Effexor - brain zaps

[pAULspybeef]

Hi all, I often hear people on Effexor/Venlafaxine say they get brain zaps - I myself have used this as a description of my side effects but I would like to hear people's description of "brain zaps" to determine if it is indeed what I feel. Even one missed dose and I feel all swimmy and get like "waves of like adrenaline" where I feel faint and dizzy.

What do brain zaps mean to you?!?!

Thanks in advance for your replies and hoping we can all get off this blessed drug soon!

pAUL

[shadowstriker]

I got that aswell when I miss a dose of venlafaxine hate it trying to get off it

[mandymoo]

its like an electric shock that hits u for a second in your head then rest of your body then goes.

[bernie1977]

I experienced the brain zaps when coming off venlafaxine, it was not pleasant at all. I felt like I was getting electric shocks to the brain and it would leave me feeling nauseous and dizzy. Not a nice experience at all.

[Moley]

I have experienced this when I have missed a dose. To me they are small electric shocks in my head that lead to me to feeling dizzy and sick. I am hoping to change my medication as I am not finding a benefit from them. These are the third meds that I have tried and no luck. But some of things I have heard have me worrying about trying to get off these.

[Sober2000june]

everyone different Morley, I was practically psychotic going on them - 26mg of diazepam a day just o take the slight edge off. However reducing was way better

[SpecialAgentSara]

For me the brain zaps started in my head and shot through my entire body. Made me feel like my heart had stopped and I'd stopped breathing for about two seconds. Awful!

[Oosh]

I had brain zaps on Prozac. They weren't small in anyway. It was a JOLT to my brain that honestly felt like my head had been knocked 90 degrees leaving me totally disorientated. In the seconds that followed I'd feel the room swimming from side to side until my vision would come to rest where it should again. My head HADNT moved.
I didn't know it was the Prozac and actually had a brain scan which was obviously clear.

[shadowstriker]

my dr has been reducing mine weekly been a week with out it and still feeling like crap anxiety and depression has doubled and head shock hopefully i should start feeling better by next week my dr has started me on lamotrigene to stablize my moods.

[SADnomore]

I am on Effexor and have yet to have a brain zap. I did get them as I reduced from Zoloft. I think they're pretty common when coming off meds. Sometimes doctors will swap out to an antidepressant with a longer half-life, and have the patient do a withdrawal with those. In any and all cases, it is advised to not skip doses, and to notify your doctor if you plan to stop taking any antidepressant.
A very slow withdrawal schedule is best.
Good luck to you, glad you found the site!
Marie

[shadowstriker]

thanks my dr is a ******** wouldnt give me somthing with a long half life (fluoxatine)

[aprilmoon]

Find one that's better,Shadowstriker
The last thing you need is GP that's rubbish at all this
My practice has about 5 in it,and I've worked my way through till I've found the best of the bunch,and stuck with him.
I think they all have their strong and weaker points in different areas,find one that's actually interested in mental health and it makes all the difference.
They do exist,and you owe it to yourself.
Trouble is,I have to book way in advance for an appt,which I do,but now he knows me really well,he has fitted me in when I've been really bad.

---------- Post added at 09:47 ---------- Previous post was at 09:39 ----------

I've not had much trouble with zaps on effexor,prob cause I've not gone down low enough,but for sheer,knock you sideways zaps,you can't beat Seroxat.:scared15: