"Brain Zaps"

[jmt143]

How long should my husband expect to suffer from "brain zaps" or electric shock like symptoms while withdrawing from paroxetine and introducing fluoxetine?

[Anneinside]

When I got off Cymbalta rather quickly in order to start an MAOI, I had what others call "brain zaps" but for me it felt like static and was not painful.

[spikerusty]

have to say depends upon how long he has been on the paroxetine for and whether there is any interaction with the introduced drug and how long it takes for the new drug to build up to it's therepeutic effect. I can't remember how long for Paroxetine but remember that that was something like a couple of months. Prozac with me took something like 3 months this year although i was on a high dose and had been on it for a number of years where i steadily reduced and had consolidation weeks. The intrusive effect of the "zaps" diminshes over time thankfully although they are uncomfortable. Lack of or poor sleep pattern i found to make them slightly worse.

[M4Y0U]

Correction: 2 weeks to 1 month.

[M4Y0U]

2 to 1 month for someone not being introduced with a new drug. Could be shorter for your husband.

M4