Help - 160+ "head rushes" or "brain zaps" everyday?
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hi Folks – I’m a 49 year old male and starting in May this year, I started experiencing some very weird “head rushes” or “head zaps” as I have seen other folks make reference to. I’m now 4 months in and they are continuing - getting worse and more frequent. I actually know exactly when I had the first one – I was on holidays and departing the hotel and I got this head rush that was very sharp and lasted only a few seconds. It felt like someone stuck a needle in my brain full of adrenaline. I could feel the rush come from behind my right eye and it was so strong I got tingling down my entire body. These “rushes” only last a few seconds and don’t interfere with my balance / motor skills nor do I have any cognitive break etc.… they are just very annoying and generate a bit of anxiety. The rushes are not painful and no noise heard. After that first one, I was experiencing them 4 or 5 times every hour for the next month. For that first month, they generally only occurred when I was in situations that had a bit of anxiety involved – good or bad: i.e. playing a video game and monster jumps out, watching TV and phone rings… initially the sensation was almost pleasurable – almost like a release of sorts. Again, they only last a few seconds and once over, I do get an anxious feeling. Initially, in-between these episodes I felt fine. For the first month I just wrote these off as I must have picked up a bug while on vacation (I was in New York). Few items about me – I have never had any issues with depression or anxiety in the past and take no drugs and am a very moderate drinker.
I began to get worried the second month as the head rushes started to occur every 10 minutes of so regardless of what I was doing – no anxiety needed. These new head rushes are similar to the more anxiety generated rushes just a bit milder. They also last just a few seconds. In the second and third month of this issue, I got as many as 80 of the milder rushes a day. As of right now (four months in), I get the milder rushes up to 160 a day. I swear I can feel a build up to each rush in the minute before they occur. I still get the “sharper” and more anxiety driven rushes as well but 3 or 4 an hour. These rushes also occur at night and the sharper ones will wake me up. I’m off work at the moment and have very little stress in my life.
In addition to the head rushes, in month 3 and 4 I started experiencing general fatigue and am now sleeping 12 hour a day. I usually run on my treadmill for an hour and now can only manage 20 minutes before I am exhausted and drenched in sweat. One of the worse problems I am now having related to this is I have no sex drive – never had that issue before. I am also putting on weight.
After the first month I went to see my Doctor about this – he tested my thyroid and I was a bit low so am now on 50 mg of synthroid. My vitamin B was a bit low as well so am on a B supplement. As my symptoms are so strange and persistent, I had an MRI on my head done to ensure no tumor etc.… The MRI was clean. Doc also suspected Cushing Disease so have done 2 X 24 hour urine cortisol test. In both tests my cortisol was above average. Doc had MRI on my adrenal glands to see if there was a tumor – MRI was clean. Running out of ideas, my GP has now referred me to an Endocrinologist. The Endocrinologist had me do a blood cortisol test – it came up as abnormal but too low cortisol not too high? Endocrinologist now doesn’t think it is cushing or even endocrine issue?
I have searched high and low on the Net for folks with my similar symptoms – closest I can find are for folks with antidepressant withdrawal (SSRI) however, I have never been on antidepressants and am not on any drugs.
Anyways – saw this forum with folks who had similar symptoms and thought I would post in hopes of finding someone in a similar situation looking for answers.
1 like, 16 replies
staynpositive Headzap
Posted
I know it seems like it's taking forever to get answers for the symptoms you're having but it sounds like you're in good hands with your doctors. These things tend to rely on a host of testing to exclude possible causes. I wouldn't rule out the vitamin deficiency .. low levels can cause what you're experiencing and even with supplementation some people have absorption issues. Has a vascular cause been checked into? Some type of venous insufficiency? Also wondering if you've had EEG's to check for a possible seizure disorder or cerebral hyperexcitability.
?Might be helpful to keep a log of the where's and when's. Is it only when standing? Brought about by visual or auditory stimulation? Fatigued or stressed? The more 'clues' you can offer to your doctors the better.
Best of luck to you!
Headzap
Posted
Of note, my head rushes this week have become even milder and fewer. They have deen getting milder last 4 weeks so hoping this will just pass - write it off to chemistry out of wack?
Will update for other in a week or two.
I appreciate the comments
Headzap
Posted
Update - the head rushes continue to get milder and less frequent. I only get 4 or 5 an hour and some I barely feel. That said, other symptoms remain – very low sex drive and very tired. I can sleep 14 hours straight on weekends. I still feel build-up (anxiety) leading up to a rush. As the rushes are not as strong I feel less relief after a rush – anxiety remains. I continue to put on weight.
New issue: for the past month when I wake up my baby toe on left side has been tingling – not quite asleep but a tingle when I step out of bed, tingle goes away. For the past week the tingle has been getting worse and doesn’t go all away – toe a bit sore? No clue if this has anything to do with my issue? I’ve read about these type of things with diabetes.
