Sleep Paralysis W/ Hallucinations (Page 2)

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Has anyone else experienced sleep paralysis accompanied by hallucinations since starting viibryd? I have been on the medicine for about 4 months now and for the last 2 1/2 months have had several very scary episodes of sleep paralysis... I have never been on a anti-depressant before and never experienced sleep paralysis until i started this medicine. I am a 23 year old female and i take no other meds except a daily multi-vitamin. Ive noticed that if i accidentally miss a viibryd pill i have sleep paralysis... but have also had it on occasions of not missing a pill. It occurs about once a week... its to the point where i dread going to sleep at night in fear of sleep paralysis, but the hallucinations that come along with it are what I dread the most. Has anyone else had a similar experience with this medicine?

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21

I feel your pain! This med is horrible! I also had the lack of oxygen thing happen to me! I was dozing off for a nap and everytime I would start to fall asleep I would feel short of breath and have to make my body breathe ! I feel like if I would have fell asleep completely I would have stopped breathing! Absolutely terrifying... so finally after enduring this horrible sleep paralysis with hallucinations, the brain zaps, and the breathing thing I have decided to get off of this medicine! I'm down to 20mg from 40 and so far ive had no sleep paralysis from decreasing thank God! Have definitely noticed a increase in vivid dreams but they haven't been scary... I do wake up tired though! Overall, I would rather be depressed than on this medication!!!

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22

Maria,

Other than the sleep paralysis, does Vibryd do anything good for you? In reply 1, I placed a an article about sleep problems and also shared a little of my story. Although I have had this way before Vibryd, it was worse in the beginnnig of taking this med.

I understand how you feel about the hallucinations!! It is awful!!! I used to think I was nutso til I read about sleep disorders/sleep paralysis. I have also had things happen that you could make a movie about and no one would ever believe you saw and felt all those crazy things!!! Things running over my bed...ect...

I have a question. I read that if a person touches during the episodes that it would get you out of it. Has your husband tried to wake you? The last one I had I got up and walked around, cause everytime I moved to another position I would start going back into it...Then I slept with my arms on my dog and slept great!!!

You aren't alone in this and I am soooo sorry the med is doing this to you! They are sooooo scarey!!! It is soooooo real!!!

Anyway, the reason I asked if it is helping you other than that is because the longer you are on it the better it gets. My dreaming isn't even the same...I was having vivid dreams that I could changed at will...lol...but gosh so glad that has gone away!!

Oh...and looking at pics and worrying about it does make it worse...I know it is hard not to worry...believe me!! But it is best to do something positive before bedtime. Maybe read your Bible since it can keep you calmed down.....

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23

Wow....I am SO amazed at how many of us have experienced the same exact things! Even the feeling like something is running around on your bed (to the other poster) makes me feel so much better. I was beginning to think my house is haunted by a devilish child. eeks. The only positive thing about 'SP' is in typical nightmares I would wake up, feeling scared out of my frikking mind, but glad it was just a dream and in SP, once I fully snap out of it, it's over. No lingering feelings of feeling scared. But the 1st time it happened, I knew it was a withdrawal of either the Wellbutrin or the Viibryd (this was back in Dec. when I tried to wean off Viibryd for the 1st time). But my neuro. said it's discontinuation syndrome. And so ever since Dec. it's like my brain is extra sensitive to the every 24 hr. cycle (because of it's short half life?) whereas with the Wellbutrin, I could go days w/o noticing anything...but less anxiety. Not that I rollercoaster myself on these meds. much, but in constant monitoring on how I am feeling at all times of the month. I need Wellbutrin to help with my foot neuropathy pain from chemo., plus it's easier to get out of bed in the am. And from what I saw days ago, it helps with PMS. So it has a regulating effect on my happiness. But often times at the expense of feeling 'flat' & expressionless, when I truly am such a bubbly person & overly accomodating to all...but am very sensitive too & I try not to take things personally. Viibryd helped me (since Aug. '11) want to do things around the house. I think Wellbutrin makes my OCD tendencies a little worse, but who wouldn't want a cleaner home? :) After 30 days, my libido tanked. But of course, with SSRI like meds (even though Vii is different) it's like 'who cares' and same goes with sneaking in a few treats here and there. So up went the weight. I lost 30 lbs. on homeopathic hcg from may-july 2011 & beginning in august....proceeded to pack on 40 lbs. thanks to holiday chocolate! But many say since the Vii. affects stomach acids/intestinal whatever? that the lbs. tend to accumulate in the tummy region. But I do think Viibryd does miracles with mood, because off of it I want to pack my bags and get the hell out of the State I live in (not really from here) & with Vii, I am CONTENT. And for those who need help with depression, contentness is much like inner peace. But man alive, don't mess with the dosage or the brain zaps & 'SP' rear it's ugly head. I'll be keeping you all posted. I did have a few episodes last nite, short ones, and I 'thought' my husband was moving me, because I 'thought' I was yelling out for HELP, but wasn't. It's just the screaming in my own head, vividly making it sound like I am hearing something, and the whole body sensations. I was hours late in taking my Vii. I know, I should know better, but for other relationship issues, I tried to just go to bed because I was pretty upset. I got up at 5:45am, took 2 (.25) xanax & vii. & slept fine. And YES....holding a dog helps! I am going to try that tonite. I think I posted about that before...that a few weeks ago after a bad episode, my husband put our dog in my arms. I instantly felt fine & the in and out SP attacks stopped coming. :)

