Vii. Last time I was in his nurse told me a Vii rep was very pushy & in denial about people's experiences. Beware!

Now Forest has some 'new' drug. I could bet $ on it that it's close to Cymbalta & that it doesn't contain the amts. of Buspar & Dopamine (like Wellbutrin) increasing med in the 'new' drug.

I can forgive but I cannot forget the hell I went thru. If I had a dollar figure for what I went thru, I'd want about $50K. And that's being nice.

Also----do you have Xanax? You can take up to 4 (.25) while weaning from Vii. And I know you might feel lost & confused & unsure what to do, but I can assure you that everyone's brain chemistry is fairly similar in reaction to Vii & I don't want anyone to have nightmares & sleep paralysis like I did, so even though its $$$, I actually recommend going to the ER & show them my post. Many Dr's know that Prozac (SSRI) actually helps w/ sleep issues & w/d from Vii. I just don't want you to have to take it slowly, because what are the chances you have 10-20 mg of Prozac laying around. If you do, take that cold turkey instead of Vii & you'll sleep perfectly.

Hugs!!!

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Folks, a word of caution from an old man who has suffered much from mental illness over the decades. Even with all my experience and learning, I would still be very frightened to advise anyone, be it a close friend or a stranger communicating over the internet, as to which meds to take, and how much. There are reasons why doctors are licensed for that, and a moment's reflection will make those clear to all readers. Any blog is likely to have a wide range of contributors with wide ranges of understanding. It could be dangerous to mistake an obviously caring tone of writing for wisdom and knowledge. I have "fired" at least 5 psychiatrists, until I found the one I have been seeing for the past 20+ years. We have to trust our health care providers, even if that means moving on until we find the "right" one for us.

May 2014 be the year we each find peace.

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To the old man I have been trying to find a psychistrist got a year and a half that I feel is truly knowledgeable caring and helpful I have been through so many all with different opinions I keep switching which I know is no good but how do you find a good one or is it just me that in trying to find a med and none have worked I have lost faith that any doc can help me

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READERS: I urge you to share here your success/failure stories of finding good doctors so that Theresa can be encouraged. As for my part, read on:
Oh, dear, dear Theresa! My heart goes out to you. I can remember being in that place, and am so very glad that I will never have to go back to it. All I can give you is general stuff that you probably already know completely. But maybe our conversation will bring some fresh insight, and more important, hope.
First, while you're looking for the doctor with whom you connect, don't be shy about leaning on whatever support network you have in place. Are you familiar with NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)? They're online. There are also, I'm sure you're aware, several toll free hotlines we can use. Some responders are excellent. Some not so much. I've hung up and called back just to get someone I felt more comfortable with.
Second, talk to people like us in your area. You'll get a feel for which doctors they really like.
Third, unless you find yourself in the office of a real jerk (and they're out there. I could tell you stories . . . ) give each one some time. If you meet a jerk, don't go back. A year sounds awfully long up front, but by the time you've tried a medication and it has failed, and then another, etc., a year will have passed, and by then you'll know how much support your doctor gives you. There's a group of psychiatrists within half an hour of where I live. I drive an hour and a half to get to my doctor. The difference in quality makes the extra time and money worth it.
I agree with you: rapid changing, hopping from one med or doctor without giving due time for results works against us. You've heard, "Patience is a virtue," but we know that when we feel terrible, patience is a MONUMENTAL TASK. But that's what we have to have to survive this illness. Grab hold and hang on!!

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I ended up taking klonapin and eating after reading another thread about nightmares and vii. I finally fell asleep around 2 and slept great. I can't see my Dr until I call on Monday so I guess we shall see how sleep goes this weekend. I have felt pretty good on viibryd. I too have tried many drugs in all areas of ADs. I'm not as severe as many but recognize my brain will always need some balancing drug. Most meds have worked but only for a year at most. Thank goodness they are always trying to improve meds but it gets very expensive to try out the newer ones.

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Theresa, I have been to some great therapists but I didn't find success with the psychiatrists in house. They tended to make me come in monthly and pay a 2nd copay before I could get a one month script. Now I use my normal practitioner who seems to know about ADs fairly well. I can now see a therapist just for counseling and this works well for me. I know its ideal for an all-in-one but it is what works best for you. Point is, don't be afraid to be creative in your treatment!

