Can someone tell me their experiences with "brain shivers" from discontinuing an antidepressant?

Answer:
Yes I had these whilst reducing my dose of celexa to switch to zoloft. I also had them whilst getting on the celexa in the first place. From what I've read Effexor can be one of the worst for this. But it is a normal withdrawal symptom so try not to worry.

It does pass. It's unpleasant I know but it's not forever, just give your body a chance to adjust. If it's really bothering you perhaps you need to consult with your doctor over reducing the dose more gradually.

The best advice I can give for weaning off anti-depressants is to look after yourself. Eat well, rest lots and try to relax. It's not one of the most pleasant experiences but it will get easier. Good luck

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i dont know what brain shivers are, but if i forget to take my zoloft, after a day or two i get what i call "the swoops".
its a withdrawal thing. my doc said that with zoloft its somewhat uncommon, but not unheard of. i beleive the main thing is that you wean yourself off very very slowly. expect some discomfort however, and know that it will pass eventually.
all the best :)

yes, the swoops are like head rushes, sudden dizziness i guess. and now that you added"electric shocks" i know exactly what you mean. they suck! im so sorry you are going through that. it wont last though...hang in there!...xox

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I went cold turkey from an antidepressant once, which was a very, very, very, very bad idea. I got the little electrical shocks/brain shivers, amongst other things.

A couple of years later I went from zoloft to effexor, by decreasing one and increasing the other week by week. I got the occasional brain jolt, but not as bad as the above mentioned situation.

I'm now going back to the zoloft (effexor made me gain weight and frankly I can do that by myself for much less money ;o) and decreasing by 25 mg every two weeks. Having said that, blood pressure is more serious then having a bigger belly. I would definitely discuss this with your doctor to see if there's something you can do or take to help while decreasing your dosage.

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This is very common for people who are decreasing their dose of medication, especially with Effexor. You need to tell your doctor and get advice; ask if they can tell you how to best decrease your dose so as to minimise these horrible withdrawal effects.

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