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24

Googling that now. With SP can one stop breathing? This is fascinating to me. I just always thought it was some way the angels are trying to take me, after surviving cancer. I then began to worry a few mos. ago that taking Ambien (even 5 mg) was dangerous. There are probably not enough studies done to show that it's safe to take Vii, Ambien, 1 (.25) xanax (at the same time or hours earlier) & then Wellbutrin earlier in the day. I only started to take Vii at night, because I noticed the 'feeling' dozy 20 min. after taking. So what I do to combat my insomnia now, so I don't take Ambien is I will quickly get up to bed & try not to talk, if my husband is still up. I am frequently still up until 3am and up at 7:20am. Trying to force myself to get to bed before 12:30am, but it's tough. I like my quiet time at night, but need at least 6.5 hrs. of sleep. So sorry you've had the suffocating feeling too. Weird. Shaking head. Almost afraid to tell my Dr.

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25

Doctors know about sleep paralysis....I told my doctor, not in detail....that I have had it forever and that I have read that Vii caused it...She said really, she didn't know it and wrote it down...lol..

I know how awful it is and scarey...don't really like to talk about it cause it scares me to death!!! For years I thought the devil was talking to me....glad to know what it is now!!! Good luck!!!

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26

I was wondering what that was called. I have been having these episodes since being on the 40mg of Viibryd. I will lay down to go to sleep and feel pressure in my head and see a flash of light and hear a pop sound. The other night, when I had the episode, I felt like I couldn't move my body and had to force myself to move my arm and say something out loud. Scary. I really want to wean off of this horrible medicine. I hope that you are doing better.

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27

Oh yes, the wonderful POP feeling in our heads from Viibryd. I seemed to have that only after trying to wean for the 2nd time. But it was off an on again & happened when I was due for the med. and sleepy. Like I said before, I had multiple PoP feelings and then once it felt like my kids threw a softball at my forehead, but of course it was just an awful pop sensation. So after all that, I said enough, & went back to 40 mg. for several mos. I was also having sleep paralysis & episodes of feeling frozen in my chair...tired at night, but my brain wasn't able to scream loud enough to my body to be able to just get out of the chair & take the Viibryd. I noticed that switching my dose to bedtime was a curse, but also eventually became a blessing. Because I was having all the bad side effects at 40 mg. on & off again, but I did start to feel more in control of this nasty drug. Yes, the sideways to the left sude of my head static wave feeling stopped, so that has been a blessing, but I've also been successfully able to wean down to 20 mg. at night. And the reason why 'I' recommend night, is because then I don't deal with any discontinuation symptoms at night. It seems that with SSRI's & sleep, there is usually a conflict. Hallucinations, etc. But with Viibryd & having such a short half life (not even long enough to keep a gnat 'feeling content' during their 1 day?! life cycle) I don't take any more chances. The drug is f'ed up & people need to start writing to the FDA. There are too many people out there today gnawing other people's flesh to assume that it's bath salts. Perhaps they are on Viibryd? (along with illegal drugs)!!! Debating on if I want to switch to 20 mg. or go off completely. Worried side effects will come back if off completely. Talk about a drug that keeps everyone hooked!

