Zoloft and brain zaps.

I have been on zoloft and wellbutrin for over a year now. I just weened myself off of wellbutrin with no problems but zoloft isn't so easy. I am having severe depression as well as brain zaps, headaches, dizziness, and possible weight gain. Does anyone know how long this will last? I went off of zoloft cold turkey before and couldn't stand it. I am now losing hope and feel like I ruined my life by taking zoloft. I can't stop crying and want to know how long these brain zaps are going to take. They are killing me. Zoloft should be taken off the shelves. It gives us false hope. I really would appreciate support from others going through what I'm going through

akc wrote:

I have been on zoloft and wellbutrin for over a year now. I just weened myself off of wellbutrin with no problems but zoloft isn't so easy. I am having severe depression as well as brain zaps, headaches, dizziness, and possible weight gain. Does anyone know how long this will last? I went off of zoloft cold turkey before and couldn't stand it. I am now losing hope and feel like I ruined my life by taking zoloft. I can't stop crying and want to know how long these brain zaps are going to take. They are killing me. Zoloft should be taken off the shelves. It gives us false hope. I really would appreciate support from others going through what I'm going through

Dear akc - why are you so desperate to ditch the zoloft? You sound dreadfully anxious and depressed so maybe you need to stick with it for longer. I have been on psychiatric drugs along with lots of other therapy for almost 20 years now, and although cognitive therapy and the support of an excellent psychiatrist have been invaluable I couldn't live anything like a normal life until sertraline became available. I do worry about the bad effects of relying on a drug for so long, but know that without it I would have no life at all, so on balance I have stuck with it! When you do feel ready to try reducing your dose it must be done very gradually, as the brain zaps etc. you describe are typical symptoms of sudden seratonin withdrawal. They can become so bad you feel like you've been struck by lightening - your vision blacks out (although you can still hear), you feel like you're spinning in space and can't judge your movements, and the zaps can hit while you are asleep causing you to wake with a start wondering if a truck just ran you over.

good info here
http://www.valuescripts.net/zoloft.php

i have gone through the horrible brain zaps and intense vertigo at times to where i almost fall down. the brain zaps are the most persistent though. i'm down to 12.5 mg after 6 months of tapering off of 50mg for 6 years. FISH OIL WITH OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS have helped me immensely. i get very few brain zaps now and they are quite weak compared to the ones that made me think i was having a seizure.
AKC- please try a good fish oil with omega 3. the fatty acids help your brain conduct it's own electricity. it's been a god send for me. stick with it! i'm still on 12.5mg a day but will go cold turkey from that soon. the zaps make you just want to stay on it but don't. any drug that does this to your brain i don't want to be on in the first place. many others know what you are going through. i know it's hard to explain to friends what it's like.

Why do we get brain zaps? It's very strange, irritating and confusing. I have been off my zoloft for 5 days now and other than the zaps I haven't felt this good in a long time. Now I have more energy and zest for life. I also quit smoking with no cravings(I've been smoking for 16 years) The zoloft had put me in a very weird place. I think I lost my personality, stamina and energy. I would sleep 10+ hours a night and still be exhausted. I hope the brain zaps will go away.

If my doctor would have told me up front how hard this medicine was going to be to get off of, I would have NEVER taken it. I took zoloft for 7 months for really bad anxiety. Right when I started taking it, I quit drinking alcohol and really started to live a healthly life style. I figured since it had been 7 months and I felt great, I wanted to try to get off the drug. The main reason is that no matter what I did as far as working out and eating right, I could not lose a pound. In fact, the scale just went up. I was even running half marathons, and I would continue to gain weight.
So I started weening off of it a month ago. I went from 50mg to 25 mg. Then I took a 1/4 of the 25 mg and then 1/8. Now I am off completely and feel AWFUL. These brain zap things are making me miserable and hard to function. Each day they seem to get worse and last all day long, worse in the evening. I HATE this drug and do not recommended that anyone take it, unless you get some serious facts up front because there a really good chance that your doctor will not tell you. I am so dissapointed that a doctor would prescribe something like this without giving you all the facts. Oh and when you try to tell them how you feel, they act that is the first time they have heard it. RIDICULOUS.

