Brain zap withdrawal symptoms… for how long??

[Cocostardust]

I stopped escitalopram a month ago, I admit I probably buggered up and went from 10mg to nothing overnight without tapering, I thought 10mg was the lowest dose I’m still not 100% but think I should’ve done this slower (lesson learnt). I was fine the first week but then started getting like an electric shock feeling in my head and through my body when I moved my head and sometimes when I moved my eyes. Alcohol makes it all way worse so avoiding that.

thing is it’s been a month and it’s no better at all, I’ve read in one or two places online it can go on for months but… can it? My minds wandering and I’m starting to worry it’s something else (I have no other symptoms so having on to that).

Basically it feels like that shiver thing you get when someone ‘walks over your grace’ but more intense and in my head and down through body. Does this sound like brain zaps?

just wanted some people to reassure me how long these can go on for and if others have had them??

feeling a bit jittery and anxious with this, admit I perhaps came off to fast so please be kind and not judgmental

I had it for a couple of months at least

When I came off of venlafaxine it was utterly horrific, so I really feel for you. Like you I didn’t taper (the side effects were so vile I wanted off immediately!) but the brain zaps were worse.

I ended up having to go back on to venlafaxine and tapering. Mine lasted 3 months before I went back on and tapered off, it took 6 horrible months but when I finally came off there was no issues. Is that something you feel you could do?

Thank you both so much. Yes I have been thinking about going back on I’m just so scared incase it doesn’t work and I drag this out for even longer, I think if I knew 100% they were actual ‘brain zaps’ I’d be okay with it but my mind keeps wandering as it’s going on so long. I do think it would be a good idea though.

does what I described sound similar to what you experienced?

Yes the description matches what I experienced. I also felt dizzy very often. I stuck it out and eventually it became less and less frequent. I ended up back on SSRI's though, about 9 months later.