Brain Zaps On 50mg Pristiq (2 Years) With No Missed Dose?

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Has anyone ever experienced this? I've taken pristiq for about 2 years for anxiety and other than the very rare breakthrough anxiety, I've been really happy with it. For the past 2-3 days, I've been having brain zaps though and I haven't changed any of my meds or missed any. Same meds/dose, taken at the same time of day for years, so I wonder what's causing this now?

The only recent lifestyle change I've made is starting to excercise an hour a day for 5 days/wk and eating better because I need to lose weight. I've been doing that for about 7 weeks and have lost around 20 lbs. I've dieted and excercised while taking this med before though and don't remember the zaps happening. They're mild in comparison to those I've had when I'd miss a couple of days, but still consistently there.

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1

If you've been taking the same dosage for a long time, your body may just have grown tolerant to it, so it may no longer be working as well for you as before.

It may just be time to contact your doctor to change the dose, or try a different medication.

You can learn more Pristiq details here.

It is completely normal and happens to everyone eventually.

I understand that it can be annoying, but there's really nothing we can do to change it.

Is there anything else I can help with?

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2

This is happening to me as well, along with a lot of breakthrough anxiety, which I haven't had in years. I wonder if it is related to a specific batch, because it started when I got my refill. Planning to ask my pharmacist about it. Psych tends to be no help about this. I'm sensitive to small changes in meds - can always tell when the pharmacy changes the source of certain generics, so the pharmacist knows its not in my head. I hope it straightens out!! Brain zaps and other withdrawal symptoms are awful.

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3

This has been happening to me the past week as well! I've been taking 100mgs of pristiq for a couple of years now, and nothing has really changed apart from a couple of hours before I am due to take my tablet, i get brain zaps. Aswell as the brain zaps, I get a bit sensitive to light and loud noises (which trigger more zaps). It usually wears off within a few hours of taking my tablet.

It's just unusual it has happened all of a sudden. I didn't think you could get "tolerant" to anti-depressants. I don't exactly want to up the dose either.

Good luck, and keep us updated if it gets better or what your doc says:-)

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4

This is exactly the same as me, except I have been exercising regularly for over 3 months now. For the last three days I have had withdrawal symptoms (brain zaps) . I will be going to the doctor tomorrow but if you have any other info that would be great. I thought maybe it went generic but that isn't the case.

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5

Just an afterthought about it being a bad batch...I am from Canada, how about any of you?

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