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28

I'm so relieved to read your post I could cry. I had dealt with this for the past 4 months and just finally had to stop taking the viibryd or I was going to end up in a loony bin. You described the SP so well as its so hard to put it into words. I felt like everyone I told including my doctor thought I was nuts. Thank you and I hope you are doing well'

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29

Thank you so much for your kind words and so glad I helped ease your mind. I somehow successfully have weaned down to 20 mg. I just break the 40 in half. But a few nights ago, I so much as took tiny bit smaller half of the pill (maybe 15 mg!?) and while in my almost there sleep state, I felt the heavy wave of terror of sleep paralysis & mind control of some evil!? creature trapping me in my head/neck/shoulders. Arms constricted, my anger over the situation (there is no peaceful way to break out of it--it just takes time...and like 20 mini attacks of SP in 30-60 min?!) I began to hollar out internally, but it should have been externally...and am sure I do mutter some sounds as I can feel my husband shift in bed, but helpless, he isn't aware of the horrific cycle of nerve wracking horror that my body is enduring. But again, unlike nightmares, when it's over, I am relieved and sleep. F'ing Viiibryd. I haven't taken my 5 mg. of Ambien in a few nights, but since other's are having SP & not taking Ambien, it's probably in my best interest to take it. Goodnite! Sleep well everyone! :) PS--my dr. is fully aware of what i've been going thru...and he had his own personal blog about this med! I'll be seeing him soon.

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30

I never have had such a horrible night. I did not even know about SP until now. I Googled "Hallucinations - Viibryd" and came upon your thread. I cannot explain the horrific feeling of not being able to move or wake up while feeling molested over and over again. Each time I would go back to sleep, it was like the nightmare continued and i would return to some new situation where this creature would molest me and i could not move or cry out even though I was aware I was trying to wake up but could not. It feels like drowning but you are not underwater. I have been taking 40 mg Viibryd in the morning w/ food for the past 3 mos. w/ only the side effects of some nausea and diareha in the first weeks. I noticed some nausea returned the last few days.

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31

Unbelievable!!! How is this happening!? One story after another here. And with your story, I do remember during one of the 1st SP attacks after being on 40 mg. for 5? mos. I too felt like I was raped. I've joked around before about Viibryd having some sort of Viagra component. 'That' only lasted the initial 30 days on the med. though. But there is something really 'off' w/ this medication that it is affecting our brains enough to put us into a trance & then into a horrific sensory overload. The more stories I read here, the more concerned I get. What if there is long term damage? I am still very new to anti-depressant med. I was put on Zoloft 4 yrs. ago. I never had major issues. Then I tried Prozac for a few weeks & was too sleepy. I am so thankful that I haven't had the brain explosion sensations or dizziness while only taking 20 mg. But yesterday & today I felt my jaw do a weird twisty turn motion that hurt! And my jaw still hurts. Different subject, but w/ side effects, I think I was clenching my jaw on Viibryd & didn't realize it. I began having tooth pain, saw the dentist, he noted it was from clenching my jaw. A few of my teeth have ridges that developed within the past year, which is damage from clenching! My recommendation to everyone is to start weaning really slowly off this medication. And avoid Effexor, because I guess it's similar? (per neurologist). My neurologist did say I could take up to 4 (.25) Xanax while weaning off Viibryd, but the most I've taken is 2. I hate that I need medication. :( My ADD is worse since going down to 150 mg. of Wellbutrin. Feeling so unfocused lately. So back to SP. At what point do we speak up & let Forest Lab. know our SP symptoms?

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32

Tim,

Did you read the article I posted in the beginning of this thread? It kindof helps understand SP. I was really glad to find it!!

I don't know how long yall have been on this med. It has done such awesome things for me that my whole life has changed.

Now....since I did have the SP before Vii, I knew about it, but the Vii definately made it worse.....but after a few months it dwindled down. And I still keep my hand on or close to my dog....lol...It really does help!!

Hope all of you get to feeling better....maybe after a while it will go away...Kind of doubt it since it does seem to be a side effect, but if the med is doing good for you other than that, hopefully after being on it a while, it will slow down.....Xanax works for me...

ls

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33

Hello everyone.. I just wanted to post my experience with SP and Viibryd in hopes that it may help others. I have experienced SP before, once in a GREAT while (maybe a few times per year) but since starting Viibryd I have had SP occurances increase dramatically. I started Vii about 4 months ago with no problems except increased depression at night. About 2 weeks ago, nightmares and night terrors began which eventually turned into Sleep Paralysis. Since then, every night it seems the SP gets worse. With the exception of a couple of nights, I have had SP every night up to 10 or so times a night as I am trying to fall asleep. I would say the episodes are spread over about 2 or so hours as I am going to sleep. I read that anti-depressants are a very successful treatment option for those who suffer from recurrant sleep paralysis. This had me confused. Wasn't Viibryd ALREADY an SSRI? Puzzled, I did some research. Seeing as Viibryd is still very new, and it also acts as a medication such as BuSpar, maybe it's different then the rest of the SSRIs. After all, I've been on just about every other kind of SSRI for depression/anxiety and I have never had this happen before. I decided to switch to a different SSRI. I asked my doctor and he switched me back to Citalopram (Celexa). I know that anti-depressants can drastically reduce or even eliminate SP because I read this on several different articles. I took 20mg of Celexa at 8pm last night instead of my Viibryd and guess what? NO SP. I woke up so happy I could cry. I literally hugged my bed and said "I love you again!" I really hope that the SP reduces or completely stops now. I am starting to get more confident that Viibryd is to blame for my recent SP problem. It was so awful.. terrifying.. exhausting.. DEPRESSING. Please, it's worth a try to ask your doc to switch you to Celexa or Prozac, since especially Prozac is specifically mentioned to treat cataplexy and sleep paralysis. Good luck, guys! If you like, you can email me.