Here are my test results from old to new. In brackets () is the normal range. Doc(s) hasn’t called to give me any opinions on latest test:
Aug17
CORTISOL RANDOM 65 - 540 18 nmol/L LOW
VOLUME, 24HOUR URINE (600 – 1800) 2100 mL/d HIGH
CREATININE, 24 HOUR URINE (6.3 - 22.7) 26.5 mmol/d HIGH
FREE CORTISOL, 24 HOUR URINE (0 – 193) 290 nmol/d HIGH
Sep 07
Cortisol 396 nmol/L G VIEW
LH 2.6 IU/L (1.0-9.0) C VIEW
FSH 3.6 IU/L (1.0-19.0) C VIEW
Prolactin 6 ug/L (3-13) C VIEW
Testosterone Total 9.1 nmol/L (6.1-27.1) C VIEW
Testosterone Free Calculated 183 pmol/L (110-660) C VIEW
Testosterone Bioavailable Calculated 4.3 nmol/L (2.8-15.5) C VIEW
SHBG 31 nmol/L (13-89) C VIEW
TSH 3.05 mIU/L (0.34-5.60) C VIEW
FT4 13.6 pmol/L (7.0-17.0) C VIEW
Sept 11
CORTISOL RANDOM (65 – 540) 18 nmol/L LOW
Sept 25
THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE (TSH) (0.35 – 5) 3.36 mIU/L NORMAL
FREE T4 (12 – 22) 18 pmol/L NORMAL
FREE T3 (3.4 - 5.9) 5.2 pmol/L NORMAL
Sept 25
VOLUME, 24HOUR URINE (600 – 1800) 1580 mL/d NORMAL
CREATININE, 24 HOUR URINE (6.3 - 22.7) 24.9 mmol/d HIGH
NORMETANEPHRINES < 3.3 5.9 umol/d HIGH
METANEPHRINES < 1.7 1.1 umol/d NORMAL
No clue where I go from here? Love to get some input as I think my Docs are stumped.
Headzap
Posted
Update - the head rushes continue to get milder and less frequent. I only get 4 or 5 an hour and some I barely feel. That said, other symptoms remain – very low sex drive and very tired. I can sleep 14 hours straight on weekends. I still feel build-up (anxiety) leading up to a rush. As the rushes are not as strong I feel less relief after a rush – anxiety remains. I continue to put on weight.
New issue: for the past month when I wake up my baby toe on left side has been tingling – not quite asleep but a tingle when I step out of bed, tingle goes away. For the past week the tingle has been getting worse and doesn’t go all away – toe a bit sore? No clue if this has anything to do with my issue? I’ve read about these type of things with diabetes.
Here are my test results from old to new. In brackets () is the normal range. Doc(s) hasn’t called to give me any opinions on latest test:
Aug17
CORTISOL RANDOM 65 - 540 18 nmol/L LOW
VOLUME, 24HOUR URINE (600 – 1800) 2100 mL/d HIGH
CREATININE, 24 HOUR URINE (6.3 - 22.7) 26.5 mmol/d HIGH
FREE CORTISOL, 24 HOUR URINE (0 – 193) 290 nmol/d HIGH
Sep 07
Cortisol 396 nmol/L G VIEW
LH 2.6 IU/L (1.0-9.0) C VIEW
FSH 3.6 IU/L (1.0-19.0) C VIEW
Prolactin 6 ug/L (3-13) C VIEW
Testosterone Total 9.1 nmol/L (6.1-27.1) C VIEW
Testosterone Free Calculated 183 pmol/L (110-660) C VIEW
Testosterone Bioavailable Calculated 4.3 nmol/L (2.8-15.5) C VIEW
SHBG 31 nmol/L (13-89) C VIEW
TSH 3.05 mIU/L (0.34-5.60) C VIEW
FT4 13.6 pmol/L (7.0-17.0) C VIEW
Sept 11
CORTISOL RANDOM (65 – 540) 18 nmol/L LOW
Sept 25
THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE (TSH) (0.35 – 5) 3.36 mIU/L NORMAL
FREE T4 (12 – 22) 18 pmol/L NORMAL
FREE T3 (3.4 - 5.9) 5.2 pmol/L NORMAL
Sept 25
VOLUME, 24HOUR URINE (600 – 1800) 1580 mL/d NORMAL
CREATININE, 24 HOUR URINE (6.3 - 22.7) 24.9 mmol/d HIGH
NORMETANEPHRINES < 3.3 5.9 umol/d HIGH
METANEPHRINES < 1.7 1.1 umol/d NORMAL
No clue where I go from here? Love to get some input as I think my Docs are stumped.
staynpositive Headzap
Posted
Your cortisol levels are significantly low. A sign of adrenal insufficiency. That in itself can cause the head sensations you describe .. they're referred to as cortisol rushes. Fatigue is common as well. Without proper cortisol levels metabolism slows. More importantly it can interfere with cardiac function and blood pressure. Based on prior labs this appears to be episodic, explaining why your symptoms fluctuate.
