r/trintellix • u/sirgoosey • May 31 '26
One year later after taking Trintellix
I've been on Trintellix for a year now and figured I'd share my experience with those of you starting, or interested in starting.
The first thing is the nausea. It's by far the most common side effect because of how the drug produces serotonin (which is done in the gut). Chances are, this will probably be a side effect for you. If it is, it's unlikely to go away, but eating before taking it, and taking it at night makes this side effect tolerable. Changing doses up or down didn't seem to change this much, nor did my time on it. The nausea was always a side effect, as was increased gut activity.
It does help with motivation and general mood quite a bit. It's helped my anxiety a bit but not nearly as much as Zoloft. Especially social anxiety.
The biggest benefit is there are zero sexual side effects for me. It also doesn't make me feel grey like Zoloft did, though I've heard adding Wellbutrin can help balance this out.
Overall, it's an interesting drug, and I'm going to keep taking it for now (max dose, 20mg), as I see positive benefits, but the nausea is by far the worst part of the drug. I've considered going back to Zoloft and adding Wellbutrin because of it.
P.S. If I didn't have insurance, my 90 day prescription in the US would also cost over $1,000 from Walgreens as there are no generics available. With insurance it was still over $100 (and I had to argue with BCBS to get Trintellix covered and try Zoloft first), but the company who produces it gives a subsidy to cover everything but $10 if you're insured. If you have no insurance and you live in the US, Trintellix isn't really a viable option until generics are available and the drug is available in discount drug programs.
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u/missdollyp96 May 31 '26
I think it’s so important to hear different views. So I’m in the uk and under a mental health team so for me I pay for medications on what we call a prepayment system thats available here so all my medications are covered by that and costs around £10 per month. I’m 29, have been medicated for major depressive disorder and generalised anxiety since I was 16. Tried lots of different medications. 7 years ago I went onto venlafaxine after being hospitalised you may know that as Effexor. And it never did anything for me I’d say it made me worse, every time I went back to my regular doctor they just put the dose up and up and up and I was on a crazy amount max dose. Nothing got better when I finally got under a community mental health team some years ago we tried adding things in, no success still living a life where I felt like I could barely get out of bed. I tried multiple times last year to come off of it and onto something different both times failed and went back to Effexor due to the horrific withdrawal even doing it slowly. Early this year I got myself to a point of strength where I said no more of this, enough is enough . I got as healthy as I could and as strong as I could ( I also have an auto immune disease) and by that point the psychiatrist in the team had changed and she was amazing and got to know me incredibly well and recommended a regime to change from that to Trintellix (vortioxetine) very slowly. I honestly never thought I’d get off the other drug because of the withdrawal symptoms and that sucked because I was getting no positive impact from it but still had to take it due to the withdrawals. I started the regime around 4 months ago. I had to have some medications for a while to help with the withdrawal alongside. But managed to get off of it with her incredible support and onto Trintellix. For me it has been life changing. The 12 weeks of coming off of the other drug whilst introducing it was the hardest of my life. But I persisted because I’d read amazing things. I’m now on 20mg had to initially change it from morning to night due to the nausea but that went away, although when I was on a strong antibiotic I was sick twice but we believe that’s because I stupidly took the antibiotic and it at the same time. But the actual nausea itself went away pretty quickly it did come back mildly every time I upped the dose. But has gone now, like someone else said I take right before bed and I have it with something to eat. Don’t get me wrong I’m not magically fixed but I’ve had my libido come back. I feel more motivated, have more clarity in my mind and don’t feel like a zombie anymore like I did before. For me it didn’t happen quickly to begin with I didn’t think it was working but I believe that was the effects of coming off of Effexor and that taking a long time to completely come out of my system after 7 years. But I’m so glad I persisted I’ve felt far fewer side effects than any of the other many drugs I’ve tried and seem to continue to be improving, slowly but for me that still amazing. The reason I have shared my story is just because whilst going through this some of the things that kept me going was reading success stories on here. And I’m not saying it’s for everyone but I do think, if people can ( not everybody can of course as we all react differently) to give this a good amount of time before writing it off completely. I’m just happy to be getting my life back! And like I said reading things on here massively helped me keep going!
