I have been taking Viibryd for six month and I have experienced weight gaine despite Viibryd claims that it does not cause weight gain. I am currently being monitored monthly by my doctor. I go for monthly weight and blood pressure check ups. My doctor can verify that since starting Viibryd I have gained 20 pounds. I am currently prepping for an upcoming surgery. I have cut many foods and drinks out of my diet. I currently drink only water and green tea. I excerise daily. There is no reason for this weight gain. Viibryd is the only medication that I am currently taking and as I mentioned, it can be proven that my weight has increased significantly since starting Viibryd. I am 40 years old and my weight had been stable prior to starting Viibryd. I have also been experiencing very vivid dreams and nightmares since starting Viibryd. As a result, I am constantly fatigued and feel unrested. And, unfortunately, I am one of the rare few who have experience sexual side effects on this drug. I am also noticing an increase in restless leg syndrome since starting Viibryd. On the positive side, Viibryd is working for me. My doctor prescribed Viibryd to treat my depression, anxiety, and anger. My doctor and I are continuing to monitor these side effects and I will definitely change medications if these side effects continue or worsten. Does anyone have any comments to share?
Viibryd side effects?
Question posted by mommyof4inny on 27 June 2012
Last updated on 10 September 2021 by pmcrenshaw
39 Answers
I have been on several SSRI's and SNRI's over the years. I recently had a genetic test ( Genesight) done to see which antidepressants will work best for me after issues with Effexor ( to many side effects to name) and other medications losing their effectiveness over time. I tried Pristiq which worked literally in less than 24 hours, and I had little appetite so I actually lost weight. I liked it at first, but my anxiety went through the roof! I was having panic attacks on 40 mg as (20 mg wasn't helpful for my depression). I looked at the next most compatible medication for me on the genetic test list which was Viibryd, which is also used off label for general anxiety disorder. I currently feel great at 20 mg, but I have been eating out of control. Interestingly, I was given sample starter packets from my PCP, and found if I take 2 10 mg tablets instead of 1 20 mg tablet my appetite is not as bad.
Maybe it has to do with absorption rate? I can not find info on if it is okay to cut pills, but I will try this when I run out of the 10 mg sample tabs. As far as insomnia goes, I have had issues with sleeping since my mid forties. I was given hydroxyzine from my PCP when I was having panic attacks while on the Pristiq, so I use 10 mg at bedtime. I do have vivid dreams, maybe it is the Viibryd or maybe the hydroxyzine I'm not sure. Hope this information helps.
This drug has been a nightmare.. I have a connective tissue disorder and my pain has NEVER been this bad. It has woken me up out of a dead sleep.. it hurt to comb my hair.. I have only been on it a few days. So I am stopping it immediately. There are definitely other things that need to be studied with the drug because wow!! I hurt and I can’t sleep.. completely defeats the purpose.
Been on 40mg for 5 months now. Forgot a dose once before with no brain zaps but did have very unusual dreams. Very odd more like short story nightmares..jumping from one nightmare to another. I did quickly realize that it was tied to a missed dosed so I continued taking the medication fearing I would have the same nightmares. Tonight I missed a dose and experienced the brain zaps for the very first time. I've been fighting off dosing off as that's when it hits..voices in the distance. My fathers voice, sisters, a friends voice and even a strangers voice whispering to me as I'm getting pulled into this deep sleep while getting the humming and strong zapping sensation but yet having the strong will to fight it. In the meantime while I'm getting pulled in I do see random rooms in my dream. Very odd and hard for me to explain..The only thing I can do right now is stay awake until morning breaks..
This has only happened to me tonight as of yet but I will not be taking another one of these pills again..I know my best bet is to ween myself off but I just can take another pill knowing that this is frightening side effect of withdrawal. Best of luck and I hope your experience turned out much better than mine did. Take care.
I just came across this looking for info on viibryd! I am having the exact same issues! Only 2 months of taking it & I'm having rapid weight gain, restless leg, reduced sexual desire & the dreams! Oh my goodness, they are horrible! I sobbed all night long once while sleeping. That is why I stopped it today. It was so great at first, I wish they could find a way to cut down on the side affects!
Dear Gray,
After 2 mos on this medication I am sure your side effects were likely to subside very soon. It's a shame that you have given up on it. If you've truly chosen to not take it any longer, you MUST taper down under a Dr's supervision. Please do not try to discontinue it on your own. You may cause yourself to have serious, protracted complications. Good Luck.
I saw my dr before stopping, she said to skip the pill yesterday, take one today, skip one tomorrow, then start my lexapro. I'm not so sure that's considered "weaning" off it!
I had been on 20mg of Viibryd for about a year, but started feeling like it wasn't working as well. My doc upped my dosage to 40mg. About 3 months ago I had my first brain "zap", followed by a night terror. I would feel like I was being forced into sleep; as if I had no control of my body. This happened 2 more times before I finally realized they were related. I've had a total of 9 incidents, as well as about a 20 pound weight gain. I've been the same weight almost my entire life, even after going through chemo 3 years ago. After finding this forum, I feel like the light bulb finally came on! It was such a relief to find out I was not crazy. My husband thought I was imagining things, or that I should stop drinking alcohol before bed. (One wine cooler at 6:00 does not cause a night terror!) I am waiting for a call back from my doctor to try a new medication. It is not fun being afraid to go to sleep at night.
