Vilazodone and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say (Page 3)

• jmw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 12, 2019

For Anxiety "I have had social anxiety all of my life. I am a 38-year-old female. My biggest concern taking SSRIs is the sexual side effects. Viibryd had the same effect, unfortunately. I was very hopeful and sadly disappointed. I took Viibryd for 3 weeks, with sexual side effects after one week. On top of extreme nausea and insomnia almost instantly. I could have managed the nausea and insomnia, but no way I can manage a healthy marriage with no orgasm, EVER. So, once again I am searching for an anti-anxiety medication that won't kill sex and my marriage."

• Anonymous
• December 16, 2011

Vilazodone for Depression "Been taking this for about a month now. Had been on Pristiq, but it killed my libido. Doc finally tested me for low T, and I started taking a steroid replacement (Fortesta) about the same time I started Viibryd. Now I feel great, but do get the random boner every now and then."

• Dis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 14, 2012

Vilazodone for Depression "I wish I could echo the positive reviews, but Viibryd is not working for me. I have been taking it for three weeks now, as I wanted to give it a fair chance. But it has increased my desire to escape all my troubles (thoughts of suicide). I do not feel better except for that I am less 'snappy' with my kids and husband. My usually high sexual desires are completely gone, and I don't want to be around anyone at all. I barely want to be around myself! I was taking Pristiq - which I absolutely loved - but it stopped being effective for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 17, 2019

Vilazodone for Depression "I had very high hopes at the start of this medication for depression. For the first several weeks, I felt awesome. Then, my anxiety reared its ugly head (I know this med is used for MDD only). My sex drive was nonexistent, and it was terrible (think going from Niagara Falls to the creek in your backyard growing up in the worst summer drought in history). I get pretty agitated pretty quickly. I started Paxil today, hopefully, it gives me some relief!"

• Lin...
• April 16, 2014

For Anxiety "40 mg for 1 yr and 4 months. Remain on low-dose clonazepam and Ambien for sleep. Add weekly DBT group, counseling, and exercise. Medication has helped reduce anxiety to manageable/tolerable levels. Diarrhea for a couple of weeks at first, libido killer, erection possible, orgasm takes effort/hours. Daily dosing schedule needs to be adhered to or you will feel it. Can cause sleeplessness. I'm not nearly as anxious, but often feel blunted and/or detached. 20 yr love/hate history with SSRIs and SNRIs... dread both going on them and coming off, but they do level out the emotions. Sexual side effects for me/partner are a bummer. Insurance made sure at least two other SSRIs were tried first."

• Anonymous
• January 11, 2012

Vilazodone for Depression "I have suffered from depression for years. I'm 33 years old and have been on and off medications since I was 12. I was on Zoloft for years, which worked for me. The sexual side effects really got to me and my marriage, which ended in divorce. I decided to give Viibryd a try. I lasted a month. At first, it started to help. I wasn't as edgy and had more patience with my children. However, I hated the way this medication made my stomach feel. I felt bloated all the time, and my stomach was always making gurgling sounds. After week 4, I started to become irritable and just couldn't deal with it. I am going to try Wellbutrin now. On day two, so far so we'll see how it goes!"

• 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."

• Eva...
• May 12, 2017

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "Viibryd has had a really positive impact on my life. In January, I had a suicide attempt while being on Effexor. After the hospital, I was taken off Effexor and given Viibryd, starting with 10 mg. Of course, you don't feel a difference for a while, but you know when you do. The other antidepressants I have been on, Prozac, Lexapro, and Effexor, all had little positive effect on me. In fact, they made me feel numb and more emotionless than my depression did (leading to the events early this year...). Viibryd, however, has made me feel close to normal. I feel emotions better than I did on the other drugs. Side effects: terrible diarrhea, night terrors, and low sex drive. Tolerable, though."

• rf4...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 19, 2022

Vilazodone "I started Viibryd in 2012 for anxiety and panic disorder, and my experience with it has been great. Little to no sexual side effects, no weight gain, and the initial adjustment period gave me VERY few side effects — maybe a couple of stomach aches, but that's it. Alongside therapy, it truly changed my life around — no overthinking, no paranoia, happier moods. My cons: the moderate to moderately severe hand tremor that it has given me. It’s not constant, but almost. When I’m stressed or anxious or doing any fine motor work, I barely have any control over my hands. However, I don’t think this is a very common side effect, and I wouldn’t discourage someone from trying it for that reason. Something I hate is how quickly it wears off. ALWAYS keep some on you in case you forget your dose. I have been on the floor shaking and near vomiting because of how awful it makes me feel if I wait more than 24 hours to take it. Speaking of — after a decade, it stopped working. Back to the drawing board, sadly."