There is treatment available that would be determined by the cause of insufficiency. For some it's autoimmune based, for others it's stems directly from the adrenal gland.
I'm sure a meeting with your doctor will help clarify next steps. Most likely a referral to an endocrinologist.
Headzap staynpositive
Posted
Thanks for your input - I am seeing an endocrinologist now - she doesn't think my levels are to far out? My reg Doc does see it as adrenal related - we will see. Thanks again for your help.
carrie26227 Headzap
Posted
Headzap carrie26227
Posted
My head zaps have decreased in frequency and hope yours do too. Dont let them write off your issues and keep fighting to figure it out. I will check back here and post if I have any change. Let us all know how you are doing - I suspect more folks out there with similar issues so hope we can all help each other in the end.
dferg Headzap
Posted
saad24 Headzap
Posted
anyways I mostly got this after smoking cigg. does any of you had this problem??
saad24
Posted
and we all should share this frequently may be we will figure this out. hope so 😊
barb72473 Headzap
Posted
Hello,
My issues started last December, I have since been diagnosed with vaso vagal syncope and chronic hypotension, none of which explain my constant head rushes and feeling like I'm on street drugs. Every thing I have researched is leading me two possibilities that haven't been ruled out or considered yet: high serotonin, or GBHD. Dopamine beta hydroxylase deficiency (deficiency in norepinephrine) a very rare disease at this time but describes almost everything I encounter especially when my issues hit the extremes level that have me on the floor helpless. Has anyone had a dr. Mention either of these?
joe65785 Headzap
Posted
i would love to chat with you?
possible im getting over 200 day
Headzap
Posted
Just an update - sorry I haven't checked back here for sometime. My issues are much better and have been linked to PTSD I suffer after serving overseas. I am now on Zoloft and Wellbutrin. This has greatly reduced and, most days, eliminated my head rushes. Still get them on occasions where I am under stress but nothing like before. Hope this may help others with similar circumstances. I initially refused to believe I had PTSD and that it could manifest in the symptoms I was experiencing. I finally started listening to the doctor's (4 +) who suggested PTSD, and after starting treatment, saw the positive results. I couldn't argue with that. Thanks to all who commented here.
ariel83644 Headzap
Posted
your story is from a long time ago and you may never read this again, but i have been having brain shakes or zaps since March of this year.
ive seen a GP, an OBGYN, an eye doctor, an ENT, a neurologist and finally an endocrinologist. ive been on a dozen medications, done two MRIs, an EEG, a CT and a ton of bloodwork. ive been told i have been blown off, told i have anxiety (i don't) and have been told multiple times that i cant be helped.
just recently my endocrinologist told me that based on testing, he thinks i have addison's disease. its very scary, but after 7 months of being made to feel like a fool while having these brain zaps, im clinging to this diagnosis. maybe if you still have them, you should see a different endocrinologist and ask if they could test you for addison's. addison's can be life threatening if left untreated and maybe you have ptsd but maybe you also have this.
your description is the first i've seen that is very similar to my own. im a 45 year old woman. my brain zaps started on March 3, 2023. i had 45 in a three hour period. sometimes i go a few days without any, but they come back. i even graphed them to try to figure out a pattern.
youre right, sometimes they feel like a release and weirdly i kind of miss them? i dont do drugs, i dont really drink. i dont take SSRIs. i dont consume caffeine. i have a wonderful life with my family and a great job. i have a physical response with the zaps. i blink my eyes a bunch to try to center, i have lost my balance a few times and feel vertigo like symptoms. i have learned to drive with them although i was afraid at first.
anyway, i just wanted you to know that youre not alone and now im not alone either.
kelly0819 ariel83644
Posted
I’m new to this page and I only found it due to this post from the original poster. I have been reading through all of these responses and I’m glad to feel that I am not alone!!
everything that all of you have described is exactly what I have. I drink caffeine, but I have for a long time. I drink a lot of water and I do take an SSRI for anxiety which I have. If I do not take my SSI for a day and skip it, I get a slight withdrawal. But in general, regardless of whether or not, I miss one of my medicine doses, I have been suffering from these brain zaps or head rushes whatever one chooses to call them for a very long time and they drive me crazy. The reason why I found this post is because today has been one of my worst days ever and I can’t take it anymore. I actually have a call into my primary doctor to see what he thinks but now reading this, I think I am going to contact an endocrinologist. .
I can’t believe I’m not the only one that experiences these weird head sensations! thank you for making me think that I am not going crazy!!