Viibryd Hell!
Updated(This is a bit long but please read it!) Long story short: Ive been a long term sufferer of panic disorder and agoraphobia. Been homebound 3 times in my life. Been on several different medications over the years. Was prescribed Celexa about 7 years ago and while it wasnt perfect for fixing my problem it came close. I was able to marry, start a successful business and live a pretty normal life! Fast forward to around last November. I started having problems with having panic attacks, panic type feelings when out. This got worse and eventually I started feeling sick and having attacks at home and in the night. This went on and got worse and worse until this past April when I finally bit the bullet and when into the my Dr. At that point I was shaking uncontrollably and completely eat up with anxiety. Unable to function at all. The Dr. quickly concluded that I had experienced the dreaded "wash out" from Celexa. In other words it was no longer working for me. I was devastated as nothing else had ever worked as well. (*Now I didnt love Celexa as it did cause a 30lb weight gain and if I accidentally missed a dose the brain shocks were horrible! But when I took it right I was able to have a life.) So she decided to try me on a newer drug called Viibryd. I was so damn sick in her office at that point I would have taken anything, any recommendation!! So she had me come off the Celexa and start it over about a 2 week period. It was hell as you can all imagine with the withdrawls from the Celexa AND the horrible side effects from the Viibryd. Little did I know that my road to Viibryd hell was just beginning. From 10mg to 20mg the anxiety was no better than if I was on no medicine at all except maybe even worse. I was unable to go out and when I did I had panic attacks and had to leave. Constant feelings of being just sick all over. When I went up to the 40mg it got really insane. The vivid evil nightmares the SECOND I would close my eyes. I would be locked into this electric shock in my head thing going on,tongue went numb and I couldnt wake up. This happened all night every-night for the almost 3 weeks I was on 40mg. I also developed severe pain in my feet and hands to the point I was in tears in pain and unable to walk or put any weight on my feet! After almost 3 weeks of that s*** My husband (bless him he has been an angel through this whole thing!) decided that no matter what I had to get off this terrible drug. So we started tapering me down off from 40mg to about 35mg and so on. In the mean time I made an appointment with a psychiatrist/mind and body doctor. It said he has 30+ years of experience in panic and depression disorders. So I went to see him and to my surprise this is what he said: He said that as soon as I started experiencing problems on the viibryd my Dr. should have taken me off. I told him we had started the tapering process and he responded that I should flat out stop taking it. Not taper. He gave me a sheet with a list of specific vitamins and the dosages to take and also recommended I get pharma gaba. He recommended eating better, taking the vitamins and drinking 100% fruit juice several times a day to keep up the glucose in the brain. To my surprise he didnt even mention prescribing another medication!? I was shocked (still am!) so while I didnt follow exactly as he said and just stop (I had weddings to work that weekend, I am a wedding photographer) I did taper down to 20 then 10 a couple days and now Im off. This is day two being 100% off of it. I AM FREAKING SICK OUT OF MY MIND! I have been taking the vitamins, the pharma gaba and drinking juice. I know this is going to be a period of adjustment to get this withdrawl over. How long should it take?? I am having INSANE body/brain shocks...I mean to the extreme. VERY sick feeling all over my body, extremely tired and unable to even function. Now, I did mention to the Dr. about if I felt bad during this/and had anxiety troubles going out. He did prescribe me 10 small pills of Ativan and I had so Klonopin left over. He said if I needed to take one of those..other than that he wants to see me back in two weeks. He seemed completely confident that what he recommended would work!? Can someone please tell me A. If what Im experiencing is normal on the Viibryd. B. How long before I can stop feeling the withdrawl symptoms. C. Has anyone else had an exerience with going to a Dr. and having them recommend something like this and if so did it work!? For reference: I am a 29 year old female. The link to the Dr. site is anxietydepressiondisorders.com
1 Reply
Thank u so much for this post this has mentioned most of what i was gonna post and my typing sucks. i am on day gonna be 6 of the 20 mg and have had the same yiyid nite mares and the past two nites have not been able to sleep. i am in a new place due to bad things that happen in california. i was on a great combitation of meds in ca but stopped taking them due to a situation not by choose, wanted to be back on them but knew had to start at a low dose and be monitored. the PA at a mental heath clinic put me on viibryd. I am afreaid to start the 40 mg. due to marijuana in my system my new DR primary would not rx ativan for my panic.and gasve me atrax (benedryl times 10 to me), and mental health PA said I had to get off of ativan or going into in house treatment for detox (WHAT). I have been in emergency 3 times since i have been here for panic and rage. Mental health said he would put me on seriquil until the viibryd kicked in.(i had already told him that was like Legal speed to me), I see him again on monday and believe this will be the last time. Will find a new one. there is way more to more story but not the right forum for it. I am so glad to see that i am not the only one that this drug is not good for. I wish u thew best of luck and plz keep us posted. Even if they change my meds will look on here to keep following the effects this may be one of thoses drugs that is not all that good only time will tell. Please everyone stay in touch with your Dr and let them know the effects, be such that peoplke around you are aware of how you feel. I tried to get back on meds myself a few years ago(i mean without being monitored at home) and attempted to kill myself. I will not go through that again and dont want annyone else to either. Best of luck to all of us. Sandee
More Discussions:
Going to start it tomorrow. Anyone else taking it, and if so, how do you like it? Thanks! ## Started taking it on 07-13....
1053 REPLIESWhat if any side effects are people experiencing on viibryd ## Taking Viibryd (vilazodone) at a dose of 40 mg per day is...
613 REPLIESHI I am on Viibryd for 4 months now and i have these terrible horrific nightmares that i am dyng or sufficating a kind o...
92 REPLIESI am starting to get a little nervous with all the negative feedback in this forum. I was on Cymbalta for a couple of ye...
80 REPLIESFellow 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 t...
50 REPLIESThere's so many scary posts written here that I just wanted to share my own experience so that those considering Vii...
41 REPLIESStopping Viibryd: From 40mg I tapered down to 7 days of 20mg followed by 7 days of 10mg. The biggest side effect I felt ...
37 REPLIESI originally got on the web today to research how to loose weight gained from medication. I have been on Viibryd for 6 m...
36 REPLIESAfter discontinuing Viibryd, has anyone noticed their hair NOT becoming thick again? I've been on 60 mg for about 8 ...
33 REPLIESHey All. I started the starter pack of Viibryd two weeks ago while weaning off of Pristiq. I am on SSRI'S due to obs...
22 REPLIES