Viibryd Weight Gain

I originally got on the web today to research how to loose weight gained from medication. I have been on Viibryd for 6 months for Major Depressive disorder. I currently take 40 mg. It should be noted taking Viibryd has changed me from a size 0 to size 6. 20lbs. My appetite at times especially in the evening is RAVENOUS. I am embarrassed by how much I can eat and not be full. I have been nonchalant about a few pounds here and there but it devestated me yesterday when i caught a glimpse of CELLULITE on my backside. Nothing else has changed in my medicines or routine. I have always been slim. I have compassion for any who have been trying to figure out if Viibryd is causing their body to change physically. I also will comment on other side effects in another post. My memory is compromised and suicidal thoughts have to be fought daily. I do not consider myself suicidal, but there is something different and desperately depressing recently.

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If you are having this many problems, then it is likely that Viibryd is not the right medication for you and you may need to try something else.

Another question, because I'm assuming from your comments that you are female, is how old are you?

If you are 30+, then you may be in perimenopause, it can cause the same symptoms you've described, including the weight gain and cellulite. It could even be a combination of it and the medication.

Though you may not have changed anything else, our bodies do naturally change as we age and such changes are normal, but they can be very frustrating.

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Please, Verwon, don't blame everything on menopause. Viibryd definitely causes weight gain whether the drug company admits it or not. I am 58 and 8 years past it. I have taken many different antidepressants over the past 18 years - some cause weight gain, some made me sleep 18 hours a day. Most of the time, if it is a new med, it is the med, not menopause.

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I too have been taking Viibryd and slowly increasing from 20 to 40 mg. I have been on it for about 6 months. I too have gained about 10 lbs, have abdominal bloating, swelling in my legs, cannot sleep, hot at night and having weird thought. Not suicidal but, just plain weird. I workout with a trainer 2 x week walk 4 miles a day. There is definitely something to the Viibryd and weight gain. My hormone levels are supposedly normal. Mine could be a combination of issues BUT, I am weening myself OFF of the Viibryd. I am going to look in the direction of a holistic approach. I am NOT suggesting in any way that you stop all medications. But you have to take charge of your medical care. My sister has introduce me to a highly educated nutritionist (Candace Booth in Tavares, Fl) who has been working with me.

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My situation is very similar to "Fat from Viibryd's". Same age, similar number of years on meds - don't blame it on menopause. Talk to your doctor about changing to something else ASAP, and when you have suicidal thoughts or any kind of weird thoughts, call your doctor, a friend, a family member or a crisis hotline. Don't give in to the thoughts no matter what. Good luck!

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I have been on Viibryd for about 6 months. My last dose was 60mg. I do not eat much, I do not like food. I can't stand the smell of meat cooking. I don't eat sweets, cookies, chips etc. But.... I gained approximately 35 lbs for no reason after starting Viibryd! Month after month I complained about this weight gain, it fell on deaf ears. My other doctors, I am physically disabled due to Fibromyalgia, arthritis, Chronic Migraines and Lifelong Chronic Depression and just recently diagnosed with narcolepsy. Yeah, life sucks and then you die, but, I don't want to die. My Psychiatrist is a MD, PHD and specializes in Medication Management! One would think he knew what he was prescribing! 2 Months ago he added Deplin to my meds. After 2 weeks, I was so manic, I was almost out of my mind! `I wasn't sleeping for more than 2-3 hours at night, even with prescibed sleep meds. At the end of 2 weeks, I went for 3 days without sleep! I quit the Deplin but things never really got better. At my next monthly appointment, 2 weeks after stopping the Deplin, I explained what happened and he actually laughed! His words "Deplin is Folate, a form of Vitamin B6! Let's change your Viibrd back to Pristic. BUT, continue the Deplin, take 1 pill every 3 days and gave directions to wean off the Viibryd which took 12 days. That was 3 doses of Deplin. I became completely out of control, Manic is a mild word to how I felt! After 4 days of no sleep, in desperation I stupidly took 3 lunestas and 3 valiums and cqalled the office begging to talk to my doctor. Sensing the panic in my voice, I was referred to a non medically trained "Office Manager". I told her what I had done and said "Last night I fell over my blind dog and I am afdraid of hurting them. WRONG!! The word HURT is a trigger word! After getting no satisfaction from the office, I simply said, "I'm going to bed and hope to get some sleep! Less than 2 hours later, I awoke to find 2 nasty police officers who dragged me out of my house HANDCUFFED! Because of my disability, I couldn't get into the police car fast enough and the officer "helped" by slamming my head into the top of the door/roof of the car! I was transported to the prison ward of the local hospital when I was treated like an ax murderer! After 6 horrific hours I was "discharged out into the 101 degree heat with no ID, money or cell phone! I walked/crawled 1/2 mile to a gas station where the clerk took pity on me and called my husbands work. After dropping me off at home, my husband, in a rage, went to the doctors office where a clerk informed him that I had said the "hurt" work and they followed protocal! Another man came in with my chart and said, Oh, I just looked it up and found out that Viibryd and Deplin cause serious interactions! Can you say "legal case"!!!!

