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UPDATED: Tue, 12/13/2005 - 2:33pm
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Maggie
electrical shock in head?
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Last night I was laying in bed with my eyes closed and all of a sudden on the left side of my brain it felt just like an electrical shock.I jumped and there was a tingling sensation down my right arm.Didn't last very long.A few seconds later same thing but not quite as intense.Has anyone ever had this happen to them?Or am I just going crazy?
By Maggie at Sun, 07/17/2005 - 8:37pm | 9421 views | 58 comments
Recent Comments on this Discussion
Hi Maggie.
Are you currently withdrawing off of any meds? "Brain shocks," which are just flat out the worst pain I've ever experienced, are very common in people who are weaning off a med to fast. I had "brain shocks" while withdrawing from Effexor XR too fast.
John
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hello everyone
i read every single persons comments...i just
googled 'dizziness' head symptoms and thankfully this post came up. I find many
similarities between my symptoms and many of ur symptoms. i had my first 'episode' in may,
it simply lasted an hour and i laid on the couch and felt better and told
myself it was just stress(grad from nursing school and family visiting at same
time!!) it happened two more times one in june one in july, those episodes
lasted days. this last episode that i am currently still having symptoms from
has, so far, lasted 6 days the first three were debilitating!! i went to ER on
third day because i could not handle it anymore and had NO idea what was
happening! the PA really upset me trying to give me ativan and zofran. trying
to tell me it was either migrane or vertigo or possible anxiety and that the
zofran would help with nausea. ok let me back up to my symptoms...i too have
the 'rush' of shock or eletricity in my brain. i describe it as if my brain
were shifting back and forth VERY quickly and hitting the side of my skull..or
electricity running through my brain from ear to ear very quickly. each gush
lasts around 10 seconds but they seem to happen every couple of minutes...this
is continuous for the entire
6 days ive had it..no matter what i do this feeling does not go away..on the
contrary to others..mine seems to SLIGHTLY be relieved from lying down or
sleeping, which is why i slept the first three days continuously!! (which
upsets me greatly!) mine seems to be caused from ocular movement, sometimes
head movement. like most others i have experienced no pain with this sensation
i do have infrequent headaches, but i relate them to the pressure from the
vomitting etc because they were easily relieved by tylenol..although i do
remember having very bad headaches but not at the same time as this sensation.
when i was at the ER after the PA tried telling me it was my vertigo (which i
have dealt with for years and this sensations feels NOTHING like vertigo, to
me!!) i did talk to the DR and he ACTUALLY LISTENED to my sympt and agreed it
did not sound like vertigo, he said it sounded like ocular migranes, which i
saw someone mention on one of their posts. he gave me the meds for that,
midrin, which did not relieve anything, it jus put me to sleep! so i am
believing that was not a true dx although i appreciate him listening to me. he
told me to see a neurologist and opthamologist. i made appts with optometrist
(to start) and audiologist (because my primary dr believes he knows better...i
will go to audiologist, optometrist, opthamologist, whatever..just find what is
wrong and fix it!! i wish it was so easy!) i have found a common denominator
between me and some other posts...titrating antidepressants and antianxiety
meds...i would be curious to find out how many people have experienced these
symptoms after coming off of those meds. hoping that some people will have
symptoms dissipate after meds get out of their system. one thing that threw me,
i had the symptoms three times while on these meds (effexor and klonopin) and
one time (this time, longer, and worse) when i was off. i have literally tried
to do my own research from correlating my mensus to the foods/drinks i was
consuming to these symptoms...no correlation really precipitates these
'episodes' i have never been dx with any seizures although i have had many
random dx throughout my lifetime i was one of those sickly children, i wonder
what could be the ultimate prob and solution to this very annoying and
misunderstood problem! Like one other post I read, I have ALWAYS been really
sensitive to lights and movements, my husband drives a stick and when we roll
back it bothers me immensely, I chalked it up to being sensitive, because my
body has always had the most random things wrong, I wonder if in some way this
