Vilazodone and Nightmares: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 13, 2012

Vilazodone "I switched from Zoloft due to the sexual side effects. I have tried almost every antidepressant medicine out there with little or no success. The first few weeks I was on it, I had horrible dreams. I would wake up in the middle of the night and couldn't go back to sleep. Crying all the time. I have been on it now for about 5 or 6 weeks and am agitated very easily, dizzy, can't concentrate, and my mind is constantly racing. I was trying to give it a full 8 weeks, but I cannot stand to be around myself. I feel sorry for everyone else. Viibryd is not the medicine for me. I had very high hopes for this medicine."

• tin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 5, 2016

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "This is an awful medication. Horrible diarrhea. Horrible, crazy, off-the-wall nightmares. Can't tell what's real and what isn't. I saw my mom, and she's been gone for five years. This pill makes me feel like I'm on speed. Crazy speed. I've never in my life felt so bad and so scared."

• Anonymous
• April 18, 2012

Vilazodone for Depression "I switched from Pristiq (which I had been on for over a year) to Viibryd after my blood pressure went up. I had some of the stomach issues at the beginning, but nothing too bad. I began with 10 mg, then 20, then to 30 mg very slowly, as I had read about the side effects. In all, I was on this medicine for about 8 weeks. Over this time, my whole body basically bloated up. I looked like I was pregnant! I gained about 10 pounds and craved carbohydrates. I was also having nightmares. Mind-wise, I believe I should have been at a higher dose, but in the end, I opted to change medication due to the stomach bloating. I have been on Celexa and Pristiq, but the stomach component of Viibryd seems to affect me badly."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 1, 2012

Vilazodone for Depression "I started taking Viibryd approximately three months ago. It started out rough, lots of side effects, terrible nightmares every night, electric shocks, visual disturbances, nausea, and diarrhea, among others. I continued with the medicine because I have been on well over 15-20 others over the years. To my surprise, after the symptoms alleviated, I felt much better, a lot less depressed and generally less hopeless. This lasted only about a month and a half, my body has become tolerant to the medication like every other, and now I am in a deeper depression than usual, so I am going back to Wellbutrin."

• she...
• November 3, 2015

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "Noticed I am more anxious than before I started taking it. Luckily, I haven't had nightmares or GI issues so far, but I've only started one and a half weeks ago. From what I've seen from reviews, it's all about the individual, I guess."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 7, 2012

Vilazodone for Depression "I was taking Celexa 40 mg every night, but it seemed to just stop working one day, so my psychiatrist put me on Viibryd. Usually, I have constipation, but it's helped my bowels move better. I do have some trouble sleeping because right as I'm about to fall asleep, I get weird spasms throughout my body, almost like I'm being shocked? Then, once I do fall asleep, I have strange, scary nightmares and sometimes lucid dreams, so when I wake up, I'm not sure if what happened was real or not. I also have some trouble waking up, but once I am up, I feel alright. I'm rating this a 7 because I don't have any problems with my depression anymore. It does cause me to take some Xanax at times, but I've only been on it for 3 weeks."

• Hap...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 28, 2022

Vilazodone for Depression "Started taking this after Zoloft, which helped my anxiety and mood fluctuations but not my depression. I think I took 10 mg for 1 to 2 weeks, then 20 mg for the same. Then jumped to 40 mg. At first, I took it in the mornings as directed, but it made me uncontrollably tired by mid-morning, so I switched to at night. I had mild nausea/diarrhea in the morning, but it eventually subsided. The first time I noticed a problem was with a skipped dose. I experienced vivid (scary, being attacked by rabid mice) nightmares and sweating. (Never had either before). Drenched 2 separate shirts. I don't feel depressed, but now I feel manic, I only sleep 2 hours a night. I never feel tired on this medication but have to lay down with my 2-year-old for her to sleep, so I get a bit. I feel angry, mean, my skin feels itchy, but like under the surface (it's getting worse the lower I drop my dose). Terrible 45 days."

