Viibryd 40m, Increasing Anxiety? (Top voted first)

Fellow viibryd folk, I am taking 40mg (been on it for approx 2 mo at this dose). In simply 24 hours I notice a need to take it or I begin to feel very anxious, and afraid. I'm not literally scared, but rather the feeling of having been frieghtened. It results in being emotionally constricted and feeling frozen to move. It feels like it is related to taking the meds, its not my normal self. Any common stories, or comments?

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Wow! I saw myself getting uncharacteristically angry and nasty with people and could not wait to get the stuff out of my system. It is scary not to feel in control! I think it was the closest that I ever want to come to being bipolar. But for some it is the relief they have been looking for for years. Unfortunately there is no way to know in advance and the personal experience of Viibryd can be grueling.

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I am an older person (female 74 yrs.) Taking Viibryd for about a month after being on Lexapro. Started right away on 20 mg. for a week, then I took 40 for a few days before noticing the most awful feelings. (crying jags, anger bursts, insomnia, odd dreams, feelings of impending doom, the first sympton was an all red left eye for days. Have tried to immediately wean myself, am down to 5-10 mgs. daily now. Wish I could just quit taking it, but I must follow thru on weaning, I believe. This is a terrible med. I am large (250 lbs.) should be able to take dosage, but I want off and now! Nothing I am experiencing in life warrants this awful existence on Viibryd. In my opinion you are playing with fire taking this. Please God, help me.

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This-from me today Judy, age 74. The Viibryd dosage is down now for me to a 10 mg tablet, cut into 4 pieces and I take 3 of those 4 in 24 hours. After posting a few days ago I had lost my mind, I thought, when coming down somewhat from the dosage of 20 or LESS, I went thru the same horrible crying jags, feeling of impending doom, hopelessness. I would finally take 5 mgs. during the bouts and at last I would start to feel better, but the fear of it returning is what keeps me practically paralyzed. After 2 more days now, of the 2 1/2 mg. bits, I have been able to maintain a level existence and sleep again, though the insomnia still tends to be there. I have now had in the last 24 hrs. only a total of 5 mg. ( divided into 2 time periods throughout the day). I will now at midnight go to bed taking a 2 1/2 portion. If that holds me satisfactorily through the night I will feel I am on my way to being weaned. Will post again with report. Thank you for your interest-my thoughts are with all suffering from this terrible product.

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Viibryd sufferers-I expect this to be my last post as I can say I am almost back to my former self after 4 1/2 months of shedding Viibryd from my system. I do still have the tendency toward crying jags ( daily) that I did not have prior to taking Viibryd. The anger fits submerge when I become overly agitated. Did not have that either prior to. My sleeping is much better, I can face going to bed without fear of impending doom, but I do wake up after 3 4 or 5 hours and have trouble going back to sleep. Still the fear has left me, the headaches are gone, nausea subsided, vivid upsetting dreams-gone. I write this to give hope and comfort to you out there who are suffering as I did, with seemingly no hope for a better tomorrow. There is. Stick with the weaning process if you can't get off it completely. As long as you have ANY of the med in your system the agony will continue. You Will get better and soon. My best. . . Judy

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Yes! Have been taking viibryd for almost 2 years. If I miss one dose, I feel horrible! I have severe panic attacks and immediately feel extremely depressed. It's like an impending doom feeling. I feel CRAZY when I miss a dose.. It's the absolute most horrifying feeling. Im fine as long as I take it every day. I have noticed that it does not work for anxiety at all! My last sri I took helped with anxiety. I hoped viibryd would get an indication for anxiety but I don't think that will ever happen. I want to get off this medication!

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@Beck,

Based on my research, you should tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: numbness/tingling, tremor, restlessness, inability to keep still, difficulty concentrating, confusion, memory problems, weakness, unsteadiness, pounding heartbeat.

Get medical help right away if you have any serious side effects, including: unusual or severe mental/mood changes (such as agitation, thoughts of suicide), bloody/black/tarry stools, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, easy bruising/bleeding, seizures.

With that being said, I would DEFINITELY speak with your doctor as soon as possible!

You can learn more about this drug on the page for Viibryd Details

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I just started Viibryd a 2 days ago,Iam really scared about this and just want something safe or harmless to use,I have enough problems..I am so tired ofdepression and crying would like to feel normal..been on paxiel for a hundred years and just doesn't work anymore,did a salesman talk my Dr into to trying this on us or what is the truth? thanks for your time..

