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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by babybear on January 16, 2006, at 22:06:17
Hi. I'm brand new here. I found this site while trying to research the weird sensations I've been having again recently.
Last year I changed doc's and they changed me from Effexor XR to Lexapro. I had horrible withdrawal problems and lots of feelings of having live wires periodically touched on my bare brain (don't know how else to describe it).
Ended up changing docs again, and the newest one changed me back from Lexapro to Effexor XR, gradually increasing dose to current 225mg. I seemed to do better on Effexor, but just in the last week or so I've started getting these "frizz" feelings again, and they zap enough to make me a little dizzy.
I thought they were only associated with med changes. Have any of you had them while supposedly stable on the meds? Is there anything I can do to stop them or lessen the impact? They're very unsettling. Like a second-long mini seizure or something.
Posted by Phillipa on January 16, 2006, at 22:39:09
In reply to question regarding brain-frizz/zap sensations, posted by babybear on January 16, 2006, at 22:06:17
You're right i'ts usually coming off a med. But google Dr. Bob effexor. The thread is really long. years long in fact. I know someone can answer your question. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by James K on January 16, 2006, at 22:48:24
In reply to question regarding brain-frizz/zap sensations, posted by babybear on January 16, 2006, at 22:06:17
I experiened that whenever I was starting or stopping a SSRI (i'm making the assumption you know what that is). I think both those meds are in that class. Sometimes I had it the whole time I was on the med and sometimes it went away.
It is very unpleasant. I used to think it was seretonin syndrome, but apparently that is something much worse. I also wondered if it had anything to do with panic attacks or adrenaline, but I really don't know.
There are some real knowledgable people here though and someone may know exactly what this is. I'm interested in learning.
James K
I'm on different class of med now so it has been a while.
Posted by shasling on January 16, 2006, at 22:52:51
In reply to question regarding brain-frizz/zap sensations, posted by babybear on January 16, 2006, at 22:06:17
If you are truly worried/curious about seizures, http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org does a good job of describing all the various kinds. And there are messageboards at 'ecommunities' there where people often describe theirs. Something may ring a bell, or you can rule it out. None of us needs more phantom worries than we have : ) Good luck.
Posted by babybear on January 16, 2006, at 23:19:03
In reply to Re: question regarding brain-frizz/zap sensations » babybear, posted by Phillipa on January 16, 2006, at 22:39:09
Thanks so much for the responses. I had read through a lot of the Effexor posts here, but found that the majority pertained to the withdrawal timeperiod, not to just being on it.
When I went off Effexor to switch to Lexapro the withdrawal was awful. The brain zaps were constant, as was the nausea and headaches and I got pretty close to checking out permanantly. My doc hadn't warned me at all about the possibility of these symptoms (one of the reasons I switched to another doc). I was scared to go back on Effexor again, knowing what I do about how hard it is to get off it, but I had to do something, and knew it had helped my depression symptoms in the past.
I appreciate the link to the seizure site. I do worry about everything, but know that it's not really a seizure, I just didn't know how else to describe the feeling. It made me smile to realize that my worrying isn't unique though. I love this site. I haven't felt this "normal" in years!
I just wish somebody knew what caused these zaps, so they could make them go away! I'm afraid to switch to another med and go through the withdrawals again, although at least this time I'd know what I was in for.
Thanks again for your help
Posted by yxibow on January 17, 2006, at 0:59:42
In reply to Re: question regarding brain-frizz/zap sensations, posted by babybear on January 16, 2006, at 23:19:03
> I just wish somebody knew what caused these zaps, so they could make them go away! I'm afraid to switch to another med and go through the withdrawals again, although at least this time I'd know what I was in for.
>
> Thanks again for your helpI experienced them both on Luvox and I currently experience transient zaps on Cymbalta, say, if I am on a treadmill and I move my head. According to my psychopharmacologist, this is a serotonin issue. What you can do about it, I'm not sure, its just one of those icky side effects of medicines that affect the serotonin receptors in your brain. But its not a seizure, unless you also happen to have a seizure disorder.
Hope that helps
-- Jay
Posted by 4WD on January 21, 2006, at 22:44:20
In reply to question regarding brain-frizz/zap sensations, posted by babybear on January 16, 2006, at 22:06:17
> Hi. I'm brand new here. I found this site while trying to research the weird sensations I've been having again recently.
>
> Last year I changed doc's and they changed me from Effexor XR to Lexapro. I had horrible withdrawal problems and lots of feelings of having live wires periodically touched on my bare brain (don't know how else to describe it).
