[Achy Turtle Armor]

I've been on Cymbalta since August of 2014. Only recently have I started my usual crap of missing my weekend dose or doses, meaning that I miss the Saturday and or Sunday dose.

I have noticed something really weird when I miss my dose. It only takes one missed one too. The thing is that I couldn't describe how I feel for the life of me. I have googled and googled but today I found someone else's description and I was like "Yes! That's it exactly." So here's what I found and I apologize for losing the source which I will post if I find it again.

. . . “Getting off Cymbalta is challenging but not impossible. I, too, experienced the light-headedness, dizziness, and “brain zaps.” I described it as being able to “hear my eyes move.” It sounded like the light sabers on Star Wars. Very strange and disconcerting."

I agree that it is more like the sound of a light saber waving around inside my ears or head or both.

I share this for anyone who is experiencing something similar but can't describe it. The best I could describe to my T was it was like hearing my heartbeat in my ears but that's not it at all. I will read him this.

Of course his reply will be something like, well if you don't like it, use it. Whatever it takes to get you to take it.

[Forever hopeful]

Hi Achy, Yes those brain zaps I had them when I missed a dose of Celexa when I went off it took months for it to subside. All the best

Sorry to hear this. I thought it only happened with Effexor. It doesn't take long to begin. I can miss a dose by a few hours and feel those. Also a sense of irritability, impatience, and a touch of rage in certain situations.

When you miss certain AD's, you can expect those kinds of side effects. Sounds like you need to go back to being diligent about your meds. That should stop the problem.

I often get the "brain zaps" in the late afternoon. I think my Cymbalta dose is wearing off. I have experienced them with SSRI antidepressants, too.

I'm amazed that you can skip Cymbalta for 2 days without worse effects than brain zaps. If you're taking it "just" for depression and not for chronic pain, I would switch to a non SNRI med. I feel like I'm "stuck" taking one because I need it for the fibromyalgia pain, but they have awful withdrawal syndromes if you decide you want to stop it. Almost as bad as benzo withdrawal, I think.

Maybe that's not the right thing for you. With me, if I missed 3 days of Cymbalta, I'm sure I'd have to go to the ER. I've missed two days before and it was hellish. I worry about not having access to the medication, going somewhere and forgetting it, etc.

But yep, I've been hearing the term "brain zaps" since oh probably the late 1990s.

[Achy Turtle Armor]

Originally Posted by jo_thorne

I often get the "brain zaps" in the late afternoon. I think my Cymbalta dose is wearing off. I have experienced them with SSRI antidepressants, too.

I'm amazed that you can skip Cymbalta for 2 days without worse effects than brain zaps. If you're taking it "just" for depression and not for chronic pain, I would switch to a non SNRI med. I feel like I'm "stuck" taking one because I need it for the fibromyalgia pain, but they have awful withdrawal syndromes if you decide you want to stop it. Almost as bad as benzo withdrawal, I think.

Maybe that's not the right thing for you. With me, if I missed 3 days of Cymbalta, I'm sure I'd have to go to the ER. I've missed two days before and it was hellish. I worry about not having access to the medication, going somewhere and forgetting it, etc.

But yep, I've been hearing the term "brain zaps" since oh probably the late 1990s.

If I may ask... What dose are you taking? I am taking 60mg daily with 300mg Welbutron. It is working so I don't want to eff with it. I was on 180mg Prozac & 150 Welbutron for years until it stopped working as well.

Glad it's working for you though. My ex husband had periferal neuropathy and tried it but it didn't help.