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I was taking 20 mg and it didn't seem to be helping my anxiety much so the dr moved me up to 40 last week. Tonight I am googling to read comments that I can relate to because I feel so strange right now. Lying in bed, eyes closed and I feel like a weight is holding me down... My heart is racing and I feel very anxious. Panicked

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18yo dgtr on Paxil 20mg a day. History of more anxiety than depression . Recently changed to Viibryd and was told to stop Paxil one day and and start Viibyrd the next day....she's not feeling well at all. Started taking Paxil 10mg a day and the Viibyrd also. She's confused about what to do. A little better with 1/2 Paxil and Viibyrd. Any thoughts?????

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I went on viibryd last month because I felt that my Lexapro has not been working and also has affected my libido Also have major stressors right now at home with a 3 teens (one of them graduated and is going away to college now), a husband of 23 yrs who was leaving me, my work being cut down to half...all in the last 2 months. Diarrhea was my first problem but I was warned about it so I pushed through with the increasing dose titration. Then came nausea and a constantly bitter taste in my mouth. I also was only sleeping 3 hours a night. But then within the week that I was on the full dose of Viibryd, I was a nervous wreck. I felt a constant impending doom...I felt I would not be able to handle any crisis because I would literally fall apart. This is very different than my usual self. My mom and my sister had to literally pick me up the floor I was crying so hard. It scared them because I had never done that before through even worse times like the death of my father, losing a job, etc

I had stopped taking Viibryd cold turkey though I am not supposed to last Sunday. It was because I could not stand the bitter taste in my mouth now...I am hardly eating and if I do, I get the diarrhea. It is horrible. Then the first night off it, I finally slept like the dead. It was wonderful. Three days later, I am still tired and sleepy but my sleep is restful although I have vivid dreams. I figure it is just my brain now just trying to relax. The feeling of impending doom has also decreased. I am not a fragile as I was....not like my skin is about to tear. Then today, I am as itchy as heck...no rashes but I have itchy spots.

Thank you for all your posts. It makes sense.I thought my insomnia and feelings of doom was just because of all the stress I am going through. But reading all your comments, a lightbulb lit up.....viibryd!! I realize that now because I feel the same as I have been the month before the viibryd, when my stressors were beginning.

I hope that with good sleep and eating better, I will be able to get myself together again. I am also calling my doctor to get back on another SSRI...not viibryd definitely but not Lexapro either. Maybe just something simple for a while like Prozac. Thank you for all your sharing. I hope all is well for you.

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WOW! Kim...I couldn't have said it better myself! You described EXACTLY how I feel if I miss a dose. I feel crazy, desperate, SEVERELY depressed. I've missed it twice and both days were 2 of the worst days in my life. I couldn't find any grounding whatsoever. It was if I had been transplanted to a different world. I cried and cried and cried. I'm starting back on lexapro tomorrow.. cold turkey. Oh and Viibryd DID NOT help at all with my anxiety. I think it's actually worse. I quit effexor cold turkey and went straight to Viibryd with no problems. I'm praying I can do the same with Lexapro. Again.. tomorrow will be my 1st day off Vii. This med is the WORST drug on the planet. I do not recommend!

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Yes, I have noticed the same thing. I too am prescribed 40 mg of Viibryd and I have begun to notice that if I go more than 30 hours between doses my anxiety returns and I simply don't feel that good. Somedays I have taken just 20 mg if it is late in the day and I have forgotten to take my morning dose or if I have slept late, and the 20 mg seems to do the trick. Too, I've let my prescription lapse and have had to get by on 20 mg for a few days in a row and even then 20 mg seems to do the trick. But I have begun to make it a point to not miss my morning dosing for fear of having a few uncomfortable hours. It does concern me that if I ever have to stop taking Viibryd that it would be an unpleasant experience. I guess the key would be to reduce the dosage very gradually.

Having said all of this, I have been on many different anti-depressants (Effexor, Paxil, Elavil, Zoloft) and without a doubt Viibryd has been the most effective anti-drepressant for me. When I begaa titrating my dosage I actually stopped at 30 mg because I had such a positive response. I kind of wish now that I had stayed at the 30 mg dosage. However, my physician encouraged me to go to 40 mg. And I must say that I feel even better at 40 mg than I did at 30 mg. But it is a little disconcerting to feel so dependent on a drug for my positive mood.