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34

I hate hearing all of your stories because I know exactly what you're going through! This medicine turned my life upside down and I'm soo glad that I decided to wean myself off of it! I've been sleeping like a baby since getting off of vii! Also, I had started losing tons of hair on this med and finally that has stopped. I definitely would never recommend this med to anyone!

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35

I thought I was out of the woods from SP. Last night I took my (approx. 15 mg) Vii much later than I normally would, I also took a generic Zyrtec for my recurrent head to toe itching/allergies!?, & because it was so late, I didn't want to take my frequent dose of 'almost' 5 mg. of Ambien & instead took a .25 Xanax to help calm my immune system faster, because the itching/allergy problem was revving histamines thru-out my body. I was laying in bed feeling wide eyed for quite a while. Then, obviously on my empty stomach, the Vii began working. Sometimes I can just feel it. It's almost like my blood feels a little carbonated for a few seconds. Hard to explain. Maybe it comes from more of a stomach feeling. I can't put my finger on it. (I will share though that since I cut back to the 20 mg. or less of Vii, my stomach isn't as bloated anymore, but the constipation issues did come back--Vii used to act as a nice 'regulator' for me, but I did gain 30+ lbs. on Vii!) So about the time I was feeling dozy, I also started to feel like my body was turning into cement & began to panic even before I knew it was SP, that I was dying! Now I don't know how much this has to do with my being aware that my cancer, while in remission, might come back & that's how I might spend my final days, but the hardened feeling of my body & feeling like I couldn't breathe, became very upsetting for me. I was in a downward spiral that I couldn't get myself out of. For every min. of going in and out of 'now', what I was realizing as a form of SP (exaccerbated by the Zyrtec & Xanax combo---guys, don't do this....as they both cause sleepiness) it just kept on feeling worse and worse. I was hanging onto a thread for my life, just enough to stay mentally awake, but not alert, awake enough to try to keep my respirations normal (they probably were, but Vii induced SP was playing tricks with my mind) & when I finally could, I began grabbing, pinching, scratching, yelling out.....for my husband to "HELP ME........HELP ME.......HELP ME" over and over again. He said he did feel me squeeze his arms & speak out & that he did try to gently wake me. But it wasn't enough for me. I was still a prisoner of SP, while I could feel him stroking my back. If this happens again, I am going to force him to get me out of bed and stick me in a warm shower (even cold would be more delightful that SP) in order to truly break the SP cycle. How our mind & body breaks thru that cycle of sleep & then we are able to sleep, one will never know. How do we avoid SP? What are the tricks? Because from everything I've understood about SP is that it occurs more during REM sleep...a deeper sleep. So does SP happen to everyone immediately with sleep? I do not know how to 'sleep' tonight. I feel like I don't have much of a choice & I'll be waiting until Mon. am to take the 'new' 10 mg. of Vii. Because I am in the final stretch of weaning. Praying the SP stays away tonight & that the left side of my head vibrations & brain PoPs/explosions stay away! I'll keep you posted! I also see my Vii prescribing Dr. Mon. I'll let you know what he has to say about other's Vii side effects! MY WARNING TO ALL IS THAT IT'S A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS DRUG IS TAKEN OFF OF THE MARKET & I WOULD AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS! I personally am not one that has issues with side effects from meds. Vii has hit me like a ton of bricks w/ the SP. But of course, during the day, I wouldn't know that I am on an anti-depressant. That's why people like it. But it seemed to only work the first couple of months. I had felt a great surge of energy & my libido was fine. Then it was a slow onset of weight gain & just feeling like I wasn't on an anti-depressant. All it did for me was make me feel CONTENT. Which is good, but I NEVER FELT HAPPY. I only felt some surges of happiness when cutting down to 20 mg. Once the horrible side effects went away (on my 3rd attempt at weaning) other than the SP. It baffles me that the head explosion feelings would go away. And it worries me too. Did certain parts of my brain fizzle out from the med? Is my brain forever damaged to how I react to positive stimuli? Will I feel blah forever? I am not one to feel blah, but admittedly, I do. I do wake up depressed every morning. Even my 300 mg. of Wellbutrin that in the early months used to make me want to wake up and sing a tune (lol) went away. So within the past week, I had went to 150 mg. of WB. I am convinced that I need a huge break from all meds. I keep a close eye on my irritability issues (mainly from PMS), which Vii did seem to CURE completely & just take the horribly addictive Xanax to help me relax. I am ADD & have OCD tendancies. If my OCD 'fears' start revving up to the point that I can't focus & feel awful several times a day, then I will need to be on some sort of SSRI. Any suggestions? I had someone recommend Klonopin? to me recently, but the side effects sound awful. I feel I only suffer from social anxiety in highly stimulating environments. When there is too much going on to focus. I literally will have a hard time HEARING people or FOCUSING on what I need to be focusing on. Just writing this makes me laugh. Many years ago I tried Ritalin for a few days & wasn't prepared for the side effects. Interestingly enough, the makers of Wellbutrin have had to eat a huge lawsuit because WB was advertised to help with weight loss, libido, cravings, & focus. Well guess what....it does. For me anyway! WB is my Ritalin! On that note....again, I'll keep you posted on 'everything!' Please do the same! Together we can all successfully wean from Vii!

