Brintellix Side Effects Severe (Page 2) (Top voted first)

DESPERATELY NEED HELP ABOUT BRINTELLIX!!! I have been on 5mg Brintellix for last 10 weeks. About 9 days About 9 days ago I started to feel like i was coming down with flu. week progressed and flu like symptoms got worse every day: flushing, feeling like i had high fever but without actual fever, agitation, muscle cramps, bad nausea, diahrrea all day long, fast heart beat, headache, etc. after several days of symptoms getting worse, on Sunday last I had the feeling i was going to DIE!!! worst flu like symptoms and severe anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. I skipped the sunday dose and then cut the monday dose down to 2.5mg. it is wednesday, and most of bad symptoms have gone to mild or moderate. Dr thinks i had case of serotonin syndrome n this med. But, no one can explain why side effects started at 9 weeks and not beginning!! Today was better side effect wise, still nausea, diahrrea (but not as bad), agitation, no appetite (cannot eat at all). Here is kicker: dr wants me to take 2.5mg every other day as wants to keep depression and anxiety symptoms down. I am praying to GOD this works! Anyone out there have a similar experience??? I really desperately need help on this !! Please let me know!

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Just starting on 5mg per day as of yesterday. Noticed a difference the very first day! Hopefully the slight itching will subside and it will be what I've been searching for all these years!

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Sue, I am not a doctor and I don't know what specifically you take the lamictal ?for(it may be under a different name where I live) but I titrated very very VERY slowly off of all of my combo meds except Wellbutrin. The last to go was Effexor which replaced my cymbalta. Under my gp's care I just kept halving my doses after set time periods until it was out of my system. I actually did most of it unintentionally preparing to introduce brintellix - so if u r have low doses of most everyone in your system now - it would be a perfect time to talk to your go or p-doc. Nobody can truly tell you what's right for you sue. Listen to your gut! That is your inner voice guiding you. Figure out what u think might be going on with u and then tell yourself you r not going to waste another minute feeling this way. Be firm with your doctor. I found this task very hard for myself for a couple years- I even saw a second doctor on the sly who I could just be myself with. I have a lifelong connection to my other doctor but it has taken me 2 yrs to realize SO WHAT I need to take care of me! So many challenges on top of our challenges. We are sensitive caring people or we wouldn't have been given these wonderful gifts called depression and anxiety. Good luck sue. I am with you. Blue.

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I discontinued Brintellix after a month of taking 10 mg daily ....it was horrible with very bad side effects all that listed above....it has been 3 weeks now since i discontinued it but i am still having some side effects like agitating, nervousness, increase depression....please do any one know when these symptoms should go away ???

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I have been using Brintellix now for ±5 weeks (Started with 5 mg now on 10 mg). My anxiety increased and feels as if my heart is beating out of my chest - I do not feel well. I am now thinking of lowering the dosage to 5 mg. I do have high blood pressure and use medication for that. It is under control. I do not want to feel this way.

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Hi, Just doing a third update.
I've now been on Brintellix 10mg for 5 months and I have to say it's been the only antidepressant in a LONG time that has been feeling somewhat functional.
I'm still experiencing the nausea about 10 minutes after I take it, but luckily I only take 1 tablet at night and take it as soon as I'm about to go to sleep, hence the nausea doesn't last long as I go to sleep basically straight away thankfully.
Other than that Brintellix has been really good.
To give you an idea, I use to be on 300mg of Dothep and 10mg of Edronax. Now I'm only on 10mg of both Brintellix and Edronax.

For those wondering if it's worth sticking to Brintellix I say try to. It took a good month and a half or so to get past the side effects ie: incessant itching, sweating, gas, nausea. But after these subsided I have to say I'm feeling better than I have in a long time. I still have my down times, but they are not as severe. I wouldn't go as far as to say I don't have depression, as I always will. My type is lifelong. But what I would say is that Brintellix, mostly has made it more bareable to deal with.

