I have so much experience with this it actually makes me depressed to think about, lol.
Here is what I can offer you:
You and I have spoken about BZD withdrawal in the past, and I have told you the consequences (some more dire than others) that I've experienced from it. These 'brain zaps' (best way to describe them) have been consistent symptoms in the past of BZD withdrawal.
They are also symptomatic of SSRI withdrawal. They are also symptomatic of treatment with Buspar (an anti-anxiety medication that is an antagonist of a specific subset of serotonin receptors in the brain).
Are you on any serotonergic medications at the moment? I vividly recall the ugly brain zaps I would get every time I stood up or attempted to move during withdrawal from Effexor, and I have a bottle of Buspar in my house that I'd hoped against all hope would help me taper off of benzodiazepines by cutting my anxiety. Instead, it did nothing psychiatrically except reliably precipitate - you guessed it - terrifying brain zaps. I actually used etizolam to
stop the brain zaps I got from Buspar. Ah! The irony.
Regardless of that, I would not worry as much about the brain zaps precipitating a seizure. IME, they are more symptomatic of the serotonergic system being deprived of its normal release-and-absorb activity in the neuronal synapse. What I am more concerned about, after reading your post, is that you say you are on a "Xanax taper." Is this taper under the supervision of a doctor? If so, why are you using such a short-acting benzo?
According to my experience, the experience of others, and the
Ashton Manual, you
reaaaalllllyy ought to be tapering using a BZD with a superior half-life. Next to something like triazolam, alprazolam is like the crack of benzos. A quick spike in your system, followed by rapid pharmacokinetic metabolism and excretion from the body.
Ideal examples would be Valium (diazepam) or Librium (chlordiazepoxide), although I do not recommend the latter. It is the prototypical benzodiazepine with ugly effects.
Please keep us updated on your condition...
