Vilazodone and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 5)

• 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!"

• 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."

• 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."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 5, 2023

Vilazodone "I have OCD, and my doctor suggested Viibryd after trying multiple other medications. I took the lowest dose (10 mg) because I tend to have reactions to medicines easily. I was on this medication for about 6 months without it doing much. A month ago, I got the courage to increase to 20 mg, and the side effects were very troubling. After a few days of taking it, I started getting brain zaps when I tried to go to sleep at night. The zaps were very uncomfortable and made me very anxious. The zaps kept me up at night and would actually wake me up out of my sleep sometimes. I also started to have vivid, very distressing dreams that would also wake me up. The brain zaps and dreams happened every night. It was a shame that I was having these side effects because I felt a slight change in my OCD, which no medicine has done in almost 2 years. My doctor said the brain zaps were a very rare occurrence. Take that as you will."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 1, 2025

Vilazodone for Depression "Viibryd was the only antidepressant medication I have tried that did not cause emotional blunting or an increase in anxiety (like Effexor did for me). Even though I believe my depression is caused by undiagnosed/untreated ADHD and ASD, this medication has been good to me. I found that it made me more willing to try new things and interact with people more freely, despite a long-time struggle with social anxiety."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 1, 2025

Vilazodone for Depression "Viibryd was the only antidepressant medication I have tried that did not cause emotional blunting or an increase in anxiety (like Effexor did for me). Even though I believe my depression is caused by undiagnosed/untreated ADHD and ASD, this medication has been good to me. I found that it made me more willing to try new things and interact with people more freely, despite a long-time struggle with social anxiety."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 4, 2021

Vilazodone for Depression "Viibryd is god-awful. I started on 10 mg for a week, and it made my anxiety and depression so much worse. I constantly had racing thoughts, flu-like symptoms. Made me feel like a zombie, and I was up for 3 days before I switched to a new medicine. I am still having a little trouble sleeping, and I've been off it a week and a half. Please, if your doctor tells you about this medication, do yourself a favor and STAY AWAY!!!"

• lKI...
• January 29, 2016

For Major Depressive Disorder "I have been on Vybrid a week and a half. I have had a horrible experience with all side effects. It's making me sleep 14 hours with nightmares the whole time. In the starting dose of 10 mg. It helped for only two days. By the fifth day, I increased to 20 mg a day, and things are not getting better. I'm still anxious around people. I still get depression. And all it did was make me literally sick. I stopped it today, as I cannot take the side effects. Seems pointless to keep taking something that is just making me feel sick and not myself. I called my doc. I'm waiting on a call back. I am going to try Zoloft again. It has helped a few times in the past, and a few times it didn't help. But I'm at the point I just cannot deal with Vybrid anymore."