My father was born in 1955. He is medium height, loves his family, fishing and hunting. In 1980 he came to America with his wife and two children to pursue a better life.
In the 1980s he would say he drank too much. He stopped because he knew he had a problem.
In late 1993 the company he worked for closed so he decided to open his own machine shop. My father worked by himself at his shop. A friend would help deliver the parts at night.
In 2004 he injured his shoulder and had to have an operation for a torn rotator cuff. After the operation he became addicted to Vicodin. I saw he needed help with his business so I left my job to work for him full time. We always stayed busy. On the weekends, we would hunt and fish together. I never knew he was addicted to Vicodin. He would never act out of the norm and would never slur his speech. After the doctor stopped prescribing the Vicodin, he signed up to a pain management center where he got more Vicodin.
My father knew he was addicted and finally stopped. It was very hard for him since he was taking them for 7 years. In 2012 he finally stopped. He went to a psychiatrist because of his symptoms feeling tired, sweating, diarrhea etc. She prescribed Wellbutrin. She said he was depressed. He took this for a year and decided he had enough taking pills.
Taking Vicodin and Wellbutrin changed his personality. He said he felt weak and no longer wanted to fish and hunt or have any drives in life. He would always still go to work. Finally in late December 2013 we just finished a job with tight tolerances and the next day my father just would not get out of bed.
This tells you my father’s medical history. It doesn’t really show what a kind and loving person he is.
Prescribing Brintellix
His doctor thought it would be a good idea to see a psychiatrist. We scheduled an appointment and in January 2014 my father was prescribed Brintellix 10mg.
The drug was so new that when we went to the pharmacy to fill the prescription the pharmacy had never heard of it and said it was going to take a few days to get the drug in. We called the doctor and sure enough he had some samples.
Just a few weeks taking Brintellix I noticed changes in my father. He started sweating at night and also had headaches. He began taking an occasional drink of alcohol. He increased from a pack of cigarettes a day to around 2.5 packs a day.
We had a doctor’s visit on Feb 11, 2014 and told the doctor all the symptoms but he wanted to continue with the medicine since my father was starting to go to work. The doctor said it takes a few weeks to start to take effect. The doctor made another appointment for my father for March 4, 2014.
As the weeks went by my father was still sweating, smoking around 3 packs a day now. I was making sure he did not drink.
Around February 20th my father stared to have weird symptoms of paranoia. He thought the FBI was following us and that the IRS was after him as well. I would tell him that its ok no one is following us. About a week later we had trash day, because of the snow the trash was not picked up. We came to work and brought the full trash can in. My father was very stressed that The FBI is watching us because the trash was not taken. I yelled at him and said to knock it off. We stopped talking about it and we back to work.
By February 27 I just couldn’t wait for the doctor visit. Just a few more days I thought.
Monday March 3 we drove into work together. My father was very quiet the whole ride into work. He had this confused look on his face. We were finishing up a job. I was busy setting up a machine. He asked me if I needed any help I told him that I was “all set”.
Approximately 5 mins later my Father shot himself in the face with a blackpowder gun. I ran into the room as fast as I could and saw him lying on the floor. I called 911. It felt like an hour passed even though they were there in 4 minutes.
I truly believe that Brintellix caused my father to commit suicide.
What can I do?
Fortunately my father survived. Till this day we still work together at his shop. When he got out of the hospital in April 2014, opening day of fishing was a week away. For the first time in 2 years he went with my brother and I fishing. We talk about what happened with Brintellix on a weekly basis. He has the scars that I think prove that Brintellix kills. We believe the medicine made him want to commit suicide. He never had any suicidal thoughts before Brintellix.
Was the doctor experimenting on us? Afterwards, the doctor wanted to up the dosage to 20mg. Why?
What can I do to bring about awareness that Brintellix can be dangerous?
Editorial Note: The writer of this piece has been trying to engage his father’s doctor but the doctor is refusing to engage. This is the key RxISK issue – how do we engage doctors? The chemicals in a medicine are risky – but the real risks lie in the prescriber. Working together it’s possible to manage most risks. As this gets published the author will have taken a RxISK report to the doctor – lets see what happens.
The other source of risks is the company. Brintellix comes with an extraordinary website – see above. A company who at first blush seem almost as open to hearing about and helping you with your adverse events as RxISK might be – until you read more closely. It deserves close reading. We’d love someone to do a post “translating” the company speak.
