Viibryd and Insomnia: What Users Say

• Pho...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 19, 2014

For Depression "I was one of the unlucky ones, and experienced a ton of negative side effects from Viibryd: sleep paralysis, falls, insomnia, increased anxiety/panic, loss of concentration, a carnival of digestive effects, dizziness, loss of appetite, forgetfulness, etc. Each increase in dosage made the side effects worse. If I'd had a fraction of my usual judgment, I would have asked to be taken off of it after the first week. I'm currently tapering off, and for me, the withdrawal symptoms are totally preferable to the side effects. Viibryd is great for a lot of people, and that's awesome. If it is making you feel worse than when you started, stay in close contact with your doctor and do not hesitate to question whether you should stay on it."

• Sar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 17, 2016

For Major Depressive Disorder "I have taken 20 mg of Viibryd for 4 years and it has been the single best antidepressant I have ever taken. I have taken Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, and Effexor. All of them caused major weight gain (especially Zoloft) and none of them continued to work after about 12-18 months. Viibryd saved my marriage; I am able to easily achieve orgasm. While the other medicines made me numb and interfered with my sleep, Viibryd has allowed me to feel, but also to cope. I am only writing this today because I may need to finally go up to 40 mg. But it worked like a charm for 4 years, even through incredibly intense, life-changing stressful events. This drug has been a lifesaver for me."

• Anonymous
• September 6, 2011

For Depression "I felt better right away on 10 mg. My problems were not overwhelming me anymore. I stopped obsessing. However, side effect was not being able to fall asleep or stay asleep. I am now up to the 20 mg dose. Still doing alright. Doctor prescribed Ambien. When I skip a day of Viibryd, anxiety and agitation comes back. I am in a bad marriage and am contemplating divorce after 43 years. No wonder that I have anxiety and felt like I was falling apart."

• Anonymous
• September 18, 2011

For Depression "About 3 weeks now, I feel a little better, but I almost feel like I'm on speed. It increased my anxiety and heartbeat so much, I could not be comfortable. And I couldn't sleep that well. Not working for me!"

• Anonymous
• September 30, 2011

For Depression "I have depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Had both positive and negative effects. First the negative (Gastrointestinal (diarrhea that goes away in time), numbness down arms and hands at night, insomnia, tingling in forehead in initial stages, swelling of face, hands, stomach, ankles, initial anxiety that subsided, up a few lbs but cannot say it is the medication yet, closely watching diet to see but do seem to get very hungry in evenings). The positive is I feel better, not as negative or anxious, dealing with my mother's Alzheimer's disease better."

• Iam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 22, 2024

"I have tried every med out there, and none of them worked. So my doctor did a Genesight test on me, and the report came back and the top medication recommended was Viibryd. I was 100% doubtful, but I took it anyway. Life was so unmanageable with all of my symptoms. I couldn't work and was in the process of filing for disability. My symptoms were not benign, as my crisis gave me seriously high blood pressure, stressed my heart out, and my troponin levels were very high. Day 5 on this medication, I fell asleep, and much to my surprise, I woke up in the morning. I usually had insomnia or nocturnal panic attacks, but not this night. As the days went by, I began feeling really good. My anxiety attacks dropped easily 90%, and my depression melted away. My blood pressure was even controlled, and I had no CPTSD events. It's been 2 months now, and I am still processing the shock I am in. I finally feel calm now, controlled, and at peace. That's my experience. I'm loving life again."

• Neo...
• October 4, 2020

For Depression "I’ve been on several medications for anxiety/depression. I get severe anxiety with occasional depression. When I first started Viibryd, I was extremely irritable and constantly crying. I stuck it out for a while (at the time, I was too depressed to go to the doctor to fix it), and it ended up getting a lot better. The side effects went away, and I was okay. I’ve been on Viibryd for about 2 years now, and I would say the worst side effect is the sleep issues. I work third shift, and I generally take it in the morning (around 7:30 am) when I get home from work. If I don’t take it around that time on my days off, I feel like I’m in a coma and can’t get up. I’m like sleeping but aware. And I feel like I’m constantly trying to drag myself out of bed, and it takes several tries before I feel that my mind is strong enough. Then when I get up and take it, I have a headache almost all day. If I take it at the exact time daily, it’s a pretty good drug. I hope all this makes sense!"

