Head zaps

[mormie]

Ok, so I am actually a bit of an idiot and forgot to take my medication away with me to scotland and I havent taken any since Friday! I was however in the process of withdrawing from my medication and now I havent taken it for a week and I keep getting these nasty head zaps every few minutes, anytime I stand or turn my head! Anybody have any ideas what I could do to reduce these? I wont be home in Ireland until Monday! I am at a pure loss :( x

[RLR]

Okay, the sensation you are describing is merely a latency effect within the oculo-vestibular network as a consequence of withdrawal from this type of medication.

Under normal circumstances, eye movement engages the vestibular network in order for you to remain balanced depsite changes in body position. The feedback and transmission rate of this process is normally almost instantaneous, making constant changes in order to maintain balance. Any time withdrawal of SSRI medications is engaged, it can produce a latency effect in signal transmission and feedback at the level of the oculo-vestibular network.

The latency is experienced as a rapid pulsing or electric sensation, sometimes limited to the head or in some instances, felt throughout the body. Continually moving the eyes rapidly side to side typically will extinguish the effect because feedback becomes constant under such conditions. Sitting still for 15 to 20 minutes and then quickly gazing to extreme left or right will generally produce the "zap" sensation once again.

It is not a sign of a problem whatsoever and gradually dissipates over the course of withdrawal, but has been known to persist in some persons for as much as 6 months.

Best regards,

Rutheford Rane, MD (ret.)

[BigDaz]

I don't get 'zaps' but I do get sort of blips where I feel like I'm going to faint combined with the feeling of falling. Only lasts a second or so, and usually when I'm concentrating on something. Is this the same thing or something else?