may be related to something of an inner ear issue!! the one thing i do want to
share with all of you, the medical world can be very harsh, i am a patient and
a registered nurse, and some of the "medical personnel" treat many
people as if they are crazy!! sometimes worse when you are a part of the
medical world because you have the 'knowledge' therefore your symptoms sound
even crazier! LOL please do not let anyone's words affect you!! I was taught in
nursing school that patients know their bodies better than anyone else and us
medical people are 'praticing' medicine, I would hope that all medical people
take themselves back to med/nurse school and remember that you were never going
to be that dr or nurse that didn’t listen to ur patients, I know it is hard
because there are soo many disease and probs it is VERY difficult which each
person is unique but it could be relieved from LISTENING to ur pts and telling
them you DO NOT KNOW but you are trying to help them because that is what most
of them are doing!! And as the pts remember that you need to be as detailed
with ur dr as possible, like another person posted, if you want to help
yourself you need to keep a record of when the episodes happen how long they
last, day, night, what you ate, mensus for girls, etc.. everydetail although
you may not think is import may help be the diff between a dx and cure and
being like this for the rest of ur life, it sad that we pay so much money and
still have to do the work but it is all worth it in the end...so do not give
up, although i deal with the same issues, appts, dr not believing me, etc as
many others. so i understand ur feelings, u are the only ones that are
responsible for healing urself. do the research, make the appts, harrasse the
dr, whatever is necessary to make sure you are cared for!! everyone deserves
that! i am thankful for this post because i have been racking my brain thinking
of every possible physiological, anatomical cause or solution to this prob and
hearing your stories has given me some insight!! neurologist def. seem to be a
common thing we all need to see and please if i or anyone has any updated info
as to what helps one person, please share because it may help all or even one
other person, but that is worth sharing!! good luck...please email me at
starr.hampton@us.army.mil i usually do not recheck posts (weird habit) please
email!!
What I am experiencing is different than what the other descriptions provide. I've had this for years but it comes and goes away but it's driving me crazy.
What I feel is a wave of electricity inside my entire head especially when I move my head to look in another direction. The whole room moves in jolts in the direction that I am moving my head.
It's very disturbing, no pain, but prevents me from remaining calm and getting work done.
Nothing seems to help it when it hits me. Has anyone else experienced this? It's difficult to walk at times in the sense that I can loose my balance temporarily.
I've had the electrial shocks in my head also. It would come and go a few times a month for a day or two. It started about a year ago. My doc sent me for a hearing test and exam since I already have Tinitis. The ENT thought that it was a vascular problem so off I go to see a cardiologist. He said there was nothing wrong with my heart but did a nuclear stress test anyway. Nothing. He suggested that I take Drammamine for the dizzyness that occurs with the ringing. I couldn't convince anyone of what I was experiencing, it was like they didn't know and didn't want to deal with it. The only way that I could describe it to the doc's and anyone else is; picture Frankenstein with the bolts that were attached to his neck. It feels like I have those bolts on each side of my head just shocking away. My doc brushed it off since the tests were negative.
Recently, it was really bad for six days straight, with nausea..but with no pain. It was constant day and night. I have been on Paxil for over a year now and am not sure if that is the problem. I saw a different PCP and she thinks that it's a form of a migraine and gave me Atenol to take daily. After a few days it started working. Now, I'm sick with a cold this weekend and I've been up litterally all night coughing and the shocks are back. I'll be calling my doc tomorrow for an appointment and ask about seeing a Neurologist. I've never had a seizure that I know of and am not Epileptic....that I know of.
I just wanted to share to see if anyone else got the run around with these symptoms. And yes, I thought I was crazy but I'm glad to find others here who know that we're not crazy.
I have almost constant electrical shock feeling sin my head. I have multiple Gran Mauls just diagnosed. I wanted to try a really great Epitologist and Nuero maybe at Cedars since I go there for blood clot disorder. Any Input, how common is the contant shock feelings?