Mick Bramham says
So tragic to hear. As readers here may well know, Brintellix is being heavily promoted by the drug company and is being touted as a potential blockbuster (i.e. one that generates annual sales of at least $1 billion) drug. What’s more, it seems that the elderly are specifically being targeted. See here, for example, from PharmaTimes:
“Brintellix is expected to be one of the most successful new agents in the unipolar depression markets…because of its potential for positive effects on cognition and its reasonably tolerable side effect profile demonstrated to date…The study expects Lundbeck and Takeda to position Brintellix (vortioxetine) as a first-line option for elderly patients with depression and as a second-line therapy in patients who fail a generic selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).”
Source: [http://www.pharmatimes.com/article/13-08-07/Antidepressant_Brintellix_tipped_as_blockbuster.aspx]
Linda C says
I just found this blog. The company changed the name of this medicine to Trintillex, not sure when. My brother suffered with depression and anxiety, and when various other medications did not work, the doctor prescribed this one. My brother was on it for a couple of months, I believe. He was very quiet on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. The medicine did not seem to be making him better. I am very sad to report that my brother took his own life two days after Christmas this year, leaving behind a wife and two daughters, who tragically found him hanged in his bedroom. This was very unlike my brother. He loved his family. He had some problems, yes, but never in a million years would any of us have expected him to do that. We are all still reeling, and I am wondering how many people taking this medicine actually attempted or succeeded in taking their own lives. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.
jay shattuck says
But.. Wait… I thought Prozac, Zoloft were the most successful in the treatment of unipolar depression??? I was also told that it has positive effects on cognition, libido, malaise, stomach ailments, you wont need AA anymore with this stuff I was told. Virtually no side effects. The air has more he told me. I actually have not heard of this medicine. Sounds like a quit smoking agent. Now just exactly what is this next miracle drug supposed to do???? We need another antidepressant like we need a new opiate on the market. Will they ever learn???
Johanna says
Lundbeck & Takeda actually got this “good for cognition” claim onto the label in the EU I hear … and they’ll get it in the US soon enough. It’s a load of crap, I suspect. What they have been doing is running trials against Cymbalta (duloxetine). Now a significant minority of people have truly terrible experiences on Cymbalta, but I think a majority would tell you it makes them kind of drowsy and dopey. (And heaven help you if you get put on the 120 mg dose!)
So, maybe Brintellix doesn’t dope you up as much as Cymbalta. From there they try and paint it as something that can dispel the fatigue and trouble concentrating you may experience when depressed. They did the same thing with Wellbutrin … the only halfway honest claim they could make was “this pill won’t actively screw up your sex life like Paxil.” But they started actively passing around the rumor that Wellbutrin would actually enhance your sex life. That’s one of the things that GSK paid their little ol’ $3 billion fine for. Too little too late in my opinion.
Eva says
This story as I bet many more like this is extremely very unfortunate at every level. The fact that the doctor had samples in his office, while the pharmacy didn’t have supplies I believe would only mean that pharmaceutical officials provided the doctor with them. Secondly, once the symptoms of paranoia of patient (which don’t seem were present before brintellix was prescribed) were brought up to doctors attention, and failed to take action seems also very strange. I believe that would be one of most striking red flags I would take in to consideration. I also wonder where are the doctors now with patient’s care, or did they disappear. And how would pharmaceutical company react to such story. Thankfully his father survived to tell the tale, which many don’t. I am also curios if his father is currently taking any medication or not. If not, and is doing fine, I wonder if this could had been misdiagnosis which many do with painkiller addicts, and instead of refer patients to rehabs they refer them to psychiatrists for depression. Wish the best of luck to the father and son.
Ove says
I’m beginning to Think this is all we wanna do, write some Words in a blog. Most of us on these blogs really know how hazardous these drugs are, but not even Another story makes any change.
“all drugs have sideeffects – but no one is ever openly attributed to be having a sideeffect”
“doctors prescribe medicines irresponsibly – but no one ever walks up to their GP with a camcorder and asks him if he can help you get rid of the sideeffects you attracted”
“randomized controlled trials in psychopharmacology are flawed, fraudulant and ghostwritten – which of course is not a crime, but openly accepted”
Even I sit here, doing nothing. My sadness is like a cloud hanging over me.
I dislike what happened to the man in the story above, but I’m sad because it happened to me too.
Brooks says
Doctors are way to fast to prescribe these drugs. They are preyed upon by pharmaceutical giants while still in medical school, being given free gifts and various other gratuities (pharmageddon, 2013). They are bribed and eventually brainwashed by the greedy giants. Honestly, for anyone suffering from depression or an anxiety disorder I would recommend something like SAMe or St.Johns Wart.
