Viibryd Reviews (Page 4) (Top voted first)

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

Thanks!

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Just started Viibryd day 6 at 10mg, went off cold turkey 40 mgs of Prozac, and 50 mgs of Amitriptilene (spelled wrong)..I have been in hell..I'm lightheaded and feeling very aggitated, I kind of feel like I'm crawling out of my skin..But this is the worst part and my main question..I average 4 to 5 migraines a week and can usually get rid of them within 3 to 5 hours..I now have a migraine morning noon and night, has any one else while taking Viibryd, has your migraines increased...Thanks!!

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I understand the discussion initially involved Viibryd with menopause and HRT but seems to have gone off track. Please continue HRT and related symptoms/effects in the appropriate forums if they are not related to your Vii usage. Thank you!

I am on day 2 of 20, I was on 15 mg Viibryd for 4 days and now ramped up to 20. MOST of my brain zaps have worn off after 10 days off the Cymbalta. My son is complaining I am majorly crabby, I said "duh, I am switching meds!" That should be a given. I also should mention he is fifteen, and likes to push my buttons after I tell him to leave me alone, say no to something, or he promises not to complain about chores but whines when it is time to do them, so yes, I have been snappish with him in THOSE situations. I have been edgier for sure with my daughter and she hasn't warranted the snapping as much, so I am very consciously journaling to keep track of symptoms as I see my counselor in another week to evaluate my depression and anxiety levels.

I am very glad the Cymbalta effects wore off for the most part. That was a great drug while it maintained my depression, but since it wore off and I weaned, the weaning was awful. I still think it was worth it for having felt "well" for the most part, or better than I would have, for so long under stressful situations.

I always have alot on my plate in life. To those of you who don't like the weight gain, have you journaled your weight gain, eating habits, and exercise regime? Many of us reach a plateau and don't realize we need to ramp up the intensity of our workouts. I highly recommend SparkPeople.com, as it is FREE and you get to participate with entering your eating and such as much or as little as you want, but I love that you are accountable to others that cheer you on to keep the weight off or lose it. I am already 50-60lbs overweight and have been for years, so ten pounds doesn't bother me much. I have actually started feeling well enough to exercise, just a long walk, but much more than I was doing before. I also have played Just Dance on Wii with the kids, which breaks a sweat pretty quickly. Yoga is great (modified for me, I'm not limber) for stretching and relaxing. Sometimes, breathing exercises and stretching together can reduce stress and headaches.

Many of us (I know I know, not YOU! LOL) are so quick to blame the new drug and not look at our other lifestyle habits. If the drug is making something worse that ALREADY EXISTED, don't you think that is a sign to instead of blaming the drug, to look at other areas of your life/health that might/do need to be adjusted?

Okay, off my soapbox, but in my opinion, our bodies sometimes are latent about reacting to something that has gone on in the past and we've kept in our mind. If a drug brings about chemical relief in the brain, the body might be responding the only way it knows how, and it can take a month or more to adjust back.

My 20 mg of Viibryd seems to be doing well. I am kind of at a point where I am back to being a bit ambivilant (that is GOOD for me) vs depressed and don't want to do anything. I am riding that fence/horse right inbetween wanting to get up and not wanting to do anything, but feeling a slight push. I am able to function, albiet slowly, but getting more done in my house in preparation for school and upcoming events around our place.

I know I am not at a point where I can safely say I am "good to go", because I am not. I have had no side effects from Viibryd other than looser stools, but keep in mind that I have Irritable Bowl (IBS) and am lactose intolerant and don't take meds for that, so looser is subjective as I don't track my diet closely right now.

I do have a "slight" headache daily, but again have neck issues and need to see the chiro so that could be the problem there. Stretching and activity has helped with that.

The anxiety I was having has mostly receded, and the snappishness/irritability I am willing to deal with as I feel better overall. I think it is a great exercise in mental self control and behavior examination to be made to think before I act impulsively. My whole all around life can only be better for that in the long run LOL.

