head zaps/pulses

[niz]

Hello, I have been lowering my meds now for a while now I have not taken any this week and feel great, only thing is I am getting constant head zaps/pulses. I know that this happens when coming off meds but I used to get them before becoming ill with deppression and taking meds. Only just found out this week that other people have experienced such issues. Anyone else ever had this issue?

[MamaLou]

I had awful brain zaps when coming off venlafaxine. They were really hard to describe but I found them really troublesome. They were often quite painful, like a big electric shock through the head. They carried on for quite some time.

[niz]

Hi, cilitropan is what I have been taking for nearly 2 years, I can live with the zaps and as long as they go away eventually then that's ok, not sure if I should bother my GP with it though, I feel its the only thing hindering some sort of recovery at the moment. :smile:

[Sweetpea]

If these symptoms continue, it maybe worth checking with your Dr, if only to put your mind at ease.

[Pip]

It would bother me enough if I suffered with that to see my GP so Sweetpea's advice is spot on. 

[SteveW]

Brain zaps are really the signature withdrawal symptom of Venlafaxine. They are pretty rare in the other chemical groups. you have been unlucky. I am a little concerned that you experienced them before you were on anti-depressants or even depressed. You should certainly tell your doctor about that, it is definitely out of the ordinary.

Your doctor is probably going to say, lets wait a while and see how you go. Some very thorough GP's might send you for an MRI scan to exclude the possibility of something sinister. But I wouldn't worry they will most likely just fade away.

Love

Steve

[niz]

Thanks everyone, think I will give it a week or so and see if they settle down or trip to the doc if they dont :-)

[kutuup]

YES YES AND MORE YES! I have head zaps if I so much as miss a dose by a few hours! I take 150mg Venlafaxine a day and they will do that if you stop taking them. If you are coming off them, take a couple of days off work, the zaps will subside after 24 hours maximum, but you might still get withdrawal symptoms for up to a few days, including zaps. It's highly unpleasant, but it will go away within a few days tops. I know how it feels, it's awful.

[niz]

Hi, thanks for the advice, it has been 2 weeks now and only now have the head zaps started to subside, still get the odd pulse but will be glad when they stop altogether as I am worried that something more sinister is going on physically with me.