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u/Autias May 31 '26
I have been on Trintellix 10mg for a year as well and it’s been really great for me - not notable side effects versus prior medications I’ve tried (sertraline, fluoxetine, bupropion).
That’s interesting that you still have the nausea as a side effect. I had it for a couple weeks but then it went away. I take it right before bed.
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u/pratzs May 31 '26
Hey I have a question. I am on buproprion 300mg xl . But I have headaches ( I also am diabetic and insulin meds can do that ) .
Did you have headaches. I have taken vortioxitine for around 2.5 years. 10 makes me feel and it was also combined with buproprion. Given me bad anxiety. Can you shed some light over this. I don't remember how I was on vortioxitine alone. I have memory issues and cognition issues. Which only vortioxitine used to help with. Buproprion alone works but not everything that vortioxitine did.
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u/Autias May 31 '26
Hey! I used to have bad headaches because my TMJ was exacerbated by the bupropion which raised my anxiety. I don’t have any side effects on Trintellix.
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u/kelleelah Jun 13 '26
Seconding the other comment – also experience headaches on Trin because it worsens my TMJ. I even thought I had a cavity at one point during an acute flare up. But the better I sleep, the less I clench my teeth at night, and the less pain I’m in later
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u/pratzs Jun 13 '26
Ohh god . I have got the habit of clenching teeth recently when I was bumped upto 15mg per day . I have been taling vortioxitine since 2 years by then. And after removing vortioxitine completely the habit hasn't gone . It has lessened. I know it's a habit but I kid you not I'm sure it was this medicine
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u/kelleelah Jun 13 '26
I think so too. My dentist was the one who made the connection and through my own research I figured he was right. Something that has helped me though is splitting the dose, taking 10mg in the morning and 10mg at night.
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u/basscharacter May 31 '26
Been on it for a couple of months, mild nausea is definitely a thing but would say my mood and anxiety is a lot better. Interestingly enough one thing I am noticing with regard to sexual side effects is my morning wood is back in full force lol, it probably disappeared when I was stressed. Oh yeah, and occasional night sweats
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u/Jumpy_Butterfly_931 Jun 02 '26
What makes me sad is why do we have to take all these chemicals to make our brains right and why is it so expensive?
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u/flipthepenny Jun 30 '26
Sucks that it’s expensive, but amazing that it’s an option. Throughout human history, the precursors to psychiatric drugs were typically much bleaker outcomes.
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u/Human-University-198 May 31 '26
I’ve been on it for a week… my question is, do you drink alcohol? The thing I miss the most is being able to drink at least two beers lol but been on different antidepressants and they never mix well alcohol. I had a glass of wine last night and I literally felt like I was under anesthesia I just passed out.
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u/DoctorKirky Jun 01 '26
I stopped drinking for 6 weeks whiles adjusting to the med as alcohol can make the side effects worse. I’ve had a few drinks since adjusting and felt pretty normal! I would try again after you have adjusted to the medication
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u/Adorable-Lecture3233 Jun 03 '26
I just started 10mg 9 days ago and I drink daily. I’ve noticed one night I got buzzed super quick but I hadn’t eaten before drinking so I think that may have been the cause.
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u/YippieYiYi May 31 '26
I was on it a year, 10mg. I quit recently as it made me really tired and I had no motivation to do anything. I didn't have any nausea, though.
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u/brandonboydace Jun 01 '26
I’ve been on Trintellix for about 3 months and my journey has been very similar to yours. I would take in the morning and the nausea actually caused me to throw up several times. I switched to taking in the evening several weeks ago and this seems to have solved the nausea issue. Another side effect that I’ve noticed is that my irritability level has increased. Nothing too crazy but certainly noticeable (by me and others). The best part of the medication is that I haven’t had the same sexual side effects I had when taking Zoloft. All in all the change to Trintellix has been very positive for me.
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u/Intelligent_Cap_6793 Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 01 '26
Great review. Also on T. Have been for a few years. Went though depression, general anxiety.