Thanks for sharing. I am starting tomorrow hoping for the best. I don't need extra weight either. I am happy to hear that it is working for you.
After reading all of your comments about the side effects, I will suffer with the depression and find another way out of it without adding more problems. Thank all of you for your posts. It really helped me to avoid this drug
Hi, just have described all my side effects since I started taking viibryd. I also have joint pain al over my body still and have stopped medication 2 months ago. I went from 117 lbs to 145 in 6 months. Terrible drug it should be taken off the market.
Hello ec,
I'm sorry I did not see your comment until now. There is no doubt that starting a new job you must be 100% but you also can't quit Viibryd cold turkey. You'll have to have help from your Dr to titrate down and it still may be rough.
I am shocked that you were never given guidance to take your dose at different times. I always take mine AM, with food, not just milk. The nausea dissipated. Taking it in the AM definitely addresses the sleep paralysis. I had to become an expert on that. Lol
Since it has helped your depression I hate to see you give it up. I'm not a med professional but Viibryd has been life changing for me. I think it's first a matter of getting the annoying side effects under control so one can function.
Please feel free to PM me if I can help further. I am in Europe at the moment, 9 hrs ahead of US.
Best Regards,
4N Substances aka Frenchie
I have been taking 20 mg of Viibryd for 6 months and have experienced several side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, anxiety, headaches, joint pain, restlessness, fatigue, dizziness and nightmares. I have also gained about 5 lbs. The side effects are horrible and I am considering taking myself off of this drug. My Dr. prescribed some nausea medicine and it has helped, but there is nothing I can do about the other issues. I was taking it at bedtime, which is very late since I also have trouble getting to sleep, but I did read on here to take in the morning with a meal and that may help avoid the nightmares. I do feel that the drug worked for my depression which is why I have been suffering through everything and have remained on it. It is just so debilitating to your physical well being. I've been on other drugs such as Lexapro, Wellbutrin,etc. and they all seem to help with depression, but not this many side affects.
My Dr. really pushed the Viibryd so that's how I ended up on it. Today I have been sick to my stomach all day, and no matter what I tried to eat, I still felt sick as well as hungry. In addition, I had my worst nightmare to date where I couldn't even call out and felt like I was completely paralyzed. I have reached the end of this drug for me, it's way too harsh. I'm starting a new job soon after being unemployed for a while, so I need to be focused and feel well. If this drug works for you and without a lot of side effects, I would stay on it. If not, talk to your Dr. about another alternative. Good luck to all!
I'm so happy to have stumbled upon this forum. I have been on Viibryd for almost nine months. The drug has been phenomenal in terms of treating my depression, but the side effects are brutal. I have experienced weight gain, brain zaps, nightmares, gastrointestinal issues, and joint pain. I knew the drug was causing the weight gain, brain zaps, and nightmares, but it wasn't until I was referred to a GI doctor for possible GERD symptoms that the connection was made with the Viibryd. That happened today after I had an EGD and the doctor asked me about the medications I was taking. Everything came together for me, and I started doing more research on Viibryd. I also have a mixed connective tissue disease, which was diagnosed 11 years ago. For me, it means horrible joint pain. Around Christmas, my regular pain doubled, and my rheumatologist put me on Mobic to counteract what was happening.
The Mobic, pain killers, and muscle relaxers can't make a dent in my pain level. To sum it up, I haven't slept well for 3-4 months, I've gained 15 pounds, I've developed severe GI issues, and my connective tissue pain is through the roof. It's like I had a lightbulb moment tonight... the Viibryd is making me sicker. I am going to see my GP later this week to discuss a plan to quit taking the drug. I admit I am very nervous about weaning off the medication because I have horrible brain zaps when I am even 30 minutes off of my regular dose time. I am curious how others have managed the withdrawal symptoms. Anyone?
I went off of it back in December because of the side effects and had very little withdrawal problems. I think the most I noticed was some shakiness but that's about it. I weaned from 40 to 30 to 20 then to 10. Each a week at a time. I'm doing the same right now since I had gone back on it and the side effects just got worse with no depression help this time around. I'm currently at 20mg and will be at 10mg next Tuesday for a week then I'll be on a new med. Good luck to you and let us know if you have any withdrawal I'll check in with the same. Feel free to add me on here. doyou know what you are going to try next?
I'm on a 20 mg dose right and will start cutting it to 10 mg with tonight's dose. I'm not really sure what to try next. I've been on many... Cymbalta, Lexapro, Wellbutrin, Prozac... I'm hoping my doctor can come up with a solid plan. I'll keep you posted on the withdrawal symptoms!
Good luck to you! I've been on almost all going to try Zoloft again at a higher dose.
You need to take it with a meal. I take it with dinner and get no dreams but if I forget and take it too late then I get the dreams.