I've had some very stressful stuff happen this week so I think overall it's been handled with more grace than usual when not on a working anti-depressant as I am still getting other stuff done. That is the big plus for me.

Hope that helps someone.

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Maybe you can try, with dr allowance, to take 20mg in the morning and 20 at night, or maybe 30mg and 10 mg. Maybe that could work???

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I wanted to update everyone on my husbands progress. He took his last 20mg of Viibryd on Sunday a.m.. Monday was a rough day - lots of irrational anger (bordering on rage) over perceived issues. Basically a lot of nitpickiness that resulted in a screaming fit. He definitely was not himself. He didn't talk about it much but he clearly was not doing very well. He complained of a headache all day. Severe trouble sleeping.

Tuesday was much better. He seemed fairly zoned out, and had commented in the past about not feeling real. That's the impression that I got of how he was doing. Some anger but exponentially less than Monday.

Last night he was even better and commented on several occassions about how much better he was feeling mentally. He still hasn't slept very well since he stopped taking the 40 mg. I think he finally came to bed last night around 4 and he was complaining of feeling "stretchy". It's a huge relief though that it looks like the worst of it (Monday) is over.

I just wanted to let anyone who is considering quitting know that in this case it was a rough day or two but every day is noticeably better. (disclaimer - it's only been 3 days, if something drastic happens I'll update)

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I've been taking 10mg for about 4 weeks now. Had some minor GI issues for the first day or so, but they went away. All my anxiety and all the other physical/mental issures I was having before Viibryd are COMPLETELY gone. I feel completely back to normal. I just hope the symptoms don't come back.

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I have been on Viibryd for a few months now, up to 40 mg and feeling great. The only thing for me is that it highlights I need to have a sleep study done, since it didn't help my sleep issues, that I need to exercise for it to work as well, so have been doing more of that, and that I need to count calories to lose weight, so nothing out of the ordinary.

I feel pretty on track with this drug and motivated! HOpe others do as well, any anti-depressent can be scary. Vii works for me!

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I was on Viibryd for over a year and had no bad side affects. It worked well for me. No hair loss.

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I have been Dx with GAD for 12 years, but, I am sure I had it before then and just lived with it. With GAD, I can at times just suddenly go into an adrenaline like attack. It is just like you say, where you feel you just avoided a car accident and the adrenaline surged into the gut.

I have been puzzled why this came into play in my middle age years and then now as a new senior citizen, age 63.

Vii is not really doing much for the GAD. I just suck it up and deal with it and try to stay busy and use breathing and other calming techniques. If it is really bad, I take a .5 mg Klonopin, the minimum dose. That seems to help to take the edge off.

I have come to realize that there is only so much you can do with meds and with therapy. The rest is just fighting back with staying busy, engaging in social activities and recreation, eating right, exercise, and intimacy to release endorphins. I take extra calcium and magnesium. Niacin too. A B-100 and Omega pills. Herbal teas are great. A hot bath at times, jacuzzi stuff like that.
I am not going to take marijuana that is becoming really more popular, especially for the folks in Colorado. I guess if I lived in Colorado, I could walk into a doctor office and get a script. But, that is not my bag to go down that road.

Anyway, GAD is a lousy condition to suffer from and I would rate it just as bad as having moderate depression.

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I agree with Joe. If you are not feeling bad enough to need a medication you probably will not last long with the side effects. Most of these drugs have side effects. Some last two weeks. Some are for the duration. One's ability to tolerate it depends on one's desire to feel better. Many of us have used all the other drugs and are left with this. Because my side effects were so severe I started back on Prozac, my very first antidepressant that I started with 20 years ago. Ultimately most people will plateau and have to change drugs. So we are back to trial and error. You have to really be seriously needing to feel better to go through this process, otherwise it will not be worth it. Sometimes people find that they are not as bad as they think when they start into the medical system. That's fine too.

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This sounds good so far. I like your effort and keeping track of it all. Remember you have a life to lead and you deserve the best. Do a celebration of some type. Buy a cake or have a good day outting with family. Do the things that lift spirits! Good luck.