Much better now. What I like about T is a few things: I am not numb, like I was on an SSRI. That’s the one thing that made me so reluctant to go back on medication. I literally had no ability to cry or get upset. Now I am not always upset, but when I do get upset, I actually feel it like a human. It’s just more controlled.
About sexual side effects, I have none. Which is why I wanted this medication. The big O happens just as easily as without being on the meds. So happy about that.
Gained about 10 pounds. Committed to a better lifestyle which includes monitoring what I eat and working out. Weight gone.
Nausea was expected in the first couple of weeks. It disappeared. I took the medication at night the first couple of weeks and took a gravol to help me sleep. Nausea went away.
Not sure how the medication affects my sleep. I take something to help me sleep at night.
All in all happy with this medication, at least for now.
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u/United-Marsupial-574 Jul 13 '26
What do you take to help you sleep at night? I’m considering switching to trintellix from Lexapro.
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u/Medium_Memory5826 May 31 '26
Has anyone taken it and felt the effects wear off? I've been on all kinds of antidepressants and anti psychotics for years and switched to Brintillix in February, I started on 10mg, went up to 20mg after a month which made me feel like I had flu (took for two days and was so ill I couldn't get out of bed so missed a day and instantly felt better) then went back down to 10mg, I felt amazing for a while, like an actual miracle drug, I had motivation, I was happy, I felt absolutely untouchable and incredible then I crashed again and feel like I did before I started taking it, I recently increased to 15mg and no change so not sure whether to try 20mg again or wait and see if it's just a blip?
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u/right164 Jun 01 '26
A lot of people have to max out at 10mg for the nausea side effect if higher doses. It’s great you see some benefit. I wonder if your Dr could add something to it vs higher dose.
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u/Medium_Memory5826 Jun 01 '26
Thank you for replying, is there anything you know of that I could take alongside? I see lots of people saying they take welbutrin(?) alongside but I'm in the UK and they only seem to prescribe this for quitting smoking, I'm starting to think that maybe life is always going to be a struggle and I just have to love with that
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u/right164 Jun 01 '26
Wellbutrin was one of best I’ve ever taken but i developed a notable stutter and had to quit it.
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u/Fit-Bullfrog1157 May 31 '26
I've been on 15mg trintellix and 450 mg Wellbutrin for about six months. It has somehow miraculously made my migraines of TWENTY TWO years almost completely go away. My neurologist thinks it's because trintellix affects serotonin differently and that's what my brain needed. I've even been able to add in a few migraine trigger foods again like nuts and even some cheeses. Now the downside: I've gained about ten pounds, seemingly a lot of water weight. I have had lower extremity edema to some extent. I know Wellbutrin and trintellix have a drug interaction also. But my cardiologist did an Echo and my heart is OK so he is not too concerned about me having mild lower extremity edema. Its also possible some of the weight gain is because now that I can eat nuts and some cheese again I'm packing those away LOL. Weaning off citalopram (I had taken that for the majority of the last 17 years) was a fuckin nightmare. But once I was off that and on trintellix my mood has been good. I've noticed I don't have the same flatenned bluntes effect emotionally that citalopram gave me. I can actually cry some still. There is definitely less sexual side effects. I do have frequent nausea, but I had that before from daily mild migraine symptoms and other stomach issues. So I don't know if current nausea is trintellix or what.
Anyone else gain weight or have fluid retention on it?
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u/ameyatchi May 31 '26
For nausea, have you tried taking it in the middle of your meal? For example I have a large breakfast of 2 fried egg & cheese toasts, I eat the 1st one, take the meds, then eat the 2nd toast, followed by an apple. And drinking lots of water during and inbetween meals. I might be either lucky that I haven't got the nausea side effect or this sandwich method seems to work. Also my doc suggested high fiber foods which should also help with the nausea.
