# Brintellix (vortioxetine)



## SinisterMinister

I haven't been on the boards in some time. I have been busy with work, family, music and life. I have tried numerous methods of treatment for my DP, DR, anxiety and depression issues over the last 3 years. I started holistically and that seemed to work for about a year and tapered off and I fell back to where I started. I was against taking meds big time! I had taken Prozac and Zoloft about 5 years ago and it didn't seem to help. I was also drinking alcohol and smoking weed every day.

I am coming up on 4 years of sobriety. No drink, no drugs, no cigs, no caffeine, NOTHING! I've also been doing yoga, exercising and eating better over the last couple years. Now, even with these lifestyle changes my DP/DR, anxiety and depression was still circling my daily routine and surfacing abruptly almost daily. So, I decided to try some meds...

I started taking Prozac 10 mg in December of 2014 daily prescribed by my psychiatrist. I felt better but after a few weeks I seemed to fall back to feeling terrible again, so they upped my dose. I got up to taking 30 mg a day and again felt better for a little bit but after about 3 weeks went back to how I was feeling in the beginning. I explained to my psychiatrist that it wasn't working, she had another suggestion...

Apparently, there is a new med called Brintellix, its in the SSRI family, but different that other types of SSRI's. Prozac only affects 1 serotonin receptor, Brintellix affects 5 serotonin receptors. This is how it was explained to me by my psychiatrist. So I started it in March 2015 taking 10 mg daily. I have to say it has worked tremendously well and I haven't felt the need to increase my dose since starting it. Now, is this a cure, absolutely not, but has it helped me to get through my day easier, allow me to actually get out of the house by myself and be social, YES! I still have anxiety attacks from time to time and the DP/DR feelings come and go but it is not like it was at all.

I thought I would post this letting all you know about this new med and if other SSRI's haven't worked out, maybe talk to your psychiatrist about Brintellix and see if it helps you too.

Best wishes.

Be well.


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## MiketheAlien

I am following in SinisterMinisters footsteps! I am nearing 4 weeks on Vortioxetine, starting on 5mg, then moving to 10mg one day soon. It hasnt been a cure for me, but it definitely has been helping. I am hoping once I go up in the dose that I will see even more benefits.

Thank you SinisterMinister! Great update post! I am really happy for you Dude!


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## TDX

> It hasnt been a cure for me, but it definitely has been helping.


What effect did it have?


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## MiketheAlien

TDX said:


> What effect did it have?


So far it's relieved the feeling of being " weighted down" by depression and stress. I feel like a heavy burden has been taken off my shoulders, waking up and doing daily activities isn't such a pain. Also, it surprisingly has helped with physical pain I've been having. My vision seems to be a bit clearer, but that could just be my imagination since I've been feeling a bit better. So, no miracles, I still feel detached from my emotions and self, but it's not as bad this past week. I'm nearing 4 weeks on the lowest dose, so I'm hoping for more improvements as I move up and am on it for longer.

My psychiatrist has brought up the idea of adding a low dose of abilify or adding memantine. Both ideas intrigue me since I've read a lot about both. So there are definitely options if I want. I'll see how the vortioxetine goes, and if it helps but I still need improvements, then I'll add to it.

Hope this answers your question haha. Oh, and I hope I didn't take away from the original posters thread, Sinister minister is a rad dude and I'm really happy that he's finding relief and doing better these days!


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## Guest

I was given this med but did too much research for my own good, are their any anti anxiety effects that go with it?


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## SinisterMinister

I have had much less anxiety effects while taking this med. I do have Xanax for when I have an anxiety attack and I haven't had to take one in many weeks.

Mike - I would like you to add as much as you can to this post since you are taking this med too, to be able to provide as much feedback as possible. Thanks for the nice comments too ;] You have been a great friend!


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## TDX

It would be good, if you tell us what it does in a higher dose. If it does something I will try it, too.



> My psychiatrist has brought up the idea of adding a low dose of abilify or adding memantine.


Abilify was in some case-reports very effective against depersonalization, so it's not a bad idea.

Memantine might be interesting, because it is known to reverse anhedonia in animal models of chronic mild stress and increase BDNF. It's an NMDA-Antagonist, but much less potent than Ketamine, so I don't think it might make things worse if you don't use a very high dosage, especially if you did not respond to lamotrigine.