Now we have a whole group of innocent people like this man and many others who are adversly effected by these drugs, and we have many that took them while young and developed Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction Syndrome (PSSD). I hope this man makes a full recovery.
Foster says
Don’t recommend something you can’t even spell. St John’s Wort is also a powerful drug. It too can induce anxiety, insomnia, sexual dysfunction and mania. It should not remain available OTC in the UK.
Dyanne Bresler says
My experience as a registered psychiatric RN is that even well-known hospitals do not report adverse events to the FDA. It’s like the patient’s death or near-death never happened, and if there is an inquest, the patient is always found to have a “pre-existing condition that contributed to the death. Psychiatrists are trained to write prescriptions; so are we all surprised that it’s what they do?
Dan says
Gx – Well do I understand.
Too long a story to tell about my withdrawal from psych. drugs….suffice to say, no one was injured, lost a few friends and family members, was convinced numerous disasters would ensue momentarily, and got the FBI involved. After a period of time in which I was incarcerated while my story was checked out, I was free to go….verdict only that I withdrew too quickly from psych. drugs which were never necessary in the first place.
Glad that you are here to tell your tale as well…
Sandra Villarreal says
My psychiatric nurse at our local Mental Health facility praised how wonderful this new drug – Brintellix was to me during my appointment with her. So I went home and researched what I could find on this new miracle drug. This is what I discovered: PubMed Pharmacokinetic evaluation of vortioxetine for the treatment of major depressive disorder. Expert Opinion: Despite the fact that industry-sponsored studies are more likely than other clinical trials to support efficacy of the experimental drug, results have been MIXED. Some studies supported that vortioxetine is superior to placebe in the treatment of MDD and some do NOT. Two studies supported the efficacy of vortioxetine in the treatment of generalized anxiety Disorder and two did NOT. The incidence of sexual dysfunction has varied considerably in different studies, but cardiac effects and psychomotor impairment seem minimal (we have yet to see this). Advantages of vortioxetine over existing antidepressants are NOT yet clear. Another: Mechanism of action: NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD, but is THOUGHT to be due to it’s enhancement of inhibition of the reuptake of serotonin (5-HT). (They are promoting this toxic chemical drug into our brains by a ‘thought’.) Vortioxetine (Brintellix): A New Serotonergic Antidepressant P T. 2015 Jan;40(1): 36-40. posted in the ‘A Peer-Reviewed Journal for Managed Care and Hospital Formulary Management’ Under Mechanism of Action: Vortioxetine’s mechanism of action is NOT fully understood. It has NOT been determined whether the antidepressant effects of votioxetine are related to it’s binding at various 5-HT receptors. Although VALID pharmacological studies have YET to prove additional benefits for additional serotonin modulation by Vortioxetine. Agonist and partial agonist activity at these two receptors (5-HT1a and 5-HT1b) can lead to further serotonin release and could THEORETICALLY cause additional antidepressant activity. (Now, they’re prescribing a toxic drug for our brains on a theory.) The next sentence ‘hypothesized’ again. And lastly, many interneurons in the brain are regulated by 5-HT3 receptors and when blocked CAN lead to increases in Serotonin, Dopamine, Norephinephrine, acetylcholine, and histamine. Addition in vivo testing is necessary to determine whether this multimodal action produces additional clinical benefit. So what in God’s name are the Withdrawals going to be since most doctors NEVER cover this main important ingredient when prescribing them to unsuspecting, naive patients such as myself. Numerous personal stories include severe nausea but most particularly extreme ‘irritability’ which can easily for most, including myself, quickly turn into violence. Period. And do we need more violence considering the psych drugs already out there that trigger, induce or cause (what ever word you care to use) not only suicide but anger, rage and violence, often very extreme. I don’t think so. I know after 35 years on Psych drugs – I’ve had enough.