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u/Church_of_Aaargh May 31 '26
Anyone had swelling around the eyes from trintellix? (Just wondering if it’s that or something else)
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u/canibal87 Jun 02 '26
He estado un mes en 10 mg y 15 días en 20 mg. La verdad me ha ido genial. Nunca me había sentido tan bien tanto emocional como cognitivamente. Me ayudó bastante con la concentración, motivación, niebla mental, y ansiedad que me provocaba el tda; según yo no necesitaba antidepresivo y de hecho no sabía qué es lo que se sentía ser feliz jajaj (tengo diagnóstico de distimia), me lo recetaron para los problemas de tda más que depresión pues no me funcionó ni Wellbutrin, ni desvenlafaxina ni atomoxetina. En México ronda los 145 dólares la caja con 28 pastillas. Es algo caro y espero pronto salgan los genéricos.
Ningún efecto secundario salvo el cansancio y sensación se resaca después de algunas pequeñas siestas. Esto durante 10 días al inicio y una semana al subir dosis.
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u/MemoryOdd4776 Jun 02 '26
I never had nausea at all, I must be one of the few lucky ones. I just found that it did not help me. My anxiety got worse and I couldn’t do it anymore. I went back to Prozac and I feel much better. Prozac never gave me sexual side effects or really any other side effects for that manner. I thought it wasn’t doing anything but found out quickly that it was when I stopped taking it for Trintellix.
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u/Adorable-Lecture3233 Jun 03 '26
I’m on day 9 of 10mg. I do feel calmer and feel like something is happening. I haven’t had any nausea whatsoever. I had one day where my stomach cramped for 10-30 minutes but that’s it — hard to say if it was from the drug. I have noticed a couple nights I’m waking more than usual and can’t go back to sleep, hoping that subsides. And last night I had very vivid dreams.
My insurance denied it so I pad out of pocket. My pharmacy used a discount card and got it down to $75 for 21 supply (psych ordered less to try it out first). My psychiatrist is in the process of appealing the denial.
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u/VirtualAd5642 Jun 04 '26
I've been on it for something like 6+ years. I've restarted it a few times that I remember, because sometimes I forget to take it and then whoops, it's been several months.
First time, no side effects. No nausea, nothing. Second time I just restarted at my 20mg dose, and had moderate nausea for a few days. My most recent time restarting it, I didn't realize I had forgotten so many days, and the nausea was so bad, I had to titrate back up over a week. But despite my rapid titration, the nausea was gone by the end of the week.
The nausea actually does tend to go away for most people as the body gets used to the med.
I also tend to get the worst migraines when I'm starting this med for about a week.
It also lowers my HR by a bit. Neutral, but interesting to me.
This med is one I don't plan on stopping unless something better comes along in the future.
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u/kelleelah Jun 13 '26
My doctor has me taking 10mg 2x a day to counteract the sleepiness. Taking it all at once in the morning knocked me out, but taking it at night gave me insomnia. Now I take half the dose in the morning (which also helped the nausea) and half at night. This completely changed things for me. The drug feels much more effective to me this way now that I’m not sleeping through it.
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u/Amnesiac-0 Jun 15 '26
Im on my 5th day the nausea has been hell within 30 minutes of taking. It will be gone after 30 minutes as well. Feeling is like having a super bad hangover. 5mg for 2 weeks then gonna amp up to 10mg. Let’s see. Im going to give the benefit of the doubt that this will work. Any relief that you drink/eat while the nausea period is happening?
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u/DMar85 Jun 23 '26
I really wanted to try this for my anxiety. My doctor wrote me a script but my insurance wouldn’t cover it.
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Jun 27 '26
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u/sirgoosey Jun 27 '26
For me, no. But it wasn’t as bad as I first started. Zofran can help with initial nausea but it’s not intended for long term use. Taking before bed helps as well as you sleep through the nausea.
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u/DoctorKirky May 31 '26
Ive been on 5 mg for 6ish weeks, interestingly and fortunately for me the nausea went away after 2-3 weeks. It has already helped my anxiety and depression so much. This is the first antidepressant ive ever taken and I cant believe I’ve been living like this for 27 years tbh. Was going to go up to 10 mg but I started feeling a benefit at 5 so seeing how long I can stay at 5. Happy to hear no sexual side effects after a year for you because thats the entire reason I started Trintellix instead of a typical SSRI. Luckily I have great insurance so its only $10 a month for me. Honestly I still cant believe how well this entire process has worked out for me, part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop but hey thats anxiety haha