• Ste...
• May 21, 2017

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "I was previously on Prozac 20 mg and switched to Viibryd because of the sexual side effects I was experiencing. Within two weeks, I was back to my original depression with thoughts of suicide, uncontrollable crying, terrifying dreams, and mood swings. While transitioning, my libido did come back, which was nice. However, I was forced to go back on Prozac and felt totally normal again within a week."

• Cel...
• August 7, 2017

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "After working my way up to 40 mg a day, the vivid, horrible dreams stopped. Mood wasn't much different. After, I think, 4 days on the 40 mg, I had a blackout rage that landed me in the psych ward for 2 weeks, and now I'm doing a partial program. One doctor thinks it might be due to the fact that I had gastric bypass. Don't know, but I will NEVER use that again."

• 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."

• van...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 15, 2019

For Depression "God, this drug vilazodone was the WORST for me. I was on it for only 11 days, and I had horrible nightmares every single night. These weren't nightmares, they were on a whole other level of terrifying and realistic. On top of nightmares, I'd get sleep paralysis, as if seeing my worst fears come to life every night wasn't bad enough. I also had the biggest panic attack I've had in years that didn't get better for what felt like forever. I seriously thought it was the end for me, whether from a heart attack or in my sleep from fear. If you're sensitive to medications, AVOID."

• ata...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 22, 2021

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "Do not stop taking abruptly. I know that sounds so simple, but horrible nightmares and night sweats. Horrible withdrawal, which I never experienced with a plethora of other antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds. Best to all!"

• Fla...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 8, 2021

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "I've been on Viibryd for almost 2 years. My mood swings are extreme. I start crying and can't stop. I start laughing and can't stop. I laugh at things I shouldn't laugh at. My insomnia is terrible. I get anywhere from 1-4 hours of sleep a night, which causes headaches from lack of sleep. I have recently developed muscle pain and severe joint pain. My heart rate is high, and my blood pressure has gone up. Nightmares are really bad and scary. My brain is in a fog, and memory loss is extreme. I'm not sure if this tinnitus is a result of the drug, but I never had it before taking it. It has been the most effective drug so far, but the side effects that I am experiencing now are not worth it. I do not and haven't had any of the digestive issues I've read about. I've been on several different medications for 40 years and hospitalized twice. I am going to wean myself off Viibryd. I need to find another drug that will work. My doctor retired, so I have to find another."

• Ken...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 4, 2021

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "Hear me out, I feel sick every day, and I don't know if it's this or what. I've noticed through years of being on this medication, all it did was get worse. My depression is still so bad I feel like I'm taking this just because the bad effects when I don't take it result in me feeling yuck all day. Side effects when wearing off/not taken: • zombie-like • red eyes 24/7 or just eyes that make you look so bad. • super exhausted even if you sleep for hours • numbness • nightmares • can't nap during the day without the medication wearing off and you feeling horribly after • less appetite • high risk of addiction or just reliance even though they claim it's not 'addictive' • takes hours to kick in • itchy everywhere • anger or mood swings go crazy!!!"

• 567...
• November 25, 2015

For Major Depressive Disorder "Worked really well for a few months. I felt amazing. But I have been getting really angry and having horrible nightmares that make my blood pressure skyrocket. I'm only on 20 mg. It just seems odd that it took so long for these side effects to appear. I thought I had found my miracle drug, but I guess not. For those of you who need help with the expense of the drug, go download a card from the drug's website. Free then $20 a month."

• 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."

• AJF...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 21, 2023

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "I had a horrible experience with Viibryd. It caused me to have extreme rage, horrible nightmares, and interrupted thoughts. It was terrifying because I felt completely out of control."

• DTo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 18, 2014

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "Nightmares, daytime drowsiness, suicidal thoughts, aggressive."

• ADI...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2018

Vilazodone for Depression "No diarrhea faced. Mood improvement in 3 weeks. Worst thing with this medicine is horrible nightmares and electric jolts, whenever there is a slight change in the timing of the drug or the dosage."