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I think you've already explained it nicely, about how to find a new Dr, but this thread is titled Viibryd & should be about Viibryd. Any info I provided what meant for gg.....posts & I told her to go to the ER to avoid a potential sleep paralysis attack. Which gg....please know there are several Vii forums here & one just for Viibryd & Sleep Paralysis.
There could also be a helpful forum for Theresa in finding the right Dr. I do not 2nd guess Dr's, but maybe should've when prescribed Vii! Lol.

:) Just wanted to clarify!

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Hey, Theresa, how's it goin' today?
I'm afraid I didn't make my connection between doctors, trust, and medication as clear as I intended when I started writing. You probably connected the dots for me, but just for the sake of clarity, please let me try again?
Case in point: Dr. J prescribed Viibryd. For the first four days, I felt like I had the flu for half the day, starting about an hour after ingestion. During the next 10 days, the flu-like symptoms were less, but still bothersome. It took three weeks to get to the 20 mg dose, when I started to see some benefit. That encouraged me to say, "Better, but not there yet," and Dr. J could say, "Try 30 mg" and that's where I am now, at least until I see him again in 2 weeks. MY MAIN POINT is this (thought I'd better give you a marker that I was getting somewhere ;b ): Had I not had quite a bit of trust in Dr J, I'm pretty sure that I would have quit on Viibryd before day 4, definitely before day 10. The double whammy of our illness is that we lack hope, and that hopelessness runs over into believing that help is even possible!
I'm glad I stuck with it. My depression is severe and treatment-resistant. I still go thru cycles that get very dark, with crying and suicidal ideation morning and evening. Then a 24-hour migraine headache, and for a while, I enjoy being alive again. But Viibryd is working slightly better than any I've tried, and the side effects are minimal. This is not to say you should stick with Viibryd; I don't know. Just that you need to establish that trust with a caregiver that will help you to stick with whatever you agree is best choice for you long enough to be sure whether it is or not. I know that on the day Dr J says there's a better med for me, I will drop Viibryd and try a new one. Until then, well, you know.
I sure hope this was more helpful. Feeling bad in all the ways you do is so much less than you deserve.

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Thank you theoldman.... Glad someone else is doing well on Vii and can give some great advice other than slamming a med that many people do great on. I went through all the sp also. Course I have had it all my life... This med changed my life! I stuck with it even with the side effects because the good that it has done for me is better than the bad... And the side effects did go away.... The best side effect as I have said many times in this thread is that I can drive again!!! Yay!! Anyway just really wanted to thank you for your words of encouragement on a thread that has a couple of people that give some very bad advice....

ls

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Hi ad8e--(hope I got that right!) How are you feeling on Viibryd? I saw my Dr. on Fri. & he suggested trying Viibryd again (lower dose this time) along with 10mg. of Prozac (allowing 4 hrs. between doses) at night to see if that will keep the Viibryd induced Sleep Paralysis & demonic dreams away! One can only hope!

As you can see, I've been highly skeptical of Viibryd....having had SO many horrific experiences on it (even feeling raped) that I waited a couple of days & did my research. Even though I am finding little on the Internet w/ positive stories, I went ahead & started the Viibryd late yesterday. I could hardly sleep last night. :\

Excited to hear all the positive....or negative (hey--that's reality!) Viibryd stories!

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The oldman,

You seem to have a lot of knowledge on Viibryd. I was wondering if you might be able to help me out by maybe throwing some advice my way. I am 29 years old an newly married. My husband and I want to try and have a baby, since we already know that I have problems with my fertility.

I am on 20 mg of Viibryd daily, just finished working my way up from 10, I want to say I have been on it for 2, possibly 3 weeks. I have baffled depression since I was about 13, at times it has been manageable and at others it is completely incapacitating. I also have narcolepsy, fibromyalgia and mayofascial pain syndrome, and my dr is beginning to think I may have an intolerance to gluten (possibly Celiac disease, but worst case scenario) Hopefully this is NOT the case, but might answer a lot of questions. In any case, I have had this depression, and it is extremely bad in the winter, as I live in CT and have severe seasonal affective disorder.

