Brain Zaps after tapering off anti-depression medication

Brain zaps feel like electric shocks.

Just one piece of advice which I had occasion to prove by consulting my A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions by Dr R Gaby. I teach the violin and was teaching an adult who was taking lithium. He would come with trembling hands which meant I had to spend virtually the whole lesson calming him and getting him to control this. The book quoted above simply points out that "taking 3-5 grams of safflower oil daily reverses symptoms of lithium toxicity such as tremor and ataxia" I showed him this. The following week, halfway through the lesson I suddenly noticed he had no shaking. I quizzed him on this and he confirmed he had taken the safflower oil! I believe it is the omega 3.

Immune To Paxil

I have been taking the antidepressant for yrs. Was 20ish now 56 yrs old. I started out at 20 mgs and now threw the yrs on 40 mgs, they tell me I can't go any higher. I have been experiencing the brain zaps and anxiety, Why is this happening to me, when I was feeling so good? Is it bcuz I am now raising a child causing more stress? Please help me understand, these effects are terrible.

Hi @debz64, welcome to Connect. It sounds like you have dealt with this medication for while. I am sorry that you are experiencing brain zaps and anxiety.
You will see that I added your comment to an ongoing discussion about exactly what you are experiencing. I am wondering if your body isn't absorbing the medication anymore and it is going through withdrawal?

There was an article in the Washington Post about the side effects of stopping Paxil and getting brain zaps and flu like symptoms.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/2002/08/27/quit-paxil-and-then-zap/540d10d0-72a6-4ab4-9132-15fa1b4dd6c5/

When your physician said they couldn't increase the medication, did they offer any other suggestions or medications to take? Can they try switching your medication to see if your symptoms improve?

@debz64
Hi, can you tell us more? You have been on this drug for approx. 30 years and this zap effect just started recently? Can you describe what these brain zaps are like to experience? Do they happen at any particular time of day, and how long do they last? Sorry, the idea of a brain zap is new to me but I am curious about this and hope sincerely that you can find some help. As Amanda says, maybe you could wean off of this drug and start on something else? I am sure there are a lot of new options that have become available since you started this particular drug. Best, Hank

Brain zaps are a real thing. Anyone having had them can empathize with those experiencing these zaps. I experienced them going off a variety of psyche meds. My worst fear was that these "ZAPS" would be permanent. In my case they were not and I now have a fear of medications that runs deep. I have learned that doctors are not always right and oft do not monitor patients or prescribe something else without careful monitoring. I happen to be one of those folks that would rather deal with depression on my own or come here where I feel safe and the support of others. I know medications can be helpful and do not recommend going off meds without the help of a doctor.
@debz64 I so understand your brain zaps. Brain zaps are real!! Medications can take a long time to clear the system. What you are describing sounds much like what I experienced during withdrawal from prescription drugs. Have you mentioned the zaps to your primary care physician?

@dablue Brain zaps are a real thing and can last a lot longer than expected. I try to do breathing techniques when I experience them. I also use lavender oil to inhale. This helps sometimes. Sorry that you are going through this, it is the worst! Try telling yourself that this is a temporary feeling and it will go away. Wish I had more of a solution for you. I am in the process of switching medications and fear that I will have them again.

@llndeyt01: I have suffered from brain zaps since my illness began, more than 27 years ago. I suffer from anxiety and depression, which are under control by medications and psychotherapy. The long-term solution to brain zaps is through appropriate medication and therapy. As the brain heals, the zaps recede, though they may come back if there is a relapse due to any reason. So my advice would be to stick to the doctor's advice, and not stop the medication if one's condition improves. In some cases such as mine, medication may be for the whole life; it is not advisable to be in a hurry to stop it, though doing so is a natural human instinct. Brain zaps are nothing but the electrical activity in the brain. Hope this first-hand experience helps.

I just got off Lexapro I tapered down very slowly .5mg at a time over a period of 4-5 months and now the brain zaps are starting to get very irritating, and wondering if there anything to do the alleviate them, they seem sit be worse at night.