• Han...
• May 30, 2013

For Depression "My new doctor put me on Viibryd to help with my severe depression and anxiety 4 months ago. My previous doctor had tried many medications such as Lexapro, Celexa, and Cymbalta...and to be quite frank, every one of them was horrible! I gained 60 lbs between them over a year, which only deepened my depression. I felt like I was insane with those medications and hated myself and everyone around me even more and began to feel like people were 'out to get me'. All the while on those medications, I had to take Ativan and Valium for my severe anxiety. Since I've been on Viibryd, I feel like a new person! I did not gain any weight, and Viibryd helps control my anxiety without the need for other medications! It's expensive but worth every penny!"

• Kri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 12, 2015

For Depression "This by far is the best anti-depressant I've been on. If you're looking for a medication that does NOT cause drowsiness or weight gain, this is for you. Normally they say it takes time to feel effects, but I felt alertness and motivation right away. I had more energy and a clearer mind, better concentration. The recommended dose is to incrementally increase 10mg-40mg, but I stayed at 20mg - too much caused RLS and mild insomnia. I too struggle with SAD and this medication has really helped me get through the winter blues. Lost 10 lbs on this medication as I felt less hungry. Remember: there are so many natural ways to help with depression as well and I recommend that you explore these too. Good luck!"

• Sol...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 15, 2014

For Major Depressive Disorder "Love this medicine. Works very well for me. Am able to stay positive and happy throughout the day. Does not affect sex drive like other meds I've tried. There are side effects for me. If I miss a dose, I get brain zaps and feel lost and sad. So I take it right away when I feel that and just try to relax. Sleep is affected, I always do weird things in my sleep now, I don't stay still in my sleep, and a lot of sleep paralysis, but I still love this medicine, because I'd rather deal with those negatives at night than being severely depressed in the daytime. At least now I'm all smiles when I'm awake."

• Mic...
• September 12, 2011

For Anxiety "I just started taking Viibryd five days ago. I switched from Zoloft to Viibryd. I was having bad headaches and an overall feeling of yuck in the mornings. I started feeling better at the end of the day when I was going to take my next dose of Zoloft. I also could not sleep. I would wake up at night and then couldn't go back to sleep. Since taking the Viibryd, I have been able to go back to sleep when I woke up in the middle of the night. I am a bit sleepy in the morning, but I am feeling a bit better. I am hopeful about Viibryd. I hope that my condition continues to improve and my sleeping patterns continue to get better as I increase the dosage and as time goes on. Zoloft did help, but the side effects were too much for me."

• Anonymous
• November 21, 2011

For Depression "I have taken just about everything on the market, with 1 week of starting Viibryd, my life was completely changed. The best 30 days of my life, then I went from the sample pack to the prescription, and it has been downhill for almost 60 days. I have put on almost 15 lbs, the worst night terrors of my life, my sex drive in the 1st 30 days was through the roof, now nothing. I cannot sleep, my anxiety was back, and I became suicidal. I have been off of Viibryd for 6 days, the withdrawals are rough, and this is even after the step-down process. I was hoping that this would continue to be the best medication ever, but not for me."

• Nat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 6, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "My doctor started me on Viibryd after I decided I wanted to stop taking Trintellix because I couldn't deal with the side effects anymore (constant nausea, dysfunctional appetite, itchy skin). After 1.5 weeks, I've decided that Viibryd is not going to work for me either. It seemed to help with my depression, but it screwed up my sleep so much! About 3-4 hours after I'd take it, I'd be hit with this super drowsy/sleepy feeling and would start dozing off (even at work! Not ok). Some days, if I was able to, I'd just take a 2-hour nap when the sleepiness hit. But once that passed, I'd feel fine and awake again. Until I had to go to bed... The insomnia I experienced with Viibryd was no joke! I had to call in sick to work because I could not fall asleep, no matter what I did. And I knew I couldn't function at work on zero sleep. Very disappointing."