Belinda Milne says
Thank you for your post. I thought I was going out of my mind. It didn’t start straight away but yes I became extremely irritable with those around me at home, and having two boys 10 and 9 with special needs, this isn’t a position I need to be in. Unfortunately my husband copped it the most or fortunately, I guess (that way I didn’t take it out on my boys). I also suffer from chronic pain and had previously been on cymbalta which was helping me maintain a relatively active lifestyle, then I was bullied very badly at work and became suicidal (I suffer from complex PTSD), the Dr suggested that I change to Brintellix as it was new, they had heard good things about it etc etc and yes I have to say, at first my mood really did lift and I felt great for a couple of weeks, then out of nowhere I started to get really annoyed at the slightest thing, my back pain was also starting to get out of control so I started taking mersyndol like they were candy 🙁 . It wasn’t till I put two and two together that I realised it was actually the Brintellix that was making me so angry, hell I didn’t even want to be around myself. Spoke to the Dr again so they also suggested that I take a lower dose than previously of Cymbalta and continue taking the Brintellix and that this should help. It did with the pain, but the irritability was still there and getting much worse. So much so that I was ready to pack my bags and leave my husband and children. It was madness. I read the comments on this blog and knew straight away that I had to stop taking Brintellix. I am now just on Cymbalta and I have also previously been prescribed ritalin (10mg 4 hourly) to help me focus etc, this also helps with overcoming the extreme tiredness that Cymbalta can cause. Some day I hope to be off all medication, you really do have to wonder what all this chemical shit is doing to our brains. I live in Australia and unfortunately we still do not have laws where you can use CBD oil, yet our government allows the farmers here to sell to other countries where it is legal, hypocrisy at it’s best, it’s all about the money, greedy bastards. And clearly, they haven’t found a way to make the pharmaceutical companies here happy yet (cause no doubt they will lose money once CBD oil is on the market). I also have a son with Tourette syndrome and the other with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis who would both benefit from CBD oil too. The one with TS is on Risperidone (anti-psychotic) Lovan (anti-depressant/anxiety), Ritalin and Catapres (high blood pressure medication, but it helps bring him down at night so he can sleep). The other is on biologics, Ritalin and reflux medication for the anti-inflammatory he has to take every day, twice a day. We are spending a fortune every month at the pharmacy with all our medications, even with the discounts we get 🙁
Wally McDonald says
Belinda, I hear you and feel your anguish.
I have severe chronic anxiety. I saw a psychiatrist 2 days ago. She wanted to prescribe me Vortioxetine (Brintellix)
I said no way am I taking another SSRI. She said it had no serious side effects like Prozac/Sertraline etc
I am so pleased I found this article.
I’m Irish but live in UK. CBD is legal. It’s ok at the beginning but then sort of stops working (for me anyway). You have to spend a lot of money to get a good supply. I take edibles. Sweets with 30mg per sweet. My girlfriend thinks it’s great for a nice sleep.
It is shocking that Australia is growing cannabis to make CBD for export yet illegal for Australians. Money for the gangster corporations and politicians💰💰💰
A little off topic but it reminds me of agri chemicals – pesticides – herbicides etc. Some are banned in America due to severe toxicity, yet they produce them and dump them on Central/South American countries. Costa Rica, where we get a lot of our fruit from has the highest rates of stomach cancer in the world.
I hope you get this message as yours is 2018 and I hope you have found a solution and are safe with your family.
❤️
Pjc says
Help. My less the competent PA put me on Brintellix 3 weeks ago. Starting yesterday I want to kill myself and I am having significantly violent thoughts. I am in control now but how to I stop the meds safely? Any info is appreciated. If I feel this way tomorrow AM I’m simply going to the ER before I hurt myself or someone else
jay says
Is it me or does it seem like everyone now a days is being diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder. A disorder that years ago was considered rare. It seems as if someone has sadness in the same day as laughter that it’s somehow abnormal and needs to be medicated. Am I wrong Or misinformed?? I usually get my info from Kay Redfield Jamison. Co Author of the text book Manic-Depressive Illness. It’s a great text.
Catherine says
This is an interesting read. However, every medication comes with side effects and risks. I don’t think Brintellix is to blame; the prescriber is. I take Brintellix and it works well for me. Stories like this are very scary to people like me with anxiety. It should have been written that suicidal thoughts were a potential side effect, because I almost had a heart attack thinking that Brintellix was going to kill me while reading.
Christina says
I’ve come to this site with hope that I can get through the sudden thoughts that hit me in rapid succession last night. I’ve only been taking the medication for one week! I was visualizing how & what my family would do in the matter of seconds. It is not me! It’s the drug! I’m almost 40, and have never experienced that. However, I’m smart enough to realize those weren’t my thoughts. I am hoping the drug ultimately helps. Meanwhile, I’m scared.
Michelle says
I take brintilex and I have been having very bad suicide ideations I have PTSD depression social anitety I tried to kill myself last night and I have never tried before. I have decided to take myself off this drug and consult my doctor immediately
Jess says
Please don’t take this drug!!! My husband went to the doctor to take a blood test bc he was stressed and lost a lot of weight. The put him on this med and a week later he has lost all emotion!! He was angry, outraged, on edge, and now just straight up ice cold. He just stopped using it today so I am praying a week won’t have done any damage… On just 5mg!!! Took 10mg the last day he took it. He wasn’t like this before hand and now it’s a man Ive never seen before. Please please don’t take this drug… It’s NOT worth it!!!