Hey Maggie,
Sorry I haven't been on in a while have been busy here with my boys. But hun I would definately push the neuro with the issue if you haven't already. I don't know if we have talked since this has happened or not. But I remember having this happen before my surgery. They shook it off until I had one that put me into one of my major grand mal seizures and when I come out of the seizure I had lost my entire left side function for a period of time. After a bunch of physical therapy and an increase in meds I did eventually work myself back to "normal" but I learned when I went to Boston that it did kill part of my right part of the brain but they weren't going to touch it because they were removing so much from the left side. Therefore I am going to be on the meds forever now. It might help you to print this out and take it to the doctor's office as well because it will give you something to refer to when you talk to him. Take a highlighter and mark the information that you want to make sure that you mention and that way you won't forget. Please give me a call and let me know what is going on. I haven't been quite on the ball because I have had so much going on here. Hope to talk to you soon.
Shelly Maire
I have almost contant electrical shock feleings in my head. Just diagnosed Nov 13 08 with multiple Gran Mauls, but I don't lose consciousness. I'm nervous, can't sleep. On Depakote, but it wont give me a break. Is this common? I was going to see my Dr at Cedars for blood clot disorder and find their neuro dept. since I have concern that the current neuro is not up to date as I need the treatments. My brain wont hardly sleep either. :(
Dear kathyl,
i have had epilepsy for 15 years. When i was first diagnosed they told me it was only anxiety and gave my valium. A couple of of years later the neurologist told me it was seizures. Up until sept. i have tried almost every med. out there. i now have a vns implanted and use a magnet to activate. This has helped. I usually only have a seizure when i am asleep and their are insinc pretty much with hormonal changes.
A cassette called CONDITIONED RELAXATION has also been comforting. I have the words memorized, having used it for a while, and im able to go to sleep easily. The tape teaches you how to breathe slowly and think about the air going to the rest of your body. I don't even get past breathing through my fingers some nights and i fall asleep.
I hope this is helpful.
Lynda
I am soooo happy to see this sight! I thought I was going crazy! I've been having electric shock sensation nearly everynight for the past 4 or 5 months. It would precede with a sensation as if someone touch my skin or tug at a single strand of hair on my leg or arm then I hear, an electric current w/in milliseconds...sometime in the back at the base of skull other time all all over. I would hear mild shock and other electric sounds as though someone termed on a generator of a space ship...the types of sound you'd hear on Star Wars. It always happen before I go to sleep a few electrical sounds hear and there. I asked one of my neuroscience instructors about shock sounds in the head...and he said he'd never heard of such a thing. It has only been within the last month that I confided in my aunt, my brother and my GP & OB doc. I prefaced it to ask them to not judge me crazy but this is what I hear at night. I told my GP that when I was a child, I played with mercury in the thermometer. I thought since mercury is toxic and absorbed through the skin, maybe it collected in my brain. So she had me do a mercury blood test after being restricted from certain kinds of fish like salmon and tuna. I don't know the results. I was to have a follow-up appointment in March. PS I'm a 49 female.
Last night, while I was preparing to sleep, and I was charging my cell phone near the outlet withing one foot from me. I sleep on a mattress on a carpeted floor, (I'm a graduated student trying to live on loans). I always charge my cell phone by the same outlet near my head, but not EVERY night. But last night I got strong electric jolt to the brain, very loud! At the same time I saw a white lightning streak with my eyes closed and pointing perpendicular to my head toward the electric outlet but parallel with my phone on the floor at the same angle. I thought I heard a sound coming from the phone at the same time of the jolt! I immediately unplugged the phone and charged it in the spare room away from me. I had no further electric sensations that night. I felt that my brain was eletrocuted and the cell phone charging had something to do with it because the lightning bolt was in the same direction coming across my closed eyes, going from the cell phone with a head or point to the electric outlet! It scarred the mess out of me!
Last semester, we studied the causes of Alzheimer's Disease. Although it can be hereditary, the take research doctor says, it all depend on whether or not there is a leak in the blood/brain barrier to cause Alheimers or some cancers in the brain. Well, I think or hypothesize that such electrocution jolt in the brain can possible destroy the blood brain barrier making you succeptible to Alheimer's Disease or various cancers. The cell phone has electromagnetic radiation that may have play a part in my since of electrocution last night. This was the first time I saw lightning with my eyes closed and got strong powerful jolts to my whole head. Another researcher who studies vision, says that it seems that I'm describing a seizure with the lightnening bolts and everything. He suggest that I see a neurologist right away. They'll probably need to do a sleep study and EEG.