Jena and all people that have had the ZAPS: it is awful and it makes me so angry that doctors do not even acknowledge them. I have been on and off antidepressants in my 20's and every time I have started them the doctor says, "you are not meant to take them forever, just to get your brain back on track." the last time i was incredibly hesitent, because I had had such awful brain shivers (zaps) coming of Zoloft. But my doctor convinced me. I went on Fluoxitine (generic prozac) and almost had a nervous breakdown! My body didn't like it. I was losing it...so what did the doctor do? Prescribed me a Benzo (clonazepam - generic klonopin) to calm my nerves. this was 2 years ago and I've been hooked on those since, trying to taper off for a year! I'm taking a very small dose.

Back to the brain zaps. After the fluoxitine, got put on citalopram (generic celexa). Right now I wasn't even trying to go off of it, because it is so awful whenever I try, but I am waiting for the prescription to come via mail order. I'm only on my second day, and I had to come home from work because I felt sick. I didn't even put 2 and 2 together until now. So anyway, i''m nauseous and having serious brain shivers. Every time this happens i get incredibly ANGRY because they are so hard to deal with, and no one in the medical community seems to want to acknowledge them.

I am headed to grad school, and when I finish, I will hopefully have better insurance. One that will allow me to see a naturopathic doctor to help me deal with this!!!

Thanks for listening and seriously, any help and support is great. I understand how hopeless it feels.

My 12 year old son's psychiatrist has prescribed zoloft for my son. He has been extremely depressed, talked of suicide and generally hates himself and his life. He also has severe anger issues. He is on Abilify for that, which has helped to control his anger outbursts, but it makes him tired. I hate to put him on another medication - but at the same time, I feel the risk would be greater if he wasn't on an anti-depressent. His father killed himself because of pain and depression. He refused medication.

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Hey guys reading just your posts. I can sympathise with all of you. I am coming off of zoloft as of the first of the year. been on it for 6 years as well as klonopin for about 4. Went off of the klonopin last summer and it took me probably 3-4 solid months of horror to get off. Zoloft is just about as bad. the anxiety and certain side effects aren't as bad but the brain Zaps and the dizziness and a thousand times worse. I did a slow taper too. I'm finally off totally not taking anything right now and my brain is still healing. still have occasional severe dizziness and brain zaps at night. and it's been 3 months to the day of withdrawal hell from zoloft. thank the lord I'm unemployed right now because if I'd of had a career it definitely would have ended. well just thought I'd shine some light. these things are very real and very hard to deal with. unfortunately only time can heal this. quite a lot of time at that. I would suggest anyone in this predicament surround yourself with loved ones and explain to the ones that you can trust what's going on with. DO NOT GO IT ALONE!! don't hide from the world and wait to heal you will be absolutely miserable and time will seem like it will never end. also another key to withdrawal exercise as much as your body will allow it. i feel no symptoms after my workout and a shit load before. sometimes you just have to force yourself. but it'll payoff almost immediately.

