Brain zaps, burning back of the neck, and headaches.

[TrippyMcGuire762]

So I might be getting annoying posting on here, but I really don't understand my anxiety yet. Right now, as I type this, I'm having brain zaps, my head is spinning, and I have a horrible headache and burning sensation in the back of my neck. I just started taking sertaraline at 12.5mg doses, as my Dr. feels I may be sensative to SSRIs. I've also had other issues like muscle trembling and insomnia that has been chocked up to this, and was wondering if this is too.

[RobynC]

Anxiety can cause the zap feelings . I get like a jolt feeling in my head sometimes . I don't take meds tho . Trembling and insomnia are def anxiety related . Don't know if meds make it worse. Never went that route so I couldn't say

[Agora1]

Hi TrippyMcGuire762, I have experienced everything you are having. From brain zaps (more so when I was on Benzos) to head spinning (more so when on Benzos) to burning sensation in back of neck and headaches (still have) Painful tight muscles that tremble. I do however sleep well.

It's hard to say that it may be caused by the SSRIs, because anxiety itself can cause these symptoms as well as a physical problem with the neck. Over the years, anxiety has prompted me to jut my head forward in fear and tense the muscles up. When the muscles are that tense, they can cause spasms and trigger points allowing for tension headaches to become more frequent. Also with the tightening of the neck muscles can come dizziness.

An SSRI takes between 4-6 weeks to reach full efficacy unless dose is upped. Your doctor may want to see if that may relieve some of your symptoms. So know that physically there can be a reason you feel all these things but it still boils down to how you accept them so that you don't get anxious and just address the issue at hand. Using heat applied to the neck can help reduce the tightness. With the muscles relaxed, the burning will go away, headaches will start abating, head won't be spinning. Tight, tense muscles can cause referred symptoms. Don't give up hope. Everything eventually falls into place as you learn about your own body's reaction to stress and how to address it. Take care

[TrippyMcGuire762 in reply to Agora1]

I think it has to be either the anxiety or meds. I'm 22, and I doubt its anything else. I just wonder too if the fact I drank around 4-5 cans of energy drinks a day for at least a year to a year and a half (uni student) could have caused issues within my body too, making it harder to ajust.

[Agora1 in reply to TrippyMcGuire762]

Oh wow, that's a lot of caffeine. Your being a uni student, I can see how your neck muscles can tighten due to stress. One step at a time, always follow your doctor's orders. He is the best judge of what will help you. We are here for the moral support and understanding. I'm glad you found the forum. Good Luck in school x

[TrippyMcGuire762 in reply to Agora1]

Yeah, it got up to like 11 cans during finals because my brain was like, adderal is bad and illegal to use for those purposes, caffeine is legal and relatively safe, you should go with that instead. I think I made a bad call.

[blackcat64013]

Hi TrippyMcGuire762,

Anxiety can do funny things to your body and brain chemistry and if you add medication to the mix it's down right confusing.

To work out if it's the illness or the drugs, have these symptoms always been there or have they come on after starting the medication?

As a general rule, people have period of adjustment to the new chemicals circulating in their body, anywhere from 2 - 6 weeks on average. If this is true for you, symptoms will get better in time.

If you are the exception and the symptoms are intolerable, revist your prescriber for something else. The doctor has quite a few meds in his pill box to choose from. Sometimes it's trial and error.

[TrippyMcGuire762 in reply to blackcat64013]

Some were there some came after the meds. But I think it might be a mix of both. Going to see a new doc though who might help a bit more than who I'm seeing now though.