Anxiety Support Group

Effexor was the worst for these brain zaps... I went cold turkey off them and went crazy for a few months. But now I get them if I forget to take my pills at night. Then I spend the whole night shaking and having zaps in my brain. It sucks.

I got these when I was going off of Zoloft. Even though I was weaned off the medication, I still experienced side effects. The brain zaps were the worst, however know that they are completely normal and they do go away.

Amazing all the different descriptions of brainzaps, I liken them to mini explosions in your head. I had them really bad when I came of Efexor, especially when I turned my head left or right, weird it was. I didn't go cold turkey, I did it gradually. When I first got the zaps it really scared me but then I read all about it and now they don't worry me at all. They lasted for about 6 months or so and gradually got less, now I only get them now and again.
Bummer isn't it, this anxiety, the doc told me I will probably have it for the rest of my life, I have been suffering from it since I was very young, and all you do is worry and worry so now I have decided to just exept it and that has already made a difference, for instance, I had this breathing obsession, every time I went for a walk and got a bit breathless I thought I was having breathing problems and might pass out, of course I was working up to a panic attack, as soon as I started to turn around to go back home I was ok. Crazy isn't it how the brain works. I just want to be "normal" whatever that is but...if that's normal for me, so be it. Also I have started taking Niacin, there is a discussion on that as well, very interesting. Have a look at my post about it.

I've had them ever since my son was born 10 weeks ago - I've had anxiety for a couple of years though. It kinda feels like I've blacked out or fallen asleep for like a microsecond and then all of a sudden my body is just pumping with adrenaline. I figure because of the surge of adrenaline at the same time it's probably the anxiety but of course I obsess it's something sinister...I hate anxiety. I was thinking of going to the GP this week to tell her about them but I feel like every time I go there I have a new symptom and she normally says not to worry but come back if I still have them in a few weeks. All of my symptoms are on and off though so it's hard to know what to bother getting checked out or not. I'm not on any medication to cause them - so assume just the anxiety.

I had them when i took zoloft many years ago, and they passed when i stopped. Zoloft was horrible for side effects.

I had been on effexor for about a year 4 years ago and wanted to get off it.. I couldnt get off them, like BlackWing described and ended up having to stop the cold turkey and start taking them again..

That sound s like the medication your on . I 'm getting them with drawel syptoms right now and getting the brain zaps and the dizzy spell s that last 2 seconds and can come and go every few seconds. I done some research on them and they are not good for our brain and can have permanent damage so thats why i opted for very slow withdrawel . You may be getting them because of your increase. I would go to the doctor and get there opinion but i know if i told my doctor she would say there harmless , i beg to differ after wat i read about them . I was shocked . Maybe wat i read was bull but all the same who do you trust . Mild zaps would be ok but if you couldn t function and it was very bad then go to your doctor x

By the way pls when you are evenualy coming off the meds take it slow even a few months . There's no rush at all , take as long as you need and you should never have witdrawels , but pls don t ever go cold turkey . I think effexor are very hard and thats what i was on but other ones i ve tried like paxil and lexapro were good . Off them in matter of days