>
> Ended up changing docs again, and the newest one changed me back from Lexapro to Effexor XR, gradually increasing dose to current 225mg. I seemed to do better on Effexor, but just in the last week or so I've started getting these "frizz" feelings again, and they zap enough to make me a little dizzy.
>
> I thought they were only associated with med changes. Have any of you had them while supposedly stable on the meds? Is there anything I can do to stop them or lessen the impact? They're very unsettling. Like a second-long mini seizure or something.
>
>
>
>Hi. Do you notice these zaps all through the day? Many people have found that at the higher dosages of Effexor, they start to get the zaps when it gets close to time to take the next capsule - it starts to wear off between doses. I've never experienced the zaps except going off an ssri (especially Effexor) but I;ve read here about people having them when the med starts to get low in the body.
And "brain zaps" are exactly what they are called.
Marsha
Posted by babybear on January 22, 2006, at 21:03:47
In reply to Re: question regarding brain-frizz/zap sensations » babybear, posted by 4WD on January 21, 2006, at 22:44:20
> Hi. Do you notice these zaps all through the day? Many people have found that at the higher dosages of Effexor, they start to get the zaps when it gets close to time to take the next capsule - it starts to wear off between doses. I've never experienced the zaps except going off an ssri (especially Effexor) but I;ve read here about people having them when the med starts to get low in the body.
And "brain zaps" are exactly what they are called.Marsha
Marsha...I've been trying to keep track, and find that I've been having them in the evenings. My doc has me taking 150mg at breakfast, then 75mg at lunchtime. The "zaps" have been occurring after about 5-6 pm. When I was first on Effexor I was taking the whole 225mg with breakfast, and didn't experience any "zapping" until I went off the meds. So...I've been wondering about the timing issue too.And, another factor that I've tracked down this week is that the last bottle of pills that I am usnig has an expiration date of 2/21/06. I just changed over yesterday to my new batch of pills, and had no zaps yesterday and none so far today. I'm highly suspicious at this time that it might be related to the potency of the pills. It's maybe too soon to tell, but the absence of the zaps has been nice. I'm going to keep monitoring it. If I stay zap-free, I'm flushing the remainder of that last batch!
Posted by 4WD on January 22, 2006, at 21:56:25
In reply to Re: question regarding brain-frizz/zap sensations, posted by babybear on January 22, 2006, at 21:03:47
> > Hi. Do you notice these zaps all through the day? Many people have found that at the higher dosages of Effexor, they start to get the zaps when it gets close to time to take the next capsule - it starts to wear off between doses. I've never experienced the zaps except going off an ssri (especially Effexor) but I;ve read here about people having them when the med starts to get low in the body.
>
> And "brain zaps" are exactly what they are called.
>
> Marsha
>
>
> Marsha...I've been trying to keep track, and find that I've been having them in the evenings. My doc has me taking 150mg at breakfast, then 75mg at lunchtime. The "zaps" have been occurring after about 5-6 pm. When I was first on Effexor I was taking the whole 225mg with breakfast, and didn't experience any "zapping" until I went off the meds. So...I've been wondering about the timing issue too.
>
> And, another factor that I've tracked down this week is that the last bottle of pills that I am usnig has an expiration date of 2/21/06. I just changed over yesterday to my new batch of pills, and had no zaps yesterday and none so far today. I'm highly suspicious at this time that it might be related to the potency of the pills. It's maybe too soon to tell, but the absence of the zaps has been nice. I'm going to keep monitoring it. If I stay zap-free, I'm flushing the remainder of that last batch!
>
>
Don't flush it! Take it back to the pharmacy and make them refund your money. Unles it was a sample. It's too expensive to flush.One thing you could do if the zaps continue is to try taking a little more Effexor right after the first zap. If they go away within a couple of hours, you'll know it's because the dose is wearing off. ARe you taking the extended release? If so it shouldn't wear off between lunchtime and 5-6pm.
Glad you are doing better.
Marsha
Posted by babybear on January 27, 2006, at 17:28:11
In reply to Re: question regarding brain-frizz/zap sensations » babybear, posted by 4WD on January 22, 2006, at 21:56:25
Wow...I switched to the newer batch of medication (Effexor XR) and haven't had a brain zap since! Also, I've been feeling much better, and seem to feel more 'alive' overall.
Apparently the shelf life of the medication was reached, and I was having withdrawal symptoms when I thought I was getting the med, because I was still taking the pills. Scary prospect, considering the place that withdrawals took me last time I went through them! :-(
I'm going to try to follow up about the "old" pills, but it's all through a mail-order pharmacy, so don't know if I'll have any luck. I hate to waste the money - but I am really thankful that I'm not getting zapped anymore!
Thank you all for your input and support!
This is the end of the thread.
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