Vilazodone and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 20, 2012

Vilazodone for Depression "I've been taking this medication now for 3 months, and I've noticed my depression is a lot better. I do get down when PMSing (more so than normal). I'd rate it higher if it weren't for the electric shock feeling I get through my body if I don't take it at the same time every day and my lack of a sex drive. I've tried Zoloft (worked for 4 months or so and stopped working for me) and Effexor (I felt constant rage in my chest), so far, the Viibryd is the best of the 3. I also have post-traumatic stress disorder, so now I am looking to see if it's possible to add a medication to the Viibryd for this as it does not help for PTSD. I take Xanax occasionally as needed for anxiety."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 5, 2021

Vilazodone for Depression "I've been on Viibryd for depression, anxiety, and panic attacks for almost 6 weeks (started on 10 mg for 2 weeks, then went up to 20 mg). So far, my experience has been good. Every week, I slowly noticed myself feeling a little better. Now, looking back, I used to have multiple panic attacks a day, and now I have maybe a few a week, tops. My goal is to have less than this, but this is still a big improvement for me! My depression is also not 100%, but it is a lot better. I've tried multiple medications, and this one is the best with the least side effects. The only side effects I noticed were increased anxiety at the beginning, which went away after a few days. I also had insomnia in the beginning, which seems to have gotten a lot better. No weight gain or low sex drive. Life isn't sunshine and rainbows on Viibryd. I still have hard days and I still get anxious, but I feel like the medicine is doing what it is supposed to do! I'll definitely be staying on it and continuing to do therapy and self-care."

• tay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 23, 2012

Vilazodone for Depression "When I first started taking this, I was hoping this would work well for me, as I've read a lot of reviews and heard mostly good things. The first three weeks were good. I was starting to feel that it was starting to work, but after that, things got horrible. I had anxiety and panic attacks all day. So bad that I wouldn't leave my house. It took me a few days to realize that it was Viibryd. These panic attacks were bad. Woke up with them, went to bed having them. I didn't want to stop taking it, so the next day, I took half, 20 mg, and they stopped. My doctor wants me to just stay on the 20 mg, but I didn't think it's doing anything. I'm in my fourth to fifth week. Things almost seem to go back to when I started."

• Jef...
• April 18, 2018

For Depression "I have tried a host of anti-depressants over the last decade with little or no effect. I was given Vilazodone (Viibryd) about 4 months ago and got positive results in the 1st 10 days. I had given up on believing that any medication could help me, but now look at life differently. My issues are mostly still there, but I look at them differently (without a sense of urgency), and for once... truly have some hope, at least. My symptoms were extreme depression, PTSD, obsessive-compulsive, anxiety, and more combined with total isolation. My situation has not changed, although I now have hopes and often the desire to do something about my situation while starting to believe that I can succeed. A couple of my ideas may seem a little grandiose, but I believe they are well-planned ideas that can work, which is yet to be seen, which is correct. Time will tell, but I do not think I could survive going back to the mental state I was lost in for so long."

• tsz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 15, 2018

Vilazodone for Depression "This drug is terrifying. I took it for 2 days and woke up the second day with uncontrollable leg shakes - had to take Xanax immediately and was late to work because I had to wait until the Xanax kicked in. Will never use this drug again - made my anxiety through the roof and was jumping out of my skin. Be careful!"

• Ter...
• July 6, 2017

Vilazodone for Depression "I was on this med for about 2 months. During that time, I started losing my hair and ended up losing quite a bit of it, especially on the frontal part. It did give me more energy, but I also had a hard time keeping my anxiety in check. I don't remember having the customary side effects, and my body seemed to tolerate it quite well. If it hadn't been for the hair loss and anxiety issues, I probably would have stayed on it. I decided to go back on Paxil again a couple of days ago because I really had few problems with that, except for weight gain if I don't watch myself."

• pai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2012

Vilazodone for Depression "10-20 mg start pack: Day 2, I had a random muscle twitch in my upper outside thigh (gone now). In addition to depression, I also normally have anxiety, which I believe the medicine is making worse. My jaws tighten, and I feel as if I have non-stop TMJ. The pain is so sharp in my left jaw that it wakes me up at night. Also, intermittent ringing in my ears. I regularly have to relax/reposition my jaws due to the pain and tightening. I have strange stools-not diarrhea but soft and textured. Insomnia is bad. I can get to sleep quickly but wake up at the slightest sound and have trouble getting back to sleep. Constant dull headache. Just went up to 20 mg and will see what happens. It's day 8, I'm more anxious and still depressed. No improvement."

