Ssri's And Brain Zaps?!

[InvisibleSun]

So I've been on Zoloft for about two months now, and my psychiatrist recently raised my dose from 50mg to 75mg. I have had very few side effects to date and have done really well on this med, however, I noticed that since I started my higher dose I have been having brain zaps. My headaches are coming back as well. I had always read that brain zaps were associated with SSRI withdrawal, so I was curious if anybody else experienced them while regularly taking antidpressants?!

I am also concerned about Serotonin Syndrome, since I take Trazodone for sleep.. another antidepressant..I spoke to the pharmacist about any potential drug interactions and she assured me that there were none. But I'm still a little sketched out...Any experiences taking multiple anti-depressants or with serotonin syndrome?!

I don't know...maybe I'm being paranoid. I just don't want to fry my brain..

Thanks!

 

[joeylittle]

Seratonin syndrome is like a really strange flu when it's mild, and like horrible food poisoning when it's bad. it also starts within a few hours of the medication change. It's been described to me as 'you absolutely know something is wrong, and pretty quickly'. So I think you probably don't need to worry, but that's just based on my experience taking lots of meds.

Brain zaps can happen, though, when your dose is raised; they should work like a short-term side effect and be gone within 7 days. If they are not, you probably are on too high a dose for comfort. Also, just as an FYI, if you are taking trazadone only for sleep you are probably at the dose that is sub-clinical for depression (100-150 is usually the insomnia-only dose, 300-400mg is the depression dose)

I'm sorry about the headaches - they are never fun.

 

[InvisibleSun]

Thank you, @joeylittle! None of these side effects are severe, which is good, just unexpected. I can handle the headaches as long as they don't turn into migranes which I have always been prone to.
I always try to err on the side of caution when it comes to medication, anyway. Just have to keep an eye on things and see how I feel in a few days..

 

[falling_wave]

I got them really bad everywhere not just my head coming off lexapro. They lasted about a month but never had them while still on the full dose of meds.