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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Gee on December 13, 2005, at 11:10:29
I posted earlier in the month about brain zaps and memory loss, now my brain zaps/dizziness are getting worse. I'm not going through withdrawal of any sort, and the nausia and headaches are back. I know brainzaps are caused because of blood pressure inthe brain, but is there anything I can take to less them, especially when I'm writting exams? I'm going to try ginger for the nausia, and I can live with the headaches. Is it normal to have withdrawal syptoms even when I'm really not? I haven't missed a dose in ages becuase that just makes it so much worse. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I can't see my doc for another couple of weeks.
Posted by Racer on December 13, 2005, at 18:33:31
In reply to Help Racer, Ed_uk, Med_empowered, SLS, posted by Gee on December 13, 2005, at 11:10:29
Hm...
Honestly? I'm not sure what I can tell you. What I will say is that there are a few things to get checked out, first and foremost, which can maybe help you figure out what's going on.
The first two, which you can do yourself if you're willing to spend a bit of money, are blood pressure and blood glucose. Either of those can cause dizziness. Ruling them out is the first step.
Next, rule out anxiety as a cause -- ha! Some days I crack myself up. But I'm also serious, since that can be a picture of anxiety, and there are easy fixes for that. (Remember, what is causing this isn't the real question -- how to fix it is what you want to know, yes?) I guess, since i always seem to suggest this, the best way to do that is to keep a little notebook with you, and write down the time and circumstances that it happens. That's not a bad idea, really, in general, since it would allow your doctor to see a pattern to it, and maybe get that flash of brilliance to fix the problem.
The other thing that comes to mind is electrolytes. That doesn't mean that I'm suggesting you *do* anything about them, since that can be a very, very bad idea. Too much can be as bad as too little, and it can be pretty easy to get everything out of whack. What you might try, though, for a day or two, is to drink some Gatorade and see if it gets better. If it does, then checking your nutrition might be the easy answer. (OK, easy, right...) Generally, though, if you eat fresh fruits and vegetables regularly, you're probably not having trouble with that. How about hydration?
I lied. One more thing came to mind: caffeine? How much and how regularly? If your caffeine consumption has changed recently, that can throw you for a loop -- and caffeine withdrawal usually features a wicked headache with severe nausea.
That's all that comes to my mind. Of course, to keep this Meds Board Friendly, I will ask what meds you're taking? Should I guess Effexor? (Sorry -- memory problems myself...) It's possible that this has something more directly to do with the drug, if so. Especially if it's blood pressure related. (It might be worth buying a home blood test kit if you're on Effexor, since it's known to affect BP.)
Hope that helps.
Posted by SLS on December 13, 2005, at 21:47:22
In reply to Help Racer, Ed_uk, Med_empowered, SLS, posted by Gee on December 13, 2005, at 11:10:29
Hi Gee.
I think Racer gave some excellent advice.
Perhaps you can review your medical history here and list any changes you may have made in your treatment recently - even if it was simply a changeover to generics or the addition of a decongestant or other.
Enough people have reported brain zaps and nausea while remaining at a stable dosage of SRIs to suggest that this is a possibility. However, what you describe does sound more like withdrawal effects. There are so many other possible medical explanations for what you are experiencing, you might have to start with an evaluation by a GP to resolve the causes.
I know this wasn't very helpful, but without more information, it is difficult to offer a better guess or recommend more precise course of action.
Perhaps you are at the lower end of a therapeutic window of an SRI such that you suffer mini-withdrawals every day when your blood levels ebb. When do you take your medication? Is there a daily rhythm to the appearance of the symptoms?
- Scott-----------------------------------------------
> I posted earlier in the month about brain zaps and memory loss, now my brain zaps/dizziness are getting worse. I'm not going through withdrawal of any sort, and the nausia and headaches are back. I know brainzaps are caused because of blood pressure inthe brain, but is there anything I can take to less them, especially when I'm writting exams? I'm going to try ginger for the nausia, and I can live with the headaches. Is it normal to have withdrawal syptoms even when I'm really not? I haven't missed a dose in ages becuase that just makes it so much worse. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I can't see my doc for another couple of weeks.
Posted by Phillipa on December 13, 2005, at 22:50:48
In reply to Re: Help Racer, Ed_uk, Med_empowered, SLS » Gee, posted by SLS on December 13, 2005, at 21:47:22
Are you experiencing any vertigo too? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Gee on December 14, 2005, at 10:16:55
In reply to Re: Help Racer, Ed_uk, Med_empowered, SLS, posted by Phillipa on December 13, 2005, at 22:50:48
Thanks for the advice guys. I'm on Effexor 225 mmg everyday. I take it in the morning roughly around the same time. It only varies by like an hour from day to day.
My dose was upped to 225 last year around this time by my pdoc, but none of these symtoms effected me until about March/April of last year when I got my wisdom teeth out, and was put under. My doctor had no idea what was causing it, and neither did I at that time. The dentist thought it was because my jaw was over extended during the surgery because I also had massive jaw pain. So they gave me an appliance to lengthen out my jaw muscles, and it helped quite a bit. I was able to get off the couch and get out in the world again. It never went away completely but enough that I stopped worring about it.
But now, it's back. Not as strong as before, but just as fun. I'm dizzy, brain zaps (which for me start in my head and like a tingling shock goes to my left fingers. At times I feel like I might pass out), nausea, headaches, tiredness. I haven't added anything or taken anything away. I'm eating tons of fruit, and I think enough of everything else. Yesterday I got some ginger, and it seems to be helping with the nausea.
I'm sorta wondering if it's brought on by stress. Exam time right now and last year when it started it was also exam time. But then wouldn't it go away when exams were over? And a couple weeks ago I was way more stressed, and it didn't hit me this hard until the end of last week.
Right now, I'm really thinking I just want to get off Effexor because I can't live with the side effects. I'm going to try the electrolite thing for the next couple of days.
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 14, 2005, at 13:05:27
In reply to Re: Help Racer, Ed_uk, Med_empowered, SLS, posted by Gee on December 14, 2005, at 10:16:55
> Thanks for the advice guys. I'm on Effexor 225 mmg everyday. I take it in the morning roughly around the same time. It only varies by like an hour from day to day.
>
> Right now, I'm really thinking I just want to get off Effexor because I can't live with the side effects. I'm going to try the electrolite thing for the next couple of days.Split up the dose. Effexor XR was developed to make it easy to keep a stable blood concentration during a 24 hour cycle. The way you're taking it, you get one big blood peak, and then you fall into the valley of the zaps.
Try 75 mg three times a day. If the zaps stop, you're proven why they happen in the first place. Venlafaxine only has a five hour half-life.
Lar
Posted by Gee on December 16, 2005, at 18:03:42
In reply to Re: Help Racer, Ed_uk, Med_empowered, SLS » Gee, posted by Larry Hoover on December 14, 2005, at 13:05:27
Taking it twice a day has really helped make them stop!!!
Thank you all for your advice
This is the end of the thread.
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