Finished first week of 10 mg Viibryd. I have gained two pounds, and am needing to lose weight. Viibryd is not supposed to cause weight gain, and was wondering if anyone else has experienced this. So far, my depression is much better. Any comments are appreciated!
Has anyone experienced weight gain on Viibryd?
Question posted by loridiane on 17 Sep 2011
Last updated on 26 November 2020
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
51 Answers Page 2
cinran
8 Feb 2013
I just saw you posted this over a year ago, but I was put on Viiibryd last summer and was told by my physician that it would not cause weight gain. But I have gained 15 lbs, despite my trying to diet and avoid sugars and bad carbs. i can only blame it on Viibrryd, as none of my other diet and exercise plans have changed.
SCMC
24 Jan 2013
I am SO glad I found this forum.
I have been on Viibryd for five months- slowly increasing from 20mg to 40mg and in this time I have gained 21 pounds! I am constantly hungry and have never needed sweets more than I do now. I am very conscious of my weight so I am appalled at this huge jump, especially since I have maintained my weight for over four years.
I never imagined Viibryd was the cause since my Dr. swore there were zero side effects. I have had my hormones and thyroid levels checked because I know this weight gain is unnatural. I am going to the Dr. on Monday and insisting he change my prescription.
daseniura
31 March 2013
Wow, I can't believe what I'm reading and that I'm not alone or just being paranoid!! My doctor started me on Viibryd about a month ago after I'd been on Lexapro for years and it had stopped working as well. I did the standard step-up dosage pattern with the starter pack... started at 10mg and was up to 40mg by the 3rd week. I should mention that I am anorexic and bulimic and my doctor is well aware of this, and when he told me about this new Viibryd medication I adamantly stated that I CANNOT be on anything that causes weight gain. (I also take 450mg of Wellbutrin XL and have been for several years now.) So he promised me that Viibryd doesn't cause weight gain and I agreed to start taking it. A couple of years ago, I lost a ton of weight (110 pounds) through diet and tons of exercise and managed to stay at about 100-105 pounds for a good 6 months, even AFTER I stopped exercising completely.
Well, suddenly I started gaining weight rapidly about a month ago, and so I freaked out and started going to the gym again and working out hardcore (which I know produces results because that's how I've lost weight and kept it off in the past) and immediately changed my eating habits. Yet I'm still steadily gaining weight at an alarming rate and the only explanation I have for it is that it's the Viibryd. I know it's not normal to exercise hardcore, eat healthy, and STILL gain weight. I now weigh 120 pounds and the number has just steadily climbed up since I started Viibryd. I don't understand this at all. I weigh myself everyday and monitor every single thing I eat. I track my caloric intake religiously and I know exactly how many calories I've burned during my workouts, and nothing can account for this weight gain other than the medication. If anything, I should be LOSING weight since I just went from sitting on my butt all day to an hour of cardio a day, but this is not the case. In the 3 weeks since I started working out hardcore, I've gained 5 pounds (no, it's not from fat converting to muscle). I think Viibryd needs to be tested more and an updated report of side effects needs to be published. No amount of depression in the world is worse than weight gain for me, so it's ironic that an anti-depressant is causing me to want to kill myself due to a side effect that seems to be a lot more common than the pharmaceutical companies would have you believe. I'm going to stop taking the Viibryd as of today and I don't care what my doctor has to say. I'm hoping I'll be able to take off the 10 pounds I've gained in the month since I started Viibryd once I stop taking it. I'll make sure to post an update to this thread once I've tapered myself off to let everyone know if anything changes. I'm just really upset because I was led to believe this medication wouldn't cause any weight issues. I've also had an increased craving for sweets, but I haven't given in to it because I know what sweets do. I'm also incredibly bloated since starting the Viibryd. Has anyone else had similar experiences with weight gain and this medicine and past eating disorders?
atticabob
2 April 2013
I've been taking Viibryd for ~5 weeks now - 3 weeks at 40mg - & have only gained a couple of pounds, probably from a lack of exercise, but this seems to be an exception. Most people seem to be gaining a LOT of weight on this drug. Coupled with the nasty side effects I can see why people are dropping this drug & looking for something else. For me - I've had no real problem with weight gain & my body's slowly adjusting to the side effects - the Viibryd is working great, so I'll be staying on it!