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I gained almost 70lb on Viibryd within six months. It just sort of hit me all at once. I changed nothing in my diet. It is a HORRIBLE medication. Along with the weight gain, my joints were always hurting, I was constantly sick to my stomach. I wish I had gone off the medication after a month, but I trusted my psychiatrist when he promised the side effects would go away. I am never believing that again!

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I am hoping to wein off Viibryd (i take 40mg) due to weight gain... I am wondering if getting off Viibryd help you lose the weight you gained while on it? I have always been 125 lbs and since starting viibryd 6 months ago I have jumped to 150! I cant take the weight off! I am stunned by it bc i eat right and exercise. any advice or reassurance would help..

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I have been on Viibryd for just over a year and couldn't figure out where the weight gain was coming from. (Approx 80lbs gained) I am currently weening off (down to 5mg every other day) and have already noticed a difference in the cravings. My doctor has also prescribed phentermine to help me lose the weight as diet and exercise was not helping while on the Viibryd. Between weening, phentermine, diet, and exercise, I'm happy to say that I'm starting to drop the weight.

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Has the joint pain gone away since stopping the drug?

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I'm wondering what dosage everyone is on that claims to have gained weight from this drug? I have been on 10 mg for a little over 6 months and I have not gained a pound. I take this in combination with buspar for extreme anxiety and it's been working well for me. I liked lexapro but I gained like 15 pounds that I cannot lose. Lexapro sucks for that so I'm happy I found viibryd. The only thing that I can complain about is the fact that it's very expensive.

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I just started taking it 4 days ago, only thing I can tell is I have the poops bad for like 2 hours after I eat, I have read mixed reviews from the pill, I am currently on 10 mg but move to 20 next week, I am going to keep a watch out on the weight part, I do have problems sleeping but that is normal for me anyway.

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I am on 10 mg of Viibryd right now. I lost twenty pounds last spring, however, I was not very happy due to high anxiety. I was on Zoloft and slowly gained back all the weight I lost and could not figure out why! Switched to Viibryd and while I haven't gained weight, it is EXTREMELY hard to lose weight. I'm 19 and workout everyday for 40 minutes and eat clean, healthy foods 90% of the time. I haven't lost more than 3 pounds and find that I gain weight easier if I don't pay attention. I think the lower dosage is much better for weight, as I was on 100 mg of the Zoloft.

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I, too, have had a tremendous weight gain in the last 2 yrs. I've gained about 60 lbs, & that in itself is severely depressing. However, I have also experienced suicidal thoughts daily. I'm not suicidal, not would I ever do it, but the thoughts do seem to come about quite frequently. I have no energy, no motivation, & I'm ready to scream (literally) I've been a horrible witch to my loved ones. I have no idea why I managed 2 years of this horrific crap. Ive been trying to wean myself the past month. Even on the weaning schedule my Dr gave me, I still have withdrawal symptoms. I've not taken any in over 5 days now & am very dizzy & I get nauseous just by taking a FEW bites of food. (Ironic-1st I complained about weight gain, but now I'm complaining about not wanting to eat!) All joking aside, I'd really like to get some input!


If anyone has any knowledge of how long the w/d might last, please help!

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I agree. For the first few months I thought the med was great then within a few weeks I gained crazy weight for no good reason. I too am weaning off and pray I can get this weight off.

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Same boat. I was on Lexapro, gained 20lbs, craved carbs and sugar. Switched to Viibryd, thought it was fantastic at first, was able to lose 5-6 lbs, then after a few weeks the weight loss plateaued despite increased exercise and calorie tracking, etc. Now starting to feel the familiar 'puff' in the stomach area, so I am weaning off over the next two weeks to see if I can undo the SSRI damage that has been done to my body.