He says it can be treated since this is rather new to me; but he says if left untreated, the blood brain might be damaged leading to other problems. He told me to get a diagnosis first and afterwards, they can do a blood test on me to see if the blood brain barrier has been damaged. He told me not to be alarmed and that I'm not going crazy. He also advised that I minimize use of my cell phone. At least do not charge it up while I'm in the same room. He said I might be sensitive to electricity or electromagnetic radiation.
Ten years ago, I was on Paxil and Trazadone for a few months because I was failing out of medical school at the time. Anyways, I night I took both drugs, one ease the anxiety, the other to make me sleep. As I was sleeping I got a HUGE ELECTRIC JOLT TO THE HEAD in the back of my brain, I jumped out of back headed to the bathroom and I had diplopia also.... I saw two toilets. It scarred the crap out of me. I kept blinking and finally I saw the one and only toilet in the bathroom. I have never used drugs or anything other than these meds. I did not take any more after that. I was fine. It scared me soooo bad. I had no anxiety problems since I left med school and never had anxiety problem until I was in. But anyways, the streak of lightning is totally new. Med school was 10 years ago. So these other electric symptoms are very recent. No stress in my life that account for this.
I am sooo happy to learn that I am not alone. I will pray that Jesus will give me peace about this problem if not heal me of it.
prettyperky
i have this too sometimes..its over quickly and the "good news"is they never come to anything..never pass out or have a major seizure..so i just let them'happen'and although weird to experience..i ignore them.
when this happens sometimes the floor seems to move/drop..i wonder if this happens for anyone else?..basicaslly though dont be afraid and"let them pass"and check it out as to what type it is with medical people.
I also have had what feels like electrical shock in the back of my head. I had it over and over so much that my doctor recommended accupunture which worked like ground rods and electricity to distribute this to the needles to different parts of my body. It worked until I stopped treatment of the accupunture. My seizures are caused from a head injury from pressure caused where my hard hat liner was pressed into my head forcefully. Has anyone ever known anyone else this has happened to. I only know one other person.
I have had a few 'mild' head injuries (with problems that haven't gone away still. I have electric shock like pains in my head very often somedays like a huindred times. some are worse than others, they are now accompanied by other aura stuff and face body twitches and jerk directly following. Haven't any diagnosis yet. Waiting for an EEG appointment.
Barbara in Houston...Howdy Maggie. I've had epilepsy for 40 yrs. In 2003, after switching to TOPAMAX I had the "lightening bolt" feeling run thru the entire left side of my body while resting in bed. After being seizure free for 11 years, grand mals started up. To this day no dr. can explain to me what that bolt of lightening was doing in my body or what it was. Then my grand mal seizures returned full blast as well and cannot be controlled. My left side is impaired, vision, co-ordination etc.
HI MAGGIE, NO YOU ARE NOT GOING CRAZY. I HAVE HAD THOSE, BUT NOT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND SEEMS MINE WERE MORE AGRESSIVE. IT STARTED WITH WHAT FELT LIKE 2 LIGHTNING BOLTS SHOOTING UP FROM THE BASE OF MY HEAD, DEEP INSIDE MY BRAIN, AND STRAIGHT UP TO THE TOP ON BOTH SIDES OF MY HEAD. AFTER THAT, IT FELT LIKE I HAD ROWS AND ROWS OF ELECTRICAL SHOCKS RUNNING UP AND DOWN ALL OVER MY HEAD. I DON'T REMEMBER ANY MORE, YOU KNOW, THE BRAIN THING, BUT THEY KEPT UP A LONG TIME, DAYS. I CALLED MY DOC AND HE TOLD ME TO GET INTO THE NEURO. WHEN I COULDN'T GET IN FOR MONTHS, I WENT TO SEE MY PCP, AND HE CALLED MY NEURO......I COULD HEAR HIM SAYING 'SHE IS SEIZING ALL OVER THE PLACE'! NO YOU ARE NOT CRAZY. THAT IS SEIZURE ACTIVITY WITHOUT A DOUBT. IT REALLY SCARED ME. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND OF COURSE, FORGOT I HAD EVER SEEN A S. DOC. IN FACT, I STILL DON'T REMEMBER THAT APPOINTMENT! OH LOVE THE LALA'S!! TALK TO YOUR DOC. GOOD LUCK CHOOSING WHICH ONE. GOD, YOU REALLY NEED SOME ANSWERS AND SOME HELP. LOVE YA, JAN
I usually have the "head shocks" a few hours before it's time for me to take my meds at night. I don't know if they're seizures for me though. I take other meds and I think it could be a mixture of meds that are causing it. Then again, I could be having partial seizures. Who's to know?
