Brain shudder when trying to sleep & startled easily

[ShaunD]

Hi I am new to this forum but have been struggling with gad for over 10 years on & off. I now have some new symptoms of that when trying to fall sleep I get a brain shudder type feeling and stops me from going to sleep . I am also at present experiencing getting startled very easily . Even if someone shuts a door too quickly it makes me jump and my heart pounds and sometimes get a little brain shudder of which I have never been startled easy .
I am currently on busparone 5mg x3 a day & diazepam as and when needed.
Just wanted some reassurance really that this is a common symptom as I have never experienced these symptoms before . I am also very shaky and get quite dizzy at times . I am booked in for cbt but apparently a 6 month waiting list .
I am also taking 2x 25mg phenergan to hopefully keep me a sleep when I finally do but these shoes ck are quite frightening .

[Gee-SP]

Hi, brain shudder or also brain zaps as they are called are a very common side effect of Buspirone, especially when combined with a sedative of some kind. I stopped Buspirone for this very reason. Propranolol is a very good alternative without the zaps, perhaps your Gp can help you switch. I hope this helps you and best of luck :)

[ShaunD]

Hi I have only just started the busperine and I had the brain zaps before starting this medication .
Previously I was on mirtizipine & pregabalin which is around 5 weeks ago

[Gee-SP]

Hi, I've also had a lot of experience with Mirtazapine, and probably everything else available for anxiety disorder. Even reducing Mirtazapine as recommended can cause brain zaps during a long withdrawal process of many weeks. My guess would be residual mirtazapine and Buspirone are causing your problems and I wouldnt worry too much that it is naturally occurring. I hope you are able to find the solution and good luck. Here's more info on Buspirone brain zaps- https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=buspirone%20brain%20zaps

[ShaunD]

Thanks for the reply . I was taken off mirtazapine & pregabalin which I was on for 18ths and my doc told me to reduce by half one week and then just stop which I thought was a quick taper after being on it so long .
My doc gave me a different one called quitipine for a week and that's when I started getting these shocks so he changed me to busperone and it's still happening every night or even in the afternoon if I am tired .
I first thought it must be because I come of my other meds so quickly but it's been over 5 weeks now so I though it would have stopped but it hasn't. I am also very startled at even the door bell going or a loud noise which as never been a problem for me .
So really I don't know whether it is from withdrawels of which my doc says it isn't or it's just because my anxiety level is so high at the moment that hopefully it will settle down .
Many thanks for your replies as it really helps .

[Gee-SP]

hi, your welcome. Quetiapine is an atypical anti-psychotic quite often prescribed for anxiety.This along with mirtazapine and Olanzapine are extremely hard to quit and can produce some very strange effects when reduced too quickly or as slowly as recommended for that fact. They all work by switching off sometimes 5,6 or 7 neurotransmitters in the brain which can take quite a long time to re-adjust, sometimes months. I would recommend with Quetiapine to never play around with the dose or the time you take it as side effects can be pretty severe. Your startle response and other symptoms do sound very similar to the experiences I had while trying to quit all of these at different times in the past. It says also on the instructions with Buspirone to not take it with high levels of anti-psychotics,due to the brain zaps I believe. Propranolol was definitly much better in my experience, no brain zaps. I sympathise greatly with you as I have myself been on this combination of tablets before and i would strongly recommend that you try to keep the dose of each one to a minimum and swap the Buspirone for propranolol. I hope you can find the right combination that brings you relief and good luck.

[Lyn89]

I think the medicine has a part to play, but I used to get something like this and still do and I've never been on any meds for anxiety. The key word in your posts for me was that these happen mostly when you are tired-- at night or in the morning you say. I get them when I'm tired too. If I hear a sound that isn't particularly nice (tv is too loud, shouting or door slammming) it seems to make my head buzz and go right through me and make me cringe. That's how I know I'm ready for bed :p it means I'm really tired. With an anxious mind you get tired often and easily. I think that's what's happening but it's not made any better by the meds side effects. I think it will improve with time when the meds stuff does, but it also sounds like a normal reaction to being tired :) try not to worry about it, if it wakes you back up, take an oh well, silly head attitude and try again.

[ShaunD]

Hi, all I am taking at present is busperine & pherghal sleeping tablets so I can get a bit of sleep . A lot I have read regards to busperine is that most people get brain zaps or dizziness about 30 mins after taking it but I only get them when trying to fall asleep or being startled.
I have only been on busperine for 10 days and I am just hoping that these symptoms will level out as a lot of things I have read say that busperine takes a while to get into your system . I am just praying that it at least does something for my anxiety which is 24/7 at present and worse in the mornings . I am glad I found this forum as there seems like some great help & support on here :D

[ShaunD]

I am also taking diazepam 15mg per day which really worries me as when looking it up you can become easily addicted to them and it's very hard to come off them . I have been on them on & off for the last 3 weeks but my doc has said keep taking them as you need them at present to get you through this bad time as I judt can't stop shaking etc .
Can anybody hete reassure me that I am ok taking them as its seems like the only thing that is calming me down at the minute but it scares me when I read the stories on Google ( perhaps I shouldn't). Hopefully somebody has been on them for a while and come off them when the time is right .

[Gee-SP]

Hi. I think Diazepam for the period you are taking it shouldnt be too problematic and most problems occur when when it is taken over very long periods. If it is providing you with relief I wouldnt worry too much. Hope you feel better soon. :)

[ShaunD]

Thankyou as this makes me feel better . I know they are addictive but at present I really need them to get through the day as my anxiety as never been this bad in the last 10 years . I will carry on taking my sleeping tabs and give the busperine a bit more time why I am on the diazepam . If not I will have to go back to the docs for a different medication but I think I have had most of them now .
Thanks for the replied and it does reassure me that I am not on my own in this .

[Gee-SP]

Your welcome :)