
Have Been On Viibyrd For Long Term. Am Bipolar. Is This Simply An Antidepressant Or Is It A Mood Stabilizer?

Thanks so much!
XXXXXXX
Viibryd (Vilazodone hydrochloride) is an new anti-depressant medication. It is a Serotonin re-uptake inhibitor and patial 5-HT-1A receptor agonist. Basically, what this means is that it acts by increasing the brain levels of a neuro-chemical called Serotonin, and serotonin is the major neurochemical founfd to be deficient in depressive disorders. So, Viibryd is very similar to the SSRI anti-depressants like Zoloft, Prodep, Cipralex, etc., but the difference is that due to to viibryd's selective receptor profile, it avoids the common side effects associated with the usual SSRIs.
So, the answer to your question is that Viibryd is simply an anti-depressant and does not have any mood stabilizing properties. It is a safe medication and has been claimed to have the least amount of side effects among anti-depressants. It does not have any addictive potential, but people who are on a long duration of any serotonergic medication and stop suddenly can have transient "discontinuation" symptoms. Again, these are also claimed to be minimal with this newer serotonergic anti-depressant - Viibryd.
If you have had one or more episodes of mania or hypomania in the past, then you have to discuss your treatment strategy with your doctor, since an anti-depressant medication alone may not be sufficient.
Regarding Lithium, it has a higher propensity for cros interactions with other medication and has to be to be used with extreme caution in people who are multiple medication, especially diuretics (water pills).
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist


Sincerely,
XXXXXXX
Best wishes,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist

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