Brain zaps

[Suzan62]

Have anyone ever experienced brain zaps? I’d never heard of them until I googled the symptoms. For a couple of years or more now I’ve been getting a brief electric shock type sensation just as I’m waking up, sometimes followed by a bump. It happens a few times then stops. Apparently it can happen when you’re withdrawing from antidepressants but I’ve never taken them. All I am taking is low dose prednisolone and thyroxine. It says it’s not serious but I’m just curious as to why it happens. I don’t think it’s a side effect of pred but not sure.

[1573]

Hello, q yes I have them I think its TMJ and inflammation, very frightening and quite painful only lasting a few seconds. I also googled it and found that amitriptyline helps. I have a prescription for them for nerve pain I was taking10 mg at night and have upped the dose to 20 for a few nights things settled down so have now gone back to 10mg. Maybe you should give your dr a call and ask for amitriptyline to see if it helps.

[Suzan62 in reply to 1573]

It isn’t painful, just odd. I think it might perhaps be anxiety related.

[Suzan62]

Thank you. I wasn’t really sure how to describe it. It isn’t painful, it’s like an electrical sensation. Like a brief electric jolt to the head. Like the noise a sparkler makes when lit. It could be related to anxiety as I do tend to get stressed about things. Sometimes it’s worse than others and only happens just as I’m waking up. Very odd.

[madhouse1]

I’ve never experienced them and spent many years on and off a variety antidepressants

[Suzan62]

Yes that’s exactly what mine sounds like! Sometimes there’s a thump after it.

[9lives]

Hi get these and they started many years ago. I remember the first one, not long after my mum passed away(30years ago),I would wakeup with a jolt and hear a loud bang. I thought something had hit the window!My GP at the time said it was stress related.

I’ve had them on and off since, not quite so loud or as bad as the fit one though.

Like you I don’t think they are any thing to worry about but if I get stressed they seem to pop up. X

Maybe us PMR people are predisposed to stress in our lives, who knows.

Carole xx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 9lives]

It is also called exploding head syndrome!

healthline.com/health/explo...

[9lives in reply to PMRpro]

Aww that’s for that , I’ll take a read later. It’s nice to know we are not alone. Carole x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 9lives]

I found out because a lovely lady in her 90s on another forum was tellng us about being woken in the night, thinking her daughter was banging on the door - and it made me look up such symptoms! Love the name ...

[9lives in reply to PMRpro]

Interesting, yes the name gives me an image of a cartoon like Tom n Jerry , when the cats plans to blow up the mouse with ACME explosives!! Ha ha I don’t know why xxThanks for the info though x

Carole

[Suzan62 in reply to PMRpro]

Yes thank you for that. A very interesting read. I have experienced that too but not as often as the static sound. Great name! 😄💣🤯

[Suzan62 in reply to 9lives]

Hi Carole, it is odd but glad to know it’s not just me that gets it and that it’s nothing serious. Stress can do crazy things to us Can’t it! x x

[Omanain]

I know exactly what you mean. I was getting the zaps but not the noise, they just sort of whooshed through my head. It is only since reading your post that I realised they had stopped. I have very slowly been reducing my pred,(down to 5½) but a couple of months ago my doctor found I was taking too much Thyroxine and reduced the dose. I wonder if it was that?

[Hidden]

I have been getting them in the night too! I came off my antidepressant 7 years ago and had some zaps after. I have svt and take Bisoprolol but this has just started.