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Thanks for sharing. I have read most of the posts here and yeah, it can be intimidating when you read some of the bad experiences. But that is what this blog is about to let people know the good and bad. But the blog is getting more people that have reactions and stuff because that creates a reason to blog--know what I mean? So, all that matters is that you are responding and feeling better. You do all the right things for a healthful living style too, food, exercise and doing fun things as much as possible. Good luck

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Great story. I am in the same camp. Age 63 and feel like my old self. You cannot get rid of some crazy genes that function in the brain, but, at least this drug is the best one I have taken. If I had a complaint, is that I used to be more of a gym rat, but, now I am just less motivated to workout. I think I worked out in the past a lot to release pent up stress and attempt more restful sleep. Now this drug kind of replaces all of that. I turned into a vegan diet too, as at my age, I don't want animal fats in heart arteries. I have 50 recipes for great salads and non meat plates. The funny thing about this drug, it makes me think I am ready to go off of it because I feel good. Yet, I know it is best to stay on it. My shrink said go for five years. I am only 9 months into it. A long ways to go, but right now I am okay. I feel bad for those that did not do well and needed to go find something else. I hope they found it.

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Some people have a few days of gastro discomfort, but many don't. Most that have the gastro discomfort will go on to relief and the drug will kick in for its benefits in 2-4 weeks, but even works better after that. I have no connection to the drug maker. I am just like everyone else here, just a consumer and feeling that this drug is effective. Yet, the side effects can be bothersom, especially for people who are already nervous from anxieties and depressions. Our coping levels are low, and so patience and worries about taking drugs and side effects can be very troubling, causing people to drop out. That is a shame if the drop out happens that way, if the drug will actually work later on. But for some, the side effects are so bad they move on to something else. Hope this helps.

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Monica, I know how you feel. Vii made me angry, shy and I starting having panic attacks, which I've never had any of these b4. I had to focus on pros of the meds vs the cons. I kept taking the Vii and I learned how to control the side effects. With the anger, I took a deep breath and kept quiet till it passed.
It's kind of like going under water (with Vii) you have to learn how to hold your breath and know when to come up for air.
Vii has been the best thing for me. But the side effects were the worse thing. After a while I got passed the side effects and the benifits were worth the wait.

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I've actually been taking 2,000 units of Vit D a day. NE Ohio is the pits. Between us we know a lot of stuff about trying to be happy and healthy.

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I wish doctors told new takers of Vii to take on the starter pack witih cutting the 10 mg into a 5 mg. Then take that for 4-5 days, and then go to the 10 mg and then 20 mg in the starter pack. That would help to stop any initial indigestion or cramps, etc. But it is nice to know you are feeling better to some degree. The real major good effects kick in 2-3-4 weeks and it gets better after that even. Good luck and keep us posted here on how it goes and works for you.

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Joe - Started my 40's yesterday. I won't say I'm better, but since my problem is mostly chemical, I can feel my tide turning. Now I need to learn how NOT to be depressed. For 6 months Cymbalta did nothing, and my prior meds were no good, so I have a lot of work to do if this works for me. I'm feeling positive ;-)

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Sometimes looking for progress cannot be measured by the hours or days. Many tell me that the SSRI meds are slow acting and kick in slowly, etc, so that you kind of have to evaluate the affects over several days at a time. With the 40mg, it could be incremental over some time so that by then at the end of the increments, you can really see and feel the progress. Yes, fight Dep is pro active to do things you enjoy---go someplace, see a good movie, dress up, go listen to music somewhere, take a day trip in the car to a park or other location of beauty. We got to live a life and not have a life live us. Best.

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Rhonda,

Not sure who you are talking to, but I didn't have hair problems cause of the V.....I had/have hair problems cause of my thyroid.....Hope it gets better!! I still love this med!!!

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I was looking back at some of the earlier posts and was reading to see the SE. I saw that someone else had this same problem. I have had GI issues with this med and have noticed my hair thinning and breaking off at the root. I take 300 mg of Wellbutrin XL and Topamax. I have also had SSE. Other than that it has helped with depression and anxiety. Lol

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