Wow! This is downright scary. I've had several traumatic events happen in my life & just "stuffed down the hurt and emotion." Last year I decided to get help as my OCD and anxiety were through the roof and it was seriously hindering my life. I found a therapist that I really liked...which is a hard task in itself. He convinced me after many months that medicine would help me get back on track and it would only be a temporary thing...
Mind you I was already using Xanex perscribed by an ER Doctor (I went in one night because I thought I was dying of a stroke.) I had what he called a severe panic attack coupled with an atypical migraine? The Xanex were a GOD send! I wish I would've known about them much sooner.
Anyway ~ my therapist suggested Zoloft. I started on 25mg for 6 days and then he bumped me up to 50mg once a day in the morning. I felt great for about the first 2 months. Now I'm right back to where I was, if not worse and I've been on this stuff for almost 7 months now. I hate medicine as it is and I can't always remember to take it everyday...
I was dizzy a lot a few weeks back and thought I was getting sick or something? Now that I've read your posts, I'm convinced it is because I'm irregular with my daily dose of Zoloft. I made the decision that I wanted to stop "Z" be-
cause I feel it's not helping me anymore. I called my Doctor office and left a message with the nurse explaing the above. She called me back saying...and I quote, " Dr.*******
said that he would like you to stay on it until you see him next (25 days) and if you don't want to then you can just stop taking them all together." I said to her...are you kidding? I don't have to ween myself off of them?
I'm so glad I read all your posts...I'm going to continue this crap until I go see him and possibly until my 1st appt. with a psycologist - that's in mid May. Ehhh...so depressing.

Hi all and greetings from West Australia. I am on day 8 of being 'Zoloft Free' and the Brain Zaps and vertigo are horrible. I have come off this drug relatively quickly (am still an inpatient -going into my 8th week. I developed Serotonin Syndrome from long term use of this drug, 18 years at 150mg/day. I have dropped in 25mg increments but the 50-25-0 have been the hardest and today is day 8 of being Zoloft Free!

I am using very small doses of Valium and Clonazepam to help me thru this horrid process but I just get so worn out with the constant Brain Zaps and vertigo. I so want it to STOP and am finding that I can go for a morning with relatively infrequent zaps and then within a 15 minute time frame be hit with non-stop debiltating shocks to the point where I can barely walk.

Does anyone have any idea of how long these usually last for? The thought of months like this is devestating!

My best to all, TF

I'm currently on Zoloft for anxiety and panic attacks, have been for 3 years with no side effects, debating on getting off...Does anyone know the physiology behind these so called "Brain Zaps"!
And can anyone describe them in great detail!?
Thanks!

Hi all,

Was on Zoloft for at least 15 years. I was up to 150 mgs for the past 5 or 6 years. They seemed to have stopped working so I went to my dr. last Tuesday 6/9. I hadn't taken my Zoloft yet that day. He prescribed Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate 10 mg tablets) and told me to start taking one a day - that same day! One day I'm on 150 mgs of Zoloft and the next day I'm on this? I have gotten head zaps in the past when I forgot to take my Zoloft even for one day but since changing meds I started getting "zappy" just three days and it seems to be getting worse. I can't stand that feeling! Since both meds are SSRI's, I'm wondering if the zaps will go away sooner than with most people. Also, I'm worried about a seizure, never had one in my life but I know that can happen when discontinuing the Zoloft. Any info would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks!

Hang in there everybody. I was on a 100-200mg dosage for over 10 years. finally made the decision about 3 years ago to just quit cold turkey. I could never step the dosage down effectively because of the sickness/dizziness/zapping that would happen. I'd eventually relent and push my dosage back up.

after about a week of cold turkey I could barely walk. had horrible dizziness, nausea, flu-like aching and auditory hallucinations. I had a hard time sleeping because every time i closed my eyes i would get the brain zaps and would frequently be frightened by what sounded like a light bulb exploding over my head. I was horribly depressed and had very scary suicidal thoughts. It lasted nearly 3 months.

The good news is that i basically woke up one day and felt like myself again. for anyone that is attempting to get off the stuff, ween yourself off if you can, but just hang in there and the nightmare will eventually come to an end. there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

and for anybody considering taking this stuff, or who has just started recently, please consider alternative treatments. As a person that has suffered through a life of debilitating depression, I've had incredible success with nutritional supplementation. If only one of the dozens of 'doctors' would have suggested an alternative over the years, I may have avoided this miserable drug in the first place.

My wife has been taking Zoloft for the last few years. She decided to cut down and things went really well as she slowly dropped from 200mg to 25mg. She seemed to be doing super well. But when she dropped the last 25mg and went off of it completely, she turned into a mean, horrible person that both her kids and I are scared of. She screams and curses constantly. Goog moments are few and far between and they just keep getting further apart. She doesn't act like she loves me anymore. The other day, our son knocked over a picture frame in the kitchen. Nothing broke, just got in a little disarray. He immediately gave me a look of panic and begged me not to tell mommy because "she'll explode." One should be careful because cutting down can be a huge plus, but perhaps it's something people need to keep balanced, if only in very small amounts. As for myself, I'm contentplating divorce for the first time in nine years. I'm tired of being screamed at all the time.

I just found this forum and am amazed at what sounds like my own life with depression and anxiety. I started taking Zoloft in late 2002 and stopped last year (200mg.) I tried other antidepressants in the last year but not one of them helped me. They all made me sick and nauseus. I just started taking Zoloft again 50mg a day for a week and then 100mg. I feel bad for the people who hated it, but for me it helps. Everybody is different so keep trying until you find the right medication for you. The answer may be for you not to take any medication at all. Go to therapy, get healthy, eat right, stay with family and friends. I tried this BUT still needed Zoloft. I hope everyone feels better soon. Never give up!!!

Please tell me what a brain zap is!

I got off Effexor and had a similar experience with anxiety, depression and brain zaps. What many people do not realize is that SSRI withdrawal syndrome is a very common and read thing.

Coming off of antidepressants, especially after being on them for long term...the withdrawal process mimics having anxiety and depression and panic attacks etc when in fact it is really just the withdrawal from the drug.

Your brain has become dependent on the drug to keep the serotonin levels artificially high in the brain. It can take anywhere from several weeks up to a year or even sometimes longer for the brain to re-adjust to up its own levels of serotonin to make up for the 'fake' high levels caused by taking the drug.

Many times when people get off of antidepressants they find that they feel more 'alive' and in touch with the world because antidepressants can 'dull' your senses and emotions. Unfortunately., people that are not educated about ssri withdrawal syndrome often thing that the depression, anxiety etc that they feel when coming off the drug is actually them becoming sick again and then they go back on the drug. Don't be fooled.

This is usually not that case. Do yourself a favor and google 'ssri withdrawal syndrome' and also look up an article in the new york times called 'self non-medication'. They will educate you further on this withdrawal process. I was on Effexor for 8 years and went through an excruciating withdrawal process myself with brain zaps, sweats, panic attacks, depression, suicidal thoughts, etc. It took about a year before I felt 'normal' again. Now I've been off for 3 years and I feel GREAT. No symptoms of anything.

I've also learned that simply doing 40 minutes of cardio exercise a day raises your serotonin levels in your brain as much as taking medication...and it does so NATURALLY and without any of the side effects of medication. Good luck and if you have any more questions feel free to email me at Babyfacemagee@aol.com

I am very sorry to hear that you are having these problems. I too took Zoloft years ago, before anyone knew about the zaps. First, you should never stop taking a drug without your doctors consent. You should have been "weaned off of it, which may have helped with the zaps. I too was experiencing them on a daily basis, along with the crying, etc. I still felt zaps up until a couple of years ago. They can last for awhile, but they do get better after time. If you are still having depression, maybe you can try another anti-depressant. The zaps can also contriubut to depression, it's very frustrating. I would definitely talk to your doctor. Maybe there is something he can prescribe or recommend for you to help you with this. I hope things get better for you!

akc wrote:

I have been on zoloft and wellbutrin for over a year now. I just weened myself off of wellbutrin with no problems but zoloft isn't so easy. I am having severe depression as well as brain zaps, headaches, dizziness, and possible weight gain. Does anyone know how long this will last? I went off of zoloft cold turkey before and couldn't stand it. I am now losing hope and feel like I ruined my life by taking zoloft. I can't stop crying and want to know how long these brain zaps are going to take. They are killing me. Zoloft should be taken off the shelves. It gives us false hope. I really would appreciate support from others going through what I'm going through