I do take it with a meal it doesn't help. I've been on this med since November of 2011 so I've been on it the longest. I only took two months off of it so I know all the tricks but they no longer work.
I am completely done with Viibryd. I started it back in November of 2011 and it worked great for my depression when nothing else did but the side effects (weight gain, bloating, diarrhea, nightmares, brain zaps and sleep paralysis, heart skipping a beat,\) were bad. My dr had me take it at 30mg which helped with some side effects but still had a lot of them. In December of 2012 I decided to get off the med to try something that didn't have as many horrible side effects. I only tried the new med for two weeks (I was expecting miracles) and decided to go back on Viibryd since it worked. I was on Viibryd again for over a month now and even went back to the 30mg to keep side effects at bay. For some reason Viibryd isn't helping my depression at all this time around. The side effects have been bad and most of all the sleep paralysis. I'm done with it. It's not helping me now and the side effects are way too bad.
The worst is the sleep paralysis which is beyond scary and no one should have to deal with that. Talked to my dr today and I'm tapering off. I wish I could just get off of it now. I don't understand why it worked before and not now but it's no longer worth it. The side effects of this med is just plain hell!
I have been taking Viibryd from the sample given to me by my doctor and after a very stressfull day at work I came home realy tired laid down for a rest an wow straight into a night mare I thought I would never get out of it. It frightened me so much but after reading everyonr elses comments on here I don,t feel so bad but I don,t think it is a drug for me.
I have to say I yawn from about 10.o clock in the morning until I go to bed.
1101Texas
I've been reading of people having nightmares while using Viibryd, but so far I haven't had any. I've only been using it for a week now, and I'm going from 10mg to 20 mg to 40mg over the month. My depression is the result of concussions & brain injuries I've suffered in earlier years, and as a result I rarely have any dreams at all. It will be interesting to see what happens as I step up in dosage!
The nightmare happened when I am taking the 40 mg. so please be carefull as I have read so many people on this website have had them. I hope it all works out for you.
1101Texas
Ive been taking viibyrd sample for a little over 2 weeks... ive just began the 40mg and I absolutely hate the way it makes me feel... very restless, restless legs and an uncontrollable appetite... ugh... the 20mg were great... going back to my dr today to get the 20mg prescribed to me... thankful I havent had any of those horrible dreams... yet!!!
My Doctor has now take me off Viibryd and I am still reeling from the effects I am going down in dose just like I built up to the 40 mg down to my last 10 mg tomorrow. I can stop yawning even now. I said I would rather do without than go through that again. She has given my an anxiety pill which I hope will work thank you all for your information.
1101Texas
I just started taking Viibryd yesterday. My doctor gave me the starter pack. She has assured me that this medication actually promotes weight LOSS. I'm horrified at the thought of gaining more weight. Over the last year I was on Effexor XR and gained 20 lbs. I was then switched to Lexapro (which left me numb to the world) and very rapidly gained 25 in approximately 2 1/2 months. I'm miserable about my weight now and am sooo tired of being bounced around on meds. It's waaayyyy too early to form an opinion about Viibryd though. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works without any weight gain!
My advice to you would be to give it a chance. I know a lot of people have had negative experiences with Viibryd, but it has worked wonders for me. And I have lost weight while on it - 25lbs to be exact. That is not to say that Viibryd is somehow a weight loss drug. I have been trying to lose weight using weightwatchers, so that is why I lost weight, but the point is, if Viibryd promoted weight gain in everyone, there is no way I could have lost that much weight, despite weightwatchers. And consider too that I have PCOS, which also makes losing weight difficult. So as I said, I would give it a chance, because if it worked for me, it could work for you too. My one caveat would be to keep an eye on your dose. I said this in a previous post but I started on 40mg and that was not the right dose for me. I did indeed have bad dreams and increased heart rate as others have experienced.
However, my doctor reduced my dose to 20mg, which stopped those negative symptoms without effecting the positive ones. Viibryd has changed my life in so many ways. I now have a job when before I could barely get out of bed, much less go out of the house and be around people. And my job is almost exclusively working with the public, something I could never have imagined being able to do, much less wanting to do. I can't guarantee you will have the same experience as me, but you might, so give it a try - I am keeping my fingers crossed for you.
That is so great to hear! After coming off of Lexapro (horrid experience) I've noticed a significant increase in my desire to be active again. I'm so happy to hear the Viibryd didn't inhibit your weight loss. Congrats on your hard work and dedication to improving your health!! I have much more hope for this new medication now...
How has it worked for you
I am a 27 year old male. I have been on Viibryd 40mg for close to a year now.
I have not gained any weight at all and since I feel better I exercise more and thus have lost weight. I take mine at bedtime and feel like a million bucks when I wake up. I have not experienced any bad dreams, restless legs, or sexual changes either. It has been very pleasant other than some flashes of mild dizziness from time to time (that may not even be related). I recommend it for anyone battling depression.
Related topics
depression, weight loss (obesity/overweight), side effect, weight, blood disorders, doctor, viibryd, blood pressure
Further information
- Viibryd uses and safety info
- Viibryd prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Viibryd (detailed)
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