Viibryd - Nightmares/Night Terrors?

Generally I don’t have bad dreams, perhaps the occasional anxiety dream, but that is about it. Consequently when these Viibryd nightmares started I thought something was wrong with me mentally. I didn’t realize for a week that they had started soon after starting this medication. These were horrifying dreams, the kind where you feel like you are awake but your whole body is paralyzed. Having already been the victim of one stroke, you can only image the terror this induced. In my opinion this stuff shouldn’t even be on the market.

I’ve been on Viibryd on two different occasions, this time for a little over a year. The first time I was on it I experienced brain zaps, but had so many other medical issues that I never connected the dots. This time, early on, I was frequently losing sleep due to brain zaps and the freakiest lucid dreams. After a couple of months I realized that it was because I wasn’t making a
point of taking it at the same time every night — I had to learn the hard way. I take it at night and have to take it at the same time (or 3 hours before I go to bed), if I don’t I have TERRIBLE brain zaps and night terrors, like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I also missed a dose once due to my pharmacy not filling on time and spent the day waffling between uncontrollable crying and sleep. It was insane to see how quickly my body started withdrawals. All in all, viibryd has been incredibly effective for me, but it definitely is a finicky medication that has really weird and scary effects if not taken properly.

ALL side effects should be reported to your doctor. It's the only way they have to gauge your progress or lack thereof leaving them unable to monitor you. This is especially critical during the initial stages of treatment as your metabolism adjusts to the medication.
Consult with your doctor for professional advice. There's no need to suffer!!!

I just wanted to say thank you for suggesting taking the medication in the morning. I just started an increased dose and so did the night terrors.

"Psychiatric
Common (1% to 10% of users): Abnormal dreams"
This is usually a side effect for some people when they're first starting the medication.
However, it can also be a symptom of withdrawal which can start as early as an hour two after stopping abruptly or missing a dose.
The trick is not to miss doses but if it persists or is severe you should notify your doctor.
Wildcat

I'm currently having bad dreams and constantly do when I stop taking it (only stop because my doctors and pharmacy can't seem to get a couple of numbers right for my script to be reliable). But it started with my brain going "thoomp", that's when I knew tonight would suck... and sure enough I've been "asleep" for about 3 hours, and it feels joke I haven't gotten a wink. Sorry for typos I'm literally nodding out while typing this but too terrified to go back to sleep. Need to figure something out because I don't think I can do this anymore it's really, really bad

Ugh, I’ve been on this for about two to three weeks and I’m laying here scared to go back to sleep because the last few nights I have started to have the night terrors and paralysis. It only happens when I first fall asleep. It’s so real and I truly can’t tell I’m in a dream, I feel fully conscious and aware. I finally realize I’m dreaming once I get ao
Scared that I wake up. It takes
Me another few minutes to decide if im not still in the dream. The dreams are so terrifying. I don’t wanna fall back asleep but I’ve noticed the last two nights when I wake up from them I will put on some sleep music and that helps me to fall back asleep without another terror. I am going to try another posters suggestion and take it in the AM with food (non sugary) wish me luck.

To End Night Terrors on Viibryd:
1. You MUST take the medication at the BEGINNING of your day. MUST.
2. You MUST take medication with FOOD. MUST.
3. You should not take with sugary food such as donuts, sugared syrup.
That's it. I think these are advised in the Rx literature, but I found by experience that these steps will work. I've been using this for 15 years.

Yessss. I have demonic dreams that make me feel like I am having sleep paralysis and I’m screaming for my husband to come and help me and he can’t because at the end of the day I am not really awake. I feel like I’m paralyzed. I have woke up and I can see the whole room is red. I’m not religious and this has really made me think that I need to think about that again. So I’ve seen articles to switch taking your medicine in the morning and you won’t have these kind of side effects

Hi, I was on Viibryd for about a year and on quite a high dose. I always took it at night but every time I’d go to sleep, especially if it was during the day, I’d have extremely vivid nightmares where I was very much so mentally conscious. The first night I didn’t take a dose they were really bad and then after that I never had one again until last night which is why I’m back researching these nightmares. They’re completely unique and I can always tell what kind of nightmare they are once I’m awake but it’s peculiar I’ve had another one even though I’m off the viibryd because I was sure that was the cause. Overall, I still think it’s medication related and that maybe Viibryd isn’t the only medication that causes these symptoms.

I just searched for this group today and I am so happy I have! I have been taking viibryd for almost 10 years, and it is the best med for my symptoms!
Recently, tho, I am experiencing more of the withdrawal effects that I noticed early on when only a few hours past typical dose time. Having been on the med for so long, I recognize the night terrors, itching and "awake but asleep" and fatigue feelings and they seem to linger now. I was taking my med in the night--9PM. Has anyone experienced anything like this? Is it because I am now taking around midnight? (off of work) I get up at same time...
Do not skip dose!

Hi everybody,
I believe a lot of people, including myself have had a lot of depression relief, taking this medication. We also have experienced the night terrors associated with it.
From my experience and others who have posted, it seems that most of us need to figure out what time we're taking it, in order to combat the night terrors. It seems to work with some people, if they take it in the morning, or like myself, I take it a few hours before I go to bed each night.
I seriously, wouldn't wish these terrors on my worse enemy.
I hope this post helps someone who's coming on here, trying to get answers and realising their NOT crazy. Just know, you're not alone and hoping you too can make the adjustments needed to help alleviate these night terrors and you can continue getting the benefits from taking Viibryd.
Best of luck to all!

I am on it and I do have nightmares and vivid dreams sometimes. I’ve been on it a while, but it is really helping my mood disorder and the bipolar depression. I had them almost nightly when I first started taking it but now they are not often anymore. I get a bad dream maybe once every 3 weeks.