Niatar
7 Jan 2013
I was started on vibrid in September, gradually increasing a dosage of 10mg to 40mg over the course of a couple of weeks. By thank giving I was unable to fit into any of my clothes without having to squeeze in. On weighing myself i had gained 15 pounds. I have a very small frame (5'3") and this weight gain is completely messing with my self-esteem and confidence. I was assured repeatedly by the doctor that it is weight neutral however this amount of weight gain is completely messed up. I workout religiously and never eat sweets etc and in the past have been able to control my weight. I discontinued last month but the weight seems to be stuck on there.
North shore
22 Jan 2013
Thank Goodness I found this link. I'm newly on viibryd and swear I'm gaining a half pound a day! My libido is up, but I'm do grossed out at my belly that it's hard to feel attractive. There's no way I can stay on this. Otherwise, my mood is much better.
ajgreer
30 Dec 2012
Definiately gained weight, instantly. I have gained about 10 pounds, which doesn't sound like a lot, but before Viibryd I had been the exact same weight for 10 years or so. Now I am trying to get the weight back off and more weight, but I am so hungry. I try to drink water and I bought a FitBit to try to track my activity. I need to use Viibryd. It's the only thing that has worked for me. I'd rather be fat than dead, which is the complete opposite of when I am not on Viibryd..rather be dead and thin.
Retiredelfin
15 Dec 2012
Hi. I started taking Viibryd a year ago. I worked up to the 40 mg. with few side effects, mostly indigestion. I was in South Africa for 5 months and did not have enough of a supply to last so I had to go back to 20 mg. until I came back home to the states as they did not have this drug over there. I did gain weight (5 - 7 pounds) but attribute that to less exercise and different foods. Once home I eventually got back to my original weight and back to the 40 mg. As I am older, my metabolism has slowed down a lot and I do need to be careful when I eat and how often. Those are the two clues to weight gain for me. I absolutely loved Viibryd for my depression. The only side effect I have is infrequent nightmares. My psychiatric nurse never heard of this until I shared how common it is after joining this wonderful support group.
My problem right now is that it is not working so hot since I have been on Prednisone 10 mg/day for 3 months and then twice did 40 mg. of Pred for 5 days. Nonetheless it is all trial and error until I get my RA under control, on the right drugs for that. and my doc takes me off the Pred. I am trying to be patient. I know this answer might not help you so much but I did want to share my experience as drugs to effect everyone differently and it is important to weigh out the positives and negatives and give the drug time to work and your body to get used to it. Of course, this is only my opinion. If I started immediately gaining weight I would not be happy.
4N Substances
13 Dec 2012
Yikes! I've been on Viibryd going on four months. Initially I was delighted with the the loss of about 5 lbs. Now my weight seems stable. I have toughed out all the bad side effects and my mood has improved in a remarkable way. I'm staying tuned however-I'd surely be plunged back into depression with a weight gain like many of you described! Best of luck to all of you on this journey.
Wendylb
10 Dec 2012
I have been on vibryd since July and have gained 7 lbs with dieting. At first I had renewed energy but that ended and the depression returned. Trying something else
boudiccalou
6 Dec 2012
My doctor has me on Viibryd right now because I have comorbid anxiety disorder, and I am very much convinced that this drug causes weight gain, dramatically increased appetite, increased junk food cravings, and/or a combination of all three.
I started Viibryd about 3 weeks ago, using the sample pack that has taken me from 10mg, to 20mg, to currently 40mg; and I am taking the Viibryd in conjunction with Venlafaxine (being weaned off of it in order to switch to the Viibryd fully). I am a 28 yr old happily married female, no kids, but I have always struggled with my weight since I was a kid, and obesity runs in my family.
I finally got down to a comfortable weight about a year ago, and I was on Prozac at the time and seemed to keep the weight off without much trouble; but long story short, I have switched meds a couple of times to try to improve my mental condition, and now that I have started the Viibryd, I have put on somewhere between 7-10 lbs, and my stomach constantly looks very bloated.
I had noticed that shortly before I started taking Viibryd, while I was on just Venlafaxine, I did also seem to be getting more hungry than usual--but, I was on the Venlafaxine for months before that without any hunger issues. Now that I am taking the Viibryd, my appetite is relentless. I am CONSTANTLY painfully hungry unless I eat 1700+ calories a day, which is not normal for me--I used to be able to eat 1200 a day while dieting without too much hunger discomfort. The food I eat is filling too, like vegetables, breads, cereal etc., yet it still doesn't seem to work. The constant hunger, and my clothes being tight now, is making me very stressed and uncomfortable, which is counteracting the otherwise decent work the Viibryd has seemed to be doing for me mentally.
