Posted by firefly on March 3, 2003, at 13:20:06
Hi,
I'm new here, although I've visited here many times to read the posts. First I suppose I'll give a little background on myself as an introduction.
I have panic disorder, agoraphobia and some depression. I was on paxil a couple of years ago but had to get off of it because of the side effects. I'm one of those people who are highly sensitive to medications, and if there are any side effects, I'm usually one who's bound to get them. I have been off of paxil for a year and a half, and still don't feel entirely back to my old self, although most of the side effects are gone.
It took me five or six months to get off of the paxil because of how sensitive I was to the side effects, and I had the help of a good psychiatrist who gave me the liquid form of paxil which I had to measure, literally in tenths of cc's, which I would decrease once a week. While I was decreasing the paxil, I experienced these horrible things I have heard referred to as "brain zaps", although to me they felt really like I would imagine a seizure to feel, in my head. An awful feeling that is very hard to describe unless you've experienced it.
Anyway, I am sorry this is turning out to be a long story, but I just wanted to give you some background.
Yesterday, after months of debating with myself whether or not to try another SSRI, which my doctor had been asking me to try, I started taking Lexapro. I didn't want to because of my experience with paxil, but because of my severe anxiety and recent bad bout with depression, I thought it was worth a try. Well, good news - I hardly noticed anything. Maybe some slightly blurred vision, feeling like my head was a bubble (which wore off after several hours), but other than that, so far so good. Usually, if I'm going to feel anything from a medication, I feel it immediately. So, this was good and gave me hope.
This morning, I hadn't yet taken today's dose of Lexapro and I was working on the computer, not even thinking about it, just concentrating on my work and I got a very sudden, extremely uncomfortable "brain zap", which I hadn't felt since I was on paxil. And it made sense that if it were the Lexapro causing it, that it would happen at this time, since it was time for today's dose... the Lexapro in my system was wearing off... and the "brain zaps" were a symptom of paxil withdrawal (another SSRI).
So, here I am posting to ask if anyone else has had "brain zaps" on Lexapro, or while decreasing their dose of it. I would appreciate any feedback, as I'm really scared right now. I took today's dose of Lexapro, but I am scared that tomorrow I'll get another brain zap (it's such an awful feeling), and if I do, I want to stop taking this altogether because maybe SSRI's are just not for me. I also feel like my hopes are shattered because last night I started thinking this might actually help me, but there is no way I am willing to deal with brain zaps.
Anyway, any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
poster:firefly
thread:205533
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030301/msgs/205533.html