Lisa
"I have Epilepsy. But it does NOT have me!!!!"
Hi Maggie,
I have two situations to explain what I have felt in the past. The first is I had a strong tingly sensation down my left arm. It actually lasted for about 2 days. It was later followed by a gran mal that sent me to the hospital. That was 4 months ago.
A few days after returning home, I had what I describe as a strong 'buzzing' in my head. I did not like it at all, it was extremely uncomfortable and it upset me greatly. After laying down for a few minutes it went away.
Since that time I have continued to have tingling in the left side of my head from time to time. I just realized today that these are simple partial seizures. I thought they were possible caused by the medication until I did further research on the forum. I occasionally get tingling down my left arm.
Rest assured that you are not alone. Thank God for this board, because no matter how much those around you love you, they don't seem to understand or grasp the concept of what you are going through physically or emotionally.
Good luck and God Bless!
~ Believe
Thank you for your rely Believe..This shcok has only happened 2x's to me,but it was very strange.There was really no pain involved but made me grab my head cause it felt so odd.Good luck and God bless
*Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.I do not give to you as the world gives.Do not let your hearts be troubled,and do not let them be afraid.* ~John 14:27
hi maggie, i always call them brainstorms, i used to call them fireworks but i like fireworks so i changed the name. its like a big eletric storm over my whole brain. doesnt last long but very uncomfortable. mine doesnt go into any part of my body though. i always just figure it happens when the seizure activity has gone a bit bonkers since i have it all the time. but it doesntget to a point of a t/c.
hugs,
banffgirl
Hi Maggie,
The buzzing you have in your head is Tinnitus. (Do a search for it) I have it too, and it switches from ear to ear whenever it damn well pleases. I've laid in bed crying at night because it will not let me sleep when I have to get up early and can't fall asleep. That's just my experience, but give it a look and see if it's the same thing you're experiencing.
Thanks for your reply seisures~This is not a buzzing in my head but it feels like a lightening strike...a bolt of electricity.I don't have the buzzing at all.Good luck and God bless you
*Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.I do not give to you as the world gives.Do not let your hearts be troubled,and do not let them be afraid.* ~John 14:27
I experienced a 'Complex' seizure in '96 while driving, and 'blacked out' and crashed my car into a house. Luckily, I was not seriously injured!! Since then, I have Simple Partial Seizures, but typically only at night while sleeping. These all last a matter of a couple of seconds and wake me up, with a feeling of 'doom' (like what I would think would be a heart attack). Each time, I would describe these as if someone were applying a 1000 volt shock to my brain!! I fear that I may continue with these, with little hope that my personal doctor can help me, but worst...that a qualified neurologist can diagnose what's going on. The last neurologist I went to was 'little help' and charged be a ridiculous amount of money for seeing him. I'll only go 'so far' as far as the 'cost factor'.
dmurphy
I just joined the site today. For 6 months I have been having the eletrical shocks during my sleep. I only expereience either 1-2 shocking jolts. They light up my entire head. My teeth vibrate like someone put one of those gag handshake buzzers in my mouth. I hear the shocking sound too. Last week was the worst yet. I actually smelled and tasted something buring. I have complex partial seizures and have been seizure free for 2 years. I have been researching this shock phenomena for awhile. Never thought it could be additional seizures. I was thinking it might be bioeletrical magnetism. Ever heard of that? I am afraid to talk to my neurologist about it. For the same fear as you, excess money for EEG or that they think you're crazy.
