[santa87]

Now I'm not sure if these are exactly brain zaps but while away from paroxetine for more than two days I experience this weird sensation in my head. Its like someone has pulled a nerve inside my brain(like a guitar string) and theres also residual effects in rest of the body. This sensation is there only for a second or less and not that irritating(yet).
Whats worse is headaches and nausea. And there's relief 4-5 hrs after I take my dose.25mg I don't remember exactly.
I want to get off it because
1. I feel like a machine with stupid side effects when on or off of the drug
2.I suddenly feel unnaturally happy when I take this drug for a week or so regularly
3.I feel like crying suddenly at odd times, esp when I forget a dose

Any ideas ?

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You must taper off the drug. This approach will help decrease the intensity of some of the unpleasant sensations (withdrawal) you describe. I recommend that you do this under the guidance of your doctor.

The brain zaps will eventually disappear. It is part of SSRI discontinuation syndrome. Nausea is also a common symptom. Anti-nausea medication can help. Mention this to your doctor.

I took paroxetine for awhile and found it caused many of the problems you described. Once, I stopped the drug, they all disappeared.

[dillpickle1983]

I was on it for about 14 months and I got the brain zaps because I stopped it cold turkey. However I will say Paxil helped me alot not sure why I stopped taking it.

[santa87]

My doctor doesn't pay any attention to the brain zaps. Like its not even happening or as if I'm making it up.

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[zebb]

Santa87

Ive heard of an over the counter medication called sumatriptan here in the UK that's supposed to be good for people withdrawing from SSRIS, I think you can get more information about it on wikipeadia heres a bit of info from their site, its suppossed to be good for migraines so would be good for those head zaps e.t.c. you get when coming off SSRIS.

Sumatriptan is structurally similar to serotonin (5HT), and is a 5-HT (types 5-HT1D and 5-HT1B[8]) agonist. The specific receptor subtypes it activates are present on the cranial arteries and veins. Acting as an agonist at these receptors, sumatriptan reduces the vascular inflammation associated with migraine.
The specific receptor subtype it activates is present in the cranial and basilar arteries. Activation of these receptors causes vasoconstriction of those dilated arteries. Sumatriptan is also shown to decrease the activity of the trigeminal nerve, which, it is presumed, accounts for sumatriptan's efficacy in treating cluster headaches. The injectable form of the drug has been shown to abort a cluster headache within fifteen minutes in 96% of cases.[9]

[possum220]

I was on Paroxetine for years but it had lost the minimal affect that it was giving me. My P'doc switched me over to Cymbalta a day later. No tapering off Paroxetine......... luckily I had no zaps. Maybe because Cymbalta is an SNRI it stops the Zaps?

[carly011]

I get those zaps when i miss my meds also. Im on the same one as you. It was the most annoying thing ever. I still get them every once in awhile

[misscath007]

Originally Posted by zebb

Santa87

Ive heard of an over the counter medication called sumatriptan here in the UK that's supposed to be good for people withdrawing from SSRIS, I think you can get more information about it on wikipeadia heres a bit of info from their site, its suppossed to be good for migraines so would be good for those head zaps e.t.c. you get when coming off SSRIS.

Sumatriptan is structurally similar to serotonin (5HT), and is a 5-HT (types 5-HT1D and 5-HT1B[8]) agonist. The specific receptor subtypes it activates are present on the cranial arteries and veins. Acting as an agonist at these receptors, sumatriptan reduces the vascular inflammation associated with migraine.
The specific receptor subtype it activates is present in the cranial and basilar arteries. Activation of these receptors causes vasoconstriction of those dilated arteries. Sumatriptan is also shown to decrease the activity of the trigeminal nerve, which, it is presumed, accounts for sumatriptan's efficacy in treating cluster headaches. The injectable form of the drug has been shown to abort a cluster headache within fifteen minutes in 96% of cases.[9]

Sumatriptan is generic Imitrex, a triptan I use for migraines. It is available only by prescription in the U.S. Did not know it had other uses, off label?

[santa87]

I don't know if this is relevant but when I was younger(11 yrs old) I used to have severe migraines and ONLY sumitriptan would help. Luckily I haven't had any major episodes for a long time.
Could it be a cause for depression , remotely?

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