I took Paxil for 15+ years. When my husband and I decided to try to have a baby I weaned myself off of the Paxil and started Zoloft. The Zoloft did NADA for me and so my doc started me on Viibrid about a month ago. I didn't really look into it (stupid me) so I was taking it at night just like I did with my Paxil. I couldn't figure out why I wasn't sleeping and when I realized it was the Viibrid I skipped my nightly dose to take it the next morning. HUGE MISTAKE. Missing a dose for just TWELVE HOURS sent me completely over the edge. Major brain zaps, dizziness, memory lapse, it was terrifying. I woke up this morning and took the Viibrid with a full breakfast. I've been headachey and nauseous all day. This just isn't going to work. I need to get off of this med and find another (pregnancy safe) med to take.
All of this back story to ask: What's the weaning like for Viibrid? I'm currently taking 20mg a day. Is this going to be a Paxil-like nightmare scenario? Getting off of the Zoloft was a cakewalk, but if missing just 12 hours on Viibrid turns me into a basketcase I have to confess I'm really scared about this. Help?
I have a question I'm on 40 mg of viibryd I missed a dose last night due to pharmacy being closed by 10 minutes, I woke up itching and jittery and my Dr that prescribed it to me is 5 hrs away how do you fully get off with out dr help
Votes: +0
WI
WildcatVet
20 Feb 2018
Hi, Mom! Can you try just calling the doctor's office for professional advice? You're risking discontinuation symptoms and a resurgence of the symptoms it was prescribed for. Doctors will usually provide a tapering down dosage schedule over several weeks to avoid all this.
MO
mom-of-4
20 Feb 2018
They don't seem to care and I can't afford to drive up there leave my family and wait for a different drug to help me
BE
Becki Wills
15 April 2014
I advise really researching Viibryd! If you miss even one dose you face major consequences, very scary. terrible nightmares brain zaps, and brainfog. I wan to get off this as well. I have been on it for 6-8 months and do not notice a big difference UNLESS I MISS A DOSE. Anyone have advise on how long to wean off this med??(40mg daily)
Rebbecca Wills
Votes: +0
KA
kaismama
15 April 2014
Work with your dr and take it as slow as you have to to avoid the symptoms. There is no specific time you should do it in.
MO
mom-of-4
20 Feb 2018
I'm with you help
RA
Rathmullan
20 Feb 2018
Hi Rebecca:
I'm sorry to hear you are having trouble. I've been on Viibryd 40 mg for 4 years now and have found it difficult to wean off this medication. You may find it easier to wean off of it since you've only been on it for 7 months or so. Last year I tried going from 40 to 30 mg and it went okay at first but I started finding myself becoming more and more agitated. I finally went back to 40 mg and that relieved those symptoms. Then I read an article that suggested that weaning off of Viibryd must be done slowly and over a long period of time. So I'm trying to wean off again. I did this my taking only half a pill (20 mg) one day per week for a mean daily dosage of 37.1 mg for two months. Now I'm taking one half a pill two times per week for an average daily dosage of 34.3 mg. So far so good and I will do this for 2 months or maybe longer. Finally, I plan on taking half a dose 3 times per week for an effective average daily dosage of 31.4 mg.
If I can tolerate that then I will have my Doctor change the prescription to 30 mg - which is my target. Eventually, I hope to get down to 20 mg per day by the same slow titration method
Viibryd has a half life of 25 hours. That means that even without taking it for an extra 12 hours it is in your system. Question: are you pregnant now? Because the symptoms that you describe could be pregnancy rather than merely a 12-hour interruption of Viibryd. As previously mentioned, you should discuss this with your doctor. However, with any antidepressant, rather than skipping around, it is good to really stay with any one specific medication for a minimal time of 8-weeks to give it a responsible trial before discarding it as something useful to you. Too many patients say that they cannot take this medication or that medication but when you ask further, they have tried the medication for four weeks or, even, just one week. By reactively discarding possibilities, you narrow down your options and put yourself in a corner. Now that you have switched to the AM dosing, I would give yourself another 8 weeks on the medication if at all possible.
Also, if you are sensitive to any antidepressant, you can go up on the dosing more slowly. You are now at 20 mg? Perhaps, you needed to go on 10 mg, initially, or for a longer introduction. Perhaps, you had problems with going from 10 mg to 20 mg. I am not sure if the medication can be halved but, if so, try 15 mg every day after discussing it with your doctor. If it cannot be halved, perhaps, you can take 20 mg and 10 mg in alternating day fashion.
Votes: +1
AP
apierce914
29 May 2015
Clearly you've never taken this drug. Those symptoms are not related to being pregnant. I've been on Viibryd for a few years and if I miss a dose, I experience everyone of the problems she described. And I assure you, I'm not pregnant.
KA
kaismama
3 March 2014
I doubt you're going to feel like this every morning, its because you extended the time between those two doses. To get off of it you'll have to work with your dr so you can get a smaller dose pill. And then decrease it slowly. Talk to your dr. Wellbutrin might be a possibility for you.
Votes: +1
TR
tracymc
3 March 2014
Thank you so much for the reply, kaismama! Unfortunately, Wellbutrin makes me suicidal. Fun, huh? Sigh. :(
KA
kaismama
3 March 2014
Oh great. Allot of them are category C but if you read about the studies, I wouldn't want to take them if I was planning on pregnancy. I just looked up an old one and its category B, which is an improvement over C, its Ludiomil.
