"i have been on pristiq (50 mg) for about four months to treat depression. i feel better and have more energy, but some side-effects i&#039;ve encountered concern me. when i missed a dose, it sounded like fireworks were going off in my head. i could hear &quot;zaps&quot; and felt dizzy and nauseated. i didn&#039;t connect it to the medication, though, so i stayed in bed the next day, unmedicated, and the symptoms got worse. i was able to see the physician&#039;s assistant who prescribed phenergan and valium. i&#039;m now a little worried about going off pristiq. i never felt like this on paxil or effexor."