Brain Zaps.... Anyone?

[onebreathatatime]

So I just started my shift just over an hour ago and I was feeling ok, but now sitting in this room, with computer screens and terrible lighting, I feel as though I get a rush through my brain, comes and goes quick. It almost can be described as a shiver in my head.... then it sends shivers through the rest of my body as though I am going to have a panic attack. I have been having disturbances with my eyes and vertigo/dizziness so this plays into my fear of having a brain tumor.. Anyone else get these feelings and notice any triggers for when this occurs?

[str8trippin]

Yes, I have them, they are one of the most unsettling feelings ever...of all the symptoms I've experienced over the past few months, they scare me by far the most. I have a very hard time describing the feeling to anyone, so they just think I'm making things up. A zap or buzz is the only way I can explain it, and it is accompanied by a slight feeling of dizziness or lightheadedness.

[onebreathatatime]

Yes, I have them, they are one of the most unsettling feelings ever...of all the symptoms I've experienced over the past few months, they scare me by far the most. I have a very hard time describing the feeling to anyone, so they just think I'm making things up. A zap or buzz is the only way I can explain it, and it is accompanied by a slight feeling of dizziness or lightheadedness.

Yah I hear ya, most people don't understand. Do you get it at certain times or during certain activities?

[sylvina]

I get them more wen I'm trying to sleep and yes it does feel like a zapp noise going across my brain it wakes me up quick dont really get it in the day though

[str8trippin]

Yah I hear ya, most people don't understand. Do you get it at certain times or during certain activities?

I definitely get them more frequently when I am laying down or trying to relax. I've felt them during the day a few times, but not nearly as much. They seem to increase the more tired I am as well.

[frankzito]

I get em and that is what started my panic and anxiety problem.

[str8trippin]

I get em and that is what started my panic and anxiety problem.

How long have you had them? It's the only thing that I haven't had tests done to rule out physical causes of, so I think that's part of why it still scares me so much. I keep telling myself that certainly if it was anything more serious, something else would have happened by now, or something abnormal would be coming up on blood work, etc. I'm seeing an ENT on the 4th so I'm going to bring it up to him and see what he thinks.

[frankzito]

How long have you had them? It's the only thing that I haven't had tests done to rule out physical causes of, so I think that's part of why it still scares me so much. I keep telling myself that certainly if it was anything more serious, something else would have happened by now, or something abnormal would be coming up on blood work, etc. I'm seeing an ENT on the 4th so I'm going to bring it up to him and see what he thinks.

About a year and a half. Its what gave me my first panic attack. I don't get them that often anymore, occasionally. It was more like and electric shock the first time, now just more of a sensation I get. I get dizzy and it lasts sometimes up to ten seconds or more .

[str8trippin]

About a year and a half. Its what gave me my first panic attack. I don't get them that often anymore, occasionally. It was more like and electric shock the first time, now just more of a sensation I get. I get dizzy and it lasts sometimes up to ten seconds or more .

Do you think it's something worth investigating further with my doctor, or just another symptom of anxiety? I tend to hold a lot of tension in my neck (I get tension headaches fairly often). All blood work and everything has been normal.

[tailspin]

I got brain zaps frequently when I was tapering off Zoloft. I spoke to my psychiatrist about them and he said it's a common side effect of coming off an SSRI and that it's completely harmless, even though it feels scary. I don't get them anymore. Could your brain zaps be related to anti-depressant medication?

[frankzito]

Do you think it's something worth investigating further with my doctor, or just another symptom of anxiety? I tend to hold a lot of tension in my neck (I get tension headaches fairly often). All blood work and everything has been normal.

I told my doctor when I finally went. A month after it started, and it's a symptom no doubt. I'm getting blood work Thursday and gonna find out for sure. I had it done the first hospital visit, and all was good. I worry about having one while driving the most. I've had a stiff neck for almost three months, sure it's all part of it. But you might wanna tell your doctor anyway :-)

[str8trippin]

I got brain zaps frequently when I was tapering off Zoloft. I spoke to my psychiatrist about them and he said it's a common side effect of coming off an SSRI and that it's completely harmless, even though it feels scary. I don't get them anymore. Could your brain zaps be related to anti-depressant medication?

I don't take any medication, so it's definitely not related to that for me.

[str8trippin]

I told my doctor when I finally went. A month after it started, and it's a symptom no doubt. I'm getting blood work Thursday and gonna find out for sure. I had it done the first hospital visit, and all was good. I worry about having one while driving the most. I've had a stiff neck for almost three months, sure it's all part of it. But you might wanna tell your doctor anyway :-)

Yeah, I'll be seeing an ENT for the first time next week, so I'm going to mention it there and see what he thinks, and if then if I need to follow up with my primary about it I will.

[frankzito]

Yeah, I'll be seeing an ENT for the first time next week, so I'm going to mention it there and see what he thinks, and if then if I need to follow up with my primary about it I will.

Good luck with it