• Tam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 28, 2013

Vilazodone for Depression "I noticed on day 4 that I became calmer, and my attitude is totally positive now. Nothing bothers me, and at work, on the IT helpdesk, the employees who call in ask what I have been smoking because I'm so nice. I'm sure this is a good thing, but I feel a little goofy sometimes, like my brain won't work. I fell in front of the office the other day, but I wasn't dizzy. I caught the toe of my shoe in a crack in the sidewalk and went down before I even knew I was falling. I fell hard. I have sexual side effects and can't climax anymore, but I don't miss it because my desire has been taken away as well. On the whole, I like it. Buspar made me sleepy, and I want to lose the anxiety without any sleepiness, so this works."

• Tin...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 4, 2019

For Anxiety "Drug Viibryd helped me with anxiety, but made me gain 15 lbs and also gave me zero interest in sex, no sensation, and difficulty with orgasm. I’m getting off this drug ASAP. I'm 30, this is not normal."

• Gre...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 29, 2021

Vilazodone for Depression "I have stopped cold turkey, as this is causing me too many sexual side effects. I am disappointed, as I am going to have to go through the withdrawal and don’t have a doctor's appointment for several months. I wish I’d known more about the sexual side effects."

• kan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 26, 2019

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "Well, this is quite the drug. I’ve only been on it for 3 days so far and simply don’t know where to start (I will update my post when I have been on it for longer). I have gone and written way too much, so I’m going to see if I can submit this in parts. Part 1: First, some background: I am a 36-year-old woman. I have been taking Prozac (gradually up from 10 mg to 50 mg) for my depression for 3-4 years. It was my miracle drug and might very well have saved my life. All it did for me was make me feel normal again, like I used to. It was like Prozac replaced in my brain exactly what was missing and nothing more. Perfect. Almost. The only reason I decided to try another drug is that it had sexual side effects. Zero libido. Sexual feeling diminished. Inability to orgasm. My doc recommended Viibryd as it has a low incidence of reported sexual side effects. I read hundreds of reviews beforehand that made me very wary, but decided to give it a shot."

• kan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 26, 2019

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "Well, this is quite the drug. I’ve only been on it for 3 days so far and simply don’t know where to start (I will update my post when I have been on it for longer). I have gone and written way too much, so I’m going to see if I can submit this in parts. Part 1: First, some background: I am a 36-year-old woman. I have been taking Prozac (gradually up from 10 mg to 50 mg) for my depression for 3-4 years. It was my miracle drug and might very well have saved my life. All it did for me was make me feel normal again, like I used to. It was like Prozac replaced in my brain exactly what was missing and nothing more. Perfect. Almost. The only reason I decided to try another drug is that it had sexual side effects. Zero libido. Sexual feeling diminished. Inability to orgasm. My doc recommended Viibryd as it has a low incidence of reported sexual side effects. I read hundreds of reviews beforehand that made me very wary, but decided to give it a shot."

• kan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 26, 2019

Vilazodone for Major Depressive Disorder "Well, this is quite the drug. I’ve only been on it for 3 days so far and simply don’t know where to start (I will update my post when I have been on it for longer). I have gone and written way too much, so I’m going to see if I can submit this in parts. Part 1: First, some background: I am a 36-year-old woman. I have been taking Prozac (gradually up from 10 mg to 50 mg) for my depression for 3-4 years. It was my miracle drug and might very well have saved my life. All it did for me was make me feel normal again, like I used to. It was like Prozac replaced in my brain exactly what was missing and nothing more. Perfect. Almost. The only reason I decided to try another drug is that it had sexual side effects. Zero libido. Sexual feeling diminished. Inability to orgasm. My doc recommended Viibryd as it has a low incidence of reported sexual side effects. I read hundreds of reviews beforehand that made me very wary, but decided to give it a shot."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 11, 2012

Vilazodone for Depression "At the age of 24, I started taking Lexapro, which did absolutely nothing. Then I started taking Zoloft, which did the trick, except I gained weight and had absolutely no sex drive, which was causing serious issues in my marriage. Just a couple of months ago, I started taking Viibryd to help with the sexual side effects. It worked, I felt fine. Until now, I have been on Viibryd for about two months and take 40 mg a day. I feel like it just stopped working. The past two weeks have been torture. I think I will go back to the Zoloft and deal with the side effects. Not to mention, my insurance doesn't cover Viibryd, so it costs about $158 a month out of pocket."