Anon says
psychiatry is experimenting… to see what works and what doesn’t. Brintellix works pretty well for me. But the story sounds awful and it must’ve scared you a lot. always look at the side effects of a drug and watch for them. a sign of one side effect could mean more will follow or are being hidden. Always know the risks.
Dan says
I had excellent and immediate results from Brintellix. Other Rx in past were horrible in side effect & lack of antidepressant effects. We all have different body chemistries. The tragedy is doctors not staying on top of // acknowledging each individual patients reactions –to these and other medications — and making changes as soon as there’s any ill result 🙁
Oscar says
I completely agree with you Dan. We all have different chemistries and the doctor should have been on top of the situation.
Oscar says
Sorry about what happened to your father. I am glad he made it through that horrible ordeal. You are a great, loving. Your Dad and family must be very glad to have in the family. My best wishes to you and your family and I applaud your admirable efforts to
spread awareness and your dad’s story as it relates to this drug. May peace and love reign forever in your life.
Sydney says
I’m so sorry to hear about what happened to your father. That sounds extremely tragic and I’m sure it caused you a lot of emotional pain. In the past, I’ve been prescribed pretty much every antidepressant (SSRI’s) on the market and none of them worked for me. My psychiatrist finally decided that I should try Brintellix because it was a new drug and many of her patients had very good reactions to it. I did some research and discovered the drug was less than 2 years old. I’m extremely weary about taking anything less than 10 years old so this worried me a bit. About 2 weeks of taking this drug, I was lying on the bathroom floor with multiple self inflicted cuts to my arm. This drug did make me suicidal. I’ve read many horror stories about it too. Ironically, my psychiatrist recently prescribed me Luvox for OCD and it’s made me suicidal and it’s EVEN given me homicidal thoughts. I thought I was just going through a depressive phase because I have pretty bad bipolar disorder and I became so depressed and unmotivated to do anything to the point where I considered ECT therapy. It wasn’t until a couple of days ago my mind just popped and I related the depression and suicidal thoughts to this new drug. SSRI’s are very dangerous and if you notice anything wrong, STOP the drug IMMEDIANTLY. Even if your doctor decides to drop you for not listening to them. I’ve learned that over the years and I’m only 20 years old. It’s better to have a doctor drop you than end up in a grave.
Ed says
I am on my second week of taking Brintellix. I have been switching from Cymbalta to Brintellix. I called my Pyciatrists office today to tell them I feel more depressed and don’t feel like myself at all. I am very frightened after reading some of the posts here. I wasn’t doing that great on Cymbalta and asked if there was another treatment, my fault. My Pyciatrist told me to start taking 15 mg instead of the 10 I have been on for about a week. I took the 15mg today for the first time, but I am scarred. I am not sure how to stop it and just go back to Cymbalta for now.
Crystal says
Brintellix was prescribed to me for anxiety. It will calm me down when I’m feeling overwhelmed but it makes me really depressed and distant from people. Definitely going to talk to my physiciatrist.
Odie says
I began taking Brintellix two weeks ago. I had previously been taking Cymbalta and lamictal for severe major depression. I had been on the Cymbalta for about 6 years and it has lost its effectiveness as far as depression is concerned. My psychiatrist started me on Brintellix and I am more depressed than I have ever been in my life. When I let her know how I am feeling, she just adjusted the dose and told me to stay on the Lamictal. I don’t know what my next move will be but I did request either ECT or Transcranial therapy at which my psychiatrist said she would refer me to either treatment after I give the Brintellix a chance. In the meantime, I am crying all the time, I’m super anxious and I can’t sleep. These new medications need more trials before they are launched into the mainstream. They may work for some patients but not for all. Doctors need to monitor more closely than they do at the present time. When I call to talk to my psychiatrist, she is either not at work or with a patient in crisis. Well, if I’m thinking suicide, am I not in a crisis situation? I hear magic mushrooms and ketamine work fast on depression. Mushrooms are still illegal but ketamine can be infused legally by an anesthesiologist but it is too expensive. Oh well, hopefully I can “hang in there” as I have been told.