So the thing is, I want to get pregnant. I am worried about not being able to get off my VIIBRYD throughout the pregnancy. I don't remember a single year since was 13 that I wasn't on antidepressants for at least a number of months throughout the year. There seems to be no studies (that I have been able to find anyway) that speak to VIibryd and pregnancy, only warnings that effects on a baby are unknown so it should not be taken during pregnant.

I know that some antidepressants are worse than others to take while pregnant, but unfortunately I have treatment resistant depression, which makes it an even stickier situation. It seems like neither my GP not my OBGYN nor my psychiatrist can offer any help in this situation, and they are all doctors! It worries me so much, but my window of time for conceiving and carrying a baby is dwindling and I do not want to miss it. I worry if I take the risk of not taking VIIBRYD while pregnant, I might face some catastrophic postpartum depression, which scares me almost as much.

I know this is somewhat of a complicated case with a lot of factors, but I am just hoping someone might have some....ANY type of insight or information that could help me make some decisions about pregnancy and VIIBRYD and what is best for the baby. I know there are people who say the risk to the child is unknown and I have no business being on medication while pregnant, but will the effect of the stress of a pregnant mother who is so depressed she is suicidal be worse than the risk of taking the medication while pregnant?

Thanks for your (and anyone else who has any advise) assistance and time for listening. Good night!

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Hi Emma,

First off, as a mother....it is TOUGH raising children. So in trying to be as sensitive about this as possible, that's what I have to say about pregnancy & beyond. :)

But you need to take care of yourself before you can take care of a life. I am far too aware of Viibryd's side effects & it is possible that your baby could end up with a heart defect, or worse, AND go thru discontinuation syndrome after the cord is cut. And that has involved seizures, night terrors, sleep paralysis, exploding head syndrome, brain zaps, dizziness...for I would guess, 90% of the people on or who have tried Viibryd. This is no magic pill.

There are safer alternatives & why take that chance. The medical community will take this very seriously & if the mother is showing signs of mental distress....you did say you are suicidal w/o the proper AD's....then you could lose parental rights & your baby wouldn't be able to go home with you.

Gosh--I feel just awful for you having dealt w/ depression for so long. Mine is more anxiety, so I can't really relate. But I have experience w/ foster care & the nursing profession. Even L&D.

Do you have a good support system? If you are younger than 40 (my guesstimate # a totally healthy pregnancy & not to worry) then give it TIME. No rush! There are SO many parents in their late 30's to early 40's still having kids these days. The only thing w/ that is your back will ache more when putting the baby in the car seats,etc.

I hope I conveyed my message in a heartfelt tone. It's sometimes hard to tell via the net. And the member 'ls' has been reported several times now for harassing me from several Viibryd threads! She just cannot stand it when someone shares their awful Viibryd story. I am still waiting for the wonderful, glorious Vii stories & have only read 2. Which I am skeptical if you are even talking to 'theoldman.' Take a look at 'ls' writing style & the time the posts come in. I've ?'d before if she's a drug sales rep. They are that desperate.

Btw....'theoldman' is new here & she has never mentioned any sleep disturbances.

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Emma, I commend ya! I am really impressed! Despite all the stuff going on in your body, and the depression dragging on your mind, you have made herculean decisions committing to LIFE! Congratulations! That fella at your side must be quite a guy, too.

Lots of different medical conditions have visited me over the years, but I can’t recall ever having been pregnant! ; P So, no first-hand experiences to share, but close participation in a couple of them that gave us two wonderful baby boys, now grown into admirable men. All of your doctors responding in the same way to the Viibryd/pregnancy question could be taken in several ways. My negative side says, “They’re just trying to cover their fannies.” That happens. But what I hear behind those responses may be, “We (including Emma) all know what the Viibryd literature says concerning pregnancy. It’s your decision to make, Emma.” Perhaps, like me, they’re hoping you’ll choose to invite a new human being to share life with you. Your life will be forever changed, and richer it for it. The folks who put together the Viibryd Medication Guide wrote, “It is not known if Viibryd will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of treating depression during pregnancy.”