• Fer...
• October 12, 2017

Vilazodone for Depression "The first week of taking 10 mg of Viibryd, I did okay with the exception of diarrhea; then the anxiety began to wane. I still had 'anger issues,' so the doctor upped the dose to 20 mg a day. That was okay for a couple of weeks until all of a sudden, I have terrible anxiety, very bad nightmares, bruxism (clenching teeth), and bad headaches. I try not to clench my teeth, but I go right back to clenching without realizing it. I dropped the dosage down to 10 mg a day and I'm still not doing well. I'm about to call the doctor and tell him what the side effects are and to choose something else...or nothing at all."

• A p...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "This is an update from a review I left at the end of December under the name DevastatedPenguin. Please check out that review! I am still more miserable than ever! I have not bounced out of the damage Viibryd has done to my life! Who knows if I will. I have had maybe like 10 functional days since. Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and stress haunt me every day. I’ve tried psychotherapy and TMS lately, and I’m not responding to it. My life felt horrible before I tried Viibryd, but after the experience, I’m just afraid I’ll never stand a fighting chance. The next thing on my list is to check my testosterone levels and other hormones. I’ll never recommend this drug to anyone!!!! Be well and good luck."

• A p...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "This is an update from a review I left at the end of December under the name DevastatedPenguin. Please check out that review! I am still more miserable than ever! I have not bounced out of the damage Viibryd has done to my life! Who knows if I will. I have had maybe like 10 functional days since. Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and stress haunt me every day. I’ve tried psychotherapy and TMS lately, and I’m not responding to it. My life felt horrible before I tried Viibryd, but after the experience, I’m just afraid I’ll never stand a fighting chance. The next thing on my list is to check my testosterone levels and other hormones. I’ll never recommend this drug to anyone!!!! Be well and good luck."

• lal...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 29, 2019

For Anxiety "I started vilazodone because of the sexual side effects of SSRIs. I have been on meds for depression for almost 30 years. I recently went on vacation and got sick and had to stop because of the nausea that Viibryd causes me to have daily. I feel calmer and have more insight into my problems instead of catastrophizing everything. I had a really bad spring where I really alienated my daughter with obsessive anxiety. I'm not sure why I took it so long. I guess when you are in the middle of something, you don't see it. I still have anxiety, but I'm calmer. I'm on 150 mgs of Lamictal. I had zero withdrawal, but I would check with Dr. I gained 10 lbs when I went from 10 mgs to 20 mgs."

• Lol...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 14, 2022

For Major Depressive Disorder "I had been on so many antidepressants since a trauma that caused my depression to turn into MDD. My psychiatrist almost deemed me treatment-resistant until she put me on Viibryd. What a lifesaver this has been, including Xanax for severe anxiety. I've been on 20 mg for about a year but am going to ask to increase my dose to 40 mg."

• Ria...
• September 24, 2021

Vilazodone for Depression "I took my first 10 mg dose of Viibryd 7 hours ago with food, and I feel so nauseous. I have diarrhea and a bad headache. I woke from my nap feeling starved with restless legs. I need to eat but am too nauseous. I also feel tight in my chest as if I've taken an Adderall, causing my anxiety to spike, and my jaw feels tight. This is a very powerful medication, and I hope these side effects go away because I do feel more energy, as I've been depressed for years."

• dpa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 28, 2018

Vilazodone for Depression "Taking this drug was the equivalent of being unmedicated. My mood declined, anxiety was up. It's the same thing as the last time I cold turkeyed an SSRI and stayed off for 8 weeks, except I was taking an expensive pill."

• Bam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 25, 2020

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "This is a horrible medication. Within months of taking it, I became agitated and very depressed, and my anxiety level was definitely at the top level. Things didn't get better, the longer I was on it, the worse I felt. I had bad side effects: dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, jerking in my body. I started jerking one day and got dizzy and fell and broke my foot and dislocated my heel. It was a bad break, and it's a side effect from that medication. My life went from okay to bad, so after surgery is when I started putting it all together-the why everything started getting so bad. My health problems were so questionable, I didn't know what was going on with my life until I realized those pills. When I first started taking them, that's when one of my problems first began. I had bad nightmares, just things that seemed so real. I couldn't wait to wake up and dreaded falling asleep."

• JTV...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 15, 2023

For Major Depressive Disorder "Only been on 10 mg for a week. Also on Seroquel (200 mg). I have buspirone but read I shouldn't take that with vilazodone, so haven't taken it. Only side effect so far is diarrhea and increased anxiety. I'm not sure about vilazodone so far. Going to give it another week at least. We'll see."

