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Shock-like sensations during venlafaxine withdrawal
Roy R Reeves1, James E Mack, John J Beddingfield
1Department of Psychiatry, Montgomery VA Medical Center, and the School of Medicine, University of Mississippi, Jackson, Mississippi 39216, USA. roy.reeves@med.va.gov
Abstract:
Electric shock-like sensations may occur after cessation of treatment with serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors but are reported in the literature only rarely with discontinuation of venlafaxine. Two patients experienced severe shock-like sensations during venlafaxine withdrawal. For both patients symptoms occurred with lowering of the dosage and persisted for 5 days after complete discontinuation of the drug. These sensations may represent significant alteration of neuronal activity in the central nervous system.
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