Update on Brain Zaps after Stopping Lexapro

[Cforte]

This is the second night I have gone without my medication. I took 1 10mg dose of Lexapro on Wednesday then just abruptly stopped. Unbeknownst to me, I must be very sensitive to medications, because even stopping after just that little, I am getting those electric hick feelings and mini-seizures some people who stop Lexapro get as withdrawal symptoms. I am so exhausted, but i can't sleep. They happen whenever I quiet my mind. And they seem to be getting worse. Should I just take a Lexapro now at this time of night and see if it will make the brain zaps stop? Will that even work that quickly? Should I take just half of my medication? I was directed to take it the same time every morning and it is now 9:17 pm at night. If I take it, will I feel better? I need help! I need sleep! But I can't sleep!!!

[Agora1]

Hi Cforte, I've been watching your posts with concerns and fear regarding brain zaps from taking that 1 Lexapro. That drug is an SSRI (antidepressant) which takes every bit of 4-6 weeks to reach full efficacy levels. So having stopped after one dose or going back on the med I don't feel has anything to do with your brain zaps. So I don't know how much effect getting back on the drug would make right now except for the fact that drugs shouldn't be started and stopped w/o letting your doctor know.

The brain zaps are more of a withdrawal response to long term medication or drugs. Our brains learn to function on the chemicals produced by these drugs and can take a long time after coming down off them for our brain to heal. During this weaning process and healing period comes the brain zaps you are experiencing. It is our brain trying to making the chemical in our brain naturally after being artificially produced for years.

I want back over your posts and noticed 16 months ago you posted about the different non prescription drugs you were doing. Whether you realized it or not, those drugs did alter your brain chemistry which I feel is what you may be going through now. I understand totally what you are experiencing.

I was left on a small dose of Xanax for 30 years when it no longer worked for me, I was placed on Ativan (also a benzo) within a short time I realized benzos would no longer work. My psychiatrist decided to wean me off that drug and replaced it with Lexapro (which I have been on for 5 years now) While weaning off the benzos, I started getting brain zaps, the more I came down on the med the more I experienced the zaps. It was my brain adjusting to reduction of the meds I was on for so long. After 2 years of weaning and still getting the zaps, it took another year and a half for my brain to heal and function normally once more. To this day, I no longer get the zaps. My brain is healed. Lexapro has been a god send with no side effects at all.

I am not a doctor but a patient just like you who went through what you are experiencing. My theory is that your brain is still healing from the drugs you were on for all those years. I can't say if Lexapro or Xanax will help you with those zaps. I think only time will. It is always in your best interest to consult with your doctor after all, he knows your health history and can make the best and safest decision for you. Good Luck Cforte. My best to you x

[Cforte in reply to Agora1]

All i know is I never had these "zaps" before starting and stopping the Lexapro. You may be right about the other drugs screwing up my brain, and when I took the Lexapro, I felt better, normal again, like it was balancing out the chemical changes. It was only after I took one pill then stopped that these brain zaps occured. My doctor doesn't know jack. He didn't even know that electric shock feelings are a withdrawal symptom from coming off Lexapro, though the info with my medication says so. All I need to know, from a doctor who actually knows, or from a user with experience, is if I take a Lexapro now, will the brain zaps stop? I am so damn tired, but I can't sleep. I need sleep. Does anyone know? Will taking the Lexapro stop this?

[Gloria_carr in reply to Cforte]

It sounds like you are extremly tired & agora 1 is correct on explaining ive experience brain zaps & to be honest didnt have a clue where they were coming from 1 thing i did notice that i was put on calcium -with vitamin D & about 4 days in i started to experience the brain zaps they were intense so i stopped taking them the brain zaps went away. Well let me bah my story up i was on a Blood pressure pill for about a yr & after coming out them the brain zaps started ive been having brain zaps for about 8months now not as severe as they were but i notice the less sleep i got they would come & when taking medications for the 1st time i do belive our brain is really sensitive to medication when we have high levels of anxiety ,so what im tryinv to say it can be a number of things wrapped in 1 rest wad the only thing for me that calmed the storms of brain zaps hope you find rest & peace bc i know the feeling

[Agora1 in reply to Cforte]

I hear your frustration and your plea for an answer to stop these zaps. I am sorry but I can only speculate on my own personal experience in withdrawing from benzos and having gone through the brain zaps as well. It is really your doctor's call in letting you know what you should do. I know it's not the answer you are looking for. I hope someone else can relate to your issue although medications is a personal experience for each and every one of us. What some feel is a winner, others dread taking. I hope you find the answer you need.

[Zoey11 in reply to Cforte]

Brain zaps are extreme withdrawal symptoms. If you stop abruptly this is what happens. I did this also. Had exact same symptoms as you. Went back on a low dose to stop brain zaps and weaned off slowly.

[markfergus in reply to Cforte]

i just took buspirone for the first time and am getting brain zaps for the first time in my life. maybe in most cases this happens after quitting a drug but not in all cases.

[Lm92]

I doubt 1 Lexapro now would make much of a difference. If I may ask, why did you stop taking it?

The zaps could very much be a symptom of anxiety. Mini seizures I've never really heard of before as a side effect.

[Cforte in reply to Lm92]

The paperwork with the Lexapro does say that "feelings of electric shock " can be a withdrawal symptom and many people have reported it. I stopped the Lexapro because I got really dizzy and had a bad panic attack on it, although that could be from not eating enough. So I was scared to take it again in case I am very sensitive to it and suffer bad side effects, or if 1 pill gave me 2 nights of brain zaps after stopping it abruptly, how many nights of them will I get in the future when I try to wean off the Lexapro?

[bel_hope in reply to Cforte]

I am too very sensitive to medications and I took Lexapro for over 10 years without any major side effects while taking it. However, I’ve notice that whenever I start a new medication the first thing I read is side effects, and guess what? I start looking for those side effects and in one way or another they manifest in my body. Agree 100% with the rest of the posts. You’re body needs to assimilate a medication in order for you to start experiencing any withdrawal symptoms once you stop taking them. If your doctor doesn’t seem to work, try for a second opinion. In the meantime, you need to relax. Our anxiety can trigger so many weird things in our body, fear start taking the best of us, and we are left feeling hopeless waiting for the worst to happen. Try to relax to the best of your abilities and take a deep breath.

[Cforte in reply to bel_hope]

Thank yo, but I exeprince dthe "brainzaps" before looking them up. I was looking them up to see what it was

[Cforte in reply to Cforte]

Sorry. I hit the post button too quickly. I was saying I had the brain zaps first then I looked them up to see what they were. As for the side effects, all I know is no one can give me an answer-not my doctor, not the ER-as to why I was so dizzy (which caused me to have a massive panic attack) just a few hours after taking my Lexapro medication for the first time. We do believe strongly that my blood sugar just fell too low from not eating for so long, but that doesn't happen often when I don't eat that long. But thanks again.

[Cforte]

Update: Last night I've had no "brain zaps" but stupidly stayed up until 2 am (just watching TV), so I slept all day today and was not motivated to do anything, making me depressed. Since stopping the Lexapro, I've had no panic attacks at night, I just feel winded, like I just ran a marathon when I am talking to people, particularly at work where I am the most anxious, and i still have that need to take a lot of deep breaths every few seconds when i walk. I just emailed my doctor and said I would try to fight tis without meds, but if it does become too much to suffer, i will follow his instructions and take the Lexapro as he prescribed. As a side note, my grandmother has been taking Lexapro for years with no problems, but her and other people i know that use it, take it at night, not in the morning. I asked my doctor if I should do that instead. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist on March 7th. Thank you all.

-Chris