• Ric...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 30, 2018

For Depression "I've been taking vilazodone for about 15 days. At first, my doctor wanted me to start with 10 mg and head up to 20 mg in about 10 days. I'm very sensitive to medication. No other antidepressants have been effective for me. When I started with the 10 mg, I had some side effects like other antidepressants, mostly anxiety and feeling a little bit worse. So we agreed with my doctor to go down to 5 mg. And see what happens from there on. Well, since I'm so sensitive to medication, the 5 mg is doing very well. I feel very calm with more energy, no anxiety, and very much in control of myself. It does cause a little insomnia, but that's solved with a 0.25 mg clonazepam at night. For me, this is the first antidepressant that has given me such good results. My doctor told me that if I have to stay with the 5 mg dose and it's good enough for me, there is no problem to continue that way. Very nice to read all the experiences, very helpful thanks to all of you."

• Jmj...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2016

For Anxiety "Started this in May 2015, and side effects were life-threatening. F, 5'6" and 117 lbs. I take 75 mg Adderall a day. I started to have severe anxiety attacks, and the doctor gave me 2 packs of Viibryd samples from the medicine room and put me on this devil drug. Background: I have Addison's disease, which is pretty much just your body becoming a drama queen, and fight or flight responses are skewed and amplified. Normal BP was 80/40; 2 weeks in, pulse was 150, BP 200/150. Diarrhea all day, all night! I developed serotonin syndrome from my regular meds and this. I was in cardiac arrest and almost didn't come out. BP still high; normal is 145/100 now, and it's caused so much more with anxiety, so it sucks."

• Anonymous
• August 23, 2021

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "I had been taking Nafazadone for 20 plus years, and it worked great. It was taken off the market, and my doctor switched me to Viibryd. I’ve had so many side effects, including light/sound sensitivity, insomnia, anxiety, loss of sexual interest, and loss of smell. In fact, the only thing I smell is burning diesel. I’ve done 20 mg for almost three months and can’t stand it any longer. Any suggestions would be welcomed."

• Anonymous
• June 7, 2016

Vilazodone for Depression "My wife started taking Viibryd and she got every bad side effect. Violent, angry, mania, and paranoia. That is truly the drug from hell! She would scream at me for hours and then started hitting and slapping me. I had to move out of the house and get an apartment, and we are probably getting divorced. Viibryd ruined my marriage..."

• Vii...
• December 27, 2015

For Major Depressive Disorder "I started on Viibryd after having a DNA test done where I found out other medications aren't effective for me due to the way my brain processes them. The first week was fine with no symptoms and no noticeable changes. When I went up to 20 mg, I had terrible crying spells, couldn't sleep at night, had muscle aches, insane migraines, was exhausted, irritable, and my anxiety worsened. I lowered myself back down to 10 mg, and the symptoms lessened. My doctor told me to take the medication with dinner and a full meal. After reading other reviews, the symptoms may have been so bad since I wasn't taking the medication at the exact same time each day. On 10 mg, I can function but feel as if I'm not on any medication at all. I'll be switching meds ASAP."

• Vip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2025

For Anxiety "I have been using vilazodone for anxiety and chronic depression for two weeks at a dose of 10. I could not continue due to severe insomnia and increased anxiety and fear. I noticed that it is effective for depression, but it is very bad for anxiety. It is useless and may make your condition worse because it is a stimulant drug that gives energy and is intended for depression only. I do not recommend using it under any circumstances for general anxiety."

• Vyb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 20, 2025

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "I switched from Celexa to Viibryd. I felt good on Celexa, but lower motivation and sex drive. Viibryd, I immediately felt a mental difference. Not a good one. I had intrusive thoughts that grew and grew. Even waking up in the night with them. Irritability, anxiety, and depression grew. I felt like I couldn't control my thinking. Constant crying and anger/edginess. I did have more of a sex drive, but my mood ruined that. Viibryd is a SPARI, not an SSRI. I have tapered off and started Celexa again, feeling better already."

• Rai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 12, 2019

"The doctor gave me this to take in small doses, which he says helps for that. I take it, then 15 minutes later I'm in a coma-like sleep. My anxiety is through the roof. I'm making plans for detox, hospital, or worse."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 7, 2021

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "Viibryd worked good for me for several months, but I had stomach aches and diarrhea in the beginning. Then, after several months of taking it, I started getting severe anxiety. I no longer liked this medicine."