Brain Zaps

[treeman]

I hope someone can relate to what I am currently going through. I  have GAD. Like for 19 yrs now. I was put on meds back then the meds were Anafranil and Klonopin. This meds seemed to help. But I developed a strange symptom when moving my head certain times I would feel a strange sensation in my head kind of hard to describe it some how involves the movement of my eyes it is not painful but kind of scary when it first happened. I have had this happen once in awhile over the years. But recently I have changed meds from Anafranil to Celexa I am still on Klonopin. But these symptoms have gotten pretty bad. I have them basically allday everyday since I have started Celexa. Can this be what is causing these symptoms. I hope someone can answer. Symptom is like a electric shock in nature and I can actually hear it. Thanks in advance to any replies. Treeman

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

I have heard so many patients describe this same symptom complex...sometimes when starting a new med, sometimes when stopping it.  There is no exact explanation other than the medication does effect the brain in various ways, this being one of them as a side effect of the beneficial effects.  You were right to stop this medication.

[treeman]

Okay I have stopped Celexa and the weird symptoms have stopped. But I went back to Clomipramine along with clonazepam. I find it very strange that the symptoms I had while on Celexa was never explained. Thank God they have stopped. Now all I have is like a tight band around my head along with a dull headache.