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## MiketheAlien

I will be sure to give an update in another week or so, after I am up in dosage. I have another appointment with my Psych tomorrow afternoon, so it will be interesting to see what he has to say and what the plan will look like. So far, this medication has been way better than the first SSRI I was on a few years ago. I have a bit of nausea for the first couple days after taking the pill, but taking it with food seems to help and the side effects are pretty much gone now, for the most part. I know it is classified as a multimodel antidepressant, but it is very similar to an SSRI but with less of the brain fog grogginess in start up. So far I am pretty impressed, and I was VERY hesitant to try anything even related to an SSRI since I had a bad experience years ago. I tried the med-free approach for a few years, getting by with healthy diet, exercise, supplements, herbs, ect, but I have been trying a few meds in the past 6+months, this one being the best one so far.

Anyways, I will update when I can and hopefully have some positive results! Hope everyone is doing the best they can, keep on fighting the good fight haha.


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## TDX

> I tried the med-free approach for a few years, getting by with healthy diet, exercise, supplements, herbs, ect, but I have been trying a few meds in the past 6+months, this one being the best one so far.


I think I will give it a shot after I finished bupropion.


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## Guest

Hey guys, please keep us updated, I talked myself out of it because it's newer and I read that it can caused increased anxiety, however if it's doing the opposite for you I'd love to know. Thanks!


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## luctor et emergo

Yesterday I started with Vortioxetine. Will keep you updated in this topic.


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## luctor et emergo

Update: after 8 days of updosing, I'm now at 10 mg for the third day.

I take the pill after breakfast.

Side effects are relatively mild untill now

-minor headache

-mild nausea


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## simonlebon

Just fyi I have had a lot of success with a small dose of Seroquel with my SSRI. Seroquel is actually VERY effective against anxiety. It's in the same category as abilify , but I haven't heard as many good things about abilify as I have for seroquel. Although I haven't taken abilfy before either.


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## luctor et emergo

update after 5 weeks, updosed to 15 mg/day: minor effect on depression, no effect on anxiety, no effect on stress, no effect on tinnitus, no effect on dpd, drd, no side-effects


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## TDX

If this is the highest possible dosage you can toss it away and try something else.


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## Guest

Am I wrong or can you go up to 20? Also I have a feeling after being on klonopin for so long people like ourselves won't have much luck with drugs acting on our gaba receptors. I truly pray I'm wrong though


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## luctor et emergo

Jeff said:


> Am I wrong or can you go up to 20? Also I have a feeling after being on klonopin for so long people like ourselves won't have much luck with drugs acting on our gaba receptors. I truly pray I'm wrong though


You can go up to 20mg, so I will do this. Like Jeff said, I have no idea if our GABA receptors are fried from the years of Klonopin use + the (rapid) withdrawal.


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## luctor et emergo

update after 7 weeks, updosed to 20 mg/day: minor effect on depression, no effect on anxiety, no effect on stress, no effect on tinnitus, no effect on dpd, drd, no side-effects

Decided with psychiatrist that I will take Brintellix for another 4 weeks and updose to 25mg or 30 mg.

If nothing significant happens will combine it with lamotrigine (Lamictal), topiramate (Topamax) or levetiracetam (Keppra).

That is, if mentioned medications do not screw around with GABA-A, GABA-B receptors.


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## luctor et emergo

update after 14 weeks, updosed to 30 mg/d for 5 weeks, no significant effects on above named symptons.

So it's time to taper, currently at 18 mg/d. No adverse reactions.


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## luctor et emergo

At 8mg/d. Compared to my Klonopin taper this is a walk in the park. No new depression, no heightened anxiety. Dpd, drd still as intense as ever. Most disturbing are some very weird dreams and restless limbs in my sleep. Will try to reach 0mg next week. Stay strong.


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## luctor et emergo

Brintellix / Vortioxetine taper is complete. After 4 months no significant effect on my dpd, drd. The mechanism of action looked very promising, o well... back to the drawing board.


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## TDX

What will you try next?


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## luctor et emergo

Currently Keppra 3000 mg/d. Next week there will be taken a sample of blood to determine the drug level. If this level is sufficient I want to combine Keppra with Nalmefene, Flunarizine or Lamictal. That will be a new topic. ☺


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## SinisterMinister

Brintellix at 10mg is still working well for me. 10 months on it I have had no side effects, felt much better and able to function better. I still have some days where I can feel pretty spacey but I think thats more the stress of my business pushing through but this med has helped me tremendously. Not saying its for everyone but it is an option to try.


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## Guest

Did you experience any insomnia with it?


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## hennessy

Anyone else tried this? The score of this drug is relatively low on drugs.com


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## Smile

hennessy said:


> Anyone else tried this? The score of this drug is relatively low on drugs.com


It worked really well for me. I've had to switch because Brintellix was really expensive with my insurance.


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