• Pud...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2021

Vilazodone for Depression "I'm on this for Bipolar II. Three-week review: Fabulous medication. Zero irritability, great impact on depression, no anxiety, clear mind, good judgment in life events, no side effects at all. Lots of energy! Past RXs: I tried Lamictal, Lexapro, Celexa, Wellbutrin, Buspar, and others without success. Lexapro and Wellbutrin made me irritable. Lamictal and Celexa got rid of my sex drive and lowered my testosterone to a 70-year-old level. Likely upgrade: I may consider upgrading 20 mgs to 40 mgs since I see minor (very minor) signs of depression. Overall: Very positive first impression in the first month with absolutely ZERO side effects. Positive effects: Lots and lots of energy. Libido is back. Lost belly fat caused by Lexapro (prior med). I go to the gym very often, and I have seen a reduction in body fat. I just put on a pair of pants that I wasn’t able to use last month."

• Pud...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2021

Vilazodone for Depression "I'm on this for Bipolar II. Three-week review: Fabulous medication. Zero irritability, great impact on depression, no anxiety, clear mind, good judgment in life events, no side effects at all. Lots of energy! Past RXs: I tried Lamictal, Lexapro, Celexa, Wellbutrin, Buspar, and others without success. Lexapro and Wellbutrin made me irritable. Lamictal and Celexa got rid of my sex drive and lowered my testosterone to a 70-year-old level. Likely upgrade: I may consider upgrading 20 mgs to 40 mgs since I see minor (very minor) signs of depression. Overall: Very positive first impression in the first month with absolutely ZERO side effects. Positive effects: Lots and lots of energy. Libido is back. Lost belly fat caused by Lexapro (prior med). I go to the gym very often, and I have seen a reduction in body fat. I just put on a pair of pants that I wasn’t able to use last month."

• cmt...
• January 5, 2012

Vilazodone for Depression "Started my dose 7 days ago. The first three days were fantastic, and by day 4, I felt as normal as I have in two years. Now, I am having the racing thoughts, electrical zaps, and insomnia. I was struck with some strange illness 2 years ago that no doctor has yet to explain. My neurological symptoms of the illness have been a challenge at best (constant muscle twitches, head fog, stinging sensations, lack of coordination, sleeplessness, etc.). Well, all of this took a toll on me emotionally as a man. I have 4 children, a wife, and three businesses. I was put on Zoloft 2 years ago and stayed on it for 6 months, but the sexual side effects and the nausea were too much at the higher doses. Hope I can get through the break-in period, and this works."

• jtp...
• October 9, 2011

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Starting taking Viibryd for severe OCD sexual thoughts. After 6 weeks of being on 40 mg, did not notice much of a difference for my intrusive thoughts. Good thing was no sexual side effects like I had with Lexapro. Going back to my doctor to try my third SSRI...maybe Zoloft, Prozac, or Paxil this time."

• Ala...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 28, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "Vilazodone is not the most effective antidepressant - it is the only serotonin-based antidepressant I can tolerate. All the classic SSRIs completely destroy my ability to orgasm, and to different extents kind of emotionally numb me (Prozac) all the way to totally diminishing my ability to empathize to the point of almost faking human emotion (Effexor). On Viibryd, I still have emotions, and I can actually cry while watching a sad movie, etc., and still have a libido and the ability to orgasm—it’s not quite as “explosive” as a totally in medicated orgasm, yet still satisfying and the best option in terms of antidepressants in that department. Even Trintellix gives me anorgasmia (along with headaches and dizziness), and Wellbutrin exacerbated my anxiety too much, and Remeron turns me into a sugar fiend/sleep zombie. Just never miss a dose! Super short half-life will have you in withdrawals by mid-afternoon."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• August 5, 2012

Vilazodone for Depression "I went on this medication, and at first, was very excited about it. By month 3, I had gained 10 lbs and lost my libido. I also fainted once and had to be prescribed a sleeping pill. Needless to say, it is not working for me."

• Den...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I am only taking 10 mg of trade name Viibryd. My side effects are that I have started eating compulsively, a major increase in washing my hands, I have no sex drive, weight gain, nausea. Likely not the best drug for me."

• 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."