RNB says
I don’t have time type a dissertation on Brintellix (or the name the FDA changed it to, Trintellix) however I did start taking it and, after a few days when it loaded, I was knocked out for a FULL 24hrs & obviously had a few issues with my employer after that. I have maintained a great & tenured work history & WILL continue to if I stay AWAY from Brintellix/Trintellix
Whinger says
After trying a few other SSRI’s without any real improvement, I was put on Brintellix in early 2015. After two weeks, I wasn’t seeing any change in my depressive symptoms.
But I began hearing a weird noise in my head. It grew louder by the day- a bit like a smoke alarm going off somewhere in the house. Insistent and irritating. Upon hearing this, my provider told me to taper off of Brintellix immediately, which I did. I am grateful he took it seriously.
But even after going off Brintellix, the noise in my head continued. My provider told me to see an ENT specialist. That took a few weeks to arrange, while the noise grew louder. When I was finally seen, the ENT did a hearing test and found significant loss in both ears in the upper ranges. I am lucky that he reacted vigorously, putting me on a oral steroids immediately. (80mg tapering over two weeks.) By the end of that, the ringing had nearly vanished in one ear, but the other ear was, (and is), as awful as ever. (Later hearing tests confirmed improved hearing in one ear.) To me, this partial recovery after steroids is solid proof that Brintellix was severely ototoxic to me.
Recently, I’ve discovered that I suffered vestibular damage as well, so my balance is unreliable. The tinnitus is as utterly maddening as ever, though I’ve recently been fitted with a hearing aid. The hope is that by “filling in” the sound in the damaged hearing range, the tinnitus may recede. It will be worth the few thousand $ if it helps.
So: if you develop hearing or balance issues while taking any new medication, (especially an anti-depressant), see an ENT specialist *immediately* and inquire about steroids. Otherwise you may never enjoy silence again. Or ride a bike.
Mona80 says
For me Brillintex was the best thing that ever has happened to me. I have suffered from Attention disorder and depressions for 34 years and tried several medications that only made me carefree. Last year I started using Brillintex.
I take 5mg per day, I had NO side effects, it has made me super effective, very optimistic and confident and I no longer have any social anxiety. It has totally changed my life, for better! But I also eat very healthy food and exercise daily.
I believe that if you use a lot of different medications and smoke 3 packs of cigarettes a day. Then it is not Brillintex that is the problem. ( That is a lot of toxins for your body if you smoke 3 packs of cigarettes a day! )
Brillintex + a healthy diet = Brilliant! 🙂
..But everyone is an individual so unfortunately the medicine isn’t probably good for everybody.
Kind reagards,
M
Bill Wightman says
Why do people take any of these snake oil drugs? It’s hard enough just eating healthy food, getting good sleep and exercising and remaining calm. Why would you add unproven chemicals to your body? Honestly, it is bad enough with Frankenfood, damaged oils, smokers, cereals, junk foods, even modern breads. We are not chemistry sets, we are living people with the need for a simple and clean life. The only doctors worth listening to are the surgeons and the anesthesiologists and generally those who deal with acute ailments. Most doctors who deal in chronic medicine are hopelessly lost, and the worst of these are the “trash can” psychiatrists and the oncologists. Leave these experimental chemicals on the shelf and stop believing in the illnesses people keep pretending you have. Trust yourself first.
Wally McDonald says
Bill – You nailed it. That’s it in a nutshell.
I have nothing to add. ✌️
AV says
I took 5 mg of Trintellix for three days and by the fourth day I was suicidal, had random violent thoughts, felt extremely emotionally unstable, had vivid nightmares, night sweats, and terrible dizziness and nausea that made it feel like I was constantly falling. I’ve taken almost every antidepressant out there over the past fifteen years and have never experienced anything as dangerous as Trintellix. I reported my experience to the FDA due to the suicide risk.
Since stopping the medication, I’ve had even worse dizziness (I have trouble even sitting up in bed), cold sweats, and a racing heart, in addition to still having nightmares. I’ve never experienced drug withdrawal from any other antidepressant. What’s scary is that there’s so little information online about Trintellix since it’s relatively new and not widely used due to the cost. After this experience, I will never take another psychiatric drug again.
Jennifer says
Thank you for sharing this experience of Brintellix, which is now Trintellix. I had taken several antidepressants and anti anxiety pills over years of treatment for Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety symptoms that didn’t go away. I am a military veteran.
Most of the medications dulled down my emotions, which are usually on high alert. However, Trintellix was a killer. After only a few months of treatment I started experiencing severe agitation, paranoia about people looking at me wrong to the point of creeping out my husband, and I didn’t want anyone to touch me (such a vital part of social needs-human touch). I began having major thoughts of suicide–I will spare the details, but I found myself rocking back and forth in a closet in tears just to isolate myself from others in response to my plans to commit suicide. I didn’t feel like I could tell anyone what I was feeling and thinking.