In addition to this, since I started the Viibryd, I have been feeling so addicted to junk foods that they may as well be drugs in and of themselves. Over the past year or so, I sometimes have had to take a prescribed benzodiazepene to relieve my stress when it's really bad; but now, even though I still have access to this benzodiazepene, I feel so junk food crazed that I have been turning to sweets INSTEAD of my benzodiazepene to try to make myself feel better. I know that this is bad for my weight and for my health, but I cannot control myself; I feel like I just turn completely animalistic at these times, like a shark in a feeding frenzy. It's horrible, not to mention costly and embarrassing. And I'll admit I have always had a pretty bad sweet tooth, but this is like NOTHING I've ever experienced before.
I am trying to get my doctor to switch me to a different drug by emphasizing how bad these appetite/weight symptoms have been, and I'm not really sure whether he is taking me seriously yet, but we'll see. At the very least I do feel more comfortable reading that other people here have experienced similar side effects, and that it's not just me; but I hope everyone who is going through this is able to find a better drug for their treatment.
Rroliver7
5 Nov 2012
I have gained right at 10lbs in about 6 weeks. I too am having the intense sugar cravings. I'm not a sweets person and never have been, especially candy... Boy has that changed. So strange considering this drug isn't suppose to have this effect!?
ddmcgir1
1 Nov 2012
I have been on 40MG a day for about 2 months now and I have gained 10 pounds. I thought it was all due to menopause. I never had such sugar cravings in my entire life! I'm going to the doctor tomorrow and start the transition off it. I really haven't seen any change in my depression level either so it would be better for me to try something else. I can't wait to get over these sugar craving and hopefully get this weight gain off too! Thanks all for sharing good info here.
Pears009
19 Sep 2012
Hi all! I have been on Viibryd for about 5 months now. I was previously taking Paxil, but never had any bloating or weight gain with that medication. ( which is weird, seeing that from what I've read, Paxil can be the biggest culprit). The main issue I felt with with the Paxil was an extremely low sex drive, ability, etc... Anyways, my doctor switched me to Viibryd and the sex drive issues have cleared up.
I too have experience bloating and an increase in weight, but I'm wondering if this is not so much due to the medication, but the fact that I'm feeling better, weight training again and eating a lot of raw fruits and vegetables... I do really feel bloated all the time.
My question is for those that are having issues with weight gain and bloating, do you notice the bloating and cravings for food/starch/sugar pretty close to after you take your dose of Viibryd??? Have tou noticed a decrease in these side affects, the longer toubtake the medication? I'm trying to rule out diet and other supplements before I ditch the Viibryd. The possitive aspects of the drug might in the end keep me on Viibryd.
nathan.c.pearson@gmail.com
Thanks for your feedback!
Nathan
sweetolive
9 Sep 2012
Officially, Viibryd does not cause weight gain. But, I have been on it for 4 months and have gained 20 lbs. I am always painfully aware of my weight, and any gaining causes intense stress, anxiety, and despair. I do not have an eating disorder or anything (I am 5'3" and perfectly happy at 125 lbs... though now I am 145), but I take pride in my shape and size.
What I found is that Viibryd has made me incredibly hungry. I mean I am STARVING, and I have mad cravings for sweets. This is incredibly unlike me. I will wake up in the middle of the night in serious pain because I am so hungry. I have never in my life had that issue!
I spoke to my prescriber and she scoffed at the idea that Viibryd is to blame because "it DOESN'T cause weight gain." She told me to eat lots of protein, which is harder to digest, and then I won't feel so hungry so soon after eating. So... I am eating all kinds of wonderful protein as well as burning at least 300 calories on the treadmill per day in hopes of controlling my weight problem that she has so easily convinced me is *my own fault*.
... yet still I am starving. I eat my high protein breakfast at about 6:30 am, and by 7:30 am I am starving. But no, I am forcing myself to wait until 9am before I can have that high protein snack. And I starve. And I watch the clock. And I starve. And then I eat my snack, and I force myself to wait until 11:30 before I eat my high protein sandwich, which does not make me feel satisfied at all, but because I am watching my calories I must not eat too much at any one sitting or I will get even fatter.
So I starve some more, and I have another high protein snack at 2, and by the time I get home at 4:15 I am STARVING to death, and I wind up eating a nice filling dinner and then I hate myself for going over my calories for the day.
