Hi still keeping up w/ unanswered posts I see Thanks for the suggestions, I may follow through on that but right now it's just curiosity mostly. If you've read any posts by people cutting down on Effexor you've probably heard them use a term like brain zap or brain shivers. That's the one I'm talking about. It's also a side effect for some but I only had it when I stopped taking the med. It's a really disconcerting sensation. I can't imagine what the connection could be between a respiratory illness and a withdrawal symptom. Odd hmm?