Hi dmurphy:
I really hope that you see this post since this is from last year. I would like to know if you have found the results of this experience. I had an experience earlier this year and I believe that I suffered from shock, however it has been a year and I am experiencing some of the symptoms that you talk about in this post. The shakiness in the head, I have trouble sleeping, the smell of something burnin, hearing sparks, and even sounds like something cracking in mymouth. Not sure what it is though. I would really like to hear back from you.
Hi Bmcrimmon~psychologist does think I do have simple partials.Neuro says since all tests are normal it is NES.Meds would NOT work for NES (non epileptic seizures)The psychiatrist put me on Lamictal and Klonopin and it seems to be helping some what.Still have to many seizures though.Also have the flopping/thrashing ones.Neuro doesn't want to see me any more??? Figure that one out! This electricial shock has happened 2x's.Neuro looked at me like I was crazy.Thanks for reply.Do not sit infront of computer,only at nite to chat.God bless you
*Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.I do not give to you as the world gives.Do not let your hearts be troubled,and do not let them be afraid.* ~John 14:27
This describes my experience precisely, except I'm not or wasn't taking zoloft or anything like that. I'm 34 and female; mine started about a month or two ago. I've only had 3 episodes but their unusual enough to make me a little worried.
Hi alittleshocking~This electricial shock is a very strange feeling.No pain involved some tingeling.It has only happened 2x's and that was enough for me.Thank you...Good luck and God bless
*Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.I do not give to you as the world gives.Do not let your hearts be troubled,and do not let them be afraid.* ~John 14:27
Hey colina~This has only happened 2x's to me when i was going to bed...each time.it feels like electricity shooting through head with some tingeling.The docs just look at me like...WHAT???never heard of such thing! Faith in docs....Ummmmm...for you to answer! *smiles*
*Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.I do not give to you as the world gives.Do not let your hearts be troubled,and do not let them be afraid.* ~John 14:27
I've had this exact sensation all day today, and also googled and got this site. First time ever in my life I have experienced it. Only lasting a second or so, but occuring every minute or two, all day!!!! i'm also weaning off an antidepressant (efexor-xr), but have been doing so for a couple of weeks now and this is the first time i've had these symptoms. when it is occuring when i am standing up i feel like i'm going to pass out and when it's happening when i am sitting down i feel like throwing up. it is very weird and i am really scared. pls let me know if u haf found out what yours were caused by..... Thanks.
Hi, I know exactly what you are talking about. They are definetly caused by a chemical inbalance in your brain.
If you are on any kind of anti-depressents, that is definetly a bad side-effect. I had a Dr. put me on Wellbutrin, Paxil, etc..... and The side-effects much less the damage they cause to you physically is a nightmare. Doctors hand out these "mood-elevators" like they are candy. When you try to stop taking them your brain screams for more because your neuro-transmitters don't produce the natural chemicals needed anymore and depend on the drug substitute. Once you quit the drug long enough for your brain to start making it's own endorphins again hopefully, it will go away.But, that might not always be the case, depending on how long you have substituted with a drug. In most cases I know of, it's usually caused by a chemical inbalance caused by drugs. Once you stoptaking the drug, and your body has had time to make it's own natural endorphins again, it usually should stop. Just give it a little time.
I have been feeling the same thing and would like to get more information
Maive,
I know what you mean! Ouch!
-Spiz
Maggie,
I have these too. Mine are on my right side though. Are yours painful? Mine are and they leave a hot, burning sensation after the jolt is gone. Smiles!
-Spiz
Hey maggie.. Pleased to meet you. I have been having electric shocks on both sides of my brain for years. I am also awake when they happen.. Exhaused after.. Thanks.. Thought I was on my own with these episodes. I also have peti mal..