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I have been taking Viibryd 10 mg for six month, and I can not loose weight. I am 54 years old, menopause. Taking Viibryd, compare to the first antidepressant that I took. I feel more active during the day. Viibryd for me is two problems: starving and diffcultie to fall asleep at night. I gained 10 pounds. Still I can not loose weight. Over all my belly is getting bigger and sweling my legs everyday. After reading all your comments, I feel that maybe the Viibryd does not help to keep me in shape. I will talk to my doctor. Thanks for your comments.

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I have taken 40mg of viibryd for 5 months and have gained 40lbs. I look like I am pregnant and have terrible abdominal cramps. These effects didn't start until about one month on the 40mg dosage. I am weaning off right now and switching to buspar and hope that I will be able to lose this weight. It did help with my anxiety but the weight gain I feel counteracts the health benefit. I have never been this heavy. I will be curious to see the results. I guess it is time to call a personal trainer to get ME back!

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I suppose to start Viibryd tomorrow. After reading the side effects I'm just wondering if staying depressed will be better. I was up to 600 mg of Serquel and I gain 80 pounds that I can't get off. I can't add weight on top of that. I have been depressed for 13 years and tried every medication and every mixture and mg. I've even had 24 electric shock treatments to my brain. Nothing has worked. I'm scared to take it. I can not add any more weight. My dr. Had told me this would help me have interest in b things and help me get energy. I'm not see any of this. I'm starting the sample packet in the morning 10 mg. Should I take it or better off skipping it all together

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Unfortunately people really do get hurt because of viibryd. People really do go to jail. My husband had been on it for less than 2 months. He had a hallucination that he was being attacked. He defended himself and unfortunately son got hurt. Husband was charged with felony child abuse and was sentenced to 5 years.

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Hey all- I commented on this a while ago, and I wanted to follow up. I had gained 23 pounds in less than a year on Lexapro and Viibryd. Nothing I did was taking it off, and this was abnormal for me- my body typically adjusts quickly to dietary changes and exercise and I have never before gained that kind of weight in my life. Since stopping the Viibryd, I have lost about 15 lbs, without increasing my level of activity (which was always pretty active- running, riding horses, rock climbing) or drastically changing my diet. I did notice that when I DID change my diet, I lost weight and kept it off whereas doing the same thing while on Viibryd did nothing. I still plan to lose another 10 pounds, but progress is happening, whereas it was not happening at all on Viibryd. Something else to consider is that many of us from the generations before ADD meds were popular may have ADD which can cause depression. Every situation is individual, but anti-depressants/anti-anxiety meds made me more anxious and less focused but ADD meds so far have helped me focus, thereby removing anxiety and depression.

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Re: Beverly (# 26)

I also had nightmares while on Viibryd. While on the medication, I had very jarring brain zaps while falling asleep, and would also have terrifying nightmares where I would realize I was having a nightmare but couldn't wake up. I'd never experienced the brain zaps or nightmares like those before. My psychiatrist dismissed both as being at all related to Viibryd. I haven't had issues with either since getting off the medication.

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Re: Sad and Fat (# 34)

Hi there! Well, over a period of 6 months I slowly and fully tapered off of Viibryd. In the time period where I slowly tapered down from 40 to 10 mgs, I lost 35 pounds. No additional weight loss from 10 mgs to 0. Beer belly is gone. I believe that Viibryd increased my hunger levels and also that it just overall caused weight gain, especially in my mid-section. The weight loss was accomponied by overall reduced caloric intake and increased exercise. But I'll again note that there were several times when I was on Viibryd where I would significanly reduce my caloric intake and frequently exercise, and I would either lose no weight, or continue to gain weight. Anyway, I have no doubt that Viibryd caused my weight gain and that it increased my appetitite, especially making me crave carbohydrates. I don't know that continuing to taper off during a global pandemic was the wisest thing to do, but I was trying to avoid tapering once I returned to the office (back when we thought COVID would be a one or two month phenom!) -- I just become so irritable each time I taper, and so wanted to avoid snapping or glaring at coworkers. Anyway, here's what I'll say--- Viibryd is terrible! It made me gain weight! And it was a real bitch to get off of! Each time I tapered down, I felt insane and so would start to buy into the idea that I was crazy and needed to be medicated. The medical literature about tapering schedules is 100% bananas and not safe-- the schedule that it recommends for tapering is *way too fast*. If I'd followed it, I probably would have wound up in an in-patient psychiatric unit during the COVID crisis. My recommendation is to take it REAL slow if tapering off Viibryd. The Viibryd beer belly will go. Don't be a hero trying to get off this medication during the COVID pandemic. Getting mental health support is really hard right now. My post is all over the place, sorry! Viibryd gets me all angry and fired up.