• Fem...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 5, 2023

For Depression "1. It gave me my life back by stopping recurring thoughts of the worst moments in life. 2. Once I figured it out, using this resolved sleep issues. Simply: You will get sleepy almost exactly 15 hours after dosage (+- 1 hour), followed by nice sleep for 8-9 hours. 3. You must take it with food, early in the day. Do not take with a 'sugary' breakfast! (Doughnuts, etc.) Sugar has a definite disruptive result. 4. This drug seems to have a 'residual' effect, a 'build-up.' I skip every Monday, and this works for me. Taking the full dosage every day causes adverse feelings. 5. I found that when I experience aggressive feelings/behavior, I must skip the next day's dosage entirely. Behavior can include undue anger, talking out loud to self in an effort to resolve injustices, and unjust treatment of other people. (This refers to the 'residual' effect mentioned earlier.) 6. If the prescription renewal is delayed by 3+ days, I weep uncontrollably, non-stop. 7. Beginning in 2023, Aetna will no longer provide coverage."

• Myk...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 24, 2019

For Depression "I started taking it about 3 months ago. The beginning dose of 10 mg was rough. Insomnia, fogginess, nausea, diarrhea. Kicked it up to 20 mg 2 weeks later. Took about a month for the insomnia and everything else to calm down. The upside was I noticed a huge difference in my mood within 4 weeks. By about the 3 month mark, I was feeling more normal than I have in years. I know this medication is not for everyone, but it worked for me. I recently thought I have ADHD, but it turns out there is such a thing as residual depression. Mood is improved, but some symptoms like distraction and lack of motivation may endure. Just started 40 mg this week, and everything is going fine."

• Anonymous
• October 19, 2011

For Depression "I have tried many different antidepressants over a 20-year span. I would be on one that worked wonders, and after being on it for about 6 years, it would stop working. I was on Paxil and Cymbalta for 6 years each. My doctor switched me to Viibryd in August, so I have been on it for almost 3 months now. I do not feel any better, in fact, my muscle aches have increased tremendously, and I cannot sleep. I have horrible night terrors. I have night terrors almost every night to the point I dread going to bed. This medicine is not working for me at all!"

• Wes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 5, 2025

"I have been on Viibryd for a week now. Previously I was on a low dose of 25 mg of Zoloft for a year. The past few months, I started to experience the “Zoloft zombie” feeling. Not really any emotions, just blah. I could sit and stare for hours and nothing. I also gained 23 pounds in 9 months. My psychiatrist wanted to try Viibryd for me because she has had great luck prescribing it. I am starting small at 10 mg as I taper off of the Zoloft and onto the Viibryd alone. The first day I did have some nausea. It was a sour stomach feeling but nothing too intense. Eating does help. In fact, a nice big breakfast took the nausea away completely. I take it in the morning because it does give me a boost. The first night I had a little insomnia. I slept super light and had the never-fell-asleep feeling. Then for the next 5 days, I experienced some pretty intense diarrhea. But right at the week mark, it seemed to calm itself down. I feel overall good! Got back out to running and my Pilates."

• Bec...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 21, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "Please be very careful if you’re considering the use of this medication. My husband has MDD and took it for two weeks and was nauseous and unable to sleep for much of the time. We were in contact with his doctor, who said this can be common when starting this new medication and recommended he continue to take it. It looked like he was starting to feel better, but one morning he woke up not feeling well again and decided to stay home from work. He committed suicide. I wish so badly I would have stayed with him that day. Please do not take this medication if you don’t have somebody monitoring you closely. Or maybe just don’t even take it at all."