You can be sure that the folks at Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc. have looked into the pregnancy/breast-milk question thoroughly. They really ARE concerned about their fannies! Dr J assures me that in these cases, they have to report anything that they have found may go wrong, just for their own protection. The FDA isn’t very loose with its approvals, either. Those are strong points to consider, aren’t they.

Your question, “. . . will the effect of the stress of a pregnant mother who is so depressed she is suicidal be worse than the risk of taking the medication while pregnant?” is an excellent point. I’ve read an article about that very question in Discover Magazine recently. Sorry I can’t tell you which issue; I give away most of the mags after reading them. Maybe a librarian could help you find it? As I recall, (careful about trusting the memory of one “oldman”!) the research indicated a correlation between stress (cortisol levels, I believe) in the mother (mouse, I think) and difficulties with the pups. It would be worth finding as you ponder what to do. Other research articles are likely available, too.

You wrote, “There are people who say . . .” That’s a truism always, isn’t it. People talk, whether they know what they’re talking about or not. I’d encourage you to also remember the maxim, “Consider the source.”

I’d better quit before I become the first to get banned from posting by reason of verbosity! I do want to say again how I admire your deep faith shown in your commitments to your future.

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Hi, Maria. Did you sleep better last night? Hope so . . .

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Hi Maria,

Unfortunately I was not able to continue with the Viibryd. I tried for about two months but found that I just could not function at work. Basically, I was just way too spacey and it didn't go away for me. Having this said, I never got over 20mg and in fact, was on 10 or 15mg the whole time. I may try again at a later date, but for now it didn't work the way I would have liked. Positives were an increase in libido and partial lifting of the grey of depression. The negatives were spacey'ness, increased irritability and decrease in desire to really do anything. I know it may not be what you wanted to hear but I still hope this helps :)

Sincerely,
ade8

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Hello, I was doing some research as Viibryd has been prescribed for my son. I watched him sink into a shell and isolate him self and resolved that I was not about to lose my son like this. He started therapy and it helped but his counselor has been urging a visit to the Dr. I was at a lost as this is the first time I have had to deal with something of this nature. Yes, I said I. This is my child and it feels like its happening to me. The counselor broke it down to me like this: if your child had a broken arm, you would treat it, not just talk about it and wait for it to go away! So I took action. The Dr prescribed Viibryd and after reading some of the medical websites I was horrified. I cried, worrying about making the right decision. I prayed about it and have a peace about this medication. Then I found this site and read EVERY reply posted. I am comforted to know that it IS helping so many people and that is a good thing. My son started the first of the 7 day 10mg this afternoon. My son hugged me tonight and told me thanks for all you are doing to help me, and that totally brought peace to my heart.

To those who started this group (LS), and to those that continue to encourage and contribute to this dialogue - THANK YOU!!

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Oldman, thank you so much for the lengthy and fully thought out, sensitive reply. I am in a very tough spot, as I am in grad school, newly married, and also have a (benign) brain tumor, and fertility issues that mean I only have a span of a couple years to conceive and have children. Unfortunately, I do not have the money to have my eggs frozen, which would be the best possible solution.

I just know that pregnancy messes with hormones so badly that it can turn any sane woman incredibly unstable. A friend of my mothers got pregnant, and became suicidally depressed, to the point where she had to have her mother with her at all times because of the suicidal ideations, she had no previous history of depression, and after she had the baby she did a 180 and experienced absolutely no post partum depression or mental health issues whatsoever after the birth of the baby.

The added hormone issues with pregnancy scare me, as well as the possibility of post partum depression, especially since the chance of it hitting a woman who has a history of depression is so much greater.

I am not 100% stuck on Viibryd for an antidepressant, I just wonder in general which is better, the stress of depression or the effects of medication on the unborn baby (and in breast milk, as ideally I would like to breastfeed) I wish I had more time to level out and be closer to feeling better before having to make these decisions, but due to the fertility reasons I am forced to make the decision to either have kids or forgo parenting altogether in the near future, and because I have dreamt of being a mother my whole life, I don't even see the latter as an option.

Thanks again oldman, I really appreciate the wealth of wisdom and perspective you have given me, and it gives me more to think about.

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