SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome

For many people suffering from serious depression, antidepressant drugs have allowed them to return to a normal life. The most common class of antidepressant drugs prescribed today is SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which were the first drugs designed specifically to treat depression. However, many patients who have ceased using SSRIs have reported adverse withdrawal side effects after stopping the drug.

The usual symptom list for SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome includes flu-like symptoms such as nausea and headache, sexual dysfunction, and in some cases intensely unpleasant dreams. The withdrawal effects of various SSRI drugs can vary. For example, not every drug always leads to sexual dysfunction, but there are some that can seriously affect a patient's sex life, sometimes permanently. This condition has even been lent a name: Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD).

One side effect reported by many patients, which has not yet gained acceptance in the medical community, is a kind of “zapping” sensation. Patients often describe these “brain zaps” or “head shocks” as including electric-shock-like sensations, dizziness, nausea, and confusion.

These side effects, known together as SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome, are controversial: not every doctor acknowledges their existence as a single condition. However, symptoms including nausea and irritability have been reported in patients who ceased taking an SSRI. If you recently stopped taking an SSRI, consult your doctor about any symptoms you may be experiencing.

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If you have stopped taking an SSRI and think symptoms related to SSRI use or withdrawal may have caused permanent changes in your health, the experienced Milwaukee personal injury lawyers of Habush Habush & Rottier, SC can help you. To discuss your case with a lawyer, contact us today at 800-242-2874

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