After just two months, I became more aggressive and confrontational to the point of being almost anti-social. I finally gathered the courage to speak out to my doctor about the side effects, she said “maybe you don’t need a doctor anymore and just handed me a prescription for a new medication. I was so disappointed by this that I went to the medical board for this psychiatrist. No medication should hurt people to this degree and leave them in a state of paranoia and agitation with thoughts of suicide. Providers should listen and not turn a blind eye to matters of safety.
After several months of the worst withdrawal symptoms I have ever experienced from a medication (Trintellix, 10mg) I am finally back to my best self again. If you are experiencing paranoia or suicidal thoughts, please tell someone who will genuinely help you and call a crisis line…change providers if they won’t help. Trintellix is not a miracle drug from my experience, but does cost a whole lot of money, as it does not have a generic. And it almost killed me.
Michelle says
First of all, thank you for speaking out about your father’s experience. I thought I was crazy when the same thing happened to me. I have treatment resistant major depressive disorder and my higher degree is in the mental health field and if I didn’t have such a supportive husband and intuition to quit taking Trintellix against my provider’s suggestion- I wouldn’t be here today.
After two months of taking Trintellix I had daily paranoia, especially to strangers and began isolating myself, which my job was in management and if you asked my ex coworkers none of this was me . I eventually had fits of agitation and suicidal ideations do strong that I just laid still in bed so that I didn’t act on them. I cried uncontrollably and was lethargic all the time. After an argument I became psychotic when my emotions hit a major peak. I hated every minute and I even quit my job! I was ashamed of how I felt and my behaviors.
This experience ruined my relationships and flipped my life upside down in a matter of months!! No drug ever effected my mental state this much and I’ve taken well butrin, effexor, escitalopram and others. The other drugs had normal side effects like nausea or loss of libido or dry mouth. Trintellix almost killed me and this is the only forum which acknowledges these major adverse reactions. I am currently off all medications, seeing a therapist, and proud to say I am back to myself- depressed but alive. That’s hope. Sorry to those who are currently suffering and I would suggest to hang on, seek support, and trust if something’s not right in your mind or body, you are right.
JG says
Pure POISON!!! Interesting that the half life is 66 hours…perhaps it’s concocted in the pit of HELL. Paranoia, horrific insomnia, spiraling into the ABYSS within a week of starting this wicked drug. More panic attacks and wanting to DIE. Oh, massive chest pain, tachycardia, ringing in the ears, no appetite, lost 20 lbs in 5 weeks. This is straight up EVIL. Quit “cold turkey” and ALL side effects lifted IMMEDIATELY. I will NEVER touch another psychiatric DEATH drug for as long as I live. Eat right, SUPPLEMENTS, sleep, EXERCISE!!! Stop the insanity, refuse the chemical frontal lobotomy and starve these greedy SATANISTS out of business!!!
Alessandra Tosi says
‘m italian. I took brintellix in July 2018 10 drops for ten days in the sun. Limbs began to tingle, auditory hallucinations, psychosis, panic, menstrual bleeding. The next day I was fatigued. Tiredness and pain in the nerves and muscles increased and mental confusion increased. Since those days I have lost everything and I have to live bedridden and take morphine for the severe pain. No doctor believes me, but before I worked and I had my family, I only had a mild depression. I believe I have taken on a defective lot or that it is reacting with the sun. Doctors can’t cure me because the damage isn’t understood.
Paul says
I was prescribed Trintellix (same as Brintellix) for depression and anxiety. After 5 days on it I have a powerful urge to kill myself. I have never felt this way before and my depression was not to that level. But this drug does something to my head and brain where I feel so terrible I want to die. In my opinion this drug does more harm than good. It should be taken off the market. I’m never going to take it again.
Percival says
I’ve been on a daily dose of 20mg of Brintellix for 5 years now and it definitely saved my life, and I have another friend who got it prescribed and was happy with it as well.
Which antidepressants work or not is incredibly unique, and most of them can cause suicidal thoughts in the beginning, which is why people need to be under close watch when they start taking them.
I think blaming it on the drug does not make sense, if anything the doctor should’ve taken him off it when the side effects got too intense.
