Time2bedone: 12 Weeks Out

[Timetobedone]

Hey all-

 

I have scoured the web for information on Viibryd withdrawal and have found VERY little information or I should say little to NO information. I have read the same 10-15 posts on it over and over, hoping to find something different! LOL. I am now going into my 12th week of being off of Viibryd. I have had ups and downs. Early on, I dealt with massive headaches (was originally put on antidepressants for migraine prevention 20 years ago) so I expected that, plus I know its a normal symptom.

 

I follow a standard windows and wave pattern of 3-4 good days followed by 3-4 bad days. I am fully functional and maintain a full time job and busy family life. So I am very grateful that I have been able to cope. The last couple of weeks I have had really bad anxiety which I have been able to manage with essential oils, Isagenix Ionix, magnesium, and vitamin C. BUT it still stinks! Every now and then I get the skipped heart beats and that just flares my anxiety worse.

 

Several years ago, I had an echocardiagram and halter monitor done and they said structurally my heart was fine. I have endured a benzo and z-drug (ativan and ambien) withdrawal but that was 4 years ago. This process is similar but different, if that makes sense. So what I am wondering from anyone who is further out in this process..are the skipped beats normal and does the anxiety get better over time? 

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited November 16, 2017 by baroquep

[AliG]

Hi Timetobedone. Welcome to SA. I'm glad you found us. Viibryd is one of the newer antidepressants which is probably why there is less or even no information on it.

 

Thanks so much for doing your drug history signature ~ very helpful. It's great that you have been able to remain fully functional and maintained work /family life. That is an admirable achievement.

 

You are most likely experiencing withdrawal symptoms from too fast tapering. Even though it took you a while, with a long hold, they were still reasonably large drops. SA recommends tapering by 10% of your current dose with a hold of at least 4 weeks before your next decrease. The amount of decrease is proportionate to the last dosage (not the original prescription) and keeps getting smaller. The 10% taper method is a harm reduction approach to going off psychiatric drugs.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

There is information here on tapering Viibryd:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/4318-tips-for-tapering-off-viibryd-vilazodone/

 

 

Reinstating a very small amount of Viibryd may help to take the edge off some of your symptoms. Please read the reinstatement topic below and let us know if it is something that you might consider.

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

Heart palpitations are common in withdrawal, as is anxiety. They both usually improve over time. I had quite severe heart palpitations( SVT) but have not had an issue for approximately 18 months.

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1868-irregular-heartbeats-palpitations-tachycardia-bradycardia/

 

 

There are some good ideas and information on anxiety and other symptoms and ways of dealing with them in this topic:

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

The only supplements we recommend are magnesium and fish oil. Magnesium tends to be calming, both for the heart and also anxiety.

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

King of supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)

 

That's probably enough information to get you started. Please have a read through the links and come back here to your thread with any questions.

Again, welcome.

Ali

[Timetobedone]

56 minutes ago, AliG said:

Hi Timetobedone. Welcome to SA. I'm glad you found us. Viibryd is one of the newer antidepressants which is probably why there is less or even no information on it.

 

Thanks so much for doing your drug history signature ~ very helpful. It's great that you have been able to remain fully functional and maintained work /family life. That is an admirable achievement.

 

You are most likely experiencing withdrawal symptoms from too fast tapering. Even though it took you a while, with a long hold, they were still reasonably large drops. SA recommends tapering by 10% of your current dose with a hold of at least 4 weeks before your next decrease. The amount of decrease is proportionate to the last dosage (not the original prescription) and keeps getting smaller. The 10% taper method is a harm reduction approach to going off psychiatric drugs.

 

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

There is information here on tapering Viibryd:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/4318-tips-for-tapering-off-viibryd-vilazodone/

 

 

Reinstating a very small amount of Viibryd may help to take the edge off some of your symptoms. Please read the reinstatement topic below and let us know if it is something that you might consider.

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

Heart palpitations are common in withdrawal, as is anxiety. They both usually improve over time. I had quite severe heart palpitations( SVT) but have not had an issue for approximately 18 months.

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1868-irregular-heartbeats-palpitations-tachycardia-bradycardia/

 

 

There are some good ideas and information on anxiety and other symptoms and ways of dealing with them in this topic:

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

The only supplements we recommend are magnesium and fish oil. Magnesium tends to be calming, both for the heart and also anxiety.

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

 

King of supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)

 

That's probably enough information to get you started. Please have a read through the links and come back here to your thread with any questions.

Again, welcome.

Ali

 

Hi Ali-

Thanks for the quick response. Yes, Viibryd is newer and all I have been told was that it can be a brutal medication to come off of (both Dr and Pharmacist confirmed this several years after I started taking it as prescribed by another doctor).   I know about the 10% recommendations as I am very well versed on benzo withdrawal which follows the same recommendations. I always went at a comfortable pace with what I could tolerate. I held at one of my last doses for a year until I stabalized. But with that being said, I had to do what worked best for me. Reinstating is not an option as the thought of taking neurological meds or any meds for that matter have pretty much become a source of anxiety for me. I do take fish oil as part of my daily vitamins. I have never experienced brain zaps and I am speculating that is because I was already on a daily fish oil supplement when I started this. Nonetheless, I think I have a pretty decent routine on supplements that seems to be working for me. Like I said, I have good days and then some questionable days. I try to remind myself that if something were really wrong with me that I wouldn’t have those good days in between. But as part of this anxiety, I do tend to doubt my knowledge at times hence my asking the questions.

I will read through the links you posted. Thanks for the insight! I greatly appreciate it!

[AliG]

You're very welcome. Congratulations on getting off the benzodiazapines. If reinstatement is not an option, I would encourage you to have a look at the Symptoms & Self- Care Forum. There are lots of very effective coping techniques /strategies/ information that can help ease withdrawal symptoms and make this W/D more manageable.

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/forum/8-symptoms-and-self-care/

 

You will find lots of friendly help and support, here.

Ali