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The attraction of Viibryd is that it is one of the few SSRIs that also manages anxiety. Many people find that they become really agitated after taking it for a while at the maximum dose of 40mg. I loved it at first, but had the same experiences in many of the writers of the last few letters. It turned into a nightmare. I became an uncontrollable shrew. It felt like many people describe a manic episode. First I was on a cloud, then I was in a nightmare. I became uncomfortable in my own skin. I never experienced the eagerness for the next pill but I could not get off it fast enough.

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Yes, I would wake up terrified for no apparent reason as well as nightmares. This stuff almost killed me in July with serotonin toxicity so I have gone from 40mgs a day down to 10mgs and will slowly taper off completely. Just coming off of this medicine is giving me weird side effects...electrical zaps in my head...constant headaches on the right side of me head, and I am still sweating excessively for no apparent reason, but as I keep lowering the dosage the sweats aren't as bad. I'm not taking anymore of these dangerous drugs. I'm looking into organic supplements.

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This is Judy reporting after a 3 month horrible session with Viibryd. Finally last month I began to sleep some at night when the panic attacks left me. I no longer have the awful feelings of impending doom. The headaches over one eye on the right continued until just 4 days ago. My seratonin is still mixed up; I sleep sporadically most nights yet some nights almost all the way through. Have had to sleep in my recliner until just a few weeks ago, when the fear feelings subsided. I still am having daily crying spells
and fits of anger at times. Have told my doctor about this terrible drug, he just said he was sorry. The way I weaned myself though may have added to my misery, but I could not continue to take any of this med. so after getting it to 2 1/2 a couple of times a day I just quit it. Began May 17th and this is Aug 31. Could use something to calm down my anxiety & depression, but I will never take antidepressants again.
My advice to all suffering from this is to try to stay hopeful and patient (if possible). You will get better, often relief comes quickly in from one day to the other.

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Yes I totally agree. I have now titrated down to zero viibryd about ten days ago. Just this morning I felt feelings of doom,, afrdid of unknown, fear and panic. I know this is going to take a year or more. I have been on ssri drugs for 20 years and I am determined to stay off. They really haven't helped me. I still was irritable at my high stress job, etc. Every ssri took away my libido completely, not a good thing when you're married. And by the way, viibryd took away my libido too even though they advertised that it was supposed not to have!

The viibryd by far has been the most vile drug. I tried to get off the ssris before but apparently I learned this week that 14% of people have violent withdrawal from ssris and it's actually a 'syndrome' I can't remember the name. Unbelievable. I'm a lawyer and I am considering suing viibryd. I was thinking about it this morning as I was crying and feeling scared. Oh and the nightmares are dark and disturbing.

Thank you all for sharing. You have no idea how it soothed me to hear that these feelings I had this morning are common.

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I'm going on a month now with viibrid and feel that my anxiety is worse.....I just don't understand it. Didn't seem to be this way with other drugs.

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I have been taking viibryd for 3 months now at 40mg. I was a calm person prior to this medication, but now I cannot control my anger. It's so bad I am about to end a 12 year relationship because I can't control myself. I have had clinical depression and anxiety but this drug seems to make me worse. I'm so thankful I found this site. I'm going to call my doctor tomorrow.

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After taking Viibryd at 40mg for about 4 months I suddenly realized that I was living a nightmare. It started pretty well with definite relief of depression symptoms. But after 4 months absolutely horrible panic attacks at night, only sleeping 4-5 hours a day. Terrible anxiety, spacing out at work, body aches. It creeped up on me slowly. Took a while to realize it was this medicine causing the symptoms. My Dr was not helpful, suggesting I didn't take Viibryd with the proper amount of food or something. I had to stop cold turkey because it felt like poison. That was two and a half weeks ago. Felt some improvement but mood swings and panic attacks still continue. Terrible med. Thanks for all who contributed to this thread. Waiting to get better.

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After taking the starter kit and one month of 40mg, I'm being removed from Viibryd immediately. Obvious mood swings, anger, hostility, racing thoughts, increased depression, sadness. I'm prescribed 225mg Effexor XR to counter any symptoms I may experience while I withdraw immediately from Viibryd. I was taking 300mg of Effexor XR daily but felt that it may have lost its efficacy. It was a walk in the park compared to this.

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