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36

I should add that yes, cuddling with my dog while going to sleep DID keep SP away a few mos. ago. The problem is though, that one never knows when it's a SP night. And my dog doesn't always want to sleep next to me while I hold HIM down (lol) just so I can avoid my SP. Woof.

Also, don't look up IMAGES of Sleep Paralysis on google, because that's probably how the 'creature' that I somewhat saw/envisioned came to mind to begin with. You just don't want to see that. It's like scary movies. They can haunt you for years if for not a lifetime. My husband and I still joke about the movie Event Horizon. We hadn't even met when that movie was released & we both have stories of being freaked out. There's another movie that was released in about 2000 about a serial killer & his altar ego? creature self....he's tall....standing on a stage?....and then the horses...& images of them being spliced like MRI images. WTF. LOL I do not watch scary movies or commercials, if I can help it. Gosh, I am such a wimp. :P But then again, it just feels like maturity....or age!

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37

I said this earlier, but I highly reccommend to you that you switch from Viibryd to another SSRI. I've had 2 straight nights without SP since switching to Celexa. I went from 20mg of Vii to 20mg of Celexa and I think it's getting rid of the SP. Good luck, guys.

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38

I didn't read all of the posts above but I wanted to share my experience. I have been on antidepressants of one type or another for over 20 years. Vibryyd messed me up! Hallucinations, sleep paralysis, roaring in my ears while falling asleep all led me to start feeling like I was going crazy. I had such a tough time getting onto the med (got really sick) that I was scared that getting off it would be worse. I was on it for 6 months. The first month or two I felt really positive effects on my depression but after that- it was terrible. Something is messed up with this drug. It was terrifying! Good luck!

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39

YES! ROARING in my ears! I wasn't sure on how to describe that. How strange is it that someone else has experienced this too!? I never felt like I was going crazy, because I knew it was all from Vii. The roaring sound hit me several weeks ago just before the SP was kicking in. It's like this intense feeling in your ears, maybe like what one would feel if being sucked down a swimming pool drain. Uncomfortable and sudden, over and over again and MADE my FACE flinch! The more I thought about it, after it first started, the more would roar into my ears, deafening me for a moment. It began to happen another time after that recently, but I did my best to make it go away. I feel like one can never tell which side effects will hit (or timing), but maybe having white noise or music on all night would help? WTH is wrong with this med? I did see my Dr. last week & he was perplexed about my complaints about Vii. I guess until you experience the awful side effects, it's tough to relate to. He did suggest I take Prozac to nip Vii's side effects in the bud. So after a week + of taking about 15-20 mg. of Vii, I successfully switched to 20 mg. of Prozac for the past 3 days. But then I was starting to feel numb from the Prozac & so I didn't take the Prozac today. Confident that I'll sleep well tonight. Praying so!

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40

I just started week 4 of this drug. Week 1 was horrible, week 2 I felt numb. Week 3 I felt great. Last night, first day of week 4? I feel horrible. I can't sleep, but I don't feel energized. I feel exhausted. I experienced a night terror last night which was pretty bad as I was already having trouble sleeping. This made me want to stay awake.

I was having a nightmare that someone was trying to break in. My room suddenly looked huge, the window had a silhouette of someone trying to break down the window with a chain saw. I was paralyzed, and I was crying for help. Somehow I managed to break free from it but I was terrified to fall back asleep.

Going to see the doc. soon. This cannot me good for me.

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