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Re: Lynn (# 11)

Been on this Brintellix for 3 weeks. First 2 weeks fantastic, this week he'll on earth. Awful anxiety, sickness, chest pains, palpationso. Chronic cough. Just such a terrible time. Emerncy appointment with my doctor this morning, felt I had no control and was going crazy. Could not stop sobbing my eyes out. Prior to this was on Citalopram for 17 years. Doctor told me to stop and go back to citalopram. On the other hand my husband has been taking this for 6 weeks with no visible problems. My heart goes out to all you people who are having the same reaction as me, how am I ever going to come out the other side of this

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I've been on 10mg of Brintellix for about 3 months and I am experiencing a euphoria-like feeling. Now, it should be a positive thing but this euphoria leads me to want to drink alcohol and when I start to drink I usually end up being so drunk so quickly that I can not remember half of the things I say or do. This sort of behavior has lead me to having unprotected intercourse with two different people. I wouldn't be with either of them if I could stay sober but this euphoric feeling makes me act very impulsively. I feel like an ***** for doing those things and not thinking clearly. Anyways, does anyone also have cravings for alcohol while taking this medicine?

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Hello, Kds! How are you doing?

What other medications have you tried? What type of doctor are you seeing for this?

It really seems that this just isn't the right medication for you and you may need to try something else.

Have you consulted a psychiatrist?

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I have been taking Brintellix for 2weeks I have been taking the five milligram dosage and have nausea vomiting dirrehea and never have any energy and loss of appetite and insomnia and aniexty I have sleep medicine(trazadone) that I take along with this also and it doesn't help either.

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I have been on Brintellix since May of 2015. In August started having very itchy dermatitis on my hands (palms) and then on the soles of my feet. These symptoms have grown tremendously to the point that a dermatologist is treating me for psoriasis. Hands and feet are awful. Really thinking this is a drug reaction.

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I thought that too with my Lexapro. 10mg forever. I am thinking after this awful experience I want to go back to that. Talking to PCP on Monday!

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Pixie I have been 300 effexor and tapering off to try brintillix. I also take 300 wellbutrin in the am and topirimate at night for sleep and weight loss(doesn't help either) and trazadone - so 2 days ago yesterday were the only days I took 20 mgs (it's called trintellix here)and . I have tried almost every single anti -d on the market. suffered from MDD and Anxiety since I was 14 and I am in my 40's now and I also thought or hoped this might be the last held hope - but it has been the most painful awful two days on any kind of ssri/snri -or anything else! the worst muscle pain in legs, shoulders, abdominal cramping. It feels like a blood pressure strap tightening around my legs. I looked it up and it sounds like an actual reaction to the drug so I called my on-call doc and she said to stop taking and I will most likely have to go back to "no-effectxor"! I think this drug is not such a good one. the pain is unbearable and not worth risking your life for. Hope this info helps. you should check out the brand site. there it lists side effects and then it lists 'reactions' seperately both severe and mild with instructions.

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Kds I'm not a doc but I am a seriously seasoned Guinea pig and the jury is just not back on this drug and won't be until 2020. If it hasn't helped your depression or anxiety after 9 weeks and has only increased issues - if it were me - I would be tot rating off drug. Perhaps your doc is having u do that? Every other day sounds like preparation to stop or switch?

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I had no idea you couldn't be in klonipin. I was taking both together and gaining weight and sleeping like crazy.

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Respectfully- you can notice SIDE EFFECTS the very first day but CHANGES IN MOOD are not felt in one day from these meds. It is important - particularly with this med that people do not get misled by posts. It's great that you have felt no ill effects from taking brintellix. Sounds like u are one of the lucky ones even though it's only been a day.

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I just started on Brintillex and I feel terrible. Sick to my stomach, diarrhea, headaches, insomnia. I rarely experience side effects but this is unbelievable. I had to go back on Xanax. Pretty sure I won't last. This transition is doing me in. I think I'll ask to go back on Cymbalta, despite the emotional numbness I was feeling.

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Blue, while on the Cymbalta, 120mgs, I was also on 150mgs of Lamictal. My doctor wanted me to continue on it with the Brintellix but I've left a message saying the constant flu-like symptoms are getting me down. I wonder if I could just stay on Lamictal and nothing else or go back on Cymbalta at a lower dose. Maybe then my emotions wouldn't be so numbed.

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I feeling exactly the same.I am on Brintellix for 30 days now, after 3 years of Lexapro. I am feeling irritated , feeling like i will lose control.

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Joe G. - I can relate to how you are feeling. I gave up and went back on Cymbalta.
Good luck. It's supposed to be a good drug.

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Congratulations, Marcia. You made it longer than I did. I had to stop and go back on Cymbalta. I'm surprised after 10 weeks you would have those reactions.

Keep in touch.

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