Cipralex/Lexapro day 3 - brain zaps??

[DanDBSTS]

Hi, I've been on 5mg Cipralex for 3 days, I take it before going to sleep.
Today in the morning I felt very strange when I woke up, I Googled the sensations I was having and I found that the closest description to describe what I felt was "Brain Zaps".
Aren't brain zaps supposed to be withdrawal symptoms?
I may have taken my dose an hour or two later than usual, could that be the cause?
Did anyone else experience brain zaps in a similar situation?

[insights]

No, they aren't a withdrawal effect in your case. Escitalopram has a longish half-life of around 27-32 hours, so withdrawal effects wouldn't set in after 8-10 hours. A factor may have been the type of sleep you were in when you awoke. During REM sleep release of neurotransmitters affected by antidepressants, particularly serotonin and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) pretty much stops, which in the case of serotonin is the opposite of what SSRIs are initially trying to achieve (later they do reduce serotonin expression too) and this can cause some strange effects if you wake up during REM, especially if plasma levels of the AD fluctuate too, as happens in the first few days an antidepressant is taken.

It takes about 7 days for escitalopram levels to build to a steady level in the bloodstream after which things usually begin to settle down, however, such symptoms may return for a few days if you up the dose. 

Ian