This sucks.
And I ought to mention that I might as well not be on any medication at this point because the weight issue has caused some serious self-loathing. I won't let my fiance touch me, I can actually feel the fat jiggling when I walk, I can feel the fat bulging in my jeans when I am sitting (so basically every waking moment, I am aware that I am too large), and then the suicidal thoughts kick in again. I am ready to stop taking Viibryd. I would rather not take medication at all and succumb to unchecked PTSD than live with this baggage.
Now, I ought to clarify that Viibryd is awesome as far as curbing the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Prior to me realizing my weight was an issue, I was doing so much better! I wasn't planning my death anymore, I wasn't having horrible responses to stress (like at job interviews), and I had hope! But then I got chubby, clothes stopped fitting, I no longer recognized myself in the mirror, and now I have new reasons to want to escape my reality. The weight gain has rendered Viibryd's positive effects completely moot.
I am very grateful another poster to this thread said that 2-3% of people taking Viibryd have this problem. I will be discussing all that I've found with my prescriber. I just hope the excess pounds come off easily when I switch meds or reduce my dose.
mammac
9 Sep 2012
I cut back from 40mg to 20mg and lost 5lbs in a week. I'm currently breaking my 10mg in half to wean off of Viibryd all together. I had such severe bloating that I had a scope and colonoscopy done because I felt and looked abnormal. And come to find out, it was all because of the viibryd. I hope you find a different medicine that works for you.
sweetolive
9 Sep 2012
Wow, thanks. Yours is the second post I've seen saying that the fat comes off quickly when stopping the medication. That does give me some hope. Honestly, up until last night around 11pm I was convinced that I had done this to myself since my prescriber assured me that there is no way Viibryd is to blame. I was sobbing, so my fiance did a quick internet search and we found several boards that vehemently state otherwise.
mammac
9 Sep 2012
I thought the same thing. So I started working out with a trainer, eating healthy, stop drinking sodas... everything you can imagine and nothing worked. I've never had a weight issue except the 3 times I was pregnant. I'm 5'3 and currently 122lbs. So, when the bloating and weight gain happened, I thought something was seriously wrong with me. Viibryd is so new that it irks me when doctors say that it doesn't make you gain weight. It does different things to different people.
sweetolive
9 Sep 2012
You know my pain then! I am 5'3" and look perfectly healthy at 125. Weighing in at 145 (and not being pregnant) is a nightmare for me.
ctgal
23 Aug 2012
I just saw this because I just started taking Viibryd and was curious about headaches, which have now gone away, pretty much. Could have been the adjustment time. Re: weight gain I am not a sweets person (potato chips and salt, generally), yet I, too, am craving sweets. However, I seem to be having a lot of willpower, which I never have, and I can make myself happy with something small. It has also reduced my appetite big time, so if I have ice cream for dinner, no worries as I haven't eaten since my cereal in the a.m. I am also on Wellbutrin, 300 mg. That is supposed to reduce people's appetite, but it never did mine. But maybe the two together are working to do that. I know that if I gained 10 lbs, I would be off the drug as fast as I could. I get more depressed from weight gain than anything.
mammac
18 Aug 2012
I was on viibryd for 2 months and gained 12 lbs. Doesn't sound like much but I'm a small woman to begin with... so every lb shows. When I started taking viibryd, I stopped drinking coffee and cokes all day and switched to water and started working out with a personal trainer. I STILL gained weight. I saw my dr yesterday and I'm now going to taper off of it. Not the right meds for me.
RonMan
10 Aug 2012
I have been on Viibryd since last September. I have lost 45 pounds. I doubt it is because of the Viibryd. I was not depressed, I didn't binge eat and I decided to loose the weight by eating correctly.
I have not had any of the craving others have. The research data has both weight gain and anorexia as side effects. I have been questioned by my docs about my weight loss, but since it is purposeful and I have set goals (I am almost there) they have very few concerns. I am still well inside the normal range for my height.
To those who have gained weight, you have my sympathy. I guess I am just lucky. At least I don't have anorexia, the other side of the coin. Something tells me that would be a different kind of hell.
RonMan
11 Dec 2012
I want to add that I have stabilized at 55 pounds of weight loss since starting on Viibryd. Not all stories are about weight gain.
RonMan
Related topics
depression, weight loss (obesity/overweight), weight, viibryd
Further information
- Viibryd uses and safety info
- Viibryd prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Viibryd (detailed)
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