Vivactil User Reviews & Ratings

• exi...
• September 26, 2007

For Depression "This drug worked to pull me out of the sort of depression where I had no energy, no interest in doing anything, and was completely paralyzed and unable to make any decisions. It took 5 weeks to bring me a good day, and then I had 7 more bad. Then another good day, and another, etc., and I never went back into the depression. That was 3.5 years ago. It took about six or nine months before I trusted that the depression was not coming back soon. Old is so no longer sampled, but good if needed."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 13, 2023

For Depression "In 1991, my triggered event for deep depression was my grandfather's death. I had been diagnosed with moderate clinical depression in 1990. I had tried 12 different antidepressants once a month with no relief from depression. I checked myself into the mental facility, and my doctor there had me try Vivactil. Within four days, I woke up feeling 100% normal. He told me that Vivactil had an activator effect, unlike other antidepressants. It is now 2023, and I am feeling normal as well. This drug saved my life literally! Some of the side effects I experienced were a dry mouth, which I just drink a lot of water, a small decrease in my sense of smell, and made my eyes a little worse, but I've always worn glasses. I am glad I never gave up on finding relief from the very real and very dark place that depression puts you in. You are paralyzed and can't function. I am a lucky woman, and I'm so grateful that I found it. I recommend it to anyone who needs it, help reach out, don't stop trying, there is relief."

• Scr...
• July 30, 2017

For Depression "This is one of the most underrated drugs for depression. I found it myself, and every time I mention it to a new doctor, they have never heard of it. I am afraid they will someday stop making it, which would be a tragedy. It saved my life-multiple times-when nothing else worked. I'd had every SSRI in the book thrown at me (because, of course, if one doesn't work, surely another of the same type will). No weight gain-actual loss. Pulls me out of suicidal despair within a few hours. I still have a bottle for emergencies. For me, however, as a long-term treatment, it would start making me apathetic-not lethargic, just kind of nonchalant. After 3 days on it, I would want to quit my job. Fast acting, low side effects, mildly energizing."

• Anh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 25, 2024

For Depression "I have been taking Vivactil for six months now. I was left with SSRI-induced apathy, and after cutting off antidepressants from my life four years ago, the anhedonia has never lifted. I finally got fed up earlier this year (2024) and decided to make an appointment with a psychiatrist. He saw my wrap sheet of every medication I have taken and decided to prescribe me Vivactil. He told me doctors rarely prescribe this medication, but he considered me a 'special case.' I gradually worked my way up to 40 mg, and while it did absolutely nothing for my anhedonia, it completely removed anxiety from my life, with the added bonus of curing my headaches. The side effects, while annoying, were completely tolerable. Side effects I endured were: constipation, blurred vision, high resting heart rate, and it would take a bit longer to urinate. I am going to start tapering off the medication because it did not treat what I originally took it for. However, Vivactil is an extremely underrated medication."