Lilly says
Hello,
Thank you for sharing your experience with this Antidepressant Brintellix,
I suffer with reactive depression due to circumstances over the years,
I have hit a very stressful time of life and its brought on Major Depressive Disorder, I have tried so many antidepressants over the years, so this was the last choice,
Yes I was suffering MDD when I started it and I thought I would give it a good trial even though I did have fear around effects because some of these antidepressants can make you feel really bad which is a fact its trial and error, and it does make me feel what is the point putting myself though all that and why do these dreadful tablets make you feel so bad, but when your suffering MDD you take that chance, a chance that can truly effect your mind resulting in things wrote above suicide thoughts and actions!
I started this antidepressant over a year ago, moved from 5 mg to 10 mg then increased to the top does 20 mg, I was sleeping better but lack of energy and get up and go the next day and would just could not get myself up or the want to do anything as much as I really did try, I then developed tinnitus which was low noise to start with now extremely loud unbearable and adding to the depression and anxiety, I have felt such strong urges to take the washing line and hang myself, I have battled with those feeling for a year, again as I read above I also would stay in bed due to the fear I would act up on it, last week I actually made the rope and had it planed out, and I very nearly acted on it, some how under my shame I turned to a friend from years ago we had not talked in years, she could see this drastic change in me and suggested contacting the G.P again and tell them I want off these tablets, I am now in the process of reducing them and now down to 5 mg, my friend has been encouraging me to go for walks with her and try and eat, healthy, drink water and hopefully walking will lead me back to exercise which I once loved and always apart of my life, but that feels way off yet, for now it feels like baby steps In taking one day at a time, I am very afraid to try any other medication, and I hope the tinnitus in my left ear will stop its driving me crazy, not sure if its the medication to cause tinnitus I have an MRI scan next week!
I searched for for information on this antidepressant before taking it and I didn’t find anything negative, it was frightening to come across this and read what I also experienced and out of character for me to act on suicidal thought’s ????
I chose to write this I hope my honesty helps, I understand when they say one drug does not suit all, it feels so dangerous and such a gamble with your life!
I am still suffering MDD and the ringing in my left are, and soon will be off the antidepressants in a weeks time I will then have to see how I am and see what next, I just wish to be back to health again and have my life back!
God Bless Take Good Care!
John says
https://www.ehealthme.com/ds/trintellix/paranoia/
Warnings about paranoia from Trintellix
DJ says
I had a similar experience..after 2 weeks of being on it ..it made me have feelings of wanting to hurt myself so I immediately called my doctor and got off it. I hope everyone finds something to help with depression and anxiety or whatever you are dealing with..
Susan says
This thread is very helpful. I’ve been a psych nurse for 40 years, now retired, and have suffered with depression for over 50 years. I’ve treated patients with depression and various MD’s prescribe a variety of medications. As a nurse we were able to see the effects of the medications and report back to the MD’s. Everyone responds differently to medications. Personally, I’ve been on at least 6 different antidepressants over the years. I’ve had to change them due to losing effectiveness over time, weight gain, loss of libido, etc. Recently I felt like the medication I’ve used for the past 7 years was no longer working. I decided to try IV Ketamine. I had 5 sessions and I definitely felt better but it requires more treatments and at $525 per session I decided to wait. I’m currently checking out Mindbloom, a company that provides oral Ketamine and is about 1/2 the cost of the IV method. My MD changed me to Trintellix 10 mg. I didn’t use it until after my Ketamine as I wanted to evaluate my status first. I was on Trintellix for 10 days and started feeling suicidal after the first week. I ruminated for days on end just wanting to die. I’ve never felt so consumed by negative and disturbing thoughts. I stopped Trintellix 5 days ago and I resumed my old medication. I feel back to normal now that the Trintellix is out of my system. If I was still working in the field I know I would have had knowledge about this medication. It may work for some but for me it was absolutely terrible. I will be informing my MD about my symptoms so I can be counted in the FDA information logs. Trust yourself. If something feels off talk to your MD immediately. Don’t blindly agree to take medications just because an MD says to do so. There are very few credible psychiatrists out there so most MD’s prescribing these medications aren’t educated in the field. I’m thankful I was able to figure this out before I caused self harm.
Tim fakelastname says
I was put on this medication. It didn’t feel like it was doing much, perhaps slowing my anxiety a bit at the cost of dulling me. However, when my doctor tried to up the dose I was immediately within a day overwhelmed with suicidal ideation. Much worse than I had felt before. It was bad enough that I was hospitalized for a week. It took 4 excruciating days to work out of my system. If I hadn’t had a good group of family and friends and an honest direct personality I could have seen myself ending my life during this time. It was right in front of me, in my mind, blocking me from feeling normal.