• mrs...
• November 12, 2019

For Major Depressive Disorder "I have tried several of the mainstream medications for my MDD that did nothing but cause terrible bruising, hallucinations, insomnia, irritability, increased depression, etc. I had given up on finding the right medicine for me. This was my last attempt at trying a medication before I decided to avoid them due to being let down so many times. I took a genetic test that showed I only had three medicines that were compatible with my body. I started on 20 mg and only had minor GI tract upset. THAT IS IT! After four weeks, I could tell the medicine was working as I had become MUCH less tearful. After seven weeks, I am raising it to 40 mg and know this medicine was the best option for me. I have been able to have an overall sense of happiness, I don't have nearly as many depressing days, and my interest in daily activities has returned. I am SO grateful for the genetic test and this medication. It has given me my life back."

• Anonymous
• November 23, 2011

For Depression "I have severe depression and am bipolar. I have been on almost every drug out there. My doctor put me on Viibryd, and I have been taking it for about 3 weeks, and it has worked great for me. I was having suicidal thoughts every day for nearly a year. Now that I am on Viibryd, they have gone away. It's a great relief! The diarrhea and insomnia are minor side effects, and the cost is minor compared to the benefits. All I can say is it works great for me."

• Anonymous
• April 24, 2012

For Depression "Keeping a long story short, I have been on almost all the SSRIs and SNRIs and even a few atypicals out there with SOME relief, but I never got where I wanted to be. I stopped all medicines last June and did okay until mid-November when I relapsed into depression again. My doc told me to try Viibryd, and reluctantly I did. This medicine, by far, is the best one I have been on. There were some stomach issues for the first 3 weeks or so, and I have to take a very small dose of trazodone at bedtime to combat the insomnia side effect. BUT I have not felt this good in years. I feel happy and motivated again and I sleep well. I would recommend this to anyone who has had trouble finding a good antidepressant that works."

• Jen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 4, 2013

For Depression "When I first started this medication, I had a lot of the dreaded side effects: GI issues, nausea, headache, heartburn, and some sleep problems. I'm now on my third week of taking the medication, and it has changed my whole life. I had such a negative outlook on everything, I thought I hated my job and that my friends were terrible. I just didn't enjoy anything anymore, and since taking this medicine, it's literally like a cloud has lifted. It even changed the way I feel. I feel so calm and relaxed, and it made me realize how tense I was all the time before. The side effects have all gone except for an occasional headache, and I'm still having some sleep problems, but it's getting better. Totally worth feeling as good as I do now. I hope it keeps working!"

• Anonymous
• October 31, 2011

"My experience is a little more indirect. My boyfriend began taking this medication about 3 weeks ago, and it has drastically changed our lives. Within the first week, his mood became much better, and his anxiety took a huge dive! I can't even put into words how this medicine has changed our lives. He's always been a good man, but I could tell that he was lost in a cloud of depression from almost the minute I met him. His depression wasn't what you would typically think of, but I could tell something was off inside of him. But this medicine has given him a revived passion for all things, and he is absolutely pleasant and wonderful to be around. He did have some insomnia in the beginning and gets sick if he takes too much (more than 20mg)."

• Sus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 5, 2020

For Depression "This is the worst drug ever. My low blood pressure has gone sky-high! Awful nightmares that you have fiery hot flashes with. My panic attacks are every night. I can’t breathe, I vomit! No sense of reality. No sleep for a week. I’m scared of it being the same!!! I am on 10 mg, and my doctor said I should just go off it. I wonder if I can do it cold turkey!"

• Len...
• November 16, 2015

For Major Depressive Disorder "The only reason I gave it a 9 is because I can tell immediately if I miss a dose, because it is as if my depression returns full fold, as far as crying, irritability, anger, and deep sadness. I use something else - Wellbutrin & Xanax bid for my anxiety. I have been on many antidepressants and have dealt with PTSD and MDD since dx when 19. Probably had it prior, but I was dx when I got to college, because I was an A student who could not function. I tried this because my alternating Lexapro and Celexa (not at the same time) was no longer working, and I am so happy that my NP found it. I had some tummy issues at first, but they were gone after the first three weeks, and I already have insomnia, so that has not changed. I am the young me again."