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Re: Viibryd beer belly (# 33)

Just hoping for an update. I weaned myself off Viibryd after taking for 6 months and gaining an extreme amount of weight, most of which is sitting on my belly that I've NEVER had before. I took my last dose 2 days ago and am hoping you have positive news. I already worked out daily, eat well most of the time, etc. But the weight just kept coming on.

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Re: Viibryd beer belly (# 32)

As promised, an update on my self-tapering. Shortly after my last post, I tapered down from 30 to 20mgs. So, I was on 40 mgs, tapered down to 30, and then one week later tapered down to 20mgs. No withdrawal side effects when I tapered down to 30 but pretty immediately experienced pronounced agitation, irritability, and acute anxiety once I tapered down to 20mgs. With hindsight, I wish I'd waited longer between the 40-30 taper and the 30-20 taper. For now I've committed to giving this another month before potentially speaking to my psychiatrist about trying another medication. This certainly isn't the first medication I've tapered off of and I don't want to mistake withdrawal symptoms for evidence that I need to be on another medication. But, we'll see. I've lost 10 pounds in the month since I began tapering off Viibryd. Beer belly is maybe no longer a beer belly! Same caloric intake and exercise regimen as before. I will not further taper down any time soon. The irritability and anxiety are too acute. I'll check in again in a few weeks.

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Bless this and other message boards that allow patients to reveal that Viibryd does in fact cause weight gain. I was placed on 40 mgs Viibryd a little over a year ago. I gained 20 lbs within the first six months (nevermind the daily diarrhea!). There was no increase in food and no reduction in exercise. Increased exercise and reduced food intake had almost no counter-impact. The weight gain was disproportionately distributed in my abdominal region -- which isn't to say that I've ever been someone blessed with an even weight gain distribution, but this was something else - like the beer belly of a 55-year-old who drinks a 12 pack every day. Unfair for someone who got sober years ago! Historically, my body has responded pretty immediately to increased exercise and reductions in caloric intake. But since getting on Viibryd, I've increased the frequency with which I exercise by about 500% and have reduced my caloric intake by 30% and continue to slowly expand. My psychiatrist is persistently dismissive when I raise concerns that the weight gain is due to Viibryd. I've grown tired of handing my psychiatrist $200 a month only for her to ignore my concerns and so have begun to slowly taper off on my own. I reduced from 40 to 30mgs last week and am really surprised that I haven't had any withdrawal side-effects (things are nightmarish when I forget to take a full dose). I'll report back once off for a couple of months to let you all know whether there were any changes to my Barney Gumble beer belly!

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Re: Nic (# 10)

I gained 40 pounds over a year on viibryd 40mg. I was on 20mg for 6 weeks then increased to 40mg. No weight gain on the 20mg

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Hi- I found this old post... and wondered about the outcome and if the weight came off when you stopped Viibryd. While it has helped with my depression and anxiety...I only want to sleep and eat. But I only sleep from about 11pm- 3am and then can't sleep. I have vivid nightmares and night sweats. It's impacting my work and I've gained 10lbs in 2 months. I'm trying to 'weigh' the benefits and side effects of this drug. I also keep reading horror stories about withdrawal. Would love to hear more about your experience. Thanks!

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Don't be rude- That's not necessary. The arrow down is used with regard to weather the comment had particular benefit to a persons concern; or if it was helpful.

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I have been on viibryd for 3 weeks and have too gained weight. Very depressing as weight/eating disorder is what I am in counseling for. Was told viibryd is weight neutral and I can guarantee this is not true. I have had less bingeing with my eating disorder and exercising the same but still gained weight. Don't even want to go to the gym anymore cause I'm embarrassed about my weight.

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Thank you for your post. I have been on Viibryd for 2 years, 40 mg. and have gained 70 lbs. I was told I would not gain weight on this antidepressant.

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