Brain Zaps

[JasonDes]

Wow so relieved to see others having issues with brain zaps.  It's scary and sometimes I feel like my eyes have pressure and want to pop out, but its not a pain, just a constant numb sort of annoyance. My fingers and toes are cold most of the time as well.  It's like my brain shivers alot, sometimes when I am laying down I feel like I should go with the "zapping" but I get up quick and try and distract it because I feel like it would just keep intesifying and I am not sure if I want to really "take that ride" so to speak.. The skin around my eyes seems to be getting droopy, This is all scary and concerning to me.   I was on Paxil for a short time (6 months) NEVER AGAIN, everything started going bad since I have stopped taking the meds.  I have not taken Paxil in over 2 years and still get the Zaps. I have started smoking pot instead of the man made scary drugs, when I was on Paxil all I could think about was ways to try and end my life, it was so scary.  Now I feel like I am left with a lifetime of side effects for a 6 month trial (the reason I got prescribed it was for an unexpected death in the family and for sleep issues)  I feel so sorry for all the people out there dealing with anti depressants, the are prescribed far to often, and it's ruining alot of peoples quality of life,  so these pharmaceutical companies can make the big bucks.  If I had the financial means I would dedicated the rest of my years to educating people on the Pros and Cons of anti depressants, and its mainly CONS!  It's a scary scary world out there, especially when you mix these drugs into the population, there are few people out there that I am sure will benefit from these meds, but the majority of people prescribed the drugs, don't need them at all.  So frustrating, and I got the brain zaps to remind me of the mistake I made 2 years ago of taking Paxil and letting my doctor swoosh me out the door with prescription in hand.  Good luck to you all!  

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

I know brain zaps can last for a while, but usually go away. I think you might be making it last longer by using pot.....you are stirring up all of the same chemicals in your brain when you smoke pot....

[Jaquta]

We're a sorry bunch.  We sound like Humpty Dumpty.  Either broken or falling apart.

I hope you guys are able to work through and resolve your symptoms.

[Paxiled]

It's said that fish oil in hefty amounts helps with the brain zaps, but you're so far along I don't know.  Might be worth a try.  I, too, have suffered a long-term, if not permanent, reaction to quitting Paxil.  My whole emotional system fell apart and nobody I've been able to locate has been able to put it back together again.  So I feel for you.  It took me a long time, but the condition is called Protracted Withdrawal Syndrome.  It's usually seen in addicts, but that's because nobody's looking in technically non addictive drugs.  If you find any help, let me know.  I asked Dr. Gould about long-term Paxil withdrawal when I first came on this site, and he told me basically he knew of no such thing, but you'll find lots of reports of it on the web by actual patients.  Of course, nobody listens to actual patients, especially psychiatrists.

[Jaquta]

I agree with a lot of what you write.  I'm not a huge fan of medication either although I do believe it does have a role.
You don't need to have financial means to influence a person's decision.  I think it's important that people make informed choices though.
If you want to debate the pros and cons of ad's you could always try the depression forum.  Maybe that's a bit sadistic on my part because a lot of the people there are very for medication.  You may get strips torn out of you.

The doctor and other members may have some advice for you concerning the brain zaps.  You may like to look at your pot use too -this can't be helping any.
I had some really scary side-effects on buspar.  I can sympathize with how bad you experienced yours (even it they were different meds).

Good luck.  I hope you get some good advice from others here.