This Viibryd review will cover all of the information you need to know before taking the medication, and I will also share my experience from being on Viibryd for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
What Is Viibryd?
Viibryd is an antidepressant medication that belongs to a class known as SSRIs. SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and it works by restoring and balancing the serotonin in the brain. Viibryd is a brand name for vilazodone.
Why Is Viibryd So Expensive?
One of the reasons Viibryd is so expensive is that it is only available under the brand name. This means that there is no generic alternative. Due to the nature of the United States system, newer drugs like Viibryd, when patented, can be sold at a much higher price and they don’t need to worry about generic competitors for a long time.
When compared to other similar medications that have been established for longer and have generic alternatives, it can be quite expensive to be on Viibryd.
Viibryd For Anxiety
Although Viibryd is used mainly to treat major depressive disorder, studies have shown that it is also effective at treating anxiety when compared to those receiving a placebo.
Viibryd Vs Lexapro
Both Viibryd and Lexapro are antidepressants that belong to the SSRI class. Both drugs are approved to treat major depressive disorder. In one study, it was found that Lexapro was a more effective treatment than Viibryd. In another study comparing several antidepressants, it was also found that Lexapro was more effective and acted faster than what Viibryd did. On top of that, Viibryd is usually more expensive than Lexapro or generic alternatives.
You can read about my experience with Lexapro by clicking here.
Viibryd Side Effects
When prescribing medication your doctor will determine if the potential side effects outweigh the benefits. Some of the potential side effects that you may experience with Viibryd are:
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Difficulty sleeping
Dizziness
Difficulty concentrating
Tremors or shaking
Restlessness
Weakness or unsteadiness
Memory problems
Confusion
If you are experiencing these or more severe side effects then you must inform your doctor. They can then decide whether it is worth continuing to take Viibryd or if they should take you off it and try a different antidepressant.
Viibryd Sexual Side Effects
Unfortunately, a lot of antidepressants, especially SSRIs, come with unwanted sexual side effects. The likelihood of experiencing these sexual side effects seems to be less with Viibryd than with other similar medications. One study concluded that participants were less likely to experience sexual side effects when taking Viibryd when compared to taking paroxetine (Paxil).
Viibryd Weight Gain
Many antidepressants can contribute to weight gain. Viibryd is one that is less likely to cause weight gain. Studies have shown that only 2% of people who were taking Viibryd at a 40mg dose experienced weight gain. This reduced to just 1% for those who were taking a 20mg dose and also those who were taking a placebo.
Some of the side effects of Viibryd may actually lead to weight loss. Vomiting and diarrhea are known side effects, and these can cause weight loss. Nausea is another side effect, and this may lead to a decrease in appetite which can cause weight loss.
Viibryd And Alcohol
It is advised that you do not mix Viibryd and alcohol as it can increase some of the side effects including dizziness, drowsiness and trouble concentrating.
Because alcohol is a depressant, it is best not to drink at all when you are taking antidepressants, as the alcohol can increase your depression symptoms and counteract the effect of the medication.
Viibryd And Pregnancy
Generally, most SSRIs, including Viibryd are considered as an option to take during pregnancy. It is important that it is done under the advice of your doctor, as they will weigh up the benefits of taking Viibryd against the possible risks during pregnancy. It is also worth noting that Viibryd will pass into breast milk if you are breastfeeding.
How Long Does It Take For Viibryd To Work?
Viibryd is no faster than other antidepressants in that it will take 6-8 weeks to reach its full effect on depression symptoms. For some people, they may see a slight improvement to their sleep, appetite and energy in just 1-2 weeks.
Viibryd Half Life
It is estimated that the half life of Viibryd is approximately 25 hours. This means that it will take your body 25 hours to eliminate half of the drug from your system.
How Long Does Viibryd Stay In Your System?
While it takes approximately 25 hours for your body to eliminate half of the drug from your system, it can take around 6 days for it to be completely eliminated. This will depend on a number of factors including age, metabolism rate and body mass.
Viibryd Withdrawal
It is always recommended, with any antidepressant, to not stop taking the medication suddenly as this may lead to an increased likelihood of experiencing withdrawal effects. Instead, and with your doctors guidance, you should taper off the drug slowly over time.
Viibryd is not known to be any worse than any other antidepressant when it comes to getting off the drug. Despite that, it is possible that you may experience one or more of the following withdrawal effects:
Nausea
Vomiting
Headache
Dizziness
Nightmares
Increased irritability
Increased agitation
Anxiety
Tingling sensations on the skin
Excessive sweating
Ringing sensation in the ears
If you are experiencing any of these side effects, or more severe side effects such as suicidal thoughts, then it is important that you keep your doctor fully informed. This way, they can tailor your withdrawal from the drug in a way that manages your symptoms the best.
Viibryd Reviews – My Experience
I started taking Viibryd to treat my major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. It was one of the few medications where I didn’t experience any side effects when I first started taking it.
Within the first couple of months, I did notice a slight improvement to my mood, however that subsided over time and the medication didn’t seem to be doing anything positive for me.
When it came time to stop taking Viibryd, my doctor helped me to taper down slowly and carefully. I experienced no withdrawal effects whatsoever as I came off the drug. I guess I was just lucky.
Overall, I preferred Viibryd to several other similar medications. The reason for this is that it did not produce any unwanted side effects for me, whereas most of the other medications I have tried did give me side effects. There was a temporary and slight improvement in my mood, but it didn’t last long. While I can’t say it was a positive experience being on the drug, I can say that there were no negatives other than it not helping my depression. The biggest drawback was the price, which was a big part of my decision not to continue taking the drug.
How I Eliminated Antidepressants From My Life
I am fortunate in that I found a way to treat my depression without expensive medication and unwanted side effects. This treatment has been so effective for me that I am finally medication free after more than 10 years.
The treatment is a course called Destroy Depression. When I first bought it I didn’t hold out much hope that it would work for me and I fully expected to claim a refund using their 60 day money back guarantee. It came as a great surprise to me that by implementing what the course teaches, I was finally able to get on top of my depression and start living a somewhat normal life.
I have provided a link below for you to learn more about Destroy Depression. Yes I will make a commission if you buy it, however I don’t recommend any products if I haven’t bought and used them myself. That’s why there are so few product recommendations on my website. I encourage you to not only read the course, but actually put into place what it teaches you. I am sure that if you do that, you will see significant improvements in your depression symptoms, just like I did.
Click here to learn more about Destroy Depression
Please note – the product links on this page are affiliate links, meaning I receive a commission if you make a purchase through that link. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and helps me to keep the website running.
