Depression Community

hello, BT --

insomnia is a common side effect of viibryd/vilazodone (see PS1), and abnormal dreams, blurred vision (i don't know if "very dry red eyes" are included in this category), and mania are all rare side effects (PS2).

withdrawal symptoms may occur with viibryd also. according to various websites i have looked at, these symptoms can include, among other things, mood swings and irritability, which i consider to be a very rough proxy for mania.

i have looked everywhere i can think of to find a reference to dry or red eyes associated with viibryd and cannot find anything, so i don't know what to say to your Q about eye-related withdrawal effects. of course, just because i couldn't find anything doesn't mean dry and/or red eyes don't occur with viibryd; it means only that i couldn't find anything.

some psychiatrists will help patients thru antidepressant withdrawal by giving them a low dosage (10 mg) of prozac/fluoxetine until the withdrawal symptoms decrease or disappear. at that point it is relatively easy to get off the prozac. you should ask your dr about this.

finally, and unfortunately, two weeks does not seem to me to be an extended period for withdrawal symptoms to be present. however, to make your withdrawal less aggravating, you may need to go back on the viibryd and reduce your dosage much more gradually than you did this time. effexor/venlafaxine is notorious for withdrawal symptoms, yet i weaned myself off it over a period of six or eight weeks and had no problems. that probably sounds like a long time, but you were on the viibryd for six months.

a trip to the ophthalmologist might be in order, just to check that you've had no permanent damage to your eyes, but if all checks out there, perhaps you can treat the dryness/redness as a symptom by itself with drops or something equivalent. ask your ophthalmologist about this first, though, because i am not a medical person.

i hope this helps. please keep us posted on how you are doing.

-- susie margaret

PS1 -- webMD info on viibryd/vilazodone is at http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-155880-Viibryd Oral.aspx?drugid=155880&drugname=Viibryd Oral&source=2 .

PS2 -- to see all of the side effects listed as part of the webMD materials (PS1), click on the "side effects" tab. this will take you to the first page of side effects; you get to the second page by clicking on "does viibryd have any side effects?" in blue at the bottom of the first page.

hello again, BT --

i forgot to tell you that you might want to post your inquiry in the eye health community as well, http://exchanges.webmd.com/eye-health-community ; there is an expert on-board there.

-- susie margaret

Thank you so much for all of your information. That's a huge help! I did post the eye question on the eye health board. I did see an Optomitrist, and they weren't too concerned, they said dry eyes were the cause of the redness, and checked my eyes. I am seeing my regular Dr. this week to find out what is causing this? I really think it's this med, because I never had this problem before? I just wish it would go away. Thank you also for letting me know about the longer withdrawal time from this med too.
I will keep you posted.

I, too, have very dry, red eyes since beginning Viibryd. My eye doctor can find nothing wrong with my eyes but I now have to use Refresh Gel several times per day.

I'm using the Refresh Gel too at night and it helps. Are you still taking the med?

I am currently going through numerous side effects of Viibryd. I have had the cramps in my calves, dry mouth dry lips dry red eyes, dehydration.. This part has been horrible. However now I have sleeping problems which I have always had and even more now, bad dreams and I am 100 percent unmotivated and 500 times worse than I was when I started this treatment. I have never been so low. This is one of the worst experiences of my life and while some of my side effects are the rare they are real adn are happening to me which means they can happen. My doctor has even taken me off cold turkey with klonopin to assist me with the withdrawals. PLEASE be careful with this medicine. PAY attention no one knows your body better than you.!!